Recruit demons to become heroes, hunt demons to become gods

Chapter 310 Stealing the Authority of Heaven and Becoming the Lord of a Realm

Five hundred years of devouring, five hundred years of accumulation, all erupted at this moment!
The Immortal Tribulation Divine Mountain no longer exists; only a bottomless, enormous abyss filled with chaotic lightning remains in its place.

In the deepest part of the abyss, Dou Eqing's original consciousness had perfectly merged with the former body of the Devouring God.

The moment news of the defeat arrived from the battlefield beyond the domain, his long-awaited golden body of merit finally began its final condensation!

"Om-!"

It was not a deafening roar, but a hum that seemed to originate from the very source of the Great Dao, which instantly spread throughout the entire Kunlun Realm, even penetrating the boundary wall and resounding in the starry sky of the outer battlefield.

The Immeasurable Merit Bead floated above Dou Eqing's head after the fusion. The massive amount of merit accumulated over the past five hundred years, especially by the demonic forces on the battlefield, poured down like a golden river bursting its banks!

That was not light, but a substantial source of merit containing endless peace, order, and creative power!

Wherever the golden light passed, the shattered space was smoothed out, the scattered spiritual energy was purified, and even the aftershocks of the tribulation lightning that had raged for five hundred years became docile in the golden light.

A massive, golden phantom, beyond description, began to slowly coalesce behind Dou Eqing.

The illusory figure was solemn and dignified, with a face exactly like Dou Eqing's, yet it carried a magnificent air of compassion for all living beings and a capacity to embrace all things.

On the golden body, countless Dao runes naturally arise and disappear, illustrating the true meaning of cause and effect, reincarnation, and order.

The condensation of the golden body of merit triggered a harmonious resonance among all paths, and all the heavens rejoiced! This is the recognition and blessing of heaven and earth for great merit, great sacrifice, and great creation!
However, this divine and sacred scene is only the tip of the iceberg beneath the surface.

The truly extraordinary feat lies hidden deeper within!
That Devouring Divine Body has devoured far more than the energy of countless lightning tribulations over the past five hundred years.

What it devoured were the fragments of authority contained within the tribulation lightning, which belonged to the Heavenly Dao in carrying out punishments!

In essence, the tribulation of lightning is a manifestation of the laws of Heaven to maintain balance, eliminate anomalies, and test cultivators.

The Devouring Tribulation Divine Body incorporates countless lightning tribulations into itself, which is equivalent to constantly stealing and intercepting the "enforcement tools" and "original laws" of the Heavenly Dao!
This is a silent and stealthy usurpation of the authority of Heaven!

Using the guise of eternal damnation, they carried out a deceptive act!

Five hundred years of devouring finally led to a qualitative change.

When the power of tribulation absorbed by the Devouring Divine Body and the fragments of the Heavenly Dao Law contained therein reached a certain critical value, the supreme Heavenly Dao in the dark finally noticed this almost "parasitic" act of theft!
"boom!!!!!!!!!"

An indescribable, terrifying will that transcends all cognition suddenly descended!

No longer were thunderclouds gathering, but the entire sky of the Kunlun Realm instantly transformed into a pure, soul-freezing dark purple!
An aura colder than death and emptier than nothingness enveloped all living beings.

A beam of light, its color indescribable and its form beyond comprehension, silently descended from the center of the dark purple sky.

Its target was the golden body of merit that was about to take shape, and the divine body of devouring calamity beneath it!

Heaven and earth will punish you!

This is not a heavenly tribulation, this is the annihilation by the Heavenly Dao!

It is a means that transcends the scope of punishment and aims to completely eliminate "rebellious existence"!

Its power far surpasses any celestial or demonic tribulation; it is the ultimate manifestation of the rules of heaven and earth!

Wherever the divine beam of punishment passed, space did not shatter, but instead returned directly to nothingness, and even chaos ceased to exist!
Time itself became chaotic around it. The Devouring Divine Body instinctively unleashed its strongest devouring power, and the vortex, powerful enough to swallow countless calamities, reappeared, attempting to absorb this divine punishment into its body.

however--

"Hey!"

