Chapter 144: Suppression

In the void, two majestic figures, towering like gods and demons, stood firm, their immense, abyss-like presence suppressing the turbulent chaotic currents surrounding them. Due to Adis’s previous strike, a vast natural divine power still permeated the Demon God’s form, laced with pure, conflicting laws of nature that briefly shackled him.

"You..." Opposite him, the Demon God sensed Adis’s aura, his blood-red eyes widening in shock.

Adis, however, afforded him no time to speak. Seizing this rare opportunity, he surged forward. As his strength condensed, a power as vast as a world erupted, striking directly at his foe. Hit by this blow, the Demon God was wounded again, spitting out a mouthful of malevolent blood. Yet, even as his own power surged, he managed to break free from his restraints in that very instant. He roared, and rather than fleeing after being so heavily struck by Adis, his inner ferocity was ignited. With a savage expression and undiminished momentum, he charged straight at Adis.

Their powers collided once more, but this time, Adis held nothing back. As his divine power condensed, a trace of law rippled through the surroundings, blasting the Demon God away and shattering a vast stretch of the void's turbulence.

"Roar!" As scars appeared across his body, the Demon God let out a thunderous cry. The core malevolence within him surfaced, instantly knitting together the terrifying wounds upon his frame.

"You forced my hand!" he growled. Standing tall with a body as resilient as steel, a terrifying fluctuation began to resonate. It was as if an ancient entity were awakening; a horrifying presence emerged from within the Demon God, sweeping across the void with a might that transcended the world itself. The surrounding void, once merely turbulent, now began to howl, appearing utterly insignificant before this colossal power.

"This is?" A flicker of doubt crossed Adis’s mind. His golden eyes fixed upon his foe, sensing a malevolence so pure and extreme that it was awakening. It was potent, powerful, and far beyond the sixth level. Even the mere perception of it caused Adis to frown, sensing a profound dread. "This power no longer belongs to the sixth-level hierarchy," he thought to himself, just as the Demon God suddenly turned back.

A suffocating majesty descended. Adis let out a muffled grunt, his radiance of divinity sweeping outward before he retreated.

The Demon God, eyes burning crimson and his body wreathed in immense power, felt a hidden pang of agony. To obtain strength that transcends one's own limits always demands a price. While he appeared powerful, he was, in truth, burning the very essence of his demonic origin. It was a remnant essence left behind by a being who had touched the realm of eternity—invaluable and precious. If absorbed slowly, it could have propelled him to a higher plane; yet here, it was being squandered in a desperate conflagration.

Driven by this realization, his expression turned wild. Watching Adis’s figure fade into the void, he unleashed a crushing, devastating blow. It was an attack that surpassed the sixth level, breaking through a limit to a degree that would strike terror into the heart of any observer.

However, sensing the strike, Adis remained unmoved, merely offering a faint, bitter smile. From afar, seeing Adis’s reaction, a strange premonition stirred within the Demon God, leaving him startled. "No, impossible. This strike consumed the majority of my essence. Unless one is the absolute pinnacle of the sixth level, it is impossible to withstand."

Even as this thought crossed his mind, the situation shifted dramatically. Within the void, a touch of green appeared, vibrant and clear. Behind Adis, a towering ancient tree quietly manifested. Its form was vast and majestic, as if supporting the very sky and earth, suppressing everything in its wake.

"What is that!" The Demon God watched in horror, sensing the profound aura of a world and immense power emanating from the ancient tree.

In the next moment, Adis silently turned and merged with his true form. Instantly, the ancient tree erupted with brilliant, clear light. The aura of a world manifested, transforming into a shield of law that surged forward. The two immensely powerful forces collided. Amidst the impact, flickers of order began to emerge; though they constantly shattered, they wore down the force of destruction layer by layer.

Ultimately, the destructive energy in the void gradually dissipated. The ancient tree’s trunk was blasted with a gaping hole, and countless branches and leaves withered under the influence of the powerful destruction, yet it stood firm, refusing to collapse. Seeing this, the Demon God stared in disbelief: "What kind of tree is this!"

But Adis gave him no further opportunity.

On the ancient tree, a radiance began to diffuse, enveloping the surroundings. Under this light, the remaining destructive energy was dissolved. Then, the ancient tree surged forward, and to the Demon God’s astonishment, suppressed him into a vast divine realm.

With this completed, Adis’s figure reappeared in the void, gazing down at the divine realm, which was now vibrating violently. As the Demon God struggled within, his immense power rippled through the realm, causing it to tremble. Seeing this, Adis sneered and waved his hand.

Obeying his will, countless pale threads of faith outside the divine realm began to boil. Under Adis’s guidance, they poured relentlessly into the Demon God’s body. Suddenly, the Demon God froze. A flicker of confusion and agony crossed his eyes; in his mind, images of countless believers praying fervently flashed by, relentlessly assaulting his consciousness. As this process unfolded, his true spirit became entangled with impurities forged from the faith, polluting his once vast and pure spirit until it became murky and clouded.

The scene fell silent. In the next instant, Adis maneuvered his true form—the ancient tree—back into the divine realm. As the tree returned and took root, its countless roots began to spread, gradually ensnaring the Demon God’s body, continuously draining his essence to fuel its own growth.

Suddenly, Adis’s entire being shuddered as countless insights into the laws of existence flowed through his true form. Among them were fragmented memories, appearing to be the origins and growth experiences of the Demon God. However, because the original Demon God had long since perished, the memories were shattered, yet one could still faintly perceive the image of another world.

"Is this... the world from which this Demon God originated?" Adis mused, sensing these memories as he whispered to himself.