Amidst them were demons of both male and female forms, some humanoid, others beast-like, but every single one wore an expression of sheer terror, clearly belonging to a highly intelligent race.

Twelve indentations appeared on the surface of the altar, and eleven of the demons were immediately placed within these grooves. A strange force instantly bound them, rendering them utterly speechless. The Jiuli Tower then deposited Liang Xiaoke into the final slot.

An inexplicable power sealed off every ounce of Liang Xiaoke's strength. Aside from his consciousness, he couldn't even manage to blink.

Sensing this predicament, Liang Xiaoke’s face drained of color. He wanted to scream; he yearned to flee, but the altar’s power was too immense—so great that even with his abilities, he could not struggle free.

His heart filled with despair, yet in that abyss, the faintest sliver of hope remained. A-Yu, you absolutely must save me. I truly don't want to die...

With the twelve offerings positioned on the altar, Tage Mu pointed toward Lin Xiaoyi and the others who had been moved aside. "Father, what shall become of these humans?"

"Leave them there for now. If the power proves insufficient, we will continue the blood sacrifice!" the Jiuli Tower spoke calmly. Following this, his towering frame settled into a cross-legged position and he began to chant an incantation.

Three Minotaur figures, each towering over eight zhang, along with Tage Mu and seven other Minotaurs exceeding seven zhang in height, also sat behind him, softly murmuring the spell.

This was an ancient incantation, a ritual steeped in history. It was not spoken in the language of the demons, but in the tongue of humans, an archaic chant uttered through human speech.

As the chant rose, the tens of thousands of Minotaurs present immediately fell to their knees, offering their most fervent worship toward the altar.

The pitch-black altar began to pulse with arcs of dark light. Symbols resembling tadpoles floated up from the stone. A chorus of agonizing screams erupted from the eleven demons other than Liang Xiaoke; their bodies convulsed, their flesh began to decay, and their very souls trembled.

It was the curse being activated, the altar devouring their vital essence. Immense power radiated outward, the terrifying black light obscuring everything around it.

With the advent of this black light, the blood of every Minotaur began to boil, and the soul of every Minotaur felt an overwhelming power being channeled continuously from another dimension. As their bodies absorbed this black radiance, their strength rose incessantly.

Every face wore an expression of ecstasy mixed with profound reverence. They truly felt as if their Ancestral God was about to descend.

At this moment, Ye Jingyu’s body had materialized upon the altar without him realizing it. The ChiYou Banner, which had long resided in his Sea of Consciousness, could no longer be restrained; it flew directly above his head, furiously drinking in the black light emitted by the altar. It was thanks to the protection of the ChiYou Banner that his body remained intact upon the platform, untouched by the altar’s assaults.

As the altar began to siphon the power from the eleven demons, the restraint on Liang Xiaoke weakened. Although he had managed to dissipate much of the curse's power, the small remaining residue still compelled the altar to draw on his essence, albeit much slower than the others.

When Ye Jingyu appeared amidst the brilliant black light, Liang Xiaoke had already managed to pull himself from the groove. However, having had a portion of his primordial power drawn away, he was severely weakened. Had Ye Jingyu not yanked him beneath the shelter of the ChiYou Banner, he might have been entirely consumed by the curse.

The light emanating from the altar intensified, growing brighter. Those below could not see clearly what was happening on the platform; they were utterly lost in the surge of power.

Under the cover of the ChiYou Banner, Ye Jingyu and Liang Xiaoke remained seated, daring not to make a move. The altar seemed forged from impossible material, constantly drawing torrents of potent energy from the void—any single stream of which could have pulverized their bodies. Yet, the ChiYou Banner absorbed it all, and they watched as the fissures upon its surface were continuously mended.

"Roar! Roar! Roar..." Suddenly, a massive bellow echoed from above the altar. A black beam shot upward from the platform, piercing the purple full moon hanging in the sky.

As if tearing through space itself, an even more potent force streamed down from the purple moon, only to be halted mid-descent, as if blocked by an invisible barrier.

"Quickly! The altar’s blood sacrifice power is insufficient! His flesh is the most potent—throw him up there!" Seeing the beam suspended in the air, the Jiuli Tower roared.

Tage Li, who had been guarding Chi Yixiu and the others, seized Chi Yixiu’s body and hurled him onto the altar.

"Xiu..." Ye Jingyu cried out in alarm. The power on this altar was something even he and Liang Xiaoke couldn't face; how could Chi Yixiu possibly withstand it?

Frantically urging the ChiYou Banner forward, Ye Jingyu lunged toward Chi Yixiu’s form, but a searing wave of energy tore through Chi Yixiu's body. Scarlet blood sprayed out, splashing onto the altar. The altar, which had been radiating black light, seemed to sense something, rippling with waves of blood-red color. Another crimson beam shot skyward, striking the purple moon. The beam that had been suspended in the air suddenly descended, striking directly onto the crown of Chi Yixiu's head.

"Xiu..." Witnessing this, Ye Jingyu’s eye sockets twitched. Any lesser power here could have pulverized Chi Yixiu, let alone this force capable of tearing open another void. How could Chi Yixiu, with his cultivation level, possibly endure it?

The Jiuli Tower and the others heard Ye Jingyu's cry. The black light of the altar vanished, and their faces contorted in rage and shock. Yet, faced with the altar's immense power, they could do nothing but watch as the energy drawn from the purple moon slammed into Chi Yixiu.

"Roar..." Contrary to expectation—no shattering of bone, no gore flying—not even instantaneous obliteration—a massive roar erupted from Chi Yixiu’s throat. His body began to swell like rising dough, inflating within moments to the height of three zhang, on the verge of exploding.