Like a red-hot iron being branded into ice and snow, the devouring vortex formed by the Devouring Divine Body emitted a mournful cry of unbearable pressure the moment it came into contact with the beam of divine punishment, and began to disintegrate inch by inch!
The "erasure" will contained in the divine punishment is beyond the scope of what the Devouring God Body can currently devour and understand!

It's like a thief who finally encounters a law enforcer with absolute power; all skills seem pale and powerless in the face of absolute power.

The Devouring Divine Body could not fully withstand the strongest divine punishment in the world!

Can they truly withstand this world-destroying divine punishment, thereby stealing enough Heavenly Dao authority, or even attempting to "act on behalf of Heaven" and become the secret "God of Rules" of the Kunlun Realm?
Ultimate hope does not lie in the seemingly invincible Devouring God Body, but rather in the newly formed, seemingly gentle and auspicious Golden Body of Merit!

Dou Eqing's eyes, now merged, showed no surprise, but rather a profound "I knew it" in them.

All of this seemed to have been within his foresight.

A body blessed with merit is impervious to all laws and unaffected by karma!

It represents the "righteousness" and "order" between heaven and earth, and the "good results" and "merits" recognized by the Way of Heaven.

Although this divine punishment is a manifestation of the Heavenly Dao's obliteration of will, it is still a power operating within the framework of the "Heavenly Dao Rules"!
"Use righteousness to ward off evil, and use merit to bear divine punishment!"

Dou Eqing's true form issued a shout.

The enormous golden phantom of merit suddenly took a step forward, opened its arms, and actually embraced the divine punishment of heaven and earth that was capable of destroying everything!

The golden light of merit and the indescribable beam of divine punishment collided with a deafening roar!

There was no explosion, no loud noise, only two completely different laws of power, both originating from the source of the Heavenly Dao, eroding, annihilating, and merging with each other at the deepest level!
Is it the "invulnerability to all laws" characteristic of the Golden Body of Merit that is stronger, ultimately neutralizing divine punishment?
Or is it the will of divine punishment to "absolutely erase" that can forcibly destroy even merit?

This is no longer a contest of strength, but a clash of principles and reason!

It was Dou Eqing's grand plan from his past life, a final and most dangerous challenge to the Heavenly Dao of the Kunlun Realm!
The future of the entire Kunlun Realm, and even whether the rules of the Heavenly Dao will be slightly altered, hinges on this silent yet extremely dangerous confrontation.

At this critical juncture that would determine the fate of the Kunlun Realm, the cold and ruthless will of Heaven made its choice—to prioritize the destruction of the more directly threatening rebel, Dou Eqing!
Although the first divine punishment was barely averted by the Golden Body of Merit, the Golden Body itself was already covered with cracks and its light had dimmed.

The Heavenly Dao Rules suffered a backlash from unleashing this extraordinary annihilation power on their own. A mournful cry could be heard from the Great Dao in the void, but it still began to condense a second, even more terrifying, dark purple divine punishment beam without hesitation!
We are determined to completely eradicate Dou Eqing, this "malignant tumor" who usurped power, from the world!

Dou Eqing's pupils contracted as he felt an even more deadly sense of being locked on than before.

Although he foresaw the backlash from Heaven, he did not expect his determination to be so resolute.

He roared, and the massive amount of merit around him surged again. Instead of being used to repair his golden body, it poured out wildly and condensed above his head into an ancient and heavy Shield of Merit, engraved with countless runes of good deeds and radiating absolute protective intent!
This is the last line of defense he built with almost all of his accumulated merit!
"boom--!"

The second beam of divine punishment, carrying the wrath of the Heavenly Dao and the resolute determination to backfire, slammed fiercely into the Merit Heavenly Shield!
The shield trembled violently, and golden and dark purple light intertwined and annihilated wildly, clearly unable to hold for long.

In the brief moment when the Heavenly Dao was fully engaged in dealing with Dou Eqing, the situation on the other side of the extraterritorial battlefield collapsed instantly!
The main force of the demonic path, which had already received Dou Eqing's secret order, led by Gu Renzhai, Taotie Jiamo, Luo Yanxi and others, suddenly retreated from the front line that was barely holding on, and tore through space with astonishing efficiency, retreating to the interior of Kunlun Realm!

