Pansy Edison raised her hand, palm flat, and watched as streams of airflow gathered the swirling toxic smoke and converged toward her palm, eventually condensing into a deep purple and black "sphere." The entire sky of toxic clouds vanished. Zhang Yuanqing and the others took deep, labored breaths, finally able to breathe in fresh air without having to hold their breath. Pansy Edison casually tossed the compacted smoke aside. As the smoke dissolved, the smoldering figure immediately shifted his attack, opening eyes of cold detachment across his body, each eye emitting a pale beam of light. He resembled a magical ball lamp in a nightclub. Pansy Edison raised her palm and pushed forward, forming a yellow-bronze barrier three meters high and three meters long in front of her. Guardian barrier! Pfft, pfft, pfft... The pale beams struck the barrier, turning its yellow-bronze hue into a pale stone-like texture, rapidly petrifying it. The colossal monster of the dominion phase could only "petrify" matter with its beam of light—yet now, the beam hurled by the Smoker even petrified energy itself. Panxi Edison upheld a half-petrified "protective wall" while summoning a knight's longsword, her voice resolute: "No petrification spells shall be used here." The countless eyes on the Smoker's body instantly closed, then swiftly reopened a moment later, and resumed firing their petrifying beams. Holding the knight's longsword, Panxi Edison drew upon the power granted by breaking the rules, leaping into the air and delivering a sweeping slash that spanned a hundred meters, positioning herself above the Smoker—like a valiant warrior charging to slay a great dragon. "Any violator of the rules shall be executed!" The knight's longsword burst forth with brilliant bronze light and struck down with force. The serpents writhing on the Smoker's head were severed, their heads cascading like rain, while the lion's head at its chest roared with deep, resonant power. The Smoker's body now shimmered with a golden glow. The radiant light from the Knight's Long Sword struck the aura, producing a sharp, resonant sound like stone meeting stone, yet failed to break through. In fact, the powerful counterforce launched Pansy Edison backward. From the smoker's abdomen, Chromi's demon head emerged, spewing out deep indigo flames that licked at Pansy Edison suspended in the air. Pansy Edison dispersed the Knight's Long Sword, then drew her hands together to form a rapidly flowing wind barrier before her. Whoosh! The indigo flames struck the barrier and were violently reversed. Fu Qingyang, now fully restored in strength thanks to the Qing Di Belt's "Everlasting Technique," ascended on a surge of swordlight, transforming into a streak of white light that rushed toward the smoker. He aimed to recreate the scene of defeating the "Hell Dragon," using technique to approach the Dao, gradually depleting the smoker's three lifelines. Pansy Edison's condition could not be sustained—she had to deliver a decisive blow to the smoker before the enhancement effects ended. The "Smoking One," its body oozing pus, opened a row of cold, impassive eyes, all fixed steadily upon Fu Qingyang, who came forth wielding a blade of light. The King of the Magic Eyes burst forward, the vertical eyes on his forehead radiating successive beams of crimson-gold light that struck the "Smoking One" in rapid succession, causing it to stall, its inner spiritual energy to surge wildly, and its cold eyes to grow momentarily stunned—almost dissolving the various beast-headed forms. The Eye of Enchantment, a power capable of affecting half-gods. Seizing the moment, Fu Qingyang suddenly halted, his cloak billowing with the wind, and launched a flowing, ribbon-like blade of light straight down upon the "Smoking One." The sharp blade instantly cleaved the creature's head in two. Yet the towering, ten-meter-tall aberrant monster did not perish—without the added defensive strength of the Golden Lion, the "Smoking One's" own physical resilience was beyond what Fu Qingyang could achieve with a single strike. All the eyes across its body suddenly "awakened," gurgling slightly, and now fixed intently upon Fu Qingyang. The strong control of the Gazing Eye only lasts for a brief moment. At the crucial moment, a blazing, piercing ray strikes the smoldering foe directly, causing it to roar in pain. That is Zhang Yuanqing's ranged support output. Winny and Panxi simultaneously stretch out their arms, adopting a welcoming stance. The very next instant, two thick lightning columns descend from the sky, striking the smoldering foe straight-on, stiffening its body