At this moment, every spiritual traveler within the replica realm felt the immense, scorching power. While those at the Niu Lan Shan little fairy's subway station could not directly see the golden light connecting heaven and earth, the travelers from the other three major arrays all sensed this extraordinary phenomenon. "What's going on? What exactly is happening?" "This is so powerful—the energy here is completely different from what we felt in the blood pool earlier. Could it be something the Yuan Shi Tian Zun and his team have orchestrated?" "I thought they were gone. I really believed they were finished." Faced with this sudden surge of energy, the official travelers were more amazed than alarmed. At this critical juncture, any anomaly could signal a turning point, capable of altering the very outcome. They exchanged hurried, uncertain words, eager for answers. "This energy... seems to resemble the one from the artifact the Yuan Shi Tian Zun used—the very one he employed in the maze forest to purify us." Someone remarked. Upon these words, the crowd quickly realized and began to stir, their voices rising in a wave of astonishment and excitement: "Is this something the Prime Immortal has conjured?" "Good—he's alive! He truly has a way of doing this..." "There's hope! There's real hope!" In the killing quest of the Transcendent Realm, doesn't mastering this power mean mastering victory? Even the most composed person can't help their emotions when they're saved from the brink. This is the Divine Power of the Sun God—indeed, a Sovereign-level Sun God's power! Guan Ya and Jiang Jingwei, with their deep family traditions, were both pleasantly surprised to recognize the origin of this force. This aura is distinctly different from the tools used by Yuan Shi before—this is truly Sovereign-level. Guan Ya was both astonished and delighted, thinking to herself, "Good boy, you've kept such a secret all this time—you never told me!" Kou Beiyue, on the other hand, was completely bewildered, unsure of what had happened or where this power came from, yet he instinctively felt a deep fear toward this golden light, much like how a dung beetle naturally fears the scorching rays of the sun. A Yi, Hong Wei, and the other evil cultivators shared with Kou Beiyue the same sensation—the aura of the demonic deity was chilling and terrifying. Yet this was the weight of a high-ranking sovereign, unlike the golden light that struck them, which evoked a sense of impending doom, an instinctive aversion and resistance within their very bodies. The members of the Shang Gui faction were visibly distressed. Through the lower-lower omens, they had already foreseen the successful sacrifice of Yuan Shi Tian Zun, knowing that the future depicted in the omens would remain unaltered and could not be disrupted. In essence, the counter-effect of the fifth omen served as an added guarantee—Yuan Shi Tian Zun would surely succeed. This is the nature of rule-based artifacts: when they manifest as upper-upper omens, you feel empowered and everything proceeds smoothly; but once they appear as lower-lower omens, you are left powerless, witnessing the worst possible outcomes unfold. Now, they can only pray that the power of the demonic deity within the blood pool will rise to the occasion, suppressing the forces summoned by Yuan Shi Tian Zun. … Beyond the battle, a golden light surged toward the heavens, blocked by the world barrier, yet its brilliant radiance pierced through the invisible shield, gilding the figures outside like a golden paint. A turn for the better! Witnessing this, the elders of the Five Elements Alliance shifted from anger to delight. The female general once again turned her gaze back, her face hazy and expressionless, yet she fixed her eyes steadily on the Mountain Goddess, her tone full of quiet anticipation: "Can you descend into the realm?" Unlike the ancient sun deity, who is a traveler of the spiritual realm, this Mountain Goddess's true form resides within the spiritual realm, granting her special privileges—she can freely traverse certain spiritual realms. With a delicate lift of her lips, the Mountain Goddess replied: "Not physically, but I can manifest through my consciousness." Then, under the slightly stiff gazes of the leaders of the evil organization, she closed her eyes. A spiritual essence drifted out from within her, colliding with the world barrier. This time, her essence effortlessly breached the realm's restrictions and seamlessly merged into the golden light that had summoned her. … "I have no idea how the supreme, unseen existence will bestow strength upon me." Standing beside the golden light pillar, Yuanshǐ Tianzun lowered his head, unable to meet the radiance directly, his heart brimming with anticipation. The power summoned by the sacrificial ritual far exceeded his expectations. He had anticipated great strength, but not this extraordinary magnitude. The terrifying power of the Sun God surpassed that of the power contained within the Vumó Chopper by countless measures. Yet, amidst his delight, a doubt arose—given the level of the Silent Village quest, wasn't this item rather extravagant? Though the Silent Village was challenging, it remained a transcendent-stage quest. Of course, to gather sufficient materials for the ritual, he had wept and borrowed heavily from the organization, accumulating a debt of tens of millions by his early years. At that moment, the golden light that had surged into the clouds, connecting heaven and earth, gradually contracted and then slowly faded. Hmm? Had it stopped? Zhang Yuancheng instinctively raised his head, gazing toward the sky. Then he saw a scene of shattered heart and trembling legs. In the sky stood a goddess dressed