Enlightenment.

It was a truly unique state of being. For ordinary tier warriors, this state offered some benefit, but for peak warriors, it was the crucial key leading to supreme power. Duan Fengbuer’s sudden realization in the heat of battle not only shattered the inherent destiny that Nine-Headed Serpent bloodline warriors could never become Ultimate Warriors, but far more terrifyingly, this enlightenment made his power exceptionally outstanding even amidst the Ultimate Awakening. Previously, the only known method for Ultimate Awakening was the complete breaking of the Curse Chains; however, at this moment, things underwent a monumental, earth-shattering change. Duan Fengbuer achieved a special progression by absorbing and assimilating the chains.

“Cursing, hatred—these are also forms of power,” Duan Fengbuer opened his hazy eyes and looked at Li Dongfeng and the others beside him. “Did you hear the roar of the chains within your bodies? Choose the way you deem fit, and awaken the ultimate bloodline power that belongs to you.” Li Dongfeng and Jiuyang Fenghua’s bodies trembled simultaneously. The chains within them began to stretch outwards, intertwining in the air to form an especially thick and long net, which descended to envelop the two young bloodline warriors. Layer upon layer of the chain net cloaked their bodies, attempting to violently suppress those on the verge of breaking through the critical juncture once more.

“Awaken! All of you, awaken! Let Zhen use these two fists to crush all Ultimate Bloodline Warriors! My legacy shall surpass history and stand at the true pinnacle!” The Great Demon King spread his arms wide, walking forward with an expression of utter enjoyment. The curse chains binding his Battle Soul snapped at one weak link after another: “I am the invincible Great Demon King! If even a small snake can achieve Ultimate Awakening, why can’t I? Not even the stars can stop my steps in unifying the three races! Do a few petty chains think they can confine me? Break for me, all of you!” As the Great Demon King uttered his domineering declaration, the chains could no longer suppress the invincible monarch who had comprehended the True Demon Realm, whose every step exuded the aura of conquering the world. The chains instantly shattered into dust, falling to the ground like flower petals scattered by celebrating commoners as the king passed. Ultimate Awakening! Another Ultimate Awakening! The king, whose two Battle Souls merged and who possessed double the Curse Chains of other bloodline warriors, had actually broken free from all restraints! This power was practically equivalent to two Ultimate Awakenings!

“Young Nine-Headed Serpent bloodline warrior, you are indeed strong, very impressive! But alas, before Zhen, you can only lament that you were not born at a better time.” As he walked, the Great Demon King raised a hand and pressed down from the heavens. The power of the Magic Tower was instantly harnessed by him. All magical energy merged with this world-destroying strike, stirring up the aura of a true apocalypse descending. The Demon Race powerhouses who had achieved Heavenly Extreme Awakening retreated continuously under the pressure and imposing presence; merely the precursor to this single palm attack made everyone feel the urge to vomit blood.

“Your Majesty, Great Demon King! You are old! This era belongs to us young ones!” The moment Duan Fengbuer achieved Ultimate Awakening, his injuries instantly healed completely. The mottled bloodstains on his body did not fade; instead, they added a touch of murderous intensity. Facing the Great Demon King’s world-ending punch, the eyes that had spawned countless pupils scanned at high speed to locate the weakness of the strike. A perfect strike! Without a flaw! In an instant, Duan Fengbuer made his judgment: the Great Demon King, having comprehended the True Demon Realm and unleashed his ultimate bloodline power, had instantly become perhaps the strongest Ultimate Bloodline expert of all time. This perfect fusion of realm and strength presented the Great Demon King in a truly invincible state.

