Indeed, just one second later, the trace of consciousness within the dragon ball was eradicated by the Heaven's Heart Mark—there was no suspense.
In a sense, the Heaven's Heart Mark was the consciousness of the Heavenly Dao itself. Even if it was only a fractional and incomplete sliver of the Heavenly Dao's consciousness, it was not something a cultivator or a member of the Demon race could contend against.
Moreover, the consciousness inside this dragon ball was, at most, merely a wisp of a remnant soul!
Chapter 261