The technique Lei Dong employed was certainly not some grand prophecy art, but rather the True Word Incantation inherited from the Demon Emperor. However, its underlying principle was akin to spells like the Great Prophecy or the Nether King's True Word Incantation. Mastering such sorcery was no simple feat. Even possessing the cultivation method for True Word Incantations required talent, aptitude, and relentless effort.

Just as the Light Sanctuary housed nine Deification realm experts, not every one of them could wield the Great Prophecy; the King of Dawn was among those who could not. Of course, he understood the superficial aspects. But the mere fringes of the Great Prophecy were only useful for frightening low-tier cultivators; attempting to use them in a battle between peers would only waste spiritual energy and invite ridicule.

Lei Dong was unsure if his aptitude and talent perfectly suited the True Word Incantations. Yet, he hadn't expended significant effort in learning them. The reason was simple: he acquired the art through the direct inheritance of the previous Demon Emperor, bypassing the need for arduous, gradual comprehension and practice.

This deployment of the Demon Emperor's True Word Incantation was a full-force strike from Lei Dong. After all, although the King of Dawn was the weakest among the Deification experts, he was, by definition, a genuine early-stage Deification powerhouse. Lei Dong dared not underestimate him at his core. Still, this wasn't the first time Lei Dong had used a True Word Incantation against a Deification expert. He had used it against the Insect Emperor and the Evil Phoenix, and he knew precisely how severe the backlash from a Deification-level powerhouse could be.

But Lei Dong now was no longer the novice he once was. Following the smooth advancement of his cultivation to the peak of the Nascent Soul stage, the intensity of his divine sense was already comparable to that of an average early-stage Deification cultivator. The True Word Incantation manifested with substance and considerable might. Furthermore, the law he chose to command was one of the advanced laws he knew best: the Law of Space.

Lei Dong’s understanding and comprehension of the Law of Space even surpassed most early-stage Deification experts. At the very least, the Deification experts beside him were far inferior to Lei Dong in terms of sheer mastery over spatial laws.

Without Lei Dong’s command, Lei Long and the other three, who had already synchronized their intentions via divine sense fluctuations, immediately launched their fiercest assault. Lei Long struck first with a Crimson Flame Dragon Cannon, blasting everyone who had entered the side hall—including the King of Dawn—sending them flying backward.

The King of Dawn was, naturally, an exception. The almost tangible space coalescing around him had indirectly provided him significant aid, anchoring him in place. However, the shockwave permeated the solidified space, delivering an unsparing blow to the King of Dawn. Though significantly attenuated, it was enough to heavily wound him, as he was unable to defend against the impact.

The other three Deification experts also moved swiftly. But their targets were those White Armored Soldiers who were risking their lives to drag the King of Dawn back toward their ranks. Furious waves of energy and various powers crisscrossed and clashed. When Deification experts strike with full force, the resulting power unleashed formed an utterly irresistible and overwhelming aura.

The key, however, rested with the Black Serpent. That fellow instantly transformed from a middle-aged man with a sinister expression, resembling a petty villain, into a colossal, inky-black serpent. With a sudden surge, its tail whipped out, enveloping the King of Dawn along with that piece of solidified space.

The serpent’s body tightened forcefully, and with a sharp crack, the solidified space shattered into countless razor-sharp fragments, inflicting cuts upon the serpent’s scales. But the King of Dawn fared far worse; he was lacerated by the sharp spatial shards until he was covered in wounds, and under the serpent's crushing pressure, countless bones likely snapped in an instant.

Theoretically, upon the rupture of the solidified space that had imprisoned him, the King of Dawn should have gained his freedom. But at that moment, he was tightly gripped by the Black Serpent. Constriction was one of the innate divine abilities of serpentine demon beasts, the optimal method for capturing prey. Once entangled, the sheer crushing force exerted by the serpent made escape or survival incredibly difficult.

The poor King of Dawn felt as if every bone in his body had been pulverized, letting out a painful roar.

The entire sequence lasted mere seconds. The King of Dawn never anticipated that the seemingly unremarkable Lei Dong would be the linchpin of the operation. He had focused his attention entirely on the four Deification experts. Even more unexpectedly, he never imagined that under such disadvantageous circumstances, the adversary would dare to launch such a desperate gambit. He had been too confident. He believed that even if all four of the opponent's Deification experts attacked simultaneously, he could react instantly and make a clean escape. Alas, in his moment of smug satisfaction after uttering those words, Lei Dong, whom he had never truly taken seriously, delivered the fatal blow. Was it the Great Prophecy? Or the Nether King's True Word Incantation? What was this child's connection to the Ghost Emperor of the Underworld?