“Nine Serpents Unite! Devour the Stars!” Duan Fengbuer roared loudly. The Battle Souls of the Nine-Headed Serpent layered upon each other, forcing the nine heads to condense into one, transforming into a colossal black python soul. This soul struck the ground and transformed into a massive streak of sword light—soaring upwards with the momentum of piercing the firmament! The instant these two ultimate powers collided, the oppressive force of the Great Demon King’s palm was violently ripped apart by the sword energy. Duan Fengbuer used the aura of the Ground-Breaking Slash to shatter the palm’s pressure. His feet unleashed continuous bursts of freedom, his body and Battle Soul melding into one. He stomped his left foot, his right arm fused with the Battle Soul, becoming a spear, transforming into a battle dragon that locked onto the Great Demon King’s body, counter-attacking! All surrounding airflow and objects converged before this long spear, raising a colossal grey python dragon that forced the True Saint Demon Race powerhouses even further back. Merely the aftershock was enough to make the True Saints retreat without fighting! This was the terror of Ultimate Awakening, the power that countless bloodlines sought, a strength nearing demigod status. The Great Demon King’s long hair scattered in the wind, his entire body radiating an invincible monarch’s aura. His spread-out five fingers suddenly clenched into a fist. The Demon subjects instantly felt their breathing become incredibly difficult, as if the Great Demon King, by making this grab into a fist, had seized all the energy, imposing presence, and force in the heavens and earth within his hand! With this grasp, all the demons felt as if not just air was being taken away, but as if their demonic lives, past glories, family honors, and the pride of the Demon Race were all converging into that fist; it felt as if their very spirits were being clutched within it.

“I was born a demon, I am the demon! The Demonic Path is absolute! All things transform into demons!” As the Great Demon King threw his punch, all objects between heaven and earth seemed to become part of the demon at this moment. They felt proud and honored to join and become part of the demon, and this pride fed back into the might of the Great Demon King’s punch, adding several points of power. When the Great Demon King struck, the punch wind arrived before the pressure of the fist. Duan Fengbuer’s seemingly sky-swallowing python strike met the punch wind at its apex first. Those fist winds instantly transformed into countless gluttonous demons that clung to the body of the sky-swallowing python, continuing to devour it. The python spear showed faint signs of collapsing. The body of the Eight Desolations Sword Hero suddenly vanished, appearing next to the Great Demon King’s body like a phantom. The Life-Death Star Seal leaped repeatedly upon his long sword, which was sharper than any viper’s tooth, directly tearing through the Great Demon King’s protective Battle Qi and lunging toward the Great Demon King’s throat like the most insidious venomous snake.

“Well met!” The Great Demon King, facing this bizarre sneak attack, showed not the slightest fear. As a single demon, he withstood the awakened power of two Ultimate Bloodline experts. He flipped his left hand and pulled out a massive battle saber from the Battle World. This saber was ferocious in appearance, no less imposing than the broadsword in Qian Jin’s hand. This star-dominating strike, laced with rolling torrents of True Demon Saber Qi, neutralized the venomous traces of the Eight Desolations Sword Hero’s sword energy. The clash between the three experts was instantly completed. The outer layer of Duan Fengbuer’s arm and the grey python behind him instantly exploded into pieces, and the Nine-Headed Serpent Battle Soul instantly reverted to its original state. The long sword in the Eight Desolations Sword Hero’s hand turned to powder; blood dripped from the fissure between his thumb and forefinger. Before the Great Demon King’s Sacred Artifact battle saber, his sword was so fragile.

“Want to retreat? Be locked by Zhen!” The Great Demon King roared. His Soul Domain suddenly opened, and countless chains coiled towards the two experts, denying them any chance to retreat. The battle saber fell through the air again. The Eight Desolations Sword Hero let out a miserable cry as his left arm was cleanly severed, spurting blood wildly. Duan Fengbuer hurriedly took out a Sacred Artifact from the Battle World to intercept the Great Demon King’s saber strike. “Let’s see how many of Zhen’s strikes you can block!” The Great Demon King wasn't worried about Duan Fengbuer dodging; behind him stood the silent Qian Jin. If Duan Fengbuer dodged, Qian Jin would certainly be split in half by a single strike! As for the Eight Desolations Sword Hero? The Great Demon King didn't bother to give him a second thought. The Eight Desolations Sword Hero was already crippled, having lost an arm; even with his Ultimate Bloodline power awakened, his combat strength would rapidly diminish without one arm. There was no need for the—

“Your Majesty! You think too little of me, the Eight Desolations Sword Hero!” The left hand! The Eight Desolations Sword Hero’s left hand had not returned to his body, but it gripped a sharp long sword. The left hand, separated from the Eight Desolations Sword Hero’s body, now seemed perfectly attached to him once more. Sword light, leaping out from an inconspicuous spot on the ground, was dazzling, making every star in the sky pale in comparison!

