221: Fear of the Abyss

Gloomy Abyss, core region, Abyss Council.

In the past, Evil Energy surged here, and demonic shadows were thick.

The pressure of the Abyssal Overlords intertwined, enough to freeze the Soul of any intruder and cause their Law to collapse.

Yet at this moment, this land symbolizing the supreme authority of the Abyss was permeated with an indescribable dead silence and oppression.

Skeleton Monarch, Thousand-Illusion Demon Lord, Lava Troll, Foulness Dominator, Lord of Curses.

These five remaining ancient existences, who held dominion over their own authority and viewed all things as straw dogs.

At this moment, they were like defeated roosters, their auras withered, floating despondently between the shattered thrones.

The Evil Energy radiating from their bodies was dim and flickering, and their massive forms were even slightly hunched.

Completely gone was their usual suffocating arrogance and majesty.

In the air, it seemed there still lingered, from the light screen just moments ago.

That desperate howl when the Incinerator was completely annihilated by the golden lightning spear.

The deathly silence lasted for a long time before being broken by a dry, hoarse voice filled with unbelievable lingering fear.

It was the Thousand-Illusion Demon Lord.

His shadow body, which had no fixed form, fluctuated violently, his voice twisted and deformed:

"I didn't expect this, I really didn't expect this."

"That human named Chen Nian is actually powerful to this extent..."

His words were filled with trepidation.

"Not only did he kill that trash, the Abyssal Devourer."

"Even the Incinerator, in front of him, was like a clay chicken or a pottery dog, with no power to fight back..."

The Lava Troll let out a response as dull as thunder, yet with a trace of trembling:

"Indeed, we all know the power of the Incinerator's Heaven-Burning Flame."

"Yet in front of that human's golden lightning, it was so fragile that it couldn't withstand a single blow..."

"Humans... since when did such a terrifying existence appear?"

"We truly underestimated this race before!"

At this moment, a voice filled with malice rang out, coming from the Lord of Curses.

The black mist around him rolled violently, his voice mocking:

"I said it long ago, I warned you long ago, this human is absolutely not simple."

"But what about you?"

His gaze swept over the other Dominators, filled with resentment and mockery.

"Skeleton Monarch, what did you say back then? 'A mere human, a race like ants, what kind of waves could they stir up?'"

"Thousand-Illusion Demon Lord, didn't you mock me for sleeping too long and becoming timid?"

"And you, all of you thought that if the Incinerator made a move, it would surely be an easy victory, but what was the result?"

"Do you know fear now?"

If it were at any other time, if the Lord of Curses dared to speak like this, it would surely invite the ruthless mockery of the other Dominators.

They would contemptuously refute him, thinking he was making a mountain out of a molehill.

Even mocking him for being afraid of a mere human, simply losing Face for the Abyssal Overlords.

Yet at this moment, facing this rebuke from the Lord of Curses that was almost pointing at their noses.

The other Dominators rarely did not immediately refute.

The Soul fire in the Skeleton Monarch's eye sockets flickered violently, and he remained silent.

The Thousand-Illusion Demon Lord's shadow body fluctuated even more severely.

The Lava Troll and the Foulness Dominator also averted their gazes.

Without a doubt, they had been completely intimidated by the overwhelming, terrifying power displayed by Chen Nian.

Deep in their hearts, they had been completely conquered by Chen Nian's strength.

They realized that Chen Nian was absolutely not an ordinary human.

His level of power had completely exceeded their scope of understanding.

It had reached a terrifying height sufficient to threaten their life Origin!

The Incinerator's miserable defeat was the bloody proof!

That was not luck; it was a complete and utter crushing of strength!

After a more awkward silence, the Foulness Dominator let out a sticky, slippery sound, breaking the silence:

"Then... then what should we do next?"

"Could it be... could it be that we just watch this human continue to be arrogant?"

His words were filled with confusion and helplessness.

"He was able to kill the Incinerator this time; will he find a way next time to kill his way to our Abyss core?"

Hearing this, the Lava Troll let out a low roar, with a trace of imperceptible panic:

"What else can we do?"

"That human is so powerful; even the Incinerator was easily killed by him."

"Then any one of us, if we Face him alone, is probably not his match!"

"Going head-to-head is no different from seeking our own death!"

The Thousand-Illusion Demon Lord's shadow flickered, and he chimed in, his tone carrying a trace of probing:

"Do you mean... we join forces?"

