Chapter 519: Guarding All Directions

"Let the demon race prepare more?" Meng An was taken aback. Why would they allow the enemy to prepare further?

Meng Chuan smiled at his son. "To truly make the demon race abandon their plans, merely killing two possessed demon sages won't suffice. If two die, they might simply send another one or two. The most effective approach... is to allow them to successfully send in a large contingent of fifth-tier demon kings."

"Allow them to successfully enter?" Meng An questioned, looking at his father.

"And then, eliminate them all," Meng Chuan nodded.

Meng An was surprised, beginning to grasp his father's strategy.

"We will eliminate them until the fifth-tier demon kings no longer dare to enter, until the demon race completely abandons hope," Meng Chuan stated calmly. He explained that any fifth-tier demon kings who haven't participated in the war, upon witnessing the utter destruction of those who entered the human world, would surely resist future attempts. They would prefer to remain in the World Gap indefinitely rather than face certain death.

"Father, are you certain we can achieve this?" Meng An asked, concerned. "If we can't eliminate all of them, even a few escaping demon kings would cause significant trouble."

"This is no laughing matter," Meng Chuan replied, taking a sip of wine. He then smiled faintly and instructed, "Now, go about your duties. There's no need to worry about this."

"Yes, Father. Your son will take his leave," Meng An replied, bowing respectfully before departing.

He held deep trust in his father's words. Ever since he inherited the most fundamental legacy from Patriarch Cang Yuan, Meng An had received exceptional guidance from the very outset of his journey as a God-Demon. Every step of his cultivation was meticulously solid, and his foundation surpassed even that of Meng Chuan and King Zhenwu during their earlier, peak eras.

He had now mastered all six ultimate arts, reaching the Cavern Realm. However, these "Six Samsara Ultimate Arts" were merely a foundation. According to Patriarch Cang Yuan's instructions, one must build upon them to create their own, even stronger ultimate art before qualifying to establish a Cavern Heaven and become a Venerable. Meng An was currently at this crucial stage of self-creation. Despite this, he was already considered among the world's most formidable King God-Demons, closely rivaling Meng Chuan and King Zhenwu during their own time as King God-Demons.

Yet, during their numerous sparring sessions, his father's primordial spirit avatar consistently defeated him with ease. Meng An perceived the vast difference in their abilities, as his father defeated him effortlessly, not through brute force, but by a pure mastery of arcane rules. While Meng An was improving, his father remained ever more distant and unfathomable. This only deepened Meng An's admiration and trust in his father. Given his father's profound confidence, he was certain that the threat from the demon race would be decisively dealt with.

***

Yuanchu Mountain.

"Demon Sages Hanlie and Heigu of the demon race, two possessed demon sages, are currently assaulting the world membrane," reported the illusory figures of Bai Yaoyue and Xu Yingwu, who had instantly materialized at Yuanchu Mountain, exhibiting some anxiety.

"Didn't we state this before?" Li Guan asked with a smile, flanked by the illusory figures of Qin Wu and Luo Tang. "If the demon race attempts to send demon kings from the World Gap, Yuanchu Mountain will handle it."

"You did say that," Bai Yaoyue's illusory figure stated gravely, "But once a large army of fifth-tier demon kings infiltrates the human world and disperses, they could simultaneously attack all our major human cities! The stakes are incredibly high; Yuanchu Mountain absolutely cannot afford any missteps, as our entire human race would pay an unbearable price."

Xu Yingwu also regarded Li Guan and the others with a serious expression.

"Since Yuanchu Mountain has made a commitment, we will certainly fulfill it," Li Guan affirmed with a nod. "You may simply observe with confidence."

The illusory figures of Bai Yaoyue and Xu Yingwu exchanged glances. Yuanchu Mountain's unwavering confidence at this point suggested that everything should proceed as planned.

"Alright."

"We'll leave it in Yuanchu Mountain's hands." Both illusory figures then dissipated.

Li Guan, Qin Wu's illusory figure, and Luo Tang's illusory figure exchanged knowing smiles.

"This time, when Meng Chuan makes his move, all the major sects in the world, including the demon race, will finally grasp his true power," Li Guan chuckled. "We've kept this a secret for a decade, waiting for the perfect moment to strike the demon race."

Meng Chuan's self-created ultimate art and his advancement to the Primordial Chaos Realm were classified information. Yuanchu Mountain had never disclosed them to outsiders.

"Once the demon race enters, we'll let them experience despair," Luo Tang's illusory figure added, her eyes gleaming with anticipation.

"Indeed, let them despair." One by one, Meng Chuan's primordial spirit avatars emerged from a distant dwelling.

"Are all your primordial spirit avatars in action?" Li Guan, Qin Wu's illusory figure, and Luo Tang's illusory figure asked, observing the six Meng Chuan primordial spirit avatars before them, knowing that only two such avatars were typically kept outside.

"All eight primordial spirit avatars are deployed, guarding every direction," the various Meng Chuan avatars affirmed. "This matter is of immense importance; no mishaps can be permitted."

"Understood."

Li Guan, Qin Wu, and Luo Tang were all significantly energized and expectant.

