"Boom—"
Late at night, a thunderous roar, heavy as a muffled thunderclap, reverberated throughout the entire demon realm. For a time, a significant portion of the demon realm's fortune converged above the Demon Spirit Abyss. It was greedily absorbed by the figure within the abyss. At this moment, he had broken through to the thirteenth realm, and upon breaking through, he was already at the peak of the thirteenth realm!
In truth, the Demon Ancestor was also helpless. The demon realm's fortune was truly finite. If there had been even a little more, his beloved disciple might have reached the fourteenth realm upon exiting seclusion. A fourteenth-realm great demon, on the verge of comprehending the Great Dao, would have been a nightmare for the human race. Not only could he have crushed the human race of this world, but he could have ascended to the upper realms, overthrown all the divine seats in the Eternal Secret Realm, slaughtered the entire Sea of Heavens, and trampled the Confucian literary realm, the Military Ancestral Court, the Daoist Ancestral Court, and so on. Heaven and Earth, only the demon race would reign supreme!
"Yu Zhi."
The Demon Ancestor narrowed his eyes and smiled, "You can go to Pan Yun Mountain and stir up a great war. This will facilitate my Man Yuan'er in killing that Marquis of Victory, and temper his world-shattering skills."
"Yes."
Yu Zhi clasped his fists and smiled, "Your subordinate will depart immediately."
...
Late at night, at the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool, in a mountain villa.
In front of Natural Dwelling, Lin Zhao ascended into the air on his sword. Gazing at the fiery red north, his expression was complex. Meanwhile, Wu Zhi, Mu Zha, Chu Yu, Chen Ben, and others also learned of the news one by one.
"What's going on?"
Lin Zhao frowned and said, "Such a strong, hot oppressive force. Has a great demon appeared in the demon realm?"
"No, but it's very similar."
Wu Zhi knitted her delicate brows and said, "A great demon has broken through to the peak of the thirteenth realm."
"Ah?"
Mu Zha, being a martial artist, had a more sluggish perception. "No way, would breaking through to the thirteenth realm cause such a massive disturbance? Yu Zhi, Ning Yuan Sheng, Lu Hai, and that group didn't cause such a commotion when they broke through..."
"Perhaps because it's a demon king."
Wu Zhi said, "My lord, this celestial phenomenon is extraordinary. A major event might truly be unfolding."
"Understood."
Lin Zhao said in a deep voice, "Increase vigilance throughout the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool. Be ready to fight at any moment."
"Yes!"
He ascended on his sword and headed straight for the first Sword Suppression Tower. Before he arrived, he saw a figure clad in white robes and silver armor standing on the rooftop of the tower.
"Brother Huo."
Lin Zhao stood on his flying sword, Red Leaf, clasped his fists in a salute, and then said gravely, "Has a thirteenth-realm demon king from the demon race emerged?"
"Mm."
Huo Piaoyao nodded. "The Great Dao is near, and demonic energy soars into the sky. Truly powerful. One of the demon race's two trump cards. Judging by this momentum, it should be coming for me."
"..."
Lin Zhao was somewhat worried and asked, "What can the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool do for the Sword Suppression Tower?"
"No need."
Huo Piaoyao frowned and looked at the ancient sword on Lin Zhao's back. He couldn't help but smile and shake his head. If that peak thirteenth-realm demon king were to arrive, he would have to face them alone; no one else could. Lin Zhao wouldn't be able to help. Unless he could once again draw that sword, but... let's forget it. For someone like Lin Zhao, neither Heaven and Earth nor the righteous path should make him sacrifice himself again. There was no such reason in the world.
Moreover, that sword was completely silent. No one knew if it could be drawn again.
"Lin Zhao."
Huo Piaoyao said in a deep voice, "You go back and guard the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool. You don't need to concern yourself with other matters. The Confucian, Military, and Mohist schools are planning things, and these three schools will naturally bear all the responsibility."
"Yes!"
Lin Zhao nodded and turned to leave.
...
In the early morning, a large number of demon troops surged into the Pan Yun Mountain area, a dense mass stretching as far as the eye could see, with banners of the demon ancestral mountains everywhere.
"The demon race has reinforced."
At the Northern Mountain Cliff, Lin Zhao looked into the distance and said, "How many reinforcements? I can't tell."
Wu Zhi said, "There are now troops equivalent to ten military tents. We just received a message via flying fish from the Eastern Territory. The demon race has also reinforced, with five hundred thousand cavalry poised and ready, capable of marching south at any moment to attack the two Sword Suppression Towers near the ancient Xiaguan Pass."
Lin Zhao nodded. What more could be done at this point?
At this moment, two stunning figures approached from behind: Shen Xingchen and Leng Yan.
"Ayan, Xingchen."
Lin Zhao turned to them, his expression solemn. Just then, the sounds of demon war drums could be heard from afar behind them. The drums rumbled to the heavens, causing the entire Snow Domain Heavenly Pool to tremble slightly.
"What is it?"
Leng Yan was slightly startled, drew her sword, and rushed to the edge of the cliff. Looking at the great commotion in the north, she was utterly shocked. "The demon race is making a big move."
"Mm."
Lin Zhao nodded and said, "It's estimated that the great war between the demon race and the human race will begin not long from now. However, their target this time is not the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool, but the eleven Sword Suppression Towers. Therefore, the front line will be spread very wide. Xingchen, Ayan, quickly issue orders for the Scarlet Moon Knights and Sheng Tian's main forces to come to the Northern Territory. Resources from other maps can be temporarily put aside. Let's try to increase the advantage for the human race as much as possible."
