Boom!
At that moment, a flash of blood-red light streaked through the air. The late-stage Golden Core demonic cultivator, Hui Shou, revealed a bloodthirsty grin, his aura oozing pure malice. He had finally caught these living beings.
Raising his hand, the foul blood within him surged outward, condensing into a long spear. Just as he was about to strike, he suddenly froze!
Hui Shou snapped his head up to look at the black mountain in the distance. His expression twisted, and he even let out a startled cry as he began to retreat slowly.
Everyone’s pupils shrank. What was going on?!
They turned their heads to examine the black mountain closely, and a wave of terror capable of shaking their very souls washed over them. That wasn’t just any black mountain on the battlefield; it was a mountain of corpses!
“No… no… this can’t be…”
“Heh… heh…”
“Huang Shao… Hui Shou… is he capable of killing his own kind?”
“Xin Qing… look, even Hui Shou is terrified…”
The lips of more than a dozen cultivators trembled uncontrollably as if they were witnessing the most horrifying taboo in existence, something more unbearable than death.
The Golden Core Hui Shou, trembling all over, retreated to the very edge of the battlefield. Then, in a panic, he turned and fled!
Whoosh!
A beam of light shot down from the mountain’s peak, tearing through space and reaching Hui Shou in an instant. He let out a heartbreaking scream as foul blood splattered across the sky. Before he could even attempt resistance, he was slain on the spot.
The group narrowed their eyes. On the mountain peak, there seemed to be a shadow standing tall, the source of the terrifying energy that had launched the deadly beam.
“Greetings, senior!”
“Greetings, senior!!!”
In an instant, everyone snapped out of their shock, hurriedly bowing and clasping their hands in respect. Some even fell to their knees, trembling. This was one of their own—an unparalleled cultivator of The Great Li Realm!
Beads of cold sweat dripped onto the dark, desolate earth. None of them dared lift their heads for a long time.
“It’s nothing.”
A vast and indifferent voice echoed. The cultivators felt as if they were basking in a spring breeze, though they were effortlessly lifted off the ground by an irresistible surge of power.
Huang Shao and Dai Xinqing quickly wiped away their cold sweat, feeling the lingering fear of having narrowly escaped death. It seemed fortune still favored them.
They all clasped their hands respectfully once more before hastily leaving the area.
On the mountain peak:
“Brother Xun, once word spreads, will someone come to meet us?”
“Of course. We only need to wait. The Baili clan is not like ordinary cultivators. Besides, in this Great Li Realm territory, no one can capture us anymore.”
“Moo-moo~”
The big black ox nodded emphatically. The human armies by the Heavenly River were reason enough to avoid venturing into the tiger’s den.
Chen Xun chuckled softly. In this cultivation world, only by displaying strength could one establish connections and respect. Otherwise, why would anyone bother with an insignificant nobody?
They continued hunting and killing Hui Shou as they trained, awaiting the arrival of reinforcements from the warzone camp.
After that day, however...
A chilling legend swept through the battlefield. On the warfront’s flank, a peerless cultivator had slaughtered so many Hui Shou that their bodies piled into a mountain. It became common knowledge: if anyone encountered that mountain, they must pay their respects.
When this news broke, all factions were shaken. Could it be that an ancient hidden powerhouse from the Great Li Realm had reemerged?
And the situation there truly defied belief. Even the foul Hui Shou was petrified. Some who managed to escape spread the tale, and a radius of a thousand miles around the mountain became a safe haven for rogue cultivators.
That massive black corpse mountain was a place no one dared to approach. They simply weren’t qualified. Those fortunate enough to receive protection offered three bows daily as tribute.
Even the sea of blood flowing there could terrify Nascent Soul cultivators. From that moment on, countless bizarre tales began to circulate.
...
Present day, The Great Li Realm’s frontline battlefield.
Here, legions of cultivators radiating overwhelming vitality stood in formation. Banners snapped in the wind, and a chain of camps stretched for miles. Massive warships hovered in the skies, radiating a blood-red glow, their killing intent piercing the heavens.
