Heart Survey

Chapter 2783 It’s unknown whether it will be sunny or rainy tomorrow
"It seems that the Illusion Demon Lord will not be coming again."

Black snow fell like eagle banners, and the High Priest of the Azure Sky Cult, standing before the tent, sighed with slight regret.

Upon returning from the campaign, Jin Tandu slowly wiped the blood off his face with a piece of cloth: "How dare he come looking for you?"

"The greedy will not stop. He was bound to visit, and I was prepared to keep him... In times of great strife, things can change in an instant."

Tu Hu reached out and caught a piece of black snow with his fingertip: "It's better to stick with what you know than to stick with what you don't know. I always prefer to face old friends."

Jin Tandu glanced back at the enemy formation in the distance.

The severing of the sun and moon has completely overturned the celestial order, and war has brought this black snow. The Central Celestial Realm has been utterly altered.

The Qingding Army, known as the strongest army among the sea tribes, lay silently hidden under the black snow, like a distant, sprawling mountain range.

A faint golden light emanates from deep within the mountain, seemingly dissolving the grievances of war. If one listens closely, one can also hear faint, almost imperceptible chanting. This is unsettling and disturbing.

"The sea creatures also brought their last possessions here."

"The so-called Great Prison Emperor, who is known as the number one military ruler in the Canghai region, is one thing... but even the Dragon Incense Bodhisattva of the Dragon Flower Pure Land is involved in war."

Jin Tandu mentally counted the changes in the Azure Cauldron Formation: "Didn't the Dragon King banish the Dragon Flower Pure Land to the void back in the era of the sages? The Yin Yang True Sage left behind a manuscript analyzing it, saying that this was a way to preserve the flame... How come that Dragon Buddha doesn't even intend to preserve the last legacy?"

He doesn't hesitate to call himself "Dragon Buddha".

The sword of the Penglai Daoist Master is pointing right at you!
Tu Hu shook his head: "The Dragon Buddha not only murdered the World Honored One, but also wanted to replace the Saha World with the Dragon Flower... The operation of the Saha Dragon Realm in the Lost Realm is the key point of His plan. When the Saha Dragon Realm is sublimated and the Dragon Flower Pure Land is full of virtue, they will be combined into one, and He will be able to establish the Central Dragon Flower World, which will be more powerful than it is now."

"But the Dao Lord of Penglai's Chao Cangwu Sword has always been against Him, and the incense offerings of the sea tribes are limited... Since He is based in the vast sea, His influence cannot reach the divine continent at all. Even in the heavens, it is gradually fading away."

"Relying on a single Dragon Incense Bodhisattva, painstakingly spreading the Dharma in countless small worlds, shining in this world only to perish in the next... what kind of prestige can be built up?"

"Therefore, the Central Dragon Flower World could never be realized. Now, the ocean has been damaged by the Central Dragon Flower World, and the Dragon Buddha is meditating in Penglai... This possibility has been lost forever."

The golden chrysanthemum has been counted halfway and cannot be counted any further.

He knew, of course, that the High Priest of the Divine Crown held the power of "Heavenly Knowledge," walked the path of "Omniscience," and was now terrifyingly powerful.

But I never imagined it would come to this.

You, Tu Hu, know all about Long Fo's schemes like the back of your hand?
Why bother with all the formation changes and military strategies? It's like the Demon-Subduing Heavenly Lord storming the Demon Realm—you just have to push through!

As if he had already seen through his thoughts, Tu Hu said, "The central moon gate has been broken. Now, this hanging moon is due to the illusory knowledge of the dark."

Jin Tandu was immediately startled and looked up at the moon hanging in the center.

He certainly didn't doubt Tu Hu's judgment, even though he couldn't see any problem with it.

“A good appetite is also a good tactic.” He was somewhat lost in thought: “Those who are far away are not easy to distinguish, and those who are close have already wasted their opportunity—we’ll fool as many as we can.”

Mu and Jing are neighbors after all. Although there has always been competition, the Demon Clan to the north and the Central Plains to the south pose significant pressures that cannot be overcome alone. In this shared predicament, "cooperation" is the prerequisite for a longer-term solution.

He may not have been pleased to see the State of Jing achieve the greatest feat in Shenxiao, but he couldn't help but feel saddened by the State of Jing's defeat.

As the leader of the Ironclad Cavalry and the main force in the expedition to Shenxiao, he could not ignore the chain of consequences caused by this matter.

“The presence of Prince Su and Lord Cangyu in guarding the borderlands may not be enough…” Jin Tandu asked cautiously, “Should we recall the Prince Consort?”

The Kingdom of Mu has also been plagued by constant turmoil in recent years.

The significance of the grassland kingship overriding the divine authority was even greater than the Jing Kingdom's elimination of Yizhen. However, the Mu Kingdom's foundation was ultimately inferior to that of the Jing Kingdom; unlike them, who, despite bleeding profusely, remained vigorous and powerful even after being ravaged.

Generation after generation of accumulation filled the Cangtu Heavenly Kingdom.

Beigong Nantu died first, followed by Ekelie.

