347: The Hunting Plan in the Abyss

At the same time.

Gloomy Abyss, Core Council.

The atmosphere here was as oppressive as a dead silent sea before a storm.

Upon four massive thrones.

The figures of the Skeleton Monarch, the Thousand-Illusion Demon Lord, the Lava Troll, and the Putrid Dominator were like frozen sculptures.

Only the chaotic energy fluctuations around them revealed the turbulent waves within their hearts.

Below the royal court, an Abyssal Commander responsible for gathering intelligence knelt on the ground, trembling and not daring to even breathe.

He reported with some panic:

"Reporting to the Dominators, His Majesty, the Lord of Curses... is confirmed to have fallen."

"His Soul fire is completely extinguished, his authority has shattered, and no remnant Soul remains... both body and Soul are utterly destroyed."

"The auras of his core elites have all vanished; it is suspected... they were slaughtered to the last."

Every piece of intelligence was like a heavy hammer, smashing fiercely against the hearts of the four Dominators.

The Soul fire in the Skeleton Monarch's eye sockets flickered wildly, his bone fingers sinking deep into the armrests of his throne.

Although he had anticipated the worst, hearing that the Lord of Curses was truly dead, and so thoroughly at that...

...this outcome still left him somewhat shocked.

"Useless! Idiot!!"

The Lava Troll was the first to explode, the lava on his body surface bursting forth as a scorching wave of air swept through the hall.

"I warned him long ago! Yet he insisted on going his own way!"

"Now look! Not only is he dead, but even his territory has become someone else's achievement!!"

The Thousand-Illusion Demon Lord's shadow twisted violently, his voice sharp:

"However, he actually managed to complete the 'World-Ending Curse Seal'!"

"From the residual energy traces, he indeed briefly wielded the complete Authority of Curse and Resentment before his fall!"

More pus oozed from the Putrid Dominator's flesh, emitting an anxious aura:

"So what if he wielded the authority? Wasn't he still crushed to death by that human! He didn't even have room to struggle!"

Deathly silence fell over the hall once more.

Only the gurgling of flowing lava and the rustling of wriggling shadows remained.

After a long while, the Skeleton Monarch slowly raised his head, his Soul fire staring intently at the Void Realm, as if trying to pierce through space to see that figure far away in the Human Realm.

His voice was hoarse and slow, yet it carried a heart-palpitating coldness:

"No... think calmly..."

"Although the Lord of Curses is dead, he was not without value."

"He proved two things."

The gazes of the other three Dominators instantly focused on him.

The Skeleton Monarch's Soul fire flickered faintly as he said coldly:

"First, the 'Myriad Curses Corrosion Realm' ritual is indeed feasible!"

"As long as we can forcibly condense a realm's negative authority in the human world, we can significantly increase our power!"

"Second, that human, that Chen Nian—although he is ridiculously strong, he is not invincible!"

Hearing this, the Lava Troll was startled: "What?!"

"Look closely at the intelligence," the Skeleton Monarch said coldly. "After wielding the authority, the Lord of Curses had a brief exchange with Chen Nian. Although he ultimately suffered a crushing defeat, he wasn't instantly killed!"

"The battle traces show that the Lord of Curses launched at least two full-power attacks containing the power of authority and successfully forced Chen Nian to defend and dodge!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the Dominators were simultaneously shaken!

They hurriedly mobilized their perceptions to re-analyze the vague and broken energy trajectory information.

Indeed!

Although the traces were extremely faint, almost covered by the subsequent world-destroying, overwhelming power...

...if one distinguished carefully, they could indeed capture the terrifying fluctuations of the Lord of Curses' authority erupting and colliding with Chen Nian's power!

The Thousand-Illusion Demon Lord's shadow fluctuated, his voice carrying a hint of unbelievable excitement:

"Indeed, this means..."

"No matter how strong Chen Nian is, he hasn't reached the level of... completely ignoring a realm's authority?!"

The Putrid Dominator also reacted and said:

"At least, when facing an attack from the complete Authority of Curse and Resentment, he cannot simply swat it away like an ordinary attack!"

"Exactly." A cold and sharp light flashed in the Skeleton Monarch's Soul fire. "The Lord of Curses lost because he was alone!"

"Furthermore, he had just obtained the authority, his control was unfamiliar, and his power had not reached its Peak!"

"But if we..." The Skeleton Monarch's voice was like a cold wind from the Nine Serene Abysses, each word striking the Soul of every Dominator:

"What if more than one Dominator receives their respective authority's blessing at the same time?"

"What if we arrange things in advance, gathering the power of several Abyssal Lords wielding authority to launch a joint siege?"

Inside the hall, there was a deathly silence.

But this time, the silence was no longer filled only with despair and fear.

A faint but frantic spark quietly ignited in the eyes of the four Dominators.

"You mean..." The lava on the Lava Troll's body slowly solidified, his voice low and dangerous. "We should also follow the Lord of Curses' example, find suitable locations in the Human Realm, and hold our own 'Authority Condensation Rituals'?"

"Then, gather all our strength, set a trap, and wait for that Chen Nian to deliver himself to our door?" The Thousand-Illusion Demon Lord's shadow contracted, his tone carrying uncontrollable excitement and cruelty.

"The risk is immense," the Putrid Dominator said heavily. "The ritual itself might attract his attention, and even if we successfully obtain the authority, whether we can defeat him remains unknown."

"But this is the only chance!" The Skeleton Monarch stood up abruptly, his Soul fire burning fiercely. "Waiting for death will only result in him coming to our doors one by one and crushing us like the Lord of Curses!"

"Taking the initiative and gathering all our strength might offer a slim chance of survival—no, a chance to kill him back!"

He looked around at the three Dominators, his voice full of persuasion and resolve:

"The Lord of Curses used his death to scout the path for us and exposed that monster's relative weakness!"

"He is not as invincible as we imagined!"

"Utilize the foundations the Abyss has accumulated over countless eras!"

"Find the 'Holy Lands' in the Human Realm most suitable for our respective authorities and initiate the rituals simultaneously!"

"Then, set an Inescapable Net and gather authority power several times that of the Lord of Curses!"

"Bury him completely in the Endless Abyss!!"

The feverish and dangerous atmosphere spread through the council like a plague.

Fear did not vanish, but it was overshadowed by a stronger desire for survival and the ambition to kill their enemy.

"Let's do it!" the Lava Troll growled.

"Seconded," a cold voice came from the Thousand-Illusion Demon Lord's shadow.

The Putrid Dominator was silent for a moment before his flesh trembled heavily. "Then, we stake it all on this one fight!"

The entire Gloomy Abyss seemed to tremble slightly at this resolution.

An unprecedented Ultimate Hunting Plan targeting Chen Nian, gathering the final essence and ambition of the Abyss...

...quietly sprouted in the soil of despair and madness.

The storm is coming.

And the center of the storm will always be that calmest, yet most terrifying existence.