Traitor

It was the powerful beings within those towers. Unwilling to submit to Chen Duan, unwilling to be refined by him, they launched unceasing assaults, trying to escape the Demon-Sealing Tower.

Yet all of it was destined to be futile.

As Chen Duan continued refining it, he steadily figured out the tower's inner workings.

The restrictions left behind by the Celestial Court were being deciphered bit by bit within his mind. Once he took control and activated them anew, completely suppressing them would no longer be a matter of if, but when.

As the refinement deepened, Chen Duan also discovered many ingenious aspects of the tower. He could not help but marvel that such a perfect treasure existed in this world.

A work of heaven-defying craftsmanship—truly breathtaking.

"A treasure such as this is boundlessly mysterious. It ought to belong to This Seat."

Chen Duan increased his effort, pouring more true qi into the refining threads.

However, just then.

A wisp of white qi silently appeared behind Chen Duan, gathering into form at his back.

Meng Xiuyuan raised his sole remaining hand and made a grasping motion through the air toward Chen Duan's body.

A force of suction surged from his palm and probed into Chen Duan's body.

Chen Duan's brow faintly furrowed.

Meng Xiuyuan's head exploded on the spot.

Yet his remaining body swiftly retreated, his toes tapping the void several times. In the blink of an eye, he had withdrawn to a safe distance.

His head rapidly regenerated, and he lowered his gaze to the object in his hand.

It was precisely the portion of "Nether" that had been lost earlier.

The corners of his mouth slowly lifted into a smile.

"Your Excellency truly has quite the methods." Chen Duan's laughter came from behind him.

"To resort to such a