She Dominates the Immortal Realm with Her HP Bar-Chapter 122

Ji Qinghong handed them a jade brush.

The dense ranks of demon reinforcements had just arrived, barely having time to utter a word before hastily diving into their duties.

At this moment, their voracious feasting seemed sacred—untouchable, selfless, and for the sake of the nation and its people.

In short, this was no ordinary meal. Every bite these demons took was a step toward a prosperous and peaceful future for the cultivation world!

...At least, that was the theory.

But in reality, as Yuan Feiyu watched the scene of ravenous devouring and bustling energy, for a fleeting instant, he was reminded of the chaotic rush when his sect’s dining hall opened for meals.

Yuan Feiyu: "..."

He shook his head slightly, dispelling the mental image.

Straightening his expression, he refocused on fending off the invading aberrations.

The arrival of the demons had effectively alleviated the pressure on the humans to dispose of the aberration corpses.

Yet, as time passed, Yuan Feiyu could clearly sense that the strength of these aberrations was gradually increasing.

This wasn’t just because they were consuming their own kin’s remains.

It was also because the aberrations now pouring from the spatial rift were inherently stronger than the initial wave of cannon fodder.

Soon enough, he surmised, the rift wouldn’t just spew out these low-tier aberrations—mid-tier and even high-tier ones would begin emerging.

His gaze swept over the battlefield, where the demons were feasting with gusto, when a sudden thought struck him.

He turned to the demon girl who had delivered the message and asked urgently, "Does the miasma from the aberrations affect you when you eat them?"

"Not at all," Pao Lulu replied brightly. "We’ve tested it many times over the past twenty years."

Compared to humans, demons naturally possessed more vigorous vitality.

And besides, the demon realm had specifically dispatched carrion-eating clans this time.

These demons were accustomed to far more pungent fare—low-tier aberrations were nothing to them.

Pao Lulu, a girl from the Tibetan antelope clan, had mastered her lineage’s unique techniques exceptionally well.

She was swift and agile, capable of outrunning even the plains’ relentless winds, which was why she had been chosen as a messenger.

But she was still young—while her running skills were outstanding, her performance in other areas was slightly lacking.

On the battlefield, a single misstep could mean life or death.

Suddenly, a minor slip in her spiritual energy control caused the spell she was casting to fall short of its intended power.

Just as a rapidly evolving ghoul-headed demon was about to strike her, Yuan Feiyu swiftly pulled her out of harm’s way.

Having narrowly escaped death, Pao Lulu’s ears twitched softly, their supple fur bouncing lightly.

Yuan Feiyu’s gaze lingered for a moment on those pale brown, velvety pointed ears before he awkwardly looked away.

Clearing his throat, he casually changed the subject. "We humans don’t have a habit of eating demonic creatures. Their flesh is usually processed for artifact forging or alchemy... How do you demons manage to stomach it? Doesn’t the meat taste too sour or tough?"

Pao Lulu tilted her head thoughtfully, her ears bobbing slightly with the motion.

"Well... among demons, tastes and diets vary a lot more than among humans, depending on the clan."

With a lively smile, she stole a moment between casting spells to raise a finger.

"Take rabbit demons, for example—if a rabbit demon in human form craves grass, they can just pluck a handful and eat it raw. But would humans ever want to munch on fresh, raw grass?"

The moment she finished speaking, Yuan Feiyu reflexively clutched his stomach.

Pao Lulu blinked in confusion. "What’s wrong?"

"Please," Yuan Feiyu said with utmost sincerity, "you can use any example—just not rabbits."

The mere mention of rabbits made his stomach ache—a hereditary affliction plaguing the entire Sword Peak, one that would likely persist for millennia.

Pao Lulu: "???"

Her knowledge of the human realm was limited, and Yuan Feiyu’s reaction left her unsure what taboo she had violated. For a moment, she hesitated to speak further.

