A world of death, conjured into being, void of life, consciousness, or soul—in its essence, it was no different from a table or a stone; the concepts of life and death simply did not exist within it, and thus, there was no power to be harnessed from it. But people are not the same!

Much like how a martial artist who tries to write novels is likely to fail miserably, or how a frail writer taking up arms on a battlefield would surely die the fastest, everyone has their own domain of expertise; their respective abilities dictate their respective arenas... Saigyouji Yuyuko’s domain was Death itself!

Never mind whether you possess life or a soul; even if you are but a piece of stone or rotten wood, as long as the word "Death" is applied to you, she can draw strength from that very word.

And at this moment, Yuyuko’s Feast of Death began to unfold!

There was no overwhelming aura of dominance, nor any dazzling display of technique. The moment the character for "Feast" () left Yuyuko's lips, the massive, fan-shaped crest behind her shattered with a clamor, dissolving into countless shadowy motes of light that permeated the world before vanishing... as if put to rest.

Death is always tranquil. Regardless of the chaos one person's passing might stir in the outside world, for the deceased themselves, death means the absolute end, as still and unrippling as well water.

No matter how great the power the deceased wielded in life—be it command over three thousand concubines or dominion over the realm—once dead, they are nothing. This is the power of Death. And now, this very power seeped into this world, or more accurately, it infiltrated the Dragon God's oppressive might.

With Yuyuko’s mastery over Death, once the concept of demise permeates something, that entity is bound to shatter and vanish, just like the fan crest, regardless of whether it possessed life to begin with. However, the Dragon God’s divine pressure was a power of the Celestial Tier; Yuyuko, at her current stage, could not bring about its complete demise. But... inability to kill did not equate to uselessness!

Behold, the pressure that had been surging like monstrous, terrifying waves now moved as sluggishly as mud flowing across flat ground. Its speed plummeted, and even its intensity was significantly attenuated.

Those trapped within the pressure felt this change most acutely, yet aside from Yuyuko, none could comprehend what was happening. Lin Luo, however, saw through it instantly.

Although the divine pressure itself possessed no inherent quality of life or death, energy is distinguished by movement or stillness. Energy that moves is termed 'living,' and energy that is still is termed 'dead.' Yuyuko’s ability lay in controlling the subtle transition between this movement and stillness. In other words, Yuyuko had converted the majority of the 'living' energy within the divine pressure into 'dead' energy. Theoretically, only someone at his own level could accomplish such a feat; even peers like Yakumo Yukari, who were at the Quasi-Celestial Tier, could not manage it. But as mentioned earlier, everyone has their specialized domain!

Yet, despite Yuyuko possessing this capability and seemingly achieving this life-to-death conversion in an instant, the reality was likely otherwise. If not, Yuyuko would not have allowed the pressure to fully manifest the moment it erupted. This meant... Youmu’s sudden surge was the most critical component.

At the very least, it bought Yuyuko sufficient time to execute her move.

"Now is the moment. The counterattack begins!" Although Lin Luo hadn't officially joined the assault, he understood the flow of battle better than anyone. Like a commander surveying his vast army, the instant he saw the opportunity, he shouted loudly.

But regretfully, while Yuyuko’s domain of Death had temporarily suppressed the Dragon God's pressure, greatly easing the burden on the others, Yuyuko, caught within the Feast of the Dead, had no chance to warn anyone. Moreover, the Dragon God sensed the shift in the shortest possible time and immediately began altering its offensive strategy. The others, still locked in a defensive stance, meant Lin Luo's warning failed to achieve its intended effect.

Although Yakumo Yukari reacted quickly, having just exerted her utmost for defense, caught in that precarious moment where the old strength had waned and the new had yet to surge, grasping the opportunity now was beyond reach.

Had the minuscule opening—fought for with Youmu’s life force and Yuyuko’s draining the death energy of the entire world—been missed just like that?

No!

Because there was another person present who, just like Lin Luo, had spotted the opening and seized it in the fastest time possible: The Third Shrine Maiden of Paradise!

In the era during which the Third Shrine Maiden was active, she never once misjudged a situation throughout her life, nor did she ever let slip a single opportunity in combat. Almost simultaneously with Lin Luo’s warning, the Third Shrine Maiden immediately saw through the battlefield dynamics, knowing that the moment the divine pressure was subdued, before the Dragon God could reassert its counter-pressure, was the prime time for a counterattack. However, Lin Luo relied on his understanding of the Dragon God and his own realm of power; the Third Shrine Maiden relied on pure, unadulterated sight and judgment.

Perhaps such judgment would seem ordinary to an onlooker—any person with a modicum of intelligence wouldn't miss such a critical juncture. But for those embroiled in the thick of it, judging the situation was incredibly difficult. For one, the Dragon God was a Celestial powerhouse; no one could predict its next move. Secondly, Yuyuko had given no prior signal or warning. Such an abrupt shift caught even them off guard... This was the classic case of the observer seeing clearly while the participant remains clouded. It was understandable that even Yakumo Yukari couldn't seize the moment.

