Tanko and the other devils panicked.
The poison was not only destroying their bodies, but it was also eroding their wills, the very consciousness guarding their merged miniature universes.
A faint smile appeared on Solanky's face as he slowly walked toward the merged devil, dragging his broadsword behind him. The blade carved a long scar across space as it scraped along the void.
Tanko's expression turned grim.
"Oh no... we've been poisoned. I can barely sense anything anymore except the location of our merged miniature universe, and even that sensation is fading with time. What kind of poison did this monster use? We have to act quickly, or we'll all die here. Separate our bodies and universes immediately!"
The devils repeatedly attempted to undo their fusion, but every effort ended in failure.
One of the devils suddenly spoke with a trembling voice.
"I don't know why, but I can't remember anything from before our merger. Can any of you?"
The others fell silent before answering one after another.
"No."
"I can't either."
"Neither can I."
Tanko's face darkened.
"This poison belongs to the thought- and soul-eroding category. I can already feel nearly thirty percent of my soul dissipating. We have to retreat to the Devil Realm immediately."
The others quickly agreed.
Without another word, the colossal merged devil turned and fled.
Solanky smiled calmly.
"Oh? Leaving so soon? Then allow me to give you one final gift."
He swung his sword.
This time, the blade energy became completely invisible.
Without producing the slightest fluctuation, it silently entered the merged devil's body and appeared directly within the space where their seven miniature universes had fused together.
The blade energy instantly expanded.
It slammed into the merged miniature universes.
Unlike before, there was no united will left to defend them.
The merged universes shook violently.
Countless cracks spread across their surfaces as black holes continuously formed around them.
Without hesitation, Solanky raised his sword once more and brought it down.
A brilliant slash split the merged devil's enormous body cleanly into two.
For the first time, everyone could clearly see the fused miniature universes suspended inside its body.
Their surfaces were already covered with countless cracks.
The elders and sect masters of the Sky Hybrid Sect stared at the scene in utter disbelief.
"Impossible..."
Solanky immediately formed another series of seals.
A cube-shaped magical barrier instantly surrounded the merged miniature universes before shrinking to the size of a palm.
The sealed universes disappeared from the air and reappeared in Solanky's hand.
Tanko and the other devils immediately understood.
Their lives now rested entirely in Solanky's hands.
The upper echelons of the Sky Hybrid Sect could hardly contain their excitement.
Capturing the miniature universe of a living being at such a level was almost impossible.
A sinister smile spread across Solanky's face.
He slowly clenched his fist.
Crack!
The merged miniature universes shattered inside his palm.
The instant they were destroyed, the already poisoned consciousnesses of the seven devils completely dissipated.
Only the lifeless corpse of the merged devil remained.
Solanky waved his hand, stored the enormous corpse inside his space ring, and teleported back to Planet Dorvan.
He reappeared high above the planet.
The silver armor covering his body gradually receded before disappearing into him.
His teammates immediately flew toward him, cheering excitedly.
Tee was the first to arrive.
"It's been fifty years since we first came to Planet Dorvan. Surely our cherished team leader has prepared gifts for us."
Light Seeker laughed.
"I just hope we don't have to fight our gifts this time."
Everyone burst into laughter, including Solanky.
With a wave of his hand, a brand-new spaceship shaped like an enormous arrowhead appeared before them.
His teammates stared at it in amazement.
The vessel looked unlike anything they had ever seen.
Solanky smiled.
"Come aboard. Let's go collect your gifts."
Everyone immediately boarded the ship.
The moment they stepped inside, they froze.
Instead of an ordinary cabin filled with seats and control panels, they found themselves standing inside an immense universe-like space.
One hundred stars revolved around a single massive central star.
Before revealing the ship, Solanky had already ended the live virtual broadcast.
He looked at everyone and explained,
"This is the spaceship of a Creation God. It is powered by the eleven stars you see in the distance. Any being beneath the Source God Realm is incapable of damaging it."
Everyone was stunned.
That meant even their sect masters were powerless against this ship.
Star God looked around curiously.
"I don't see a control room. So how does this thing move?"
Solanky smiled.
He sat down cross-legged and formed a series of seals.
Immediately, the floor beneath everyone disappeared.
In its place appeared an enormous star map leading directly to the Sky Hybrid Sect.
His teammates stared in astonishment.
"Sit down cross-legged," Solanky instructed.
"We're about to travel at an unbelievable speed."
As soon as he finished speaking, the surrounding stars began revolving around the central star at an unimaginable speed.
The massive star completed a single rotation.
The entire ship vibrated briefly.
Then everything became calm again.
Solanky smiled.
"We've arrived at the sect's trial grounds."
Everyone stared at him in disbelief.
The Blue Ice Region was over six hundred million light-years away from the Sky Hybrid Sect.
Their previous journey had taken three months of continuous travel.
Yet now, they had crossed the entire distance in a single instant.
Solanky simply smiled.
With another wave of his hand, he disappeared and reappeared deep beneath the river inside the third forbidden space.
He stood up.
The Creation God's spaceship instantly disintegrated into streams of light before returning to his space ring.
His teammates were still trying to process what they had just experienced and failed to notice the enormous supercluster of worlds before them.
Solanky snapped his fingers.
Everyone regained their senses.
When they finally looked around, they were once again overwhelmed with shock.
Solanky chuckled before sitting down cross-legged and quietly observing them.
At that moment, Seth appeared.
He looked at Solanky and asked,
"Are these the people you have chosen to inherit the power of the twelve leaders of the ancient devil-god race?"
Solanky nodded.
Seth formed several hand seals.
"Release seven of the twelve corpses. I'll use my living blood as the guarantee to ensure the inheritance proceeds smoothly."
Solanky immediately complied.
Afterward, he entered the special area where his blood essence had been left behind.
He increased the time acceleration until one hundred years inside equaled one day in the God Realm.
Then he sat down to study several ancient techniques.
Fifty years later, inside the forbidden space, Solanky sensed his teammates' cultivation reaching the Tenth-Dimensional God level.
However, something was missing.
None of them possessed a mysterious aura.
Confused, he looked toward Seth.
"Why haven't they awakened the mysterious aura?"
Seth calmly replied,
"They're still recovering from the shock of the inheritance. There's no need to worry. Wake them after I leave."
Solanky respectfully bowed.
"Thank you for your help."
Seth raised a hand as he turned to leave.
"When they awaken, tell them that you were the one who increased their strength. Otherwise, they won't be able to awaken the mysterious aura or truly step into that realm."
After Seth departed, Solanky snapped his fingers.
His teammates slowly awakened.
"I've already given you your gift," Solanky said with a smile.
"And I believe this will be the last time we travel together as a team."
Everyone immediately examined their bodies.
Their expressions changed dramatically.
Their cultivation had risen tremendously.
They could clearly sense the various laws of the God Realm beneath their feet, laws that had once been completely beyond their comprehension.
They all turned toward Solanky with expressions of disbelief.
"How... how did you do this?"
Solanky merely smiled.
He turned toward the distant horizon.
"Come with me," he said calmly.
"I'll explain everything."
The teammates exchanged glances before silently nodding and following after him.