In the battle that the Holy Martial Emperor ascended to heaven, the Divine Kingdom was utterly destroyed. Adding to this, Emperor Zhuangxiang donated the kingdom…

The success of the Azure Sky God has indeed given the Mu Kingdom a reason for its continued existence, so it no longer needs to take the risk of gambling like Jing Qi. However, the withered grass burned this winter still needs to wait for a patient spring.

Wang Fu's Emperor's Sword was unparalleled in the world, but now he guards the River Viewing Platform, beside the seriously injured Demon-Slaying Heavenly Lord...

Regarding the injuries of the Demon-Slaying Heavenly Lord, everyone kept quiet about it. However, as a high-ranking official of the Mu Kingdom who accompanied the expedition to Shenxiao, he learned some inside information from Tu Hu—the Demon-Slaying Heavenly Lord was currently in a near-dormant state and had completely cut off contact with the outside world.

That's why Wang Fu was so nervous, leading his army there and not moving an inch.

His Majesty has already sent all the precious healing medicines from the national treasury to Guanhetai, and Yun Kingdom has also spent a fortune to persuade Qi Guanzhen to join them... Of course, all of this is a covert operation. Tu Hu personally intervened to conceal the relevant information, which is why the news about Guanhetai is so elusive.

However, the current defensive formation of Guanhetai is already sufficient. Jin Tandu believes that it would be more strategic for Wang Fu to guard the border.

Tu Hu shook his head: "The King's presence at the flag-viewing platform on the river is absolutely necessary."

"I am a neighbor to the borderlands, and I must take responsibility for the desolate frontier."

"On the battlefield of Shenxiao, the grasslands have an inescapable duty."

"These are things that have to be done."

He lowered his gaze slightly: "Since the Bodhisattva Longxiang was injured by me, she should be cautious... On the current battlefield, I still need to trouble General Jin."

Jin Tandu was momentarily stunned.

Only then did they realize that Tu Hu had already separated into human and divine forms, with one body having gone to the borderlands.

He was completely unaware of it from beginning to end.

No wonder Tu Hu has never had much of an appetite for the current war. He has been staying in the army ever since he injured Longxiang Bodhisattva—that was probably the time he left.

"It is my duty, and I will certainly not shirk it." Jin Tandu said thoughtfully, "But I don't understand. With the Qi banner still in effect, the aquatic tribes guarding it, and that Mu Fuyao... does the Guanhetai really lack an emperor's sword?"

He could understand the responsibility of the border region.

Mu Jing and his companions stood together on the front line of life and death, always supporting each other's defenses.

It's better to support the State of Jing than to let other countries ask for help.

The downgrading of the State of Jing is not a good thing for the State of Mu at present.

However, the King remained motionless at the River-Viewing Platform, suggesting that personal matters outweighed state affairs. This was a time when manpower was most needed, and the Mu Kingdom's top-tier military strength was also limited.

Tu Hu sighed, “It’s not that Guanhetai lacks an Emperor’s Sword, it’s that there isn’t enough price to keep it in check. Guanhetai will inevitably change… The world is far from as peaceful as we see it.”

Jin Tandu knew that Tu Hu must know something he didn't. After thinking for a moment, he asked again, "Will things definitely change in the borderlands?"

He still felt that perhaps the High Priest of the Divine Crown should first secure victory in the current war, defeat the Great Prison Emperor and the Dragon Incense Bodhisattva, before considering matters concerning the borderlands?

He acknowledged the need to strengthen defenses in the borderlands, but this was merely a general's instinctive caution, a precaution against further attacks from the demon race on the Jing Kingdom. He didn't have high expectations for the scale of the border war. He thought that if the King Consort could be there to oversee things, the problem would be much less serious.

After all, the Demon Realm itself is riddled with holes, and those famous Demon Lords are either dead or crippled. Even if they attack the borderlands, they shouldn't have much of a suppressive force.

But Tu Hu's understanding was clearly different.

The High Priest's voice was somewhat grave: "As I predicted, the demonic tide will arrive soon."

Jin Tandu was startled!
"The invasion of the world by the demonic tide" and "the provocation of the border by the demons" are completely different things.

The latter happens every year. The battlefield is always in the endless quicksand. Even if three or five demons go on an expedition, it is a great battle. If a demon lord is in charge, it is a war that lasts for thousands of years.

And the Demon Tide...

Only when all the demons of the entire demon realm come out in full force and surge towards the mortal world can it be called a "demonic tide"!
The demon race's higher-ups never cared about the lives of the Yin Demons, and the Yin Demons were oblivious to death.

They are not seen as concrete beings; when they come together, they are the most merciless disaster, like fire and water.

The need arose that Tu Huqin was stationed in the remote border region.

After the separation of humans and gods, it became almost impossible for the Central Heavenly Realm to achieve any significant victory... The success of the Divine Firmament depends entirely on how well "Arona" fares in the Yaozhen Heavenly Sacred Palace.

“If it really comes to that, the Demon Realm will be wiped out. And the Demon Tide doesn’t currently have the power to ravage the human world…” Jin Tandu frowned and said, “What are those demons after? Or rather… what is that one after?”

