Jieshan.
A long and narrow mountain range located between the Human Race, the Demon Race, and the Demon Clan. Beneath the roots of this mountain range are countless naturally formed dense restrictions, dividing it into three parts. The first is the Human Realm to the south, the second is the Demon Realm to the west, and the third is the Neon Robe Realm where the Demon Clan has multiplied for generations. The territory and luck of the Neon Robe Realm are far inferior to the other two realms, but it possesses vast plains, thus having a large number of horses for herding. Moreover, the Demon Clan is naturally brave and has reproduced over generations, thus having the strength to divide the world into three parts.
To the east of Jieshan lies the territory of the Neon Robe Realm. In a certain valley, an eleventh-realm cultivator of the Demon Clan was napping on the peak of a mountain. This person was one of the Scroll Handlers of the Demon Clan. The so-called Scroll Handler was actually someone who opened the realm barriers between two realms using specially made talisman stones. The realm barriers were thick, and ordinary people would need to break through the realm to travel from one realm to another. Hence, the position of Scroll Handler existed.
Every time the Demon Clan went south, hundreds of thousands of cavalry swept across the land, and they needed these Scroll Handlers to help open the realm barrier. Otherwise, only cultivators at the fifth realm and above could break through the realm with their own strength.
Suddenly, the Scroll Handler was startled awake. He flipped over and looked to the north. A long river formed by ancient swords was clearly visible. Standing on the river was a white-robed Human Race sword cultivator. The sword intent of the Human Race sword cultivator was so blazing that it was almost impossible to open one's eyes to observe him carefully. Clearly, his cultivation realm had surpassed his own.
"Yan Beichen?!"
The Demon Clan cultivator gritted his teeth and shouted, "What do you mean by this?"
"Borrowing passage!"
Yan Beichen pointed his hand, and a wisp of sword qi erupted, directly creating a huge gap in the realm barrier. It was completely unreasonable. Before the Scroll Handler could react, he had already controlled the river formed by ancient swords and rushed into the Neon Robe Realm.
...
"You?!"
The Scroll Handler wanted to roar and scold him, but he dared not. The other party was a fourteenth-realm sword cultivator. Killing a mere eleventh-realm cultivator like himself would be as easy as lifting a hand, wouldn't it? Moreover, there had been rumors in the Neon Robe Realm recently that Yan Beichen was about to have a major battle with the Demon Race's Man Yuan and Liu Bai. Even if Yan Beichen broke through the realm and arrived, he was not targeting the Neon Robe Realm.
In the sky, thunder rumbled, and Yan Beichen's sword speed was astonishing.
In less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, he had already passed through the central area of the Neon Robe Realm. Immediately, a gray and white figure rose from the mountains ahead, transforming into a Dharma form hundreds of feet tall. He was an elder, looking like an immortal, wearing a gray and white robe. He was the peak thirteenth-realm great cultivator of the Neon Robe Realm, Ran Qing, a person of high prestige in the Neon Robe Realm. Da Feng Novel Network.
"Halt!"
Ran Qing's massive Dharma form suddenly shifted horizontally. A bronze mirror artifact was conjured in his palm, forcefully stopping the direction of the ancient sword river. He frowned and said, "Yan Beichen, what do you mean by this? This is a feud between your Human Race and the Demon Race, and you actually chose our Neon Robe Realm as the battlefield. Isn't that too unethical?"
"Greetings, Elder Ran Qing."
Yan Beichen stood on the ancient sword river and clasped his fists respectfully in greeting. He then said, "Indeed, the conflict between the Human Race and the Demon Race should not involve innocent bystanders. But there is no other way. The Human Race cannot allow the Demon Clan to stand idly by. Moreover, even the Demon Emperor does not object. Elder Ran Qing, why do you insist on obstructing this path like a mantis trying to stop a chariot?"
"What did you say???"
Ran Qing grunted, "Yan Beichen, after you entered the fourteenth realm, have you become too arrogant? I, as a cultivator of the Neon Robe Realm, speak for the Neon Robe Realm, yet you call it obstructing the path like a mantis trying to stop a chariot?"