and extinguishing its eyes one by one. The foe, which had been preparing to counterattack, is instantly halted in motion. With the support of three teammates, Fu Qingyang immediately channels his body's spiritual energy into the Longquan Sword in his hands, allowing the divine blade to emit a clear, resonant dragon's roar, its sword energy filling and distorting the surrounding air. At a distance, the Master of Zhishi lifts her head, her red lips bursting forth with a sharp, high-pitched cry that shatters stone and strengthens both spirit and resolve. Among the Master of Fate's many skills, charm, red threads, and nurturing are rendered ineffective due to the overwhelming gap in status. All she could do was heal her teammates and use "moral" sonic waves to boost their combat strength. Fu Qingyang stood aloft, his cloak amplifying his presence and the roar of the wind enhancing his power, as he delivered his second sword stroke. *Plugh!* A thick stream of blood sprayed out, and the humanoid head atop the smoldering creature's neck rolled lifelessly to the ground. Seeing this, Zhang Yuanqing and the others were instantly energized, regaining some confidence. With the Magi King's strong control and Fu Qingyang's sword pressure, the unprepared smoldering creatures could be dealt a fatal blow—this battle was far from over. After landing the blow, Fu Qingyang immediately summoned his sword back. His full reservoir of sword energy had been expended in two strikes, leaving him unable to launch further powerful attacks. He prepared to return to his teammates, handing over the direct engagement to Pan Xi Edison. At that moment, the smoldering creature, now with its neck bare, suddenly unfurled black wings from its back. With a gentle flap, its body remained in place, yet Fu Qingyang's body hairs stood on end, his swordsman's instinctive sense of danger screaming warnings. Wooow... Suddenly, a gale surged from beneath him, instantly engulfing him. Within the gale, ethereal starlight blossomed, and Fu Qingyang vanished. The starlight then rose up around Zhang Yuanqing and the others. Phew, he's safe now... Zhang Yuanqing exhaled, instinctively turning his gaze toward Fu Qingyang, his pupils suddenly contracting. Fu Qingyang had returned, but his body was now fragmented—his arms, legs, and torso had been severed into pieces, as if he had suffered a brutal dismemberment. The storm had torn through his body, splitting his trunk, and the crimson blood spilled across the ground, forming a striking, vivid mosaic. A single gale had instantly claimed Fu Qingyang's life. Vini, Chris, and the Mage-Eyed Emperor all appeared somewhat subdued. Moreover, the smoldering entity's head had been severed but remained alive—indicating that while Fu Qingyang's attack had inflicted serious damage, it had not been sufficient to kill it. Fu Qingyang's spirit rose from the scattered remains, coldly gazing at his companions: "Have you looked long enough? Now revive me!" The Master of Zhishi sighed: "Each of us has only one chance at resurrection. If you and the Eye of the Demon perish again, I shall be powerless." She gently stroked the side of the small bronze pot, its surface marked with verdigris, causing a rippling golden glow to emanate from the vessel. As the glow swept across the scattered bodies, blood, organs, and limbs rapidly reassembled, and within moments, Fu Qingyang came to life—still the handsome young nobleman, though pale as a sheet, as though just recovering from a severe illness. "Watch out! Hold your defenses firmly!" Pansy Edison's voice reached the gathered onlookers. Suddenly, the wild boar head on the chest of the smoldering figure roared loudly. Its muscles instantly swelled and hardened, and with a steady thud, thud, thud—the massive smoldering figure surged forward toward the group. "Niemon's female boar—retreat quickly!" Vinny's face grew pale. "What boar?" the "Ruth screamed inside the small fishbowl in Chris's arms. Zhang Yuanqing's mind flashed with the information about "Nimion the Fertile Pig"—a symbol of strength among the divine offspring. According to the biolchemical archives of the Bio-Chemical Guild, this divine child was entrusted by the gods to carry the world seed during its gestation, thus preventing it from falling into the underworld. For ten thousand years, the seed nurtured within him eventually evolved into the world as we know it today. The only mode of attack of Nimion the Fertile Pig is a charge! As Zhang Yuanqing prepared to retreat, he suddenly felt an overwhelming pressure pressing upon his body—cracks forming on his face and skin, each joint in his