Chapter 501: The World's Purgatory

The captain instantly grew excited upon hearing the Old Ancestor's words, looking at Xue Lianzi with tearful eyes. Xue Lianzi's figure appeared incredibly grand and radiated warmth in his heart. This time, he had truly been intimidated by the spectacle of millions of cultivators from the two states. But the Old Ancestor's intervention, fair statements, and accurate understanding of him transformed the captain's boundless grievance into profound gratitude. He felt there was still warmth in the world, and true affection in the universe! After all, his grand-ancestor loved him the most, and he was still his grand-ancestor's favorite great-granddisciple. So, the captain strained to lift his eyelids, trying to look at Xu Qing.

Xu Qing, expressionless, held the captain's head and calmly addressed the two Grand Elders from Quzhao State and Yinghuang State. "According to intelligence report A-1379 compiled by the Secretariat, the unrest in both states is connected to the Saintly Spirit Clan. Furthermore, secret intelligence report M-214 confirms that the Saintly Spirit Clan awakened the Robe Taboo."

"Additionally, the sealing process in Quzhao State is notably smoother than in Yinghuang State. Comparing the information from both states, Quzhao State could resolve the Robe Taboo crisis in a month at most, even without assistance, while Yinghuang State would take longer."

"When I was at the Secretariat, I had some doubts about this matter. I initially thought the Corpse Taboo's divine portal was making the sealing more difficult, but now it seems there might be a connection to Chen Erniu's cooperation within the Robe Taboo."

The captain became excited again. He rapidly shook his head, making nodding motions. His haggard, disheveled appearance, with a thick stubble, conveyed profound misery, which lent some credibility to his actions.

At that moment, the most convincing voice came from a distance. "The Robe Taboo rebellion has nothing to do with this young human friend. On the contrary, he greatly assisted our clan."

Everyone immediately looked. Pieces of clothing flew out from under the shrouds below, transforming into various colors in mid-air. It was the Robe Clan. However, compared to their deceased members, the number of surviving Robe Clan members was small.

The one who spoke first was an Empress's Robe, with many Guard Robes gathered behind it. Their appearance caused the cultivators present to clasp their fists in respect. The Robe Clan had contributed the most to sealing the Robe Taboo this time, and the Empress Robe's words naturally carried significant weight.

Seeing the Robe Clan appear, the captain quickly dry-heaved a few times, but feeling no relief, he quickly said, "Little Ah Qing, help me."

Xu Qing, expressionless, reached a hand into the captain's mouth. After a bit of poking, he pulled out a glove. It was unclear how the captain had hidden it; the glove was crumpled and wrinkled. Once pulled out, it instantly grew in size with a puff of the captain's breath, becoming full and returning to its original state.

It was the Five-Finger Maiden. She had just woken up and seemed a bit dazed. After flying out, she wobbled around the captain's head a few times, then cleared up, radiating happiness, waved to the captain, and flew towards her clan.

Xu Qing noticed that the captain's gaze towards the glove was unusual; it was too soft, a look Xu Qing had never seen on the captain before. But he knew it wasn't the time to ask questions, so he remained silent.

The Robe Taboo seal was now largely formed, the black funerary robe completely covered by the shrouds. As planned, an hour later, the Sword Holders' Court of Quzhao State, having mobilized a large number of human cultivators from their state, began to truly support the front lines alongside Yinghuang State.

The vast army roared, moving away from the Robe Taboo. Their advance was immense and awe-inspiring.

As for Qing Qin, as the army activated the large-scale teleportation array at the Quzhao State Sword Holders' Court and began to transmit, it let out a "ga" sound towards Xu Qing, its eyes showing a hint of farewell.

It had helped Xu Qing due to its elder brother's instructions, but this didn't mean it had no stance of its own or that it would follow them blindly to the end. While it bore no ill will towards humans, it couldn't be said to have good feelings either, especially concerning such a war between two races. It didn't wish to participate, which was why the Palace Master's previous request had been refused.

