Chapter 1720: Disastrous Human Hearts

News of ten northern star realms being invaded by devils had just spread when a far more terrifying calamity suddenly engulfed the entire northern region of the Eastern Divine Realm.

The sky was filled with darkness, and thunder rumbled as a vast number of dark profound ships swiftly arrived in one star realm after another, from which countless dark devils leaped down.

The devils were as numerous as a world-ending torrential downpour. The darkness, terror, and ferocity that descended with them were like cruel, sharp blood-blades, piercing through the lives and defenses of countless Eastern Region profound practitioners.

Chi Wuyao's strategy was simple and brutal. Mid-level star realms were used to suppress lower-level ones, and high-level star realms were used to suppress mid-level ones. Then, the myriad beings of the mid-level and lower-level star realms were taken as hostages to restrain the high-level star realms, completely avoiding direct confrontation with them.

Despicable? Shameless? Cruel? Inhumane? Weren't these precisely the labels the three divine regions had attached to the Northern Divine Realm? How could they not fulfill those expectations!

Each dark profound ship that descended went straight for the realm king sects. Destroying their core would easily shatter the will of the entire realm. Unparalleled and brutal battles erupted simultaneously in hundreds of star realms across the Eastern Region's northern border. Once peaceful lands instantly became rivers of blood, piling up into seas of bones and mountains of corpses. Above the battlefields, countless dark profound ships continued to fly deeper into the Eastern Divine Realm. They seemed endless, making the already terrified Eastern Region profound practitioners even more frightened.

On this day, a nightmare suddenly descended. Familiar lands transformed into viscous seas of blood before their eyes. Disciples who had been laughing and chatting moments ago now lay dead across the fields. Darkness permeated the air, lives drained away beside them, profound formations crumbled, and sects collapsed. Their resistance grew increasingly futile, eventually leaving only endless despair.

More and more people knelt on the ground in despair, kneeling before the devils they had once looked down upon, disdained, and hated, allowing their captors to seal them into dark cages. Surrendering to the devils meant losing all dignity, but at least it offered a chance to live.

The devils who suddenly burst into their world were different from what they had imagined—completely different! Previously, the devils they encountered were always prey to be slaughtered. For the first time, they realized how terrifying these devils, imbued with dark profound energy, truly were. Massive sects with tens of thousands of years of foundation were trampled in mere hours, and families with centuries of heritage were uprooted in an instant. Gradually, the core of the entire star realm was trampled and controlled by darkness.

As the realm king sects were destroyed, the sky grew darker. Profound practitioners who had not yet been invaded stopped their advance to provide support, then all fled, even entire clans and sects fleeing. In just one terrifyingly short day—twelve hours—nearly two hundred star realms in the northern part of the Eastern Divine Realm had completely fallen.

However, twelve hours was only the beginning. The Eastern Divine Realm could never have dreamed that the Northern Divine Realm had truly launched an all-out assault this time. This was because their Northern Divine Realm had no need for a defense force; they never had to worry about an empty nest being attacked. With no worries about their rear, only devils erupting with millions of years of rage, resentment, and boundless battle intent, the Eastern Divine Realm would personally experience and endure the true horror of it all.

In the Hanqu Realm, Tian Guhu stood on the ruins of the Hanqu Immortal Mansion. Around him were groups of Eastern Region profound practitioners sealed in dark cages, growing in number, forming a boundless human sea. Tian Guhu's gaze, looking down upon the masses, shifted southwards. At that moment, a massive profound ark swiftly approached from the south, bringing with it an incredibly vast surge of energy. The profound ark radiated a terrifying aura belonging to a high-level star realm.

The profound ark hovered in the air, and a blue-robed high-level realm king appeared, unleashing a world-shaking Divine Master's pressure. It was Luo Chuanyun, the Great Realm King of the Starfall Realm! Behind him, a million powerful profound practitioners streamed out, quickly forming an offensive battle array. The Starfall Realm was the closest high-level star realm, so their arrival was perfectly normal.

Luo Chuanyun's authoritative gaze swept downwards, his brows furrowed deeply. The strength of the devils' aura, within his sight, completely exceeded his understanding of them. Though not in darkness, they showed no signs of weakening. The hatred in the devils' eyes and the malevolent aura they exuded shocked him to the core. When his spiritual sense swept over Tian Guhu, his pupils sharply contracted.

"Starfall Realm King, I've been waiting," Tian Guhu said, hands clasped behind his back, not drawing his sword. "But I advise you not to intervene, otherwise..." He pointed to the hostages in the dark cages below: "You will have to bear all these countless blood debts!"

