You don't want your secret to be revealed by others, right?

...

Inside the small world formed by the World Tree Branch.

"It can't be... the Eye of Heaven?"

Duanmu Yan looked incredulously at the sky above. As the refiner of the World Tree Branch, he could see the situation outside through the barrier of heaven and earth, and naturally saw the gigantic Eye of Heaven as well.

"The Crown Prince... did the Crown Prince actually take action directly?"

"Destruction, Heavenly Punishment!"

"Does he want to destroy this world? To provoke such Great Destruction, does he not care about the Seventeenth Prince's life? Why doesn't the Second Prince stop him? I'm merely an avatar, how could..."

Duanmu Yan's heart was in shock, unable to understand.

This world, formed by the World Tree Branch, was like a hostage trapped in a locked room; once forcibly attacked, the room would explode.

In such a situation, as the captor with just one avatar in the room, the Prince decided to disregard the hostage's safety and forcibly trigger a massive explosion?

Even if Baili Fengzhi might survive, a prince at the level of a mere cultivator like the Seventeenth Prince was certainly doomed.

Unless the Seventeenth Prince harmonized now.

But wasn't the Seventeenth Prince pursuing a level close to the Ultimate Path?

Surely, the Seventeenth Prince hadn't reached that level yet; otherwise, he should have harmonized in that previous situation. Furthermore, even if he was only approaching the Ultimate Path, even just mastering its prototype, Yan Yue Shenjun wouldn't have been able to suppress him so easily.

He didn't believe the Seventeenth Prince would willingly harmonize with the Heavenly Reversal Path just to become a Saint. If that were the case, why would the Second Prince value him so much?

So, no matter how one looked at it, once Great Destruction was triggered, the Seventeenth Prince was doomed!

He completely didn't understand what the Crown Prince was thinking.

"Second Prince!"

Duanmu Yan abruptly looked at the Second Prince within the small world and couldn't help but shout, "Has the Crown Prince gone mad? To actually unleash Destructive Heavenly Punishment?"

"Is that so?" the Second Prince said indifferently, "When the time comes, Baili Fengzhi and the Seventeenth Brother, having lost their power, will both die anyway. It is only sensible to choose the best outcome now."

Duanmu Yan's face turned icy, suddenly glancing at Lin Yue.

Just now, he sensed a strange fluctuation emanating from Lin Yue, a fluctuation resembling the Annihilation Path of Yan Yue Shenjun, the path of Water and Fire fusion.

This led him to speculate that perhaps Lin Yue had learned the Annihilation Path from the semi-divine artifact Sky Shattering Treasure Mirror of Yan Yue Shenjun?

In just such a short time, less than two intervals, mastering the Annihilation Path?

This perception was truly terrifying.

It left Duanmu Yan's heart deeply shaken.

But...

How could adding another Heavenly Reversal Path make a difference? Even if one were now close to forming the path prototype nearly reaching the Ultimate Path, one would still need to forcibly harmonize on the spot to survive the Great Destruction.

Moreover, even if Lin Yue had mastered the Annihilation Path of Water and Fire fusion, he still had his eyes closed, his brows tightly furrowed, seemingly pondering over something?

"Boom——"

A terrifying rumble suddenly erupted within the small world.

At that moment, the barrier of heaven and earth above shattered, and a black thunder of world-shattering destruction descended straight down from the sky.

Where the black thunder passed, the void shattered, and all things returned to void.

The World Tree, shimmering with a faint cyan glow, also trembled, its light instantly dimmed. The entire massive trunk shattered piece by piece, collapsing and breaking with no resistance.

But as the World Tree collapsed, this small world seemed to have been detonated.

Whether it was the void or the essence forming the small world, everything was completely reversed at that moment, transforming from vibrant and thriving infinite life into the utterly desolate Power of Great Extinction!

Silently, a dull gray light was born, exuding an endless intent of annihilation, rapidly expanding.

From above, it spread downward.

This terrifying Power of Great Extinction, along with the destructive wave of the Destructive Thunder, began to engulf everything in the small world, plunging it into Great Destruction.

Such a bizarre and terrifying scene, yet it possessed a heart-shaking aesthetic of destructive beauty.

The grayish Power of Great Extinction was enough to make all Saints tremble in fear!