body creaking and groaning, as though beginning to disintegrate. Even the pressure generated by the Charger's charge was already so formidable. Fu Qingyang, Wei Ni, and Zhi Sha, the Palace Master, all slightly bent their knees, shoulders bearing the weight of mountains, struggling desperately to resist the force. Only the Magi-Emperor with the Divine Eye and Chris managed to move more freely, swiftly retreating toward the distance to evade the impending charge. At this Panxi Edison stepped forward into the spotlight, coalescing a knight's sword and forming a bronze barrier before him. Beyond this barrier flowed a high-speed wind wall. At the same time, his thunder god mark at the brow flared to life, and a lightning column the diameter of a water barrel descended, bathing the entire arena in a bright blue glow. The smoldering warrior, in full charge, remained rigid and completely unaffected by the lightning. The wind wall broke first; the giant, ten meters tall, crashed into the bronze barrier, which cracked with a series of sharp "cracks," splitting into a web of fissures. "Shield! Shield!" Zhang Yuanqing managed to force out these two words through his strained throat. The crystallized golden-purple shield roared forward, shedding its stone armor and returning to his hands. "Boss!" he directed the shield toward Fu Qingyang. Having seen the golden-purple armor, Fu Qingyang instantly understood and, with a gesture of his finger like a sword, drove it firmly into the shield's surface. The golden-purple shield responded to the attack, sending out electric arcs that caused Fu Qingyang to stiffen. "Not enough!" Zhang Yuanqing exclaimed in urgency. Fu Qingyang's current state is insufficient to fully charge the Purple Golden Shield. At this moment, the Mage-Eye Emperor, who had already fled far away, turns back and shoots an arrow at the shield's surface, then another, then another—just barely managing to fully charge the shield's energy. "Boom!" The Yellow Bronze Rampart shatters upon impact. Pan Xi Edison is instantly engulfed by the form of the Smoldering One, the pinnacle of his Merchant class, whose body becomes ethereal, as if entering a spatial rift, like a projection from another world. The two pass through each other. Zhang Yuanqing strides forward, lifting the Purple Golden Shield forward to activate its absolute defense. The thick, city-wall-like purple-gold shield rises and collides directly with the Smoldering One. In the next instant, the shield cracks inch by inch, exploding into myriad streaks of purple light. Zhang Yuanqing's body is shattered—truly shattered—crushed into fragments of flesh. His spirit detached and stepped forth, witnessing the crowd—thanks to his own and Edison's obstruction—free themselves from the terrifying pressure, either rushing wildly, streaking through the stars, or riding the wind, scattering in all directions. Zhang Yuanqing felt profound satisfaction, yet his heart was filled with shock and fear. The absolute defense of the Purple Golden Shield was a rule-based ability. For the first time, he had seen such a rule-based skill fail. In the presence of power at the half-divine level, even rule-based artifacts proved ineffective! Even mere touch of the half-divine threshold—still not a true half-divine powerhouse. The Smoldering One continued advancing, pressing forward until it collided with the barrier formed by the crystal sphere. It then turned around, locking onto the sovereign of the Lawful faction. As the King of the Mystic Eyes raised his brow, preparing to unleash a beam of light, he suddenly heard the Smoldering One call out his name: "King of the Mystic Eyes!" The clear, resonant cry instantly caused a distortion in the King's form. The trading period had ended. With the stature of Pan Xi Edison, he could not hold the opponent for long. The Vice President, visibly distressed, produced the materials and was about to proceed with the transaction when suddenly black wings unfolded behind the Smolderer, gently flapping. A hurricane laced with wind blades surged upward and precisely struck the Master of the Halt-Death Palace, Viny, Chris, Fu Qingyang, and the King of the Eye of the Divine. Pan Si Edison, unable to attend to the transaction, immediately manipulated the airflow to counteract the hurricane. The Master of the Halt-Death Palace seized the opportunity to stroke the bronze pot, reviving Zhang Yuanqing, who had been reduced to a paste. Upon revival, Zhang Yuanqing immediately activated the Golden Sun Seal, casting a clear, pure golden light upon the King of the Eye of the Divine, purifying his body and stabilizing