Yun Prefecture, Yun Xiang Tower.
Within the illusory realm of gazing at the heavens through water, half of Mount Wuwang crashed down to the lower realm, erupting in a blaze of fire and shockwaves that swept across the land. When the dust settled, Mount Panyun, which had stood in the north, had vanished from the mortal world, replaced by Mount Wuwang, which was almost as imposing as the Snow Ridge.
Only half of Mount Wuwang remained, and the cut made by the Dragon Slaying Sword crackled with purple lightning. Birds that flew too close were shredded into dust.
"..."
Shi Hanyin’s beautiful eyes widened, and she stared blankly at the half of Mount Wuwang. However, Lin Zhao was nowhere to be seen.
Not far away, a tenth-realm sword cultivator from the Mohist school, who dared not approach Shi Hanyin for fear of overstepping, frowned. Shi Hanyin had no cultivation and could not sense Lin Zhao's aura. But Qin Cheng, being in the upper fifth realm, could sense that Lin Zhao’s vital energy had been cut off the moment Mount Wuwang crashed into the lower realm, and he had departed from the mortal world.
"What… what happened?"
A mist of tears veiled Shi Hanyin’s beautiful eyes. She knew Lin Zhao was crushed beneath Mount Wuwang, but her cultivation was too low for her to know whether he lived or died. Yet, she had an extremely ominous premonition.
"Miss Shi."
Qin Cheng said softly, "Lin Zhao… he sacrificed himself for the realm."
"Ah?"
Shi Hanyin’s lips parted slightly, and the next moment, tears began to fall uncontrollably.
Qin Cheng’s nose also stung. He viewed Lin Zhao as a romantic rival, but for the sake of the world, as a tenth-realm sword cultivator himself, he had remained in Yun Prefecture instead of rushing to the Snow Domain Heavenly Pond. Compared to Lin Zhao, he was as insignificant as an ant.
"Young Master Qin, I'm tired."
Shi Hanyin gritted her teeth, curtsied gracefully to Qin Cheng, and then turned to return to her residence, accompanied by two maids.
Qin Cheng looked somewhat lost.
He turned and glanced north. It was time to go to Shanhai Pass.
However, he felt a pang of reluctance. If he left, and Shanhai Pass fell, Cloud Prefecture City would inevitably become a contested territory for the demon and devil races. Shi Hanyin was stubborn and might refuse to leave. Then, how would a delicate woman protect herself?
...
Snow Domain Heavenly Pond.
As dawn broke, the silhouette of Mount Wuwang looked even more imposing. On the northern wall of White City, a group of players watched in dumbfounded silence. No one had expected Lin Zhao to split Mount Wuwang in two with the strength of a single player, even managing to cleave half of it back to the upper realm with a single sword strike.
Did this achievement count as an unprecedented feat?
"Lin Zhao…"
Leng Yan frowned and sent Lin Zhao a communication request.
At this moment, in Leng Yan's friend list, Lin Zhao's ID was a dark red, unlike the green for online players or gray for offline players, but a third color.
"I'm fine."
The next moment, Lin Zhao answered the call.
Beneath half of Mount Wuwang, he was completely immobile, his vision entirely black. He couldn't see anything, as if he were imprisoned in a wild cage. Worse still, his game functions were almost entirely disabled. He couldn't summon any interfaces, couldn't teleport back to the city, couldn't use any skills, and couldn't even view his own attribute panel.
Everything was passive. Even Leng Yan's communication request popped up passively in the darkness.
"Then…"
Leng Yan said softly, "Will you come to White City later?"
"I can't."
Lin Zhao felt a little awkward. "After being crushed under Mount Wuwang, my account seems to have been locked. It's like being confined to a dark room, with all functions gone. I can't return to the city, nor can I leave. All my attributes have become invalid, and I don't know how to resolve it yet. But there's no rush. You guys go ahead and defend White City. I can't help here."
"Mm."
Leng Yan said, "I'll share my game screen with you. I'll fly to where you want to see the storyline and take you there. This time, I'll be your eyes."
"Okay."
Lin Zhao nodded. "Ayan, please tell Xingchen, Chen Xue, and the others about my situation. Tell them not to worry. I'm… basically fine here right now."
"Alright!"
...
In the game, day broke.
Lin Zhao still had no hint of sleepiness. He wanted to wait until after the battle at the Snow Domain Heavenly Pond before sleeping. Otherwise, he wouldn't be able to sleep peacefully without watching Xiao Jiu’er, Shu Zhi, Huang Tingyu, and the others.
Soon after, the shockwaves from Mount Wuwang's collision with the lower realm finally subsided. In the distance, the sound of war drums rumbled, and a demon army appeared in the players' sight. The tents were dense and endless, with at least ten military tents deployed.
To the east, the bugle horns of the charging cavalry of the Neon Rainbow Heaven resounded. Shortly after, amidst the heavy drumbeats, rows of bloodthirsty devil cavalry appeared in the players' sight. With three thousand cavalry forming a charging formation, the formations were endless and imposing.
On Mount Wuwang, figures floated into the air, all of them being top-tier demon cultivators. Although the Kunpeng Demon Ancestor had been sent back to the upper realm by Lin Zhao’s sword along with half of Mount Wuwang, the fourteenth-realm great demons Ji An, Cang Lan, Lian Ban, and a host of thirteenth-realm great demons led by the Demon King Chen Feng were still present.
Furthermore, above the demon army's tents, figures wrapped in thick demon qi also rose into the air. They were the lower realm's Green Kui Demon Ancestor, Great Demons Yu Zhi, Fu Sheng, Ning Yuan Sheng, and others. Beside Ning Yuan Sheng stood a woman in a green dress holding an oil-paper umbrella – the Great Demon Long Zheng.
