Chapter 1020: Silver Wings of Time, Bloodline Extraction (II)

While waiting, Chen Chu summoned his attribute panel with a thought. Staring at the 410,000 remaining attribute points, he mentally commanded,

Burn attribute points. Enter epiphany state.

He couldn’t afford to waste even two days. Every minute was precious now. He needed to seize every moment to improve his strength.

A transparent line of text appeared in front of his eyes.

[Burn 100,000 attribute points to enter epiphany state?]

100,000...

Chen Chu paused.

After breaking through to the advanced level, his attribute panel had evolved, gaining the ability to burn attribute points to enter an epiphany state. The training speed during this state was over a hundred times faster—terrifyingly efficient.

At first, it only required 1,000 points to cultivate in epiphany state for a full night. After reaching the mythical level, the cost to enter the state rose to 10,000 points, as the cultivation involved comprehending laws. This had been one of the key reasons why he had advanced so quickly.

Now that he had reached the ancient titan level and begun comprehending principles, the requirement had increased again, now reaching 100,000 points. That meant the 410,000 attribute points he currently held would only last two days, yet the ancient titan level was just the beginning for Chen Chu.

He paused for only a moment before making up his mind.

Burn 400,000 attribute points. Enter epiphany state.

Boom!

400,000 attribute points vanished in an instant, transforming into an incomparably profound and mysterious aura that shrouded Chen Chu and formed a circular illusory world projection.

Chen Chu sat cross-legged at the center of the phantom world. Above him, a towering transparent tree, tens of thousands of meters tall, emerged. Enormous branches spread in all directions. Chen Chu’s consciousness expanded outward through the trunk and branches, stretching to the farthest limits. Countless realizations surged through his mind.

The transparent trunk was thick and solid, imbued with pure, overwhelming power. The extending branches each represented a high-level law, a divine ability, or a bloodline related to his true form.

In Chen Chu’s perception, those branches were actually composed of complex runic sequence chains, rotating slowly as they revealed the underlying essence of these powers to him.

His consciousness split into dozens of threads, reaching upward to the heavens and downward to the earth. The transparent tree, representing his comprehension of principles, visibly grew stronger and larger.

***

One day later, at a border city of the Purgatory Empire, a figure flew rapidly toward the city center. That was the former headquarters of the Assassination Division, now repurposed as the Intelligence Division. Soon, the figure radiating the aura of the Ninth Demonic Mark charged into the Division’s main hall.

Moments later, led by two demon kings, over a dozen demons took to the skies, heading toward a location over four hundred thousand kilometers away. To reach their destination faster, Brooks, who led the group, activated his principle-powered demonic domain and carried all of his subordinates forward at a hundred times the speed of sound.

Unlike the human territories near the forbidden zone, which were riddled with traps, dangers in the surrounding regions near the Purgatory Empire weren’t everywhere. As a result, it only took three hours for Brooks and the other demons to reach the vicinity of the silver forbidden zone.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Over a dozen figures landed atop the canopy of a towering tree, as tall as a mountain. One of the demons, at the Ninth Demonic Mark, glanced toward the dark region a hundred kilometers away, where a silver pillar of light pierced the sky and earth.

Brooks slowly said, "Tabor, is this the great treasure you mentioned?"

The glancing demon respectfully lowered its head. "Yes, Lord Brooks. Although I am not particularly strong in combat, I once awakened a special bloodline ability. After receiving the border report of an anomaly, I came personally to investigate. The moment I saw that pillar of light, I felt an overwhelming sense of dread. I am certain that an immensely powerful treasure has emerged from within. It was likely nurtured by the forbidden zone itself. It might even be a pseudo-world-level weapon. However, the interior is extremely dangerous. I was unable to approach. Otherwise, I would have already retrieved the treasure and presented it to you, my lord."

As the demon finished speaking, the surrounding demons all revealed expressions of greed, including Brooks and Guludeen. The fork-horned demon king's aura appeared normal, and its injuries seemed to have fully healed.

Brooks gave a slow nod. "This place is indeed dangerous. The forest at the entrance is filled with intense spatial tearing forces. Even I feel a faint sense of unease."

