As Ye Jingyu charged forward, sensing the aura that vastly eclipsed his own, Fang Jiutai cast all other concerns aside. With a single tug, he pulled a tattered, black banner into his hand, then bit his tongue until blood welled up, spitting a mouthful onto the fabric.

In an instant, the pitch-black banner blazed with dark light, releasing torrents of intense demonic energy that engulfed the entire stone chamber. Faintly, a demonic shadow began to coalesce within the black miasma, shrieking madly before lunging toward Ye Jingyu.

Seeing the suddenly materialized fiend, a jolt of horror struck Ye Jingyu. The malevolence radiating from this demon was crushing; even an unformed specter possessed such savage energy. What would happen if it fully materialized? What kind of artifact was this? How could it be so cruel? Had Fang Jiutai used the flayed skins of those people to nourish this monster?

The thought barely formed before the demon was upon him, its upper body fully materialized. It thrust a fist directly at Ye Jingyu’s own.

This was merely a minor demon, its strength capped at the First Heaven Realm. Ye Jingyu held it in utter contempt, not bothering to strategize, meeting the attack with a direct punch.

With a resounding boom, Ye Jingyu’s fist slammed into the little demon’s fist. The colossal force shattered the demon’s limb, and its body instantly began to fissure under the pressure, dissolving completely within a single breath.

A sneer of disdain crossed Ye Jingyu’s face. So, this artifact was nothing special after all. But his smile was cut short, for the demon, which should have been obliterated, reformed within the black miasma.

It materialized as two demons simultaneously attacking him. Ye Jingyu naturally unleashed his full strength, smashing both back into dust with two more blows.

This time, before he could laugh, the demon reformed once more, manifesting as three figures, each stronger than the last.

Ye Jingyu, refusing to concede, unleashed dozens of punches in succession. The stone chamber now housed dozens of specters, each exponentially more powerful than the first, approaching the strength of the Second Heaven Realm. Their physical forms were tougher, more robust, though none were completely whole.

Witnessing this phenomenon, Ye Jingyu was deeply perplexed. No matter how these demons multiplied, they required an influx of power to continue growing. Was the very act of his striking them causing their proliferation?

If so, then I shall eradicate you entirely!

Ye Jingyu refused to believe he could not shatter these demons. Suddenly, arcs of seven-colored lightning erupted around him, currents dancing across his skin, exuding an aura of pure destruction.

“Die all of you! Thunder Star Eruption…” he roared, smashing his fists together. A blinding surge of lightning burst forth, intertwined with sparks of silver-white starlight.

The dazzling light instantly enveloped the entire chamber. Everything it touched turned to powder; every demon dissolved into ash. The immense power surged, seeming to shake the very earth beneath.

Soon, the lightning faded and the starlight vanished. Before Ye Jingyu stood no more demons; all traces had disappeared without a trace, leaving only a layer of fine ash.

Seeing the utterly lifeless scene, Ye Jingyu showed no triumph. He sensed a far mightier aura slowly filtering down from the void—an aura that brought absolute despair.

The Heavenly Sovereign Blade materialized in his hand, flashing with shifting, seven-hued light. His essence, spirit, and vigor reached their peak perfection. The moment that aura fully manifested, he would meet it with his strongest strike.

With a sharp crack, like something fracturing, which Ye Jingyu interpreted as space itself breaking, a figure materialized before him.

Upon seeing the silhouette, Ye Jingyu, who had been poised to strike, froze utterly. A withered face, a skeletal frame—was this not Dugu Ba Chen?

“Master?” Ye Jingyu cried out in shock. How could Dugu Ba Chen be here? Could he truly not be dead?

Dugu Ba Chen offered a faint smile, walking toward Ye Jingyu step by measured step. Soon he was close, raising a large hand to clap Ye Jingyu’s shoulder, his face filled with paternal affection.

“No, Master is dead. How can this be?” Ye Jingyu’s heart tightened. The moon wheel between his brows suddenly flickered silver. This was no Dugu Ba Chen, but a monstrous beast covered in scales.

Yet, just as this realization dawned, the monster’s razor-sharp claws slammed down upon Ye Jingyu’s shoulder, the sheer force shattering his collarbone.

Ye Jingyu hissed in pain, shaking the Heavenly Sovereign Blade in his hand to cleave the monster’s head clean off. But the beast’s talons ripped straight through his chest cavity…

Blood sprayed continuously. Ye Jingyu’s face turned ashen as he stumbled backward, but at that very moment, everyone he held dear began to appear before him.

Chi Yi, Chi Yixiu, Hu Yanzhi, Jiufeng, Hu Yanmeng, Luo Ling’er, Luo Ruofeng—all of them… Their faces were achingly familiar, their expressions gentle, yet every one of them clutched a dagger, lunging toward Ye Jingyu.

The Eye of Samsara flickered, but seemed inhibited, unable to discern the true features of these apparitions.

Ye Jingyu felt trapped in some nightmarish torment, desperate to wake but unable to break free. Could he really strike at these people? Before he could resolve the conflict, the dagger in Luo Ling’er’s hand plunged deep into his heart, sending another spurt of blood soaring from his already bleeding chest.

Immediately following, the weapons of Jiufeng, Chi Yixiu, and the others pierced his body one after another. The intense agony nearly drove him into unconsciousness.

Blood flowed ceaselessly, flesh being sliced from his body by their daggers, strike after strike. The sensation of being murdered by those closest to him shattered Ye Jingyu’s heart, an insurmountable tide of despair welling up from within.

This is just a dream, it must be a dream, Ye Jingyu insisted internally. But the dream was horribly vivid, the pain alarmingly real, making it impossible to accept that it was merely illusion.