In the stone hall beneath the Yiren King’s palace, the black energy cloaked the blood pool as it surged wildly. Streams of spiritual energy flowed from the foreheads of the celestial and demon clan disciples, channeling into Hua Yong’s body as he lay submerged in the pool. His body began to swell, growing three times its normal size, his power rising steadily to the peak of the Upper Sovereign rank.
The Yiren King’s eyes glinted with excitement—just one last step remained. If only Yong could devour the souls of Beichen and the other three, he would ascend instantly to godhood.
Outside the city, the golden dragon array suddenly intensified in brightness. A shadowy dragon form gradually took shape within, its tail whipping up a violent vortex that spiraled outward, reducing everything in its path to dust. Jin Yao and the other celestial and demon masters, being closest, were struck first.
"This is bad! The God-Killing Array is about to complete!" Jin Yao and the assembled clan leaders quickly conjured a protective barrier against the destructive winds, but the shadow dragon grew more powerful, slamming repeatedly against their shield.
"We cannot let the Dragon Soul of the God-Killing Array break free! If it does, every living thing in the wastelands will be annihilated!"
"But Celestial Seat," shouted the Cloudlord, "how can we, mere mortals, hope to withstand the dragon soul left by His Majesty Twilight?"
Twilight, the ancient dragon god who once ruled the Three Realms for sixty thousand years, had left behind a soul more powerful than that of any ordinary deity.
"It is a god-killing array!" Jin Yao declared in a powerful voice. "A god must be within the Foreign City. If he can halt the array's completion, there might still be a glimmer of hope!" All around him, the gathered celestial forces funneled their spiritual energy into the shield as the dragon soul roared, crashing relentlessly against it.
At the barrier’s edge, standing a hundred meters above, Zhen Yu hovered in the clouds, his face unreadable as he watched Jin Yao strengthen the barrier. His servant Fu Ling looked up at him, uneasy.
"Palace Master, if Jin Yao manages to disrupt the God-Killing Array…"
"No need for concern. Twilight’s dragon soul—these celestials could never hold it back. Even if Jin Yao became a god right now, he wouldn’t be able to withstand a full strike from the dragon soul," Zhen Yu sneered. "Once the dragon soul fully awakens and the God-Killing Array reaches completion, Fan Yue will be helpless against it. I’ll be the one to see him off personally."
Fu Ling went silent, her gaze dropping momentarily to the city below. She knew that Chongzhao was still inside. If the God-Killing Array completed, he too would perish.
"Only Fan Yue is worthy of being my opponent," Zhen Yu mused coldly. "Today, he will fall here. I will send him on his way myself." With a wave of his hand, a water mirror formed before him, displaying the scene inside the stone hall.
In the stone hall, the Yiren King raised the Stone Sword, channeling all his spiritual energy into it. In an instant, his youthful face turned old and his hair white as snow.
The Yiren King's sword split into four, each blade pointed directly at the four captives on the stone pillars.
Beichen’s face tightened, while Mu Jiu shouted in anger, "Yiren King, how dare you! The Fox Clan will never let you get away with this!"
"For my people, I would challenge heaven and earth alike," the Yiren King replied coldly. "What fear have I of a mere fox clan?" He flicked his wrist, sending the four swords hurtling toward the foreheads of his captives.
No one noticed that on one of the pillars, Nan Wan had suddenly opened his eyes. With his hands bound behind him, a dark energy gathered in his palms, and a flash of cold light appeared behind the Yiren King. Just then—
"Stop!" a voice bellowed from the entrance of the stone hall. A massive staff flew from above, intercepting the four swords in midair. With a burst of light, Hua Hong appeared, standing protectively before the four captives.
Nan Wan’s eyes flickered as the dark energy in his hands dissipated and he lowered his head once more.
Hua Hong looked with dismay at the now-feeble Yiren King. "What happened to you?"
"Red child?!" The Yiren King’s face changed at the sight of Hua Hong, a glimmer of anger flashing across it. "You would betray your own people for these outsiders?"
"Hua Lin, you’ve been deceived! This isn’t a god-making array!" Hua Hong shouted furiously.
"A god-making array? What god are you talking about?"
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