For the next several days, we were entirely consumed by training the Thunder Array. Drilling one hundred and eighty people was no small feat. Without absolute certainty, we would never dare challenge the Lord of the Yellow Springs; the previous lesson had been too brutal. No one knew what hidden strength the Lord of the Yellow Springs still possessed.

A week later, the one hundred and eighty people in the Thunder Array finally achieved perfect integration of offense and defense, capable of seamless transformation. Only then did the group feel confident enough to challenge the Lord of the Yellow Springs again.

The contingent dispatched this time was not large, numbering just over two hundred. The primary reason was that sheer numbers wouldn't suffice against the Lord of the Yellow Springs. Even so, the remaining members followed far behind. After all, an encounter challenging the Lord of the Yellow Springs was a grand spectacle not easily encountered, especially after witnessing the one-hundred-and-eighty-person Thunder Array—everyone was brimming with confidence about this mission. Of course, Feng Qingtian, Xia Ya, and the core members of the Thunder Array were also full of self-assurance. I simply refuse to believe the Lord of the Yellow Springs can withstand even one of my fireballs. Subconsciously, I glanced back at the large contingent following behind, only to see the Dongguan siblings looking tense, praying fervently.

Five hours later, we arrived at the location where we had previously clashed with the Lord of the Yellow Springs.

To our shock, for some unknown reason, the ground that had been flattened last time had completely restored itself. From a distance, we could see the massive Demonic Soul Devouring Array, and standing there, an astonishing number of high-level undead!

"They're still alive," I gasped in surprise.

"Naturally," Xia Ya replied. "This is the Yellow Springs World, the homeland of the undead. As long as we are within this world, high-level undead, even if killed, will revive."

"If high-level undead all behave this way, doesn't that make the Lord of the Yellow Springs effectively immortal?" My resolve wavered slightly.

"Idiot, their revival is precisely because of the Lord of the Yellow Springs' existence—because of the Yellow Springs Barrier," Xia Ya explained. "If the Lord of the Yellow Springs is killed, who will be left to resurrect them?"

"I… hadn't considered that," I admitted, feeling a bit awkward.

"Alright, time to be cautious now," Feng Qingtian advised. "Toss those irrelevant thoughts aside. Just remember this: kill the Lord of the Yellow Springs, and everything will be fine."

"Got it."

We halted when we were about three hundred meters from the Demonic Soul Devouring Array.

Having learned from the previous encounter, we dared not rush recklessly into the formation. We remembered that the Vanguard Hall had been wiped out instantly by a single strike from the Lord of the Yellow Springs inside that array last time.

For safety, Feng Qingtian, Xia Ya, and several accompanying warriors consumed Oak Fruits. These fruits resembled apples but were golden, tasting somewhat like ginger—though I hadn't tried one myself; I had no desire to invite trouble. Who knew what would happen if I ate one?

It was rumored that the Oak Fruit was an extremely rare treasure of heaven and earth, capable of temporarily boosting one's various physical functions—similar to modern stimulants, but supposedly without side effects.

After deploying the Thunder Array, I immediately hurled several Super Fireballs into the Demonic Soul Devouring Array. We knew by now that as soon as this horde of high-level undead was eliminated, the Lord of the Yellow Springs would manifest within the array.

Although the Demonic Soul Devouring Array could resist magical attacks, it was only relative. The Super Fireballs I launched contained at least ten times the magical power, condensed by over a hundred mages operating under the amplification of the Thunder Array, forming an overwhelmingly powerful magical assault.

If a regular Fireball spell had an attack power of 1, then the current Fireball's power was $1 \times 100 \times 10$, totaling 1000 attack power. The difference was simply incomparable.

Whoosh! Whoosh-whoosh-whoosh! Having mastered the knack of launching fireballs using the Ring of Flame, I was now like a heavy machine gun, frantically strafing the dense ranks of high-level undead within the array. The only difference was that the 'bullets' I fired were Super Fireballs, each the size of a cubic meter. And this wasn't even the peak Fireball attack the Thunder Array could muster. Yet, even with dozens of these fireballs raining down randomly, they annihilated nearly a thousand high-level undead into dust within a minute. Perhaps those high-level undead never imagined that such terrifying magical attacks existed in this world; they didn't even get a chance to rush out of the Demonic Soul Devouring Array to attack us.

Roar!