Tu Hu glanced at him: "It's alright to talk about the Seven Hatreds a bit more. It's good to distract Him a little. The God is looking for His faults."

"However, this demonic tide was definitely not ordered by Seven Hates, as He could not have directly interfered in this war. It must have been the work of Chan Jingmeng and Illusion Demon Lord—but you are not wrong in asking, this matter should be within Seven Hates' calculations, and we must consider Seven Hates' demands."

"As for the purpose..."

"Chan Jingmeng's purpose is very clear. From the beginning, he had no intention of hiding it. He wanted to use urgency to prolong the war, to fight to the death, and even to promote peace through war."

"As for the Seven Hates... I cannot know. Transcendence is beyond measure, and my so-called 'knowledge of Heaven' is nothing more than picking up scraps after the fact."

He looked up at the black snow on the horizon, as if asking the transcendent demon, "But I wonder, is it possible that what's happening now is what He wants? Perhaps emptying the demon realm is His goal?"

Jin Tandu remained silent for a moment.

"To put it somewhat incorrectly, the grasslands currently have no opportunity for unification."

“A swift resolution of the Shenxiao incident is not in the national interest of the Mu Kingdom.”

"Jiang Shu and Jiang Wuliang went their separate ways and died together. Emperor Jing, wielding his sword, had no rivals left in the world."

"The Qin Emperor was majestic and steady, but lacked a bit of domineering aura. The Jing Emperor was fierce and intelligent, but unfortunately he was on the edge of a cliff."

"Our Emperor and the King of Chu are both newly enthroned rulers, and the King of Qi hastily ascended the throne; they all still need time to mature."

"Once the Divine Firmament War ends, the Central Empire will have eliminated both internal and external threats, but I fear..."

Jin Tandu stopped there.

His comments on the rulers of six kingdoms, even including the Mu Emperor, were somewhat "inappropriate." But his loyalty to the grasslands was evident to the heavens.

Tu Hu's deep eyes were like darkness, concealing thoughts that people could not see through.

He simply used his staff to lift the curtain: "Don't say such things again."

They then entered the tent.

Beside the commander's tent was a sacred tent, where the golden-crowned priests who accompanied the expedition offered prayers. Their prayers gave the steppe warriors courage and comfort, helping them to withstand the distant chanting.

Jin Tandu stood alone for a while, until black snow covered his shoulders, before putting on his helmet, turning around with his hand on his sword: "Ironclad Pagoda!"

Hululu.

Whistles sounded everywhere.

The sixth strongest cavalry force in the world, with both men and horses fully armored, surged forth from the black snow.

There were no shouts, no whispers, only the sound of hooves.

It rumbled and roared, like a mountain collapsing.

The Lord of the Ironclad Cauldron mounted his most magnificent celestial steed, cracked his whip, and proclaimed, "The name 'Azure Cauldron' offends the divine venerable—I will surely melt it down!"

……

……

Blood rained down like a red curtain.

Everything that was thus longed for was shrouded in red.

Too many true demons have died; this world can hardly bear the grief. The blood rain grows thicker, and the world seems ever more distant.

Who can tell which drop of blood is weeping for which true demon?

Qi Weiyi could no longer feel the sorrow of the world's origin—pain eventually turns into numbness, and the invasion of the human race's original will into the demon realm was also being tug-of-war in real life-and-death battles.

The wounds on his body have been bandaged.

He spread his arms, looked straight into the distance, and let his guards put on their armor.

"The Heavenly Breath Wasteland has been breached; next up is the Sighing Sea."

His voice pierced through the heavy rain and landed on the Conferred God Platform.

"This is a bloodbath; we must not lose it."

"The Heavenly Venerable Haoyuan died at Xuankan Pass. The dragons of the Sighing Sea are leaderless. The few Heavenly Demons guarding the city are not knowledgeable in military affairs. I request to lead the army there."

Qi Guanying, the commander of the Heavenly Soldiers of the Doubu, achieved enlightenment at the age of 101, causing a sensation in the imperial city. Qi Weiyi, who achieved enlightenment at the age of 87, surpassed him and was regarded as a peerless genius of the demon race.

He was once the leader of the new king of the Heavenly Ranking, and later entered the Heavenly Ranking again, vying for the top spot among the true demons.

The lifespans of humans and demons differ, so they cannot be compared in the same way. Tiger Tai Sui, who has a deep understanding of all the races in the heavens, concluded through careful deduction that the Qilin's eighty-seven years is equivalent to the human's twenty-three years.

Therefore, Qi Weiyi is equivalent to Jiang Wang of the demon race.

Following this logic, he would become a Celestial Demon around the age of 109, or at most 110. His strength would surpass all previous generations, making him the most powerful member of the Qilin clan.

He was confident.

At Taikoo Imperial City, he once declared that he would forge a different path and truly realize his potential.

On the day Qi Xianglin reached the summit, he watched helplessly as this powerful figure, who was to be chosen as the next commander of the Heavenly Soldiers of the Dou Department, was consumed by the flames of mortal tribulation.