the distortions. Though this briefly alleviated the King's crisis, Zhang Yuanqing could not help but feel an overwhelming sense of despair. Their very survival depended entirely on Pan Si’s financial backing—four peak dominators facing off against the Smolderer. Even so, they remained in a passive defensive position. The ten-minute mark was drawing near; when the financial support finally concluded, they would face only death. In the span of a thought, the smoldering one's muscles swelled and stiffened, and as the wild boar's head on his chest roared, he launched another charge. Pansy Edison raised her wind wall and protective barrier once more, simultaneously trading away the smoldering one's "Call" ability. After two consecutive rounds of impacts, petrifying beams, and gales of wind, Pansy Edison's investment period finally came to an end. Winny and Chris both died once, while the Lady Master, thanks to the protection of her potion of taming spirits, remained largely unharmed throughout. Yet, like the Fate, who is not adept at offense and can only serve as support, she could not alter the course of the battle. More critically, her trading window also expired. The evil rulers, who had previously been restricted in their ability to engage in direct combat, now smiled with rising excitement, eager to witness the orderly faction's young warriors being shattered. "It's a pity," lamented one of the chaotic rulers, "that so many talents—what if they had listened to the divine inspirations and brought them into our ranks?" "You have to personally suggest it to the awakened ones," scoffed the eighth-rank master from the Bio-Alchemy Guild. At this moment, the Smoldering One had lost his senses, driven only by bloodthirst and raw brutality—unyielding, indifferent to allies or enemies. Why else would they retreat, when a coordinated assault from all of them, synchronized with the Smoldering One, would have been far more effective? Everyone except the Palace Master had already died once, and now the Smoldering One could dispatch them instantly. With each subsequent attack, more would fall—until they were all gone. Zhang Yuanqing's thoughts raced, spinning through countless strategies, yet none could resolve the crisis at hand. This was the greatest challenge he had ever faced. The enemy's standing far surpassed his own; every plan or tactic seemed utterly powerless. As his thoughts surged, he suddenly recalled a rule-based artifact belonging to Cai Qinhè—the River God's Seal—a peak master-class item that had long served as Cai's pillar among the Ten Elders. Just as he was about to urge the elder to produce the River God's Seal and hand it over to Chris for use, he paused—realizing the Seal's lofty status, only fully effective at the peak of specific professions. Moreover, this item wasn't defensive; while the user could achieve infinite revivals, they would inevitably perish. Most importantly, the Seal's greatest strength was to create a domain ideal for water spirits to fight in, and among the Smoke-Breathers' divine offspring, two happened to be of water affinity. In such an environment, Chris might not be able to contain the Smoke-Breathers at all—on the contrary, the enemy would gain an additional rule-based artifact. That’s why the elder had never produced it. Zhang Yuanqing watched in despair as the Smoke-Breather’s oozing, soupy body slowly opened pairs of cold, impassive eyes, and as black wings unfurled behind it. At that moment, a golden light burst across the sky. Endless streams of golden light struck against the outer layer of the spiritual realm’s replica, sending ripples of gold through the dark night sky, bathing the entire spiritual realm in a radiant golden glow. Immediately, a hole opened in the sky, and golden beams formed pillars, descending upon the 068th instance. Within the golden columns, a serene immortal maiden, dressed in a flowing robe, her sleeves billowing gently and her hair secured with a golden hairpin, descended slowly. Old stick?! Zhang Yuanqing stared in astonishment as she descended from the heavens—much like a candle wick witnessing her hero, riding on a rainbow cloud, rushing to claim a bride. Yet beyond the surprise, his heart was filled with more questions. How could she be here? How could she have appeared in the flagship instance of the first region? As the golden light faded, the Three Mountain Lady stood high above, gazing down upon the entire arena. A golden halo shimmered behind her, resembling the ethereal image of the sun. Has the Lady's cultivation advanced again? Zhang Yuanqing keenly noticed the transformation in the old stick.