Besides the man in black, in another corner of the arena, a man with his upper body bare, entwined with numerous iron chains and a wild mane of hair, sat casually on the ground. His hair was so long and dishevelled that it obscured the better half of his face, making his full appearance impossible to discern.

All this time, he seemed utterly detached from the proceedings on the fighting platform, as if everything happening there held no relevance to him.

He radiated an aura of brutal violence; no demon dared approach him. Even those masters who had attained the Cosmic (Zhou) level avoided glancing his way, as if a single look might provoke such a ferocious beast.

At this point, the majority of the demons attacking Ye Jingyu had fallen. Fewer than two hundred remained standing, yet Ye Jingyu himself appeared utterly unharmed, his breathing remaining unnervingly steady.

Has his strength truly reached such heights? This thought flickered through the minds of several Cosmic masters...

The remaining two hundred-plus demons surged toward Ye Jingyu, their eyes bloodshot. They began to burn their own souls, choosing self-immolation.

The self-detonation of over a hundred masters at the Primordial (Hong) level—what terrifying destructive power that unleashed! Even with the barrier personally erected by the Three Great Lords, even with the platform forged from Purple Cloud Luo Iron below, such an impact could not be endured. Who dispatched these lunatics? Did they not fear obliterating this entire venue?

The Cosmic masters present could no longer remain passive. For their own safety, they simultaneously struck out. In an instant, six colossal auras surged outwards in all directions, blasting the self-detonating Primordial masters clear off the platform.

The further one progressed in cultivation, the greater the gulf in power between adjacent realms. Even those demons who had reached the peak of the Primordial level were still as insignificant as ants before the Cosmic masters.

When Ye Jingyu fought alone, it was manageable. But when these Cosmic masters moved in concert, the demons were swept off the stage as easily as paper scraps.

This turn of events stunned the spectators and even the City Lords present. They had certainly not expected their own people to intervene so early, helping Ye Jingyu clear away those 'ants.' However, they were even more bewildered as to why those individuals would choose to self-destruct? They were Primordial masters, precious high-tier assets; who would command so many to commit suicide?

Only Yuan wore a look of bitter understanding. His eyes looked past the crystal window of the private box toward the dishevelled man sitting on the stage.

“Jue, you can’t resist making a move already? But even so, there’s no need to control their minds, is there? If so many had truly detonated, everything here would be annihilated. Father won’t forgive me!” Yuan sighed inwardly.

Those on the stage clearly lacked his comprehension. Once the Primordial experts were eliminated, only nine figures remained on the platform.

Ye Jingyu stood centrally, slightly winded; the previous brawl had certainly cost him some energy. The six demons who had attacked, including the one shrouded in the black robe, were subtly beginning to encircle Ye Jingyu. Only the unkempt man, still seated on the ground, showed no intention of rising, his eyes fixed solely on his feet, as if tracking something crawling there.

Yet, whether intentional or not, the other demons paid him no mind. Their focus was locked entirely on Ye Jingyu, as if he were the only worthy opponent in their sight.

Facing the group of adversaries glaring at him, Ye Jingyu knew the true fight was just beginning. These were all Cosmic masters. If he could seize this opportunity to annihilate them, the losses for the Earth Alliance would surely be severe. However, while defeating them wouldn't be difficult, utterly eliminating them posed a significant challenge given their strength.

Especially the man completely enveloped in black robes, who gave Ye Jingyu a chillingly familiar sensation, as if they had met before. But what preoccupied Ye Jingyu more was the seated man, the one covered in stubble and tangled hair.

By instinct, he knew that man was his true formidable enemy.

The six Cosmic masters present were all experts recruited by the Seven Fiends. Their standing near the Seven Fiends was comparable to honoured guests. Initially, when the Seven Fiends requested they team up to kill Ye Jingyu on the platform, these masters were hesitant. After all, they were Cosmic experts; a powerful being possesses inherent pride. Ganging up on a peer in the same realm felt akin to slapping their own faces.

But after witnessing Ye Jingyu’s terrifying might, they had unanimously agreed with the Seven Fiends’ proposal. This opponent was simply too strong. Although still within the Cosmic realm, there existed clear tiers within it, and this man’s power far surpassed theirs; no single one of them stood a chance in a direct confrontation.

“Kill…” Shen, one of the demons, cried out first, his body instantly rocketing forward. His hands sliced repeatedly through the void, releasing a power saturated with dread from within him. Almost instantaneously, he was before Ye Jingyu, raising a hand to claw at Ye Jingyu’s shoulder.

Not only that, but the other five demons surged forward at the same moment. Some unleashed crushing blows with their fists, others kicked out with their legs. Their attacks were so precise, so coordinated, that they effectively sealed off every avenue of retreat for Ye Jingyu.

Their power was equally terrifying; the very void seemed on the verge of tearing under the strain. Even this initial probe was powerful enough to severely wound an average Cosmic master.

Since retreat was impossible, they could only defend. But how could one man defend against the coordinated assault of six opponents of equal standing?

Seeing the six launch their offensive, the man shrouded in the black robe also moved. Yet, he did not attack; instead, his body shot rapidly towards the cornered Ye Jingyu, his movement swift as a hunting leopard, poised to deliver the most lethal strike to its prey...

Witnessing so many Cosmic masters move simultaneously, the audience held its breath, eyes wide, scrutinizing every detail as if terrified of missing a moment. Even the perpetually indifferent, wild-haired man finally raised his head, his cloudy eyes fixing forward...

(I have to go pick up my car at the Traffic Management Office this afternoon, so I might not be able to save up drafts. Tomorrow's update will probably be delayed until noon. Everyone, try checking later tomorrow. No matter how busy I am, I won't miss the updates I promised everyone! Too much bad luck recently, my dear brothers and beautiful sisters, Star must have your Golden Bricks and recommendation votes! If you haven't added the book to your bag, don't forget to bookmark it!)D