After a brief pause, recalling a demon from the human realm she had once met, she cautiously ventured:

"Then let’s switch examples... um, say, a turtle..."

She had intended to explain that turtle demons in human form could also eat raw fish.

But before she could continue, Yuan Feiyu quickly interjected, "Wait—let’s just go back to talking about rabbits."

Pao Lulu: "???"

She couldn’t help but think—human sword cultivators were truly bizarre.

...

Human sword cultivators might be strange, but human alchemists, talisman masters, and spellcasters... were no less peculiar.

Yet regardless of their quirks and habits, in this critical moment as the cultivation world entered wartime, everyone was giving their all.

At this very moment, Yan Luoyue and others were stationed in the main hall, receiving reports from all directions.

Beneath the main hall, several branch halls were also set up, one of which was overseen by Yin Wangyou.

In recent years, the name "Yin Wangyou" had become well-known across the cultivation world.

Not only was she an alchemist, but she was also the discoverer of the Aberration Evolution Genealogy.

Over the past few years, Yin Wangyou had never let early fame inflate her ego or halt her progress.

She maintained the same habits as before her rise—sometimes secluding herself, other times traveling widely, quietly laying the groundwork for her research.

In just two or three years, the Aberration Evolution Genealogy in her hands had been revised from its initial draft all the way to the eleventh edition.

To perfect this genealogy, she had spent nearly every moment immersed in the study of aberrations.

As a result, Yin Wangyou possessed an exceptionally deep understanding of nearly every aberration’s behavior in existence.

Before the Puppet-Devouring Net launched its attack, Yan Luoyue had met with Yin Wangyou once.

It was their conversation during that meeting that gave Yan Luoyue the confidence to assert—on certain details about aberrations, even Wu Manshuang might not match Yin Wangyou’s comprehensive knowledge.

At this moment, the main hall where Yan Luoyue and the others were stationed was adorned with an enormous map spanning over a dozen zhang in length.

Meanwhile, the room where Yin Wangyou sat resembled a botanical greenhouse, with shelves stacked high with sand tables representing different locations.

A communication stone placed at the center of the branch hall never fell silent, constantly relaying updates from all directions to the cultivators in the room.

"At Broken Soul Ravine, most of the aberrations we’re encountering are Earth-Surging Demons..."

"At Starview Tower, the aberrations here have begun evolving into Plague Demons..."

"In Dark Crow City, with the demon reinforcements’ help, we’ve managed the aberration corpses well. Currently, Ghoul-Headed Demons are the majority..."

In this hall, aside from Yin Wangyou, there were seven or eight other human cultivators.

There were men and women, old and young among them, all without exception deeply familiar with the traits of the invading otherworldly creatures.

Gathered around a table, they listened intently to the messages transmitted through the communication stone, heads bowed as they scribbled furiously on paper without even looking up.

After a short while, the situation on the battlefield stabilized temporarily, and no new updates came through the stone. One by one, they lifted their heads and pushed their written notes forward.

Yin Wangyou skimmed through everyone’s analyses—it turned out what they had written were strategies for dealing with these invaders.

The first priority was Duanhun Gorge, where the situation was most urgent and the number of invading creatures was the highest.

Yin Wangyou also handed her own written notes to the group.

Her voice was slightly hoarse, yet it still carried traces of the same tone from years ago, when she was a young girl selling turtle ointments at the Silver Light Arena.

But in her demeanor, there was now a composed and commanding presence that hadn’t been there before.

"Duanhun Gorge has extreme alternating hot and cold climates, and the Earth-Surging Demons have six possible evolutionary paths. Given the environmental factors, the demon realm will likely deploy Blazing Flame Demons and Earthbound Demons next, making it easier for Earth-Surging Demons to evolve into Earthbound Demons."

Hearing this analysis, the cultivators present quietly let out a sigh of relief.

—Indeed, they had come to the same conclusion.

Yin Wangyou continued, "So my suggestion is to send more wood-attribute spellcasters as reinforcements to Duanhun Gorge."