How could the demon army let go of such a golden opportunity?
Like a flood bursting its banks, the terrifying demonic tide instantly broke through the defenses that had lost their strongest resistance, and swept straight in, officially and completely invading the heart of the Kunlun Realm!
Wherever demonic energy passes, life is ravaged, laws are distorted, and the boundaries groan in agony!
Their goal is clear—to devour the origin of this world and refine the Heavenly Dao of this world!

At this moment, an extremely sharp choice, concerning fundamental survival, was laid bare before the Heavenly Dao (or rather, the world's instinctive rules) of the Kunlun Realm:
Is it to continue at all costs, even at the risk of backlash, to prioritize eliminating Dou Eqing, the "usurper" who is seizing power from within the organization?

Or must we immediately redeploy the vast majority of our forces to resist the "destroyers" extraterrestrial demons who are frantically devouring and polluting the origin of the world?
Weighing the pros and cons, cold calculations:
Regarding Dou Eqing:
This official has usurped the authority of Heaven and intends to “act on behalf of Heaven.” If he succeeds, the will of Heaven will be covered or dominated by Dou Eqing’s personal consciousness (“it’s just that Dou Eqing’s consciousness will be added”).

The basic rules of the Kunlun Realm may be largely preserved, but the "purity" and "independence" of the Heavenly Dao will be lost. This is the internal threat of "loss of sovereignty".

Targeting the extraterrestrial demons:

The Demon Race are invaders from the outside world, whose purpose is to completely devour, refine, and even enslave the Heavenly Dao of the Kunlun Realm.

If successful, the Heavenly Dao will be completely distorted and destroyed, and may even be assimilated or replaced by the Heavenly Dao of the Demon Realm, and the Kunlun Realm will cease to exist.

This is an external threat that could lead to "complete annihilation".

The lesser of two evils!
From the perspective of Heaven, Dou Eqing's "usurpation" is certainly hateful, but at least the Kunlun Realm itself still exists, the foundation of its rules has not been destroyed, and there may still be changes in the future.

The invasion of the extraterrestrial demons, however, was aimed at utter annihilation!

If the very origin of the world is devoured, the Heavenly Dao will naturally perish as well, and all will cease!
Almost at the moment of the full-scale invasion of the demon race, the power of the second terrifying divine punishment, which was originally locked on Dou Eqing and about to shatter the Heavenly Shield of Merit, suddenly decreased by more than half!

The dark purple sky receded like a tide, turning into endless crimson and chaos. The destructive energy containing the wrath of the Heavenly Dao was mostly forcibly drawn away, transforming into countless chains of rules and purifying thunderstorms that pierced the sky, crashing down on the demon army that was spreading like a plague across the Kunlun Realm!

Driven by the instinct for survival, Heaven was forced to make a choice—to prioritize resisting the extraterrestrial demons!
The death threat looming over Dou Eqing instantly diminished, and the nearly shattered Heavenly Shield of Merit finally managed to withstand the weakened aftershocks of the divine punishment.

"puff!"

Although Dou Eqing escaped a calamity because of this, he spat out a mouthful of golden blood due to the near exhaustion of his merits and the great shock to his mind.

He looked up at the strange phenomenon of the laws of heaven and earth fighting with the demons, and instead of feeling relieved, he revealed a complicated, scheming sneer.

He made the right bet!

By taking advantage of the demons' invasion, he successfully forced the Heavenly Dao to "cease war" with him, and even unwittingly put himself on the same side as him.

However, the crisis is far from over.

The calamity of the demon invasion has already arrived, and Heaven's killing intent towards him is only temporarily suppressed. Once the external threat eases, it will surely return with renewed force.

He faced an even more chaotic and dangerous situation:
He must take advantage of the lull between the battle between the Heavenly Dao and the Demon Clan to recover his strength as quickly as possible and figure out how to become the final winner in this three-way or even multi-way melee.

Is it to take advantage of the chaos to completely seize control of the Heavenly Dao?
Or should we temporarily cooperate with the Heavenly Dao to repel the Demon Clan?

