Watching the crimson numbers atop the heads of countless demons below flicker wildly, Ye Yu felt an overwhelming astonishment.
Originally, he had planned merely to “preach the Dao,” but in truth intended only to perform the “Effects Dao.” Following the principle that the highest art is that which the masses cannot comprehend, he need only speak a casual phrase and allow these demons to fill in the rest themselves. After all, over ten thousand demons were present. By probability alone, a handful should be geniuses. If even one of those geniuses achieved sudden enlightenment, it would prove the success of his preaching. Those who failed to understand would only blame their own insufficient aptitude—after all, why should others grow strong while they remained stagnant? Under such circumstances, their submission values would surely soar.
Yet reality diverged completely from his expectations. First, the so-called “Effects Dao” talents of true powerhouses seemed especially generous, with spectacular visuals to match. With such flashy displays, who could fail to be dazzled? Second, were these demons’ talents unexpectedly high, or did his single utterance truly harbor unique magic? So many had broken through—an outright miracle! But the exact mechanism remained a mystery, and Ye Yu did not intend to dwell on it. His sole thought was to seize all of the explosive submission points and see how much cultivation he could exchange them for.
At the wave of his will, the submission values above every demon’s head began to swirl and converge on Ye Yu. Those dense, flickering digits were the finest reward in his eyes. Soon, the grand total was tallied: 3.7 trillion points. This colossal sum filled Ye Yu with pride, and he immediately began to convert them into cultivation.
The next instant, his realm surged upward: Late Xuan Demon Realm, Xuan Demon Realm Apex... after but two breaths of time, his strength stabilized at Half-Step Emperor Realm!
“Is this the limit?” Ye Yu wondered—and felt it was not. The reason he had not fully entered the Emperor Realm was that he had not yet chosen his own Great Dao! Very well, he would forge one now.
Ye Yu slowly closed his eyes, as though entering sudden realization. At this gesture, all prior special effects shattered: Fortune Dragon, Fiery Phoenix, even the demon-god phantasm dispersed. The demons around him stood stunned. What was happening? Why had the world returned to calm? Could it be that this terrifying existence was conveying one simple truth: the Great Dao is simplicity? True masters were indeed lofty!
Yet Dan Caoqing and Pan Yuanxing did not believe so. They sensed acutely that Ye Yu at this moment was far stronger than before. It could not be mere simplicity of Dao! But what was he doing?
As they pondered, a beam of light fell from the gloomy sky and exploded behind Ye Yu, illuminating the firmament. Immediately, a terrible demon-god phantasm appeared on the heavens. Though smaller than the previous colossal form, its aura far surpassed it. Its hands stood before it like pillars of swords—utterly majestic. Yet astonishingly, its visage was shrouded in mist, impossible to discern.
The next moment, as Ye Yu slowly opened his eyes, the fog before the phantasm vanished. It was Ye Yu’s true countenance! This demon-god was his own phantasm!
“Degeneration!” he uttered, and at those two words the heavens cracked and the earth split—the entire Demon World collapsed. Countless demons strove to flee, but innumerable meteors rained down with irresistible might, crushing them into the shattered, fiery ground. Many demons, though racked by excruciating pain, did not perish immediately; instead, within that sea of fire they sank further into ruin.
Above all, Ye Yu’s demon-god phantasm stood firm like a sovereign commanding heaven and earth. The surviving demons wept and begged for mercy, perhaps moved Ye Yu’s heart. With a flourish of his sleeve, the collapsing world abruptly vanished. Only then did all realize they had remained standing in place, never having moved.
Was it an illusion? No—it was not some insubstantial mirage, but a real event. They could see their own burn wounds as proof. Every moment had been genuine!
Yes—this was the Great Dao Ye Yu chose in this dream realm: the Effects Dao! By his will, he could manifest dazzling effects to assault others. Naturally, their power could not be absurdly overwhelming, but within the same realm he could claim “unmatched” at ease.
After extensive exploration, Ye Yu had discovered that only by fusing dream-realm talent with the Emperor Dao could he inflict maximum damage. This was pure experience! And the reason he had staged the earlier show was equally simple: to harvest another wave of submission points. Though the second harvest might be weaker, the sheer volume made it worthwhile—if not now, then when?
Sure enough, once more the crimson numbers burst forth above every demon’s head. Ye Yu’s heart throbbed with excitement. Most importantly, these demons did not merely submit mentally—they submitted physically. As the first demon knelt, the rest fell like a tide.
What thrilled Ye Yu most was that under his gaze, Dan Caoqing also dropped to one knee. This Demon Emperor-realm powerhouse, intent on seeking trouble, was now utterly subdued. He could summon no further battle intent against Ye Yu. With his Dao heart shattered, his cultivation plunged to Early Demon Emperor Realm. Ye Yu had brutally snapped the hopes of a promising talent on the verge of shattering the void to enter the Divine Realm.
But such is the world: the strong devour the weak; survival goes to the fittest.
Yet as all knelt, one figure remained ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) standing—and produced a demon-immortal artifact...