in an ancient-style long gown, her dark hair flowing freely. Tall and graceful, with a refined and beautiful face, her full, sensuous lips left a lasting impression on Zhang Yuanqing—though they had been pale when he first saw her, they were now rosy and even more alluring. Upon closer inspection, one could notice her form subtly translucent, as though not fully solid. It seemed she had not truly descended into this world, but rather materialized in a form other than her true essence. Old man... no, Lady Goddess? I personally summoned the very being I was most afraid of—the ultimate boss! At this moment, Zhang Yuanqing truly felt the unpredictability of fate. No, it’s not fate being capricious—she’s fishing for compliance. She can influence the Night-Wanderer Deities’ realms and distribute a high-level sacrificial ceremony across multiple realms, which is no great feat for her. As for me, I am the Night-Wanderer Deity, and I will inevitably enter a solo instance. She doesn’t know which one I’ll choose, but she can still fish for compliance. "The ghost bride had said that the old, sturdy one was a man of the righteous path, one who didn't like to indiscriminately kill the innocent—this gave him the courage to bow and prostrate himself immediately. Yet Zhang Yuanqing still believed the situation remained perilous. After all, even a man of the righteous path would have expectations when someone stole his most precious belongings; such a person might not be particularly merciful when dealing with thieves. The sound of the Prime Immortal's voice, as if shouting "Long live!" and his humble posture of kneeling on the ground, left the two elite factions encircling him at a distance utterly astonished. The Prime Immortal? It seemed as though he knew this celestial maiden who had descended from the heavens. How could he possibly recognize someone of such stature? In their eyes, the Prime Immortal's lack of dignity—his seemingly unceremonious bow—was actually quite natural. If it were their own turn, they would have done no better, perhaps even less smoothly than the Prime Immortal's display. The Lady of San Mountain, gazing down at the young man at her feet, her voice clear and ethereal, said: 'Why aren't you lifting your head?' Zhang Yuanqing responded "Master Lady San-Dao Mountain sneered, 'You're quite thoughtful. Then, why haven't you left the Subduer of Demons at Jinshui Water Park and delivered it to Lady Bai Lan?' Zhang Yuanqing felt a cold breeze rise behind him, sensing the old man's sharp gaze fixed upon him, and quickly replied, 'My lord, I must admit I was unaware that the Subduer of Demons was of great significance to the Lady. After returning to Jinshui Water Park to inquire with Lady Bai Lan, I learned of its importance and thus resolved to return it to the Lady at the earliest opportunity. Yet, it seems the Lady has already appeared in person.' With that, he waved his hand toward the distance. The ghost bride, dressed in a vibrant red wedding gown, drifted gracefully and knelt before the old man, pleading, 'Please, Lady, show mercy and spare my husband. Indeed, he has mentioned that he would like to find a way to return the sacred object to the Lady.' The last part—the mention of 'husband'—was not said by Zhang Yuanqing, but spontaneously added by the ghost bride. At the distance, Guan Ya frowned, her expression darkening. Zhang Yuanqing felt the pressure ease immediately, the fluttering sensation dissipating, and breathed a sigh of relief, knowing the old bard would not trouble him for now. "Raise your head!" the Lady San Dao Mountain spoke with a clear, cool voice. Zhang Yuanqing instantly lifted his head, gazing at the magnificent deity. The old bard studied him for a moment, then her gaze settled on the伏魔杵 lying on the ground. With a graceful, well-proportioned hand, she gently waved, and the伏魔杵 rose on its own, settling into her palm. With a subtle pressure from her young, green-fingered hand, the伏魔杵 began to glow, radiating warmth. A moment later, the Lady San Dao Mountain released her hand and said, "My yang spirit has revived and now resonates with me. When you enter the next time—ah, the instance—retrieve the伏魔杵 immediately, and I will manifest in person to reclaim it. Do you understand?" Understood. Definitely not using it in the next solo instance! Zhang Yuanqing murmured to himself, then bowed deeply, "The young servant understands!" From the elder's words, it was clear that she could not truly manifest and carry out the killing in the realm of the mission, nor could she bring the artifact with her. Zhang Yuanqing hoped to hear the elder's opinion once he returned to the real world. The Lady of San Dao Mountain gazed at him deeply, then turned her attention to the magus that had now fully emerged from the blood pool. Standing over a hundred meters tall, adorned with black runes, the magus exuded a fierce, lofty, and majestic presence—like a tide, like moonlight—unyielding and overwhelming. Its objective was unmistakably clear, as if sensing its destined adversary, and it moved directly toward the Lady of San Dao Mountain. With its immense form, each step sent massive waves surging through the blood pool, and every stride produced thunderous vibrations that shook the earth. The Lady of San Dao Mountain spoke softly, "Stand up!" Zhang Yuanqing rose obediently. Immediately, the robed goddess entered his body. The sacrificial ritual draws power from the unseen entities and bestows it upon the sacrificer—this is the core of the spell. To fully manifest her strength, the Three-Mountain Lady must rely on the sacrificer's physical form. Two brilliant, tangible beams of light surge into Zhang Yuanqing's eyes. A flash of golden light sweeps across