"Rumble..." With a deafening sound, the Lord of Fury was sent flying backward by the Old Dragon's punch, his body shattered once more, though it reformed in an instant...

The Old Dragon’s body was also forced downward by the immense power, and the layer of golden light shield covering him could no longer withstand such force, shattering into a shower of golden light across the void...

At this moment, the Demon of Fear struck. He used no weapon, only reaching out a claw toward the Old Dragon—a grasp so chilling that Ye Jingyu felt the very void cracking under its pressure. Even the Old Dragon, sensing the attack, involuntarily flinched aside...

Yet, the grasp was strangely precise, latching onto his shoulder. The Old Dragon shook his body, flinging off the Demon of Fear's hold, but the clothes covering his shoulder were torn to shreds by the strike.

This was the first time the Old Dragon had been physically struck in this battle, even if it was only his attire that suffered...

The Demon of Greed then made his move. He resembled a human, yet was unnaturally gaunt, possessing a repulsive look, his eyes glowing a sickly green. He used neither fist nor foot, but his body itself.

Yes, he used his form like a rugby player, launching his entire self in a collision course with the Old Dragon. His frame appeared frail, but the moment he stood before the Old Dragon, a tidal wave of power erupted from him.

The expression on the Old Dragon's face shifted again. He intertwined his hands before his chest, attempting to brace against Greed’s charge...

"Rumble..." With a resounding impact, Greed struck the Old Dragon like a locomotive. His body instantly burst apart, and the massive surge of energy slammed the Old Dragon backward. Streaks of white luminosity even appeared before the Dragon—signs that this section of the void was being fractured by the shockwave...

His clothing was utterly annihilated by the impact, and what was more, a single trickle of blood, a trace of golden ichor, escaped the corner of his mouth...

At this juncture, the body of the Lord of Greed manifested again. Compared to the Old Dragon, however, his injuries were far more severe, particularly his shoulder, which was completely caved in—a wound so deep that even with his current power, complete restoration proved elusive.

Inflicting a thousand damage upon the enemy while sustaining eight hundred in return; yet, Greed's technique had cost him eight thousand in self-damage...

"I never expected the most selfish Lord of Greed to devise such a desperate, ultimate technique. Truly surprising," the Old Dragon remarked, a cold smile touching his lips...

"Heh heh, when sparring with a powerhouse like yourself, how can one refrain from deploying their utmost skills?" The Demon of Greed let out a strange, twisted laugh, even as he retreated backward. While the attack hadn't looked overtly spectacular, he knew the Old Dragon was not as composed as he appeared; he must have been injured, and severely so. For now, he needed to prioritize healing his own wounds.

Seeing the Demon of Greed unleash his ultimate move, the Greed Meteor Strike, right at the beginning, the expressions of the other Lords were visibly stunned. It was unexpected that Greed would be the first to risk such self-destruction so early on.

As Greed retreated a step, they murmured no objections. That blow had clearly wounded the Old Dragon; perhaps it was time for them to cease holding back as well...

The Nightmare Lord produced an exquisite shortbow from her grasp, nocking an arrow the color of dark gold upon the string. Her ethereal, dreamlike face curved into a seductive smile.

"Your Excellency, please sample my Nightmare Arrow!" The words had barely left her lips before the arrow tore through the air...

Meanwhile, Destruction, who had remained uninvolved until now, finally acted. He soared high above and brought a palm down toward the Old Dragon...

An aura of utter desolation exploded outward, filled with absolute finality, commanding dominance, and unparalleled arrogance...

The Extinction Palm...

The Old Dragon’s brow furrowed deeply. Recalling the impact from the Demon of Greed, his eyes blazed with fierce light...

Simultaneously, he stretched out both hands: one lunged toward the hurtling Nightmare Arrow, the other met the descending palm of the Demon of Destruction. At the very same instant, myriad Dragon Shadows erupted from his form, surging toward the countless Spears of Great Destruction raining down from the heavens...

"Rumble, rumble, rumble..." Wave after wave of golden light ignited around him, the intense dark-golden radiance completely engulfing the Old Dragon. Furthermore, as this light erupted, the void itself began to tremble violently, and soon, this blinding luminescence enveloped the Seven Great Demons as well.

Ye Jingyu felt his vision blur; even with his Eye of Reincarnation, he could discern absolutely nothing. What was happening? Had that mighty Old Dragon been annihilated just like that?

Swiftly, the light vanished. When Ye Jingyu looked again, he found that he and the others had been transported to a star field, surrounded by countless celestial bodies, suspended within this sea of stars.

Vast starlight power ceaselessly poured into his body, relentlessly tempering his flesh, while the Star Gold Core beneath his feet spun furiously...

The Old Dragon stood motionless in the void, hands clasped behind his back. However, his hair was slightly disheveled, the traces of blood at the corner of his mouth were more pronounced, and a clear weariness was etched upon his face.

What exactly had transpired? Had they exchanged countless blows in the blink of an eye?

Looking at the Seven Great Demons, every single one wore an expression of profound distress, as if mourning lost parents. Their fatigue was even more intense than the Old Dragon's...

Indeed, the Demon of Nightmare and the Demon of Destruction both bore wounds that seemed stubbornly resistant to healing...

Gazing at a gash across his own lower abdomen, then glancing at the Old Dragon standing suspended in the void, the Demon of Destruction suddenly laughed. His laughter was triumphant, unrestrained, and utterly wild...

"Hahahahaha..." The colossal roar echoed throughout the entire starscape. Immediately following, his body began to swell, inflating continuously. His clothes ripped apart, revealing bulging masses of muscle layered beneath. These muscles began to sprout patches of jet-black scales...

His head enlarged, and multiple eyes sprouted on his face. In mere moments, the Lord of Destruction had transformed into a colossal monstrosity, over ten feet tall, covered entirely in scales, bearing a pair of black wings, and sporting eighteen eyes atop his head.

A faint mist of black energy coiled before him—an aura saturated with destruction.

Seeing the Demon of Destruction revert to his true form, the other Demons held back no longer. One by one, they unleashed their full power and unveiled their true visages...

For the readers: I’ve been struggling a bit with pacing the plot following this massive battle; the writing hasn't been flowing smoothly. However, I promise a major update tomorrow. Your continued support, my brothers and sisters, is greatly appreciated!