Chapter 2351: Wang Qingshan's First Battle of Refining the Void

In addition to the sixth-tier puppet beasts, human cultivators also deployed thousands of fifth-tier puppet beasts, each with unique designs. Before this, humanity had already utilized over ten thousand fifth-tier puppet beasts, eliminating many demonic beasts and sacrificing thousands of their own. However, the sheer number of demonic beasts was overwhelming.

Wang Qingshan and over ten thousand sword cultivators were divided into multiple groups, each led by a Void Refinement cultivator. Hundreds of sword cultivators stood neatly behind Wang Qingshan. Each held a gleaming flying sword, and simultaneously, they slashed towards the void. Multicolored sword energy surged forth, abruptly converging into a colossal, ten-thousand-foot-long sword beam that cleaved towards the demonic beasts. Concurrently, blade light, sound waves, fireballs, and lightning swept out, heading directly for the demonic beasts.

Lower-tier demonic beasts dissolved into a mist of blood upon contact with the colossal sword beam. However, sixth-tier demonic beasts, with their thick hides and flesh, were considerably more resilient. Hundreds of millions of demonic beasts charged towards Xuanguang City in formation, simultaneously unleashing magical attacks on the hundreds of sixth-tier puppet beasts. Their synchronized assault was incredibly destructive. The multicolored magical energy lights engulfed almost half the sky. As various spells collided, the high altitude resembled a breathtaking fireworks display. Wang Qingshan was seeing such a grand spectacle for the first time and was deeply awestruck.

Hundreds of golden ape puppets, each over a hundred *zhang* tall, opened their gaping mouths. Golden light points emerged from within, and after a flash, a hundred thick golden light beams erupted, plunging into the beast horde. Lower-tier demonic beasts vanished into dust upon contact with the golden light beams. Hundreds of teal eagle puppets, each over a hundred *zhang* wide, flapped their wings. Dense teal wind blades shot forth, piercing into the beast horde, slaying a large number of lower-tier demonic beasts and staining the ground crimson with blood. Hundreds of red colossal tiger puppet beasts, each over a hundred *zhang* long, each exhaled a thick crimson flame, engulfing thousands of lower-tier demonic beasts. When the flames dissipated, the thousands of lower-tier demonic beasts had been reduced to charred corpses. Puppet beasts of various forms attacked the demonic beasts, resulting in the slaughter of a large number of lower-tier demonic beasts.

The demonic beasts were not to be underestimated. Tens of thousands of Three-Eyed Thunder Leopards simultaneously unleashed lightning magic, attacking the fifth-tier puppet beasts. Amidst a dazzling flash of silver lightning, more than ten fifth-tier puppet beasts sustained damage but remained operational. Protected by the city's grand defensive array artifact, the demonic beasts' attacks could not reach Xuanguang City. Any spell that approached within ten *li* of the city was blocked. Both sides exchanged blows, sustaining losses.

The sheer number of demonic beasts was overwhelming. As they drew closer to Xuanguang City, they paid a heavy price in casualties. However, the Fiery Spirit Race was indifferent to this, as these lower-tier demonic beasts were merely cannon fodder. Any number of casualties was acceptable; they could simply cultivate more given enough time. The foreign races intended to use lower-tier demonic beasts to destroy more puppet beasts, and naturally, humanity would not allow their plans to succeed.

Hundreds of giant apes of various colors flew out of Xuanguang City. Their bodies were covered in soft fur, and their eyes constantly darted around. These were members of the Azure Ape Tribe. The Mysterious Spirit Continent is home to over a hundred races. Apart from the five major races, all others are their vassals. Just as the Fiery Spirit Race has its vassal races, so too does humanity, and the Azure Ape Tribe is one of them. Most of the hundreds of Azure Ape Tribe members were at the Spirit Transformation stage, with over ten at the Void Refinement stage. They each retrieved their heavy weapons—mace, long staff, great hammer, great axe, and other formidable treasures—and attacked the demonic beasts. The Azure Ape Tribe possessed immense strength. Although some demonic beasts had thick hides and flesh, they could not withstand such colossal force. One by one, these resilient demonic beasts were smashed into pulp.

