In the Flame World, the capital city of Xia stood.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Low, resonant drumbeats echoed throughout the entire city of Xia, even spreading outward to distant regions. Countless people within the city paused in stunned silence, listening intently—three beats, four, five…
A full nine heavy drumbeats.
Everyone understood what had happened!
In Xia Clan history, when the drum of the Flame Palace was struck, nine beats could only mean one thing—Catastrophe had arrived! In the past, the Xia Clan had been forced to retreat into the Flame World time and again, while countless clansmen in the outer mortal world were slaughtered and devoured. Now, such a calamity had returned once more. And according to earlier rumors… this time would be far worse than before.
“Has the war begun?” Dongbo Qing Shi, who had been studying a magical formation model, looked up anxiously. “But why hasn’t my older brother returned yet?”
Dongbo Xueying’s entry into the Redstone Mountain had been kept secret from his younger brother and parents.
Later, when the entire Xia Clan began its great migration, Qing Shi and Dongbo Lie’s family naturally inquired about Dongbo Xueying. Yu Jingqiu had only said… that Xueying had gone to an important place to fight for his life. If he succeeded, he could return after curing the poison.
“The war has begun.”
Elsewhere in the mansion, Dongbo Lie, Mo Yangyu, and Zong Ling, who had been chatting together, suddenly stood up, shock evident on their faces.
“The war has begun. Where is Xueying? He still hasn’t returned.”
…
“The war has broken out.”
“But we don’t even have the qualifications to intervene.”
“Damn it.”
Numerous Transcendents were anxious. Puyang Bo, Master Zhuo Yi, Gong Liangyuan, and others all felt their hearts tighten, sending messages to each other and beginning to meet in small groups.
…
A Ding Jiu warship hovered above the Flame Palace.
Palace Master Chen began issuing orders through a communication ring.
“All Xia Clan demigods, heed my command! Prevent spies—each demigod shall enter different cabins of the Ding Jiu warship in turn.”
“Understood.”
“Move.”
Master Heshan, in a flowing robe, still had eyes as calm as the sea. He soared into the sky, flying toward the Ding Jiu warship. After years of cultivation, especially with the help of many rare treasures and fruits sent by Dongbo Xueying from the Red Dust Island, his strength had improved further. Once possessing a fourth-tier divine heart, he now had a third-tier divine heart, still maintaining the top spot publicly on the Demigod Rankings—though he still had not opened his divine sea.
Whoosh! Chi Qiubai also soared into the sky. Now at the peak of the third-tier true intent, third level, his power was second only to Master Heshan. Before Heshan mastered the third-tier divine heart, Chi Qiubai had briefly held the top spot on the Demigod Rankings, now ranking second.
“This battle must be won.” Sikong Yang, clad in the Nine Dragon Fire God Armor, his battle spirit aflame, flew from a courtyard of the Flame Palace toward the Ding Jiu warship.
“The war.”
Taishu Palace Master, Bucheng Lord, and many other demigods, including the newly ascended Yuan Qing, all flew toward the Ding Jiu warship.
Yet Yu Jingqiu, who had also become a demigod, did not appear.
“Clack! Clack! Clack!” Inside the Ding Jiu warship, many small cabins were prepared to prevent spies hiding within. Everyone temporarily separated.
In truth, spies were almost certainly present.
Among the demigod spies of the Demon God Society, aside from Xi Yun, the others remained undiscovered.
“Hmph.” The Ding Jiu warship quickly tore through the sky.
Under the gazes of countless Xia citizens and Transcendents, the Ding Jiu warship rapidly departed the Flame World.
…
In a distant and vast mysterious divine realm.
On a planet sealed with numerous formations, countless rare plants and some rare insects and beasts grew.
A group of divine-level peak experts had long been stationed here, conducting research.
“This mutated Wuqing Flower has grown increasingly different from the original species. I wonder how its medicinal properties compare,” said a kind old man with two mustaches, observing a massive plant called the ‘Wuqing Flower,’ its diameter over a hundred meters. Only a single bud grew on the plant, a peculiar deep-blue flower, each petal marked with grotesque patterns.
“Brother Zi Lei, under accelerated time, this Wuqing Flower will mature in three more years. Then we can study it thoroughly,” a tall, thin man beside him smiled. “If we succeed, we’ll earn credit—enough to ascend at least one rank.”
“What’s the use of thinking so much? Just focus on the research,” the kind old man chuckled.
They were merely two low-ranking alchemists within the vast Bloodblade Divine Court, but even being part of the Bloodblade Divine Court was enough to make countless divine beings envious! Even divine-level peak experts rarely joined the Bloodblade Divine Court.
Suddenly, the kind old man’s expression shifted slightly. He turned his gaze toward a distant direction—the direction of the mortal world: “The war has begun. I’ve done all I can. It’s up to you, my descendants!”
