Outside the ruined Altar of the Severed Realm, the numerous rivers of the Void continued to churn restlessly. ◎◎Yet, at the heart of the storm, at the very source of the upheaval, a gradual stillness began to settle.

Long Ying stood poised in the void, a single, blazing sword circling him, swift as lightning, yet coiled like a celestial dragon. With every rotation, it summoned a massive tide of spiritual energy to roar forth; not long ago, the mere residual tremor from a single clash involving this very sword had successively shattered three minor worlds.

But now, it was utterly docile, like a dragon resting in the deep, its sharpness entirely concealed. Long Ying had no intention of striking again; he merely smiled, his expression pregnant with meaning, gazing towards the blood-red river that resembled a crimson sash draped across space.

Lin Xuanjing and Xu Fu, for their part, had retreated several worlds away, peering back cautiously. Their minds were relaxed, devoid of any fighting spirit.

Opposite them, a dark-skinned man with sinister eyes displayed a countenance a mix of shock and fury. He too had abandoned any thought of further combat, dedicating all his focus to a fissure in the void—the space that had already been sealed off as an independent domain.

“Forging a separate realm? Truly a remarkable maneuver!

Is this your scheme?” Even as a Saint Venerable of the Zenith Realm, having cultivated for tens of thousands of years, Kong Ye could not penetrate even an inch into that domain. He could not even truly fix the location of this temporary realm, as if all connection had been utterly severed.

He knew that at this moment, even without Long Ying and Xu Fu restraining him, he could do nothing against that temporary realm. This constituted a true ‘Absolute Defense,’ a technique utterly beyond his capabilities.

Completely sealed off from the outside, it naturally meant that Ye Wuji and Ye Lunhui were cut off from all external contact. Inside that temporary domain, the two most revered Sovereigns of the Night Demon Clan were merely peak Saint Realms, a fact that caused immense worry.

A wave of suspicion washed over Kong Ye’s mind. Such an artifice demonstrated a mastery over the Dao of Space-Time that had reached its apex.

There was no explanation other than the legendary ‘True Realm.’ Yet, no True Realm existence had ever manifested in this world since its inception. Could it be?

He frowned, then decisively dismissed the thought. He recalled the ‘Realm Severing Chart’ stored within his clan’s archives, a thoughtful expression crossing his face.

“If the handiwork is not from this world, then it must be an artifact from another realm—‘My disciple was merely lucky this time! It just so happened that he possessed such a wondrous treasure in his hands.

And your two Sovereigns were simply too greedy.’” Long Ying laughed heartily, his words outwardly humble, yet his eyes were brimming with smug satisfaction. Seeing Kong Ye’s rage intensify, his protective aura flaring so fiercely it threatened to shake the myriad Laws of the Great Dao, Long Ying gave a slight shake of his head: “The outcome is decided now; what use is further fighting?

It will only drain your strength needlessly. If I were you, I would be contemplating the future of the Dark World Demon Court!” Kong Ye’s gaze grew even gloomier.

He felt a suffocating pressure in his chest, as if he might vomit blood. Luck?

Was this an insinuation that the Great Qian Emperor, Zong Shou, possessed such immense destiny that it led to this turn of events? A prophecy from the Cloud Desolation Era stated that the Cloud Realm, ten thousand years hence, would finally see a Divine Emperor rise, one who would reign supreme across the cosmos, invincible in all eight directions, and become the master of a million worlds in the ten directions.

Could this so-called Divine Emperor be Zong Shou? Was the contest for Divine Sovereignty already settled?

What state were Ye Wuji and Ye Lunhui in now, trapped within that temporary realm? But it was true that the pair were unwilling to forgo the opportunity, pursuing Zong Shou too relentlessly.

That led them right into this trap. Now, where was the Dark World Demon Court to turn?

If Ye Wuji and Ye Lunhui truly perished, it would merely mean selecting two more from the royal bloodline to inherit the Sovereign positions. However, saying that was easy, but within the Night Demon Royal Clan now, there were not many peak Saint Realms capable of shouldering such a burden.

Even if they forced the issue, taking over the dynasty, consolidating national power, and mastering the armies would require significant time. In the short term, they could never possess a combat strength capable of confronting a Zenith Realm expert.

With the Night Demon Clan severely weakened, it offered opportunities for every surrounding faction to strike. Thinking of this, Kong Ye felt a dull throbbing in his temples.

Countless thoughts flashed through his mind one by one. His confidence wavered, yet Kong Ye still gritted his teeth and forced a cold laugh: “The victory is decided?

Such bold words. Do you presume my two juniors are destined to have their souls extinguished?

Can Lunhui and Wuji truly have no means to evade calamity? Even if they are not Sovereigns, they are not something three or five ordinary Saints can handle.

And one is merely a former Master of the Carefree Pavilion, the other a Saint King of the Divine Realm—” Long Ying shook his head again, cutting Kong Ye off mid-sentence: “Ordinary methods would certainly not suffice. Then what about Supreme Divine Arts?

I fear even you, Senior Kong Ye, would find it difficult to withstand my disciple’s Six God Dao-Wielding Art without suffering damage!” Supreme Divine Art? A bolt of lightning seemed to flash across Kong Ye’s primordial spirit; for the first time, a sliver of alarm stirred within him, though it was overshadowed by disbelief.

Supreme? How could it be Supreme?

From ancient times to the present, how many individuals in this realm had mastered Supreme Divine Arts? They could be counted on one hand!

And most of them had already perished. Six God Dao-Wielding Art, he knew Zong Shou possessed this flying knife technique that bordered on a Divine Art, but how could it be a Supreme Divine Art?

Unwilling to believe it, Kong Ye nevertheless felt an inexplicable anxiety. He knew Long Ying’s words were unlikely to be false; he would not boast idly, but genuinely possessed certainty.

And in the very next instant, Kong Ye felt a sharp pang in his heart. Long Ying on the opposite side also raised an eyebrow slightly, then chuckled: “It seems the victory is truly decided; further fighting is futile.

What are your thoughts now, Senior?” Kong Ye stared blankly, his gaze vacant. In that single moment, Ye Lunhui, one of the three Sovereigns of the Dark World Demon Court, had utterly perished.

Though sealed within the segregated domain, the bloodlines of the Night Demon Royal Clan held an intrinsic connection. In that instant, outside the Heavens World, among the sixty giant ancient wood vessels and fifty million Night Demon elites, a full third emitted agonizing wails.

In panic and grief, they mourned the death of their Sovereign Lord. Long Ying spoke no more, waiting silently.

Even with the combined might of the Great Qian nation and the Sword Sect’s Azure World Dao, there was no possibility of completely annihilating the Dark World Demon Court. They might be able to kill Kong Ye, but it would come at a devastating cost.

The likes of Qing Xuan and Tai Huang could stand by to watch the outcome between Great Qian and the Dark World Demon Court, ensuring they didn't hinder the process, but they would absolutely never allow Zong Shou to eliminate his major foe and then be left without any counterbalance. Therefore, continuing the fight was unequivocally useless.

However, whether the next step would be war or peace depended entirely on Kong Ye’s ensuing decision. If this Saint Venerable retained even a shred of rationality, he should swallow his pride and accept defeat.

Yet, it was also possible he would be driven by shame to destroy the entire Dark World Demon Court by plunging it into an abyss ten thousand fathoms deep.