On the battlefield.

The district was lined with a series of high-end stores, most of which sold designer luxury goods. The shops were lavishly decorated, some even featuring items worth millions—the kind sought after by countless members of high society.

The differences between ordinary humans are so small, after all. Such items are needed to distinguish one person from another, to serve as symbols for comparing status and worth.

However, in the next moment...

BOOM!!

The wall of a luxury clothing boutique exploded with a deafening CRASH. Solid concrete shattered, sending dust and debris flying. Piece after piece of expensive merchandise was torn to shreds by the explosive blast.

A crimson figure, like a Hellfire Monarch, smashed through the wall, leaving the shop in total disarray in an instant.

The Duke of Destruction’s body crashed through a row of display cabinets. The leather of the million-dollar luxury items within was instantly scorched by the intense heat and flames radiating from his body, filling the air with a foul, burning smell.

A trickle of blood escaped the corner of the Duke of Destruction’s mouth as he glared viciously at the collapsed wall.

A tall figure, wreathed in Blood-Colored Demon Flame with the faint image of a throne materializing around him, appeared there as if he had teleported. His eyes, glinting with fire, looked down upon the Duke, like a king surveying his subject.

An intense rage surged up from the depths of his heart.

ROAR!!

He let out a furious roar as flames erupted from his body, and he charged at Yi Beidou once more.

With another thunderous impact, his body was sent flying backward again like a cannonball.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!!

He crashed through shop after shop, the walls shattering as if they were made of paper. Dust and smoke filled the air, and the ground itself trembled violently.

"Destruction!! Find a way to get out!! Find a way to escape!!"

The voice of the Eye of the Sun rang in the Duke of Destruction’s mind, transmitted through the golden earrings.

"You think... I don’t want to retreat?! Is it even possible to retreat in this situation?! Instead of whining over there, you’d better start thinking of a plan! This guy is a mundane! He doesn’t know the rules or have any restraint. He’s trying to kill me!!"

"If it comes down to it, I might have no choice but to use Soul Burning! Without me, it will be even harder for the Illuminati to make any headway in this conflict!"

The Duke of Destruction conveyed the furious message through the golden earrings by vibrating his magnetic field.

’Retreat?’

’He wanted to retreat, but speed wasn’t his strong suit, and his opponent had him completely suppressed. Without outside help, escaping from Yi Beidou was next to impossible.’

In the basement, the Eye of the Sun’s expression was grim.

He wanted to help the Duke of Destruction, too. Although he couldn’t use offensive Divine Powers, he could still influence perception with his Eye of Omniscience and cast an Illusion Technique.

But he had already tried. The young man named Yi Beidou had his Demon Flame Protection, which made him seem impervious to all techniques. The Illusion Technique was completely ineffective.

The situation was truly dire. The Illuminati members couldn’t retreat, the Duke of Destruction was being suppressed by Yi Beidou, and the other members were tied up with people from Secret Technique Heaven. Meanwhile, forces from the other factions were about to arrive.

Under these circumstances, the Illuminati had, in effect, already lost this first round of the conflict.

’No matter what, I have to ensure the well-being of the other members, and most importantly, I have to ensure the Duke of Destruction survives.’

’An expert who has condensed a Soul is not a dime a dozen. If he’s really forced to the point of Soul Burning, not only will he have to withdraw from this secret conflict, but the entire organization will also lose a key combatant.’

That was an unacceptable loss.

’In that case, I might as well drive the tiger to devour the wolf. I’ll throw the whole situation into chaos and muddy the waters.’

A glint flashed in the Eye of the Sun’s eyes as thoughts raced through his mind like lightning. A ruthless expression appeared on his face.

Back on the battlefield, inside the shop, Yi Beidou was relentlessly pummeling the Duke of Destruction when he suddenly felt a magnetic field project down from the sky. A voice then rang out around them.

"Yi Beidou, I must admit, you are strong. Stronger than we imagined. We’ve lost this time. Let the Duke of Destruction go, and I am willing to hand over the two Spiritual Talismans we possess."

The Eye of the Sun’s voice echoed in Yi Beidou’s ears.

He wasn’t lying, nor did he intend to go back on his word. How could a figure like Yi Beidou be deceived with just a few simple words? Besides, the situation was now in his opponent’s hands.

He was truly prepared to hand over the Spiritual Talismans to Yi Beidou and the other Donghua People.

This was his plan.

Given the Illuminati’s current state, it would be extremely difficult and costly to hold on to the two Spiritual Talismans. Since he couldn’t protect them, he might as well hand them over. On one hand, this would ensure the Duke of Destruction’s safety. On the other hand, so what if Yi Beidou got the Spiritual Talismans?

The moment he did, he would become a public enemy. How could the people from Secret Technique Heaven, the Abyss Court, and the other factions just sit back and watch him leave Jun City with them?

Another fight would inevitably break out, and Yi Beidou would have almost no chance of escape. And even if Yi Beidou died, the conflict wouldn’t end. The fight over the two Spiritual Talismans would be enough to make the remaining factions tear each other apart.

By then, the entire situation would be chaotic. They might even get another chance to make a move and reclaim control of the Spiritual Talismans.

This was a classic move of taking a step back to find a broader path forward.

He believed that as long as his opponent was rational, he would most likely not refuse this offer, even if he knew the dangers involved.