Or perhaps... there's another motive?
The final outcome of the Kunlun Realm has entered an even more unpredictable phase.

Although the Heavenly Dao governs the rules of a realm, its methods for dealing with external invasions are simple and direct due to its "impersonal" nature—heavenly tribulation and lightning punishment!
Countless bolts of Purple Heaven Divine Thunder and Chaos Annihilation Thunder, thicker and more violent than ever before, poured down like a torrential rain on the demon army that had invaded the Kunlun Realm.

However, the demons came prepared this time!

The high-ranking demons were seen raising a kind of calamity-avoiding banner that emitted a strange dark light, or forming a profound heaven-deceiving formation, which could greatly weaken or even deflect the power of the heavenly tribulation!

If cultivators cooperate with these attacks from the Heavenly Dao, the destructive power might be effective.

pity……

Meanwhile, many more low-level demons, relying on their sheer numbers and fearlessness of death, withstood the aftershocks of the tribulation lightning, frantically destroying and devouring the mountains, rivers, and spiritual veins of the Kunlun Realm.

The destructive energy poured down by Heaven was counterproductive, only able to delay, but not eradicate, the spread of the demon race.

The Way of Heaven is formless, yet it can command all living beings within its realm.

A powerful will to survive, originating from the very source of the world, transformed into an invisible wave that spread throughout the entire Kunlun Realm, urging, pleading, and even forcing all living beings to rise up in resistance and defend their home.

However, once a cultivator's cultivation reaches the peak of the Tribulation Transcending stage or above, their soul and will begin to transcend the constraints of a particular world, generating considerable resistance to the instinctive and impersonal commands of the Heavenly Dao.

They are more likely to make judgments based on their own interests.

Under Dou Eqing's strict orders, the main force of the demonic forces has withdrawn back into the realm, but they have gathered in one place and adopted a defensive posture, coldly watching the Heavenly Dao and the Demon Clan fight to the death, clearly intending to benefit from the conflict between the two sides.

Dou Eqing's orders are above the commands of Heaven.

The immortals of the Celestial Court, though nominally guardians of this realm, have mostly achieved immortality and possess the potential to ascend to higher realms (even if the passage is temporarily closed, hope remains).

Asking them to fight the ferocious demons to protect the origin of this world, especially the kind that could result in the destruction of both body and soul, made most of the immortals hesitate. They went through the motions but didn't put in the effort, and some even began to secretly plan their escape route.

The allure of immortality makes them lack the resolve to coexist with the world.

For a time, the main force resisting the demons actually fell on the shoulders of those low- to mid-level cultivators who could not defy the commands of Heaven, the native demon race, and some sects with a strong sense of homeland.

Their sacrifices were tragic, yet they could not reverse the overall situation.

The rules of Heaven began to show local disorder and collapse under the erosion of demonic energy.

The world's lament grew ever clearer. At this critical juncture of life and death, the cold will of Heaven was finally forced to turn its primary "attention" toward the very being it had just intended to annihilate—Dou Eqing!

A fluctuation of rules, containing complex information and no longer merely a destructive intent, pierced through the void and made direct contact with Dou Eqing's will. This was a compromise, and also a helpless negotiation.

Dou Eqing sensed the "communication" with the Heavenly Dao, and his face showed an expression of expectation.

He did not immediately agree, but instead conveyed a more cruel "reality" through divine thought:
"Heavenly Dao, do you know why I ordered the Demonic Path to remain inactive? It's not that I'm unwilling, but that I can't! It's because the Demonic Race's true killing move—the Demon Emperor—is still lurking in the void beyond the realm!"

That's a Great Luo Realm being, already having transcended the constraints of space and time. Your current instinct-driven lightning punishment might be enough to deal with ordinary demon lords, but before such a being, you're nothing but an ant trying to shake a tree! Once he truly makes his move, this world will change hands in an instant!

These words were like ice water, extinguishing the last shred of hope that Heaven would grant its will.

Its instinctive deduction indeed verified that what Dou Eqing said was true; the terrifying, hidden power of the demons beyond the boundary was something it absolutely could not contend with on its own.

