The entire battlefield fell silent at this moment.
But both Xu Chuan and Emperor Zhenwu knew very well.
This was merely the calm before the storm.
The ensuing battle would be incredibly brutal.
By the time this being had fully merged with the Abyss Sea, its aura had reached the peak of the fourth-tier Emperor Venerate!
"Having a physical body feels so good!"
A deep voice emanated from Yuan Hai's mouth, carrying an immeasurable sense of relief.
It was as if someone who had been trapped for years had suddenly been rescued.
"Thank you for allowing me to experience the feeling of having a body once more!"
"As thanks, I shall devour you and make you a part of the abyss!"
"Be grateful!"
He looked up at Emperor Zhenwu and Xu Chuan on the ground not far away and spoke.
His words implied that being devoured by him was an immense honor!
And that they should be thankful.
"Arrogant!"
Emperor Zhenwu roared, utterly incensed by such audacity.
Despite being far outmatched in strength, he couldn't help but make the first move after such humiliation.
Xu Chuan could only watch from a distance.
The level of this battle was far beyond his ability to interfere.
Even in his previous state, comparable to a first-tier Emperor Venerate, he was no match for either of them.
In fact, he wouldn't last a single exchange!
All he wanted now was to witness the terrifying might of a battle between top-tier powerhouses.
To broaden his horizons!
If anything felt wrong, he would immediately retreat into the Myriad Spirits Cauldron and escape.
As for the opportunities on the merit exchange list, what use were they if he lost his life?
Besides, Liangjie Pass was a real place.
He could still go there after leaving this illusion.
"You truly don't know what's good for you. Wouldn't it be better to be obediently devoured by me?"
"Since you refuse, then I shall send you on your way!"
With that, Yuan Hai, possessed by the Abyss Spirit, suddenly extended a hand, which then vanished.
Immediately after, a dark rift appeared in the sky, radiating an extremely dense abyss aura.
Witnessed by everyone, Yuan Hai's hand reappeared from within the rift.
It was magnified countless times.
The hand, vast enough to obscure the sky, was filled with terrifying power.
It seemed to emanate from a powerful, primordial beast from chaos.
The moment the colossal hand appeared, the surrounding space emitted sounds of tearing.
The rolling black energy coiling around the hand eroded everything in its vicinity.
"This attack is incredibly powerful!"
Xu Chuan's expression grew solemn as he looked up at the colossal hand in the sky.
This time, the might of the hand far surpassed its previous appearance.
Xu Chuan felt a sharp pain in his sea of consciousness after just a glance, as if his soul was about to be torn apart.
Keep in mind, he had cultivated his soul to the Yang God stage, reaching a level comparable to a first-tier Emperor Venerate.
Yet, even so, he could not directly gaze upon the hand in the sky.
He quickly lowered his head, guarding his mind, and swiftly expelled the abyss aura that had encroached upon his sea of consciousness.
The other human warriors on the battlefield who had also looked directly at the hand were not so fortunate.
The moment they gazed at the colossal hand, their seas of consciousness were invaded, and their bodies exploded, turning to dust.
"Don't look!"
"Guard your minds!"
"Expel that aura from your seas of consciousness!"
The human Demi-Emperor realm powerhouses also sensed this, and quickly shouted warnings.
Amidst the shouts, further deaths of human warriors were prevented.
"Let me see what a fourth-tier Emperor Venerate is capable of."
Emperor Zhenwu looked up at the sky-obscuring hand and said coldly.
He showed no fear whatsoever; only a surging battle intent that threatened to pierce the heavens!
"Kill!"
Emperor Zhenwu raised his sword and charged towards the colossal hand.
"The last struggle of an ant!"
Yuan Hai's indifferent voice echoed, still not taking Emperor Zhenwu seriously.
He merely flicked a finger, and Emperor Zhenwu's attack was annihilated before it even approached the colossal hand.
With another flick of his finger, Emperor Zhenwu was sent flying, along with his sword, smashing through several mountain ranges before coming to a halt.
Seeing this, all those on the battlefield fell into despair.
Even the mighty Emperor Zhenwu was no match for his hand.
Was there any point in continuing this fight?
"I am sorry, my kinsmen!"
"As the guardian Emperor of Liangjie Pass, I have failed to protect you..."
"I, Zhenwu, am ashamed!"
Emperor Zhenwu stood up again, wiping the blood from his lips, his voice incredibly somber.
"If there is a next life, I will surely protect you all!"
He said this with utmost sincerity to the remaining human warriors on the battlefield.
From their initial exchange, he already knew he was not its opponent.
He was utterly powerless.
A feeling of helplessness and weakness instantly surged within him.
His final plan was to use his broken body to carve out a path of survival for the remaining human warriors.
His words just now were his last testament.
He had not feared death since the day he stepped into chaos.
Having fought countless life-and-death battles in the chaos for years, his conviction had only grown stronger.
It was just that he still harbored some regrets, for not being able to leave this chaotic space.
For not being able to break through to higher realms and witness the prowess of those top-tier powerhouses.
At this moment, his solitary figure appeared so lonely before the sky-obscuring hand.
But he had never regretted his decision.
"Escape, escape as many as you can!"
He roared, and just as the sky-obscuring hand was about to descend, he once again raised his sword and charged.
Countless human warriors were moved by Emperor Zhenwu's tragic words.
They all looked up at the minuscule figure in the sky.
Escape.
Where could they possibly escape to?
As long as Emperor Zhenwu perished, all the humans in this chaotic space would be devoured by the current Yuan Hai.
They had no way to flee!
"Pick up your weapons and fight him!"
"Yes, fight him!"
"Kill!"
Not a single one chose to flee.
At that very instant, they all picked up their weapons and charged towards Yuan Hai.
Seeing this, Yuan Hai's blood-red eyes revealed disdain.
"What use are more ants? They will all die the same!"
"Fall!"
As the words fell, the colossal hand in the sky descended, crushing and obliterating Emperor Zhenwu with overwhelming force.
In the sky, drops of Emperor's blood rained down.
It was a scene of utmost tragedy.
Even the mighty Emperor Zhenwu perished at this moment.
Upon witnessing this, the human warriors surged forward like a tide, charging towards Yuan Hai to avenge Emperor Zhenwu.
However, the moment the hand descended.
Their bodies exploded.
In an instant, heaven and earth turned black and white, and everything seemed to freeze.
All scenery except for Xu Chuan froze.
The terrifying hand that was descending also solidified in place.
Then, like a shattered mirror, everything exploded.
All of it vanished.
In its place was endless darkness.
"The illusion has ended?"
Xu Chuan murmured in surprise, looking at the scene.