The dragon's remaining power struck Shen Yuan head-on, a blinding pillar of light engulfing him.
His bones cracked audibly under the strain, and blood spurted from his mouth as his body was hurled backward, slamming into the courtyard's shattered ground.
The earth trembled, and another deep crater formed beneath him.
Silence fell over the sect as the light faded. The heavens grew still, the oppressive clouds dissipating as the tribulation concluded. The golden dragon had disappeared after attacking Shen Yuan.
Shen Yuan lay at the bottom of the crater, his body battered and broken.
His breathing was ragged, and his entire body trembled from the overwhelming strain. Yet, he was alive. Against all odds, he had survived the heavens' final judgment.
Crimson Devourer, embedded in the ground beside him, pulsed faintly, its aura more refined and intense than ever.
