280: Could it be a reclusive powerhouse among humans?

Deepest part of the stronghold, the core of the altar.

Crimson Evil Energy light flowed slowly across the surface of the massive altar, like viscous blood.

Countless twisted, wriggling Abyssal Runes flickered with an ominous glow.

Illuminating the pulsating monarch's eye in the center, making it resemble a living heart.

Shadow Demon Commander and Bone Staff Demon Commander, these two peak seventh-tier powerhouses under the Skeleton Monarch.

Were currently channeling their immense Evil Energy with all their might.

Like two surging dark rivers, continuously pouring into the altar.

Around the altar, dozens of powerful Demonic Evils elites, at least Sixth-Tier, were also gathered.

They too cast spells, contributing their power at specific rune nodes on the altar's base, assisting the ritual's progress.

The entire ritual had reached its most critical moment!

The monarch's eye crystal core pulsed more and more powerfully, and the spatial fluctuations it emitted became increasingly stable and clear.

However, utterly out of place with this tense and solemn ritual atmosphere was...

Almost all the Demonic Evils present showed no trace of focus or fanaticism on their faces.

Instead, there was unconcealed panic, terror, and a strong sense of unease!

Their gazes constantly darted towards the deep passages leading to the outside.

Their ears perked up, catching the faint, yet increasingly close and clear, echoes of explosions and energy clashes from afar.

And the faint, yet chilling, screams and wails mixed in with the roars!

Each violent energy tremor made the bodies of these Demonic Evils elites tremble slightly.

Each faint scream that reached them deepened the terror in their eyes by a fraction.

"Outside... the commotion outside seems to be getting louder and louder..." A Sixth-Tier Demonic Evil couldn't help but hiss in a low voice, his voice trembling uncontrollably.

"I... I seem to feel more and more Demonic Evils' Qi... suddenly disappearing?!" Another shadowy Demonic Evil, whose form was illusory, shrieked in surprise and uncertainty.

"My heavens, what in the world is happening? That intruder, what kind of monster is he?"

Panic, like a plague, silently spread and festered among the Demonic Evils.

Their hands, maintaining the ritual, began to shake, and subtle disturbances appeared in the flow of Evil Energy injected into the altar.

The altar's light even flickered slightly because of this.

"Silence!!"

The Shadow Demon Commander suddenly let out a deep mental roar, like a cold whip lashing at the Soul of every Demonic Evil!

"All of you, hold steady! No distractions!" The Bone Staff Demon Commander also reprimanded sharply, slamming his bone staff heavily on the ground, emitting a dull thud.

"The ritual has reached its most critical moment! We absolutely cannot fail now!" The Shadow Demon Commander's voice carried forcibly suppressed impatience.

"No matter how big the commotion outside gets, Demon Commander Bone Armor and Demon Commander Poison Wing will handle it! Their strength is formidable, and with the stronghold's grand formation boosting them, they will surely slay the intruder!"

The Bone Staff Demon Commander interjected, trying to stabilize morale:

"That's right! We just need to hold on for a moment longer! As long as the monarch's eye successfully projects!"

"The Skeleton Monarch Your Majesty's supreme Divine Might will descend upon this realm! By then, let alone one intruder, the entire human world will tremble under Your Majesty's Divine Might!"

"All of you, concentrate! Accelerate the infusion of energy! Completing the ritual is our only path to survival, and our greatest glory!"

Under the repeated reprimands and encouragement of the two Demon Commanders, the Demonic Evils reluctantly suppressed the turbulent waves in their hearts.

They gritted their teeth, desperately channeling Evil Energy, trying to pull their attention back to the ritual.

The altar's light stabilized again, even becoming a fraction more brilliant than before.

The monarch's eye pulsed with even greater vigor, as if an invisible eye was truly about to open within the crystal core!

Hope, it seemed, was right before their eyes!

However—

"Rumble rumble rumble—!!!!!!!!!"

A terrifying explosion, far more violent, closer, and seemingly right next to their ears than any before, suddenly erupted from the direction of a main passage entrance!

The entire altar cavern shook violently, and gravel from the ceiling rained down like pebbles!

The shockwave of the explosion, mixed with an overwhelmingly tyrannical energy aftermath filled with destruction and death, swept into the passage like a hurricane!

Violently impacting the defensive light barrier around the altar, stirring up intense ripples!

Not just the surrounding Demonic Evils.

Even the Shadow Demon Commander and Bone Staff Demon Commander.

At this moment, their bodies trembled violently, and for the first time, expressions of incredible horror appeared on their faces!

Because, this energy fluctuation was too close!

Moreover, they clearly felt—

The Bone Armor Demon Commander's aura, as heavy as a mountain, and the Poison Wing Demon Commander's sinister and sharp aura... had vanished!

Completely vanished!

Not even a trace remained!

Like a candle in the wind, extinguished in an instant!

"No... impossible!" The Bone Staff Demon Commander cried out in alarm, the Ghostly Flames in his eye sockets flickering violently, almost escaping!

"Bone Armor... Poison Wing... their life Qi... completely undetectable?!" The Shadow Demon Commander's voice was filled with extreme horror and bewilderment!

Two peak seventh-tier Demon Commanders... how long had it been?

Less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn since they left!

To have fallen so silently... just like that?!

Not even a decent battle fluctuation continued to transmit, just instantly killed like that?!

How was this possible?!

Those were peak seventh-tier beings! They would be overlords anywhere!

They couldn't even buy a moment's time?!

What level of existence was that intruder?!

Could it be that a hidden human powerhouse had personally made a move?!

Fear!

Boundless fear, like an icy tide, instantly engulfed the two Demon Commanders and all the Demonic Evils in the cavern!

The ritual? The monarch's eye? The glory of His Majesty the Skeleton Monarch?

At this moment, all were shattered by this raw, despair-inducing reality!

However, they weren't even given much time to be afraid.

Just then—

"Boom—!!!!!!!!!"

Accompanied by a deafening, terrifying roar, the rock wall on one side of the cavern suddenly exploded!

Countless massive gravel, mixed with viscous crimson blood, shattered internal organs, and broken bones.

Poured into the cavern like a torrential downpour!

Hot foul blood and minced flesh splattered all over the nearby Demonic Evils, even splashing onto the flickering altar's light barrier!

"Arghhh!"

"What is it?!"

"The wall! The wall is broken!"

The entire scene was in an uproar; all the Demonic Evils turned pale with fright, looking in terror at the gaping hole!

Amidst the swirling dust, a figure slowly walked in from outside the broken wall.

His steps were unhurried, and his body was spotless.

Creating an extremely bizarre and glaring contrast with the splattered blood and flesh and the pervasive dust around him.

It was Chen Nian.

He stepped into the cavern, his gaze casually sweeping over the messy, panic-stricken scene.

Finally, it rested on the flickering altar.

And on the two Demon Commanders in front of the altar, whose faces were ashen as if facing a formidable enemy.

He merely smiled disdainfully and said lightly:

"Oh, busy, are we?"

"Looks like I've arrived just in time."

"Need a hand?"