A few weeks before Pan Buwang declared war, deep within the boundless expanse of the Endless Fog Sea, Yun Che stood in silence. The ever-present gray mist swirled around him, thick and oppressive, yet powerless to affect him.
Beneath his feet, the ground bore a colossal scar — a gaping hole five meters wide. A small yet terrifying sight. Despite its small size, the true depth of the void remained unknown.
Even with Yun Che's vast Divine Sense, capable of extending hundreds of millions of miles, he could not reach its bottom.
This hole, terrifying display of power, was his doing. It was done by his very own Gray Flame!
--------
Since leaving the Primordial Profound Ark, he had wandered the Endless Fog Sea for over a month. He pushed himself to the limit, tirelessly absorbing the abyssal dust.
He thought he could force his cultivation to rise. He thought the endless consumption of energy would finally break through the stagnation.
But it hadn't.
Instead, every ounce of energy he absorbed vanished without a trace.
"Damn it."
His fists clenched tightly, trembling with suppressed frustration.
He could feel the overwhelming energy surging into him — a boundless force that would have torn apart any ordinary being. But no matter how much he absorbed, it was as if the energy was slipping through his fingers.
And he knew exactly why.
The infinite worlds within his body.
The vast and mysterious worlds inside him, formed from his profound vein, were not content with simply existing. They were hungry. Each time he drew in the abyssal dust, they devoured it. Not a single drop remained for his own growth.
But one world devoured far more than the others.
The world that housed the Heaven Punishing Ancestral Sword.
It was as if the sword demanded everything from him. Every sliver of power, every fragment of profound energy — all of it was consumed without end.
"What are you trying to do ...?"
The thought lingered in his mind, but no answer came. The sword remained dormant, silent within the endless void of its sealed world.
Yun Che had tried to suppress its hunger, tried to redirect the energy elsewhere. But it was useless. The sword's presence was absolute.
And so, despite his relentless efforts, he remained in the same place. His cultivation unmoved.
Yun Che had already expected this.
Even during his time with Xia Qingyue, when their dual cultivation had caused his absorption speed to soar, it hadn't changed a thing. His cultivation remained firmly rooted at Divine Extinction Realm Level One.
No breakthroughs. No progress.
It was as though an invisible chain bound him in place. No matter how much energy he consumed, the result was the same.
He should have been furious, but there was no point in anger. He already understood the cause.
The infinite worlds within his body — worlds birthed by his very existence — continued to absorb every ounce of energy he gathered. It was relentless. Every wisp of Abyssal Dust was devoured, vanishing into the endless void. Even the energy from his dual cultivation with Xia Qingyue had been no exception.
But despite knowing this, Yun Che couldn't shake the unsettling thought that lingered in his mind.
What will happen when they finish?
The worlds inside him weren't simply dormant. They were growing. Evolving. But into what?
Would they bring him strength? Would they destroy him?
The truth was, Yun Che didn't know.
And what was worse — he didn't have the time to wait and find out.
With Shen Xi's fate still uncertain and the time he had left to prepare was slipping away.
So, as he made his way back toward the outer edges of the Endless Fog Sea, he repeatedly practiced the fusion of the Abyssal Dust and the Flame of Eternal Darkness, relentlessly pushing himself with each attempt.
Yet, no matter how many times Yun Che tried to combine the Abyssal Dust and the Flame of Eternal Darkness, the results were the same.
Failure.
Time and time again, the energies violently clashed, rejecting one another like opposing forces of chaos. The backlash tore through the air, leaving behind twisted currents of energy that rattled the ground beneath him.
Ninety percent.
Almost ninety percent of his attempts ended in failure. The Abyssal Dust would disperse, and the Flame of Eternal Darkness would flicker out like a dying ember. Each failure mocked him, and yet, Yun Che refused to give in.
But even in the face of failure, there were moments — brief, fleeting moments — when the impossible happened.
A small flame, no larger than a spark, would ignite. Unlike the familiar black hue of the Flame of Eternal Darkness, this flame burned in a colorless gray — an eerie fusion of destruction and devouring. But the moment he tried to sustain it, it would collapse. Weak. Unstable.
It wasn't enough.
Yet, that single spark proved one thing — it was possible.
