Chapter 145: Glory of the Abyss of Ten Thousand Demons

Even at his weakest, Bultai was a supreme being of a demonic forbidden zone, and he naturally possessed his own unique signature abilities.

Realizing there was no hope for the main force to turn the tide, Bultai finally decided to target Elusa and Xu Yang first. If he could perfectly suppress these two leaders, he might achieve a desperate counterattack.

Boom! A thunderous sound echoed as an exquisitely luxurious yet scorching crimson furnace appeared before Bultai.

“This is… the Embrace of Netherfire! Bultai’s ultimate treasure, said to be capable of refining everything in existence!” Elusa’s face registered surprise. Rumor had it that Bultai was born in raging flames tens of thousands of years ago; in essence, he was a mass of never-extinguishing demonic fire. This massive furnace before them was his ultimate trump card against Xu Yang and Elusa.

“Be careful!” Elusa instinctively positioned herself in front of Xu Yang. Xu Yang glanced at her back, a surge of complex emotions welling up within him.

Boom! Bultai initiated his next move. He lifted the lid of the furnace, and endless crimson flames surged forth, subtly threatening to melt the thousand miles of solid ice on the ground.

“Hahaha! Human warrior, I’d like to see if your Eternal Sword can withstand the power of my innate demonic flame!” A terrifying devouring force instantly locked onto both Xu Yang and Elusa.

In a sense, this furnace was an extension of Bultai’s very soul, fundamentally integrated with his life force. Once locked onto, breaking free would be incredibly difficult.

Elusa originally had a way to escape, but currently, due to the Frost Mark's Fury infused into Xu Yang’s bloodline, she was still unable to recover her peak combat strength. She couldn't even fully utilize her own demonic cultivation techniques, and was about to be completely drawn in by this immense power.

“Is this truly our final farewell?” In a haze, the surrounding space and time seemed to slow down. Elusa turned to look at Xu Yang, a flicker of reluctance surfacing in her heart. She had never imagined herself in such a state.

To feel such emotions for a human cultivator, such an unbelievable twist of fate, had truly become a reality in Empress Elusa’s life. She clearly felt her heart ache at that moment.

As the powerful suction pulled them further apart, their eyes remained locked, unwavering.

The furnace’s devouring power continued to expand. Bultai’s strategy was clear: first, use his innate demonic flame to incinerate one, then devise a way to handle the other. After all, Elusa’s demonic heart represented the supreme power of the demon race, and combined with Xu Yang’s Eternal Sword, their combined strength far exceeded Bultai’s limits. He had to separate the two of them on the battlefield at any cost.

But… was Xu Yang truly going to allow him this opportunity?

Elusa’s body was completely swallowed by the furnace. Just as the lid was about to seal, that familiar silhouette reappeared.

“I… will not let you face the darkness alone!”

Clank… The inner space of the Embrace of Netherfire suddenly became utterly silent. Yet at that moment, Elusa’s heart was no longer alone, for she saw the person she most wished to see.

The flames cast their light, illuminating the surroundings. As Elusa and Xu Yang gazed at each other once more in this deathly realm, both seemed to realize that the other’s place in their heart had profoundly changed.

“Why would you do this… knowing it was certain death, yet still follow me in?”

Xu Yang chuckled softly: “Coming in doesn't guarantee death, but if I hadn't, my life might have lost all meaning.”

A seemingly simple answer, yet it surpassed the most heartfelt declarations of love in the world.

Xu Yang was never one to actively express his emotions. He was reserved, profound, and unyielding. But this time, he wished only to be the sole trace of tenderness in the eyes of this formidable woman.

The two gazed at each other from an incredibly close distance, even trapped in a sea of fire with an uncertain path ahead, unwilling to waste a single moment of their shared solitude.

“Will we die here?” After an indeterminate time, Elusa calmly scanned her surroundings. Within the Embrace of Netherfire artifact, more and more fiery lights took on vivid colors, and the temperature was steadily rising.

“No. We each have unfulfilled missions. This is merely an interesting challenge.” Xu Yang’s voice was calm and resolute, instilling immense confidence in Elusa.

“As the Demon Empress, you must know some methods to break formations, right? I suspect this place is the body of that creature. As long as we can discern the weaknesses in its physical form, a path to survival will emerge.”

Elusa shook her head helplessly: “Unless I can recover to my peak, the Frost Mark’s Fury, combined with your Eternity, could surely unleash enough power to shatter this artifact! Otherwise, there is no other way.”

Xu Yang’s expression became solemn: “Then, is there no other way to help you recover?”

A blush crept onto Elusa’s face. Clearly, when discussing such a topic, even as the formidable Empress, she was, after all, still just a maiden who had not yet tasted forbidden fruit.

As time passed, the temperature within the space escalated rapidly. Both Xu Yang and Elusa’s breathing became strained. Flames truly possessed the power to consume all. Within such an confined space, even breathing was quickly becoming a luxury.

With no other option, Xu Yang pointed a finger to his brow. A brilliant ice-blue array light emerged from beneath his feet, enveloping both himself and Elusa. He was clearly burning his own foundational energy, desperate to buy as much time as possible…

“Promise me, if I lose my will later, please grant me death. To die in your arms would be my fortune.”

Xu Yang understood. Elusa wished to give him everything, even break through this unspoken barrier. However, she still considered Xu Yang’s feelings, knowing such matters could not be forced. She didn’t want to leave even a hint of imperfection in Xu Yang’s heart.

Xu Yang gritted his teeth, and began attempting to condense sword energy. However, he discovered that within this divine furnace, no method of condensing spiritual power was effective…

“Damn it!”

The flames had reached their peak intensity, leaving less and less space for Xu Yang and Elusa.

Finally, it was Xu Yang’s turn to make a choice…

Would he face death with her, or would he choose to break through that unspoken barrier, in a feast of ecstasy, and fight for a final shred of hope for escape?

“So be it. This is the bond we are destined to share. I, Xu Yang, am no rigid or harsh man. Since destiny has brought us together, then let us follow heaven’s will. Everything in the future, we shall face together!”