Suddenly, a world-shaking roar erupted! Brilliant golden light flared intensely within the Demonic Soul Devouring Array! A tall, golden silhouette abruptly manifested.

"The Lord of the Yellow Springs!" Although we expected its appearance, facing it now still sent an involuntary tremor of panic and unease through my core.

Appearing alongside it were countless azure skeletal Axemen.

"Quick, blow him to pieces!" Feng Qingtian roared. "While he hasn't reacted, we'll handle the miscellaneous trash."

"Yes!" I bellowed. "Full firepower!"

Swish! In an instant, the Thunder Array burst forth with a dazzling explosion of light. Everyone channeled their Dou Qi, magic, and Taoist arts to their absolute peak immediately.

"Go to hell!" Perhaps due to excessive tension, I unleashed at least ten incredibly potent Great Fireballs in one go.

Whoosh! Whoosh-whoosh-whoosh-whoosh-whoosh-whoosh-whoosh!

Over a dozen Super Fireballs, each the size of five cubic meters, screamed toward the Lord of the Yellow Springs at terrifying speeds.

Roar! Crash! The Lord of the Yellow Springs roared furiously, swinging its great hammer in a sweep that unleashed a colossal crescent moon blade—the same terrifying killing move that instantly annihilated Xia Cha and the others last time. Perhaps sensing mortal danger, it immediately entered a berserk state.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! The sound was like a string of specially made super thunder-firecrackers detonating! The Super Fireballs I launched exploded into dazzling bursts of light the moment they made contact, like festive fireworks illuminating the entire underground palace with blinding brilliance. And the terrifying shockwaves rampaged everywhere. Countless specks of dust flew everywhere like a sandstorm. No one had expected the Lord of the Yellow Springs to absorb over a dozen of my Super Fireballs at once; everyone was utterly horrified.

"All in!" Feng Qingtian roared. "Don't stop! Blast him to death like this!"

"Yes!" Even without his instruction, I knew we couldn't slacken now; otherwise, if the Lord of the Yellow Springs closed the distance, we were doomed!

My inner Dou Qi surged, and the Ring of Flame spun furiously under the impetus of the Dou Qi, spewing out torrents of Super Fireballs like a furious storm. The stable energy field meant I didn't have to worry about running out of magical power and interrupting the attack. Unquestionably, the Thunder Array was an ultimate, freakishly powerful formation, especially when matched with my Soul-Devouring Body, which enhanced its power infinitely. In the past, the limitation of the Thunder Array's power was the fragile endurance of the human body, not a lack of magical energy. Now, that weakness was overcome by my presence. The Thunder Array now functioned like a machine gun that never ran out of ammunition. The full magical output generated by over a hundred mages channeling the Thunder Array was enough for me to squander limitlessly; I never had to worry about 'wasting' resources. Perhaps I could be considered the most extravagant mage in history.

Swish! Swish! Swish! The Blood Drink danced wildly, fireballs flying everywhere. I never imagined Fireball spells could be shot out at such an astonishing frequency.

The Lord of the Yellow Springs on the other side also seemed unprepared to be suppressed from the very start, evidently driven mad. The entire subterranean palace was engulfed by its terrifying roars. The massive Yellow Springs Hammer whipped around like a high-powered electric fan, sweeping out massive golden crescents that crashed against the Super Fireballs I launched like surging tidal waves! Clearly, the Lord of the Yellow Springs was fighting with everything it had.

Rumble! Rumble! Rumble! The terrifying bombardment never ceased! The distance of about two hundred and forty meters ahead became the primary battlefield where the giant crescents and Super Fireballs collided!

I had never imagined a battle could descend into such an intense clash of Dou Qi and magic. I had initially thought the combined power of one hundred and eighty people in the Thunder Array should have been enough to defeat the Lord of the Yellow Springs easily, but reality served as another reminder: underestimating the Lord of the Yellow Springs demanded a heavy price. I didn't know how much power the Lord of the Yellow Springs still concealed, but all I could do was give it my absolute best. I absolutely could not allow it any chance to turn the tide.

The entire underground palace resembled a battlefield hammered by countless cannonballs. The staggering shockwaves of Dou Qi and the terrifying explosions of fireballs instantly turned that area into a vacuum zone of death. Soon, shattered stones were pulverized by the terrifying impact, forming billowing gray mist that filled the air.

I couldn't see the figure of the Lord of the Yellow Springs through the thick fog.

