They could no longer turn back once they left Shenzhou.
Zhi Duo lowered its head and gently licked the fine wounds on its tail, its narrow eyes seeming to hold a piece of ice.
Seeing this, the蛮牛 (man niu) also fell silent for some reason.
After a long while, it turned and left with heavy steps.
"I regret it..."
...
Xu Yi had expected that after the brief truce, the first to break the stalemate would be the disunified demon race.
She was wrong.
"Fellow Daoists, this is an emergency. Demonic energy has erupted simultaneously across the Nine Provinces, spreading over half of the continent. The Nine Provinces are in grave danger."
In the Nine Provinces Alliance's council hall, Ancestor Jing Zhi gravely announced the bad news.
Even a small amount of demonic energy could affect cultivators, let alone mortals.
Therefore, to minimize losses, the Nine Provinces Alliance had evacuated everyone living in Shi Zhou and Yang Zhou to other locations, preventing them from being implicated.
But now that demonic energy was rampant across the Nine Provinces, their previous preparations had become futile.
"How did this demonic energy spread to the Nine Provinces? We meticulously scoured every inch of land with special instruments, ensuring no demon had left behind any traps. Where did the accident happen?"
"It's useless to dwell on that now. The most important issue is how to eliminate all this demonic energy and prevent the Nine Provinces from becoming a paradise for demons!"
"Sect Leader Qinglian speaks the truth. We should first decide on a plan, focusing on expelling the demonic energy."
"..."
Everyone offered their opinions, and a stable plan was quickly formulated.
The Nine Provinces Alliance would dispatch seven small teams, equipped with demon-exterminating spirit artifacts, to destroy the demonic energy in various locations.
The team responsible for the Central Province happened to be led by Xu Yi's Xuanji Sect team, which also included Ji Buwang and Elder Qingfeng.
The Nine Provinces Alliance's base was located in the Central Province, so Xu Yi and the others did not use the teleportation formation. Instead, they set off directly from the Nine Provinces Alliance base towards the area with the densest demonic energy in the Central Province.
Along the way, Elder Qingfeng looked at a patch of unusually thick, ink-like demonic energy in the sky ahead, his brow furrowed with worry.
The demonic energy there was so dense that ordinary cultivators might not be able to withstand it.
Xu Yi, sensing Elder Qingfeng's thoughts, remained silent for a moment before saying, "Every Nine Provinces Alliance cultivator is equipped with talismans to protect their heart and spirit. As long as their will is firm, they can hold on until we arrive to support them."
As for those with weak wills, they could only fend for themselves.
War was inevitable, and sacrifices were unavoidable.
Elder Qingfeng recalled the preparations made over the past two hundred years and felt a little more at ease.
Ancestor was right; he should have more faith in them.
Indeed, when they arrived at the location with the densest demonic energy, most of the cultivators there were still struggling to hold on, apart from a small portion who had been affected by the demonic energy and had begun attacking their comrades.
They had not only protected their own minds but also the mortals who were kneeling and begging for divine protection.
Xu Yi let out a soft breath, exchanged a glance with Ji Buwang, and together they charged into the demonic clouds with their demon-repelling spirit artifacts, accompanied by the Xuanji Sect disciples.
The demonic clouds began to churn violently, with bursts of spiritual light flashing within them.
The same scene was unfolding in the other seven major provinces of the Nine Provinces continent.
It was at this moment that the demons and the demon race launched their attacks again.
The Heavenly Demons spurred on the demonic energy, commanding their armies to charge forward, their faces filled with ferocity and madness.
The demon race would be the ultimate victor of this land!
Yang Zhou.
"Humans shall die! Long live the demon race!"
"Roar! Roar! Roar!"
The enraged roars of the demon beasts echoed through the heavens and earth.
They would tear the humans to shreds!
Nine Provinces Alliance Council Hall.
Ancestor Jing Zhi looked at the array disk glowing before him and a cold smile touched his lips. "The decisive battle has arrived."
"This time, we will eradicate them from the Nine Provinces permanently."
"I can't wait."
The decisive battle had begun.
...
Demon beasts.
Demon beasts from all directions.
Yu Xiaoyu could no longer keep track of how many demon beasts she had slain.
Mechanically, she raised her arm and swung her meteor hammer.
Crimson bloodstains clung to her eyelashes, tinting her vision with a layer of dark red.
"Ah! Senior Sister Yu!"
A heart-wrenching scream sounded from behind Yu Xiaoyu.
Yu Xiaoyu's eyelashes trembled, but she did not stop swinging her hammer nor did she turn to look in the direction of the sound.
She had heard too many cries for help these past few days.
But she was powerless to offer any assistance.
Yu Xiaoyu felt as if she had been torn into two people. The self deep within her ached with sorrow, but the outer self, with a cold expression, hammered one demon beast after another to death.
Kill!
As long as these demon beasts were killed, the Nine Provinces continent would return to peace.
Kill them, and the demon beasts would never dare to step out of Shenzhou again.
Yu Xiaoyu gripped her meteor hammer, her expression growing colder.
...
Brilliant sword energy traced an elegant arc through the air.
The next moment, countless demons were cut in half at the waist, their eyes red as they let out their death cries.
Bei Xinghan didn't pause, moving like a nimble dancer across the battlefield, swiftly reaping lives.
His dazzling performance soon caught the attention of a nearby Demon Lord.
"Sword cultivator."
The Demon Lord sneered contemptuously and reached out, grabbing fiercely in Bei Xinghan's direction.
Bang!
Bei Xinghan turned and slashed downwards. The sword energy collided with the claw marks.
The sword energy shattered, and the claw marks, carrying a sharp killing intent, continued towards Bei Xinghan.
Bei Xinghan's heart tightened, and just as he was about to raise his sword to block, the claw marks before him suddenly split into two and quickly dissipated.
Both Bei Xinghan and the Demon Lord were stunned.
"Your opponent is me."
From nowhere before the Demon Lord, a figure as tall and unyielding as a sword had appeared.
The Demon Lord immediately forgot about Bei Xinghan, warily sizing up the sword cultivator who gave him an extreme sense of danger.
Bei Xinghan glanced at the man's back, gritted his teeth, and turned to charge into the demon ranks once more.
...
"Xiong Da!"
Xiong Zhuang Zhuang's retreating form was caught by a broad bear paw.
He grunted, spat out a mouthful of clotted blood, and then roared, "Let's go together!"
"Roar!"
Xiong Da crushed a demon beast's skull with his foot, lifted Xiong Da, and charged headlong towards a four-edged elephant that was indiscriminately trampling and crushing people in the crowd!
Bang bang bang!
Dust flew, and only the sounds of flesh colliding could be heard.
...
Hong Jing walked barefoot on the soiled ground, holding his Buddhist staff with a compassionate expression. A path of shimmering golden light was left in his wake.
His presence was like a bright pearl in the dark night, dazzling.
Countless demons surged towards him.
"Ah!"
"Ah!!!"
Hong Jing lowered his eyelids, his steps unwavering, as if he hadn't seen the demons turning to ash under the Buddha's light.
No one noticed that as the demons he converted increased, the Buddha's light on him also grew stronger, almost rivaling that of the elder fighting the Demon Lord.
Everyone was growing rapidly in this war.