Seeing that the will of Heaven was wavering, Dou Eqing changed his tone, his voice becoming low and seductive, like the whisper of the devil:
"The only way forward is to destroy and rebuild! You shall relinquish your authority over the Heavenly Dao, so that I, Dou Eqing, may fully integrate with and take control of it! I am connected to the destiny of this world, and I possess the Divine Body of Devouring Calamity and the foundation of merit, making me the only one who can take on this calamity!"

He made a promise that even the rules of Heaven trembled:

"If I become the ruler of the Kunlun Realm, I will not merely maintain the status quo. I will do everything in my power to guide this realm to devour the essence of the demon race and plunder the origins of other realms, so that the Kunlun Realm as a whole can leap forward and ascend to become a Great Thousand World!"

At that time, the power of the realm will surge, the rules will be strengthened, and we will become one, launching a counterattack against the demon race, transforming even their Heavenly Dao into resources to nourish Kunlun, and together ascending to the supreme Dao!

By relinquishing power, one loses independence, but there is hope for the future, and one may even gain unprecedented opportunities for promotion.
If they hold out to the very end, they will likely perish along with the realm and be completely sacrificed by the demons.

Tiandao was silent.

The operation of the rules has encountered unprecedented stagnation and struggle.

Is it better to uphold purity and independence and perish, or to accept this "usurper" and gain a chance at survival or even a glorious future?

The survival of the entire Kunlun Realm rests on this cold and difficult choice made by the Heavenly Dao.

Dou Eqing waited quietly, waiting for the will of this world to personally relinquish the "divine position".

When the silence of the Heavenly Dao continued until it seemed as if time itself had frozen, the fluctuations of the rules that permeated the heavens and earth and represented the origin of the world finally let out a faint sigh, which contained endless vicissitudes and compromise.

This sigh is not a sound, but a bowing of an ancient will that all beings who have reached a certain level can feel deep in their souls.

Immediately afterwards, a scene that shocked the entire Kunlun Realm unfolded—

Above the ruins of the Immortal Tribulation Divine Mountain, the chaotic sky, with its dark purple representing heavenly punishment and scarlet representing resistance to demons, was smoothed out as if by an invisible giant hand.

All the thunderbolts that struck the demons and all the manifested chains of rules stopped at this moment, and then, like rivers flowing into the sea, they surged back towards Dou Eqing's location!

It was not an attack, but a fusion and a sacrifice!
Countless Dao runes and fragments of laws, shimmering with various colors of light, were stripped from the mountains, rivers, plants, and even the void itself of the Kunlun Realm, transforming into dazzling ribbons of light that traversed space and endlessly poured into Dou Eqing's body and the broken yet still solemn golden body of merit behind him.

The abyss beneath his feet rose with a roar, the shattered earth healed itself, and endless spiritual energy surged from the depths of the boundary core, gathering beneath his feet to form a majestic and unfathomable divine throne.

The throne exuded a terrifying aura of majesty, as if it carried the will and expectations of billions of living beings in the entire Kunlun Realm.

This divine throne is neither gold nor jade; it is formed from the purest primordial laws of the Kunlun Realm, and the mysteries of birth and death, reincarnation, and time and space flow upon it.

The surface of the throne is not smooth and flat, but is covered with fine and ancient patterns. Each pattern seems to contain the chaotic power of the beginning of heaven and earth. With the surge of immortal energy, the patterns sometimes flicker and sometimes emit a faint nine-colored light, making the surrounding space look like a dream.

Standing atop the throne, one can almost hear the whispers of ancient deities, feel the flow of the river of time, and witness the endless cycle of birth and death of all things. The feeling is both grand and profound, inspiring awe and compelling one to explore its infinite mysteries.

Dou Eqing closed his eyes, accepting the final "coronation" from this world with equanimity.

His aura surged wildly at an unprecedented speed, surpassing that of a True Immortal and an ordinary Realm Lord, and advancing towards a level that transcends all things.

As the damaged golden body of merit merged with the authority of the Heavenly Dao, it rapidly repaired and expanded, becoming incredibly solid, and its golden light began to contain the majesty of ruling over all.