"I can't see it!" I cried out in alarm!

"Xia Ya, lock onto the Lord of the Yellow Springs immediately, use Spiritual Revelation!" Feng Qingtian, as expected of a seasoned top expert, noticed the danger instantly.

"Yes!" Xia Ya, also intensely nervous, launched Soul Fire Talismans like snowflakes toward the swirling Demonic Soul Devouring Array.

"Damn it, such speed! I can't lock on—it’s charging through!" Xia Ya exclaimed in shock.

Swish! Just as Xia Ya roared, a massive golden streak of light shot out of the mist like lightning, hurtling toward us.

"Intercept!" Feng Qingtian and the few warriors guarding the flanks immediately slashed out several massive Blazing Half-Moon blades, meeting the incoming figure. Their objective was simple: stop the Lord of the Yellow Springs from closing the distance at any cost. Having learned from the tragic lessons of the past, everyone knew that once the Lord of the Yellow Springs got close, it was certain death. Even the Thunder Shield couldn't withstand the berserk, maddened Lord of the Yellow Springs. Therefore, the Thunder Array this time was deliberately deployed without the Thunder Shield—meeting offense with offense: either you die, or I die! The four warriors simultaneously unleashed giant Blazing Half-Moons, sealing off all lines of approach for the Lord of the Yellow Springs—left, right, or above. This was the only tactic Feng Qingtian devised to prevent close-quarters combat.

Crash! The terrifying size and astonishing speed of the giant Blazing Half-Moons meant that the Lord of the Yellow Springs, having only covered a hundred meters, was instantly blasted full-on. Evidently, the days of hard training had paid off. Although the Lord of the Yellow Springs possessed astonishing speed, the interception area covered by the four giant Blazing Half-Moons was immense. While it couldn't kill the Lord of the Yellow Springs, they acted like four mobile super-shields, hitting the Lord of the Yellow Springs no matter which direction it tried to break through. The terrifying impact force even sent the Lord of the Yellow Springs flying backward.

The entire Thunder Array resembled a super-tank bristling with cannons. The four Feng family warriors firmly held the Lord of the Yellow Springs at bay, preventing it from getting near, while I, under their cover, recklessly carried out the duty of the main cannon bombardment.

At the moment the Lord of the Yellow Springs was struck and sent flying back!

"Good opportunity!" Xia Ya's Spiritual Revelation instantly struck the Lord of the Yellow Springs. Almost simultaneously, my Super Fireballs shot out like lightning. This attack was precisely calculated: two Super Fireballs trailed directly behind the giant Blazing Half-Moons unleashed by Feng Qingtian's group, hurtling toward the Lord of the Yellow Springs.

Roar! Perhaps wary of the terrifying power of the Super Fireballs, the Lord of the Yellow Springs actually kicked out at one of the flying Blazing Half-Moons ahead of it.

Clang! In a flash of light and electricity, the Lord of the Yellow Springs’ massive body, with a dexterity disproportionate to its size, cleverly evaded my fireball attack. No one expected the Lord of the Yellow Springs to have such a trick up its sleeve. The terrifying impact force instantly slammed the creature’s giant body back into the mist.

Damn it! What a cunning bastard!

"Don't panic, as long as it can't get close, we've won," Feng Qingtian roared. "Keep blasting it to death!"

"Yes!" I dared not be slow, maintaining absolute focus, nervously searching the mist for the Lord of the Yellow Springs' location.

Although I couldn't see its form, the distinctive, brilliant red light strip of Spiritual Revelation pierced through the heavy fog like a blazing sun, illuminating the direction for my attack.

That's the spot! Blood Drink danced wildly, fireballs flew; another continuous barrage of Super Fireballs, a heavy artillery bombardment!

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Roar!

A series of booming explosions mingled with the Lord of the Yellow Springs' earth-shattering screams echoed through the palace. Everyone's heart lurched.

"It's hit," Xia Ya said, ecstatic. "The mist blocked my sight, but it also prevents the Lord of the Yellow Springs from seeing my attacks clearly."

"Don't stop," Feng Qingtian was even more thrilled, but the previous lesson was etched clearly in his mind; no one dared to underestimate the Lord of the Yellow Springs, as unpredictable variables often arose just as victory seemed certain.

"Yes!" I responded loudly, Dou Qi surging, Blood Drink flashing—dozens of fireballs, dozens of Super Fireballs, rained down like countless meteors onto the red light strip within the mist.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

The red light strip slowed down, eventually stopping completely.