Hundreds of young men and women flew out of Xuanguang City. Their physiques were slightly larger than humans, and their faces bore spiritual纹es resembling musical notes. They had long ears and large eyes. The Sound Race, one of humanity's vassal races, specialized in sound-based divine abilities. They believed that sonic arts were the most powerful divine ability in the cultivation world. However, the Sound Race found it difficult to reproduce, resulting in smaller numbers. The Sound Race cultivators each retrieved various musical instruments. Runes flashed, and an astonishing spiritual energy emanated from them—they were actually Spirit Treasures of Heaven-reaching might. The sounds of horns and celestial music, various sound waves, swept out towards the demonic beasts. Lower-tier demonic beasts collapsed instantly upon contact with the sound waves, their internal organs completely shattered.

Hundreds of tall cultivators, both male and female, flew out of Xuanguang City. Their skin was as white as snow, their eyes were entirely white, and they were clad in white. Their physiques were more than double the size of humans. The Snow Race, another of humanity's vassal races, specialized in ice-elemental divine abilities. The Snow Race cultivators rapidly formed hand seals and chanted arcane incantations. Gusts of cold wind swept through, and large quantities of white snowflakes drifted down from the sky. After a blur, they transformed into countless white ice cones that shot directly towards the demonic beasts, while the ground froze at an astonishing rate. When fighting in snowy terrain, the Snow Race's divine abilities increased severalfold. Away from snow, their abilities weakened considerably, and their power would drastically decline if they were in a volcanic region. The dense white ice cones impacted the demonic beasts, but they did not immediately perish. However, once the ground froze, their speed gradually slowed as they stepped onto the ice. Their bodies began to freeze, gradually turning them into ice sculptures, which were then shattered by the dense ice cones.

Hundreds of men and women, each with a pair of curved horns on their heads, flew out of Xuanguang City. They had sturdy physiques and silver spiritual纹es on their faces and arms. They were from the Thunder Ox Tribe, which is said to possess the bloodline of the Kui Ox. The Thunder Ox Tribe excelled in lightning magic and possessed powerful physiques. However, their numbers were small, making them another of humanity's vassal races. As soon as the Thunder Ox Tribe cultivators appeared, deafening thunder echoed from high above. Massive thunderclouds, multicolored and crackling with countless arcing electric currents and frenzied lightning snakes, emerged in the sky. Amidst a tremendous peal of thunder, dense lightning bolts struck down, reducing large numbers of lower-tier demonic beasts to ashes.

Humanity's vassal races all took action, engaging the demonic beasts. Human cultivators also flew out of Xuanguang City to confront the demonic beasts. The Fiery Spirit Race also dispatched their own to engage them. While it was traditionally a battle of equal strengths, some individuals would inevitably break the rules and target younger opponents.

Wang Qingshan's opponent was a golden-robed man with a tiger's head and a human body. The man's skin was golden, his limbs were thick, and he wore gleaming golden gauntlets on his hands. The golden-robed man was at the early Void Refinement stage and exuded a dense aura of malevolence. This was Wang Qingshan's first battle since reaching the Void Refinement stage. He dared not be careless, his face etched with vigilance. From what he knew, the Beastman Race possessed powerful physical bodies and were natural body cultivators. Allowing a Beastman to get close would be extremely troublesome.

Wang Qingshan first cast a defensive spell on himself. With a flick of his right hand, a flash of azure light, the Azure Lotus Sword suddenly appeared in his grasp. With a slight flick of his wrist, amidst a piercing sword hum, thousands of hazy azure sword energies surged out, heading directly for the golden-robed man. He did not advance rashly, intending instead to first probe his opponent's divine abilities. As the saying goes, "Know yourself and know your enemy, and you can fight a hundred battles without danger." While the Beastman Race's divine abilities were largely similar, mostly relying on their powerful physiques to defeat enemies, they also possessed their own secret arts, which should not be underestimated. The golden-robed man showed no fear. He opened his mouth and let out a tiger's roar that reverberated through the heavens and earth. A hazy golden sound wave swept out, shattering the incoming azure sword energies.