The memory of that day flashed through Yun Che's mind — the day he slaughtered the Grand Elder of the Dragon Clan without hesitation. The sheer force of his intent, the unrelenting desire to destroy, had pushed his power to its absolute peak. It was not a mere release of strength; it was destruction in its purest form.
Destruction.
That was the key.
The flame could not be tamed through control or restraint. It required absolute commitment — the complete embodiment of ruin itself.
Gritting his teeth, Yun Che steadied his breathing. He let the memory consume him, the sensation of that overwhelming desire for destruction coursing through his veins.
And this time, he welcomed it.
"Destruction..."
The abyssal dust twisted around him, drawn in by his intent. It surged with a violent pulse, merging into the swirling black flames that ignited from his fingertips.
But instead of resisting one another, the two forces responded.
The once chaotic energies stabilized — and the black flame, tainted by the abyssal dust, shifted.
It no longer burned in endless black.
It burned gray.
A terrifying, colorless flame, like the essence of destruction itself. No light, no warmth — only the consuming force of absolute annihilation.
"It worked."
Without hesitation, Yun Che released the flame. It floated in the air for a brief moment, twisting and flickering like a living embodiment of despair. But he was not done.
With his hand pointed down, the gray flame plunged downward.
There was no explosion, the ground was simply devour by the flame!
The instant it touched the ground, the earth beneath him ripples. The hardened ground — a surface that even Divine Limited Realm cultivators would struggle to crack — burned into nothingness.
A massive crater, jagged and unrelenting, spread before him. The gray flames continued to burn, refusing to be extinguished, consuming everything in their wake.
And Yun Che could only stare.
Even though he had unleashed it, the sheer devastation of the gray flame startled him.
"This... this is my trump card."
He clenched his fists, the overwhelming presence of the flame lingering in the air.
He may not be a god.
But with this power, even gods were no longer beings to fear.
No matter who stood in his way, whether it be the rulers of the Abyss or the divine might of his enemies — he would no longer be powerless.
A faint, resolute gleam shone in Yun Che's eyes.
With his purpose clear and his weapon in hand, he concealed his presence, the thick fog of the Endless Sea masking his movements. Without a second glance at the destruction he had wrought, Yun Che turned away.
He was done here.
And as he stepped beyond the endless gray mist, the outside world awaited him.
---------
Today, millions of profound practitioners fled from the borders of the Eternal Night Divine Kingdom, the fear in their hearts driving them far from the looming catastrophe. The skies trembled with tension, and the weight of an inevitable war hung heavily upon the air.
But for those who called the Eternal Night their home, escape was not an option.
No matter how terrifying the storm that approached, this was their land — their birthplace. The thought of abandoning it was unthinkable. Even with the growing fear of the man who now stood at their doorstep, they could only cling to their fragile hope.
Outside the borders, hundreds of profound arks loomed in the sky, their ominous shadows blotting out the dim light above. Like silent predators awaiting the signal to strike, they floated with eerie stillness. The vast fleet, composed of cultivators from the Owl Butterfly Divine Kingdom, radiated a terrifying pressure.
And at the very front of this monstrous force stood a single figure, clad in pure darkness.
His presence alone twisted the air, and the very space around him seemed to distort. It wasn't merely his godly might — it was the suffocating weight of hatred that surrounded him. The mere sensation of it sent shivers down the spines of those unfortunate enough to feel his presence.
There was no mistaking him.
Pan Buwang.
The man who shook the Abyss with every step he took. The discarded son who clawed his way back from nothing. The one who had now proclaimed himself as the Divine Regent Shi Jun — the Eclipse Sovereign.
Though no divine coronation was ever held, and no godly entity bestowed the title upon him, Pan Buwang needed no acknowledgment. The moment he seized the throne of the Owl Butterfly Divine Kingdom through blood and carnage, he declared himself the Divine Regent.
And none dared to question it.
But what made his presence even more horrifying was not his power alone. It was the army that followed him.
Behind him, countless cultivators hovered silently, their gazes hollow and lifeless. These were not proud warriors standing for their kingdom. No, they were bound — enslaved.
Divine Extinction Realm. Divine Limited Realm.
