Chapter 214 - Divine Continent's Pillar of Disgrace!
"Old Ape, I'm heading straight to see Forbidden Fate, to report about Moon Fairy. You coming?" Burning Saint paused for a moment. "I've thought it over. The Demon Continent can't raise a new generation so quickly. Given the upcoming chaos, Moon Fairy's too vital."
"I won't go," the Ape Saint said decisively.
Burning Saint glanced at him. "Right, you're Eclipse's top general. Can't be undermining your own side."
"Spirit Treasure Palace pulled out too fast. You didn't tell Moon Fairy about our new friends did you?" the Ape Saint asked nonchalantly.
Burning Saint was taken aback, a bit irked. "You think Moon Fairy would betray the demons? Unnecessary worries!"
"Right." The Ape Saint nodded.
"I'm off." With that, the Burning Saint turned into a burst of flame, shooting into the sky, vanishing in the blink of an eye.
"Damn it!" Ape Saint cursed under his breath, adjusting his gold-rimmed glasses, and returned to his temporary residence in the Ancestral Temple. Just as he opened the door, a silver-haired figure sat in the pavilion, head buried in Ape Saint's "Treatise on Morality."
"You dare show up?" Ape Saint glared, his eyes blazing with anger.
"Superior strategy?" Moon Fairy closed the book, looking leisurely at the Ape Saint. "A monkey studying military tactics?"
"And a fox-hearted fairy siding with humans!" The Ape Saint glared coldly. "Moon Fairy, did you spill the beans to Divine Dawn about our new friends? What were you thinking?"
"I did inform the humans, but I'm not wrong," Moon Fairy stood up, nonchalant.
"You reveal our side's trump card to the enemy before the battle, and you think you're right?" The Ape Saint's voice was icy.
"Trump card?" Moon Fairy scoffed. "Are you sure it's not inviting the wolf into the house?"
The Ape Saint faltered, recalling the recent events in the underground palace, unable to respond immediately.
"Which is stronger, the Endless Netherworld or the Demon Continent?" Moon Fairy inquired.
"Clearly, the Endless Netherworld..." the Ape Saint replied.
"So? The humans, Violet Emperor, and Ye Qingtian, sided with us demons for their own gain! Now, as fate turns, we demons ally with the devils of the Endless Netherworld for immediate benefits! Let me ask you, according to the original plan, after we conquer the Divine Continent, weren't we supposed to betray the Violet Sky Immortal Empire?" Moon Fairy said gravely.
"Yes..." the Ape Saint couldn't refute.
"So, are you sure the Endless Netherworld won't betray us? The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind." Moon Fairy chuckled coldly.
"The strength of the Endless Netherworld is a fact. As for the games between them and the Four Demon Emperors, that's their business. Forbidden Fate has the guts, he must have a plan. They're just using the Endless Netherworld's power. It's not for you to worry about." Ape Saint gazed intensely at Moon Fairy. "But you, allying with humans, that's a big problem!"
"I just think that compared to humans, the Endless Netherworld are a bigger threat! Better to join forces with the humans and kill these three devils first! When the snipe and the clam grapple, kill the fisherman first! I'm the one truly considering the interests of the Demon Continent!" Moon Fairy said earnestly.
After speaking, he gave the Ape Saint a cold look. "Watch, the Endless Netherworld will eventually cause trouble! Demons and devils, lumped together, can they be good? The weaker you are, the bigger their appetite!"
"What do you suggest we do?" the Ape Saint asked.
"This War Princess is surely a high-ranking figure in the Endless Netherworld. Capturing her could check their power!" Moon Fairy suggested.
The Ape Saint looked at him silently for a long time, then sighed. "You've got some nerve!"
"Don't you find those devils repulsive?" Moon Fairy raised an eyebrow.
The Ape Saint gritted his teeth. "Yes!"
"Since the Demon Emperors don't hold back, neither should we! Any vital information you have, tell me immediately, so I can prepare in advance," Moon Fairy said.
