The Abyssal Plane, 97th Abyssal Layer.
The Abyssal Plane had a total of 108 layers, each differing in area. The largest were like enormous planes unto themselves, while the smallest were only the size of an imperial province or city. The 97th Abyssal Layer ranked near the bottom, and its area was unremarkable, roughly equivalent to two or three provinces of the Heaven Dou Empire.
The sky was as dim and dark red as ever. Looking down from above, one could see nothing but caverns formed from piles of jagged rocks. Four-clawed bats and six-clawed bats hung upside down above the dark, damp tunnels.
"Roar!"
A roar laden with pain and frustration traveled out from deep within the tunnels. The echoes amplified it as it spread, startling the countless batlike abyssal creatures inside into opening their scarlet eyes. They beat their ink-black wings in terror, scrambling to escape the caverns with their lives.
"Boom!"
Before long, the entire expanse of caverns collapsed, and an enormous creature emerged from the depths of the tunnels.
This was an exceptionally peculiar abyssal creature, with six claws and a body a hundred meters tall. Black keratin covered its entire body, while dark red, magma-like liquid flowed all over it. Its appearance bore some resemblance to those four-clawed bats and six-clawed bats.
At that moment, a massive wound gaped across its chest. The divine power clinging to it left this mighty Abyssal King unable to heal the wound despite its powerful physique. It could only let the injury continue to fester. Waves of agonizing pain surged through its mind, filling the Six-Clawed Demon Emperor with shock and fury as it roared incessantly.
Its enormous claw swept through the air again and again, snatching up four-clawed bats and six-clawed bats that had failed to escape in