"Swish!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Yan Beichen drew his sword, and a sword light descended, instantly splitting the great cultivator's Dharma body into pieces. Ran Qing cried out in pain, coughed up blood, and retreated on the mountain peak. In a flash, his gray and white robe was stained with splotches of blood. Even more critical was the continuous invasion of sharp sword qi, which made it almost impossible for the great cultivator to catch his breath.
"Senior, you cannot even withstand a single sword strike from two-tenths of my sword intent, and you still say it's not like a mantis trying to stop a chariot?"
Yan Beichen stood on the river, looking down at the great cultivator of the Demon Clan. Yan Beichen's courtesy was for those who reasoned. When the Demon Clan attacked the Human Race's territory, they never reasoned. Therefore, Yan Beichen's initial respectful greeting was his last bit of courtesy. What other courtesy was there to speak of afterward?
On the mountain peak, Ran Qing gritted his teeth, filled with unwillingness, yet he had no choice but to submit. He could feel that Yan Beichen had indeed held back his strength in this sword strike, otherwise, he might have already perished. However, what he couldn't accept was whether the gap was truly this vast?
For thousands of years, Ran Qing had held a very high status in the Demon Clan. He had not only founded a sect and become an ancestor but was also revered by the world. In the Neon Robe Realm, who would not respectfully call him "Old Immortal"? Yet now, a fourteenth-realm Human Race cultivator was riding his sword north into the Neon Robe Realm, about to engage in a truly epic battle with the Demon Race's fire and water, and thus, the Old Immortal Ran Qing had become the "mortal" in the saying "when gods fight, mortals suffer."
This blow was somewhat unbearable.
"Fellow Daoist Ran Qing."
At this moment, a voice came to Ran Qing's ear, "Let Yan Beichen pass. There is no need to block him."
Instantly, Ran Qing's heart trembled. This voice was too familiar. Although he had not seen that person for nearly a hundred years, the voice still echoed in his ears. The cultivation of the Divine Race in the Neon Robe Realm on the path to ascension was more difficult than that of the Human Race and the Demon Race, but there were exceptions. For example, this Demon Emperor, a fourteenth-realm cultivator of the Neon Robe Realm, was a true master of all arts, truly rare!
"Yes!"
Ran Qing nodded, then dispersed the mountain and water restrictions, allowing Yan Beichen to pass through.
...
After Yan Beichen, riding the ancient sword river, disappeared into the mountains and rivers, a faint figure landed beside Ran Qing. It was a spiritual body of the Demon Emperor, but even a spiritual body was equivalent to the Demon Emperor's personal presence.
"Ran Qing pays respects to His Majesty the Demon Emperor!"
"No need for formalities."
The Demon Emperor placed one hand behind his back and smiled, "A hundred years ago, after taking a sword strike from the Military Sage, I had been dormant for too long. I never expected that the Human Race would produce another fourteenth-realm sword cultivator. It is truly rare."
Ran Qing frowned, "Your Majesty, Yan Beichen's battle with Man Yuan and Liu Bai will surely be earth-shattering. It is truly sinister of him to choose the Neon Robe Realm as the battlefield. After this battle, half of the mountains and rivers of our Neon Robe Realm will likely be shattered. What should we do?"
"Why should Fellow Daoist only look at the present?"
The Demon Emperor smiled faintly, "Certainly, this peak battle in the mortal world will cause great destruction, as you said, half of our Neon Robe Realm may be shattered. But have you considered the outcome? If Yan Beichen wins this battle, and kills either Man Yuan or Liu Bai, a large amount of destiny will be fed back to our Neon Robe Realm. The Neon Robe Realm is inherently barren, and it is difficult to produce great cultivators. If Yan Beichen truly possesses immense power and kills both demon kings in the battle of water and fire, then our Neon Robe Realm will be able to sustain itself."
He narrowed his eyes and smiled, "And if Yan Beichen is killed, what will be the final outcome? A fourteenth-realm great sword immortal dies in the Neon Robe Realm, and all his sword dao destiny is scattered. Our Neon Robe Realm still benefits. In the following decades, our Neon Robe Realm will surely produce sword cultivators in droves, and even legendary thirteenth-realm, or even fourteenth-realm sword cultivators will emerge. At that time, will we still need to defer to others everywhere? Will the so-called Northern Four Clans still be led by the Demon Race?"