On that day, eleven paths to the pinnacle danced together, eleven figures simultaneously striving for the summit: a human named Jiang Wang, and ten true demons... In the end, Jiang Wang's sword blocked nine of them, allowing one to pass. He severed nine paths to the pinnacle and killed the last one to reach the pinnacle, Qi Xianglin!
And he... could only watch from the sidelines, could only look up to them.

Some landscapes may seem insignificant in words, but the closer you get to them, the more distant they appear.

He knew he couldn't do it.

Perhaps he was no less talented or persevering than that person, but he lacked experience, the opportune timing to rise in this world, the overwhelming momentum and the push of the times... and even more so, the confidence and determination to achieve enlightenment in a single autumn and reach the pinnacle of the heavens!
That was the invincible momentum honed through competing with countless geniuses, growing stronger with each battle, and sweeping aside his contemporaries.

His confidence... vanished into ashes when Qixiang Forest was consumed by flames.

Over the years, the demon realm has undergone tremendous changes. Lu Qilang and Ling Xihua have both made it onto the Heavenly Ranking, while the previously unknown "Hui" has emerged as a dark horse, ranking first on the Heavenly Ranking.

Only he, once the most promising prodigy, gradually disappeared from the public eye.

These years have been a period of spiritual practice, a time for cultivating the mind.

He lays down his armor, leaving his homeland unattended. A solitary journey through the demon realm, he observes the mountains and rivers, contemplating the homeland he has longed to escape since childhood, the place he grew up in but never truly looked upon.

To set oneself free in the world is to walk in a much larger prison. This prison, which seems to have no end, is the well from which he sits and observes the sky.

Perhaps one day, he will be able to rebuild his Dao heart, break through and rebuild, and create a new legend.

But that day will not be now.

He needs time, but time is no longer on the side of the demon race.

Given the increasingly perilous situation, the demon race had no choice but to launch the Divine Firmament War ahead of schedule.

They had no choice but to burn all their potential in the present moment to strive for a possibility created by Yu Zhen—Yu Zhen made this possibility exist, and the demon race needed to realize this possibility.

And Qi Weiyi is a concrete manifestation of this burning potential.

The demon race had no choice, and he said nothing more.

That day, she threw off her old armor, abandoned the future, took a step ahead, and reached the pinnacle.

In the war of the Divine Firmament, the demon race needs a peak combat power that can be used immediately, rather than a true demon with a promising future!

Because if you miss the present, you have no future.

Similar to the pinnacle catalyzed by him, many other celestial tribes have emerged in recent years. Everyone tacitly agrees that they must accumulate war resources before the Divine Firmament opens its gates.

In contrast, the human race has been systematically cultivating talent over the years, striving to push the potential of every cultivator to its limit. However, simply throwing young prodigies into the racial battlefield draws criticism for forcing their growth... In all these years, only one person, Zhongshan Yanwen, has reached the top prematurely, and that was a long time ago.

If we must make a categorization, the Mu Kingdom suffered severe internal strife due to the power struggle between the monarchy and the divine, resulting in several people ascending to godhood prematurely. However, with the Azure Sky God Venerable presiding over the Heavenly Kingdom, the path of divinity was not a dead end. They simply chose a relatively backward path, unlike the various heavenly tribes, who sacrificed their future.

One still has a future to worry about, while the other only has the present to consider.

Therefore, the demon race must risk their lives.

He naturally succeeded the deceased Qi Xianglin, and when Qi Guanying was on a distant expedition to Shenxiao, he led the elite troops of the Qi clan to garrison Choulongdu.

The war at Shenxiao was raging, and a prodigy like him naturally couldn't sit idly by. He brought his clan's elite troops, intending to make a name for himself on the battlefield of Choulongdu.

Unfortunately, his understanding of this war was far behind the times.

Jing Zheng achieved the greatest merit at the Moon Gate, while Jing Qiu achieved complete victory in the Demon Land.

Kuang Ming arrived with his spear, and in just three hours he broke through the demon army's main formation, dividing and encircling the demon army of Choulong Ferry! He also used a secret Taoist technique to cover the entire battlefield and cut off the communication channels.

He fled due to his severe injuries, using a secret technique of the Qilin Clan to escape back to the Ancient Imperial City and warn the Demon Court, which gave the eight regions time to react to the message from the Cicada's Dream.

There was no blame, no resentment. Everyone said he had done his best and that sending back the message in time was already a great achievement.

But he is Qi Weiyi!
Was the significance of his garrison at Choulongdu merely a tattered signal flag, a message of tragedy?

"There is no army for you." The voice of Chan Jingmeng echoed through the rain of blood: "The demon race has made its final mobilization. Every inch of land is a battleground. There is no place that cannot be lost, no demon that cannot be killed—the Primordial Imperial City is the last main force. I must ensure the power of final destruction."

"Go ahead." Qi Weiyi had already donned his armor and stepped into the rain.

The Qilin clan already struggled to produce offspring, and the battle at Choulong Ferry effectively decimated their homeland.