This power was nearing the terrifying potency of a proving strong.

The key was that it was everywhere, engulfing everything, extinguishing all entities.

Where the Destructive Thunder passed, the Power of Great Extinction was instantly born.

There was no place to hide!

"Protect yourself, don't worry about Lin Yue; he will be fine."

The Divine Thought Avatar of the Second Prince calmly looked up at the quietly spreading Power of Great Extinction, along with sending a Divine Thought Transmission to Baili Fengzhi.

"Not worry about His Highness?" Baili Fengzhi's heart trembled.

But as she just watched that Power of Great Extinction descend, she realized that she didn't even have the confidence to protect herself, let alone the ability to guard His Highness.

Although she didn't know why His Highness would be fine, she could only resign to it.

"Hmm?"

At this moment, Baili Fengzhi noticed that Lin Yue suddenly opened his eyes.

In those eyes, it seemed as if the phenomena of earth, wind, water, and fire were floating and vanishing, and an aura emanated from His Highness that made her heart faintly tremble, though it was not yet complete.

"So close..."

In that instant, Lin Yue raised his head to look at the approaching Power of Great Extinction above.

The horrifying scene of endless life transforming into deathly extinction was reflected in his eyes, echoed deep in his heart.

The grayish Power of Extinction and the mystic extinction of all things made him shudder involuntarily.

But...

It also gave him a sense of familiarity.

Originally, his realm was already very high, able to perceive how far he was from the Ultimate Path.

And now, having also mastered the Annihilation Path of Water and Fire, combined with the Chasing Sun Path, Heavenly Tribulation Path, All Things Phase Path, Formless Path... the four phases of earth, wind, water, and fire had thoroughly communicated.

He felt closer to the Ultimate Path than ever before, as if one foot was already stepping into it, merely separated by a thin barrier.

Ultimate Path?

"Earth, wind, water, and fire, the four phases create worlds... they are the source of all vitality, but everything has Yin and Yang opposites; reversing them means... extinction?"

Lin Yue's eyes reflected the approaching Power of Great Extinction, engraving it into his mind.

Just before the Power of Great Extinction descended, he suddenly closed his eyes again.

"Your Highness?"

Baili Fengzhi couldn't help but be stunned. Was His Highness waiting for death?

At this very moment, an obscure Dao Rhythm fluctuation emanated from Lin Yue.

This fluctuation was quite ordinary and unremarkable, far less astounding than the wave of the Annihilation Path of Water and Fire fusion, as if merging with all things, without causing any disturbance.

Baili Fengzhi didn't even notice the special nature of this fluctuation.

Yet the Second Prince's eyes changed suddenly, turning sharply to look at Lin Yue, filled with shock, joy, relief, and helplessness... a myriad of emotions.

The gray Power of Great Extinction spread, enveloping several individuals.

The Second Prince's figure was illusory, seemingly nonexistent in reality, unreachable by the Power of Great Extinction.

Baili Fengzhi's body was burning with seven-colored flames, also striving to protect her.

Although the Power of Great Extinction was terrifying, she barely managed to resist it, with the Nirvana Flame continually reborn to restore her, allowing her to endure for a time.

As for His Highness?

She was completely enveloped by the Power of Great Extinction without the slightest ability to detect the situation.

"The Great Destruction has begun."

Although Duanmu Yan's avatar could control the World Tree, it couldn't escape the Power of Great Extinction, only waiting for death.

"Precisely, under the cover of the Great Extinction, it's also the best time to leave Great Yong."

Duanmu Yan waited silently.

At Great Destruction's moment, the heaven and earth's barrier of the Great Yong Divine Formation would also shatter, truly connecting with Eternal Night.

This was also his best opportunity to escape back to Eternal Night.

Otherwise, after this, if Great Yong strengthened its border closures, leaving would become very troublesome, so he might as well take the chance now.

After all...

That Seventeenth Prince within the Great Destruction was also dead for sure.

Suddenly—

"Hmm?"

Duanmu Yan suddenly felt a familiar aura appear before him.

Then, a hand unexpectedly grabbed him.

"Impossible..." His mind was stunned, struggling to release his Domain of the Void, only to discover...

It was Lin Yue!