"Boom!"
The Infernal Gate slammed shut.
Following that, the purple pillar of light enveloping Stellarburg suddenly developed cracks, then explosively burst into fragments of starlight, dissipating into the air.
The sacrificial array was utterly destroyed!
"Waste."
As the pillar vanished, a detached voice seemed to drift from the distant heavens, faint yet carrying a dizzying force with it.
Merely hearing it induced a sense of vertigo in the onlookers.
They gazed skyward, a chill running down their spines.
This was... the voice of the Dusk Lord!
This entity had been on the other side of the sacrificial array all along! Had the Dusk Sect's plan come to fruition...
Many faces paled with terror at the unthinkable consequences.
Shadowcloud, holding his purple dagger, stood with his tattered clothes fluttering in the wind.
Black lines radiated from the center of his forehead, spreading rapidly.
His life force flickered as if it were a candle in the wind, threatening to extinguish at any moment.
"Dusk Lord, huh?" Shadowcloud sighed, weariness etched on his face.
He was all too aware that numerous dark gods coveted this land, stopping at nothing in their efforts to descend upon it.
The horror and madness of these beings remained vivid in Shadowcloud's memory.
Regrettably, he might no longer have the chance to thwart these entities.
Gazing at the gradually fading Infernal Gate, a hint of regret appeared in Shadowcloud's eyes.
Not just the dark gods, even Rean had narrowly escaped this time.
Two strikes of the Godslayer Blade had failed to annihilate him on the spot.
Shadowcloud mocked himself, "In the end, it seems I've grown old..."
No sooner had he spoken than his complexion turned beet red, then swiftly ashen pale.
Shadowcloud clutched at his chest, his body staggering before plummeting from mid-air.
Watching that figure swiftly descending, Victor wanted to save him, but was held back by the Desire Demon, rendering him unable to move.
"Get lost!"
Victor's face was grim, his aura of murder surging.
A beam of light shot up from the sword in his hand, followed by countless blade auras at his feet suddenly merging into a towering greatsword, slashing at the Desire Demon with unparalleled momentum.
The skies rolled back as dark clouds, the giant sword, ensnared in a tempest, thunderously crashed down.
Without Rean, the Desire Demon's strength had significantly diminished.
Faced with Victor's heaven-cleaving strike, it stood no chance of resistance, its immense body cleaved in two.
A piercing shriek rang out as the giant sword exploded within it, transforming into countless blade auras rampaging and wreaking havoc inside.
Before it could begin to mend its wounds, several more deadly blade auras struck.
The air was wild with sword energies, each blade aura carrying terrifying power.
The Desire Demon's vast body dissipated at a speed visible to the naked eye, like a block of ice melting under the sun.
Without waiting for a response, Victor transformed into a beam of sword light, swiftly following Rean's trail.
Elsewhere, just outside Stellarburg, jubilation filled the air.
The masses witnessed the shattering of the purple pillar of light that had enveloped all of Stellarburg.
The terrifying black monster, too, had been slain by a giant sword, signaling that the crisis was averted.
However, transcendent-tier powerhouses like Albertus and Dark Fox still wore grave expressions.
Their formidable abilities and enhanced vision allowed them to perceive more than most.
Though they couldn't see every detail of the battle, they distinctly noticed the Infernal Gate slamming shut and Shadowcloud plummeting from the sky, understanding that the situation of this legendary warrior was far from optimistic.
Moreover, within Stellarburg, numerous dusk worshipers remained.
If these individuals weren't dealt with promptly, they could still inflict tremendous harm on Hidden Stars.
Although the immediate danger had been neutralized, it was no time for complacency.
As they deliberated on whether to enter Stellarburg, a sinister presence suddenly emerged.
Almost immediately, a formidable pressure descended upon the area, petrifying everyone in place.
Faces filled with shock and bewilderment, they wondered what was happening.
John's expression dramatically shifted as he swiftly turned towards the source of this aura.
It was the unmistakable presence of the Dusk Sect! A dreadful premonition rose in John's heart.
Could it be Rean...?
The next moment, a profound and pitch-black light flared, confirming John's suspicion.
A mere few dozen meters from the crowd, a colossal black gate rapidly materialized.
Despite its battered condition, the gate exuded a horrifying aura.
It was the Infernal Gate, indeed!
Under the watchful eyes of all present, the Infernal Gate slowly creaked open.
What followed was a ghastly head, resembling a malevolent spirit, wrapped in thick black mists, shooting out of the gate like lightning.
The head's skin was charred, bereft of hair, its face marred by burns, with some areas revealing the stark whiteness of bone and teeth beneath.
The eyes were nothing but bloody, fleshy pits.
It was Rean!
The moment Rean was seen, nearly everyone present held their breath.
He was still alive! And he had escaped to this place!
The newly awakened, their faces etched with terror, had all heard tales of Rean's dread.
The state of Stellarburg, now in ruins, was his doing--calling him a demon in human flesh was no exaggeration.
Facing such a deranged individual, many felt their legs weaken.
"Everyone, leave this place at once!"
John was the first to react, gripping the Bloodthirsty Blade tightly as he roared a warning, urging the crowd to flee.
It was then that the others snapped to their senses--staying meant certain death.
The crowd dispersed in a tumult.
Apart from those from Hidden Stars and individuals like Albertus, everyone swiftly evacuated the area.
The officials, in particular, ran for their lives as if possessed, cursing why they weren't born with an extra pair of legs.