………… Admittedly, due to its inherent limitations in quality, the Black Dragon Banner’s aura, even at its peak intensity from the concentrated ink-black Flood Dragon, could only reach around the twelfth layer of the Foundation Establishment stage. Consequently, the Black Dragon Banner remained fundamentally distinct from a top-grade spirit artifact. Even so, it was already an exceedingly rare spirit artifact, one that might be sought but seldom found.

With a combat strength peaking at the sixth layer of Foundation Establishment, it moved with lightning speed, covering the mere span of twenty or thirty zhang in the blink of an eye. It whipped its sharp claws, cloaked in a dense black miasma, and struck fiercely towards the Tai Chi Diagram.

With a resounding boom, energy collided, unleashing waves of chaotic overflow that spread in all directions.

The Tai Chi Diagram, already teetering on the edge of collapse, could not withstand the Flood Dragon’s final, savage assault. It shattered into countless fragments, the violently surging residual energy startling countless fierce ghosts.

However, at this juncture, it seemed the unknown pill Wang Hui had swallowed was taking effect. The agony on his face reached its zenith; the veins on his face and forehead bulged violently, yet his very aura suddenly surged, nearly doubling in intensity. Perhaps due to this explosive increase in power, or perhaps because the pain twisted his very soul, the former air of a carefree, elegant young master was entirely gone, replaced by an expression of brutal violence, savagery, and even a ghastly, bloodthirsty hunger.

Having lost his final defensive measure with the shattering of the Tai Chi Diagram, Wang Hui was exposed. The Berserk Ghost Guard was the first to close the distance, raising its Soul Blade, ready to deliver a decisive blow. But Wang Hui moved; he unleashed a punch, imbued with formidable, rigid power, his fist burning with scorching white flames.

“Boom…”

The Berserk Ghost Guard managed only a cursory parry with its Soul Shield before being blasted backward. Only after flying several zhang did it stabilize its form. The Soul Shield had been utterly pulverized by that single blow. Clearly weakened by the impact, the Berserk Ghost Guard nevertheless instantly conjured another shield and pressed the attack.

“It’s the Demon Burst Pill…” Taotai Bingyun’s usually calm expression abruptly shifted. She urgently called out to Lei Dong, “Be careful! This pill is refined from a special element within a demon’s body. It can force the total eruption of all latent potential within the body…” Suddenly, Taotai Bingyun paused, realizing Lei Dong could also achieve similar feats. Reflecting, she realized she had never actually seen him consume a Demon Burst Pill.

Though Taotai Bingyun spoke quickly and vaguely, Lei Dong could gauge from Wang Hui’s condition that the special pill he took was absolutely no common item. Its effects suggested something similar to his own Demonic Transformation. Many such elixirs existed, but they were usually prohibitively expensive and carried severe side effects. Judging by Wang Hui’s augmented aura, his current true strength could not be less than the seventh layer of Foundation Establishment. For a pill to elevate his power so drastically suggested it was an incredibly rare artifact. Yet, as one who practiced the Demonic Transformation, Lei Dong knew that any technique or elixir that burned every reserve within the body could not sustain such strength indefinitely. In a sense, the total energy reserves within a human body were finite. The purpose of such methods was merely to utilize overdraft and accelerate the combustion of true energy or other power sources to dramatically increase combat capability—the greater the increase, the shorter the duration.

Lei Dong suppressed the turbulent waves in his heart, unwilling to send his three ghosts and one tiger to pointless deaths. He commanded them mentally, ordering a slight retreat. Simultaneously, hundreds of fierce ghosts pressed aggressively forward. As the Black Dragon flew, it spat a cloud of black mist, its claws fighting fiercely to entangle Wang Hui, who was pursuing the Ghost Guards. Meanwhile, Lei Dong’s Nether Ghost Qi continued to press in on Wang Hui, attempting to use the wisps of black energy to slow his movements and diminish his strength.

However, the gap in their current power was ultimately too vast. As soon as his surrounding white flames flared, a fierce ghost would turn to ash. The Nether Black Qi clinging to him was scorched away. His eyes radiated the light of a peerless ferocious beast, and the power burning throughout his body created an intense, immediate need for release. Both fists were wreathed in two masses of white, searing flame.

Ignoring everything else, he bolted directly toward Lei Dong, roaring, “Lei Dong, next year on this day will be your death anniversary…” With his current power around the seventh layer of Foundation Establishment, he was fully four layers above Lei Dong.

His burst of speed was so rapid that Lei Dong could barely track his silhouette; the eye could only capture a faint shadow stretched into a long line.

Lei Dong’s pupils constricted sharply. He hurriedly urged his fierce ghosts, ordering them to cling to Wang Hui regardless of death. The inky-black Flood Dragon also whipped its tail, dissolving into a black mist that enveloped the enemy. True to its sixth-layer Foundation Establishment strength, the entanglement caused Wang Hui’s movements to halt, almost bringing him to a standstill.