Figures of unfathomable strength lined the skies, but not a single one of them stood by choice. Each and every one bore the mark of the slave seal, their very wills shackled to Pan Buwang's command. Even with their profound veins surging with power, their souls were caged.
They could not resist.
They could not disobey.
To defy him was to suffer an unimaginable fate.
"Divine Regent Shi Jun…"
Whispers of his name echoed through the winds, trembling voices carried by those who watched in fear from afar. They knew his title was no mere symbol. It was a declaration — a promise of annihilation.
Today, he did not come to negotiate.
He came to destroy.
And as the storm of darkness gathered at the gates of the Eternal Night Divine Kingdom, the Abyss itself seemed to tremble in anticipation of the bloodshed that would follow.
Unlike a typical slave mark, the one Pan Buwang had placed upon his army did not fully bind their souls. Instead, it shackled their darkness profound energy, leaving them powerless to resist his will. With nothing more than a thought, Pan Buwang could shatter their profound veins entirely, stripping them of their strength and reducing them to mere mortals.
And in the Abyss, where the abyssal dust consumed all without mercy, to become mortal was a death sentence. Without the power to shield themselves, they would be devoured — body and soul.
This was not control through loyalty or faith. It was pure, ruthless domination.
Yet across the battlefield, standing in fierce opposition, was the army of the Eternal Night Divine Kingdom.
Their ranks stretched endlessly, a vast formation of cultivators clad in dark armor. Despite their composed stances, an air of torment lingered behind their eyes. Like those who stood under Pan Buwang's command, they too bore the weight of a seal — a different kind, but no less cruel.
Bestowed by none other than Shen Yanye, the Lightless Divine Regent, the seal did not strip them of their power. Instead, it threatened their very bodies.
To disobey even the slightest order would bring unimaginable agony — their bones twisting, nerves burning as though set ablaze. No matter how strong their cultivation, the pain was absolute. It was a torment so unbearable that even gods would crumble beneath it.
Neither side stood willingly.
But in the face of their rulers' will, they had no choice.
The sky trembled.
The oppressive silence that lingered between the two armies was deafening. Even the endless gray sky of the Abyss dared not move, as though fearful of the impending clash.
At the center of it all stood the two figures who defined the fate of their Divine Kingdom.
Soon, two figures disappear and reappear before each other.
Pan Buwang — his presence consumed by utter darkness. His godly might churned the air around him, a terrifying force that seemed to devour everything it touched. Cloaked in shadows, he stood like a harbinger of ruin, his eyes filled with nothing but cold hatred.
And facing him —
Shen Yanye.
The Lightless Divine Regent, the very embodiment of scorn and supremacy. Despite her name, she did not stand in darkness. A radiant, red-gold flame ignited behind her, burning against the void like a sun that refused to be extinguished. The divine brilliance wove through the sky, illuminating the battlefield with its scorching presence.
It was a flame that did not offer warmth.
It was a flame of judgment — the flame of a ruler who saw herself above all others.
Though her eyes were blinded, the sheer pressure of her gaze bore down upon Pan Buwang with unimaginable weight. It was not mere hostility — it was contempt.
To her, he was nothing. A discarded son, a creature of resentment unworthy of the divine power he had seized.
But Pan Buwang felt none of her disdain.
He did not flinch.
The hatred that had rotted within him for years burned stronger than her flames. And now, with the power of a Perfect God coursing through his veins, he no longer saw the Lightless Divine Regent as untouchable.
She was no longer the nightmare that haunted his thoughts.
She was simply his enemy.
And today, that enemy would fall.
The air twisted violently as the space between them trembled. The armies on both sides stood frozen, their bodies tense as they awaited the inevitable command.
Neither the darkness nor the flame showed any sign of retreat.
But even in the face of her opponent's terrifying might, Shen Yanye did not waver.
The Lightless Divine Regent, blinded yet unyielding, raised her head. The sheer force of her godly aura erupted from her body, colliding with the oppressive darkness. Sparks of chaotic energy crackled through the air, sending shockwaves that rippled across the battlefield.
Her voice, dripping with venomous authority, echoed across the endless sky.
"You think you are worthy to stand before me?"
And Pan Buwang, with a twisted smile that bore no warmth, he didn't answer.