He longed to die on the battlefield, but he understood his duty as commander-in-chief and could not die in vain.

"Since it is a fight to the death, a fight that will destroy the entire clan, those who wear armor will die first when they are unarmored, and those who are celestial beings will die first when they are true demons. The proud will surely die before the masses."

His armor shattered the blood droplets and broke through the large patch of crimson mist: "I, a defeated general of the Jing army, am now going to confront the enemy again, to prove that the demon race is determined to die."

"General Qi!" Chan Jingmeng's voice chased after him in the rain: "Thank you for your trouble."

With a whoosh, Qi Weiyi bowed deeply, then turned around: "To have armor or not to have armor, to go or not to go, is it a sigh or not a sigh? This is the Way! I shall cross the sea of ​​sighs."

A flash of gleaming silver armor disappeared amidst the rain of blood, just as a bolt of lightning streaked across the sky.

……

……

The weather varies from place to place, with black snow and red rain falling in different ways.

Then, in a fleeting moment, the cold rain split in two, and the thin snow was divided into three parts. [Dian Zhu] That chilling cold that pierced the soul was felt by the vast universe and also affected the Divine Firmament World.

The more powerful a world is in its origin, the more it possesses the virtue of "carrying all things".

The mortal realm can accommodate battles at the highest levels, and even those who have transcended can engage in cage combat with slight restraint. But outside the mortal realm, the arrival of a single god can destroy the world.

Imperial edicts and imperial decrees, written in vermilion ink, depict different divine wills within the cosmic rifts. With only a few hues of red and dark light, they rewrite this universe.

The King of Jing, in order to promote my bright intentions, used the power of holding up the sun and displaying his might, relied on divine arrogance to shatter the world, and depended on the dragon's might to seize life.

Only four shots!

Emperor Xuanbi's immortal body was already cracked, and blood spread across his icy skin, like the crimson of porcelain. It was red interspersed with white, blood interspersed with snow.

Jing Tianzi was not having an easy time either. His exposed skin had many "cuts" that had been torn open. The flesh beneath the cuts seemed not to exist, but rather to be filled with black mist condensed from murderous intent, like the entrance to a deep cave.

The places they fought in no longer exist.

The so-called "cosmic rift" is not a real space, but a kind of "trauma" that appears when the universe suffers damage beyond its limits... It takes a long time for it to repair itself.

It has now been destroyed as well.

It will become a permanent, vanished scar in the vast universe.

After the fourth shot, the battle between Tang Xianqi and Di Xuanbi was no longer under control.

With each shot fired, a piece of the universe is forever destroyed.

The valiant cavalry, the sound of arrows, the red horse, the soaring eagle—four more shots in quick succession.

The ancient demonic script on the Ruyi was destroyed, and the dark green Ruyi appeared somewhat pale.

The red on the tip of the spear is thin and pale, like the red lips of a beauty fading with time.

Finally, Tang Xianqi raised his spear "Yellow Dragon," a single strike nearly engulfing Emperor Xuanbi in the endless yellow sands beyond the borders of Jing Kingdom. Four thousand years of life-and-death battles, one after another, to resist the demons.

The Yellow Dragon is not a dragon, but rather "the wrath of the earth." It is not a demonic beast or spirit, but rather a calamity for civilization and a frontier for the nation.

This spear is for the emperor to guard the border!
With the power of an emperor and his unparalleled marksmanship, he blasted this "living frontier" into a yellow dragon.

At this moment, Tang Xianqi was enraged, like Zhang Fei, pushing the dragon away and repelling all enemies.

Di Xuanbi did not back down. Carrying the already white "Zaimo" Ruyi, he walked towards the Yellow Dragon Spear. With each step he took, he grew taller, as if climbing a ladder to the ancient heavenly court. In the end, his body shone brightly, as if filling the universe.

In that extremely glorious era, the demon race never drew boundaries.

Because everything that already exists and will exist is the territory of the Heavenly Court!
The Jing Emperor guards the borders, while the Demon Emperor reigns supreme. Representing the present and the past, humanity and the demon race, their clash completely rewrites the epic.

The roar of the desert dragon seemed to exist only vaguely, while the mysteries of the universe truly vanished.

Disappearing in large chunks—

"Snapped!"

In the darkness, a layer of heaven collapsed.

The escaping sunlight intertwined to create a vague outline.

Finally, a giant hand representing the celestial realm pressed down, stopping the process of large chunks of the universe disappearing and halting the spread of this matter.

While the universe is indeed boundless and expanding infinitely, the battle between Tang Xianqi and Di Xuanbi erased an existing part of the universe, leaving an indelible scar.

The ownership of this overturned hand is an indescribable shadow.

He reverted to demonic form, marked by his lotus-seed-black eyes. Like the long night of the entire universe, he sat steadfastly at the center of the cosmos.

He sat on a black lotus.

With the left hand supporting his knee and the right hand covering his face, the boundless darkness did not bring desolation and despair, but instead nurtured hope, giving people peace and warmth.

Opposite the black lotus is a futon inlaid with gold and carved with jade, either above or below it, at a corresponding point.