Therefore, it was very willing to help Xu Qing and his companions, but not its own race. Although Qing Qin hadn't emitted any divine sense from start to finish, relying only on sound, Xu Qing looked at Qing Qin and understood its decision.

"Thank you, Senior Qing!" Xu Qing said solemnly, standing on the giant ship, and bowed respectfully with clasped fists.

Qing Qin soared in the sky, its three heads gazing at Xu Qing. After circling a few times, it let out a series of cries: "Gagagaga!" With a powerful flap of its wings, its body shot towards the heavens with a rumble, disappearing into the distant sky.

Xu Qing gazed at the sky until Qing Qin's figure completely vanished. Beside him, the captain, whose height only reached Xu Qing's knees, sighed. "I didn't expect so much to happen during this time."

Beneath the captain's head, an infant's body had now grown. The chubby little hands and feet should have been adorable, but combined with an adult's head, he looked incredibly strange.

Xu Qing glanced around, noticing that people were entering the teleportation array one after another. He then looked down at the captain and asked via telepathy, "First Senior Brother, what exactly did you do in there?"

The captain sighed. "I'm wronged too! After we separated at the Ten-Intestine Tree and teleported, I appeared here with the Robe Clan. I met my good friend, Five-Finger Maiden, here, so I suggested we explore the fun places in their clan. Who knew that as we walked, the Robe Taboo would actually revive!"

"Its revival was one thing, but it even swallowed my Five-Finger Maiden!"

"It swallowed my Five-Finger Maiden right in front of me! What could I do? So I chased it, entered the depths of the Robe Taboo, faced near-certain death, and finally rescued Five-Finger Maiden!"

"But you know my personality. Am I the kind of person who just takes a loss?"

"So, in a fit of pique, I ventured even deeper. Then I saw a huge creature, with its heart flying out and floating in mid-air. It seemed to be reviving and emitting a fragrant aroma. To get my revenge, I took a few bites of the soul-heart it needed for its revival."

The captain coughed, his two small hands clasped behind his back, and looked at Xu Qing.

Xu Qing looked at the captain, recalling the previous face's curses and extreme rage. He figured it wasn't as simple as just "a few bites." As for the captain's words, Xu Qing could only believe half, due to the information gap. He did know that the Robe Taboo's unrest was indeed not caused by the captain.

However, Xu Qing didn't believe the rest of what the captain said. He felt that given the captain's personality, he must have done something monumental inside, something that even the Saintly Spirit Clan hadn't anticipated in their meticulous plans, an unpredictable variable appearing.

Nevertheless, the outcome was good, and it indirectly made the sealing process smoother. So Xu Qing nodded, glanced at the diminutive captain, and slowly said.

"In that case, I'll make a note of this for you, Senior Brother. It'll count as a great service."

Hearing this, the captain beamed and laughed. "That's my Junior Brother! Haha, here." In his excitement, the captain quickly looked around, pulled out an egg-sized blue crystal, and thrust it into Xu Qing's hand.

The crystal was clearly sealed; it seemed unremarkable at first glance, but only when held could one feel the astonishing fluctuations within. Upon taking it, Xu Qing's soul instinctively radiated a desire for it. Even the divine finger within the D-132 Heavenly Palace trembled slightly.

Xu Qing was moved. "What is this?"

"Cough, do you know why I said that big guy in the Robe Taboo had no brain?" The captain half-smiled, winked at Xu Qing, and raised his chubby little hand, pointing at the blue crystal. "It's right here."

Xu Qing gasped, looking at the captain in disbelief. "First Senior Brother, what else did you eat?"

"Oh, nothing much, just a small part of the demigod body that big guy shaped for himself. It's barely adequate," the captain burped, looking immensely proud. He quickly glanced at Xu Qing, hoping to see envy in his eyes.

"Demigod?" Xu Qing asked.

"Of course. Ah, it's just so-so, not anything particularly great. Little Ah Qing, you came too late. If you had come earlier, I wouldn't have eaten too much, leaving you with just this little bit."

The captain coughed. Though his words were humble, his face was full of triumphant showboating. "Come on, show your Senior Brother an envious expression."