Above the endless gray sky, hidden within a void where no god could sense her presence, a pair of ancient eyes gazed down at the scene below. Her long white robe fluttered soundlessly, untouched by the violent currents of the Abyss. The pale brilliance of her presence, though concealed, carried a weight far beyond mortal comprehension.
She had thought she no longer cared.
After everything that had happened in the Eternal Night Divine Kingdom, she believed her ties to that place had long since faded. The sorrow, the memories — they should have been things of the past.
But even now, as the flames of war ignited beneath her gaze, she could not turn away.
"...."
A soft sigh escaped her lips. There was no hatred in her voice, only the weariness of one who had seen far too much.
One side was her lineage — the blood of her people. The kingdom that bore the mark of her existence, fractured and twisted under the rule of Shen Yanye.
And on the other side…
A remnant of her lord's will.
The Owl Butterfly Divine Kingdom — the last trace of his ties to the devils, the lingering shadow of a love that once defied the heavens themselves. A thread of his existence that still clung to the Abyss, unwilling to fade.
Her fingers curled slightly, the weight of it all resting in her heart.
Then as her gaze shifted, her eyes narrowed in mild irritation.
"And those guys…"
Her voice carried a hint of disdain, as though scolding a group of children. Yet, she referred to were the gods!
"Are they not stepping in? What are they afraid of?"
Beyond the veils of the void, she could see it — the faint ripple of concealed auras. Gods. They are there, hiding in the void.
"Just a Perfect God..."
"It's not as though you're going against us, the Ancient True Gods."
A bitter scoff followed.
Even with Pan Buwang's terrifying strength, he was still nothing compared to the Ancient True Gods who ruled over the Abyss.
Hundreds of thousands of miles away from where Pan Buwang and Shen Yanye faced off, four divine figures stood concealed within the endless void.
The turbulent mist of the Abyss churned restlessly around them, yet not a single wisp touched the space where they lingered. Multiple layers of sound barriers enclosed them, ensuring that no voice could escape into the unforgiving air.
Yet even with the world below on the brink of war, none of them made a move.
"Why are we not going in to stop this?"
The question came from Meng Kongchan, his stern voice breaking through the tense silence. His gaze shifted between the others, filled with uncertainty and frustration.
But instead of answering, the twin gods of the Star and Moon Divine Kingdoms exchanged a glance, their expressions unreadable. Finally, one of them scoffed, his tone dripping with amusement.
"What do you mean? Can't you tell?"
"Pan Buwang is clearly stronger than Dian Jiuzhi. Just from his aura alone, it's obvious."
"If you're eager to get beaten up again, be our guest!"
The pair chuckled, their smug laughter reverberating faintly through the sealed space. The bruises on their pride from their last battle with Dian Jiuzhi had yet to heal, and the idea of facing another newly ascended god—especially one with Perfect Divine Essence—was hardly appealing.
"..."
Meng Kongchan's brows twitched in frustration. The blatant lack of concern gnawed at him, but he bit his tongue, knowing further words would be pointless.
Instead, his gaze shifted to the only remaining figure — Hua Fuchen.
"And what about you?"
The once composed god of the Heaven Breaker Divine Kingdom wore a somber expression, his hands clenched tightly. Despite his usual confidence, hesitation lingered in his eyes.
"I'm sure the Lord High Priests and His Majesty the Abyssal Monarch are hiding somewhere nearby…"
His voice lowered, barely above a whisper.
"We just need to stay hidden. If things spiral out of control, I'm sure they'll appear and put an end to this."
It was a feeble reassurance, one that did little to ease the weight in his chest. But it was all he could cling to.
The others nodded in silent agreement. The mere thought of the Abyssal Monarch observing from the shadows was enough to convince them that the situation was still within control.
If the Monarch and the High Priests deemed it necessary to act, then they would. Until then, the gods would remain spectators.
But above them — literally above their very heads — another presence lingered. One they could not see. One they could not sense.
The Abyssal Monarch, Mo Su.
His figure, concealed in the endless folds of the void, remained perfectly still. Only the faint flicker of ancient power marked his existence.
But at that moment, as the words of the gods echoed beneath him, his fingers twitched.