It is not that the lotus seat and the meditation cushion are constantly changing positions, but rather that the viewer's perception of them is constantly changing.

In fact, the one sitting at the very center of the universe is the Taoist on this gold-inlaid and jade-carved futon.

That majestic, imposing, and noble figure, clad in a white-gold Taoist robe.

The lotus seat corresponds to the meditation cushion, and the supreme being on the lotus seat is the one who pursues this path. They are mutually causal, which is why they appear to be sitting at the center of the universe.

The one who meditates atop the black lotus is Maha Lotus.

He was the first of the ten Dharma Kings under Master Xiong Chan back then, and is now the demonic master Tathagata!

Sitting opposite him was the Lord of the Jade Capital.

"The Covenant of the Supreme Lord Haotian at the End of the Calamity"... was written by Him!
The Demon Master Tathagata lay with his hand down, while the Lord of the Jade Capital stood horizontally. They faced each other, seemingly at the beginning of all stories. They sat opposite each other, as if this were the origin of the universe.

"Who goes first?" asked the demon master Tathagata.

The Lord of Jade Capital merely raised his eyes.

This single glance illuminates the universe and brightens people's hearts.

The divine and human realms are separated. Tu Hu, who guards both the borderlands and the Divine Firmament, along with all the other supreme experts who participated in this war, knew this question at the same time.

Before them stretched an endless army of demons, like a black tide, covering the yellow sand. The world as far as the eye could see seemed to consist of only simple colors—black covering yellow and encroaching on azure.

The divine light invoked by the Azure Sky Cult and the demonic light arose from the raging demonic tide are intertwined in the sky.

Li Guofu Huan has reached the brink of life and death and is ready to make a move at any time.

While General Murong Fenwu of the Red Horse Guard had not yet given his word, General Yuan Yong of the Spring and Autumn Guard, dressed in a parrot-green battle robe, was still fighting amidst the demonic tide, seemingly trying to dye the vibrant green of the human territory into the boundless black tide.

The State of Mu is helping the State of Jing to bear the pressure!

Huyan Jingxuan, the chieftain of Cangyu, also arrived at the battlefield.

Wanyan Du, once one of the three steeds of the grasslands, also appeared as a deity, and is now the guardian horse god "Yuanningge". Unlike Naliang, who completely ascended to the throne of "Hunaba", Wanyan Du was able to descend as a deity only briefly with the support of the Azure Sky Kingdom, but he was still able to promote the power of "Yuanningge".

In Tu Hu's "Heaven's Knowledge," the secret tide recedes, and the truth floats like an island—

The question posed by the demon master Tathagata is simple, crucial, and ultimately meaningless.

He was asking who first used a power beyond their level to erase the meaning of this divine war in the life-or-death duel between Tang Xianqi and Di Xuanbi.

In that Yellow Dragon move just now, Tang Xianqi and Di Xuanbi both used power beyond the pinnacle, causing enormous damage to the entire universe.

The reason this question is meaningless is that in a battle that transcends levels, time is no longer a factor, and the order of precedence becomes a paradox.

In those passages where the universe is erased, they define each shot fired by Tang Xianqi as a day in the flow of time in the present world. Using this as an anchor, they continue their power existing in the universe.

Both Tang Xianqi and Di Xuanbi felt a life-or-death crisis and realized that they could not kill each other to survive.

They said they were fighting in a detached way, but when it came to the real life-or-death moment, they still unanimously devoted the nation's resources and the fate of their people.

Who forced whom to move forward, and who was forced to break the rules? It's impossible to say.

If we absolutely have to say which was first, we can only say "at the same time".

The only thing that can be confirmed is...

They all proved their resolve! They all had the courage to sacrifice everything. They were all willing to die for those who had propelled them to the throne, to vanish forever from the universe.

Until the very last moment, they did not back down in the slightest.

It truly is "unrestricted".

The question posed by the demon master Tathagata is meaningless, but the significance lies in the question itself.

Talk it out, or flip the table?
Should we argue about who was right and who was wrong, or should we all just give up and end it all?
Tu Hu vaguely sensed that there was something unknown, a feeling that clouded his heart like dust. But the world beyond that was beyond the reach of the present [Heaven Knows].

With the Jade Capital Dao Master in charge of the "Haotian High Supreme Final Calamity Alliance," any transcendent being who violates the rules will face the possibility of being killed in a duel.

However, the demon master Tathagata was not caught in any way.

Tang Xianqi and Emperor Xuanbi could not be simply dismissed.

Not to mention the enormous void created by the removal of their names, and its disruptive impact on this great battle for the fate of the clan.

On one point alone—they transcend societal norms. They all possess combat power beyond their own level, therefore neither of them can be abandoned by anything outside of themselves.

"The Dao cannot be spoken of, nor can the name be named. To reach it by name, to go forth by force... it is clearly the transcendent power first promoted by Emperor Xuanbi," the Jade Capital Dao Master concluded.

The Demon Master Tathagata withdrew his hand and casually took the scroll "The Covenant of the Supreme Heaven at the End of the Calamity" into his hand: "Then there will be something to fight over."