Xu Qing nodded, fixed his gaze, and opened his mouth in feigned surprise. After putting on this set of expressions, he calmly put away the blue crystal, intending to absorb it continuously on the journey.

"Ah, Little Ah Qing, your expression isn't right. Come on, add a click of the tongue and a sharp intake of breath." The captain, dissatisfied, immediately corrected him.

Xu Qing thought there was some logic to it, so he tried, but he couldn't quite get it right.

Seeing Xu Qing so obedient, the captain felt smug but outwardly shook his head. "You still need practice!"

As he spoke, the captain and Xu Qing disembarked from the giant ship and walked towards the teleportation array. He stretched lazily and casually asked via telepathy, "Oh, by the way, Little Ah Qing, what have you gained during this time?"

As he spoke, the captain stepped into the teleportation array. "Nothing much, just obtained a divine body."

Xu Qing said nonchalantly via telepathy, stepping in as well.

As the array roared, the captain suddenly turned his head, seemingly shouting something. Xu Qing didn't hear clearly, only seeing the captain's expression as if he had sharply inhaled, then his eyes widened in disbelief, and his tongue was slightly bitten after the intake of breath. "Oh, so that's what 'clicking one's tongue' looks like?" Xu Qing pondered.

The next instant, the array's light enveloped them, immersing both of them and the other cultivators from the two states within Yutian State.

This state's territory was long and narrow, with Linlan State, home to the western battlefield, on its left, and Taihe State, the northern front, on its right. The climate was predominantly warm and humid, remaining so throughout the seasons.

This climate also meant that the bodies of the various races in Yutian State were much larger than those of cultivators in other states; figures five *zhang* tall, like the Mile Spirit Clan favored by Qing Meng, were commonplace.

The entire state was covered in rainforests, with occasional mountain peaks, where typically one out of ten mountains was a volcano, though their eruptions were infrequent.

Since the war began, Yutian State's geographical location had made it a logistical hub. Unless specifically directed elsewhere, supplies from the Commandery Capital would first gather here to be distributed to the northwest war zones.

Therefore, to some extent, it was also within the war zone's scope, with the Bureau of Discipline responsible for its defense.

Although the vast majority of the Saintly Spirit Clan's forces were firmly confined to the borders, the northern region had lost three states before the war. Even with the allied armies of various races and the Commandery Capital's taboos forming a large blocking net, some small Saintly Spirit Clan factions still managed to infiltrate these three states.

They were skilled at hiding and possessed targeted magical artifacts that could temporarily bypass the taboo network, making them difficult to eliminate without extensive searches.

Moreover, they were all specially trained, mostly comprised of Black-Clothed Guards. When broken into smaller units, they became even harder to quickly clear out.

Their primary objective was to disrupt and intercept transport within this war zone.

After all, not all supplies could be placed in storage spaces, nor were all items suitable for teleportation. Many still required manual transport.

At this moment, outside a large teleportation point in Fenghai Commandery within Yutian State, several thousand Saintly Spirit Clan Black-Clothed Guards were launching an assault.

Each of them possessed impressive cultivation and astonishing combat power. After all, to become a Black-Clothed Guard, just like a Sword Holder, meant being an elite in their respective areas.

While not every one could fight beyond their level, they often held a greater advantage within their own cultivation realm.

Their current mission was to destroy this large teleportation array. The array, spanning a hundred *li* in radius, appeared massive from the sky; theoretically, each activation could accommodate hundreds of thousands of human cultivators simultaneously.

Sounds of battle continuously emanated from the array's perimeter. Although many cultivators guarded the array, most were disciples of the Bureau of Discipline. In terms of elite strength, they were inferior to the Sword Holders' Palace, and naturally, quite a disparity existed when compared to the Black-Clothed Guards.

Fortunately, they had a quantitative advantage. Various allied forces and Sword Holders in Yutian State also had reserves, who were rushing to the scene as the teleportation array shimmered.