"I'm departing."

The many Meng Chuan primordial spirit avatars instantly vanished, streaking towards various directions: east, west, north, and south. The eight primordial spirit avatars took up positions across eight different locations on Cangyuan World's vast continent. These locations included cities, towering mountains, snowy plains, deserts, and dense forests. Across these eight points in Cangyuan World, the eight Meng Chuans stood prepared to greet the incoming teams of fifth-tier demon kings.

Having reached the seventh level of Primordial Spirit, Meng Chuan was capable of deploying nine primordial spirit avatars. However, since one of his true bodies was currently cultivating on Black Dragon Star in the outer domain and had not yet split an avatar, only eight primordial spirit avatars could be deployed within Cangyuan World.

***

The Demon Race World.

Emperor Xinghe, Empress Xuanyue, and Emperor Peng, the three esteemed rulers, sat in the grand hall, their gazes fixed intently on the scene projected in the air before them. One projection displayed a yellow-furred demon king wielding an axe, charging into the World Gap. The other showed a demon king with a scaly tail tearing open an aperture and likewise entering the World Gap.

"Demon Sages Hanlie and Heigu have both successfully entered the World Gap," Empress Xuanyue declared with satisfaction.

"This is well within our expectations," Emperor Xinghe remarked, a smile playing on his lips. "Last time, we also dispatched two possessed demon sages simultaneously, but the human race only managed to intercept one, likely possessing only a single 'Void Teleportation Talisman.' This time... the human race has no such talismans, and with tens of thousands of miles separating them, they can only watch helplessly as the two possessed demon sages cleave through the world membrane."

Emperor Peng nodded slightly. "Let's not rejoice too soon. We must remain wary of human interception within the World Gap."

"Rest assured," Emperor Xinghe chuckled. "With two possessed demon sages entering the World Gap, even if one falls in battle, the other remains. Our chances of success this time are very high."

"Hasn't King Dongning already ventured into the outer domain?" Empress Xuanyue added. "He must have reached the Venerable level. It would be challenging for the human race now to dispatch powerful King God-Demons to intercept our demon king forces."

"King Zhenwu is deceased, and King Dongning has become a Venerable. Within the World Gap, the human race will be unable to stop us," Emperor Xinghe stated confidently.

Emperor Peng nodded subtly, continuing to observe the projected scene. For over a decade prior, he had dedicated himself to cultivating his physical body. Upon reaching the 'Heaven and Earth Realm completion,' perfecting his physical body would trigger the 'Body Tribulation' heavenly ordeal. Successfully enduring this tribulation would elevate him to the status of a powerful being in the Body Tribulation Realm.

The Demon Race World boasted an ancient history, making Cangyuan World appear remarkably young in comparison. As one of the top ten sentient worlds in the Three Bay Galaxy, the Demon Race World had historically produced over ten powerful beings in the Sixth and Fifth Tribulation Realms combined. Typically, several emperors existed concurrently, and every few generations of emperors would give rise to a Tribulation Realm powerhouse. Over its long history, the cumulative number of Tribulation Realm cultivators was naturally extensive, though all had eventually faded with the relentless march of time.

Nevertheless, successive generations of demon ancestors had meticulously refined the demon race's cultivation system, particularly the method of achieving Tribulation Realm through physical body perfection, which was now exceptionally comprehensive.

"I estimate that I will certainly reach the Tribulation Realm within a few years at the shortest, or a few decades at the longest," Emperor Peng thought, his confidence growing. "Once I achieve the Tribulation Realm, Patriarch Cang Yuan's treasure will become even more crucial to me."

While becoming a Tribulation Realm powerhouse would grant him greater authority within the 'Demon Ancestor Cave' and allow him to receive boons from past demon ancestors, it ultimately paled in comparison to Patriarch Cang Yuan's treasure. All the demon ancestors combined could not rival Patriarch Cang Yuan alone! Emperor Peng and the others were well aware that Cangyuan World's history was simply too brief. If it were allowed to develop for hundreds of millions of years, fully harnessing the 'treasures,' 'ultimate arts,' and other legacies left by Patriarch Cang Yuan, its power would undoubtedly become vastly superior to its current state.

"While Cangyuan World is weak, if we seize Patriarch Cang Yuan's treasure, our Demon Race World will benefit immeasurably," Emperor Peng anticipated.

Emperor Xinghe and Empress Xuanyue also fixed their gazes on the projected scene. All three watched with grave expressions.

If they succeeded...

Even if Emperor Peng claimed the lion's share, the small portion allocated to Emperor Xinghe and Empress Xuanyue would be more than enough to satisfy them greatly.

"No interception?"

"No human forces detected?"

The three emperors observed closely. Days turned into nights—one, two, then three. In the blink of an eye, five days had elapsed. Demon Sages Hanlie and Heigu, each leading their respective demon king contingents, cautiously proceeded. To their astonishment and relief, they encountered no attacks whatsoever and successfully mapped the connection points.

"It's successfully mapped?" The two possessed demon sages converged, and both they and the surrounding demon kings were simultaneously astonished and overjoyed. The first phase of their plan had unfolded with incredible ease.