"We concur."

"That’s the right approach."

"Xiao Lü and I think we should also pay attention to the following details when deploying them…"

After a brief discussion, they confirmed that their strategies aligned and quickly adjusted a few details of the original plan.

Then, Yin Wangyou exhaled shortly, picked up the communication stone, and relayed the finalized plan to the central command.

Now, all that remained was for the central command to mobilize personnel and implement the countermeasures.

……

Faced with these demon realm rifts opened by the Puppet Love-Consuming Net, the sect leaders and elders in the central command unanimously agreed that they couldn’t allow these invaders to come and go as they pleased.

"If we let the Puppet Love-Consuming Net open rifts unchecked, the entire mortal realm will soon be engulfed in war."

This was their world of cultivation—how could they tolerate these invaders spreading unchecked?

Therefore…

"We must actively seal these spatial rifts."

Thus, tactically, the central command made targeted adjustments to cultivator deployments.

On the battlefield, the fighters were also ordered to repel the demons and seal the rifts with demon-repelling formations.

At times like these, the true value of Ji Qinghong’s modified portable formations became evident.

No longer did a dozen people need to exhaust themselves for days constructing a formation.

Now, just one or two formation masters with quick wits and adaptability could set up the first layer of the seal in less than an hour.

For the current situation, these portable demon-sealing formations were nothing short of a godsend.

Even if Ji Qinghong had caused them endless headaches in the past, at this moment, the sect leaders and elders had no choice but to grudgingly admit that having such a prodigy in the cultivation world wasn’t entirely a bad thing.

Hearing their insincere praises, the Guiyuan Sect’s sect leader stroked his sparse beard and smiled without a word.

The first to receive these orders were Kang Bashui and his team, stationed at Starwatch Tower.

During the previous demon suppression campaign, Starwatch Tower had been a crucial stronghold.

So before this war began, both the Guiyuan Sect and the Temple of Heavenly Sound had stationed forces there.

Led by these two major sects, with additional support from disciples of smaller sects, they jointly defended the location.

Upon hearing the central command’s orders, Kang Bashui raised his voice to rally his disciples:

"Did you all hear that? Once we drive these damned things back where they came from and seal the rifts with formations, we’ll have quelled the chaos here!"

Hearing this, the group’s spirits lifted.

The seemingly endless battle now had a clear goal.

Kang Bashui, wielding his eight tentacles, charged ahead like an unstoppable vanguard.

But the one keeping pace beside him wasn’t a Guiyuan Sect cultivator—it was a young disciple from the Rising Sun Sect.

The boy was barely twelve or thirteen, the youngest son of a Rising Sun Sect elder, usually coddled and pampered.

Yet when war broke out, half out of personal resolve and half to set an example, he had volunteered for the battlefield.

—After all, as a cultivator, regardless of age, he was more useful here than an ordinary mortal.

Cultivators enjoyed privileges and longevity beyond mortal dreams, so in times of crisis, defending their homeland was their duty.

But the boy was still young—the youngest among Kang Bashui’s forces.

Kang Bashui, straightforward and warm-hearted by nature, had an older brother’s instinct to look out for others. Even in battle, he kept the Rising Sun Sect disciple close, watching over him.

Life-and-death situations forge the strongest bonds.

In just two or three days, Kang Bashui and the boy had grown familiar.

Noticing blood splattered across the boy’s face, now dried into a scab, Kang Bashui took a moment mid-fight to help wipe it away with a tentacle.

To his surprise, the pampered disciple yelped, "No, no, Senior Brother Bashui! I’m allergic to seafood!"

Seafood · Octopus · Kang Bashui: "…Oh. Little brother, you could’ve mentioned that earlier."

Clearing his throat awkwardly, the boy quickly tried to smooth things over:

"I’m just allergic to seafood, not all aquatic creatures… Um, Senior Brother, are you a freshwater octopus?"