"Why should I?" The Ape Saint shook his head.
"If you don't obey, when I grow stronger, I will annihilate your entire family. After the Monkey Clan, I'll exterminate all primates!" Moon Fairy laughed.
".." The Ape Saint was speechless.
"Besides, you've already snitched to me. If I let this slip, that dog will devour you for sure," Moon Fairy said.
The Ape Saint remained silent, his mind racing.
Before him, the silver-haired youth spoke fiercely, "I aim not only for human demise but also for the fall of the devils! Divine and Demon Continents shall belong only to us! For the future of our kind, I'm ready to lay down my life!"
With those words, Moon Fairy vanished from the courtyard, leaving the Ape Saint deeply unsettled.
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In the Divine Dawn Palace, the Supreme Marshal, Sword Saint Sun, Zhao Xuanjian, Nangong Xi, and other high officials and mighty beings of the Heavenly Realm were all protected by the Heavenly Realm's Primordial Array.
"Why did Moon Fairy betray his kind and save my life?" Zhao Xuanjian rushed in, his face pale. He had narrowly escaped a disastrous fate.
"My son-in-law says that the fox was envied by the Eclipse Demon Emperor. He's thinking big, realizing the devils are tough to handle, and wants to ally with us to defeat them first..." the Supreme Marshal shared a strange look on his face. He felt Moon Fairy was cruel and cunning, even among demons.
"He's as sharp as our son-in-law, worthy of being a rising star of both continents." Zhao Xuanjian sighed. Regardless, Moon Fairy had saved his life.
"What do you mean our son-in-law?" The Supreme Marshal glared at him. By now, almost everyone in the Divine Dawn Palace knew that Chen Xi was the Divine Dawn Empress. The news hadn't completely spread yet, but it left the lords and ministers stunned and buzzing.
"Are the Demon Continent's forces nearing the Heavenly Realm's gate? Where are Yun Xiao and our daughter?" Zhao Xuanjian asked, unashamed.
"They're both intensively cultivating."
It was a time of great turmoil. With three devils and four demons descending, the enemy's forces were numerous, and the Heavenly Realm was isolated and vulnerable—their darkest hour!
The Supreme Marshal was maintaining appearances, keeping the people and army calm, but inside, he was extremely anxious. Having fought the Demon Continent for years, he knew well the disadvantage they faced.
On the battlefield, with terrain, morale, formations, and the Heavenly Realm's Primordial Array, they could hold their own. But against the enemy's pinnacle forces, they were vastly outmatched!
If not for the Divine Dawn Empress' assurance, the Supreme Marshal would have been out of his wits with worry! Even with foreknowledge of the arrival of the three devils, the Heavenly Realm's top brass had no effective countermeasures.
The Divine Dawn Empress and Yun Xiao were the Heavenly Realm's last hope.
The Divine Dawn Empress sat on the dragon throne, prepping for the third dual cultivation session, hastening the formation of her Yin Void to absorb Yun Xiao's Yang Void power. The preparations were nearing completion.
Yun Xiao had already absorbed the Yin Void power from the first two sessions. He sat on the palace steps, consuming Wind Fire Tribulation pills, invoking a new Wind Fire Tribulation!
Since returning from the Ascension Gate, Yun Xiao hadn't wasted a moment. During this time, Moon Fairy was bustling about, while his main body remained still.
"I need to break through as much as possible before the third time. The higher the foundation, the greater the benefits!" Yun Xiao muttered. His cultivation served as the base for the dual cultivation session; the closer he was to the Divine Dawn Empress, the better the effect.
Under the influence of tens of thousands of Wind Fire Tribulation pills, the fourth and fifth Wind Fire Tribulations followed in quick succession.
This spectacle left the Supreme Marshal, Sword Saint Sun, and the others awestruck.
"Drawing in the Wind Fire Tribulation like this, isn't he afraid of burning to death..."
They exchanged looks, concluding, "Monster!"
