The Demonic Essence core in his chest shook violently. His innate Demonic Aura fell into chaos and dispersed, and his presence weakened visibly.
The Altar Master struggled upright. His hood slipped back, revealing an aged face covered in demonic markings. His blood-red pupils brimmed with wariness and madness.
"Cheng Heng... well played."
He panted softly, his gaze passing over Cheng Heng toward the depths, where the core demonic domain housing the Mother-Child Demon Embryos lay shrouded in endless Demonic Aura.
The fourth layer, the Heart-Illusion Demon Formation, waited silently ahead.
"You won the first three layers. But the six mazes beyond them hold my final killing moves. Heart Illusion Devours the Spirit, Layered-Shadow Killing Strike, Earthfire-Burning Prison... You made it through the third layer, but you may not survive the fourth."
The Altar Master slowly rose, drawing the Demonic Aura around him inward. He no longer pressed the fight. Instead of attacking again, he retreated into the depths of the dark passage.
"I won't fight you to the death here. If you insist on advancing, keep walking into the formations. I'll await you in the Demon Altar Main Hall, before the Demon Embryo."
With that, his black-robed figure flashed into the deep darkness and vanished amid the black fog of the fourth-layer Heart-Illusion Demon Formation.
Cheng Heng stood before the fissure and slowly lowered his hands. The power of his Inner Vajra Realm settled as he steadied his breathing and calmed his surging blood.
That desperate fight had consumed a fair amount of his power, and the shock had battered his body, but fortunately, his injuries were slight.
He looked deeper into the abyss. The region seething with illusory black fog was the fourth layer of the Ninefold Demon-Concealing Maze Formation—the Heart-Illusion Demon Formation.
A single layer of heart illusion