“Bang bang…”

Wang Hui struck the black Flood Dragon twice heavily with his fists, the violent force creating ripples that spread outward. The black Flood Dragon responded by opening its maw, attempting to bite Wang Hui’s head. Wang Hui spread his arms wide, grasping the dragon’s upper and lower jaws, even as the white flames around his body erupted again. As the light flared brilliantly, he appeared as dazzling as a sun. Numerous fierce ghosts flew toward that ball of fire like moths to a flame. Yet, they were annihilated one by one. Still, they served a purpose; at least they continuously consumed and weakened Wang Hui’s power. Especially the Soul Guard-level entities, which couldn't be incinerated in an instant, their attacks still managed to have some effect. Disregarding everything, they plunged headlong into the white flames, tearing off strips of flesh with their teeth and claws.

The inky-black Flood Dragon intensified its black energy, but being merely a summoned entity, the power gap was significant. After a few breaths, the Flood Dragon let out a mournful cry before being entirely swallowed by the white flames, dissolving into a phantom mist. Pound, pound, pound—The attacks of the three ghosts and one tiger, sensing Lei Dong’s desperate resolve, also became frenzied. Their relentless assault swarmed Wang Hui. Wang Hui moved incredibly fast, seeming to possess an inexhaustible, eternally burning wellspring of power within his body. Parrying, defending, counter-attacking, he managed the onslaught with relative ease, as if handling the attacks of four formidable summoned creatures simultaneously was not overly taxing. A few moments prior, Lei Dong had sighed softly internally. He had been reluctant to use a technique like the Demonic Transformation again, as this was not a situation demanding such a massive expenditure of energy. Once his power was depleted and before he could recover, adversaries like Xi Donglai might awaken from their inner demon illusions, placing him at a severe disadvantage.

But by that moment, Lei Dong understood completely. If he didn't risk everything, not only would his few Ghost Guards suffer heavy casualties, but given Wang Hui’s monstrous strength after consuming the medicine, escape would be impossible. After all, Wang Hui’s speed now far surpassed his own, and his subordinates couldn't hold him for long.

While his subordinates desperately engaged Wang Hui, Lei Dong steeled himself.

He grimly swallowed two more Minor Profound Spirit Restoration Pills and directly ingested a high-grade spirit stone. It wasn't that he had a penchant for consuming stones; it was simply that his current power reserves were insufficient, and he could only hope that when the Demonic Transformation began draining his potential, it might incidentally draw upon the power within the spirit stone—which would be best. Of course, even if it didn't draw directly, the constantly overflowing, pure spiritual energy from the high-grade stone could help restore some of his strength.

As he skillfully activated the Demonic Transformation, the eye-like Emperor Demon Seed on his forehead gradually surfaced, and his aura violently surged upward. All his power was now steadily concentrating and igniting.

Lei Dong felt his blood begin to heat, then boil. Even the breath he exhaled was scorching hot. That immense power coursed through his body, an unquenchable conflagration like gasoline meeting fire.

Wang Hui, growing impatient with the entanglement, made his white flames flare fiercely again.

With two thunderous punches, he repelled two Ghost Guards. Finding an opening, he once more charged toward Lei Dong. His body seethed with white flames, and the fire on his right fist distorted the hot air into visible, wavering ripples. The man himself flew like a meteor straight toward Lei Dong. Covering twenty or thirty zhang, he arrived within the space of a single breath in and out.

At this precise moment, Lei Dong's power had also reached its absolute peak. All the Nether Ghost Qi had been completely retracted into his body.

On his skin’s surface, a thick, highly condensed layer of black energy formed, dense as ink, chilling as ice. As his true energy surged upward, the black energy writhed, resembling black flames, creating a grotesque, burning black fire that roared incessantly. His eyes held an arrogant yet cold gaze, a commanding aura like a supreme ruler overlooking the earth, coupled with the sinister black ‘eye’ on his forehead, making him resemble a peerless Demon General emerging straight from the Asura Purgatory—evil, enchanting, and unmatched in dominance.

Facing Wang Hui’s ferocious charge, fully saturated with overwhelming presence, Lei Dong showed no fear. Within his boiling, burning blood, the element of terror had vanished. In his chest, there was only an unbearable, scorching fervor; release was only possible by slaying the enemy before him to quell that inexpressible violence.

“Aargh!”

As he swung a punch, it left a long trail of white flame. Wang Hui’s mood, suppressed for so long, found complete release in this moment; his eyes held only bloodlust and the pure satisfaction of killing Lei Dong, which was now his sole objective. The Demon Burst Pill had completely stimulated his demonic nature, driving out the savage and bloodthirsty core within him.

“Roar!” Facing the momentum that descended like an avalanche, Lei Dong grew even more exhilarated, a look of wild, untamed arrogance spreading across his face. He also swung his right fist, which was wrapped in a mass of intensely concentrated black flame.

The two forces met—a head-on collision—and time seemed to condense in that instant.

The white flame and the black flame slammed into each other simultaneously. The air exploded with a deafening report.

A wave of energy roared outward in all directions like a tsunami. The hair of both combatants flew wildly backward, revealing two faces equally contorted by bloodlust and ferocity.