Chapter 1553: Escape! The World Ring!

In the instant the Immortal-Rank Flame Demon descended, the entire starry sky seemed cast into a hellish furnace.

A terrifying pressure, like a tangible tsunami, crashed over every inch of space!

The Annihilation Doushen Shenlei encircling Xu Jingming, the moment it touched that scorching aura.

Emitted a "chii-chii" cry of anguish, rapidly dimming and dissolving.

The primordial energy surging within him abruptly froze, even his thoughts seeming momentarily petrified.

"Immortal-Rank demon!"

Xu Jingming's heart jolted.

Immortal-Rank, he had not never seen before.

But this was his first time encountering one on the battlefield.

The fully unleashed terrifying pressure nearly made him feel suffocated.

This was a fluctuation utterly incomparable to the norm for an Immortal-Rank.

"An Immortal-Rank has descended! Quick! Run!"

The anxious voice of the little girl Vela rang out in his consciousness.

If she were still in her original soul form.

A mere Immortal-Rank could not possibly harm her.

But now she had been seeded with the Soul-Eroding Mark.

Should Xu Jingming die, the Soul-Eroding Mark would detonate.

Her soul's origin would shatter utterly, with no chance of survival.

Her life and death were now tightly bound to this human she regarded as a mere pest.

Naturally, she was frantic.

"Relax, he can't touch me."

To Vela's surprise, Xu Jingming, facing the Immortal-Rank pressure head-on.

After the initial shock, actually curled his lips into a reckless smile.

Before his words ended, a faint flash of light appeared on his right-hand finger's space ring.

Hum!

A deep, night-sky-like, three-meter-long spindle-shaped object materialized out of thin air.

Its entire surface rippled with mercury-like spatial waves — it was the secret treasure: Void-Dodging Spindle!

"Go!"

Xu Jingming's mind surged, pouring vast spiritual force and primordial energy frantically into the spindle.

"Shhh—"

The Void-Dodging Spindle blazed with brilliant light.

Enveloping Xu Jingming entirely, transforming into a faint silver shadow too swift for the naked eye to track.

The next instant, the space around the shadow rippled violently like water!

"Spatial fluctuation? Trying to escape?"

The flame demon god, striding through empty space from afar, growled.

The black demonic flames swirling around him erupted violently, forming a colossal flame palm that blotted out the heavens.

Fingers spread wide, radiating terrifying heat that burned the very laws of fire, lunging down to seize the faint silver shadow!

Where the giant palm passed, space cracked into blackened fissures, emitting a grating "crack-crack" sound.

This grab had reached absolute peak speed.

Enough to reduce an ordinary Cosmic-Rank to nothing — body and soul — before they could react.

Yet, it was half a step too late.

In the instant before the flame palm closed —

Chii!

The faint silver shadow slipped like a fish into water.

Silently merged into the twisted spatial ripples and vanished completely.

The flame palm slammed shut — but seized only a burst of chaotic spatial currents and scorching air.

"Escaped?!"

The Flame Demon's massive divine body halted in the starry void.

Its immensely powerful Immortal-Rank spiritual force had already spread like an invisible net.

Instantly scanning every inch of space within a million-kilometer radius, meticulously searching.

Nothing.

Not a trace of that human's presence remained.

The opponent had vanished as if evaporated, even the spatial jump's trail blurred and impossible to trace.

"A top-tier space-based escape treasure...

This human fellow is lucky indeed."

The Flame Demon's crimson pupils blazed with murderous intent, his voice rasping like grinding metal, "Don't let me catch you a second time."

With a cold snort, the Flame Demon's flames curled around him.

His massive divine body gradually faded, finally vanishing from the starry void.

Meanwhile, ten million kilometers away.

In the profound void, a faint silver shadow instantly appeared.

Reverting to Xu Jingming's form, along with the Void Shadow Dasher floating beside him.

"Whoosh—!"

Xu Jingming exhaled a long breath.

Even though he possessed the Seed of Immortality and could be reborn.

Yet facing the pressure of an Immortal Stage being, cold sweat still broke out along his spine.

It was a bodily instinctive reaction.

At present, he still lacked the strength to fight an Immortal Stage powerhouse.

"Too close… Thank goodness for this Void Shadow Dasher."

Xu Jingming looked down at the dull-glowing shuttle in his hand, his eyes filled with delight.

A single use could teleport him ten million kilometers, with its trajectory completely concealed.

The Void Shadow Dasher's escape capability was indeed extremely powerful.

"Why didn't you tell me about this secret treasure earlier?! I nearly died just now!!!"

In his consciousness sea, Vera, back in her little girl form, patted her tiny chest in relief.

In that moment, she had already seen her soul scattering into nothingness.

"Don't worry, I'm not that easy to perish."

Xu Jingming, now calm, put away the Void Shadow Dasher.

Then he took out the Dark Lord Ship from his space ring.

Only when the ship entered warp travel did he finally relax.

At this speed, the Immortal Stage demon could never catch up.

"Vera."

"Your Charm Art only attracts Cosmic Stage demons, right?"

"How did it draw an Immortal Stage one?"

Inside the cabin, Xu Jingming looked at Vera with confusion.

"That's correct."

Little Vera floated midair, shrugging her tiny hands.

"But the demons of the Black Flame Demon Nest aren't fools."

"With so many demons perishing in such a short time, they naturally sought the cause."

"That's true—I overlooked it."

"I only thought about efficient harvesting, underestimating the demons' reaction speed."

Xu Jingming, realizing this, rubbed his temples.

He had assumed he could harvest peacefully for at least a month, never expecting them to send an Immortal Stage force so quickly.

"It seems I can't return to the Black Flame Demon Nest for a while."

He thought silently.

The Void Shadow Dasher isn't invincible.

After this, they'll be on guard.

If they use special methods to seal space, I won't be able to escape at all.

"In that case, let's return to the Planetary Fortress for a while to rest."

Xu Jingming said, "Vera, set the destination to Fortress 102."

"Understood, Master."

After giving the order, Xu Jingming began the much-anticipated loot-sorting phase:

"Vera, bring out all the space rings."

"Okay."

Vera waved her tiny hand, her psychic force enveloping them.

A mountain of space rings piled up before Xu Jingming.

"Tsk, so many space rings."

"Isn't there a space ring that can store other space rings?"

Xu Jingming couldn't help but whistle.

Space rings cannot be placed inside other space rings.

So all the space rings he seized were stuffed into his backpack, held by Vera's psychic force.

It was truly inconvenient.

"Of course there is—these are generally called World Rings."

Vera swung her legs as she spoke.

"A World Ring can store not only space rings, but also living beings."

"But a World Ring is incredibly precious—usually only Immortal Stage experts use them."

"World Ring?"

Xu Jingming's eyes lit up. "Once we return to the fortress, I'll look into it."

Space rings were just tools—he'd never paid them much attention before.

He hadn't known such a wonderful thing as a World Ring existed.

It could store space rings—and living people too!

As for the price—

He was confident that his assets were sufficient to purchase one.

By then, collecting spoils would be much easier.