From afar, the entire military camp exuded a devouring aura of terror. The oppressive atmosphere was suffocating, yet the discipline within was absolute, the silence deafening.
The command tent wasn’t set at the rear but stood boldly at the very front, directly facing the interdimensional battlefield!
Everyone here was clad in battle armor forged from the finest materials The Great Li Realm had to offer, exuding an aura of invincibility. These were the true elite soldiers of the Baili clan.
After countless years of warring against the Hui Shou, they had discovered the method to minimize life loss: using their immense vitality to resist the backlash of the world’s chilling Yin energy.
However, this method somewhat limited the growth of their spiritual senses. But their primary objective was advancing the frontlines, with cultivation merely a secondary concern—completely different from rogue cultivators.
Inside the command tent.
The killing intent was palpable. All the soldiers stationed outside were drenched in cold sweat; their nerves stretched taut.
Many newly enlisted cultivators lived each day on edge, finding it even more mentally taxing than fighting Hui Shou on the battlefield.
There was a saying that circulated in the Battle Realm Camp: If your Dao Heart is unyielding, then join the army. The first lesson is to put life and death aside.
This place was a graveyard for ordinary cultivators, a paradise for the strong.
Within the tent sat a middle-aged man with a calm, unyielding expression. He didn’t speak much, and his face betrayed no trace of killing intent. Yet the chair he sat upon was crafted from the bones of a Hui Shou at the Nascent Soul stage!
To look into his tiger-like eyes was to feel as though you were facing an ocean of corpses and a sea of blood. It drained the courage of anyone who dared to meet his gaze.
He radiated a cold arrogance, exuding a domineering aura that seemed to overlook all existence.
This was Baili Zhonghu, the current-generation commander of the Baili clan. At the pinnacle of the mid-Nascent Soul stage, he was a figure of unmatched might.
He surveyed the gathered officers below with an even gaze, his emotions unreadable.
Everyone sat upright, barely daring to breathe, carefully controlling their movements as though fearing his attention.
“News from the battlefield,” Baili Zhonghu said in a calm, steady tone. “A powerful cultivator has appeared on the battlefield’s flank, slaughtering Hui Shou in droves and piling their corpses into a mountain. It’s unclear how many of our realm’s cultivators this person has protected.”
His voice was gentle, yet it carried an inexplicable sense of dread. For a moment, it felt as though the figure seated in the commander’s chair was something far more terrifying than human.
“When does the commander wish to depart?”
“Today.”
“But, Commander, this person’s origins are unknown. You must exercise caution.”
“It’s likely this individual is an ancient monster from The Great Li Realm, one who has remained hidden for years. To act so boldly now and slaughter Hui Shou on the battlefield’s flank suggests they may have designs on our Battle Realm Camp.”
...
The officers offered their analyses one after another, their insights sharp and far-reaching.
“There’s no need to overthink it,” Baili Zhonghu said coldly, his gaze sweeping over the room. “Any cultivator brave enough to enter the battlefield and slay Hui Shou deserves my respect.”
His indifferent eyes silenced everyone. They sat as if on pins and needles, no longer daring to speak.
He stood slowly, and at that moment, his eyes erupted with unparalleled killing intent. He turned toward the sand table of the interdimensional battlefield, his gaze burning with hatred for the Hui Shou. “Their race must be annihilated!”
The officers all rose with him, their fighting spirit surging. Flags whipped wildly in the wind, barely able to withstand the overwhelming momentum in the tent.
Above the military camp, ten colossal warships launched into the skies, their grandeur awe-inspiring as they headed toward the battlefield’s flank. Their protective formations remained inactive, leaving them fully exposed to the relentless winds.
At the battlefield’s flank.
Three figures seated atop the mountain of corpses slowly opened their eyes, all looking toward the horizon.
Buzz
Buzz
Ten massive warships appeared on the skyline, advancing with unstoppable momentum. Battle flags stood tall upon them, the same ships they had once seen before.
Chen Xun rose with a faint smile. At last, they had arrived. He wondered what kind of powerful figure would step off those ships.