It Should End

It threw its head back and let out a roar that sounded nothing like a human voice. Its massive body began to convulse violently, and its bluish-purple skin split apart inch by inch.

More and thicker black blood vessels surged out from the cracks. They multiplied frenziedly and became hopelessly tangled, completely wrapping the creature in a gigantic black cocoon of flesh.

“What is it doing?” Hong Yuan asked warily.

“Things are looking bad. Everyone, fall back.”

An Changqing immediately issued the order. Everyone instinctively retreated, widening the distance between themselves and the bizarre cocoon.

Hong Yuan was on the verge of losing her temper. “We’ve all avoided using our abilities. How is it still evolving?”

Liu Feiyu pointed to the blood-red magic array that had appeared on the floor at some point. “And the people we brought in from outside. They’ve probably been caught up in the battle too. Now, every fight taking place here has become a key activating this altar.”

“Now, the sacrifice… is about to emerge.”

The moment he finished speaking—

Rumble!

The entire theater began to shake violently.

Dust sifted down from the ceiling as enormous cracks appeared out of thin air. Something was about to descend.

The layers of flesh began peeling away from the cocoon, revealing what lay within—a beating heart.

The heart was as large as the front of a truck, its surface covered in writhing blood vessels as it throbbed steadily.

Every beat let out a deep, muffled boom like a war drum, while a nauseating stench spread through the entire theater.

Countless thick black tubes extended from the bottom of the heart, winding toward and connecting with the theater’s walls and floor. The entire space had been transformed into a living organ.

Liu Feiyu’s expression grew grave. “This… this is the core. All our battles, all the energy we’ve released, has been absorbed by it.”

“Not just that.”

An Changqing’s expression was equally solemn as his gaze swept over the tubes connected to the ground.

“It’s also drawing on the ley lines beneath Magic City. That’s the primary source. At most, we’re only the ignition switch.”

Those words weighed heavily on everyone present except Chen Guan.

“Hahahaha! Welcome, welcome, everyone, to the sight of my masterpiece.”

Liu Xiao’s voice echoed through the space in rhythm with the beating heart.

“I’ve named it the Cradle of Astaroth.”

“You are all fortunate enough to witness a truly great moment.”

“When the hourglass on the stage runs out, the Cradle will be fully activated.”

“By then, the colossal power accumulated here—enough to trigger a small-scale natural disaster—will tear open the curtain between reality and the void, allowing the great divine shadow to descend upon this place.”

Liu Xiao’s voice was filled with indescribable devotion.

“And you, my dear guests, will become the first witnesses after the divine shadow arrives.”

The instant his voice fell silent—

Crack. Crack.

The theater’s smooth floor split apart inch by inch. Pale arms reached up through the cracks, followed by hundreds and thousands of puppets crawling out from underground.

Their eyes glimmered with scarlet light. Their movements were stiff yet swift as they surged toward the people at the center of the stage, forming an army of demonic puppets that was both fearless of death and seemingly endless.

“Damn it.”

Hong Yuan held her giant ax across her body, her scalp prickling as she stared at the vast, dark mass of puppets.

Just as the group was about to be swallowed by the tide of puppets—

A shadow silently swept over their heads and landed at the very front of the formation.

It was Chen Guan.

With his back to the others, he stared at the enormous, ever-beating heart, completely ignoring the army of puppets before him.

“Take out the heart first.”

His words set the sole objective for the chaotic battle.

“Then let’s smash it to pieces.”

Long Ao spoke excitedly. With a clear target before him, his fighting spirit ignited instantly.

“Good.”

A glint flashed in An Changqing’s eyes as he made his decision.

He shouted his orders. “Long Ao, Hong Yuan, Liu Chengjun.”

“You three will attack head-on. Clear out those cannon fodder and create a straight path to the heart.”

“Liu Feiyu.”

“Here.”

Liu Feiyu immediately responded.

“Disrupt those tubes. Don’t let them continue supplying energy. Even if it’s only for an instant, create an opening.”

“I’ll handle the main assault.”

In truth, An Changqing was already beginning to regret this—not coming here, but bringing Long Ao, Chen Guan, Hong Yuan, and the others with him. His father had clearly only told him to come.

This was no longer something that could be dealt with easily.

But regret was useless now.

The only thing he could do was make sure his companions did not die before him.

After An Changqing assigned the tasks, everyone swiftly moved into position.

“Understood.”

Long Ao was the first to respond. He charged straight into the army of puppets.

His fists cut through the air with tremendous force. Every punch sent several puppets exploding into pieces.

“Keep up!”

Hong Yuan shouted. She swung her giant ax in a deadly vortex, following close behind and cutting down every puppet attempting to surround Long Ao, clearing his flank.

Watching those two valiant figures, the fury in Liu Chengjun’s eyes transformed into tangible flames.

This time, his flames would not serve as an energy source for the enemy. Instead, they were the most effective weapon for clearing out these fragile puppets.

The three of them formed a blazing arrowhead and forcibly carved a path through the endless army of demonic puppets.

Elsewhere, Liu Feiyu pressed his palms together and closed his eyes.

The moisture permeating the air throughout the theater began to gather around him in a frenzy.

“Stop.”

He uttered the command in a low voice. The chaotic moisture immediately spread throughout the entire space.

The tubes came to a halt at once, and the transmission of energy became noticeably sluggish.

Boom. Boom-boom… boom.

The beating of the gigantic heart fell briefly out of rhythm.

An Changqing, who had been gathering his strength, seized the opportunity.

His figure moved.

Starlight flowed along his sword. Man and blade became one, transforming into a dazzling meteor that followed the path Long Ao and the others had carved open and shot straight toward the heart’s body, which had revealed a momentary weakness due to the disrupted energy supply.

Time seemed to slow at that instant.

Everyone’s eyes converged on that streak of light.

The radiance arrived in the blink of an eye. The tip of the sword was just about to pierce the heart’s thin layer of flesh—

When a figure emerged from the beating flesh and blocked the blade.

It was Liu Xiao.

A smile hung on his face. Facing An Changqing’s full-powered strike, which contained all his strength, he merely extended two fingers and casually caught the tip of the streaking sword.

Hum.

All the light, all the power, and all the momentum vanished completely before those two fingers.