Chapter 1695: Ancient Buried Great Thunder

Countless such cases filled the pages, with examples in every section, and Luyan River meticulously recorded them across more than a dozen large sheets of golden parchment.

Among these records was a hidden secret: Mount Ling had deposited a dragon's egg in the Kingdom of Bailie. Luyan River didn't know its origin, but understood that the immortals were using it to set up a newly developed spirit-gathering formation. This formation significantly accelerated the absorption of spiritual energy from heaven and earth. However, its major drawback was the incredibly high demand for the formation's core. If a suitable divine artifact wasn't available to anchor it, then a live fetus or egg of a spirit beast could be used as a substitute, with more powerful breeds being more effective. Luyan River scarcely dared to ponder its origins. The dragon's egg itself was pale, almost translucent, and lacked the smooth, lustrous appearance of an ordinary eggshell, clearly indicating the immense pressure it had endured. The embryo within this dragon egg was already deformed and damaged, rendering it unhatchable. The immortals had placed it in Bailie for them to nurture, but reclaimed it after only eight years; its ultimate fate remained unknown. Luyan River noted that he could not possibly record all such occurrences.

Although the immortals' power had diminished, their arrogance and domineering nature persisted, naturally igniting the fury of their adversaries. During this era, conflicts between the immortal sects and human nations became exceptionally acute, with numerous historical accounts of human nations forming alliances to besiege the immortal sects. During the Middle Ages, people had already uncovered the profound applications of primal energy. This allowed entire nations to confront a single sect, and armies to battle immortal cultivators, granting even the frailest mortals a fighting chance. Luyan River's golden parchment documented the collapse of twenty-seven sects, both large and small, and even sixteen instances of "immortal downfall"! Compared to human nations, the immortal sects possessed a more decentralized structure and weaker organizational and deployment capabilities. When they could no longer rely on sheer overwhelming power, their vulnerabilities became starkly apparent. As for the "immortal downfalls" that baffled ordinary people, Luyan River's internal sources revealed that human nations had somehow acquired formidable individuals who, suddenly invincible and seemingly divinely empowered, managed to strike down immortals on the spot!

"Defying the heavens!" Even Luyan River couldn't help but exclaim, marking the sole such outburst in his entire manuscript. In total, sixteen immortals were struck down. Regardless of whether they survived or perished, they were all subsequently taken away by human nations, their fates unknown thereafter. Considering this was merely what Luyan River knew, what further events transpired beyond the golden parchment's accounts?

Pointing at this sentence, Dong Rui couldn't help but ask, "Hey, are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

He posed the question to He Lingchuan, but Aunt Zhu answered, "It wasn't merely divine aid; it was divine possession. It seems divine possessions were rather commonplace during the Middle Ages."

"Auntie, you're awake?" He Lingchuan, equally absorbed in the book, remarked, "During the Middle Ages, immortals hadn't yet completely withdrawn. For humans to directly defeat immortals on the battlefield, they either had to employ human wave tactics or rely on extraordinary powers."

Besides immortals, who else possessed the most formidable extraordinary power in the world? The answer was obvious. Luyan River's book never once mentioned the Sky Demons, yet all three present knew that even after retreating to realms beyond, the Sky Demons perpetually watched over the mortal world, covertly manipulating events. Given such intense conflicts among the immortal sects, humans, and demon races, how could the Sky Demons possibly refrain from intervening? As human nations and immortal sects clashed fiercely, it was inconceivable that they wouldn't seek external assistance or appeal to extraordinary powers for help.

"'So, that's when the Sky Demons began orchestrating divine possessions,' Dong Rui mused, stroking his chin, 'providing high-level support to the human nations. Unless consumed by absolute hatred, who would willingly sacrifice their life to become a vessel for a sky god?'"

Aunt Zhu countered, "Consider the vessel that pursued me on Mount Xu in Lingxu City; she didn't dedicate herself out of hatred. I had no quarrel or grievance with her."

On this point, He Lingchuan sided with Dong Rui: "In today's era, for a sky god to acquire a vessel, they must cloak the act in divinity and faith to gain the host's consent. But during the Middle Ages, perhaps hatred alone was a sufficient catalyst." Only hatred can compel individuals to disregard personal gain, ignore their safety, and act with reckless abandon. The immortal sects, by inciting human hatred, inadvertently provided an opportune moment for the Sky Demons.

The two humans and one spider continued reading, flipping to the final pages. Dong Rui promptly exclaimed, "Hey, look! Later, the immortal sects also altered their methods, learning from the Sky Demons and retreating behind the scenes." The conflicts between the immortal sects, humans, and demon races had become excessively fierce, inflicting heavy losses on all sides. Ultimately, the sects realized that the most effective way to de-escalate these tensions was to withdraw from public view and operate from behind the scenes, refraining from direct intervention in every matter.

The immortal sects began attempting to cultivate influence over and control smaller nations, offering them supernatural abilities and military assistance, much like the Sky Demons. They dispatched powerful individuals to reside in these countries, who, in turn, accepted state provisions. And thus, the position of "National Preceptor" originated! Bailie served as the prime example. The "National Preceptor" sent by Mount Ling not only helped Bailie manage its destiny, educate its populace, and teach arcane arts, but also allocated primal energy to the nation, significantly bolstering its army's combat effectiveness. Through this method, the immortal sects indirectly gained access to and control over primal energy, utilizing it for their own purposes. The smaller nations under their control, in turn, engaged in external expansion and aggression, plundering more profound crystals, natural resources, and human populations to satisfy the needs of the immortals and their sects. At this point, the immortal sects enjoyed a much more comfortable existence, as they no longer had to personally engage in external warfare; human nations now fought battles on their behalf. Consequently, Bailie's foreign relations deteriorated further, leading to its exclusion and animosity from neighboring countries.