Zi Lei Imperial Monarch was, after all, not a World God. Even within the Bloodblade Divine Court, he remained at the lowest rank, able to help the Xia Clan only to a limited extent.
…
“Come now, those wishing to join the Heaven Sword Sect, line up here.”
“Don’t offend the Heaven Sword Sect’s elders. Dying here would be a shame.”
A group of Transcendents stood on an open field below a mountain, holding their breath in anticipation.
Whoosh!
A large ship flew from afar, carrying a group of powerful beings, its aura majestic. The weakest among them were already divine beings. As a top sect with a reputation across more than ten star regions, countless Transcendents longed to be taken to the distant ‘Heaven Sword Star’ and join the Heaven Sword Sect. Yet the sect’s recruitment was extremely strict.
Generally, only after rigorous screening, those with the potential to become divine beings were taken in.
The ship slowly descended.
At the forefront stood a white-robed, long-haired man, flanked by a group of subordinates.
“Elder Yunhai, that boy over there in the purple robe with a sword on his back is from my hometown,” a subordinate whispered to him—he had already received a bribe beforehand.
“Mm.”
Elder Yunhai nodded, scanning the young Transcendents before him. Suddenly, a terrifying pressure descended.
“Those who can stand have passed the preliminary screening.”
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The overwhelming pressure caused the gathered Transcendents to tremble in fear!
This display made the nearby divine beings envious and amazed. No wonder he had reached the peak of divine-level, nearly a World God. His mere pressure was so terrifying. Yet they all knew… that the ‘step’ from divine being to World God was like an insurmountable abyss!
Except for the boy in the purple robe with a sword on his back—who was secretly protected—most of the other Transcendents couldn’t withstand the pressure and knelt.
“One hundred and twenty-five Transcendents who remained standing have passed the preliminary screening. The rest may leave,” one of Elder Yunhai’s subordinates announced loudly.
Suddenly, Elder Yunhai’s expression shifted slightly.
“The Xia Clan…”
Elder Yunhai gazed toward the direction of the mortal world.
Long ago, he too had been a naive mortal, climbing step by step until he became divine, leaving the mortal world for the divine realm, and cultivating to his current state. He had always cherished his homeland.
“My children, I’ve done all I can. Whether the Xia Clan survives or perishes now depends on you,” Elder Yunhai murmured inwardly.
“Proceed with the next round of screening. You handle it, Old Five,” Elder Yunhai ordered.
“Yes, Master,” a disciple at the early divine level immediately stepped forward.
…
Inside a warship soaring through the endless starry void.
A group of divine-level experts gathered here, all at the peak of the divine level—an elite adventuring team indeed.
Among them was a disheveled man holding a blade.
“The war has begun?” The disheveled man gazed toward the direction of the mortal world—his homeland. “Sigh, I wanted to adventure a bit more and gather some treasures, but alas, there’s no time left.”
He was Chi Huo Imperial Monarch, one of the three surviving divine-level peak experts of the Xia Clan.
Chi Huo Imperial Monarch and Chi Yun Great Emperor were both extraordinary figures in Xia Clan history, as close as brothers. The Flame Palace itself had been sent to their homeland by Chi Yun Great Emperor at all costs, establishing the foundation of the Xia Clan. Yet Chi Yun Great Emperor had already perished.
…
One by one, the Xia Clan’s ancestral divine beings learned of the news. Though some might be weaker in power, they all cherished their homeland, though their ability to help was limited.
…
Above the clouds on the Red Dust Island of Redstone Mountain.
“Master, there’s a spatial fluctuation—an extremely powerful one. The outer membrane of this mortal world has been pierced,” came the message from Xue Manhua, who had been given a communication artifact by Dongbo Xueying. He had been worried about the Xia Clan’s detection capabilities being insufficient, while Xue Manhua, embedded within the Xia world and long having reached divine level, had a more sensitive perception.
“Dongbo, the Witch God and the Demon God have started building a passage. The war has begun,” Yu Jingqiu arrived to find Dongbo Xuewing mere moments later.
“It’s finally here.”
Holding Yu Jingqiu’s hand, Dongbo Xueying flew directly to the high sky above his courtyard, calling out loudly, “Senior Redstone, please send us out.”
“Dongbo, be careful in this war,” Redstone, Xi Wei, Brother Ge Bai, and Senior He Feiyun instantly appeared beside him.
“Be careful,” Brother Ge Bai, the thick-robed young man, said.
“If you can’t hold on, return to Redstone Mountain! As long as you refine the Heart of the World within ten thousand years, you will still win,” the crimson-cloaked youth said.
They all gave their final words of caution.
“Dongbo is in a hurry. No more chatter,” Senior Redstone waved his hand.
Whoosh.
Dongbo Xueying and Yu Jingqiu vanished simultaneously, teleported back to the Xia Clan’s world.
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