"Kins Divine General…" Ye Chen frowned, saying nothing more. Just as he was about to look up, he suddenly heard an earth-shattering roar echoing from the distance, vibrating the firmament like thunder.

Ye Chen quickly looked over, only to see the natural barrier, churning with black mist, slowly parting down the middle like a folding fan, revealing a line that then contracted toward both sides until it vanished completely.

"It's coming out," Kins Divine General watched the black mist energy shield, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. His body floated up gracefully, like a wild goose, shooting toward the energy shield.

Ye Chen moved, following closely behind him.

As soon as they reached the periphery of where the energy shield dissipated, the ground around them shook violently. Then, countless black tentacles and massive black vines, thicker than ten zhang, erupted from within, engulfing the two of them like a deluge.

Kins Divine General remained unperturbed, as if he hadn't even noticed. He merely waved a hand, and the void before him seemed to suddenly tilt. Then, the incoming black vines strangely collided with one another, spattering a foul-smelling, greenish pus that rained down like a green shower in the mid-air.

Ye Chen's gaze narrowed, his brow tightly furrowed. He stared at the back of Kins Divine General, his heart growing secretly solemn. He quickly communicated with the intelligent system of the Celestial Illusion Mirror in his mind: "Can you gauge his strength?"

The Celestial Illusion Mirror, held against his chest, pulsed with a silvery brilliance. A moment later, the light retracted into the mirror surface, and the voice of the Mirror's intelligent system sounded: "This individual is at the peak of the Heaven-Defying Realm. However, he is only a single step away from becoming a World Supreme, capable of breaking through at any moment."

Ye Chen quietly breathed a sigh of relief.

Although he didn't know the exact power or the miraculous combat techniques of a Heaven-Defying Realm expert, he was confident that with his black flames, he could sweep aside any Heaven-Defying Realm expert!

"As long as he hasn't stepped into the World Supreme realm, I don't fear him. Moreover, I hold the Celestial Illusion Mirror, a weapon that is nearly reaching the World grade. Copying any Heaven-Defying Realm expert before it should be effortless," he scoffed internally, yet outwardly remaining composed, trailing closely behind.

Kins Divine General didn't look back and said casually, "The true body of this Earth Blood Beast isn't what you see on the surface; this is merely its shell. Anyone unaware who expends all their strength breaking this shell will surely be left powerless and easy prey when facing its actual form."

"Keep up. We are going inside the shell's internal world now, to kill its true body directly!"

Ye Chen frowned slightly, nodded, and said, "Lead the way."

Kins Divine General smiled faintly. He didn't mind; although he usually commanded others, being directed for once felt somewhat amusing, yet it didn't anger him. He smiled and said, "Then keep close." Saying this, his speed abruptly increased, shooting out like a sharp arrow.

Ye Chen's expression remained normal. His figure flashed, following without losing a step, as if an invisible rope tethered their waists. No matter how Kins Divine General sharply veered or suddenly dodged the black vines ahead, Ye Chen seemed to sense it in advance, staying tightly behind.

In what was once a burial ground, a massive basin had now formed, deeply sunken in the center. Countless cracks, like a spiderweb, spread outward from this depression.

Flowing within these cracks was a bright red substance, like lava, appearing fiendishly demonic. From this once solid ground, thick black vines suddenly erupted, bursting through the earth and flying toward the two figures without warning.

Kins Divine General was enveloped in a faint silver glow, resembling a handsome heavenly deity descending. His body was shielded by an invisible golden barrier. Any approaching tentacle would strike this barrier and be completely destroyed by the intense, needle-like golden light reflected outward.

The two passed through layers of black vines and tentacles, shooting toward the massive lava pit. Within this pit was a pitch-black passage, like a throat, with slippery, bright red magma coating the surrounding rock walls, exuding a strong stench.

Ye Chen and Kins Divine General shot straight down into the depression, finding a vast, blood-red ocean inside, where countless bubbles, releasing foul odors, rolled out from the viscous, bright red liquid.

"This is the Earth Blood Beast's rear end, and also its mouth. Get ready!" Divine light flickered in Kins Divine General's eyes. His entire body was wreathed in an intense golden radiance, dazzling and brilliant like blazing flames. It illuminated his golden armor, making him appear momentarily like the scorching sun in the sky, radiating an immensely powerful light.

Then, he plunged headlong into the blood-red sea.

Splash!

The viscous, bright red liquid threw up a wave that quickly closed as the ripples settled.