With this newfound power, the immortal sects grew even more brazen in their aggressions against the demon race. The final two pages of the golden parchment indicated that in Luyan River's last years, Bailie and two other small nations under Mount Ling's control intensified their campaigns against the demon race by over threefold, to the point where "within a hundred li, no trace of demons could be found, and even insects and ants were stripped of their spiritual essence." The golden parchment's records concluded at this point, and by checking the timeline, it was completed exactly one year before Luyan River's death.

The two humans and one spider finished reading, all falling into a long silence. It was He Lingchuan who eventually broke the silence, saying:

"Alas, the legacy of endless disaster."

"If we're talking about hitting rock bottom…" Dong Rui spat, "By comparison, even the Beiga appear benevolent." Though he also captured monsters for experiments, he would not engage in indiscriminate slaughter.

"Indeed," He Lingchuan affirmed, re-reading the book with meticulous attention. "It largely confirms my initial suspicions." Suspicions he had brought with him from Panlong City. Driven by these ideas, he had always sought real-world confirmation, which was why he had instructed his subordinates to gather information extensively.

Aunt Zhu remarked with disdain, "No wonder the Beiga emerged in later generations. Neither these immortals nor these demons were anything good."

"Auntie is absolutely correct. Though not explicitly stated in this book, the Middle Ages truly set the stage for a catastrophic future," He Lingchuan said, tapping his finger lightly on the table. "The immortal sects' extreme oppression of the demon race would inevitably lead to an equally extreme backlash, provided the demon race didn't perish entirely." The three had a general understanding of what transpired in later eras. While countless convolutions must have occurred, broadly speaking, the conflict between the demon race, the immortal sects, and the human nations escalated to a relentless, existential struggle for survival, compelling the demon race to unreservedly embrace the Sky Demons. Centuries later, the demons even distorted their own nature, gradually forging an unprecedented great demon empire—the Beiga appeared, seemingly from nothingness.

Were the immortal sects oblivious to the consequences of their actions? They were, of course, fully aware. But the damage was too profound to be undone. Ultimately, they themselves faded into the dust of history, while the Beiga, serving as the last sanctuary for the demon race, has endured to this day, its power undiminished.

"What's so remarkable about immortals?" He Lingchuan murmured. "They became as bloodthirsty as wild beasts, fighting over scarce resources, and utterly abandoned their original promises." Before the Black Dragon God Lord sacrificed himself by colliding with the Celestial Net Star, the assembled immortals had assured him they would treat all beings kindly and live harmoniously with the demon race. Yet what was the outcome?

No sooner had he finished speaking than a startling thunderclap exploded overhead, momentarily dimming the world. Sensing the celestial thunder, the Floating Life Blade materialized with a clang, filling the room with a chilling aura of killing intent.

"Even you can't contain yourself?" He Lingchuan patted the blade's hilt and glanced out the window, where streaks of lightning arced across the sky like silver serpents, illuminating the night. The distant sky rumbled with endless thunder. This first thunderstorm after the great flourishing of Emperor's Dew was akin to a "thunderclap awakening." "The revitalized spiritual energy will likely rouse many things from their slumber."

Another era of great upheaval was about to commence. From this day forward, the world would be profoundly different.

"Luyan River's golden parchment arrived just in time, giving me a much clearer understanding," he stated, emphasizing the need for self-knowledge and enemy insight to formulate detailed tactics. He Lingchuan stood up and stretched. "Let's plan our journey to the Upside-Down Sea." This journey was bound to be fraught with endless variables!

On the front lines, war raged. Beside the glacial river, the ramparts of North Auxiliary City appeared to have been shaved down a layer. The heavily reinforced city gate, scarred and battered, ultimately succumbed that night after dozens of violent impacts from the battering ram. Finally, it was violently smashed open, and the Beiga army surged through! Fifteen minutes later, the city garrison was forced to retreat through a rear gate, abandoning North Auxiliary City. The Beiga army pursued relentlessly, but suddenly, a contingent of soldiers charged in from an unexpected flank, their large banner emblazoned with the character 'He' fluttering in the wind. He Lingchuan himself led the relief troops. The two armies had been clashing for some time. The Beiga army, caught off guard by this unexpected opponent, reacted with caution. After a few perfunctory skirmishes, they sounded the retreat. North Auxiliary City had been taken, and their objective for the night was achieved. He Lingchuan received the retreating garrison from North Auxiliary City and, knowing when to pull back, merged his forces with theirs. The combined armies then returned to Yuheng City.

Xin Yi emerged from the city garrison and rode alongside He Lingchuan. He appeared as disheveled as the rest of the garrison, his battle armor blackened and his cape torn, a stark contrast to his usual elegant demeanor.

"General He, thank you for the rescue!" Xin Yi saluted him, a look of deep regret on his face. "North Auxiliary City has fallen, captured by Lu Wushuang. This is entirely due to my ineffective command; I request that General He mete out punishment!" Having observed battles by He Lingchuan's side for a long time, he had gained considerable insight and was eager to put it into practice. Warfare, after all, was a grand game that always stirred the hearts of onlookers. Thus, He Lingchuan assigned him to lead an army and personally defend North Auxiliary City.

North Auxiliary City, a strategic outpost of Yuheng City, served as a crucial bridgehead on the Jintao front. It was an indispensable objective for the enemy after crossing the river. Only by capturing North Auxiliary City could the Beiga army establish a foothold and continuously ferry troops from the opposing bank. Therefore, upon assuming temporary command of the Beiga army, Lu Wushuang similarly concentrated her efforts on attacking North Auxiliary City. Having observed the Yuheng army's tactics extensively while serving as a supervisor under Baimoji, she immediately adopted an unconventional approach, causing Yuheng City to suffer significant setbacks on two occasions.