Chapter 222: Sacrifice Successful

The emergence of this Demonic Annihilation Technique caught everyone off guard; not only did the Blazefire Titan never anticipate it, but even Xu Yang's esteemed teammate, Empress Xue Qinghan, was utterly astonished.

"Good heavens, he can even wield demonic power? What kind of person is he? Why is he full of such wonders? And more importantly, I can't even discern his cultivation level!"

What had always puzzled the Empress most was Xu Yang's mysterious cultivation. Normally, unless one's cultivation was two major realms higher, no technique could conceal a person's true level, yet Xu Yang had achieved it.

Previously, he was merely a cultivator in the Qi Refinement Realm. Although his underlying foundation was unfathomable, the outward appearance of his Qi Refinement cultivation was undeniable.

However, when he took that pivotal step and truly merged with the Dao, the situation changed again. The mark of the Qi Refinement Realm, previously imprinted on him, vanished. The reason was that Xu Yang's Qi Refinement had reached complete perfection, evolving his own Tai Chi totem purely through the cultivation of that single realm, concealing his traces within the very essence of the Dao, making them impossible for others to detect.

As for the Annihilation Divine Skill he was currently displaying, it truly defied all conventional understanding. The Empress could only surmise that it was somehow linked to Xu Yang possessing the demonic artifact, Eternity.

The formidable power of annihilation caused the life force of all surrounding flora and fauna to rapidly drain away, spontaneously converging towards Xu Yang's glabella. At this moment, he seemed like a colossal vortex, devouring life force, with no living trace within his range able to escape his control.

Of course, he was not a true demon devouring life sources. His reason for doing this was simply to subdue the Blazefire Titan with the least possible effort.

With Xu Yang's profound strength, directly subduing this ape was certainly not impossible. However, it would demand a considerable amount of his energy and time. There was also the risk that, during the process, Tuoba Hong's team, who were nearby, might be drawn to the commotion, potentially introducing more complications.

At Xu Yang's level, his ultimate goal was to maximize the display of his power, achieving the greatest results with the minimum expenditure.

"Very well, I hope you honor your promise. Otherwise, I wouldn't hesitate to unleash the Annihilation Technique upon this entire jungle island at any moment. You should be able to sense that I am not one to joke around."

Xu Yang's voice seemed far colder than before. Once engaged in battle, the man's demeanor, akin to a god of slaughter, left the Empress beside him deeply shaken.

A true man, she thought, should be like Xu Yang: possessing both domineering power and gentle consideration.

The Blazefire Titan cast a glance at its offspring, then let out another soul-shaking roar. It pounded its muscular chest before slowly approaching Xu Yang and the Empress, lowering its proud head – a gesture unique to a hundred-thousand-year spirit beast – and in doing so, abandoning its dignity.

For high-level, intelligent spirit beasts, attaching themselves to human cultivators through sacrifice was a deeply dishonorable act. More importantly, once the sacrifice was made, their host would become the sole master of their destiny. Their own cultivation advancement would completely cease, and they would be forced to share their spiritual power and life force with the host.

Of course, for certain beasts, like the Little Dragon Python, encountering a master as extraordinarily gifted and powerful as Xu Yang would yield unimaginable benefits. It was not impossible for such a bond to result in an immediate leap to a higher realm or even an awakening of ancestral bloodlines.

At this moment, the Blazefire Titan felt a degree of inner resentment, but facing Xu Yang, it had no other option.

"Listen, my promise to you is not empty words. You will obediently sacrifice yourself to the Empress and become her guardian companion, and I can ensure you receive even greater opportunities. But if you dare to play any tricks during the sacrifice, or harm the Empress in the slightest, I will turn this entire island into a grave."

Xu Yang's words, though spoken calmly, caused both Empress Xue Qinghan and the Blazefire Titan before him to feel a jolt in their souls. An irresistible spiritual pressure flooded their minds, creating an indescribable sense of dread.

"Begin."

With a slight flick of his hand, a purple-glowing, disk-shaped artifact appeared in Xu Yang's palm, which then floated and hovered above the Empress's head.

"You don't need to do anything. Just relax; I will personally guide and protect you through this."

Xu Yang's words, however, left the Empress somewhat flustered. Accustomed to controlling and orchestrating the destinies of others, and entirely unaccustomed to being shielded by anyone, she now found herself facing Xu Yang like a bewildered young girl, a faint blush appearing on her cheeks as she obediently listened.

Gently closing her eyes, the Empress quickly sensed the aura of the artifact above her head. The two connected as one, and as a stream of her soul power flowed into it, the Empress discovered that an independent space seemed to have been created within her spiritual world. Little did she know, this small space was precisely where the souls of sacrificed spirit beasts were housed.

Without Xu Yang's guidance, the entire sacrifice process would have been fraught with danger. After all, the Blazefire Titan was a hundred-thousand-year spirit beast, possessing a terrifying inherent foundation. The act of sacrifice meant offering up half of its total elemental power and its very essence. If the recipient's own strength was insufficient, they could easily be overwhelmed and explode, leading to their demise.

More critically, there was always the risk that this ape might not be truly submissive. It could choose to sacrifice half its life source to eliminate this powerful threat, a desperate, cornered-animal move that would also pose a serious danger to the Empress herself.

However, with Xu Yang's protective measure in place, the outcome would be entirely different.

Even if the Titan attempted a desperate counter-attack, under Xu Yang's protection, the Empress would not need to worry about any mishap. The true consequence, however, would be utterly unbearable for the great ape.

With a sudden, explosive roar!

The Blazefire Titan's body erupted in blinding flames. Its true primordial fire began to burn even more intensely, and from its pupils, two incredibly pure, crimson-gold light flares shot forth – the very roar of its soul's essence!

Soon, at the center of these fiercely burning flames, a pure crimson-gold orb materialized. It floated up to hover above the Empress's head, slowly radiating crimson-gold halos as if pre-warming, conditioning and connecting with the Empress's physical meridians.

Then, as time slowly progressed, the Blazefire Titan continuously infused more of its essence into this golden core. Within the Empress's body, a force of Blazefire materialized out of thin air, blending with the two other intrinsically harmonious yet opposing elemental forces already present, creating a fierce contention.

"Ugh..."

The sensation of pain gradually intensified, and a fine layer of sweat quickly beaded on her forehead. The Empress distinctly felt that the agony she was enduring was more than ten times greater than any pain she had experienced during her regular cultivation.