When he opened his eyes again, they no longer held human emotions, but reflected the laws governing the birth and death of stars, the cycle of seasons, and the rise and fall of all things!

The left eye is like the sun, containing the power of creation and growth; the right eye is like the moon, holding the power of annihilation and reincarnation.

His form did not become towering, but it gave people the illusion that he filled the entire Kunlun Realm.

It was as if the east wind would come with the slightest thought of his, and the world would change in an instant.

He is the mountain, the water, the air we breathe, and the law of motion!

The God of Kunlun Realm was born here!

The demonic pollution caused by the demon invasion was purified and dispelled as soon as he saw it, just like ice and snow melting away.

The rampaging demon army felt an unprecedented rejection and suppression from the entire world itself, and its movements instantly became sluggish and difficult.

Dou Eqing (or rather, the newly born Kunlun Realm God) slowly raised a hand, not pointing at the demons, but simply pressing it lightly.

"Certainly."

Follow your words!
Time and space throughout the entire Kunlun Realm froze in that instant!

It didn't stop completely, but all non-native beings with otherworldly auras (mainly demons) slowed down their movements, energy, and even thoughts by a factor of ten thousand!
The native creatures, however, were unaffected and even felt their spiritual energy become more vibrant, accelerating their recovery from injuries.

He did not immediately launch a devastating attack; with just this one word, he demonstrated his absolute control over this realm. He looked towards the direction of the hidden Demon Emperor outside the realm, his gaze calm yet carrying an undeniable warning.

At this moment, Dou Eqing's greatness lies not in his physical form, but in the fact that he has become the embodiment of the will of this world.

He is the rule, he is destiny.

Past grudges and personal joys and sorrows seem to have faded at this moment, merging into the grand responsibility of protecting and managing this world, while also containing the boundless ambition to take it to a stronger realm.

The Kunlun Realm welcomed its only god.

Having merged with the Heavenly Dao and wielding the power of a realm, Dou Eqing could mobilize the entire Kunlun Realm with a mere thought, his words becoming law, and all things submitting to him.

This feeling of holding the fate of all living beings in one's hands and overlooking the ever-changing world is enough to intoxicate any being.

However, deep within Dou Eqing's mind, he maintained absolute clarity and calmness.

He was well aware that his seemingly supreme position as the "God of Kunlun Realm" was actually a magnificent yet dangerous prison, and it was only temporary.

Unlike other immortals, they cultivate in this world, but after achieving immortality, their essence begins to transcend. Even if the Kunlun Realm is destroyed, they may still escape into the void and seek other worlds to live in.

But Dou Eqing is different!
He has completely merged with the Heavenly Dao of Kunlun Realm; if one suffers, all suffer; if one prospers, all prosper.

If he were to be defeated in the battle against the demons and the Kunlun Realm were to be devoured by the demons, he, the "Realm God," would also be annihilated, with nowhere to escape!
A true struggle for survival!

After all, he became the God of Kunlun without long-term planning.

This immense pressure is far greater than any previous battle.

He was not only fighting for himself, but also for his own survival.

How can we use this newly acquired power to avert this almost certain defeat?

Is it a fight to the death against the Demon Emperor, where the entire realm must exert all its power, or...?

Just as he was rapidly considering countermeasures and weighing various possibilities (including extreme measures), an extremely subtle yet supremely majestic and corrosive demonic thought, like a cunning venomous snake, penetrated the newly solidified boundary defense and silently touched his divine sense.

From outside the boundary!

It's that Demon Emperor!
This wisp of demonic thought did not carry any direct aggression; instead, it was filled with a cautious probing.

Clearly, the earth-shattering changes within the Kunlun Realm, especially the sudden appearance of a being capable of completely unifying the power within the realm and radiating the aura of a complete realm master, were completely beyond the Demon Emperor's expectations.

Considering the certain hidden legends that existed in the Kunlun Realm in ancient times, this Demon Emperor of the Great Luo Realm did not immediately launch a full-scale attack despite having the advantage in strength, but instead chose a more cautious approach.