He would likely never know the answers to these questions.

"Stop everything, or your King of Dawn will have his soul instantly annihilated," Lei Dong roared as the dense ranks of White Armored Soldiers charged madly forward.

However, the White Armored Soldiers seemed not to hear Lei Dong, continuing their frantic rush inward. Having no other choice, Lei Dong deployed his Suicide Ghosts in wave after wave, bombarding them with the Great Belly Cannon Ghosts, using fierce firepower to temporarily halt their advance.

It seemed the crucial point remained the King of Dawn. Lei Dong shouted coldly at the King of Dawn, who was half-crushed by the Black Serpent, "King of Dawn, if you don't want your form and spirit annihilated immediately, order your subordinates to stop." His demeanor was resolute, perfectly matching Lei Dong's current air of supreme command, making his words carry unquestionable authority and imposing gravity, radiating unrestrained killing intent.

It was not impossible that some Winged Folk were truly willing to die for their cause, possessing unyielding resolve. But the King of Dawn, who had always lived in pampered luxury and superiority, was clearly not among them. Ignoring his severe injuries for the moment, he hurriedly sent out a divine soul fluctuation command, stopping the White Armored Army, who stood as if controlled by puppets, from continuing their assault.

Those White Armored Soldiers truly obeyed instantly, freezing in place like stone statues, only their eyes remaining fiercely crazed. They endured the bombardment of the Nether Fire shells and the Suicide Ghosts.

If he could avoid it, Lei Dong did not wish to annihilate these exceptionally elite White Armored Soldiers. Seeing that they had stopped, Lei Dong sent a divine sense command to halt the attack of his ghost soldiers as well. At this point, his heart settled considerably. It was clear that the King of Dawn was a man who deeply cherished his life—a trait Lei Dong greatly appreciated. If the King had proven stubbornly defiant like Liu Hulan or Sister Jiang, Lei Dong would truly have been at a loss, forced to summon his direct forces, the Fierce Ghost Army, for a bloody confrontation, which was not the outcome he desired due to the inevitable losses.

"Very well, have them retreat outside the side hall for now," Lei Dong commanded again.

Cooperative, the White Armored Soldiers retreated like a receding tide.

Having passed the initial agony, the King of Dawn had regained some clarity, though he was still held tightly. His strikingly handsome, almost seductive face was deathly pale. "Brother, I admit defeat this time. Tell me what you demand to let me live." Despite his severe injuries, his Deification-level physique meant he could recover. At worst, he could abandon this body and find a new host for his primordial spirit. In this moment, his life was paramount; without it, everything else was void. Thus, he spoke with surprising frankness.

Lei Dong chuckled. "Excellent, I like your character. Between you and me, there is no insurmountable hatred. I will ask you a few questions. If your answers satisfy me, sparing your life is not out of the question. However, if you equivocate or conceal anything, do not blame me for being ruthless and showing no mercy. King of Dawn, I will give you time to think carefully."

The King of Dawn felt a surge of humiliation, but necessity dictated submission. As long as his life was secure, anything else was negotiable. Gritting his teeth, he said, "I will answer any question, but I hope you grant me a tangible assurance of survival first. Otherwise, answering your questions only to be silenced afterward would be an unjust death." The more critical the juncture, the calmer he became.

"Agreed, I can swear an oath," Lei Dong replied calmly.

"An oath? Are you fooling a child?" the King of Dawn retorted coldly. "I require a substantial guarantee, not just some vow."

"Heh, perhaps you think my oath is unreliable, but I place great weight on my vows," Lei Dong said coolly. "Look, I have four Deification brothers here to witness. If I violate my oath to you, how would I ever face these brothers? Would they trust me in the future? Therefore, the cost of breaking my vow would be immense—it would cause my brotherhood to fracture, and they would never believe my words again. King of Dawn, do not overestimate yourself; the importance of sparing your life is far less than the trust my brothers place in me."

As Lei Dong finished speaking, Lei Long and the others nodded frequently. Though their leader could be ruthless, he truly valued his reputation. The emphasis he placed on his brothers' trust warmed the hearts of Lei Long and the others. Even Yan Mo Wang, who had just been forced into Lei Dong’s camp, stood there dumbfounded, feeling a warmth mingled with intense complexity. Trust? He remembered long, long ago when he too deeply trusted his comrades, treating them as his closest brothers without reservation.

But what was the result? Betrayal. Complete and utter betrayal. Yet, in Lei Dong's current declaration, Yan Mo Wang felt a long-lost sense of being moved.

... (To be continued)