Within the Ten Lands Nine Heavens God Annihilation Array, the chaotic turbulence of energy slowly subsided, revealing a scene of utter devastation.
The void was shattered, the laws were in disarray, and the Seventy-Two Demon God Pillars stood silently, their luster dimmed like ancient stone tablets weathered by time.
The surviving powerhouses of the Demon Race supported one another, their faces etched with the bewilderment and sorrow of those who had narrowly escaped death. The air was thick with the pungent scent of blood and Demonic Energy, carrying an indescribable weight.
At the center of the storm, Yu Yuanchen slowly withdrew the hand he had used to cast the Thunder Dragon Spear. His complexion was pale, his breathing erratic; the act of forcibly fusing his godhood to unleash the ultimate strike, "One Thought Pierces the Heavens," had nearly drained him of his divine essence, and waves of weakness washed over his divine soul.
Yet, his upright frame remained as steady as a spear, his gaze sharp as lightning as he scanned the battlefield baptized by blood and war.
The Planar Spirit had fallen, and the purest origin left behind after its manifested body collapsed had been sealed away by a wave of his hand. It was a chaotic-colored orb containing vast laws of information and immense energy—the primary objective of his journey.
As for the Heavenly Dao Cauldron that had originally hovered in the air, now that it had lost its master, the cracks on its surface appeared even more glaring. Its light retracted, and it transformed into a primitive, foot-tall cauldron that slowly descended into Yu Yuanchen's palm. It felt warm to the touch, yet exceptionally heavy.
"It's over." Gu Yuena's cold, clear voice rang out. She drifted down to Yu Yuanchen's side, her purple eyes sweeping across the battlefield. Although her aura was somewhat disordered, she was in much better condition than the others.
The Silver Dragon King's origin and her exquisite control over elements, combined with her role in the previous melee—restricting the Planar Spirit's Elemental Authority rather than facing it head-on—meant that Yu Yuanchen and the others had prioritized her protection, so her state was naturally much better.
Qian Daoliu and Tang Chen descended one after another, both bathed in blood with withered auras.
The light of Qian Daoliu's Angel Sacred Sword was dim, with tiny cracks appearing on the blade; Tang Chen's Clear Sky Hammer was covered in notches, and his robust physique was riddled with deep, bone-baring wounds. Yet, their eyes were exceptionally bright, filled with the joy of victory and the tenacity born from surviving life and death.
"Damn it, we finally took down this old bastard!" Tang Chen spat out a mouthful of blood and grinned, though the movement tugged at his wounds, making him wince.
Qian Daoliu nodded slightly, his gaze toward Yu Yuanchen filled with heartfelt admiration and a hint of complexity: "Brother Yuanchen, this victory is entirely due to your strategic planning and the decisive strike at the critical moment. Otherwise, I fear we would not have achieved this."
He knew well that from discovering the threat of the Planar Spirit to formulating the plan, and finally delivering that earth-shattering spear strike, Yu Yuanchen deserved the greatest credit.
Yu Yuanchen shook his head slightly, consuming a few pills to nourish his divine soul and restore his divine essence, his pale complexion easing slightly: "The credit for this battle does not belong to me alone. Without everyone's all-out assistance in pinning down the majority of its energy, I would have had no opening to exploit."
He scanned the group, his gaze finally resting on Gu Yuena, "Especially Miss Gu Yue. If not for you suppressing its means with your Elemental Authority, this battle would never have gone so smoothly."
Elemental authority was the cornerstone of the Planar Spirit's combat prowess; it could be said that Gu Yuena's restriction of the Planar Spirit had weakened its combat effectiveness by nearly twenty percent.
Gu Yuena smiled faintly, not claiming the credit.
At this moment, the figure of Di Tian appeared quietly. His massive dragon eyes swept over the chaotic battlefield, lingering for a moment on the silent Heaven-Defying Dragon Pillar, a trace of imperceptible complexity flashing in his eyes.
The Evil Emperor also drifted over unsteadily, appearing extremely weak; it was clear he had also lent a hand in the previous great battle.
"Now that this is over, how should the spoils be distributed?" Qian Daoliu asked, looking at the sealed planar origin and the primitive Heavenly Dao Cauldron in Yu Yuanchen's hands. Although they had a tacit understanding, the process still needed to be followed.