Ye Chen's gaze flashed. A raging black flame erupted, enveloping his body as he charged directly into the bright red liquid.

He slammed into it.

The instant his body entered, a thick sizzling sound filled his ears. The bright red liquid surrounding him was rapidly consumed and incinerated at a visible rate.

Ye Chen tracked the flow of the liquid, pursuing Kins Divine General's footsteps into the deepest part.

After an unknown amount of time, Ye Chen felt the water pressure around him ease, knowing the exit was near. He immediately retracted the flames covering his body, keeping only a wisp of flame, like black smoke, separating from the main body of black flame. He then retrieved numerous God-Emperor grade weapons left in the Demon God Palace within his internal universe, allowing this thin tendril of black flame to spread and adhere to these artifacts for consumption.

Piece by piece, the God-Emperor level armor and weapons rapidly decomposed and melted under the black flame, becoming nourishment for it. The once pitch-black flame turned a dark red.

Ye Chen gauged the temperature of this dark red flame and found it wasn't as terrifying as the pure black flame. He understood that using the black wisp to consume God-Emperor grade equipment was like pouring a drop of ink into a basin of water—the ink's color naturally diluted, but the area it covered increased.

The dark red flame in his hand was similar; although its power was significantly reduced, the quantity and range he could utilize were far beyond what that small cluster of black flame could manage.

His true goal was simply to avoid exposing his ultimate trump card to Kins Divine General; he wasn't overly concerned with the dark red flame's might, as long as it wasn't too lackluster.

Approaching the exit, Ye Chen completely retracted the black flames and immediately covered himself with the dark red flames. Although the temperature of these flames still burned and evaporated the surrounding bright red liquid, it didn't completely devour everything, not even leaving vapor, like the pure black flame did.

Puff!

Erupting from the bright red liquid, Ye Chen peered outward through the gaps in the dark red flames enveloping him. He saw a vast, crimson channel where the wide 'walls' slowly writhed, resembling countless fat maggots.

Ye Chen frowned. He naturally recognized that where he stood was, strictly speaking, within the Earth Blood Beast's internal intestinal tract.

"Let's go." Kins Divine General seemed to have waited for a while. Seeing Ye Chen emerge, his gaze flickered slightly, and then his lips curved into a faint smile. His slender body moved deeper into the flesh wall. Ye Chen compressed the dark red flames onto his skin, forming fiery red patterns that could automatically protect him in an emergency. He followed Kins Divine General straight into the depths of the fleshy wall.

After walking a short distance, the light ahead faded to black. Kins Divine General paused slightly, then raised his hand, and a dense golden sphere materialized in his palm, illuminating the surroundings clearly.

Just as Kins Divine General was about to advance, he suddenly frowned and said, "Trouble is coming."

Ye Chen's ears twitched. He heard a continuous, faint squeaking sound, like countless sharp insects crying out in agony, causing the scalp to tingle; it was unbearably piercing.

The pitch-black fleshy wall ahead suddenly trembled, and then the previously faint squeaking sound seemed to be right beside their ears, roaring toward them like an avalanche.

Ye Chen stared at the pitch-black wall ahead, his pupils suddenly contracting. He saw a tide of countless small black insects shooting toward them like a surging black torrent, emitting a harsh, grating sound like metal clashing, piercing and unpleasant.

Kins Divine General’s eyebrows furrowed slightly. He gripped his hand, and the void before him twisted strangely. Thirty-six dazzling streams of light shot out from this water-like distortion, hovering in the air before him: thirty-six emerald-green orbs radiating brilliant, captivating divine light.

The moment these thirty-six orbs appeared, a fragrant aroma wafted through the fleshy passage, making every pore feel relaxed.

Each orb looked carved from the finest jade, translucent and perfectly round, emanating a vibrant green aura. They formed a massive circle, blocking the way before Kins Divine General.

The countless black insects rushing forward like a tide suddenly spasmed violently. Under the momentum of their overwhelming rush, they forcefully split, creating a narrow path, as if the emerald orbs were ferocious beasts that they absolutely refused to approach.

Ye Chen's gaze flashed. In that critical instant, his body, like a shadow, swiftly and deftly slipped behind Kins Divine General. Just then, the torrent of black insects attacked, sounding like ten thousand galloping horses with world-shaking force.

Ye Chen's eardrums felt beaten by drums, and his heart pounded wildly. He glanced sideways at the black insects beside him, seeing that their bodies were coated in a viscous, foul-smelling, slippery, and extremely disgusting goo. (To be continued)