the heavens, and then his forehead grows intensely warm, bearing a vivid solar imprint. Streams of scorching yang energy erupt from his body, baking and cracking the ground beneath him, turning nearby grass and trees into ash. The temperature of the entire park rises, as if entering a sweltering summer with an average daily temperature of 41 degrees Celsius. The ghost bride's wedding gown ignites with ethereal golden flames, and she panics, drifting toward the distance, frantically trying to extinguish them. Zhang Yuanqing rises uncontrollably into the air, appearing like a sun god, poised in midair, facing off against the towering, imposing magical deity. The magical deity immediately halts, its eyes devoid of pupils—golden-hued whites—fixing upon the small, insect-like foe hovering above. The incantations on His body seemed to come to life, transforming into vortexes that drove souls mad and sent minds into frenzy. Zhang Yuanqing's head buzzed, his consciousness disoriented, his spirit torn into countless fragments. Yet as the warmth spread across his forehead's solar mark, all the disturbances were purified and dispelled. "Hmm!" Three clear, cool voices from the mountain goddesses resonated in his ears. Then, his hands and feet once again lost control, and he rapidly pressed a series of hand seals. In silence, a golden column of flame descended from the heavens, materializing out of nowhere and striking the divine demon standing a hundred meters tall. The dark-red demon roared, its mighty form melting like wax exposed to high heat. The black glyphs etched upon its body were scorched and destroyed. Its eight arms instantly solidified into ethereal swords, spears, halberds, and bows, each weapon radiating formidable power, surrounded by swirling black magical energy. The dark-red demon drew back its great bow, and the surging magical energy coalesced into a black arrow. "Crack!" An arrow streaked across the sky at near-light speed. Under the guidance of the old drum, Zhang Yuanqing raised both hands and brought them together in a gesture at his chest. The Fumagong杵 spontaneously flew toward him, hovering between his palms, spinning rapidly and emitting an unimaginable intensity of heat and golden light. When the power reached its peak, Zhang Yuanqing pushed with both palms, launching the Fumagong杵 forward. "Boom!" The black arrow collided with the golden light in midair, sending out a violent surge of wind that resembled a nuclear explosion, leveling the vegetation in the park and nearby buildings, lifting the blood from the blood pool into the sky. Zhao Chenghuang and the others kept their heads down, rushing toward the park entrance to avoid the battlefield. They did not view this level of combat as a fortunate occurrence; rather, they saw it as a terrible disaster. The Fumagong杵 shattered the arrow and pierced through the magus's chest, creating a wound several meters in diameter, then soared upward into the sky. Madam, please slow down your hand seals—I didn't catch them clearly... Zhang Yuanqing stared intently at his own hands, regretting that he had failed to successfully learn the technique. Zhang Yuanqing burst forth with a brilliant golden light, rising skyward like a slowly ascending sun. The golden radiance illuminated the entire instance. At hundreds of meters above, the great sun stabilized in the air, glowing and radiating heat, while the Fumagong杵 roared forward and hovered before him. Zhang Yuanqing swiftly formed hand seals, channeling streams of divine solar energy into the Fumagong, causing the artifact to blaze with dazzling brilliance—transforming into a miniature sun that concealed his own form. "Go!" A clear, pleasant voice from an old creaking wooden stage echoed in his mind. At the same time, his hands ceased their seals, fingers now poised like swords, pointing downward toward the demonic deity. "Boom—boom—" The Fumagong, now resembling a small sun, surged forward, emitting a sharp, resonant sonic boom. A violent and crushing pressure surged forth, sweeping over the entire battlefield, causing the blood pool to sink several centimeters before rebounding, sending a towering wave of crimson water surging upward over ten meters. For a moment, the golden light faded across the heavens. The divine being, standing in the pool of blood, had its form engulfed by golden light, collapsing and melting into countless blood clots amidst furious roars. When the golden light faded, Zhang Yuanqing descended gently, floating above the ever-rising waves of the blood pool. As the pool surged, the remnants of the demonic god rose and sank with each wave. Under the old creaker's guidance, Zhang Yuanqing pressed her palm against a fragment of the god's shattered body. What was she trying to do? A question flickered in Zhang Yuanqing's mind, and then she saw a golden thread emerge from the fragment, shining brightly and extending toward the void. It seemed the old creaker had established a connection with certain unseen entities through the god's remaining body. He suddenly lifted his head, his eyes blazing with golden light, fixed upon the sky. His vision rapidly ascended, lifting beyond the sky, revealing the resplendent Milky Way, and then dozens of figures gathering around two especially bright stars. As his view continued to rise... finally, at the highest point in the endless darkness, Zhang Yuanqing saw a pair of eyes filling the entire world. The eyes exuded a mysterious, lofty, and majestic presence—yet carried no discernible emotion, not even coldness. The whites of the eyes were deep, profound darkness, while within the pupils lay two twisted, strange symbols. At the very instant he beheld these eyes, Zhang Yuanqing's thoughts exploded.