However, hundreds of magical artifacts from the Black-Clothed Guards floated in the sky, continuously emitting interference, making the teleportation array's operation less than smooth.

Some Black-Clothed Guard suicidal attackers even broke through the blockade, self-destructing immediately upon approaching the array, causing the array to destabilize from the resulting fluctuations.

Nevertheless, overall, the array remained intact, and everything was still relatively orderly.

Those who managed to break through were contained in non-critical areas, which was inseparable from Yao Yunhui, who was responsible for guarding this teleportation array.

Yao Yunhui, as the head of the Disciplinary Department of the Bureau of Discipline, had steadfastly coordinated the defense with her Spirit Repository cultivation, resisting numerous Black-Clothed Guard incursions here.

At this moment, she no longer had the alluring charm she possessed in the Commandery Capital. Dressed in battle armor, her expression, though weary, was clearly filled with killing intent.

Under her arrangements, and with the continuous encirclement by her forces, this Black-Clothed Guard raid could not last much longer and was unlikely to succeed.

Seeing their prolonged failure to break through, the Black-Clothed Guards attacking the area decided to withdraw. Their leader's eyes showed regret as he coldly swept a glance at Yao Yunhui, who was watching him from afar. Knowing they couldn't stay much longer, he ordered a retreat.

Just as these several thousand Black-Clothed Guards prepared to leave and most of the human cultivators and allied forces guarding the area breathed a sigh of relief, the ground suddenly began to tremble.

This tremor was extremely sudden, astonishing both sides. Countless grains of sand on the ground actually rose on their own amidst the vibrations, as if a colossal pull descended from the sky, causing countless dust particles and sand to float in mid-air.

Not only that, but loose structures, rubble, corpses, and blood also ascended uncontrollably at that moment.

Especially the fresh blood, which turned into streaks of backward-flowing crimson as it rose, a truly horrifying sight.

The magical artifacts from the Black-Clothed Guards in the sky could no longer interfere with the teleportation array; instead, they exploded one after another under these fluctuations.

This scene was soul-shattering. As all cultivators present felt their minds tremble, their hair scattered, and their skin showed numerous indentations. Some, with insufficient cultivation, even had blood seeping from their bodies, turning them into blood-soaked figures.

Fortunately, there were no fatalities. Still, this sight made everyone gasp and notice that the source of all these changes was not from the sky, but from the ground.

The massive teleportation array, spanning a hundred *li* in radius. This array was activating!

This intensity of activation made everyone's breathing quicken. Indeed, such astonishing power had not been seen since the very beginning of the war.

The only thing that could cause such a reaction from the teleportation array was a super teleportation, nearing its capacity limit!

This meant the number of incoming people would reach hundreds of thousands.

"How is this possible!" "Our clan and the humans are intertwined on the front lines. The humans couldn't possibly have more troops coming. Is it an external race?"

"Even if it's an external race, the possibility is extremely small. Our clan has announced to all non-human races in Fenghai Commandery that after our occupation, the interests of all races will remain as before!"

"In such a situation, which external race could arrive with their entire clan like this!"

As their expressions drastically changed and their minds reeled, the several thousand Saintly Spirit Clan Black-Clothed Guards who were about to withdraw saw a world-shattering light erupt from the hundred-*li* teleportation array.

This light was dazzling, intensely brilliant, instantly illuminating the dark night sky to a clear, bright expanse, as if it had become day.

Moreover, amidst this radiant glow, deafening roars, varying in intensity, spread from the array in all directions with a consistent rhythm.

"No matter what, we cannot let them operate this array smoothly!" "All Black-Clothed Guards, full assault, stop the teleportation!"

Following the Black-Clothed Guard leader's order, the several thousand Black-Clothed Guards immediately charged out, heading straight for the teleportation array.

"Block them with full force! Kill anyone who approaches the array!" Yao Yunhui's phoenix eyes narrowed as she gave a stern command, personally charging out to block the Black-Clothed Guard leader.

When activated, large teleportation arrays possess their own inherent pressure, which, in addition to being bestowed by the array itself, also draws upon the array's own power.