"Hmph!" the Starfall Realm King sneered. "Mere devils dare to be so arrogant before this King!" His profound energy erupted, and he took a step forward. But as he took that step, he saw a savage grin appear on Tian Guhu's face.

Boom!! Darkness exploded, and a bloody void appeared in the human sea below. Hundreds of thousands of people vanished without a trace.

"You!!!" Luo Chuanyun froze, his face changing drastically. In the eyes of a high-level realm king, the lives of ordinary beings were as cheap as grass. The number of beings he had personally, overtly and covertly, slaughtered in his lifetime probably far exceeded this amount. However, in this confrontation between the Eastern Divine Realm and the Northern Divine Realm, the righteous path against devils, the lives lost because of his single step forward would undoubtedly all be attributed to him. It was a stain he might never wash away in his lifetime.

Horrified screams spread through the blood-stained snow territory, extending for a thousand miles, making the profound practitioners of the Starfall Realm's scalp crawl.

"Cry all you want. If you must blame someone, blame the Eternal Heaven God Realm!" Tian Guhu's eyes held not a shred of pity or compassion, only a twisted delight. "We willingly confined ourselves to the Northern Region, yet the Eternal Heaven God Realm still sought to destroy our star realms and annihilate us! If they force us to a dead end, then don't blame us for fighting back!" He slowly raised his head, looking at the Starfall Realm King: "Are you certain you want to bear the blood debt of this entire star realm on behalf of the Eternal Heaven God Realm, hmm?"

Looking at the boundless crowd below, the Starfall Realm King's hands trembled. Tian Guhu's words undoubtedly reminded him deeply that the Eternal Heaven God Realm had first destroyed the Northern Divine Realm's star realms out of its own grudge. Everything happening now was indeed caused by the Eternal Heaven God Realm. Therefore, the Eternal Heaven God Realm would surely act, and indeed, *must* act! These devils, driven by desperate vengeance, clearly had no intention of attacking high-level star realms. Why should they bear the debt for the Eternal Heaven God Realm?

A slight intent to retreat arose in his heart, but having already arrived, retreating now would greatly damage his reputation and dignity. Just then, his transmission jade vibrated violently, and a terrified voice echoed in his mind: "Sect Master! Devils have invaded! They're already at the main city! The city's protective barrier is under attack, return quickly to support!"

The Starfall Realm King was instantly horrified. He then saw Tian Guhu in front of him sneer: "Our purpose here is only to force Eternal Heaven to apologize. If it were purely for venting hatred, these people would have been slaughtered clean long ago. As long as the high-level sects stay quietly in their homes, we can coexist peacefully. But if you dare to sacrifice yourselves for Eternal Heaven... then don't blame us for wiping you all out!"

The Starfall Realm King's face shifted, and he fully restrained his aura, whispering, "Have your people immediately withdraw from the Starfall Realm. I, Luo Chuanyun, the Starfall Realm King, guarantee that I will retreat immediately and will absolutely not interfere." Human nature is inherently selfish, especially when facing a debt that belongs to someone else. The Starfall Realm King's current stance was precisely the result of Chi Wuyao and Qianye Ying'er's previous series of strategic arrangements. A common enemy would unite them in shared hatred. But if Eternal Heaven provoked this... then Eternal Heaven should bear the brunt first! Why should those who could remain safe and uninvolved sacrifice their lives for it?

"Very good, a wise choice," Tian Guhu chuckled softly. But then his smile froze, and his voice suddenly deepened: "What did you say your name was just now?"

"?" The Starfall Realm King frowned, then proudly stated, "The Starfall Realm King, Luo Chuanyun."

"Heh," Tian Guhu laughed, then muttered in a voice as dark as an abyss, "Such a disrespectful name, it's better to erase it!"

*Buzz*—

The Imperial Heaven Sword emerged. The moment the power of an eighth-level Divine Master, carrying the might of a Yama Devil, spread out, all the profound practitioners from the Starfall Realm who had come to support, including Luo Chuanyun, turned ashen.

"You... you!" Luo Chuanyun's heart and pupils both contracted in fear. Upon his arrival, he had sensed a Divine Master's aura from Tian Guhu, and while surprised, he hadn't lost his arrogance. But now, the terrifying devilish might that completely suffocated him and threatened to shatter his body told him that this young man's cultivation was at least half a major realm higher than his. He was very likely a late-stage Divine Master, standing at the pinnacle of the profound way in this era! In the Divine Master realm, every step was like reaching a new heaven. He, a second-level Divine Master, was separated from Tian Guhu by at least six heavens! If he had gone to support mid-level star realms controlled by other high-level star realms in the Northern Region, he could have retreated safely. But he had insisted on coming to the Hanqu Realm, and fatefully, he had reported his innocent name.