"Mm!"
Shen Xingchen and Leng Yan immediately lowered their heads to issue orders.
At this time, other guilds also received the news, and they were all mobilizing their forces. This game, "Tian Xia," had a different mechanism from the previous "Yue Heng" series of games. There were no legendary "version events" or unified large-scale quests. Instead, the entire world operated in an orderly manner, with opportunities and challenges. Whether one encountered them depended entirely on oneself. Those who perceived the opportune moment could feast, while those who were slow to react might not even get a chance to taste the soup.
Not long after, a large number of players poured into the Snow Ridge area and then dispersed. Countless players were spread along the entire Snow Ridge.
...
In the afternoon.
Quite a few players had already taken the initiative to engage the demon race in combat. Many went forth with enthusiasm, only to return in disarray. The levels and combat power of the demon units often surprised the players, teaching them a lesson. This game, billed as a second world, completely disregarded players' emotions. In this world, how you lived was entirely your own capability. Don't complain; complaining was useless.
Just as players, in small groups, were returning from the mountains in disarray, with some even dropping a significant amount of equipment, outside the Northern Mountain, a young boy limped up the mountain, leaning on a walking stick. He wore a red short shirt, which was very tattered and bore traces of corporal punishment. One of his legs appeared to be broken, and he was covered in scars, his entire body filthy, as if he had rolled out of mud and blood.
"Plop!"
The boy knelt directly in front of the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool encampment and remained there for a long time.
"Demon?"
A sixth-realm cavalryman sneered, placing the tip of his spear at the boy's throat. "A demon dares to come to the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool? Seeking death?"
Tears welled up in the boy's eyes, but his bones were tough. Biting his teeth, he said, "The demon race cannot tolerate me. If the human race also cannot tolerate me, then kill me. It's meaningless to live anyway."
A general dismounted his horse, clad in full armor, his body exuding a dense aura of martial intent. It was Xiang Ji. He frowned, pushed aside the cavalryman's spear, and said indifferently, "As a demon, why have you come to the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool? A demon spy?"
The boy's eyes were red with tears. "I am a deserter..."
"Deserter?"
Xiang Ji raised an eyebrow. "A deserter from that military camp? Why didn't you return to the demon realm and come here?"
The boy's eyes were blurred with tears. "I do not wish to kill. I only want to return to my homeland to serve my mother and learn to read and write from my teacher. But they are hunting me. If I return to the demon realm, even my mother will be killed by them..."
"Hmph!"
Xu Sheng, holding his battle saber, sneered, "A ploy of self-harm?"
"Just a mere third-realm lesser demon."
Xiang Ji frowned. "Whether there's something fishy or not, let the eleventh-realm sword immortal Wu Zhi take a look?"
"That's right."
Not long after, Wu Zhi personally arrived. Her gaze penetrated the boy's roots. "Just a third-realm lesser demon. Kill him with a sword or do whatever you please. Just be sure not to cause any trouble. My lord is focusing on drawing talismans in the mountain villa, so don't disturb him."
"Understood."
Mu Zha frowned, still unconvinced, so he dragged over Tang Guangjun, the gatekeeper. He said in a deep voice, "Little Tang, I know you've been hiding your strength, and you're likely a great sword immortal of the Military school. Take a look at this kid's realm."
"Third realm?"
Tang Guangjun looked closely again. "Can this be false?"
"Hmph!"
Mu Zha grinned and said, "No matter his realm, I'll kill him with one punch!"
"..."
Xiang Ji frowned. "This kid is considered tough-willed. Since his realm is low, and we humans are not like those beasts in the demon race, why not... let him help out at the River God Shrine and get some food? After this great war ends, we'll send him away."
Mu Zha glanced at him and said through a focused transmission of sound, "Alright, then this matter is entrusted to you. If this kid is truly problematic, it will be on you, Xiang Ji."
"I know."
Xiang Ji also said through his mind, "I will keep an eye on him and ensure everything is foolproof."
...
Ghost Realm, Ku Song River.
A trickle of blood flowed along the river. On the riverbank, the Mohist sword cultivator Xu Zhan suddenly leaped out. If he hadn't prepared a realm-breaking formation this time, he might have already perished. He looked west, but he couldn't escape. Otherwise, what would happen to Lin Wanhua, Su Qingjiu, and the others? Facing the pursuit of so many great demons, and with the thirteenth-realm Ning Yuan Sheng present, they were bound to die.
Hundreds of miles away, downstream of the Ku Song River.
A peerless figure in white, as pure as snow, flew past on her sword. It was Lin Wanhua, the Lord of Fusuyang Great Wall. With a wave of her sword, she immediately lifted an entire tributary of the Ku Song River into the air, hanging like a silken ribbon across the sky. Then, she unleashed several consecutive sword strikes, instantly severing the water fortune and luck of the entire tributary.
Just then, a cold glint bloomed behind Lin Wanhua. The one wielding this blazing sword light was none other than Lin Wanhua's old adversary, the twelfth-realm demon sword cultivator Long Zheng!
"Hmph!"
Lin Wanhua spun and transformed into a streak of sword light, colliding with Long Zheng's body, forcing strength against strength!
But in a flash, a fiery palm print descended from the sky. A thirteenth-realm great demon cultivator's palm struck towards Lin Wanhua's head. Immediately, two water streams, like withered vines, surged from the river, binding Lin Wanhua's ankles. On the other side, a demon woman in a white long dress raised her arm and unleashed more than ten vital true feathers.
Four great demons, working together to ambush Lin Wanhua!