This ensures unimpeded teleportation.

Almost the instant these Black-Clothed Guards charged and were blocked by the Bureau of Discipline cultivators, an earth-shattering sound erupted from within the array. Amidst explosive rumbles, over a hundred figures appeared within!

The Black-Clothed Guards' assessment was both correct and incorrect. They were correct that hundreds of thousands, or even more, cultivators would be teleported. But they were wrong that this first wave consisted entirely of Return-to-Void cultivators!

The arrival of over a hundred Return-to-Void cultivators caused the heavens and earth to change color, winds to surge, the void in all directions to tremble, and cracks to appear in the ground.

Here, whether Black-Clothed Guards, Bureau of Discipline cultivators, or allied external races, all watched with wide eyes, their minds filled with boundless shock.

"This... this..." "How is this possible!" "Human reinforcements!"

All the Black-Clothed Guards felt their scalps tingle as their expressions utterly transformed. Their minds buzzing, they rapidly retreated. In contrast, the cultivators of the Bureau of Discipline were exhilarated to the extreme.

"Human reinforcements!" "The reinforcements are here!" "The reinforcements are finally here!"

The month of hardship was evident from the excitement of these human cultivators, who were not on the front lines but within the war zone. Their struggles forced them to constantly suppress the despair rising within to persevere.

At this moment, some even wept, letting out excited roars.

Yao Yunhui, too, was moved, her expression slightly dazed. She had believed there would be no reinforcements, thinking this war would ultimately lead only to despair.

If even they were like this, one could imagine that the warriors constantly facing life and death on the front lines would feel ten or even a hundred times the excitement of the cultivators here when they saw the reinforcements soon.

The next instant, the various sect elders from Quzhao State and Yinghuang State burst forth from the teleportation array in all directions. One waved a hand, and the heavens and earth collapsed. The several thousand Black-Clothed Guards shattered and exploded like fragile paper figures, forming bloody flowers of flesh and bone.

As if offering blessings for the arrival of reinforcements, these hundreds of Return-to-Void cultivators then spread out, inspecting the teleportation array. After ensuring the surroundings were safe, the array roared to life again amidst the excitement of the stationed cultivators.

Soon, the figures of hundreds of thousands of troops descended. Their collective aura, when gathered, was immensely ferocious, causing thunderous roars to echo from the heavens, constantly exploding in all directions, shaking the world.

It didn't end there. As these hundreds of thousands of troops rapidly converged, another batch of army figures descended as the array shimmered.

Shaking heaven and earth! After over a million troops from both states had appeared, the captain and others also arrived. At this moment, the array's light still shone, coalescing into the very last figure.

As this figure continued to form, everyone on the array was asked to leave, including the captain. Once the entire array was empty, the million-plus cultivators from the two states in the sky, under the solemn gazes of the two Grand Elders of the Sword Holders' Court, instinctively grew grave. They looked at the array, awaiting the convergence of the figure within.

This scene also caused the cultivators of the Bureau of Discipline to become serious. Yao Yunhui, who was about to step forward to welcome and pay respects, paused, involuntarily looking at the sole figure within the great teleportation array on the ground.

Vaguely, she felt it was familiar. Until the next moment, amidst the extreme brilliance of the array's light, that figure rapidly became clear.

Xu Qing stood there!

Almost the instant he appeared, the million cultivators around him, led by the two Grand Elders of the Sword Holders' Court, clasped their fists and bowed towards Xu Qing.

There were no words, just a bow. But this bow from a million people generated a force so powerful that it shook heaven and earth, causing the wilderness to roar, celestial winds to echo, and thunder to explode in all directions.

Even the power of fate and fortune invisibly gathered.

Xu Qing looked up, gazing at everything. He knew that his identity as a 'traveling secretary' didn't truly warrant such a bow, but at this moment, he represented the Palace Master, so he could just barely accept it.

More importantly, the cultivators from Yinghuang State and Quzhao State had been released and brought to this location under his direction.

Therefore, this bow, he deserved it!