"Run... run!!" Facing soul-piercing killing intent, Luo Chuanyun let out a roar, abandoning his profound ark directly and turning to flee. But behind him, dark fangs followed closely, mercilessly dragging him towards the abyss of death.

Similar scenes unfolded in numerous mid-level and lower-level star realms that had been breached by the Northern Divine Realm. Myriad beings as hostages, the righteous path held captive, all under the pretext of avenging Eternal Heaven... They would not enter high-level star realms, but if high-level star realms intervened, their nests would surely be attacked... The Northern Region's assault would continue until Eternal Heaven apologized.

As one lower and mid-level star realm after another was breached and occupied by devils, these rumors spread rapidly throughout the Eastern Divine Realm, reaching even the Western and Southern Divine Realms. The Northern Region devils indeed did not touch the high-level star realms. The high-level star realms were all in self-preservation mode, waiting for the Eternal Heaven God Realm to make a statement and resolve the situation. No one was willing to be the scapegoat, bearing blood debts and sacrificing their lives for the Eternal Heaven God Realm for nothing. Underneath humanity's instinctive selfishness, for every moment their silence persisted, darkness would penetrate deeper at an incredibly terrifying speed. Furthermore, no one knew that hidden pieces were silently being placed amidst the chaos and disaster. The former reverence and praise for the Eternal Heaven God Realm, and the cheers for its "destruction of the Northern Divine Realm's three star realms," also gradually transformed into complaints, accusations, and curses under the Northern Divine Realm's frenzied "retaliation" and the suddenly enveloping dark calamity.

Western Divine Realm, Dragon God Realm.

"Lord Ash, news from the northeast indicates that the northern part of the Eastern Divine Realm has suddenly suffered a large-scale invasion by Northern Divine Realm devils. It is said that many lower and mid-level star realms have been occupied by devils... The cause is reportedly vengeance for the Eternal Heaven Realm's previous destruction of their three star realms."

"Heheheh."

On a wide chair, a tall figure sat leaning back. He had long silver-grey hair, a sinister face like it was carved by a sword, and even his pupils were a strange greyish-white. This was Ash Dragon God, one of the Nine Dragon Gods of the Dragon God Realm, and also the most arrogant and haughty among them.

He sneered, a mocking sound. "Let those pathetic devils perish in their cages. But those fools in the Eastern Divine Realm just had to provoke them. Don't they know even a cornered dog will jump over the wall?"

"Lord Ash, should we intervene and suppress them?"

"Intervene? Suppress?" Ash Dragon God said lazily. "Have these devils stepped into the Western Divine Realm?"

"No, they haven't. Your subordinate specifically observed that they have carefully avoided the Western Divine Realm's border. They wouldn't dare approach our Western Divine Realm."

"Then why should we intervene? What responsibility do we have to clean up after the Eastern Divine Realm's fools?" Ash Dragon God's dragon eyes narrowed. "They made their own mess, they should clean it up themselves. However," Ash Dragon God's grey eyes narrowed slightly. "It's still necessary to inform the Dragon Emperor about this."

"No need." A cold and calm voice arrived as Azure Dragon God slowly walked in, saying, "The Dragon Emperor has recently entered secluded cultivation, which will last for at least several months. He has ordered that he not be disturbed by anything, let alone trivial matters from external realms."

"Secluded cultivation?" Ash Dragon God became interested. "Why does the Dragon Emperor suddenly have such a refined interest? As early as 120,000 years ago, his cultivation had already reached the limit of this era. What is a mere few months of secluded cultivation for?"

"Regarding this matter, it's best you don't delve into it or inquire once the Dragon Emperor 'emerges'," Azure Dragon God said, giving him a warning glance before turning and leaving. As for the Northern Divine Realm's sudden large-scale invasion of the Eastern Divine Realm, he essentially paid it no mind. The Eternal Heaven God Realm's trouble was none of the Dragon God Realm's concern! In this war, the Northern Divine Realm devils would undoubtedly be completely annihilated, and the Eastern Divine Realm would also suffer significant losses. As a Dragon God of the Western Divine Realm, he was rather pleased to witness this "win-win" outcome.