Kang Bashui: "…"

Truth be told, in all his years, he’d never heard of freshwater octopuses.

Realizing his mistake, the boy flushed with embarrassment and took it out on a nearby Earth-Surging Demon, hacking at it wildly.

Only after reducing the flat demon to mincemeat did he mutter under his breath:

"These invaders… They open spatial rifts way too fast."

At first, Starwatch Tower had only four or five rifts. But not long ago, three more had appeared!

Kang Bashui was usually easygoing, laughing and joking with others.

But now, his expression was calm and resolute.

He declared firmly, "Even if they open a hundred rifts, we’ll seal a hundred and one."

The boy, ever the stickler, reflexively asked, "If they only open a hundred, how can we seal the hundred and first?"

Kang Bashui opened his mouth, about to respond, when suddenly a monk from the Fanyin Temple shouted from behind him: "—Seal its asshole!"

Immediately after, the shouting master charged forward, brandishing a pair of Vajra Arhat Fists of Subduing Demons, delivering a series of thunderous duangduangduang blows.

Kang Bashui: "..."

Slowly, ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‍Kang Bashui closed his eyes.

Though he had been working with these monks for two or three days now, Senior Brother Bashui deeply felt that no matter how many years passed, he would never grow accustomed to such a straightforward and brutal approach.

Of course, not all monks in Fanyin Temple were like these martial warriors.

As a temple, it naturally housed masters skilled in Zen philosophy and profound debate.

For instance, at this very moment, a group of masters sat at the heart of the battlefield, chanting sutras in unison. Golden light radiated from their bodies, subduing the aberrant creatures enveloped within its glow.

However, as everyone knew, compared to the serene and composed latter group, the number of martial monks and nuns in Fanyin Temple was far greater...

In the past, Kang Bashui had once witnessed their way of handling things.

After that experience, he never wanted to cross paths with such monks or nuns again.

...Because they had taught him firsthand what it meant to hand-pound fish balls.

As the intensity of the aberrant creatures' attacks escalated, the enemies pouring out from the spatial rifts evolved from low-level fiends to a horde of Rolling Spheres of Chaos.

Gazing at these murky-colored, lightning-fast rolling spheres that charged like vanguards, everyone on the battlefield heightened their vigilance.

Kang Bashui was no exception.

Yet, amid his wariness, an inexplicable sense of nostalgia welled up in his heart.

This scene, this moment—it felt just like the past.

For some reason, Kang Bashui suddenly thought of Junior Sister Yan Luoyue and Junior Brother Wu Manshuang.

Back then, inside the demonic seal they had been tasked to cleanse, the three of them had fought side by side, cutting down wave after wave of Rolling Spheres of Chaos.

The divine origins of Yan Luoyue and Wu Manshuang remained known to only a select few.

Thus, Kang Bashui only knew that, in preparation for this great battle, the elite disciples of the Guiyuan Sect had been dispersed across the human realm as squad leaders, tasked with holding the line.

He mused silently: Junior Sister Yan and Junior Brother Wu, as inheritors of that peak’s legacy, must have been entrusted with critical responsibilities. I wonder where they’ve been assigned—are the two of them stationed together?

His eight tentacles whirled through the air as Kang Bashui spat out a stream of ink, scattering a stack of blank talisman papers.

While effortlessly drawing his most proficient talisman—the Rebound Talisman—purely by muscle memory, Kang Bashui’s mind wandered for half a second.

Junior Sister Yan and Junior Brother Wu, when united, are an unstoppable force. I hope the Sect Leader didn’t separate them when assigning missions. With their talents, they should be able to handle any situation.

This fleeting distraction did nothing to diminish Kang Bashui’s combat prowess.

In the blink of an eye, a stack of talismans took shape under the synchronized movements of his eight tentacles.

For a time, Kang Bashui wielded each tentacle with such ferocity that they cut through the air like gales.

Rebound Talismans? He could draw and apply them faster than an assembly line.

He pasted them not only on himself but also on his allies.

