Chapter 499: Celestial Star Realm

"What, you don't dare? Wu Yu, don't you waste my kind intentions," Ye Han said teasingly.

"Ye Han, hold your tongue! The Wu Gui Family may not be saints, but we would never dream of betraying the Nether Domain!" Wu Hun, the patriarch of the Wu Gui Family, roared back in anger, his forehead slick with cold sweat. He knew that if he didn't take a clear stand right now, the others would target him next.

"Oh? How come I never noticed the Wu Gui Family's touching loyalty before?" Ye Han sneered, then shifted his gaze to two people standing beside Wu Yu and his group. A smile curled at the corner of his lips.

"Long Sha, Gui Sha — why don't you two join me instead? Back then, you led the siege on the City of Radiance and suffered devastating losses. Once the Nether Domain is destroyed, the very first thing I'll do is raze that City of Radiance. I want Ye Mo and his lot to know what a colossal mistake it was to cast me out of the Ye Family." A hint of madness flickered in Ye Han's eyes. "The Dark Guild has its own grudge against the City of Radiance — partnering with me is the most logical choice for your interests."

His words instantly drew every gaze toward Long Sha and Gui Sha.

"Pay no mind to this fool's rambling. Ye Han is merely trying to shake our morale!" Long Sha and Gui Sha's expressions shifted, silently cursing their luck.

In terms of allegiance, the Dark Guild and the City of Radiance were indeed bitter enemies, and their interests did overlap with Ye Han's to some degree. But no matter what, Long Sha and Gui Sha wouldn't dare betray the Nether Domain at a time like this.

Setting aside the fact that their Demon Lord had once taken the Nether Domain Controller's side as a disciple and entered a far vaster realm — even if they truly wanted to defect, they couldn't make a move under these circumstances.

"A bunch of cowards." Seeing no reaction from either the Dark Guild or the Wu Gui Family, Ye Han scoffed. His gaze drifted to yet another city's formation, and his eyes lit up.

"Oh? Is that Tian Ling of the Bei Ming Family?" Ye Han smiled. "Back in the day, you, Cang Ming of the Hunyu Family, and Mu Ye of the Lingxiu Family were all hailed as the Nether Domain's supreme geniuses. Now they've been selected and sent off to the Dragon Ruins Domain, joining major sects within — while you alone remain in this Nether Domain world. Tsk, tsk, tsk — how truly pitiful."

At the Bei Ming Family's position, Tian Ling's face turned ashen.

Ye Han shook his head and chuckled. "That bunch of losers don't dare lift a finger, but the Bei Ming Family is a top-tier clan in the Nether Domain world. All you need to do is secretly sabotage the Black Flame Grand Formation, and once we succeed, I'll personally recommend you to the Demon God Sect in the Dragon Ruins Domain. How about that?"

"Oh, I forgot to mention — the Demon God Sect is the most powerful sect in the entire Dragon Ruins Domain. Far stronger than those so-called Six Great Divine Sects the others joined."

Ye Han spoke with a smile.

Below, the Bei Ming Family's ranks erupted into chaos and commotion.

If there was a way to survive, of course the Bei Ming Family would want to seize it.

"Well? Feeling tempted?" Ye Han grinned. "You don't need to sabotage the Black Flame Grand Formation directly — just cause a little disruption behind the scenes."

BOOM!

The moment his words fell, a golden-armored Temple God serving the Nether Domain Controller materialized above the Bei Ming Family, staring down coldly and stirring a fresh wave of unease.

The Bei Ming Family was one of the Nether Domain world's paramount clans. If they secretly undermined the Black Flame Grand Formation, it could indeed spell enormous trouble for the Domain Controller.

"Ha ha ha ha!"

Seeing this, Ye Han burst into laughter. "Tian Ling, it seems the Domain Controller's Temple Gods don't quite trust you?"

"Don't let this man sow discord among your ranks!" the Nether Domain Controller barked, his face dark as iron.

Ye Han spoke openly for all to see, hiding nothing. But this was precisely what made his gambit so effective — an overt stratagem to tear the entire Nether Domain world apart from within. The Nether Domain had endured this long only because its people stood united, their strength bound together as one rope.

But if that spirit of unity shattered, the Nether Domain would surely fall.

"This can't go on!"

The Nether Domain Controller steeled his resolve and raised his head toward the sky, roaring, "Zhulong — if you want war, then let us fight!"

BOOM!

The Nether Domain Controller shot skyward. He knew that if he kept defending passively, the formation would eventually break. Only by taking the offensive was there any hope of victory.

"Kill!"

The Nether Domain Controller channeled the full power of the Nether Domain world's laws. Countless streams of law energy surged forward like hurricanes, transforming into pitch-black spears that screamed toward Zhulong.

"Ha ha ha ha — bring it on!"

Zhulong laughed and swept his hand. Arcs of profound frost coalesced into ice dragons, slamming headlong into the black spears. The deafening explosions shook the entire Nether Domain world as though the apocalypse had arrived. Chasm-like rifts and gaping wounds scarred the landscape everywhere — a truly terrifying sight.

Waves of horrifying shock rippled outward. The entire Ninefold Death Ground trembled violently. Apart from the seventh through ninth layers shielded by the Black Flame Grand Formation, the rest of the Nether Domain world began to crumble and collapse.

Nothing could withstand the force of their attacks. In their wake, rock was ground to fine powder.

Beneath the Black Flame Grand Formation, the Nether Domain's warriors hunched over, gasping under the crushing weight of that terrifying aura. If the Black Flame Grand Formation weren't shielding them, a single wave of that energy would have obliterated them — body, bone, and soul.

"So this is the power of Spirit God-level combatants? It's terrifying."