Before Yu Yuanchen could speak, Tang Chen waved his hand and said heartily: "What's there to divide? The threat of the Planar Spirit was discovered by you, Old Yu; the plan was yours; and you were the one who delivered the final blow! The lion's share naturally belongs to you! I, Old Tang, only need some scraps to comprehend the laws."
Qian Daoliu also nodded in agreement: "Brother Tang is right. Brother Yuanchen intends to condense the position of a God King, and he is in dire need of such origin provisions."
"The Heavenly Dao Cauldron was formed from the body of the Planar Spirit. While it may not be perfectly compatible with Brother Yu's Thunder Law, the intent of suppression and creation it contains has infinite uses and should belong to Brother Yu. Brother Tang and I only need to take the portion of origin insights that align with our own paths."
Gu Yuena also nodded gently: "What I require is its complete insight into the operation of the elemental laws of this world, which will be of great benefit to perfecting my path. As for the energy origin, it is not essential for me."
The group's attitude was clear: they prioritized giving the greatest credit and spoils to Yu Yuanchen. This was not only because of Yu Yuanchen's decisive role in the battle, but also because for a long time, whether it was founding the Martial Way, establishing the Federation, or leading them to explore the path of transcendence, Yu Yuanchen had played the role of the core leader.
Qian Daoliu and Tang Chen were even more aware that if not for Yu Yuanchen providing the Hell Gate and the opportunity to come to this world, they might never have reached their current achievements in their entire lives. They kept this karma in their hearts.
Seeing this, Yu Yuanchen did not decline further. He truly needed the Planar Spirit's origin and the Heavenly Dao Cauldron to solidify his foundation and push toward a higher realm.
After pondering for a moment and calculating his approximate needs, he said: "In that case, I will accept it. Of the planar origin, I will take seventy-five percent. Of the remaining thirty percent, Nana will take ten percent, which contains the essence of elemental laws; Brother Qian will take five percent, containing the principle of orderly light; Brother Tang will take five percent, containing the essence of qi and blood power; the remaining five percent will be gifted to Di Tian and the Evil Emperor to help you both stabilize your realms and comprehend the laws."
His distribution was extremely fair, even considering Di Tian and the Evil Emperor. Di Tian was slightly moved, and the Evil Emperor's eyes fluctuated with emotion as he thanked him repeatedly.
As for the large amount of dissipated planar law energy that had originally maintained the operation of the Saint Demon Continent, Yu Yuanchen had no intention of using it at all.
He knew very well that this power was tied to the stability of the entire plane. Whoever greedily absorbed it would have to shoulder the responsibility of maintaining the balance of the plane and suppressing natural disasters, which was no different from wearing a heavy shackle. He aimed for transcendence and would naturally not bind himself.
"As for these Demon God Pillars..." Yu Yuanchen's gaze turned to the seventy-two silent giant pillars, a gleam of light flashing in his eyes. He had promised the Demon God Emperor to preserve the bloodline of the Heaven-Defying Demon Dragon Clan and had also promised to accept the surrender of the Demon Race, but that did not mean he would let the Demon Race remain as they were.
He waved his hand and summoned the Moon Demon God Agares and the Star Demon God Vassago to his side. Their injuries had stabilized under the infusion of Feng Xiu's life force, but their auras remained weak. Facing Yu Yuanchen, their expressions were complex, filled with grief, awe, and a hint of trepidation.
"Moon Demon God, Star Demon God." Yu Yuanchen's voice was calm, yet carried an unquestionable majesty, "Before Feng Xiu departed, he entrusted the Demon Race to the two of you. Since I have promised to preserve your bloodline inheritance, I will not go back on my word."
Hearing this, Agares and Vassago felt a sense of relief and bowed: "Thank you for your mercy, Your Excellency."
"However," Yu Yuanchen changed the subject, "the Demon Race is now deeply mired in demonic nature, and the desire for slaughter is intense, all because the Seventy-Two Demon God Pillars contain the lingering Heaven's Punishment Power and Destruction Intent left behind by that terrifying existence known as 'Austin Griffin'."
"This power is deeply fused with the Demon God Pillars themselves and the blood and qi of your ancestors, infecting your bloodlines and temperaments, which is why the Demon Race is as it is today."
He pointed to the Demon God Pillars: "If left unchecked, the Demon Race will never change its nature, and I will not allow such a race to continue existing."
Agares and Vassago's complexions changed. As Demon Gods, they naturally knew where the violence and chaos in their bloodlines came from, but they had been powerless to change it. Vassago said hoarsely: "What does Your Excellency mean?"
