The Void Dragon Crystal in hand, before he could even savor the vast spatial energy contained within, a soul-chilling tremor spread like a silent tide from the depths of that massive demon nest, instantly sweeping across the entire void.
This tremor was neither sound nor energy impact, but a pure, supreme terrorizing intention. Like a primordial beast slumbering for eons, disturbed by a mosquito's bite in its sleep, unconsciously radiating majesty and displeasure enough to make heaven and earth lose color.
"Ommmm!"
The Nirvana Crimson Flame Sword in Tang Xiao Qi's hand emitted a low-pitched mournful cry. The sword spirit transmitted intense fear and warning. The cold qi around Mu Xue suddenly stalled, as if suppressed by an invisible force. Third Senior Sister Liu Yun's fingers gripping the sword hilt turned white from tension. Zhao Tiezhu's golden light on his body surface flickered unstably. Prince Ao Qin's face turned ashen. An instinctive trembling resonated deep within the Dragon Clan's bloodline.
Even Second Senior Brother Luo Feng (soul state) attached to the compass artifact emitted an urgent alarm: "Warning! Unparseable high-dimensional consciousness fluctuations detected! Source... demon nest core! Energy levels rising sharply! Exceeding current recorded maximum!"
The entire void, at this moment, seemed frozen. Those demon dragon ice crystal motes that had been slowly drifting apart like pressing a pause button, stilled motionless. In the distance, those ghostly dim starlights grew dim and unclear. Even the ubiquitous spatial turbulence seemed to become docile and sluggish under this intention's oppression.
The demon nest—that pulsating massive body like a living creature—abruptly stagnated!
Following this, those pitch-black demonic patterns on its surface pulsating like blood vessels, suddenly blazed with dazzling crimson light! The originally slow, regular pulsation became urgent and frantic, like a heart forcibly accelerated. The entire demon nest began emitting low sounds, as if countless grudge souls wailing simultaneously—a buzzing directly acting on spiritual sense, making one's heart agitated and nauseous.
"It... has been disturbed!" Mu Xue's voice carried a subtle, barely perceptible tremor. Not fear, but an instinctive reaction facing absolute power disparity.
Xiao Qi forcibly suppressed the surging qi and blood and spiritual sense stinging in his chest. His gaze stared fixedly at the demon nest. He could feel that although that terrifying intention had awakened slightly, it hadn't fully clarified. It was more like an instinctive defense and alert mechanism triggered. The demonic entity's main consciousness clearly remained in deep recovery, unwilling or unable to immediately and thoroughly awaken.
But even so, the oppression it brought far exceeded that Void Demon Dragon from before!
"What's it doing?" Zhao Tiezhu muffledly asked. He felt the surrounding void become somewhat "viscous," movement seemingly obstructed by an invisible force.
"Space... the demon nest is stirring space!" Prince Ao Qin's dragon eyes widened, tone full of terror. "It wants to forcibly perform a spatial jump, concealing itself into deeper, more dangerous void turbulence!"
As if to confirm his words, space around the demon nest began violently twisting, folding. Originally stable void coordinates became chaotic and disorderly. The demon nest's massive body began becoming blurry. Its edges seemingly merged into the eternal darkness of the background. A terrifying sense of detachment emanated from the demon nest's location. It was like a painting on paper, and at this moment, someone was trying to tear this paper from the real world, tossing it into another unknowable dimension!
"It cannot let it escape!" Xiao Qi sharply shouted. Once the demon nest successfully concealed itself, finding it again would be like finding a needle in a haystack! When the demonic entity fully recovered and returned with vengeance, the Three Realms would know no peace!
Without hesitation, he gripped the just obtained, not yet refined Void Dragon Crystal tightly, pouring his Soul Transformation stage's vast spiritual energy mixed with traces of chaotic power, frantically flooding into the Dragon Crystal!
"Ommmm!"
The Void Dragon Crystal erupted with brilliant dark purple light. Those internal silver star vortexes rotating frantically at unprecedented speed! A pure, powerful spatial origin force was forcibly invoked by Xiao Qi, transforming into an intangible yet tough "spatial anchoring" ripple, emanating from him toward the attempting to detach from reality demon nest!
This was gambling! Using the Void Demon Dragon's origin power to oppose the demon nest's spatial power controlled by the demonic entity!
"Hissss—!"
Intangible spatial forces violently collided, rubbed in the void, producing teeth-grinding strange sounds. The demon nest's blurry, detached trend abruptly stagnated, like being forcibly dragged by countless invisible chains, its jumping process forcibly interrupted, delayed!
Within the demon nest, that terrifying intention seemed to become even more agitated, even more angry at this unexpected obstruction!
"Roar—!"
A far more profound than the Void Demon Dragon, more ancient roar, filled with endless grudging venom and destructive desire, like a materialized spiritual storm, violently exploding from the demon nest's depths, fiercely impacting everyone's spiritual sense!
"Pfft!"
The first to succumb was Zhao Tiezhu with his weaker cultivation. He violently spat a mouthful of blood, his golden light instantly dimming. Third Senior Sister Liu Yun grunted, face paling. Her sword intent experienced momentary dissipation. Mu Xue and Ao Qin both staggered, qi and breath chaotic.
Xiao Qi was first to bear the brunt. His arm holding the Void Dragon Crystal trembled violently. His Tiger's Mouth cracked. Fresh blood trickled profusely. That spiritual storm like tens of millions of steel needles piercing fiercely into his sea of consciousness, attempting to shatter his will. The green lotus phantom behind him frantically swaying. Purification Light vigorously opposing that spiritual storm full of malicious intent, producing sizzling sounds.
Although the demon nest's jump was delayed, it did not stop. That terrifying intention like an awakening volcano, accumulating more terrifying power. The entire demon nest's surface crimson demonic patterns grew ever brighter. The writhing speed accelerated. More demonic energy welled up from the nest's depths, reinforcing the outer barrier while more frantically twisting surrounding space.
Xiao Qi clearly sensed that the Void Dragon Crystal's power in his hand was being rapidly consumed. That "spatial anchoring" effect growing weaker. And the demon nest's next spatial jump attempt would certainly be more fierce, more difficult to prevent!
Rousing the snake! Although successfully slaying the guardian and obtaining the Dragon Crystal, they had also thoroughly disturbed the terrifying existence deep within the nest. Now the snake was startled, bared its fangs. They must find a way to charge in before this primordial beast fully awakens and escapes. Otherwise, all efforts would be wasted!
Crisis, instead of being resolved, escalated because of the demonic entity's intention awakening, climbing to unprecedented heights! Time truly was running out!