Longevity: Comprehending the Heart Method

Chapter 360: Chapter 240: Arrival of the Golden Core, End of the Road

Although the Black Dragon Demon King had initiated this war, it had remained hidden within the Black Water Marsh, never revealing itself. It wasn’t that it lacked the desire to conquer Luoxia City in one fell swoop and lead the demons to sweep across the Daqi Cultivation World.

From the very beginning, it had never considered Luoxia City a threat. A city without even a single Golden Core Master could not possibly stop its advance.

The only reason it had held back was its fear of the Golden Crow Sect and the Celestial Vein Sect joining forces.

In terms of numbers, the Demon Kings of the Hundred Thousand Mountains were no fewer than the Golden Core Masters of the two major sects. However, most Demon Kings were arrogant by nature and unwilling to take orders from the Black Dragon Demon King.

Compared to warring with the Human Race, they preferred to stay within their own domains.

This disunity created a deficit in top-tier combat power, which was why the Black Dragon Demon King had been unable to realize its plan to annihilate the Daqi Cultivation World.

Unwilling to remain idle, it had spent a millennium constantly probing. But it also knew that the Human Race Cultivators wanted nothing more than to eliminate it, so it had always chosen to hide behind the scenes and instigate the Beast Tides, rarely daring to step foot outside the Black Water Marsh.

This time, however, the Blood Demon Sect’s machinations had provoked a war between the Golden Crow Sect and the Celestial Vein Sect, presenting the Black Dragon Demon King with a rare opportunity.

But it had become the longest-lived Demon King in the Hundred Thousand Mountains precisely because of its caution and suspicion.

’Who could guarantee the war between the two sects isn’t just an elaborate act?’

So it found a blunt instrument in the Thunderous Demon King, making him the vanguard for the attack on the Human Race while it hid behind the scenes, watching how events unfolded.

A year had passed. Luoxia City had suffered grievous losses, yet it had not received a single reinforcement.

Meanwhile, the war between the two major sects had reached a fever pitch. Casualties on both sides had climbed into the thousands, several Purple Mansion Cultivators had fallen, and a battle between Golden Core Masters had even erupted recently.

All these events made the Black Dragon Demon King realize its time had truly come. As long as it could break through Luoxia City, the outer barrier, an army of a million demons could instantly sweep across the southwest of Qii Kingdom.

Once it reached that stage, it refused to believe the other Demon Kings wouldn’t be tempted!

If they joined the war, their combined top-tier strength would completely overwhelm the Daqi Cultivation World, allowing them to decide the outcome in a single, decisive battle!

The Black Dragon Demon King slowly moved its enormous body. For the first time in five hundred years, it stepped out of the Black Water Marsh. Following it was an army of a million demons from the Hundred Thousand Mountains!

They converged into a torrent, leaving no life in their wake. The very earth trembled as they passed.

On the blood-stained city walls, tens of thousands of cultivators stared blankly at the endless Beast Tide. They were overcome with the true meaning of despair.

"Hahaha, Luoxia City falls today!" Seeing this, the Thunderous Demon King let out a truly thunderous roar.

High above, a man in a black robe strode through the air. His features were human, but a menacing Dragon Horn jutted from his forehead, and his entire being radiated a terrifying aura.

A Demon Beast had to reach the level of a Demon King to assume human form. Given his single horn, his identity was immediately obvious.

He was the Old Flood Dragon who had dominated the Hundred Thousand Mountains for a millennium—the Black Dragon Demon King!

The moment he appeared, the color drained from everyone’s faces.

"He... How did he get out?" a Foundation Establishment Cultivator shrieked, his voice hoarse and his legs trembling.

"Oh gods, without the Golden Crow Sect, who can possibly stop him?"

"Where is the Great City Lord? Why hasn’t the Great City Lord appeared?"

At these words, a hush fell over the city wall.

That’s right. Where was the Great City Lord?

The war had been raging for a year, so why hadn’t the Great City Lord shown his face?

Once suspicion took root in their hearts, it spread like a plague.

Some cultivators even began to openly question Zhan Tianxia, demanding to know why the Great City Lord had yet to appear.

Zhan Tianxia stared forward, his expression grim, as if he hadn’t heard a thing.

But his silence did not quell the questions. Instead, it fueled an unspeakable rage among the crowd. ’We’re fighting and bleeding on the front lines, and the Great City Lord has abandoned us!’

In that instant, the morale that had sustained Luoxia City until now began to crumble.

The crisis of faith even began to affect Luoxia City’s own disciples. Seeing the looks of hope, confusion, and suspicion in the eyes of her martial siblings, Zhuang Yuechan bit her lip, her body trembling slightly.

She knew they were all waiting for an answer, or at least a reason they could accept.

But she truly didn’t know how to explain it, nor did she have an explanation to give.

Because Muu Guibai was, in fact, not in Luoxia City. He had vanished the moment the war began.

As his disciple, she would always trust her Master, but she couldn’t dispel the doubts of others.

Any words seemed hollow in the face of the truth.

Taking a deep breath, Zhuang Yuechan looked into their bright eyes, straightened her spine, and declared, "Behind us are our homes. We have nowhere left to retreat. I will fight alongside you, to the very death!"

"At this point, we have no other choice." Xu Yunhe slowly rose to his feet, his eyes filled with resolve. Since he had chosen to stay, he would not retreat a single step. ’A sword can be broken, but it must never know fear.’

A look of tragic resolve appeared on everyone’s faces. Perhaps today, they would all be buried along with this city...

The Black Dragon Demon King looked down imperiously at the broken shell of Luoxia City, a complex emotion flickering in his eyes. After five hundred years, he had finally set foot upon the territory of the Human Race once more.