But the Third Shrine Maiden's grasp of the situation was nothing short of breathtakingly masterful.

Just as Lin Luo and the others mourned the missed opportunity, the Third Shrine Maiden had already pierced through the deathly pressure. Her white figure shot forward in a flash, drawing her bow taut, forming a perfect circle, an arrow shimmering with silver light aimed straight at the Dragon God’s head.

Though it was merely a simple posture, at that instant, it was as if the Third Shrine Maiden had gathered the entire world's focus upon herself, shining brilliantly like the morning star in the darkest night, instantly drawing the gaze of everyone present, including the Dragon God!

Her white form stood resolutely in the void, her gaze clear and bright, filled with the majesty and sanctity of a deity. At this moment, in the eyes of the assembled, the Third Shrine Maiden seemed like the legendary Hou Yi shooting down the suns, perhaps even surpassing him... Truly, 'drawing the bow taut like a full moon, gazing northwest, aiming for the heavens!'

As the Third Shrine Maiden's spiritual power erupted, her garments snapped in the wind, and even the red kerchief binding her hair was flung away. Her neat, crisp twin-tails transformed into a cascade of black hair dancing in the air. At that very same moment, the fingers gripping the arrow loosened.

Whoosh!

Instantly, the arrow shot forth like a meteor, hurtling toward the Dragon God.

The arrow was inherently minuscule, appearing like dust in this vast, empty world, but the moment it was loosed, myriad streams of spiritual energy converged upon it. In the blink of an eye, it transformed into a colossal arrow of light, emitting a brilliance so dazzling it forced the eyes shut, shattering the deathly pressure with crushing ease, and finally!

BOOM!!!

Just as the Dragon God’s attack was about to materialize, the light arrow struck the Dragon God's head without fail, exploding with an earth-shattering roar that seemed to make the very world tremble.

The Third Shrine Maiden possessed the least spiritual power among all the Hakurei Miko; her direct offensive capability was certainly the weakest. But the attack she unleashed in that moment was in no way inferior to any other. She proved to everyone through action... that a serious Hakurei Miko was not someone anyone could afford to slight, not even a Divine Dragon!

The Dragon God’s attack was forcefully interrupted by the Third Shrine Maiden, and even its massive head was jolted into a violent tremor. This timely, game-changing strike by the Third Shrine Maiden was utterly breathtaking.

Though the Third Shrine Maiden hadn't inflicted significant physical damage upon the Dragon God, she had recaptured the lost opportunity. If they allowed another chance to slip away, everyone else might as well find a piece of tofu and smash their heads in.

And clearly, such a thing was not going to happen. While their grasp of the situation might not have been as razor-sharp as the Third Shrine Maiden’s, they were all powerhouses of a comparable tier; their perception could not be drastically different. In fact, the moment the Third Shrine Maiden loosed her arrow, all members were already prepared.

"Aaaaaahhh!!!"

Just as the Third Shrine Maiden's light arrow knocked the Dragon God back, a small, white figure darted forward at incredible speed, her yell erupting like the thunder of a thousand charging armies.

She was none other than the Fourth... the Battle-Breaker Miko of Paradise!

The lineage of the Hakurei Miko was passed down singularly. Only the Second and Reimu were exceptions, as the First and previous generations died too young. The others, from the Third down to the previous generation, had trained alongside their predecessors for extensive periods until they were truly qualified to serve as the Hakurei Miko.

Therefore, in terms of synchronized understanding with the Third Shrine Maiden, no one in this world could compare to the Fourth.

Because she deeply trusted the Third's abilities and could clearly perceive her intent, the Fourth immediately capitalized on the opportunity the Third had created. Her body shot toward the Dragon God like a rocket, instantly leaping onto the creature's back.

Standing on the enemy's back, the Fourth was as steady as a boulder. Before the Dragon God’s counterattack could land, she roared and brought her fist down.

Compared to the Dragon God's massive frame, the Fourth's small body was like an ant. Yet, she was the most contradictory among the Hakurei Miko: despite her tiny physique, her strength was cataclysmic. This punch landed with a deafening concussion, akin to two aircraft carriers colliding, generating a shockwave filled with terrifying destructive power.

"Roar!!!"

The Dragon God, having not yet formed a defense, seemed unable to bear it. Its roar contained a hint of pained lament, and its colossal body was forcibly driven downwards.

But it wasn't over yet!

As the Dragon God's body began to sink, the Fourth shot like lightning to its tail, wrapping both hands tightly around it. She channeled all her infinite spiritual power into pure physical strength, halting the Dragon God's descent dead in its tracks, and then, with a violent heave, flung it forward—

"Battle-Breaker... Furious Funeral Toss!"

BOOM!!!

Amidst the Fourth’s enraged shout, a terrifying spectacle unfolded: she had... she had actually thrown the Dragon God away!

A dignified Celestial Tier expert, tossed aside like a sandbag!

This was the Battle-Breaker Miko! A single person capable of rivaling the might of a thousand armies!