The lotus throne and prayer mat, whose pillars support the universe, yet all the heavens stand suspended because of it. The spear-like beams and lightning that traversed the cosmos were wiped away one by one. The scattered remains were so carefully swept away.

The imperial edict in red ink has been washed away, and the imperial edict in black ink has been sealed away.

Tang Xianqi returned to Jidu, and Emperor Xuanbi also returned to his ancient imperial city.

The share of the universe that they destroyed can never be recovered.

Like the memorials written in the imperial study, like the warriors whose words could never return.

……

……

"So, is that all for now?"

Beneath the tavern's flamboyant banners, a gentle-looking, pale-faced scholar gulped down a bowl of turbid wine with hearty gusto.

He drinks with gusto and sits with elegance.

He slowly wiped his mouth with a handkerchief: "Let the meaning of war be the meaning of war, and the meaning of Shenxiao be the meaning of Shenxiao."

"All battlefields in the myriad realms shall temporarily cease where they are."

"Let the outcome of the Shenxiao battle define the final chapter of this war... Ha!"

He exhaled a breath of alcohol, rising like a dragon soaring through the mist.

In this dilapidated demon town, the only thing that still retains some outline is this tavern.

This was also the last jar of wine he drank.

As far as the eye can see, there is devastation everywhere. Amidst the broken walls and ruins, not a single person is moving.

The demons who wielded swords have all perished in battle.

The demons who abandoned their weapons were all transported back to the Civilization Basin.

Under the protection of a relevant formation, a demon can raise many demon beasts and obtain elixirs for a very long time.

A ruined city, corpses lying in disarray, murky wine, and a scholar.

If one were to be appropriate for the occasion, one should recite some lines about "the suffering of the people during times of rise and fall."

But He only said—

"Good wine!"

A bold and imposing man walked out from the other end of the long street, amidst the scattered corpses of demons.

He walked with long strides and looked around slowly.

He could perceive everything here with a single thought, and understand the past and present lives of a speck of dust, but He chose to see with His eyes.

He is transcendent and supreme, and possesses great supernatural powers.

But regarding this war, the only thing He did was, after the city was destroyed and the people were gone, move the rubble, raise the banner embroidered with the word "wine," and pick up a jar of wine from the ruins.

Now, half of that jar of wine has gone into Ying Yunnian's stomach.

"What's so good about it?" He asked.

The pale-faced scholar looked refined, and his voice was gentle: "Bitter, turbid, and vibrant."

The magnanimous man said, "Once it's inside your belly, it can no longer be called fresh."

Ying Yunnian savored the lingering taste of the wine: "Killing and eating them, isn't that war?"

A transcendent being experiences countless stories throughout their long life, ultimately transcending all those stories.

But even someone like Chai Yin, returning to familiar places, can still make him reflect on the weight of reality.

He has been to this place, and he has drunk from this tavern.

Now all of that is gone, as if a chapter in His life has been turned over forever.

“Yes, war. I don’t know how to calculate this, whether it’s a gain or a loss,” Chai Yin said as he walked. “I’m never good at math.”

It was in this very tavern that he gave a few extra five-zhu coins to a down-on-his-luck swordsman to buy him some wine.

Later, that swordsman... repaid the debt with his life.

Ying Yunnian simply smiled: "At least you made a profit. Otherwise, if the table had been overturned over there, I would have had to beat you to death right here."

Chai Yin looked at Him: "If it really comes to that, there will only be one person with the surname Ying left in the world. Or perhaps none of them will be left."

Ying Yunnian's smile remained unchanged. He simply turned the empty porcelain bowl upside down and placed it on the half-broken square stool, using it as a table to savor his drink for a long time.

The drinking has ended, but the killing has not yet begun.

“Your opportunities are dwindling,” He said.

Chai Yin slowly approached: "As long as you're alive, there's still a chance. And within those increasingly fewer chances, there's ever-growing hope."

Ying Yunnian remained noncommittal, but simply stood up and said, "It's time for the sects and other countries to enter the fray."

He took a step out of the town, one step already reaching beyond the heavens: "The time has come for the other races of the heavens to lend their strength."

Chai Yin stopped outside the tavern, looked up at the wine banner, which fluttered like a battle flag, and licked his dry lips: "The next round begins."

He did not save His wine.

The demons of this town have also lost their home forever.

But the war is not over yet.

But as long as there is a breath left, who would be willing to acknowledge this piece?

……

……

Waaah! Waaah—

The mournful sound of the bugle call carried away the vast crowd.

Jingjun's retreat from the Sea of ​​Sighs was a direct result of the tide receding.

Qi Weiyi, draped in a few scattered armor leaves, revealing his demonic body scorched by fire and chiseled by axes, stopped his auspicious cloud at Lingyu City on the border of the Sighing Sea.

This auspicious cloud has been severely polluted, half black and half gray, and tinged with blood.

He certainly didn't have the time or inclination to deal with it at the moment.

"finished?"

The Boar of the Sighing Sea opened its only remaining eye, watching the slowly retreating human army with a fierce, eager look.