Even so, I continued to bombard it madly, attacking like a lunatic.

The frenzied fireball assault lasted for about a full minute!

"Stop!" Xia Ya called out. "I can't sense the Lord of the Yellow Springs' fluctuations anymore. It seems dead."

"Maintain caution," Feng Qingtian’s expression was grave.

I gripped Blood Drink, staring intently at the red light strip.

Only when the dense mist finally dissipated did everyone clearly see the scene before them.

Beneath the light strip remained only a massive half-head, barely recognizable as the Lord of the Yellow Springs. The surroundings had turned into a flat, sandy beach resembling gravel—formed by the pulverized ground and rocks from the magical and Dou Qi explosions. Embedded diagonally in the sand was a golden great hammer: the Yellow Springs Hammer, the weapon of the Lord of the Yellow Springs.

"Roar! We won!" Feng Qingtian shouted excitedly.

"We killed the Lord of the Yellow Springs," Xia Ya murmured. "We actually succeeded."

"Vermilion Bird, invincible!" Everyone in the array erupted in ecstasy.

Although it was expected, when we actually succeeded, it was still hard to believe. The Lord of the Yellow Springs, legendary, symbolizing death and slaughter, was truly killed by us, and what thrilled me most was that I was one of the victors.

Feng Qingtian also lifted the Yellow Springs Hammer.

"This is the Yellow Springs Hammer, the peerless deadly weapon renowned throughout history?" Xia Ya exclaimed, excited.

Just as everyone was about to examine the deadly weapon closely—

Boom! Rumble! Thump—thump—thump!

Suddenly, earth-shaking, dull roars erupted, accompanied by violent tremors in the ground, like a super-earthquake of magnitude ten or higher. The surrounding scenery began to change drastically. The cave walls started collapsing.

"What's happening!" Someone immediately panicked.

"Everyone stay put and don't move rashly," Feng Qingtian shouted. "The barrier is collapsing!" Feng Qingtian yelled.

"The barrier collapsing—does that mean we can leave the Yellow Springs World?" a Feng family warrior beside him asked with a trembling voice.

"Correct, because we killed the Lord of the Yellow Springs," Xia Ya confirmed. "Therefore, the Yellow Springs Barrier, sustained by the Lord of the Yellow Springs as its core magic, is collapsing now that the Lord is gone."

As he spoke, the ground tremors intensified, terrifying everyone into ashen faces. After a long while, the violent shaking finally stopped.

The scenery around them changed drastically. After a bizarre distortion, the entire space seemed to have been violently torn apart by a giant. The original cave walls instantly dissolved into empty space.

Looking closely, the surroundings were still a gloomy, dark gray world.

"This is the fifth layer of the Bone Demon Cave!" Xia Ya exclaimed.

"We're out," Feng Qingtian said, thrilled.

"Wonderful, we're finally out," everyone rejoiced, immensely pleased.

"We actually left the Yellow Springs World alive," Han Yunzhen muttered to herself.

But more people impulsively embraced each other, and dozens of women in the formation wept openly. Perhaps no one had expected to return to the outside world alive.

The entire Vanguard Hall had been wiped out, all Nine Elders killed in action, and of the nine young masters, only Feng Qingtian and Xia Ya remained. The War Hall had suffered more than half casualties. It could be said that this trip to the Yellow Springs had severely weakened the Vermilion Bird Alliance.

However, under such circumstances, the fact that we still left the Yellow Springs World alive was an absolute miracle. ............................ It was a blessing that our Dragon Swimming Gang had survived completely intact, with no casualties. And perhaps the greatest gain from this Yellow Springs trip was learning the Thunder Dou Qi. For Long Xin and Dongguan, this experience must have shown them what a grand spectacle truly looked like. This would undoubtedly be crucial for their future growth.

"I never thought we’d actually leave the Yellow Springs World alive," Dongguan muttered. "It feels like a dream."

"It's not a dream," Long Xin said excitedly. "We really have left the Yellow Springs World."

But just then, the few of us noticed that the people from the Vermilion Bird Alliance had surrounded us, and Feng Qingtian was glaring at me with unconcealed hostility.

"Alright, perhaps now we can have a proper talk," Feng Qingtian enunciated word by word: "Blue—Lightning!"

It's over; they saw through me! My head instantly felt massive!