Absolute Domain

The battlefield where Xian Mu had fallen was now eerily silent. Blood soaked the cracked earth, pooling unnaturally as though drawn by an invisible force. Zhang Yong and Lilith, unaware of the ominous shift, continued walking, their silhouettes illuminated by the faint golden glow lingering from Zhang Yong's Absolute Krishna Domain.

But behind them, the blood began to ripple.

The faint laugh that echoed earlier grew louder, a deep, guttural sound that seemed to claw at the air itself. Suddenly, the ground trembled violently, cracks spreading outward like spiderwebs from the spot where Xian Mu's blood had pooled.

Zhang Yong stopped in his tracks, his sharp senses instantly picking up the shift in energy. He turned back, his eyes narrowing. "Something's not right."

Lilith frowned, her crimson wings twitching. "You're telling me. That's no ordinary disturbance."

Before either could react, the ground exploded in a burst of dark energy. From the depths of the earth rose a massive, grotesque figure, its body a writhing mass of sinew and bone, pulsating as though it were alive. Eyes—too many to count—opened across its body, each one glowing with a crimson light that radiated pure malice.

Lilith stepped back, her playful demeanor replaced by genuine concern. "What in the hell is that thing?!"

Zhang Yong didn't flinch. His gaze was cold, calculating. "A remnant. Something sealed here long ago."

The creature let out a deafening roar, the sound reverberating through the air like a thunderclap. Its many mouths moved in unison, their voices overlapping in a chaotic symphony. "Who dares awaken me from my slumber?!"

Lilith scoffed, though her unease was evident. "Awakened? More like stumbled out of your grave. Guess who helped put the final nail in your coffin last time, huh?"

The creature's countless eyes locked onto Zhang Yong, its grotesque form twisting unnaturally as it loomed over him. "You... Your energy reeks of that wretched light. The Absolute Krishna Domain... I remember it. And I will devour it!"

Zhang Yong's expression remained impassive. "You won't live long enough to try."

The creature lunged, its massive arms crashing down toward Zhang Yong with terrifying speed. But he didn't move.

The Absolute Krishna Domain expanded around him, golden energy erupting in a radiant burst that disintegrated the creature's arms before they could even touch him. The beast roared in agony, its severed limbs regenerating almost instantly.

Lilith clicked her tongue. "That thing's not going down easy. Looks like you've got your work cut out for you."

Zhang Yong ignored her, his focus entirely on the beast. His voice was calm but carried an edge of lethal intent. "If it can regenerate, I'll just destroy it faster than it can recover."

He raised his hand, and the golden energy of the Absolute Krishna Domain began to condense into a sphere above his palm. The air around him crackled with power as the sphere grew, its brilliance eclipsing the dim light of the battlefield.

The creature hesitated, its many eyes narrowing. It could feel the overwhelming power emanating from the sphere, a force that promised annihilation.

"Do you fear death?" Zhang Yong asked, his tone cold and unyielding.

The beast snarled, its mouths twisting into grotesque smirks. "You think you can kill me? I am eternal! I am—"

Zhang Yong didn't let it finish. He hurled the condensed sphere of energy at the creature, the golden light tearing through the air like a comet.

The impact was immediate and catastrophic. The sphere exploded in a blinding flash, golden energy consuming the creature entirely. Its roars of defiance turned to screams of agony as its body was reduced to ash, its countless eyes closing one by one.

When the light finally faded, nothing remained of the beast except a charred crater where it had stood.

Lilith let out a low whistle, her playful smirk returning. "Well, that was... dramatic. You really don't do anything halfway, do you?"

Zhang Yong lowered his hand, the Absolute Krishna Domain retracting once more. "I don't leave loose ends."

Lilith's eyes glinted with amusement. "That's what I like about you. Efficient, ruthless, and just the right amount of overkill."

But as the two prepared to leave, a faint, whispering voice reached their ears.

"Foolish mortal..."

Zhang Yong turned sharply, his eyes scanning the empty crater. The voice continued, faint but filled with malice.

"You may have destroyed this vessel, but the seal... The seal is broken. They will come... And you will fall."

The whisper faded, leaving an unsettling silence in its wake.

Lilith frowned, her earlier amusement gone. "What the hell was that about?"

Zhang Yong didn't respond immediately. His gaze remained fixed on the crater, his mind racing. Whatever had been sealed here wasn't just one creature...it was a gate, a link to something far greater.

Finally, he turned away, his expression hard. "We're leaving."

Lilith raised an eyebrow. "No curiosity about what's coming next? That's not like you."

He glanced at her, his eyes cold. "Curiosity gets you killed. Whatever's coming, I'll deal with it when the time comes."

As they walked away, the ground beneath the crater began to pulse faintly, a dark energy radiating outward, spreading like a sickness.