"You stay here and keep watch. Guludeen and I will go in for a look."

The dozen or so high-level demons bowed respectfully. "Yes, my lord."

Boom! Boom!

Brooks and Guludeen’s auras erupted. Their bodies swelled in size, revealing their several-hundred-meter-tall true forms. Shrouded in rolling dark demonic qi, they charged into the silver forest.

Only moments later, two battered figures burst back out from within. Brooks was covered in wounds, his body marked with deep gashes, across which sharp silver light flowed and constantly clashed with dark laws. Guludeen was even more heavily wounded. Half of its body was missing, and its divine soul had been gravely damaged, leaving it unconscious.

The dozen demons were shocked and quickly rushed over. "Lord Brooks, Lord Guludeen, are you both all right?"

Brooks looked shaken and agitated. His voice was grave with urgency as he shouted, "Tabor, stay here with two demons and make sure no living creature approaches the forbidden zone. The rest of you return with me at once. We must report this situation to Our Majesty Deorus."

"Understood." The other true demons all looked stunned.

Clearly, the treasure within that forbidden zone was even more valuable than they had imagined. It could be something far more significant than merely a pseudo-world-level weapon and warranted alerting a demon god.

Carrying the unconscious Guludeen, Brooks released a burst of dark demonic qi, lifting nine of his subordinates as he sped toward the direction of the Purgatory Empires. A few hours later, thick, black demonic clouds returned to the skies of the Purgatory Empires, continuing their course toward the distant demonic domain, nearly a million kilometers away.

Upon entering the Dark Demonic Morkaya Empire, Brooks immediately used the empire’s demonic web to transmit a message: A matter of great importance had arisen, and he requested an audience with Deorus.

"The head of the Intelligence Division wants to see Our Majesty again." Within the reconstructed demonic domain, a purple-haired woman with a fiery figure and clad in ornate red battle armor leaned lazily upon its throne. Gazing at the black sigil that had appeared before it, it let out a soft hum.

After a brief moment of thought, Tarorya rose from its seat and turned to head toward the back of the demonic palace. It passed through several tightly guarded black halls before arriving at the heart of the demonic domain, where a massive dark vortex churned like a world-devouring abyss.

"Your Majesty,” it said, “Demon King Brooks, the head of the Intelligence Division, has requested an audience just now."

The dark vortex trembled slightly. From within came Deorus’s low and icy voice. "Did I not say that no one is to disturb me until the appointed time?"

In order to avoid detection by that terrifying colossal beast during the previous battle, Deorus had burned a large portion of its origin power and suffered significant injuries. Coupled with the failed infiltration of the Blue Planet, where it lost two strands of its soul essence, its condition had worsened even further.

So, after confirming that the eight great empires had indeed formed an alliance, it had returned to the Dark Demonic Morkaya Empire’s demonic domain to enter seclusion, aiming to restore its strength before the great war began.

Tarorya bowed respectfully. "Your Majesty, under normal circumstances I would never dare disturb you. But this time, Brooks claims to have made a discovery of great importance, one that concerns you directly."

"Concerns me?" The vortex rippled slightly. After a brief silence, Deorus’s voice echoed out again. "Where is Brooks now?"

"It just returned from beyond the empire’s borders and is currently on its way to the city of Kud to use the Void Demonic Eye transmission array. It is expected to arrive within one star-quarter."

"When it arrives, bring it to me."

"Yes, Your Majesty," replied Tarorya respectfully.

Outside the demonic domain, the dark-red demonic clouds above the sky suddenly churned violently. A massive vortex spun open, revealing a blood-red eye slowly opening from within.

Boom!

Faint silhouettes could be seen crossing the void within the eye. Then a red pillar of light descended, slamming onto the altar below.

Upon that altar—engraved with countless demon runes and shaped like a colossal eye—stood Brooks, the heavily injured Guludeen, and nine advanced demons.

Around the altar, the demons guarding the Void Demonic Eye transmission array bowed respectfully. "Greetings, Lord Brooks. Our Highness has ordered us to escort you into the demonic domain."

Brooks gave a cold nod. "Lead the way."