"I intend to strip away and purify the dark destruction power belonging to Austin Griffin within the Demon God Pillars," Yu Yuanchen said slowly. "This will damage the grade of the Demon God Pillars and greatly reduce their power, but in return, the demonic nature entwined in your bloodlines will gradually weaken and be purified. Over time, you may have the hope of gradually shedding your demonic bodies and returning to... the original appearance of your ancestors."
Returning to their original appearance!
Agares and Vassago were shaken to their cores, an unbelievable light erupting in their eyes! For the high-ranking members of the Demon Race who had suffered under the torment of their demonic nature and knew its drawbacks, this was an unimaginable gospel! Although the process would be long and the Demon God Pillars would be damaged, compared to gaining "new life," what did these costs matter?
"Your Excellency... is this true?!" Agares's voice trembled with excitement.
"I, Yu Yuanchen, keep my word," Yu Yuanchen nodded. "However, this is extremely difficult. It requires the Heavenly Dao Cauldron to suppress the origin of the pillars, and then, using my insights into the Laws of Life and Destruction, supplemented by the power of thunder purification, it will be a slow process that will likely take no less than ten years. Furthermore, during this period, the Demon God Pillars must remain under my control."
"Ten years... if it can change the future of our race, even a hundred or a thousand years would be worth it!" Vassago said excitedly, "Everything shall be as Your Excellency arranges! On behalf of the billions of our people, we thank you for your grace of rebirth!" As he spoke, the two prepared to kneel and perform a grand salute.
Yu Yuanchen waved his sleeve, and a gentle force supported them: "No need for formalities. Furthermore, the Saint Demon Continent is no longer a place for you to stay. The enmity between your race and the Human Race is too deep; forcing you to coexist will only lead to trouble."
He paused and continued: "I have a place called the Demon Plane. The environment of this plane is harsh, the dark power is dense, and the laws are chaotic. It is a dead zone for ordinary living beings, but for the Demon Race whose demonic nature has not yet been fully purified, it may serve as a temporary shelter."
"When your demonic nature gradually fades in the future, I can help you gradually improve the environment of that plane to make it suitable for living."
Moving the Demon Race to the Demon Plane! Agares and Vassago looked at each other, seeing the eagerness in each other's eyes. Leaving this place of sorrow and recuperating in a new environment where no one would disturb them, gradually purifying their bloodlines—this was undoubtedly the best choice!
"As you command, Your Excellency!" The two no longer hesitated and responded in unison.
With the plan settled, Yu Yuanchen did not delay any further. He first worked with Gu Yuena, Qian Daoliu, Tang Chen, and the others to distribute the planar origin according to their agreement.
Everyone obtained the portions they required and were thoroughly satisfied, immediately seeking out places for Deep Seclusion to digest their gains.
Yu Yuanchen then set about handling the loose ends. He first used his great divine abilities to stabilize the heavens and earth within the collapsing Ten Lands Nine Heavens God Annihilation Array, temporarily sealing this realm to allow it to slowly recover on its own over time.
Following this, he ordered Agares and Vassago to reorganize the surviving Demon Race, tally the casualties, treat the wounded, and begin preparations for migration.
As for himself, he took the Heavenly Dao Cauldron and that cluster of planar origin into Deep Seclusion. He needed to first preliminarily refine the Heavenly Dao Cauldron, familiarize himself with its power, and restore his own losses to prepare for the subsequent purification of the Demon God Pillars and the migration of the Demon Race.
At the same time, he was filled with interest regarding the trace of Heaven's Punishment Power left behind by Austin Griffin, intending to study it thoroughly during the purification process; perhaps he could catch a glimpse of the Mystery of the origin of Destruction from it.
On the side of the Temple Alliance, Yu Yuanchen also sent Di Tian to inform them of the result. Upon learning that the Planar Spirit had been executed and that the Demon Race had submitted and would be migrating, Yang Zhou, Han Tao, and other high-ranking members of the alliance were naturally ecstatic; the dark clouds that had hung over the Human Race for thousands of years had finally dispersed.
They naturally had no objections to Yu Yuanchen's arrangements and even took the initiative to express their willingness to provide some conveniences to assist the Demon Race in their migration.
The storm had completely subsided, and the Saint Demon Continent ushered in a long-awaited dawn of peace.
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Translated by: randomtranslator.com
Proofread by: GodKun-Chan