His aura pierced the heavens and his body blazed with fire, like a calamity descending upon the world.

A single organ caused the fundamental attributes of his entire body to evolve once more.

This was the power possessed by the Immortal Soul—an organ composed of Earth Immortal Cells—once it was fully unleashed.

It was hard to imagine what terrifying power one could unleash if their entire body were composed of Earth Immortal Cells.

Everyone on the main battlefield felt the hair on their bodies stand on end. They instinctively sensed an intense crisis, a pressure that stemmed from a fundamental difference in their very level of existence.

"Hmph. So he’s finally getting serious?"

Destruction Heaven muttered to himself, a sharp glint in his eyes.

’I hope that madman can drag this out for a while. The state of Full Immortal Soul Understanding has an immense energy cost. Every second of delay grants me a huge advantage.’

’As for defeating the Duke of Destruction in this state?’

’That’s practically impossible.’

’That madman from the Mortal World is as good as dead.’

The expressions of Zhou Qingchen and the others grew heavy.

’That Secret Keeper... he can get even stronger?!’

’And this aura... it seems to have undergone some sort of qualitative change.’

’This is bad.’

The strongest they had ever seen Yi Beidou was in his Eighth Layer of Reverse Chaos state. Yet now, that was only enough to fight his opponent to a standstill.

But now, his opponent had played some kind of trump card, taking his strength to yet another level.

Could Yi Beidou still stop him?!

HAH!!

With a low shout from the Duke of Destruction, the flames bursting in the Void and the sky-piercing red light instantly condensed, transforming into tendrils of fiery thorns that coiled around Yi Beidou’s body.

Hellthorn!!

The thorns solidified as if they were corporeal, exhibiting a terrifyingly resilient magnetic field. They withstood the burning of the Demon Flame and wrapped tightly around Yi Beidou’s body, affecting his Life Magnetic Field.

’This guy... not only has his physical strength reached the Immortal Forbidden Realm, but his True Qi has as well.’

’Sleepers possess two or more Immortal Forbidden abilities and a special form unlike that of any normal living being...’

’This man’s current power... it’s probably already approaching that of a Sleeper.’

"You wanted greater power."

"Now, this can all end."

The Duke of Destruction’s voice was grand and majestic, like that of an absolute monarch who held the power of life and death over all.

Full Immortal Soul Understanding had an enormous cost, and given the urgency of the situation, he had no intention of prolonging his fight with Yi Beidou.

He would end this in a single blow.

Binding him with the Hellthorn was merely the first step.

VMMMM!!

The Ring of the Dominator on his finger flared with light. The red glow and fire around him spread rapidly, soaring more than ten meters into the air and coalescing into a colossal, crown-wearing monarch cloaked in flames.

The crimson hue on his skin’s surface faded slightly, and his entire body seemed to visibly shrink a size.

He was channeling his body’s vast physical essence into the Hellfire Gall, pushing the power of his Soul to its absolute limit.

The next moment, he moved.

The Hellfire Gall within him erupted like a volcano, releasing an immense and powerful surge of unique hormones that instantly flooded his entire body.

CRACK! POP! POP!

The instantaneous burst of power surpassed his body’s limits, causing sprays of blood mist to erupt from his pores. Ignited by his terrifying body heat and the friction of his acceleration, the mist burst into even more brilliant flames.

The massive Flame Monarch swung its palm, bearing down on Yi Beidou.

Meanwhile, the Duke of Destruction himself had appeared before Yi Beidou, thrusting a palm toward his chest.

"Die!!"

ROAR!!

A mountain-shattering roar echoed—it was impossible to tell if it was the sound of the air exploding or the wrath of the Flame Monarch.

The terrifying might silenced the entire battlefield, captivating everyone’s attention.

’The Duke of Destruction could already see it: his palm would crush all resistance, blast a massive hole through Yi Beidou’s chest, and let his fury burn the man to ashes.’

However...

WHOOSH!!

A Tribulation Star behind Yi Beidou trembled and then plunged into his body. Simultaneously, the Life Magnetic Field within him transformed once more.

The Demon Flame around him instantly grew more crystalline and condensed. The shape of a throne, forged from amber-hued, blood-red flames, became more distinct, making it seem as though he stood upon it.

Countless curling wisps of flame transformed into tentacles, instantly piercing and severing the Hellthorn around him before coiling around the colossal Flame Monarch instead.

BOOM!!

Yi Beidou met the attack with a palm of his own. A gale erupted as they collided, yet both sides remained locked in a stalemate, the force of their impacts seemingly canceling each other out.

CRACK!!

However, the flesh on the Duke of Destruction’s arm suddenly burst open, seemingly unable to withstand the force of the impact.

This was the result of the explosive power from his Full Immortal Soul Understanding exceeding his body’s physical limits when met with an equally terrifying counterforce.

Cracks appeared on Yi Beidou’s arm as well, but within them, the golden Penglai Flame burned. His body’s restorative abilities activated, and the wounds began to close at a rate visible to the naked eye.

It was obvious at a glance who had the upper hand.

Throne Ascension, taken one step further!!

A dual Tribulation Star, plus the Ninth Layer of Reverse Chaos!!

’How is this possible?!’

The Duke of Destruction couldn’t believe his eyes. In fact, not a single Secret Keeper present could comprehend what they were seeing.

’A blow backed by Full Immortal Soul Understanding... was stopped by Yi Beidou?! And he still has the upper hand?!’

’How?!’

’How in the world was this man capable of such a feat?!’