Witnessing such monstrous cultivation, despite the immense pressure from the demons and devils, and the cries of despair throughout the Divine Continent, the Supreme Marshal and the others managed to remain calm inside.
"How are the people?" the Supreme Marshal had steadied the army, but the mood of the Divine Continent's populace wasn't under his control.
Qi Lan reported, "The Violet Emperor has launched a propaganda campaign, using his networks to spread the warmonger narrative across the Divine Continent. He's claiming the Divine Dawn Empress is young and foolish. Blinded by love, she's harboring a criminal who deserves death, instigating the fury of the Demon Continent. He's glorifying the demons and demonizing Divine Dawn and Yun Xiao..."
"And the people's reaction?" the Supreme Marshal asked gravely.
"With limited sources of information, it's hard for them not to believe the embellished stories. Now, resentment echoes across the Divine Continent. Aside from our own, the people and clans of the other five Immortal Empires, swayed by public opinion, seem lost. Even the other four human Emperors seem helpless. With the army and people confused, no one's willing to fight for the Heavenly Realm..." Qi Lan's voice was heavy.
None of this surprised them. The Demon Continent's years of influence in the human world had nurtured countless sympathizers. Once war broke out, a propaganda assault was expected.
The greatest strategy was to destroy the opponent's plan! Attacking the hearts of the people, that was the first battlefield! It sounded absurd, but it was happening in every world.
It was a mystery how the minds of people like the Violet Emperor worked. He openly admired the strength of the Demon Continent while degrading his own kind. He boasted about the might of others while delighting in trampling on the dignity of his own kinsmen.
Perhaps the Violet Emperor thought that by betraying his own people, he could rise above and become a powerful demon himself.
"Fortunately, the Demon Continent's main attack is on our Heavenly Realm, and our cultivators see clearly, their fighting spirit unshaken," Qi Lan stated fiercely.
"This situation, from the start, has been the Heavenly Realm alone against the entire Demon Continent. To have millions of Heavenly Realm cultivators on our side is already better than expected!" the Supreme Marshal spoke gravely.
Did they have a choice? No, they didn't! From the day the Divine Dawn Empress ascended, the Demon Continent had been preparing.
The Heavenly Realm had seized the initiative with the War of Immortals, but that didn't change the overall situation. Moreso, the changes brought about by the Great Merciful Tribulation was an ill omen for the Heavenly Realm.
In short, all they had now was a Heavenly Realm willing to die for the Divine Dawn Empress! Standing alone against the Demon Continent, carving a path of survival for humanity, it was already a relief that they weren't being stabbed in the back by the false demons and other five Immortal Empires.
"If the Heavenly Realm falls, we'll be nailed to the pillar of shame in the Divine Continent's history forever, branded as criminals of humanity," Qi Lan said, her usually steadfast eyes reddening.
"It's alright. To break humanity's deadlock, we must bear all this. Which great leader didn't drag along a bunch of dead weights and backstabbers as they fought to the death against the enemy? Choosing this path means we must shoulder it! If it weren’t hard, why would the Divine Continent suffer for generations?" The Supreme Marshal's eyes blazed with an undaunted spirit, his heart free of fear, filled with resolve!
"I just think that people like Violet Emperor and Ye Qingtian should meet a fate worse than death," Qi Lan said. She was, in fact, a bit scared. Not of battle or dying in it. But of dying and then being vilified by her own, buried in the depths of hell.
Just when their hearts were at their darkest, the young man in white on the stairs ahead, with the thunderous blasts of two consecutive Wind Fire Tribulations, brought a glimmer of hope.
"Two breakthroughs, and he's still in the Wind Fire Tribulation Realm..." Qi Lan was almost dumbfounded. Only then did she and the others realize that Yun Xiao had only been in the Late stage of the Wind Fire Tribulation Realm during the grand melee in the War of Immortals. Now, he was in the Establishment stage!
"Doesn't that mean he can fight on par with you and Sword Saint Sun?" Qi Lan asked the Supreme Marshal, stunned.