Adorned with Rebound Talismans, Kang Bashui fought with the valor of Zhao Yun reincarnate, his agile figure weaving through the battlefield seven times over.

While deflecting the Rolling Spheres’ attacks with his talismans, he distributed them to fellow cultivators like scattered petals in the wind. His throwing technique was so precise that even the most seasoned chef, swiftly peeling potatoes, couldn’t rival it.

The youngest disciple of the Xuri Sect, being the closest to Kang Bashui, was the first to receive one.

Kang Bashui’s aim was impeccable, but the disciple was a bit short.

Thus, a Rebound Talisman landed squarely on the boy’s forehead, fluttering upward with every exhale.

"..."

The dangling talisman partially obscured his vision, but fearing it might weaken the effect, the disciple didn’t dare remove it.

Still a child at heart, he couldn’t resist playing along.

With the talisman plastered to his brow, the boy stiffly hopped forward like a little zombie.

"Hyah!"

The "tiny zombie," relying on the Rebound Talisman’s power, managed to deflect an attack from a Rolling Sphere of Chaos!

These small to mid-sized Rolling Spheres were merely appetizers.

With swift footwork, Rebound Talismans, and a few flying artifacts, the cultivators handled them with ease.

But soon, the earth trembled with a deep, ominous rumble.

Having experienced the demonic seal incident alongside Yan Luoyue and Wu Manshuang, Kang Bashui recognized the signs immediately.

He signaled a retreat to the cultivators while personally grabbing the Xuri Sect disciple by the collar and darting backward.

Sure enough, moments later, an enormous Rolling Sphere of Chaos emerged from one of the spatial rifts.

Towering three stories high, it barely squeezed through the portal.

As the Guiyuan Sect cultivators, led by Kang Bashui, temporarily withdrew, another group remained firmly seated, unmoving.

Judging by their attire and gleaming, shaved heads, these meditating figures were none other than the masters of Fanyin Temple.

Facing the colossal Rolling Sphere’s aggressive advance, the masters pressed their palms together, robes draping serenely, eyes shut in tranquil focus.

Even as the ground beneath them quaked dangerously with the creature’s approach, their sutra-chanting rhythm never wavered.

Perhaps sensing the monks’ resilience, the giant Rolling Sphere abruptly halted its roll.

Then—whoosh!—a blinding beam of condensed energy gathered before it!

To obliterate these stubborn monks, the Rolling Sphere expended its entire lifetime’s worth of stored energy in a single, devastating blast!

Every cultivator present carried a handbook on invasive aberrant species, memorized cover to cover.

So when they saw the Rolling Sphere unleash this fully charged attack, a collective gasp swept through the crowd.

Yet the Fanyin Temple masters in the direct line of fire didn’t even flinch.

Their chanting remained steady, their voices calm and unwavering.

"Attaining the supreme, wondrous Dharma..."

As they recited, the golden glow enveloping their bodies intensified, gradually merging into a unified radiance.

Then, just before the white energy blast struck, the golden light coalesced into a massive Golden Bell Shield!

For an instant, the collision of gold and white was so dazzling that it nearly blinded onlookers.

The golden bell-shaped shield was swallowed by the searing light—but seconds later, when the glare faded, the righteous golden barrier stood firm, unshaken.

Kang Bashui witnessed this scene with his own eyes, feeling more moved in this moment than when his junior sister Yan had shielded Wu Manshuang from that cannon blast.

A sudden realization dawned on Kang Bashui, and he murmured to himself, "...Let the strong be strong, like the breeze brushing the mountain ridge. With aid comes self-reliance, and the arrogant shall not endure."

As he spoke, the eight tentacles extending from his sleeves still twisted and coiled around the arms or legs of his companions.

Earlier, some had been too slow to retreat, and Kang Bashui had forcibly dragged them aside with his tentacles.

A junior disciple from the Rising Sun Sect, currently suspended by the collar from one of the tentacles, was the first to notice the thickening spiritual energy swirling around Kang Bashui.