“Splitting Soul Domain! How can it be such a Soul Domain!” Since achieving Ultimate Awakening, the Great Demon King felt he had grasped all major developments, and nothing could escape his calculations. He had absolutely not expected the Eight Desolations Sword Hero’s Soul Domain to be so bizarre! That strike just now hadn't actually severed the Eight Desolations Sword Hero’s arm; it was that the Eight Desolations Sword Hero deliberately let his arm detach, creating the illusion of a severe injury. In reality, this arm was still his! If he wished to reattach it, it was only a matter of thought. The Splitting Soul Domain! One of the most shameless and difficult Soul Domains to deal with! Experts wielding this Soul Domain could split their bodies into increasing numbers as their strength grew. There was once a True Saint expert with such a domain who faked severe injury, carrying a Sacred Artifact in his severed arm, tricking a True Saint expert into bending down to pick up the artifact. The result! The moment the True Saint bent down, his guard completely lowered, the severed arm suddenly clenched its sword and cleaved the True Saint’s head off, achieving a rare feat of killing a higher-ranked expert after reaching Sainthood. Ambush, difficult to kill—these were the characteristics of experts possessing this Soul Domain. He could not only split himself but also his opponents. Faced with the strange Soul Domain, the Great Demon King had to divert his attention again, forcing back the Eight Desolations Sword Hero’s arm with a saber strike.

“Great one of the Demon Race, please allow me to also activate my Ultimate Bloodline Power.” Among the Demon Race, Qiao Zu, the King of Elements, an established True Saint expert already forty years old, whom no demon believed would achieve Ultimate Awakening, awakened his Ultimate Bloodline Power at this moment! Ultimate Bloodline Power was strange like this: either no one awakened it for ages, or once someone did, it spread like an infectious disease to others who might awaken. Demon! Qiao Zu suddenly completed his awakening. At least three Magic Towers in the city instantly became active. As the King of Elements, he possessed an innate advantage in controlling magical elements! When he completed his Ultimate Awakening, he was no longer proficient in mastering one specific element, but all elements! Completely proficient!

“Your Majesty, your subordinate has come to help…” “Stand down! These two things that dare to resist the Great Demon King’s majesty must die by Zhen’s hands! You go kill Qian Jin instead.” The Great Demon King coldly interrupted Qiao Zu’s offer of help. Due to his overconfidence, even after integrating the ultimate power of his dual True Demon Bloodline fusion awakening, he hadn't managed to finish off the two Ultimate Bloodline experts in just a few moves. Being of the same Ultimate Awakening, the Great Demon King believed himself to be invincible. His dual bloodline awakening meant his raw strength indeed surpassed these two experts, but their bizarrely perfect coordination prevented him from finishing them off instantly.

“So it was you causing trouble! Human Prince!” The Great Demon King’s eyes pierced through the crowd, spotting the dull-witted Zhen Ce next to Wuming. He raised his hand very casually and unleashed an Epic Piercing Strike, simultaneously tying down the two Ultimate Bloodline experts while still being able to spare a fatal finger strike. “Chaos!” Wuming hurriedly activated his True Saint power. The Chaos Fist met the attack head-on. That Epic Piercing Strike instantly shattered his Chaos, sending him flying back, spitting blood all over his body. The Great Demon King hadn't expected that a peak True Saint finger strike, which should have been enough to kill Mu Ne Zhen Ce, the mastermind behind the spiritual connection between the two masters, would be met by this ordinary warrior who suddenly charged out and threw a Chaos Fist. Although the power of this Chaos was far inferior to the incoming strike, that disorderly, chaotic force still managed to shatter the sharp finger attack. Mu Ne Zhen Ce narrowly escaped death. The lump on his forehead suddenly swelled several times, becoming the size of an infant’s fist. All the mental shock waves instantly merged and violently impacted the Great Demon King. This impact came too bizarrely. It was like a person standing before a tiny mouse, expecting the mouse to flee in fright, yet the mouse suddenly jumped up and bit! At this moment, Mu Ne Zhen Ce was that jumping, biting mouse, and the Great Demon King was the one who could easily crush the mouse with one stomp, but because he hadn't expected the mouse to counterattack under these circumstances, his spirit was slightly jolted! In that brief moment of shock, Duan Fengbuer, who had been knocked back, reappeared before him, launching a Python Strike far more powerful than before! Devour! While being repelled, Duan Fengbuer had not only swallowed a portion of the Great Demon King’s palm's power, but more importantly— Having initiated a never-before-seen Ultimate Awakening, Duan Fengbuer’s current devouring felt completely different. It wasn't just about consuming partial power; the most crucial aspect was the consumption of intent. Through the clash of powers, Duan Fengbuer was absorbing the Great Demon King’s understanding of the True Demon Realm. This understanding of the True Demon Realm manifested in a different way for Duan Fengbuer. It was like one civilization trying to understand another from its own perspective, completely different from standing in the Great Demon King’s position. Duan Fengbuer understood what a demon was, and simultaneously, he looked at himself through the eyes of a demon. In the eyes of the demon, what was he?