Xu Qing solemnly clasped his fists and returned the bow.

"Please, Secretary Xu, issue the order on behalf of the Palace Master!" In the sky, the Grand Elder of Yinghuang State spoke in a deep voice.

"Reinforcements from Yinghuang State and Quzhao State, move out at full speed, heading to... the Western Front!" Xu Qing looked up, raising the Palace Master's token high, and spoke loudly.

"By your command!" A million people roared in unison.

Yao Yunhui, in the distance, stood stunned. Her mind buzzed, and her expression was dazed. Everything before her eyes seemed to vanish, leaving only the towering figure within the array, the one bowed to by a million people.

It was deeply imprinted on her mind.

The human reinforcements from Yinghuang State and Quzhao State did not linger in Yutian State. The moment they teleported out, and after Xu Qing issued the order on behalf of the Palace Master, the million-strong army surged into action.

Within this war zone, they rapidly advanced towards the Western Front.

Yao Yunhui and the cultivators of the Bureau of Discipline, bound by their duties, did not accompany them. But even after the army departed, the waves in the hearts of those at the hundred-*li* teleportation array remained immense and refused to dissipate.

Especially the figure who was the last to emerge from the teleportation array and was bowed to by a million cultivators; he was deeply etched in everyone's minds.

"That's the traveling secretary of the Sword Holders' Palace Master..." "Xu Qing!" "I heard Xu Qing and Chief Yao... have some disagreements."

Although the cultivators of the Bureau of Discipline paid less attention to Xu Qing than those of the Sword Holders' Palace, they had still heard of him.

Especially in the early stages of the war, when the Sword Holders' Palace Master acted as the Commandery Governor, Xu Qing, standing beside him, naturally attracted attention throughout the Commandery. However, none of that was as impactful as the scene they had just witnessed.

At this moment, some also recalled the rumors of discord between Xu Qing and Yao Yunhui, secretly glancing at Yao Yunhui.

Yao Yunhui remained silent. Waves surged in her heart as past events vividly reappeared before her eyes, transforming into a complex mix of emotions. After a long while, she suppressed the turmoil in her heart and issued orders to the surrounding Bureau of Discipline members.

"Strictly guard this teleportation array!" Her status, cultivation, and recent experiences had imbued Yao Yunhui with considerable authority. As she gave the order, those around her bowed their heads in affirmation, reining in the emotions stirred by the army's arrival.

However, the army's arrival still instilled hope for this war within them.

This hope, like a fire, burned in Yutian State, rose in Linlan State, and began to shine brightly on the Western Front.

At this moment on the Western Front, after a thirteen-day conventional battle, both the human race and the Saintly Spirit Clan were taking a brief respite.

Looking out, the battlefield was clearly divided into two distinct parts, separated by a massive chasm ten thousand *li* beyond the Tianlan Mountain Range.

Ten thousand *li* beyond the chasm was the Tianlan Mountain Range, which was originally the third gateway of Linlan State.

Previously, the vast area beyond the mountain range, separated by the Eye of Heaven Abyss and the Nine Provinces Plain, was Saintly Spirit Clan territory. But now, seen from high above, the Tianlan Mountain Range lay like an unresisting giant dragon, forced to submit and gasp for breath.

The entire area showed multiple shattered regions, with many collapsed mountains emitting dense black smoke and large amounts of magical artifact fragments scattered everywhere.

These were the scars of war.

This place was originally the third defensive line for humanity against the Saintly Spirit Clan, but half a month ago, with the partial collapse of Fenghai Commandery's taboo magical artifacts, it was breached.

The human army had to retreat ten thousand *li*, holding firm at the fourth defensive line with the help of a newly formed taboo net. Thus, at this moment, the Tianlan Mountain Range was devoid of humans, filled instead with armored Saintly Spirit Clan forces numbering no less than several million, and even more marching tents could be seen in the vast, unseen area behind the mountain range.

Within these ranks were not only the Saintly Spirit Clan but also countless enslaved races from the Saintly Spirit Domain.