"Senior Brother Bashui, your spiritual energy—"

Before the disciple could finish, Kang Bashui already sensed it himself—an epiphany had struck, and his cultivation was now breaking through a critical bottleneck.

The spiritual energy surging through his meridians was increasing at an astonishing rate.

Around him, the other cultivators exchanged glances.

Someone carefully peeled Kang Bashui’s tentacle off themselves, glanced in his direction, and then grinned broadly.

—As long as we live, hope never dies.

See? Even in the midst of such a perilous battlefield, good things can still happen.

The monks from the Temple of Sacred Chants continued their low, reverent murmurs, their voices pure and devout.

"All good men and women who hear these words..."

The force of the Golden Bell Shield and the radiant light swept outward, instantly tearing apart nearly a thousand ordinary round demons.

Thanks to this, Kang Bashui was able to complete his breakthrough undisturbed.

In mere moments, he opened his eyes, his gaze sharp and spirited.

With a sweep of the four tentacles on his right side, he charged forward with renewed vigor.

"What are we waiting for, everyone? Let’s push these little thugs back where they came from!"

"Prepare the demon-sealing array—let them crawl back the same way they slithered in!"

Behind Kang Bashui, a chorus of wild howls followed—coming from the martial monks of the Temple of Sacred Chants.

"Plug their assholes! Plug their assholes!"

Kang Bashui: "..."

...

As mid-tier and even high-tier invading creatures began appearing in force, Yan Luoyue and Wu Manshuang felt it was time for them to step in.

In truth, they weren’t the only ones preparing.

Nearly half an hour earlier, high-level cultivators at the Nascent Soul and Deity Transformation stages had already begun joining the battle at opportune moments.

At first, they hadn’t all rushed in at once—they needed to assess the situation and choose the perfect moment to intervene.

Just as in a war between two evenly matched sides, one doesn’t immediately unleash the most devastating weapons.

But now, everyone agreed: it was time.

Due to their unique status as divine artifacts, the main sect did not command Yan Luoyue and Wu Manshuang as they would ordinary disciples.

When it came to choosing where to provide support, the sect leaders left the decision to the two of them.

After a brief exchange, Yan Luoyue and Wu Manshuang settled on a location.

Hand in hand, they had just stepped out of the main hall and taken a few steps when a voice called out to them from the side.

Turning, Yan Luoyue saw Ji Qinghong standing not far away, his silver-white hair fluttering in the wind, tall and poised.

He, too, seemed about to depart, but his usual playful smirk carried an indescribable weight this time.

Noticing their pause, Ji Qinghong casually clapped his hands.

Yan Luoyue’s sharp eyes caught the fine dust of stone powder drifting from between his fingers.

The pale gray powder looked familiar, and it took her only a moment to realize—

"Master, did you just rename the peak?"

Judging by the remnants, Ji Qinghong had likely carved the new name himself this time, rather than delegating the task to a disciple.

Amused by her quick deduction, Ji Qinghong clasped his hands behind his back and chuckled. "Too-smart children tend to stay short, you know."

Honestly, Yan Luoyue didn’t want to burst his bubble.

But... she couldn’t resist.

She whispered, "My true form stretches between heaven and earth—so I’d say I’m about tens of thousands of times taller than you."

Ji Qinghong: "..."

After a pause, he smiled sweetly. "Exactly. That’s why you’re so tall—because you’re a silly child."

Yan Luoyue: "???"

So no matter what, you’ve got a comeback, huh? You just can’t lose.

Curious about the new peak name, Yan Luoyue made a mental note to check it out later—now wasn’t the time.

Wu Manshuang gently patted her head, steering the conversation back on track.

Calmly, he asked, "Master, did you need something from us?"

Ji Qinghong studied them thoughtfully, and for a fleeting moment, Yan Luoyue sensed hesitation in his demeanor.

Then, he handed them a jade brush.

