Hearing Xu Zimo’s words, Willow Ancestor looked around, then gathered everyone, preparing to retreat despite their fear.

But Xu Zimo’s voice sounded again.

“I didn’t tell you to make a move.”

A towering wave of demonic energy surged skyward. Paimon stepped out from within it, walking through the air as the aura around him grew denser and more oppressive.

“Greetings, my lord,” Paimon said.

“Kill them,” Xu Zimo ordered.

Paimon hovered above, looking down at the eight enemies. His overwhelming presence pressed down like a mountain. The eight immediately felt their shoulders sink, their spirit power grinding to a halt.

Paimon brought down a colossal demonic palm. It blotted out the sky, magic roaring like thunder.

The eight men paled. Each revealed their True Fate and unleashed their strongest attacks.

“Void Leap!”

“Martial Heaven Sword Force!”

“Immortal Art, Grace of Heaven!”

“…”

Every strike carried immense force, enough to drown the heavens. They hammered against Paimon’s demonic palm, yet nothing changed.

When the giant palm descended, the void exploded. The eight were crushed within it.

“Run!” Wang Quanshang shouted.

Among the eight, four erupted with desperate power and narrowly escaped with their lives. The remaining four were crushed instantly.

Once free, the survivors cried out, “Demi-Demon, save us! We accept your terms!”

The moment their voices fell, a massive pressure rippled through the void. Waves of demon-beast energy swept in like a tornado. From within, a figure slowly emerged.

Saintly might poured from him, shaking the sky. It was an old man in a gray robe, a long tail behind him bristling with spikes. His head was that of a serpent, a large gem embedded on his crown.

“Is that the Demi-Demon Serpent Sovereign?” someone exclaimed.

“That’s right, one of the few wandering Saint Sovereigns in the Absolute God Heaven,” another said. “He once destroyed several sects. A true killer. Then he disappeared for years… and now he shows up again.”

“With a Saint Sovereign stepping in, this just got interesting.”

Many whispered among themselves. The True Martial Sacred Ground’s movements had long been monitored. Lesser factions followed the treasure ship; stronger ones watched from afar.

…

The Demi-Demon Serpent Sovereign stared coldly at Paimon and said with a faint smile, “Friend, would you give me some face? I’ll be taking these men under my protection.”

“What are you supposed to be? Why should I give you face?” Paimon replied bluntly.

The Serpent Sovereign’s smile darkened. His massive tail cracked through the sky with a thunderous boom.

“I want peace,” he said. “Not because I fear you, simply because I don’t want trouble. But if you insist on fighting, I will accompany you to the end.”

“My lord’s command is everything I act upon. If you try to stop me, I’ll cut you down,” Paimon said coldly.

Demonic energy surged around him. He stepped forward, a kick wrapped in endless demonic force crashing down toward the Serpent Sovereign.

The Serpent Sovereign hissed sharply, spitting his forked tongue. With a sweep of his hand, a powerful blast erupted, trying to blow Paimon away.

But Paimon’s strength far exceeded his expectations.

Not only did the Serpent Sovereign fail to knock Paimon back, he was stomped into the ground instead, hurled downward like a meteor.

A deafening crash followed. A massive crater appeared, bottomless and dark.

…

“Damn you!” the Serpent Sovereign roared.

From within the pit, a giant serpent with nine heads burst out, power surging around it. Each head exuded a chilling aura of death. Nine torrents of force shot toward Paimon.

Paimon only sneered. “A mere Eternal Overlord dares to block my path?”

He flashed forward, extending a massive demonic claw. In an instant he was behind the nine-headed serpent. One claw, one head, like slicing melons. In moments eight heads were severed.

The serpent was terrified and furious. It writhed wildly, then coiled its thick tail around Paimon, trying to crush him.

A childish thought.

Paimon tore free effortlessly. The serpent’s tail exploded under the force.

His demonic claw landed on the final head. With a terrified thud, the serpent collapsed to the ground. That last head was its lifeline, the only one that truly mattered. It could regrow the others, but if the final one was taken, even survival would be a luxury.

The serpent begged for mercy.

Paimon ignored it. His claw descended, crushing the last head and twisting it off.

A boom echoed as a fountain of blood sprayed from the neck.

The watching crowd was horrified. A Saint Sovereign, slain just like that. Even those who thought they had already overestimated the True Martial Sacred Ground now realized they hadn’t. And this Paimon, none had seen him before.

People began to speculate.

Was Xu Zimo truly the only ancestor of the sect?

After killing the Serpent Sovereign, Paimon hung the severed head in the air, placing it on the dragon ship’s head. Then he slowly turned toward the four surviving faction leaders.

They dared not hesitate. They tried to flee.

But the falling demonic aura consumed everything. They struggled briefly before being dragged into the darkness, leaving no remains behind.

Xu Zimo waved his hand. The space around Paimon twisted, and he returned to the God World.

Even the disciples of the True Martial Sacred Ground were stunned speechless.

“Let’s go. We should reach the Yue God-Clan before dark,” Xu Zimo said.

His voice finally pulled everyone back to their senses.