Some of the others who had not yet transformed cast disdainful glances at their companions upon seeing their current state.
Meanwhile, there were others who, though their expressions remained calm, scanned their surroundings with barely concealed excitement in their eyes.
Among them was an elderly man with fiery red hair and a hooked nose. After gazing for a while at the lush greenery in the distance with a complex expression, he murmured in an almost inaudible voice, “To think that in my lifetime, I would see these things again. Even if I perish in this world, I have no regrets.”
“Brother Sha, why be so disheartened? The Sacred Ancestor has already issued orders. This Sacred Sacrifice is unlike any before—there’s a chance our Sacred Clan may permanently seize parts of the Spirit Realm. If we distinguish ourselves in the battle, we may even petition to remain here. For those of us who ascended to the Demon Realm, this is a once-in-a-millennium opportunity.”
Though the red-haired elder’s voice was barely a whisper, it was overheard by another imposing old man nearby, clad in black hemp robes with a golden sash around his waist. The man chuckled darkly as he spoke.
“Brother Sanyang speaks wisely! Once we ascended to the True Demon Realm, we became part of the Sacred Clan. But if we can truly remain in the Spirit Realm after this battle, it would be an immense blessing.”
The red-haired elder nodded thoughtfully.
Similar whispers passed among others in the crowd.
At that moment, a thunderous rumble echoed from the silver gates of the giant tower, followed by heavy, rhythmic footsteps.
As the runes around the gates flickered, squads of never-before-seen demonic creatures emerged.
These creatures had grayish-white, cracked skin, completely hairless, as if sculpted from rough-hewn stone. Their vaguely humanoid forms bore four thick arms sprouting from their shoulders, and with each step, the ground trembled beneath their immense weight.
Standing over a hundred feet tall, these stone demons—thousands pouring from each tower—lined up obediently in rows before the structures, motionless and unexpectedly docile.
At the command of their leader, a dull gray light shimmered over their bodies, transforming their rock-hard forms into pliable clay as they sank into the earth and vanished.
Moments later, the earth within a radius of ten thousand miles trembled violently before splitting open at the edges.
Amidst flashes of yellow light and piercing shrieks, earthen walls surged from the ground, swiftly forming a crude, hundred-mile-long barrier. Though towering over three hundred feet high, the wall was rough and unstable, shedding sand incessantly.
But then, the stone demons reemerged, their four arms striking the wall in unison.
Astonishingly, thick beams of light shot from their limbs, striking the wall in countless places.
With a series of crackling sounds, the areas hit by the beams erupted in gray-white blossoms, spreading rapidly and hardening the loose earth into solid stone.
These stone demons possessed the power to transmute earth into rock.
Under their relentless assault, the crude earthen wall was swiftly transformed into a seamless fortress.
Elsewhere, similar scenes unfolded as another group of stone demons erected yet another stone barrier with the same method.
Within just an hour, a vast stone fortress spanning tens of thousands of miles had been erected.
Next, swarms of shadowy wraiths, wreathed in black mist, flew from the triangular towers.
These phantoms, weightless and ethereal, merged with the walls, imprinting identical arrays across the stone surface as if carved by a single hand.
Once their task was complete, the wraiths withdrew, ignoring the other demons as they streamed back into the towers.
As time passed, a massive stone city rose from the earth beneath the demonic sea.
Centered around the hundred towering structures, other bizarre edifices took shape under the tireless labor of the stone demons.
Meanwhile, high-ranking demons leisurely set up intricate formations throughout the city, their rippling power soon enveloping the entire fortress.
Suddenly, a brilliant light split the apex of the central triangular tower, and with a deafening roar, a blood-red altar ascended from within.
Ancient, indecipherable glyphs adorned its surface, exuding a palpable aura of bloodlust.
At its center stood a towering figure wreathed in crimson light.
As this figure appeared, every mid-to-high-ranking demon in the vicinity dropped to one knee in solemn reverence.
Those farther away, initially unaware, quickly followed suit upon seeing their peers’ actions.
“All hail the Bloodlight Sacred Ancestor!”
A thunderous chant rose into the heavens, reverberating across the city.
Yet the crimson figure remained unmoved, merely sweeping a cold gaze across the surroundings before tilting its head to observe the demonic sea above.
Its eyes gleamed like twin crescent moons in the void, unforgettable in their brilliance.
With a sudden motion, it raised a crystalline hand and gestured casually upward.
A deafening explosion followed as an invisible force gripped the demonic sea, churning its energies violently.
The roiling miasma condensed into a colossal black staff, adorned with sinister patterns and crowned with a demonic head and serpentine body, before plummeting toward the altar.
The Bloodlight Sacred Ancestor’s fingers twitched slightly, and the hundred-foot staff shrank mid-descent, shrinking to a mere six feet before being caught effortlessly.
Holding the staff horizontally, the figure began chanting in an arcane, guttural tongue, its words steeped in primordial mystery.
The demonic head atop the staff snapped open silver eyes, spewing forth streams of dark, glowing runes that morphed into enormous black blossoms, drifting across the city.
Within moments, the flowers had spread to every corner.
The Sacred Ancestor’s chant ceased abruptly as it clenched the staff, causing it to explode into a black halo that rippled outward in waves.
The black blossoms burst upon contact, dissolving into thick demonic mist that engulfed the entire city.
The kneeling demons, bathed in this energy, felt their strength and magic surge, recovering at an unprecedented rate.
“Within three days, erect three more sacred cities. After seven days of preparation, once all forces are assembled, we march on the nearest human stronghold,” the Bloodlight Sacred Ancestor declared coldly, its voice dripping with menace.
“As you command!”
The city erupted in unified cheers from countless high-ranking demons.
Similar scenes unfolded simultaneously across the territories of humans and demons alike.
Near the largest demonic rift, a colossal human city built around a towering tree housed several mid-level cultivators standing atop a pavilion halfway up the trunk. They gazed grimly at the endless demonic sea in the distance.
…
Ten thousand miles from Tianyuan Sacred City, a monk and a Taoist wielded a bronze mirror and an alms bowl, respectively, unleashing radiant beams to slaughter a horde of snake-headed, horse-bodied demons.
But a furious shriek echoed from the horizon as a demonic gale surged toward them at terrifying speed.
“Retreat! High-ranking demons approach!” the Taoist barked.
Without hesitation, the two transformed into streaks of light, streaking toward Tianyuan Imperial City.
…
On a desolate, yellowed plain in the demon lands, two massive armies clashed.
One side consisted of hundreds of thousands of gray wolves, each the size of a small house, their eyes gleaming with feral intelligence.
Opposing them were ten thousand azure demonic lions, larger still, with black horns sprouting from their brows and spitting fireballs and ice shards.
Above, thousands of snow-white eagles battled swarms of two-headed flying serpents.
The eagles’ talons crackled with lightning, while the serpents spewed corrosive venom.
Falling combatants were instantly torn apart upon hitting the ground.
The war had begun.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage