125: The ascension was completed, and the demon army fled in disarray.

That unimaginably majestic torrent of energy, after pushing Chu He's cultivation to the Peak of the Great Perfection of Soul Transformation Stage, still showed no signs of stopping. Instead, it became increasingly violent, like a flood breaching a dam, frantically battering the barrier leading to his next Realm.

"Shattering the Nascent Soul to Become a God"!

This is the most critical step from Soul Transformation to Void Refining. It requires completely shattering the Nascent Soul that one has painstakingly cultivated for many years and merging it with the Divine Soul, Physical Body, and one's comprehension of the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth, finally condensing it into a supreme "Dharma Idol."

This process is incredibly dangerous; the slightest mistake would result in the shattering of the Nascent Soul and the end of one's path in death.

More importantly, this step would trigger the most terrifying "Soul Transformation Heavenly Tribulation" in a Cultivator's life!

The power of the Heavenly Tribulation depends on the Cultivator's Foundation and potential. With Chu He's Heaven-Defying Foundation, carrying the Primordial Dragon God Bloodline and practicing the Nine Revolutions Tyrant Dragon Art, once the Heavenly Tribulation is triggered, its power would likely reach an inconceivable level.

He had to be fully prepared to have any certainty of surviving it.

But now, the System's simple and crude cultivation empowerment gave him no time to prepare at all!

"Stop for me!"

Chu He roared in his heart, frantically circulating the Nine Revolutions Tyrant Dragon Art, attempting to forcibly suppress the rampaging energy within his body.

In his Dantian Qi Sea, that nine-inch-nine-tall glazed nascent soul had its small face tensed and hands forming seals, doing its utmost to suppress the surging Qi Sea.

However, three thousand years of cultivation empowerment was truly terrifying!

That torrent of energy was like a waking behemoth, not something he could fully control right now.

"*Crack...*"

A faint cracking sound came from the surface of the glazed nascent soul.

Chu He's heart sank; he knew that was the sign of the Nascent Soul being about to burst from the massive energy!

If the Nascent Soul shattered within the Heaven-Reaching Pagoda and triggered the Heavenly Tribulation, the consequences would be unthinkable! The power of the Heavenly Tribulation would be enough to turn this damaged "Small World Tower," along with all his family members inside, into ashes!

"Damn it!"

At the critical moment, a flash of determination crossed Chu He's eyes.

He suddenly sent his Divine Thought into the System backpack and locked onto something—the mechanical lifeform he had subdued from the sci-fi wasteland world, the "Dragon-Marked Star-Devouring Mecha-Beast"—Star Devourer!

"Star Devourer! Come out! Swallow it for me!"

At Chu He's command, the metal wristguard on his wrist, transformed from Star Devourer, instantly turned into a streak of light and became a three-meter-long dark gold mechanical panther appearing before him.

"As you command, my master!"

Excitement flickered in Star Devourer's electronic eyes; it could sense the torrent of energy within Chu He's body, which was an "unparalleled delicacy" to it.

It opened its metal maw filled with sharp teeth and aimed at Chu He's Dantian.

In the next moment, a visible energy vortex formed in its mouth.

A terrifying suction force erupted from the vortex!

The energy torrent that had been rampaging inside Chu He's body and was about to burst his Nascent Soul seemed to have found an outlet, frantically surging into Star Devourer's mouth!

Chu He only felt his body lighten as the terrifying pressure that had almost torn him apart vanished instantly.

He quickly inspected his internal state and found that although the glazed nascent soul in his Qi Sea was covered in cracks, it hadn't completely shattered. His cultivation had steadily remained at the Great Perfection of Soul Transformation Stage, just one step away from actively triggering the Heavenly Tribulation to break through to the Void Refining Stage.

"*Phew...*"

Chu He let out a long sigh of relief, his back already drenched in a cold sweat from the shock.

This time, it was truly too close!

On the other side, Star Devourer, having swallowed a massive amount of pure energy, had its dark gold armor emit a brilliant light. Its body began to expand at a visible rate, and more complex mechanical patterns emerged on its surface.

Its aura also soared from the previous Early Soul Transformation Stage all the way up, finally stabilizing at the Nascent Soul Late Stage!

"*Burp~*"

Star Devourer let out a satisfied "burp," the light on its body faded, and its size returned to three meters. It affectionately rubbed its head against Chu He's leg.

"Thank you for the master's reward! Star Devourer's energy core has been repaired to 15%, unlocking a new combat form—'Star-Destroyer Mode'!"

An unexpected pleasant surprise!

Chu He looked at the greatly strengthened Star Devourer with a smile on his face. This crisis not only allowed him to successfully break through to the Great Perfection of Soul Transformation Stage but also leveled up his pet in the process; it was truly a double blessing.

He comforted his family, telling them he was fine, then turned his gaze once more toward the void outside the pagoda.

At this time, those eleven Demon Race warships were in a state of extreme panic.

Just now, they clearly felt a pressure countless times more terrifying than when the Seventh Demon General Baal used the "blood of the demon god" flash briefly from that city.

Although that pressure lasted only a moment, it made them feel as if they were being watched by a true "deity," and even their Demon Souls were about to freeze.

"Quick! Let's go!"

"The space blockade seems to have weakened! Do it now!"

The Second Demon General roared frantically, ordering all warships to supply all their energy to the Space Engines, attempting to forcibly tear open a Spatial Rift to escape this nightmare of a world.

*Buzz buzz buzz—*

The prows of the eleven warships lit up with piercing blood-red light simultaneously, as violent spatial energy gathered together, fiercely tearing at the void ahead.

Under their desperate and frantic actions, the space that had been churned by Chu He's dragon might was actually torn open, creating a pitch-black rift only a few yards wide!

Although this rift was extremely unstable and could collapse at any time, for these desperate fugitives, it was their only way out!

"Charge through! Quick!"

The flagship where the Second Demon General was located took the lead in charging toward that Spatial Rift.

However, just as their prow was about to enter the rift, an indifferent voice, like a cold wind from the Nine Netherworlds, echoed in the depths of all the Devil Heads' Souls.

"Did I say you could leave?"

Before the words had even faded, a giant golden hand condensed from pure power of Law seemed to reach out from another dimension, blotting out the sun. With one grab, it easily crushed the hard-won Spatial Rift like a piece of tofu!

Next, the giant hand's five fingers spread open, transforming into a massive golden cage that completely sealed off the eleven Demon Race warships along with the surrounding tens of thousands of miles of void!

This blockade was ten thousand times more stable than the previous dragon might intimidation!

No matter how those Demon Race members attacked, they couldn't budge it in the slightest.

A true case of catching a turtle in a jar!

The Demon Race members were utterly despondent.

Above Chu City, Chu He's figure appeared once again.

Having just broken through to the Great Perfection of Soul Transformation Stage, he was looking for a few punching bags to test his surging strength.

He looked at those eleven Demon Race warships darting left and right inside the golden cage like headless flies, and a cruel arc curved at the corner of his mouth.

"The game has only just begun."