However, Long Zheng had undergone a complete transformation and had become a thirteenth-realm sword cultivator. Therefore, her status among the demon ancestor mountains of the demon race was now very high, on par with Yu Zhi, Fu Sheng, Ning Yuan Sheng, and other thirteenth-realm cultivators.
She was only slightly less experienced; otherwise, with Long Zheng's thirteenth-realm cultivation, her ranking would likely be even higher.
Great Demon Ji An looked solemn and led many great demons from Mount Wuwang to greet them, cupping his hands and saying, "Greetings, Green Kui Ancestor!"
After all, Green Kui was Kunpeng's junior brother, higher in seniority than many great demons. Moreover, Green Kui was the demon ancestor of the lower realm's ancestor mountain. Clearly, in the absence of Demon Ancestor Kunpeng, Green Kui had become the leader of the demon race.
"Mm."
Green Kui Demon Ancestor clasped his fists and nodded. "Everyone, there is no time to delay. Immediately command the army to flatten the Snow Domain Heavenly Pond. Those who should wield their swords, wield them. Those who should cast spells, cast them. In the shortest possible time, conquer the human realm!"
"Yes!"
Great Demon Ji An gripped his steel fork and chuckled, "Fellow Daoists of Mount Wuwang, let's dispense with pleasantries. Let us work together to level this Snow Domain Heavenly Pond!"
"Kill!"
On the ground, war drums thundered. Ten demon military tents and nearly 400,000 devil cavalry launched their mountain assault. Above, figures of top-tier demon cultivators spanned the sky, about to launch an attack on the Snow Domain Heavenly Pond.
...
"Damn it!"
Ding Chi stood on the city wall, holding his long sword, and frowned. "Such arrogant swagger! Not only did they trap A Zhao under Mount Wuwang, but they've come to trouble us so quickly?"
"The demon race definitely wants a swift victory."
Shen Xingchen's beautiful eyes gazed into the distance. "They used an entire Mount Wuwang, along with the military strength of the demon realm and the Neon Rainbow Heaven, all to create a so-called 'advantageous situation' in the lower realm, and then counter-attack the upper realm. Therefore, the longer they are delayed in the lower realm, the more detrimental it is to the demons' plans."
"Alright!"
Lu Han raised his hand, drew his sword, and said with a hearty laugh, "Since that's the case, we'll fight with our lives to drag them down. We can't let our boss die in vain!"
"Indeed."
Bu Su Li Ren frowned. "Our boss was crushed to death under Mount Wuwang. I feel so frustrated. I've been looking for someone to vent on. The demons and devils arriving is perfect."
"Alright."
Chen Xue held the Human Emperor's battle spear and said solemnly, "Everyone, get into your combat positions. Ranged players, this is your time to shine. Melee players, form shield walls, find opportunities to deal damage and endure, and earn version points!"
"Yes!"
Everyone nodded in unison.
Only Luo Man gritted her teeth, gazing at the half of Mount Wuwang from afar. Although Lin Zhao had spoken in the studio's chat group, Luo Man was still very worried that her brother's account would be deleted.
...
"Attack!"
Below the mountain, the first demon military tent launched its assault. Countless low-tier demons, armed with crude weapons, charged up the mountain. But every few dozen meters, there was a minor leader, mostly third or fourth-realm demons, Heavenly-tier bosses. For the current player strength, they were as good as easy prey.
"Form the array!"
In the center of White City, the old marshal Huang Tingyu held the Ten Directions Great Array talisman stone and acted as the array master. With a shout, a Ten Directions Great Array rose from the ground, precisely enveloping the entire White City.
Instantly, a golden shield, a one-way shield, appeared in front of the players on the northern city wall, almost touching their faces. Attacks and spells from the inside could be fired out, but external forces could not penetrate. This provided the players with an opportunity to farm monsters without taking damage. As long as the Ten Directions Great Array was not broken, no player would die.
"They're here!"
On the horizon, countless demon soldiers rushed forward with their weapons. Then, with a series of "peng peng peng" sounds, they crashed against the Ten Directions Great Array. The players' firepower poured down from the city walls, with countless AoE skills continuously slaughtering the monster hordes. The sword cultivators and other melee fighters on the city wall also deployed their flying swords and magic treasures, dealing whatever damage they could. It was better than just watching.
...
"Buzz!"
In the distance, streaks of water qi suddenly swirled in the sky, carrying yellow sand, giving the impression of "the Yellow River water descending from heaven." Above the water qi stood an old man in a green robe holding a long sword – Cang Lan, a fourteenth-realm great cultivator of the demon race.
The next moment, Cang Lan's sword light flashed. The water qi in the sky transformed into three powerful yet gentle sword qi, directly slashing towards the Snow Domain Heavenly Pond. With this imposing aura, if not for the city protection array, the Heavenly Pond Mountain would likely have been split in two by this fourteenth-realm great demon.
"Shatter!"
In the distance, Green Kui Demon Ancestor also unleashed his attack. He raised his palm, which transformed into a gigantic indigo palm print, sweeping out with surging demon qi, intending to shatter White City with a single blow!
As everyone's faces turned ashen with shock, a figure in a red dress and white shirt soared into the sky. Her face was incomparably beautiful, with tears still wet on her cheeks. Her beautiful eyes were filled with a rich golden hue, and even her tears were golden. In her hand, she held a long sword so heavy with killing intent that it distorted the surrounding space. She looked towards the northern horde of demons and said, word by word—
"A bunch of beasts, how about you go accompany my brother Lin Zhao to the underworld?"