With the first step, all eighteen generals felt a sudden tremor in their chests, as if something weighty had landed directly over their hearts. The second step followed—Contain—and the third—Suppress. By the time these steps were taken, they felt as though they were being crushed beneath a mountain. When Ni Bo’s form reached the void and he took the fourth step—Explode—the eighteen generals could still withstand the pressure, but the bodies of the lesser demons near them began to shatter inch by inch, bursting apart as if they were being violently squeezed.

Streams of dark gold blood sprayed continuously, huge bodies atomizing into chunks of gore, collapsing entirely onto the ground.

Ni Bo’s body had ascended into the mid-air. Black light flickered in his eyes, and his single horn radiated a chilling brilliance. He let out a long cry, unleashing the fifth step—Shatter…

“Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack!…” The shields coalesced by the eighteen generals detonated with sharp reports, sounding as if they might give way at any second. Yet, piercing glints of fierce light shot from the eyes of all eighteen figures. Almost simultaneously, every demon spat out a mouthful of vital essence, and immediately, the dark gold shields flared to life once more.

The sixth step… Annihilate…

In an instant, black flames engulfed Ni Bo entirely, blazing furiously. They ignited the surrounding void almost instantaneously, radiating an aura of pure destruction. This tyrannical black flame surged toward Miao and the others.

Faintly, a cracking sound could be heard—the telltale sign of space tearing apart. The brows of the eighteen demons furrowed tightly; they clearly grasped the terrifying nature of this power. Even if they managed to barely hold back this assault, they knew they could never withstand the final, remaining step.

“Whoosh…” Nine of the generals simultaneously stepped forward, their entire forms blazing with light, utterly enveloping Miao in their defense. The remaining nine generals ascended; three shot toward Ni Bo, while another three lunged for Xiao Tao Tao.

The final three hovered across the void, showing no immediate intention of engaging…

At this moment, Ni Bo’s sixth step was fully executed. The violent black flames directly forced the nine demons protecting Miao to spew blood, and large patches of their arms were seared by the black fire, leaving raw wounds. Just as he prepared to step into the seventh, the three intercepting generals arrived.

Each now held a long spear of deepest black, a weapon that also radiated the same aura of annihilation…

“Hah…” A synchronized utterance escaped the three demons’ mouths as their spears simultaneously stabbed toward Ni Bo’s head, chest, and lower abdomen. Though only three simple thrusts, they effectively sealed off every avenue of retreat.

As for the three demons who had remained inactive, they coldly fixed their gaze upon Ye Jing Yu, perched on Ni Bo’s back. The moment Ye Jing Yu made a move, they intended to deliver the most devastating counter-strike.

Observing this flawless combination technique, Ye Jing Yu allowed a faint smile to grace his lips. This was truly an impeccable martial art. It was no wonder they possessed the strength to slay Xerath-level masters, even those at the peak of that tier. With techniques like this, given sufficiently superior weaponry, they might even cripple a Universe-level master.

Perfect, utterly perfect! Their physiques, especially, must have undergone a special tempering process. While they couldn't compare to his own body, they were already tougher than the average Xerath expert. Furthermore, the power contained within them was comparable to that of ordinary Xerath masters. Their sole deficiency was comprehension; once they grasped that final layer of insight, they could ascend to the Xerath realm at any moment.

Strong—truly too strong. A typical Xerath master, even a peak powerhouse, would find this synchronized attack incredibly difficult to manage. But Ye Jing Yu was not typical. His cultivation realm was still only at the Desolate level, even lower than these eighteen demons. However, his physical form and his grasp of the overall tactical situation were absolutely superior to all eighteen of them combined.

“Swish…” Ye Jing Yu instantly shot off Ni Bo’s back. He raised a hand, unleashing the Seal of the Common People, which enveloped both the three demons attacking Ni Bo and the three others poised for their attack.

He didn't need to kill these demons immediately; all he required was for Ni Bo to successfully complete the seventh step.

Sensing the immense pressure radiating from the Seal of the Common People, the expressions of the six demons shifted drastically. Before they could even react, they felt a colossal force slam into their chests.

This was the concentrated belief power drawn from all living beings under heaven. Even a Xerath peak master would struggle to resist such formidable faith energy, let alone them.

Perhaps… if… Of course, that was only a hypothetical. If all eighteen of them had gathered together, linking their internal energies, they might have withstood such a blow. But now, they were completely separated…

Their bodies were violently thrown backward, spitting blood without restraint. How could they possibly hope to impede Ni Bo as he stepped into the seventh phase…

“Ao ao ao…” A massive dragon's roar erupted from Ni Bo’s throat. The black flames enveloping him burned with renewed vigor, and a fifty-zhang radius around him was entirely shrouded in scorching black fire.

Ni Bo’s Seventh Step Synthesis…

Finally, Ni Bo, now soaring in the sky, executed the perfect seventh step—a move that seamlessly fused the trajectories of the previous six steps…

Fusion? What fusion? The Fusion of Heaven and Earth…

“Crack…” Instantly, cracking sounds resonated throughout the bodies of the nine generals guarding Miao. They felt as though Heaven and Earth were about to collapse upon them; the sheer magnitude of the power was impossible for them to resist.

“Pfft…” Mouthfuls of blood sprayed out as their bodies were forcibly repelled by the shockwave…

That immense force surged directly toward Miao…

At this critical juncture, Xiao Tao Tao, positioned nearby, unleashed his own divine might. He disdained prolonged skirmishes with these generals, instead deploying the Dragon Clan’s divine ability, Imprisonment, swallowing toward the three attacking demons in a single gulp.

The faces of the three demons contorted in alarm. While their individual combat power was formidable, their cultivation base was simply too low. They weren't afraid of an attack from a Xerath master, but they were utterly defenseless against the divine ability of a Xerath master.

Their bodies instantly lost control, and a massive suction force pulled them directly toward Ni Bo’s gaping maw. Just as they were about to be inhaled into the mouth of the Great Glutton, streaks of golden light suddenly erupted across the body of one demon. A tyrannical power exploded from within him—he chose self-detonation.