The demonic thought conveyed a clear, cold, and direct message:
"Unfamiliar Realm Lord... Your appearance is unexpected. This realm is our clan's ambition. However, I am unwilling to engage in a mutually destructive act. You... are you willing to submit?"
If you offer up half of this realm's origin and swear a demonic blood oath, I, the Emperor, may grant you partial authority, making you the 'governor' of this realm.

This is both coercion and enticement.

The Demon Emperor was testing Dou Eqing's bottom line and strength, attempting to take over the Kunlun Realm at the lowest possible cost.

Dou Eqing's divine sense was like a deep pool in an ancient well, without the slightest ripple.

He did not immediately refuse, nor did he show any cowardice. Instead, he responded with the vast yet detached will that came from merging with the Heavenly Dao:

"The Demon Emperor has arrived, and I have failed to greet you properly. However, this realm now belongs to the Dou family. Let us not speak of submission again. You demons have invaded my homeland and slaughtered my people; this enmity is settled. If you wish to fight, then let us fight."

Although I have only recently assumed power, I am not hesitant to burn this world to ashes and perish with you all.

His response was extremely tough, even revealing a crazy and resolute determination to destroy everything!

This is not a bluff, but a clear message:
I may not be able to defeat you, but I have the determination to drag the entire Kunlun Realm down with me and make sure you get nothing!

At the same time, he secretly mobilized the power of the realm to lock onto and analyze that wisp of demonic thought, attempting to discern the Demon Emperor's true nature and intentions.

From the depths of the void beyond the boundary, came a soft, enigmatic hum from the Demon Emperor.

Dou Eqing's tough response only made him more convinced that this new world leader was no ordinary person and might actually have something to rely on.

The cost of a strong offensive may need to be reassessed.

The first unseen confrontation was brewing beneath a calm surface.

Dou Eqing bought himself precious time, and the Demon Emperor's hesitation gave the Kunlun Realm a chance to catch its breath.

But the crisis is far from over, and the power struggle between the two figures, who stand at the pinnacle of their respective positions, has only just begun.

Dou Eqing must find the key to breaking the deadlock within this brief illusion of peace.

……

After engaging in a life-or-death verbal battle with the Demon Emperor from beyond the realm and successfully stabilizing the situation temporarily with a suicidal approach, Dou Eqing's grand will, aligned with the Dao of Heaven, did not relax in the slightest.

The Demon Emperor's threat hangs like the Sword of Damocles over our heads. A direct confrontation is not the best strategy; we must find a way to break this deadlock.

Within his vast divine consciousness, two ancient beings that had been forgotten slowly emerged—the “Slaughtering God of Punishment”, whom he had once encountered in the Demon Suppression Tower deep within the Ten Thousand Demon Cave and whom he regarded as a great variable, and the mysterious and unpredictable Xuan Sheng Heavenly Demon, who was suspected to have a deeper connection with the origin of the Kunlun Realm.

Especially when recalling Xing Sha Sha Shen's disdainful self-description:
"...A mere Great Luo Golden Immortal dares to presume to call himself the Demon Emperor? Before me, he's nothing but a chicken and a dog..."

Dou Eqing's heart stirred.

Although the Demon Emperor from Beyond the Realm is powerful, judging from Xing Sha's tone, his realm does not seem to have reached the peak level of truly becoming a supreme ancestor in the Great Luo realm. Perhaps he has only just entered the Great Luo realm (Great Luo Golden Immortal), and there is still a gap compared to Xing Sha's prime.

"Perhaps... these two ancient beings have a solution."

Once the thought arose, it could no longer be suppressed.

They have lived for a very long time, and they come from outside the realm. They are knowledgeable and may know the weaknesses of those in the Great Luo Realm, or they may possess some unconventional methods.

In the blink of an eye, Dou Eqing separated a pure divine thought containing a trace of the newly born Heavenly Dao authority.

Immediately afterwards, a figure formed from Dou Eqing's divine sense appeared outside the Demon Suppression Tower deep within the Ten Thousand Demon Cave.

As soon as the divine shadow appeared, it immediately darted into the Demon Suppression Tower.

(End of this chapter)