297: Faced with absolute power, all defenses are paper tigers.

"What?!" The Curse Devouring Demon Marshal's compound eyes constricted as it jerked its head up, its gaze seemingly trying to pierce through the Barrier and look toward the sky.

At almost the same time, it sensed it too!

A tyrannical, blazing energy filled with an Aura of destruction.

It was hurtling toward the valley Barrier at an inconceivable speed!

The energy was so strong that even through the "Ten Thousand Shadows Covering the Sky" formation, it sent a bone-chilling cold deep into its Soul!

"It's coming... As expected, it's still coming?!" The Curse Devouring Demon Marshal was horrified.

But as a battle-hardened Demon Marshal, it instantly suppressed its fear and let out a shrill roar:

"Enemy attack! Maximum alert! All peripheral units, give your all to maintain and reinforce the 'Ten Thousand Shadows Covering the Sky' Barrier!"

"Defense team in position! Prepare to face the enemy!!"

The entire ritual grounds instantly fell into chaos!

The chanting of incantations stopped abruptly as the Demonic Evils looked up in panic toward the outside of the Barrier.

Although they couldn't see the specific scene, that terrifying Aura crushing down like a prehistoric behemoth...

...was already making their scalps tingle and their Souls tremble!

The Demonic Evils guarding the perimeter were in an even greater state of disarray and panic.

"What's going on?!"

"An enemy?! How could they find this place?!"

"Quick! Reinforce the Barrier! We can't let him in!"

The Demonic Evils scrambled to frantically pour Evil Energy into the Runic Crystal Pillars maintaining the Barrier.

The Barrier's light instantly flared, its transparency dropping sharply as it became solid and heavy.

The runes on the surface flowed wildly, and its defensive power was pushed to the limit!

They pinned all their hopes on this super Barrier, which their Lord had personally helped arrange—a Barrier said to be able to isolate all detection and withstand any attack!

...Outside the Barrier.

Chen Nian hovered in the air less than a hundred meters from the Barrier, his blood-colored light completely retracted.

He sized up the giant Barrier before him, which was now blindingly bright and flashing with runes due to the energy infusion.

He felt the defensive fluctuations coming from it, which were several times stronger than just a moment ago.

"Their reaction is quite fast." A contemptuous curve hooked the corner of Chen Nian's mouth. "It seems they've discovered me."

He could clearly perceive the over a thousand chaotic, terrified Evil Energy fluctuations inside the Barrier.

As well as that exceptionally powerful Rank Eight Aura at the core.

"It really is a large nest." A flash of excitement crossed Chen Nian's eyes. "This time, I can't let you escape again."

He didn't perform any probes, nor did he have any intention of searching for the Barrier's weak points.

Before absolute power, all intricate defenses are paper tigers.

Chen Nian slowly raised his right fist, the muscles on his arm bulging slightly as pale gold Divine Patterns flashed beneath his skin.

There was no earth-shattering accumulation of Aura, no flashy display of energy.

He simply pulled his fist back.

Then, he punched out toward the radiant, rune-covered giant Barrier ahead!

"Break!"

Rumble—!!!!!!

Wherever his fist passed, space shattered and vanished like a mirror hit by a massive stone!

A pale gold Fist Aura, condensed to the extreme and appearing to be composed of the pure concept of 'Power,' shot out from his hand!

The Fist Aura was only the size of a fist at first, but it grew as it met the wind.

In an instant, it transformed into a golden torrent over ten meters in diameter, seemingly capable of piercing through heaven and earth!

As it passed, the air was completely evacuated, forming a vacuum channel that even distorted light!

In the next second, the golden Fist Aura slammed brutally and without any fanfare into the very center of the "Ten Thousand Shadows Covering the Sky" Barrier!

Crack—!!!!!!

A terrifying, ear-piercing sound, as if all the glass in the world was shattering at once, erupted violently!

That super Barrier, which condensed the power of over a thousand Demonic Evils and was personally blessed by the Lord of Curses... before Chen Nian's seemingly casual punch... didn't even last a second!

No, it didn't even hold for a tenth of a second!

The moment of contact, the runes flowing wildly on the Barrier's surface in an attempt to disperse and neutralize the impact instantly collapsed and dissipated!

The heavy, solid light wall of the Barrier was like an eggshell hit by a sledgehammer.

With the point of impact as the center, countless spiderweb-like cracks spread frantically in all directions!

And then—

Boom—!!!!!!!!!

An earth-shattering explosion shook the entire Yunling Mountain Range!

The massive hemispherical Barrier completely blew apart!

It turned into billions of shimmering dark red light fragments, like a reverse crimson rainstorm, splashing and dissipating into the sky!

An unimaginably violent energy shockwave, like billions of runaway horses...

...swept and spread frantically in all directions from the center of the explosion!

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

Around the Barrier, ancient trees so thick they required several people to encircle them were uprooted like straw or directly ground into sawdust!

Hard mountain rocks were peeled away layer by layer and pulverized!

The ground was plowed into terrifying ravines several meters deep!

Dust and stones flew everywhere, and the sky turned dark!

It was as if doomsday had arrived!

And those Demonic Evil defense units pressed against the inner wall, desperately maintaining the Barrier, bore the brunt of it!

Splat! Splat! Splat! Splat!

In the instant the Barrier exploded, they didn't even have time to react.

They were directly submerged by that destructive energy shockwave!

Whether they were Rank Four, Five, or Six, their bodies were like they were grabbed by an invisible giant hand and then brutally crushed!

Carapaces shattered, muscles tore, and bones turned to powder!

In an instant, a large number of Demonic Evils turned into clouds of blood mist mixed with shredded meat, foul blood, and bone fragments.

It was all splattered across the originally sacred ritual grounds!

The smell of blood, so thick it wouldn't dissipate, instantly overwhelmed the original scent of Evil Energy!

The surviving Demonic Evils were completely stunned by this sudden, terrifying scene that far exceeded their imagination!

They stood frozen in place, their faces filled with unparalleled shock and bewilderment.

As well as a blood-freezing fear originating from the deepest depths of their Souls!

The Barrier broke?

It was blown apart by a single punch?

How is this possible?!

That was the "Ten Thousand Shadows Covering the Sky" formation personally arranged by the Lord!

How could it not even block one punch?!

What kind of monster is this human who suddenly appeared?!

In this deathly silence and extreme fear, the smoke and dust from the explosion slowly cleared.

A figure wearing casual clothes, completely untainted by dust, descended from the sky.

Finally, he landed lightly on the edge of the ritual grounds, which were now riddled with scars and covered in severed limbs and bloodstains.

Chen Nian brushed off non-existent dust from his shoulder, raised his eyes, and calmly swept his gaze over the Demonic Evils who were scared out of their wits.

The corners of his mouth curled slightly, revealing a kind smile as he spoke faintly:

"Yo, it's quite lively here."

"I didn't interrupt your gathering, did I?"