"Good work, Fabuti…"
Contrary to Chu Hao's expectations, this time, the demon prince Fabuti showed an incredibly strong and unquestionable dominance.
In addition to that, some of his "creative ideas" had helped him leave his "brothers and sisters" far behind.
The demon prince Fabuti was not only the first to exert influence over the creatures of this world, but also the first to establish a true foothold of power within it.
All of these achievements combined made Fabuti undoubtedly hold the largest share of control within this world.
Even though his other siblings eventually broke through the world's planar crystal wall, their contributions paled in comparison to his early advantage.
---
In the deepest depths of the Endless Abyss…
The demon prince Fabuti knelt before Chu Hao, reverently raising both hands.
Kneeling alongside him were his fellow demon princes and princesses, though nearly half of them were trembling uncontrollably.
"Great Lord, this is the rule you desired…"
In his hands was a rule, manifested by the Abyssal Divine Fire itself—
The rule that allowed one to grow together with the world's consciousness through sacrifice.
This was also Chu Hao's main purpose in coming here.
Chu Hao nodded slightly and extended his hand.
A wisp of black mist wrapped around the rule and brought it before him.
Chu Hao squinted his eyes, quietly "tasting" the essence of the rule.
The process was long—so long that it could almost be measured in hours.
After who knows how long, Chu Hao finally opened his eyes.
"Not bad."
"You did well, Fabuti."
In Chu Hao's eyes, black and red whirlpools slowly rotated.
"As a reward, your position is now stable. You may sit upon your throne among the demon princes for much longer."
"As for other rewards—you'll need to continue proving yourself."
Upon hearing this, Fabuti trembled with excitement.
He knew exactly what this meant—this was an acknowledgment from the Abyssal Lord himself, a promise that he could remain on his throne indefinitely, as long as he did not make any great mistakes or provoke beings like Yum.
He would continue to rule his domains with cruel and tyrannical authority.
The thought nearly made him leap with joy—
but he restrained himself.
Because at that very moment, he sensed danger—emanating from Chu Hao.
However, Chu Hao wasn't targeting him.
He was fulfilling another promise.
"You all…"
As Chu Hao spoke, endless black mist surged forth from the Bloody Throne.
That mist was the embodiment of the Abyss itself—
and also the incarnation of Chu Hao, its Lord.
"In the previous war, you did not display the worth expected of you."
At those words, half of the demon princes immediately began trembling and dropped to their knees in prayer, hoping Chu Hao would spare them.
"Lord…"
"Please, no, Lord!"
Some even tried to open a spatial gate to escape.
But Chu Hao only sighed lightly.
In the next moment, the black mist swept over them all.
"You share the same blood, the same authority—yet your performance…"
Chu Hao's cold voice echoed in their ears.
These mighty demons, in front of Chu Hao, were no different from ants.
Though each of them was capable of massacring millions, before the Abyssal Lord, they were nothing.
This was a suppression born from difference in life level—
a gap that no power could bridge.
"You have disappointed me. Now, return your authority."
As he spoke, black liquid began seeping from their bodies.
Their forms melted like candles, one after another.
Screams, wails, and cries of agony filled the lowest layer of the Endless Abyss.
Fabuti and the surviving demon princes watched in excitement.
They felt no sympathy—
in fact, they relished it.
"Ah… what a beautiful sound~"
"No matter how many times I hear it, the sound of authority being stripped away always pleases me."
"Of course, the screams make the melody complete."
Fabuti narrowed his eyes as Chu Hao crushed the remaining "unworthy" princes and collected all of their authority.
He wanted to ask for more—
but he didn't dare.
To his surprise, after Chu Hao absorbed everything, he turned his hand and said—
"Here. This is your due reward."
With a flick of his wrist, Chu Hao distributed the remaining Abyssal Authorities among the surviving princes who had passed the trial.
The amount each received varied, based on their contributions during the war.
Fabuti received the most—
nearly half of the total authority, more than all the others combined.
"By the Abyss… this…"
Fabuti trembled with exhilaration, staring at his own body.
Within him, countless new muscles surged with power, his strength rising once again.
On the level of the soul, his connection with the Abyss reached new heights.
Knowledge he had never known before flooded into his mind—
knowledge born from the Abyss itself.
All of it was due to his newly gained share of power.
The more he possessed, the stronger he became.
Deep within his soul sea, he could even faintly sense an unusual transformation.
Though he could not yet ignite his divine fire, that change still filled him with joy.
He instinctively knew—
it was proof that he was about to ascend to a higher level of existence.
"My Lord…"
Fabuti knelt once more, chanting in praise of Chu Hao's greatness.
But Chu Hao only stared at the few strands of lingering souls in his hand, lost in thought.
Because at that moment, Daimon had given him a new proposal—
A way to make the Abyss even more complete.
And that proposal… was connected to those very souls.