The brush was pure white, its shaft carved from flawless jade, smooth as a maiden’s skin.

Even the bristles were immaculately white, their texture oddly familiar...

Yan Luoyue gave Ji Qinghong a suspicious look—was this brush made from rabbit fur?

"..."

Amidst all that white, the only splash of color was a single red thread tied to the end of the shaft.

A thought flashed through Yan Luoyue’s mind.

Wait, could this brush be...?

Ji Qinghong smiled faintly and tucked his hands behind his back again.

"Keep it. I have a feeling you’ll need it."

With those words, he turned and left, his snow-white hair billowing like a banner in the wind.

Yan Luoyue and Wu Manshuang exchanged a glance, their expressions inscrutable as they held the brush.

Softly, Yan Luoyue murmured, "This brush... is it...?"

Wu Manshuang already knew what she meant. "Mn." Most likely.

Yan Luoyue clicked her tongue. "So all these years, Second Senior Brother’s been hiding inside this shell."

Wu Manshuang nodded. "Mn."

"Never would’ve guessed," Yan Luoyue admitted.

Wu Manshuang gently patted her back. "Neither did I."

But now, the reason the Emotion-Devouring Demon had fled at the sight of him suddenly made perfect sense.

...

In the end, the place Yan Luoyue and Wu Manshuang chose to reinforce was their homeland—Yunning Great Marsh, the place they knew best.

As Yan Luoyue pressed her finger to the map to confirm their destination, a quiet certainty settled in her heart—

If this story had begun here, then it must also end here.

Standing aboard the airship bound for Yunning Great Marsh, Yan Luoyue asked softly, "Manshuang, how do you feel now?"

Wu Manshuang smiled. "Me? I feel... at peace."

Yan Luoyue glanced down at her sleeve, where the Dark Crow’s Flame peeked out from its woven grass nest, its tiny head tilted curiously.

"And what about Wu Ti?"

At this moment, the flames of Wu Ti were unusually quiet.

The little flame lowered its voice, striving to sound more mature.

It declared firmly, "We will win."

The Wu Ti flames repeated its words: "—Little sapling, big rock, we will win."

Three thousand years ago, three thousand years later, the three divine artifacts were together in the past, are together now, and will remain together in the future.

At this very moment, they were charging toward a fate they were destined to face, determined to overcome it.

...

Meanwhile, before the spatial rift at Yunning Great Marsh, the forces of the four surrounding cities had united to resist the invading aberrations.

Some young, spoiled cultivators, though usually praised as prodigies, now looked pale in the face of such a meat-grinder battle.

Under normal circumstances, the moment these young cultivators showed signs of distress, a swarm of maids and attendants would rush to support them, offering arms to lean on and boots to wear.

But now, no one had the time to tend to them.

At most, they exchanged silent glances, stepped aside to retch, wiped their mouths, and then began mocking each other.

"What's wrong with you? Scared stiff like a bone-spur demon!"

"Can't compare to you—limp as a snot-bubble demon."

The spoiled youths glared fiercely at one another, snorted, turned their heads, and rejoined the fray.

The sect leader and elders of the Luoshu Sect were also fighting on the front lines.

One elder noticed the scene behind her and smiled faintly, summoning a trickle of water to cleanse the blood from her sword.

She remarked with emotion, "The children are growing up."

The sect leader coughed lightly.

The recent fierce battle had aggravated an old injury in his chest—a wound inflicted long ago by the Rolling Round Demon—but he paid it no mind.

The Luoshu Sect leader said calmly, "Just as saplings sprout and seas turn to mulberry fields, we will eventually pass on, and the next generation will become stronger versions of ourselves."

Three hundred paces away from the Luoshu Sect leader and elders, the city lords of Ruyi City, Zhen Zhuo'er, and Chiyu City, Meng Zhun, were directing their subordinates, adjusting formations, and launching a new wave of attacks.

