At the same time, an ominous tremor ran through his body.
The Primordial Demon Fiend Qi that had been forcibly suppressed by the Chaos Nether Lotus in the back of his heart seemed to have become restless again due to the intense stimulation of this violent spatial teleportation.
What made his heart sink even more was that this restless demonic energy resonated strangely and evilly with the "Primordial Demon Finger Soul-Splitting Curse Seal" on his left ankle, which had been temporarily sealed by the Star Iron Mother!
Two powers originating from ancient demons seemed to have found each other at this moment...
The crisis is far from over.
"Boom!"
The intense tearing sensation of the spatial turbulence vanished abruptly, replaced by a heavy feeling of falling. Xiao Han was like a tattered sack thrown into a desolate, black swamp.
"Puff!"
The foul-smelling mud splashed several meters high, and a thick, poisonous miasma instantly enveloped him. Twisted and bizarre plants surrounded him, their branches gnarled and their leaves pitch black, emitting a nauseating and ominous stench.
Before he could even catch his breath, the two lurking evil forces within him suddenly erupted like sharks that had smelled blood!
The Primordial Demon Fiend Qi that had been forcibly suppressed by the Chaos Nether Lotus in the back of his heart, and the "Primordial Demon Finger Soul-Splitting Curse Seal" temporarily sealed by the Star Iron Mother at his left ankle, seemed to have reached some kind of evil consensus at this moment, and at the same time, they erupted with terrifying fluctuations far exceeding those before!
"Ugh--!"
An indescribable, excruciating pain swept through his body like a tidal wave. Two completely different yet equally evil and violent forces clashed wildly within him, shattering his meridians and causing his bones to groan. They were no longer acting independently, but rather, with a strange attraction, they seemed to be merging together!
Xiao Han's sea of consciousness was like a lake with a boulder thrown in, churning violently, as if his soul was about to be torn apart.
He strained to activate his [Void-Piercing Divine Eyes], his eyes, a mixture of golden and purple light, scanning himself with difficulty. Upon seeing it, even with his strong will, he couldn't help but feel a chill run down his spine. At the point where the two evil forces resonated and converged, a blurry and ferocious phantom of a demon god was slowly taking shape, radiating a terrifying will that made his very soul tremble!
[WARNING! Primordial Demon Corruption Resonance has been activated! The host's current state is extremely dangerous!]
[A 30% chance has been detected that the host has been initially corrupted and turned into a demonic puppet that only knows how to kill!]
[A 70% chance has been detected that the host will explode and die due to being unable to withstand the power conflict, with their soul scattered!]
[Please make a choice immediately, host!]
The cold system notification sounded in his mind like a death knell, and three options radiating an ominous light appeared before his eyes.
[Option 1: Drinking poison to quench thirst. Sacrifice a portion of your soul essence and 50% of the life force of your Chaos Green Lotus Martial Soul enters a deep slumber, recovery time unknown.]
[Option Two: Star Guide Demon Suppression. At all costs, activate the "Heaven-Connecting Ancient Token) " in an attempt to forcibly suppress the double demonic contamination using the stellar power it contains. Reward: A small amount of star map information from the Heaven-Piercing Ancient Token is unlocked, but there is a high probability that this will attract unknown celestial anomalies or be detected by a powerful celestial being.]
[Option 3: Facing death to live. Abandon all means of suppression, actively guide the two demonic powers to undergo initial fusion, and use yourself as a furnace to refine the demonic energy and the curse mark.]
Xiao Han's chest heaved violently, each breath burning like fire. The three options before him were all dead ends, and an intense aura of death assaulted his senses.
The greedy, twisted face of the "Steel Jaw" lord, and the sinister declaration, "The master of the Demon Finger is about to return," exploded in his mind. To become a demonic puppet, a walking corpse; to explode and vanish into nothingness—either way, it would mean the end for Xiao Han.
"Damn it, let's go all out!"
A resolute madness ignited within him, burning away all hesitation. Risk and opportunity are always twins! His teeth chattered, his voice hoarse yet carrying an undeniable resolve. "System, I choose three! To live or die!"
[Selection confirmed! Best of luck, host.] The system's usual playful tone turned slightly serious, revealing an unprecedented solemnity.
The excruciating pain felt like thousands of sharp needles piercing his soul. Xiao Han swayed, but he stubbornly endured it and sat cross-legged on the spot. The poisonous miasma mixed with the putrid smell of the swamp filled his lungs. He tried his best to clear his mind of distractions and focused his mind on the cultivation technique. The "Creation-Heaven-Penetrating Art" began to circulate.
The Chaos Green Lotus and the Eternal Night Void Emperor, two Martial Souls, were born in response to his thoughts. The Azure Lotus was pure and holy, while the Emperor's shadow was deep and mysterious. Amidst the interplay of light and darkness, they struggled to maintain his faltering consciousness. He focused his mind and transformed his spiritual power into invisible tentacles, reaching out to the two ancient demonic sources within his body that were clashing and tearing at his meridians.
"Boom!"
The moment the thought of guiding him arose, the collision between the two forces suddenly escalated, its danger far exceeding expectations, as if it were about to completely ignite his body!
On Xiao Han's body, pitch-black demonic patterns and blood-red curse marks roamed and intertwined like living creatures, outlining a ferocious and evil totem. His skin could not bear the burden and cracked inch by inch, with blood mixed with black and red light gushing out. He was like a blood-red porcelain piece full of cracks, which could shatter at any moment, so fragile that it was frightening.
His aura shifted rapidly between raging demonic flames and fading threads, his life force flickering uncertainly in the gale, each moment teetering precariously on the edge of life and death.
"Ugh... Hold on... I have to hold on!" A muffled growl escaped from between his broken teeth, blood trickling down from the corner of his mouth, soaking his shirt. Endless pain and malevolent thoughts washed over his mind like a tidal wave, the dam of his consciousness teetering on the brink of collapse, and succumbing to despair was imminent.
Just as his soul was about to dissipate, and the outline of that ferocious demon god phantom became clearer and was about to take full shape, deep within his dantian, the long-dormant [World Tree Heart Fragment] suddenly trembled!
A gentle yet vast torrent of life burst forth from the fragments, unstoppable and overwhelming, like spring rain falling on scorched earth, instantly soaking his broken limbs and bones, forcibly reviving his life force that was on the verge of collapse, and pulling him back slightly from the edge of the abyss of demonization.
At the same time, the "Heaven-Connecting Ancient Token) " he kept close to his chest also sensed something. Perhaps it was due to the operation of the Star Body-Tempering Technique in his body, or perhaps it was touched by the violent conflict between the two demonic forces. The surface of the ancient decree shone with starlight. Although it was not intense, it revealed an unyielding and indestructible resilience.
The tiny starlight seemed to echo and draw together the torrent of life.
The power of life and purification, the brilliance of stars and Order —two completely different yet equally profound forces—miraculously intervened in the clash between the two violent, demonically corrupted forces, using Xiao Han's body as both a battlefield and a furnace, and around them, constructed a precarious yet real balance.
Pain distorted perception; the concept of time had long since collapsed, and every moment felt as long as torture.
The torment lasted for an unknown period of time, perhaps a snap of the fingers, perhaps countless reincarnations.
"Roar--!"
A suppressed roar, inhuman and seemingly struggling from the depths of the Netherworld, suddenly burst through Xiao Han's throat, shaking the desolate swamp!