Alex’s calm steps across the water suddenly came to a halt.In front of him, the unit leader—who had been trembling moments ago—now revealed a terrifyingly fanatical expression.He wiped the blood from the corner of his lips, then let out a hoarse laugh that shook the stillness of the lake.“You think you’ve already won, Alex?! We are members of the Blood Shadow Sect! We do not know the meaning of retreat. If our bodies must become sacrifices to destroy you, then let hell welcome you tonight!” the leader roared, his eyes now glowing crimson.Receiving a secret command through their mental link, the twenty remaining cultivators—who had previously been forced back—suddenly leapt simultaneously toward their leader.They formed a perfect circle on the surface of the water, clasping each other’s hands while their free palms faced the sky.“Lori, step back ten paces and stay behind me,” Alex ordered without turning around. His voice was heavier than before.Lori, sensing a bad premonition f

The skull storm roared instantly, the screams of thousands of tormented souls creating a resonance capable of rupturing an ordinary human’s eardrums.Even the air within the Void of Silence froze—not because of temperature, but due to the absolute presence of death itself.Vorgas, now fully merged with the purplish-black mist, looked like a demon born from the deepest pits of hell.“Turn to dust!” Vorgas roared.Yet, in that same place, Alex did not move. His sharp eyes remained locked onto the very core of the storm.As the maw of the storm—formed from thousands of gnashing skull jaws—came within mere inches of his face, Alex did not unleash fire or any element. He simply drew a short breath, and instantly, the air pressure around his body detonated passively.BOOM!It wasn’t fire that met the storm, but the manipulation of air particles compressed by Alex’s Qi to the density of metal.A transparent shockwave slammed into the skull storm, splitting the vortex of death into two stream

Lori supported Alex, helping him walk. As the two of them finally stepped out of the temple, Alex’s godlike gaze shifted toward the bottom of the lake.Previously, he had been fully focused on the battle, paying no attention to the lake’s depths. But now, his pale face suddenly lit up with excitement.“The Yin aura that has accumulated here for decades… it should be enough to help recover the injuries inside my body. Lori, stay here. Watch over our people as they transport the prisoners and the divine stone.”“My lord, what are you planning to do?”“I’m going to use this extreme Yin energy to temper the quality of my bones… and repair my meridians after that forced breakthrough.”Lori simply nodded, accepting the order as she stared at the pitch-black surface of the lake, reflecting the cold moonlight. In the middle of that calm yet deadly vortex, Alex had already sat cross-legged, submerged up to his chest.The Yin energy in this place was poison to ordinary humans—but for Alex, it w

Lord Gerva gripped his crystal staff until his knuckles turned white. Cold sweat streamed down his temples, yet his pride and fear of losing control forced him to remain standing tall. He glared at the line of underground rulers with a strained sharpness in his eyes.“Madness! You’re all insane!” Lord Gerva roared, his voice cracking at the end.“Even if you possess dark assets, you are still criminals! The marriage between Queen Auriel and Prince Willy is not merely about wealth—it is about political legitimacy! With the union of two nations, we will gain an official military power recognized by the world! What can a pack of underground rats offer besides chaos?!”Kuncoro quickly added, his breath uneven, “That’s right! A nation cannot be run by the black market! We need the stability offered by the Nation of Soul! Without international recognition from Prince Willy’s allies, Heliox will become a pariah state!”However, just as Kuncoro finished speaking, the sound of synchronized, he

The footsteps of Alex and Prince Willy echoed against the marble floor as they walked toward the vast courtyard of the Twin Dragon Palace, sounding like the ticking of a clock counting down to an execution.Behind them, hundreds of eyes followed—ranging from loyal underworld rulers, anxious business tycoons, to bloodthirsty corrupt ministers—all pouring out and forming a massive circle around the courtyard, which was surrounded by towering dragon pillars.Suddenly, the sky above the capital of Heliox grew dark, as if the universe itself was holding its breath to witness the clash between these two opposing forces.Prince Willy stood on the northern side of the courtyard. He stretched his neck, producing loud cracking sounds. His silver armor now pulsed with an increasingly dense purple glow, emitting waves of interference that caused electronic devices in the guests’ pockets to spark.“Alex, you’ve chosen a beautiful burial ground,” Willy said as he raised his right hand.“Under the s