The Supreme Marshal watched Yun Xiao with fiery eyes and chuckled. "I dare not fight him anymore! That would be seeking humiliation!"
"I feel like he's even more terrifying than our Empress," Qi Lan said in awe.
"Drop the feel like," the Supreme Marshal gazed intensely at Yun Xiao. "If my daughter was the savior born to rescue our kind, then Yun Xiao is a monster that even the heavens and earth can't contain! We should be thankful this monster is on our side!"
The Supreme Marshal slapped Qi Lan's shoulder heartily. "With this in mind, why fear slander or public opinion storms? Following this young couple, we fight to the death! Haven't we won every battle from Eternal Joy to the War of Immortals?"
"You're right!" Qi Lan nodded, then glanced at the Supreme Marshal. "But don't slap so hard next time. If you cripple me, you're responsible."
"Cough, cough!" The Supreme Marshal shielded his eyes from the sun, "What a beautiful day!"
"..." Qi Lan was speechless.
Under the sunlight, Yun Xiao stretched his limbs, stabilizing his magic power after reaching the Establishment Wind Fire Tribulation Realm. Just one more breakthrough, and his magic power would fully transform into sacred power!
"With this foundation for dual cultivation, the results can't be bad, right?" Yun Xiao paused, then asked Blue Star, "How much longer does she need to prepare?"
"About half an hour," Blue Star replied.
"That's plenty of time."
This was the real chance to ascend to the heavens!
Yun Xiao was somewhat excited.
"At least now, I should be invincible under the Emperor level."
Not just that, with his Sovereign Sword abilities, even Demon Emperors would struggle to kill him. How many days had it been since he arrived in the Heavenly Realm? Just four or five days. A major realm breakthrough each day, only his body double could barely keep up with him...
"Senior Sister Zhao is probably still tipsy in Azure Spirit, while I'm here in the Heavenly Realm turning the world upside down." Yun Xiao couldn't help but feel amused. With the Demon Continent's army approaching, he wondered if Azure Spirit sensed anything,
Next, Yun Xiao waited quietly for his dragon robe. But as the adage went, when the tree wants to stay still, the wind keeps blowing.
Just as Yun Xiao wrapped up his solo cultivation session, a soldier from the Nine Heavens Immortal Army made a report. "Supreme Marshal, Sword Saint Yu Qian of the Violet Sky Immortal Empire, with thousands of Violet Sky Sword Cultivators, is causing chaos at the Sword Dao Monument. They've killed many of our brothers and are trying to rescue the remnant souls of Ye Qingtian and the others!"
"Dogs coming to save dogs." Yun Xiao had tolerated this so-called number one sword of the Divine Continent for too long!
"We can't go; it might be a trap. There could be Demon Emperors lying in wait," Sword Saint Sun warned, his face stern.
"The devils of the Endless Netherworld might be involved too," Nangong Xi added worriedly.
The opponent was using the Sword Dao Monument again. And this time, with Sword Cultivators! What were they up to? Just as things were looking up on the dragon throne, these nuisances had to spoil the mood! They deserved nothing short of annihilation for ruining the happy moment of a new couple.
"It's not a trap; these Violet Sky Sword Cultivators are just buzzing flies!" Yun Xiao suddenly said.
"How do you know?" Sword Saint Sun asked, puzzled.
"I have an inside man."
"An inside man?" Everyone was slightly shocked. An inside man in the upper echelons of the Demon Continent?
Before they could respond, Yun Xiao looked towards the Sword Dao Monument and coldly said, "Ye Qingtian has already knelt down; he won't be allowed to stand again."
"Yun Xiao, just wait half an hour. She asked you not to leave the palace," the Supreme Marshal said earnestly.
Yun Xiao looked towards the palace, then suddenly rose on his Sovereign Sword. "She can't control me yet!"
VROOM! His speed on the sword was incredibly fast.
Echoing in the air was a lingering promise! "I'll be back in half an hour! tops!"
The source of this c𝐨ntent is fre𝒆w(e)bn(o)vel