When Hao Yuan was alive, he was a celestial being who sighed and cultivated in seclusion at the bottom of the sea. When Hao Yuan died, he became a boar warrior who would not yield an inch of land.

The other two celestial demons who also declared they "would not allow it" have already been killed.

Just as Chan Jingmeng said at the height of the war, "If we live, we will protect our families; if we die, we will dedicate ourselves to the land."

Qi Weiyi remained vigilant, but he also failed to find an opportunity to pursue and kill them, since the Jing army had only retreated from the front lines, not been defeated.

The renowned general from the Jing Kingdom on the other side would never make such a basic mistake.

"The war has never ended, it has just put on a new veil," he said.

If the Demon Emperor had yielded even a fraction of an inch in his duel with the Emperor of Jing, or even the slightest thought of reconciliation...

Or perhaps the Demon Land's full mobilization was somewhat hesitant, failing to buffer the Jing Army's surprise attack...

The demon race will not have a second chance.

Similarly, if the Jing Kingdom had retreated even slightly on the Moon Gate battlefield, or if the Jing Army's progress had been even slower on the demon race battlefield...

The Allied Forces of the Heavens will then be able to retain a certain advantage to enter the next round.

It can only be said now that the war has entered a protracted stalemate, but the initial advantage of the Allied Forces of the Heavens in suddenly opening the Divine Firmament has been wiped out.

The Jing Kingdom has retained some of the fruits of the Moon Gate victory. Assuming that the Shenxiao timeline is aligned with the present world, what follows will be a long process of bloodshed, and the Allied Forces of the Heavens will find it difficult to turn the tide.

In just eight days, the Jing Kingdom established seven large cities outside the Five Evils Basin. At the height of its military might, it occupied almost half of the Sighing Sea's territory—all thanks to the Sighing Sea demons' relentless resistance, the feigned self-destruction of prisoners, and the poisoning by those who feigned surrender... Qi Weiyi and his people managed to defend the most important Spirit Food Sea area.

The Sighing Sea, which supplies more than 40% of the spiritual food for the entire demon realm, is a blood-soaked land that the demon race cannot afford to give up an inch of.

This is also why, as the war entered a protracted phase, Kuangming withdrew directly from the Sea of ​​Sighs.

If he dares to station troops here, the resistance of the demon race will never be quelled.

The retreat to the Heavenly Breath Wasteland has reached a very painful point—not reclaiming these territories would inevitably leave one feeling resentful, but the Heavenly Breath Wasteland, which has already been completely wiped out, seems unlikely to warrant further sacrifices.

Most importantly, the seven great cities of Jing Kingdom have already stood in the Tianxi Wasteland.

Military fortifications, which spread from this point, were also being built one after another.

Jing Kingdom is already preparing for a defensive battle, having secured a strategic advantage in the Tianxi Wasteland!
“We can’t let them just leave like that,” the hog hissed. “They destroyed so many spirit gardens and killed so many warriors.”

“Look towards the Skybreak Wasteland,” Qi Weiyi said.

"My eyes were damaged, I can't see that far." Zhu Qiu's voice was filled with bitterness amidst his hatred.

Qi Weiyi raised his hand and pointed, the demonic light landing on his shoulder: "You can feel those spiritual lights."

Zhu Qiu fell silent.

What stands tall in the Sky's Breath Wasteland is not just seven large cities with high walls and thick ramparts... but also seven city-protecting formations that have been completed and are already activated to their maximum capacity!

What is Jingguo trying to do?
“If we don’t want them to leave like this, then we need to give them more spoils of war—” Qi Weiyi turned around and ordered, “Send down the order to repair the city and take stock of the losses. Let the brothers hold out for a while longer; they will soon have time to rest.”

In terms of age and seniority, Zhu Qiu is undoubtedly the elder.

However, Qi Weiyi's military capabilities and individual combat strength have already been tested in this war. Tanxi Hai was able to hold out until this moment, and he deserves credit for it. Therefore, Zhu Qiu also trusts his decision.

But how can even the strongest reason contain this hatred?
Zhu Qiu roughly ripped off half of his mustache, wiped away the rapidly emerging beads of blood, and turned to walk into the city.

Qi Weiyi remained standing on the high wall, gazing at the sky for a long time.

The sun shines brightly on a clear, sunny day.

The twenty-eight constellations in the sky surround the sun.

He removed the last armor plate from his left arm and threw it into the vast sea—

"I wonder what tomorrow will bring, whether it will be sunny or rainy."

Thank you to reader "Shadow Song" for becoming the leader of this book, making him the 1030th leader of the Red Heart Sky Patrol!
Thank you to reader "琛霸天" for becoming the leader of this book's alliance, making him the 1031st leader of the Red Heart Patrol Alliance!
Thank you to reader "Defying Countless Wastes" for becoming the leader of this book's alliance, making him the 1032nd leader of the Red Heart Sky Patrol Alliance!
Thank you to reader "If Not Today, Then Tomorrow" for becoming the leader of this book's alliance, making him the 1033rd leader of the Red Heart Patrol Alliance!
……

See you next Monday.