During casual gatherings, when they only brought their guards, the difference wasn’t obvious.

But now, in the heat of battle, the contrast was stark.

—Their troops moved with discipline and precision, their coordination far surpassing that of the other cities.

One envious city lord couldn’t help but ask, "We of Yunning Great Marsh have always been united. What’s your secret? Why not share it with the rest of us?"

They had long known of the friendly ties between Chiyu City and Ruyi City.

But had they even shared their training methods? Were they so close that they’d exchange such crucial knowledge?

Hearing this, Zhen Zhuo'er and Meng Zhun exchanged a knowing smile.

Zhen Zhuo'er was stunningly beautiful, usually dressed like an immortal fairy.

Today, however, she wore plain armor, her hair tied high, exuding an air of sharp elegance.

Her eyes gleaming, she said lightly, "After this battle is over. Then, you’ll understand."

Meng Zhun, being more straightforward, offered a small hint: "I owe my thanks... to Master Yan Bixin."

At the mention of Master Yan Bixin, Meng Zhun’s eyes filled with deep, complex emotions.

Years ago, under the moonlight, Master Yan had come to him, and they had shared a heartfelt conversation.

More than a decade had passed since that night.

Yet, after all these years, Master Yan had still sent him a gift—an experimental training device.

That mysterious black-robed artificer, despite being worlds away, still remembered his friends in the remote borderlands.

In his message, Yan Bixin had told Meng Zhun the name of the new device: the "Cultivation Machine."

And within it lay simulated scenarios of aberration invasions.

So now, facing the onslaught of aberrations, Meng Zhun’s troops acted like students who had previewed the textbook before a pop quiz—calm, prepared, and unshaken.

Zhen Zhuo'er smiled brightly. "My Ruyi City is no different."

When Yan Luoyue and Wu Manshuang had returned to their hometown to resolve the issue of the crude sealing method, Master Yan had secretly accompanied them.

During that time, he had approached her with a business proposal.

The "Cultivation Machines" used to train her subordinates were trial versions sent by Master Yan’s people.

Meng Zhun said sincerely, "Master Yan’s virtue shines like the bright moon—truly extraordinary."

Then, with a trace of regret, he added, "If only I knew his true identity..."

He had no intention of disturbing the master.

But having received such kindness, he couldn’t help but wish to repay it.

Zhen Zhuo'er covered her lips with a sleeve, thinking to herself: You’ve never heard of Ji Qinghong’s second disciple, have you?

Indeed, in Zhen Zhuo'er’s mind, Master Yan’s identity was undoubtedly Ji Qinghong’s elusive second disciple.

However, before she could finish this thought, a shadow fell over her.

Assuming it was some massive, flying aberration, she looked up—only to click her tongue in surprise. "Well, isn’t this... speak of the devil?"

She had just been thinking of Master Yan, and now, his junior siblings had appeared together!

Yan Luoyue and Wu Manshuang stood at the prow of their flying vessel.

Seeing the chaotic battlefield below, where aberrations and cultivators were entangled, they decided against landing. Instead, they shrunk the vessel midair and stowed it away.

In an instant, Yan Luoyue transformed into a turtle, while Wu Manshuang became a tengserpent, unfurling a pair of wings as dark as midnight.

The tengserpent’s shadow stretched across the land, and wherever it passed, cultivators raised their eyes.

They saw: a pair of vast wings sweeping across the azure sky, casting cool shade upon their faces.

Upon closer inspection, those wings belonged to the tengserpent.

And coiled intimately around the serpent’s body was a turtle.

"..."

Someone stammered, "Is this... the legendary Black Tortoise?"

Another noticed the fiery little bird proudly spreading its wings beneath the tengserpent and turtle.

Slapping his thigh, he exclaimed, "A Vermilion Bird! That must be the Vermilion Bird!"

"Tch, tch, tch, they really love jumping to conclusions," Wu Ti’s flame scoffed, twisting its beak. "I’m no bird, chirp chirp!"