The Demon Abyss was a separate realm, extending for tens of thousands of miles. While not as boundless as the Demon Realm, it was at least tens of thousands of times the size of the Dou Hun Continent. Such a vast space, by all rights, should have sustained numerous living beings. However, this was a place of sealing, not comfort, for the demons. Though light and air existed, and it wasn't inherently filthy, the environment was undeniably brutal.

Gusts of wind capable of shredding steel easily, hailstones the size of soccer balls yet weighing thousands of pounds, raindrops that could pierce ten-centimeter-thick steel plates, and the occasional appearance of the Yellow Heaven Yin Flame—a subterranean eruption that could reduce flesh and soul to ash—meant that truly habitable areas within the entire Abyss were exceedingly scarce.

After all, even if demons were inherently stronger than ordinary beings, they wouldn't be born at the Heaven Rank, capable of weathering such natural calamities.

Across the entire Abyss, the genuinely survivable territories numbered less than one hundred, scattered throughout its expanse. Most were claimed by powerful demons, forcing the lesser ones to seek allegiance under them just to endure.

The seven strongest demons dominated the seven most fertile and expansive regions, each territory rivaling the size of the entire Dou Hun Continent. These were known as the Seven Great Abysses of the Demon Abyss.

They were: the Abyss of Destruction, the Abyss of Ruin, the Abyss of Fury, the Abyss of Greed, the Abyss of Calamity, the Abyss of Nightmare, and the Abyss of Devouring.

At this moment, at the heart of the Abyss of Destruction stood a colossal palace. It was a structure of black stone forged from unknown materials, resembling a monstrous beast crouched low, gazing down upon every living thing within its domain.

The palace's owner, Destruction, was the divine ruler of this realm; his will dictated all within its confines.

Inside the main hall of this palace, the handsome demon known as Destruction, clad entirely in black, sat upon his throne. Below him knelt Yuan, whose head bore seven eyes and whose body was covered in scales.

Seeing Yuan in his true form, the Demon of Destruction sighed softly.

"My son, you have performed admirably. For the sake of your kin, you have sacrificed so much. What is it you desire? Is it power? Beauty? Or something else? Whatever your wish, I shall grant it to you…" Destruction’s voice, heavy with authority, resonated through the empty hall.

"Venerable Father!" Hearing his father’s words, Yuan bravely raised his head, his seven eyes fixed directly upon the Demon of Destruction.

"I wish for you to grant me Ling!" His determined voice echoed through the hall.

The smile that had graced Destruction's face vanished instantly, replaced by an ice, an absolute, relentless cold—the indifference that sought to annihilate everything.

Facing his father’s overwhelming pressure and sharp gaze, Yuan's body trembled uncontrollably, cold sweat pouring down his back. Yet, his seven eyes remained steadfastly locked on his father.

In them lay pure, unyielding conviction!

Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Five sharp sounds cracked through the air. Under Destruction’s immense pressure, five of Yuan’s facial eyes ruptured violently. The agonizing pain nearly caused him to faint, but his remaining two eyes held firm, showing no sign of retreat.

"Do you know that she possesses the Pure Spirit Body?" Seeing his son’s persistent gaze, Destruction’s expression shifted slightly, yet his voice remained cold.

"I know, Father!" Yuan replied with utmost deference. He fully understood the immense value of Luo Ling’er’s soul to his father. But he had truly fallen in love with the maiden and could not bear to watch her slowly mature under his father’s care, only to be ultimately devoured whole.

"Knowing that, do you then understand that she is the key to my breakthrough to the Universe Rank?" Seeing the unwavering determination in Yuan’s eyes, Destruction sighed heavily within his heart.

How could a demon possess emotion? That was the weakness of mere mortals.

"But Father, I…" Yuan understood everything, yet his heart rebelled against seeing Ling confined like livestock, destined only to dissipate eventually.

"There is no 'but.' She is mine, and I will not bestow her upon you. If you truly wish to claim her, then challenge me with your strength. If you can defeat me, everything I possess will be yours—including her!" Before Yuan could argue further, Destruction cut him off. Then, with a casual wave of one hand, a purple-black beam of light plunged into Yuan’s body. Immediately, the scales covering Yuan’s form rapidly dissolved, and the injuries on his face swiftly healed. In the blink of an eye, he had reverted to his original human semblance.

"Your strength has been restored to its peak level before you went to the Human Realm. This matter is closed!" Destruction decreed, then swept his sleeve. Yuan's body was instantly flung backward. Faced with such immense power, Yuan felt a deep sorrow. His father had already attained the peak of the Universe Rank, while Yuan himself barely reached the Great Flood Rank. To surpass him seemed impossible. Must he truly lose her?

Dejected, Yuan walked through the palace, passing through countless corridors until he inadvertently arrived at a rear garden.

This was the most beautiful spot in the entire palace, perhaps the entire Abyss, solely because a girl named Ling resided here.

To ensure her happiness, his father had expended tremendous power to conjure a miniature sun in the void. Currently, that sun cast a warm glow over the garden, an expanse as large as a hundred football fields.

The garden was sown with every imaginable kind of flower, all blooming riotously under Destruction’s potent influence—a truly breathtaking tapestry of colors.

There, in the very center of the sea of blossoms, a young maiden knelt, dressed in a pale yellow floral sundress and simple cloth shoes, meticulously tending to a flower known as the Epiphyllum.

He had heard this flower bloomed only for a single moment at dawn. Yet, under his father’s might, this exquisite bloom remained perpetually open.

Could power truly alter everything?

Gazing at the maiden’s eyes, so pure and untainted, and witnessing her innocent, flawless smile, the despair that had struck Yuan’s heart began to stir back to life.

He had to become strong. Immeasurably strong. Stronger than his father. He would have her. He absolutely had to have her.