“Stealing Zhen’s things, you think you can surpass Zhen?” The Great Demon King sensed the new realm within Duan Fengbuer’s punch. Undaunted, he fought on two fronts. His refined saber attack forced back the Eight Desolations Sword Hero’s detached arm again, and Duan Fengbuer was simultaneously forced backward by the shockwave.

“Beyond True Demon, there is the Supreme!” The Great Demon King strode forward like a dragon, his punch force towering. His strength began to increase again. All the magic power from the sixteen fully activated Magic Towers in the Royal City instantly gathered in his palm: “The Supreme, which no past Demon King has comprehended, is the ultimate state of the Demon! Zhen is the first being since the stars were created to comprehend the Supreme True Demon! Today, you two Ultimate Bloodline experts shall verify Zhen’s absolute invincibility—” Supreme! Sovereign! True Demon! The Great Demon King’s body began to swell. This was not ordinary swelling; his aura and strength expanded continuously, causing his body to balloon to ten meters in height! A single finger was larger than a normal person! Before him, Duan Fengbuer truly felt like an ant challenging an elephant. It wasn't just strength; it was the imposing presence! The Great Demon King’s sudden transformation stunned all the demons. “This… this has never been mentioned before! Even the Behemoth looked like a child next to the Great Demon King!” Awakening! At this moment, another wave of awakening power surged up in the sky where the battle raged. This awakening aura came from the body of Chekefulit, who had already entered Ultimate Awakening. The black wings of the Fallen Angel’s Battle Soul were overlaid with a layer of sword light, a special existence resembling sword feathers! What is this? Li Dongfeng suddenly understood. Che Shuai’s method of achieving Sainthood, unlike almost all bloodline warriors, was through a Sacred Artifact! If strictly calculated, when Che Shuai first reached the threshold of Ultimate Awakening, for many bloodline warriors, that stage should have been the power level of the Heavenly Extreme Awakening! Therefore, in a sense, he had one more chance to awaken than others! What comes after awakening on top of Ultimate Awakening? Such a phenomenon had never appeared in history; no one could explain it.

“I am the Way of the Sword! The Way of the Sword merges with me!” Chekefulit emerged from a burst of sword light and thrust his sword, transforming into millions of sword rays. Lucifer Star met the attack head-on, his body retreating three steps before stabilizing himself; a trace of bright red appeared at the corner of his lips.

“Buer, switch.” Chekefulit repelled Lucifer Star with one sword strike. The rain of swords covering the sky transformed into sword pythons enveloping the Great Demon King’s body. Duan Fengbuer instantly appeared before Lucifer Star via Instant Movement and attacked without warning.

“You have only comprehended the Sword, just as Zhen has comprehended the True Demon, at most equivalent to Zhen comprehending the Supreme True Demon,” the Great Demon King pressed down with the power of the sixteen Magic Towers merged in his palm. “But Zhen has Dual Bloodline Awakening!” The moment the sword light touched the two forces, it began to collapse, just like a surging long river suddenly hitting a pre-arranged dam. Countless sword rays scattered in all directions.