"Combine the power of the five of us to completely remove this thorn in our side?"

Once these words were spoken, the Lord of Curses immediately let out a sharp sneer and rebuked angrily:

"Fool! Join forces? Do you think that if we join forces, we really have a sure chance of winning?!"

"The Incinerator was defeated so quickly, so miserably, haven't you seen it clearly yet?"

"That human's power is unfathomable! Even if the five of us join forces and luckily win, it will definitely be a pyrrhic victory!"

"The price will be unimaginably heavy, and it's even possible that someone might fall!"

"For a mere human plane, for so-called Face. Is it worth betting our billions of years of accumulation and our lives?!"

The Lord of Curses' words were like a bucket of ice water poured over their heads.

It instantly sobered up the Thousand-Illusion Demon Lord and the Lava Troll, who had just raised a thought of joining forces.

They fell into a deeper silence.

Yes, is it worth it?

Invading the human world, plundering vitality and Soul, is indeed the instinct of the Abyss and a way to increase power.

But if one has to bet their eternal life for it, the price is simply too high!

The Foulness Dominator let out an uneasy hissing sound:

"Then... then what should we do?"

"Could it be that we just give up the invasion plan, turtle up in the Abyss, and do nothing?"

The other Dominators also fell silent, and an extremely unwilling emotion permeated the air.

Give up?

In order to invade the human world and transform that vibrant land into new Abyssal territory.

They had planned, infiltrated, and waited for hundreds, thousands of years!

Having spent countless efforts and resources, how could they easily give up just because of the appearance of one human?!

This was simply more uncomfortable than killing them!

Just at this moment, the Skeleton Monarch, who had been silent all along, felt the Soul fire in his eye sockets suddenly stabilize, emitting a cold sense of determination.

His grand voice rang out, carrying an unquestionable majesty, suppressing all the noise:

"Give up?"

"Of course, it is impossible to give up!"

The gazes of all the Dominators instantly focused on him.

The Skeleton Monarch slowly continued, his voice low and full of calculation:

"But we must never go head-to-head with that human named Chen Nian again!"

"At least, before we figure out his background and find a way to absolutely suppress him, we absolutely must not!"

"A direct conflict with him has no benefit for us at all; it will only waste our power in vain, and perhaps even follow in the Incinerator's footsteps!"

He paused, his skull turning towards the direction of the Incinerator's territory that had been completely closed off and isolated, his Soul fire deep.

"Pass down the order: all Abyssal kin, from this day forth, are to enter a state of dormancy!"

"Strictly forbid any large-scale actions!"

"Especially those rituals and plans that might cause a huge commotion and attract the attention of that Chen Nian, all must be paused!"

"We must be low-key, we must be low-key, and we cannot make any moves that might provoke that monster again!"

His gaze swept over the other four Dominators, his tone grim:

"Before we accumulate enough power, or find that human's fatal weakness, we must endure!"

"As long as we exist, the Abyss will never be extinguished!"

"Wait until we have completely mastered stronger power, or wait until that human shows a flaw..."

A trace of an extremely cold and malicious light flashed in the Skeleton Monarch's Soul fire.

"At that time, today's humiliation will surely be repaid a hundredfold!"

"Now, endure it for me!"

Hearing this, the various Dominators all fell into deep thought.

Although extremely unwilling, they had to admit.

The Skeleton Monarch's words were currently the most rational, and also the most helpless choice.

Facing a terrifying existence that cannot be defeated by force, avoiding the edge and accumulating power is the most basic Law of survival.

"Hmph, so be it as you say." The Lord of Curses snorted coldly, his black mist surging, which counted as his default.

"It can only be so..." The Thousand-Illusion Demon Lord's shadow fluctuated, indicating agreement.

The Lava Troll and the Foulness Dominator also let out dull sounds of agreement.

An emergency meeting targeting Chen Nian ended hastily in this atmosphere of extreme oppression, fear, and unwillingness.

The five Abyssal Overlords reached a consensus—lie dormant, endure, and never again actively provoke the human Fiend named Chen Nian.

A seed of fear named "Chen Nian" had already been deeply planted in the depths of their ancient Souls.

The entire Gloomy Abyss, because of the existence of one person.

Was forced to turn from a clamorous aggressive stance into a deathly silence and dormancy.