The pursuit didn't last long before Ao Yuan found himself right behind Hades.
At this proximity, Ao Yuan could clearly sense Hades' presence. Naturally, Hades could also clearly detect Ao Yuan's aura.
Glancing back slightly and seeing Ao Yuan with his jaws agape right behind him, Hades' face turned a few shades paler.
"How... how am I supposed to handle this?"
Fighting was out of the question. If he fought, he would likely be caught under the Divine Firmament Tribulation Lightning.
"Run!"
"Run fast!"
Hades' mind was consumed by this single thought. His speed surged again, regardless of the spiritual energy expenditure. His sole aim was to shake off Ao Yuan.
"Still trying to get away from me."
Watching Hades' desperate struggle, Ao Yuan sneered. Lightning surged between his claws, and while Hades was caught off guard, Ao Yuan hurled a thunderball.
Simultaneously, Hades felt an inexplicable sense of danger arise. Without a second thought, he dodged to the side.
*Boom!*
The thunderball whizzed past, then exploded in the air with a deafening roar. Seeing this, Hades' heart leaped as he remembered Ao Yuan's capabilities.
*Rumble!*
Just then, Hades suddenly sensed another wave of danger rising from behind him. No! It wasn't just one wave, but several... countless, in fact.
As Hades looked back in alarm, he was dumbfounded. He saw continuous flashes of lightning erupting from Ao Yuan's claws, and they moved towards him as if commanded by soldiers. Their trajectories filled the surrounding space, completely blocking any possible escape routes.
Seeing this, Hades' expression turned grim. However, he dared not speak, and immediately shifted his body, attempting to evade the attack. He was, after all, a powerful figure worthy of being called a main god, and through swift dodges, he narrowly avoided the strike. This alone was proof of his immense strength.
However.
Just as he breathed a sigh of relief, Ao Yuan's figure flickered. He vanished from his spot.
The next moment!
"Roar!"
A resonant dragon's roar shook the air. A brilliant flash of lightning suddenly appeared to his side, and Ao Yuan's form emerged from it. He raised his claws and met the attack head-on.
*Boom!*
Hades' heart pounded, and he instinctively wanted to dodge. But he knew he couldn't evade this one. He could only brace himself for the impact before seeking an escape.
*Boom!*
They collided, unleashing a world-shattering sound. Hades dared not meet the full force of the blow and, after blocking it, immediately tried to evade. But as he sidestepped, Ao Yuan, as if anticipating his move, blocked his retreat.
"How is this possible!" Hades exclaimed, both shocked and fearful. The reason was that from their previous clash, he clearly realized Ao Yuan's strength was not much inferior to his own. Moreover, his speed was a significant step behind Ao Yuan's. If this continued, he truly wouldn't be able to hold on.
"No!" The more Hades thought about it, the more his fear grew. He desperately tried to break free, but it was no easy feat. After several hasty exchanges, his movements became chaotic and disorganized, unable to withstand Ao Yuan's counterattacks.
At this moment.
The thing he feared most happened. The black tribulation clouds behind Ao Yuan, having pursued them for some time, had finally caught up.
"No, I must leave quickly! Even if I sustain injuries, I can't afford not to!" Hades' heart trembled, and he made up his mind. Sustaining injuries was far better than losing his life!
At this point.
Hades and Ao Yuan collided once again. After a brief clash, Hades immediately tried to dodge, but Ao Yuan's claws firmly gripped his left arm.
Seeing the Divine Firmament Tribulation Lightning was perilously close, Hades gritted his teeth and, with a flap of his wings, severed his own arm.
"Ah!" Hades cried out in agony, then, suppressing the pain, desperately tried to flee. If he didn't escape now, it would truly be too late!
But just then.
He suddenly discovered vines spreading from his severed arm. Like pythons, they clung to his body and instantly entangled him. Under normal circumstances, this would be nothing to Hades. He could easily break free with a few simple movements, taking mere seconds.
But in this situation, those few seconds were the final straw that broke the camel's back.
*Boom!*
Accompanied by a thunderous roar, Hades watched helplessly as the Divine Firmament Tribulation Lightning surged forward, completely engulfing Ao Yuan's body. Then, the terrifying lightning also consumed him, who was nearby.
"No!"
Finally.
Brilliant lightning illuminated the area, leaving only Hades' unwilling roar. His voice, under the terrifying lightning, grew weaker and weaker, until not a single sound could be heard. Only the surging lightning remained!
Meanwhile.
Zeus had fled for thousands of kilometers. Feeling no sense of danger, he finally stopped.
"Strange." Zeus looked back in confusion, his mind full of questions. In his understanding, Ao Yuan should have been relentlessly pursuing him. He was the one who had angered Ao Yuan the most. Wouldn't Ao Yuan want to drag him down before dying? Zeus found that hard to believe. But why hadn't Ao Yuan caught up by now?
*Boom!*
Just then, a world-shaking explosion shattered Zeus's thoughts.
"What... what's going on?" Zeus looked back with apprehension. The earth-shattering explosion had come from that direction. Far in the distance, Zeus could vaguely see lightning flashing there.
"Divine Firmament Tribulation Lightning?"
"Could it be that he didn't catch me, but was caught by the tribulation lightning first?"
As this thought crossed his mind, Zeus felt it was increasingly likely. Without further hesitation, he turned back and transformed into a streak of lightning, returning the way he came. He wanted to watch. He wanted to witness firsthand how Ao Yuan was annihilated by the Divine Firmament Tribulation Lightning. Only then could the heavy stone in his heart be lifted.
Zeus was swift, and in a flash, he arrived at the scene. He didn't rush in rashly but observed from a distance. The area ahead was filled with flashing tribulation lightning. Black tribulation clouds swirled above, like a colossal vortex, constantly churning.
Looking closer, he couldn't spot Ao Yuan. However, through his senses, Zeus detected a powerful aura beneath the Divine Firmament Tribulation Lightning. No... it wasn't just one aura! It was two!
"Strange?" Zeus was confused again. "Why are there two?"
"And where is Hades? Why don't I see him?" Looking around, Zeus voiced his questions again.