Ran Qing immediately understood and bowed, "Your Majesty's considerations are thorough. It was my oversight."
"It's alright."
The Demon Emperor said with a smile, "I can clearly see Fellow Daoist Ran Qing's heart in protecting the Neon Robe Realm."
Ran Qing lowered his head, his expression unchanged.
...
Two dazzling beams of light came from the direction of the Demon Race. One was wrapped in intense flames, and the other was wrapped in the aura of the Great Dao of deep blue water. In the next moment, two demon kings arrived together, standing on two mountain tops, one on each side. Man Yuan carried the Sun Moon Water Fire Rod on his shoulder and looked at Yan Beichen in the distance, laughing, "Back then, Lord Fu Sheng wasn't ruthless enough. He should have shattered this fellow's head with one punch. That way, our Demon Race wouldn't have this trouble today."
Liu Bai was surrounded by the aura of water. Holding the Azure Wave Mace, he sneered, "That doesn't seem right either. If Lord Fu Sheng had killed him back then, wouldn't we have missed out on today's fun? The two of us joining forces to kill a fourteenth-realm Human Race sword cultivator will surely be a beautiful story that will be passed down through the ages!"
"That makes sense."
Man Yuan laughed heartily and suddenly swung the Sun Moon Water Fire Rod, engulfed in raging flames. He roared, "Yan Beichen, die by my rod!"
Liu Bai also flickered, splitting into two paths with Man Yuan. However, the flames and the water dao between them were intertwined, continuously amplifying their killing intent. This was the formidable power of the water and fire combination.
In an instant, half of the sky in the Neon Robe Realm turned fiery red, and the other half turned deep blue!
Yan Beichen pointed his sword. His handsome face was filled with confidence. Immediately, ripples surged behind him, and countless ancient swords surged, transforming into a turbulent wave that crushed towards the two demon kings. And wherever Yan Beichen's sword light passed, the sweeping sword strike was like a fleeting glimpse of a swan, directly colliding with the attacks of the two demon kings. In an instant, the deafening roar shook the entire Neon Robe Realm. The dozens of nearby mountain peaks could not withstand such terrifying pressure from the Great Dao, and they all shattered. Consequently, mountain gods and water gods all left their territories. Some golden bodies cracked, and some souls were scattered.
When gods fight, mortals suffer. It was nothing more than this.
...
Snowy Domain Heavenly Pond, North Mountain cliff.
Lin Zhao stood at the edge of the cliff, gazing at the Neon Robe Realm in the distance. Although separated by a realm barrier, he could see a rainbow-colored sword qi soaring into the sky, almost splitting the Neon Robe Realm in half. The demon energy of the water and fire battle in the distance was also equally intense. The booming sounds of their collision traveled along the earth, causing even the Snowy Domain Heavenly Pond in the Human Realm to tremble.
"Hoo..."
He took a deep breath. A fourteenth-realm sword cultivator's battle was so tempting to witness, but he also didn't want to be caught in the crossfire. Otherwise, it would have been better if Yan Beichen had chosen the Snowy Domain Heavenly Pond as the battlefield. Standing in the Human Realm, his combat power would be even stronger.
...
Demon Race Ancestral Mountain.
The fourteenth-realm Demon Ancestor and the thirteenth-realm Yu Zhi stood shoulder to shoulder on the peak of the Ancestral Mountain, gazing in the direction of the Neon Robe Realm.
"What about it? Shall we go?"
Yu Zhi pursed her red lips, "Given the current situation, the battle of water and fire might not be able to defeat Yan Beichen. Hmph, he borrowed the swords of hundreds of thousands of soldiers from the Xia Dynasty. In fact, he borrowed a portion of the Xia Dynasty army's combat power. His current combat power is indeed quite formidable!"
"Mm."
The Demon Ancestor nodded gently, "All twelfth-realm and thirteenth-realm cultivators, go together and support Yuan'er and Liu Bai!"
"Yes!"