As for the Tianlan Mountain Range itself, it had been transformed by the Saintly Spirit Clan over the past half-month, with countless fortifications built and millions of towering spires erected.

Streaks of lightning danced on the spire tips, forming a vast web of electricity that enveloped all directions. Periodically, lightning would be drawn upwards, vanishing into the sky, emitting deafening roars of thunder that also outlined clear boundaries in the black clouds, revealing countless colossal entities, indistinctly visible within the heavenly mist.

Each of these colossal entities was a thousand *zhang* in size, uniformly rhombus-shaped, with a single red eye in the center.

Numbering no less than a hundred thousand, they hovered within the boundless clouds of the sky, spread across the front-line battlefield, emitting terrifying pressures, accompanied by a continuous humming sound of operation, like the roar of colossal beasts, echoing persistently.

Wherever the sound passed, the void twisted, all directions blurred, as if a deity whispered.

These were the war artifacts provided by the Black Sky Clan to the Saintly Spirit Clan. Their operational hum could shatter minds, their emitted pressure could crush flesh and bone, and their released spells could devastate all directions.

The most dangerous aspect, however, was the Reapers they released – strange, invisible, imperceptible entities that roamed the battlefield like death reapers wielding scythes, inflicting immense casualties on humanity.

Their attacks were not limited to individual combat; they also involved releasing an infestation.

The anomalous matter emanating from them was different from that of forbidden zones and forbidden lands.

It was a severe form of pollution specifically targeting humans.

Humans within the Reapers' range often withered after just a few attacks, their internal mutated points eventually detonating, turning them into maddened mutated beasts.

These were merely some of the Saintly Spirit Clan's war tactics. The sky above the battlefield was black, radiating gloom and oppressiveness, with black snowflakes falling.

These snowflakes were another of the Saintly Spirit Clan's methods. At first glance, they appeared to be snow, but upon closer inspection, one could see that each of these countless snowflakes had tiny limbs and grotesque faces.

They were ubiquitous, able to form spells individually or combine to create divine abilities, spreading across the battlefield. If inhaled by humans or if they touched their bodies, they would become potent poisons.

Their transformations were endless; they could even become weapons in the hands of Saintly Spirit Clan cultivators.

They were impossible to guard against.

Within the clouds were rhombus-shaped artifacts, and beneath the clouds, endless black snow drifted.

But this was not all.

The earth had been vivified by the Saintly Spirit Clan.

Countless amounts of soil and corpses converged to form gigantic severed hands that walked upon the ground.

With the appearance of each severed hand, the ground would partially indent, rapidly being filled by black snow.

These severed earth-hands grasped black iron chains.

The chains were endless, extending into the sky, passing through the clouds, and converging above them.

At the furthest reaches of the sky above the clouds, a gigantic black vortex existed.

This vortex resembled a sun, rotating with rumbling sounds, as all the chains extending from the ground plunged into it.

As the severed hands on the ground pulled, the chains clanked, as if something even more terrifying was slowly being dragged out.

Waves of putrid stench also spread from within the vortex, forming more black clouds, which transformed into denser black snow that continued to fall.

When the armies from Yinghuang State and Quzhao State approached the front-line area, transmitting their request to the front-line command for permission to advance, the Saintly Spirit Clan battlefield they beheld was exactly like this.

Xu Qing stood at the forefront of the army, gazing at all this. A massive wave of emotion rose in his heart, and at the same time, he noticed the countless corpses on the battlefield.

Mountains of corpses and seas of blood, bones like forests.

Xu Qing had committed countless acts of slaughter in his life, but even he was shaken by what he saw on this battlefield. There were simply too many corpses.

Nearly half were beyond recognition, shattered into mere flesh and blood, and the air was filled with a nauseating stench.

War was like a grinding mill of heaven and earth; under its mutual crushing, all living beings within it could not escape destruction.

The Three Spirits Dao-Suppressing Mountain, in Xu Qing's memory, was already a living hell, but compared to this place, it was insignificant. This was the true purgatory of the world. The captain and others beside him also fell silent, gazing into the distance.