“Useless! Useless! You cannot withstand Zhen! The Empire’s Palm!” Bang! Chekefulit’s sword light kept exploding. The bones in his entire body creaked loudly. The power unleashed by his hands seemed not to be directed against the Great Demon King, but as if the entire empire and civilization of the Demon Race had been moved into the Great Demon King’s hand—this single palm strike was smashing down the entire realm and its foundation. The Zhen Ce Dynasty had produced talents in every generation and fought the Demon Race for years, yet they could never defeat them or destroy their empire and civilization. Now, even though Chekefulit had comprehended the Way of the Sword, facing the civilization and empire of the Demon Race, it still proved extremely arduous. Qiao Zu, who had awakened Ultimate Bloodline Power, felt a helpless depression. The once most invincible bloodline power no longer guaranteed an unrivaled fighting strength. His body flickered as he lunged toward Qian Jin, taking control of the elements from two Magic Towers, sweeping up a storm of magic.

“Want to kill Qian Jin? Have you asked me?” The Eight Desolations Sword Hero frowned, his body lunging toward Qiao Zu. “Zhen said I want to kill you, and you still think you can leave?” The Great Demon King exerted an invisible pull from the air. Countless earth clods from the ground formed a giant hand that grasped the Eight Desolations Sword Hero within it. The hard clods were instantly pulverized by countless streaks of sword energy. The Eight Desolations Sword Hero burst out of the earth, but his speed was a fraction slower, making him unable to intercept Qiao Zu in time.

“Instant Movement!” Duan Fengbuer ignored Lucifer Star and appeared in front of Qian Jin. Fusing his Ultimate Bloodline Power with the energy of two Magic Towers, he instantly blasted Qian Jin’s left shoulder bone, causing it to fracture. Crippled one shoulder? Qiao Zu felt a surge of joy in his heart. “That’s enough! Your Highness… let’s join forces and kill him!” “Good!” Lucifer Star instantly expelled the depression in his heart. He had been suppressed by Chekefulit earlier, and now he was being suppressed by Duan Fengbuer. They should both possess the same level of power from Ultimate Bloodline, yet due to their different fortuitous encounters, even when their strengths should have been comparable, these two still subtly held an edge over the Ultimate Bloodline forces. Although it wasn't a decisive power capable of wiping them out, it was enough to form a degree of suppression. This pressure, they surmised, would only grow larger over time, perhaps even evolving into the level of annihilation.

Duan Fengbuer’s strength plummeted upon being injured. The two Demon Martial Saints of Ultimate Bloodline power launched their strikes from different positions. “I need power! Lend me your chains!” Duan Fengbuer roared, directing the devouring ability of the Nine-Headed Serpent directly at Li Dongfeng and Jiuyang Fenghua.

Shattering through to the Ultimate Awakening! Two young powerhouses who had long yearned to perceive the profound gate of the Ultimate Awakening were no longer content merely sensing it; they forcefully charged the barrier once more. As their Battle Souls erupted, the chains of curses surged forth from within, intent on ensnaring them.

Before those chains could bind, they were forcefully sucked into Duan Fengbu'er's Nine-Headed Serpent Battle Soul by his devouring ability.

Lucifer Star felt Duan Fengbu'er's power climbing, recovering. "You only grasp this move now? Too late!"

"Not too late!" Duan Fengbu'er laughed confidently. "I may not beat you! But it's certainly enough to withstand this single blow!"

Lucifer Star's attack materialized before Duan Fengbu'er, and he smirked, "Is that so?"

"Indeed."

The voice, speaking with an air of profound calm and assurance, did not belong to Duan Fengbu'er, but to Qian Jin, who had been standing behind him, lost in contemplation and insight.

"Damn it! Retreat quickly!"

The instant Qian Jin opened his eyes, Lucifer Star was struck by an indescribable sense of impending doom. His body reacted purely instinctively, blasting backward, abandoning the opportunistic chance to strike Duan Fengbu'er.

Simultaneously, Qiao Zu experienced the exact same sensation, forcing a halt to his attack momentum as he rapidly retreated.

"Think you can just leave like that?"

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