Chapter 2898

Tianzhuling is one of the Fire Affinity Race's front-line strongholds, primarily responsible for confronting the Green Alligator Race.

Inside, a magnificent, golden palace stood, its plaque emblazoned with the three golden characters: "Heavenly Flame Hall."

The main hall was spacious and brightly lit. Yan Ji sat on the main seat, her brows furrowed, while Bai Xuan and eight other Integration cultivators were seated solemnly on either side.

They had almost breached the Green Alligator Race's stronghold when Hu Yan and Jin Luo led reinforcements, repelling their assault. After such prolonged warfare, the Fire Affinity Race had sustained considerable losses.

Originally, all three races had deployed their allied species as vanguards to gradually deplete the Lizard Race's strength. However, Bai Xuan unexpectedly learned that one of the Lizard Race's allied species had acquired a mid-grade, seventh-tier Lightning Absorption Pearl. He immediately led experts to infiltrate this species, seizing the pearl and simultaneously igniting a full-scale racial war.

While all these materials weaken lightning tribulations, a Lightning Absorption Pearl can be refined into a formation, yielding superior tribulation-passing effects. Nine-Light Divine Clay, however, can only be crafted into a treasure for tribulation-passing. Eastern Yi Divine Wood can also be crafted into formations, but it requires a substantial quantity; a few pieces are insufficient to create a complete formation. For a seventh-tier Lightning Absorption Pearl, specifically, the higher its grade, the better its effect when refined into a formation for tribulation-passing.

Their failure to conquer the Green Alligator Race wasn't particularly problematic. However, at this very moment, the Human Race had repelled the Purple Sable Race and seized their territory, while the Yaksha Race had annihilated the Black Gong Race. In comparison, the Fire Affinity Race appeared significantly inferior. Despite having two Mahayana cultivators, the Fire Affinity Race had achieved the least significant results, which caused them considerable loss of face.

"We will rest for a while," Yan Ji commanded, "then requisition manpower from the rear and concentrate our forces to annihilate the Green Alligator Race." She noted that the current racial war was extensive, resulting in significant casualties among allied species, but it also yielded a substantial amount of cultivation resources.

"Yes," Bai Xuan and the others replied, agreeing before departing one by one.

Yan Ji called out to Bai Xuan and pleasantly said, "Fellow Daoist Bai, the Ancestor has assigned an important task requiring a group of Integration cultivators. Are you willing to undertake it?" Bai Xuan had emerged from a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood, accumulating numerous merits over the years, thus entering the Fire Affinity Race's inner circle.

"An important task?" Bai Xuan asked. "What is it?"

"The Ancestor is deploying ten Integration cultivators deep into Lizard Race territory to attack their vital strongholds. Fellow Daoist Lei will lead the team, and your task is to assist her in the mission," Yan Ji stated seriously. She explained that this was twofold: first, to cause disruption and relieve pressure on the front lines; second, with many Lizard Race experts on the front, their rear must be vulnerable, making it an opportune time to send experts to deliver a harsh lesson to the Lizard Race.

The "Fellow Daoist Lei" she referred to was Lei Ran, whose true form was a mid-grade, seventh-tier Five-Thunder Python. She had lived in the desolate wilderness and, by chance, transformed into human form, encountered a Fire Affinity Race expert, and subsequently joined the race. The Yaksha, Lizard, and Human Races were all undertaking similar initiatives to absorb new blood into their ranks.

Lei Ran had joined the Fire Affinity Race tens of thousands of years ago and, under their tutelage, had advanced to the late Integration stage, mastering lightning techniques. However, in terms of status, Lei Ran was inferior to Bai Xuan, as Bai Xuan was a pure-blooded Fire Affinity Race member who had risen through the ranks from the bottom. Bai Xuan's role was nominally to assist, but it also implied supervision of the mission. He possessed mid-Integration stage cultivation and formidable divine abilities, ranking among the top twenty Integration cultivators in the Fire Affinity Race.

"And after completing this mission, will I be transferred to the rear for rest?" Bai Xuan asked, frowning.

Yan Ji nodded. "Of course."

"No problem, I'll go," Bai Xuan agreed. "I leave things here to you all."

A year passed swiftly.

In the Heavenly Ox Mountain Range, within a secluded manor, Feng Xiaoyao, Wang Changsheng, and Wang Ruyan sat in a green stone pavilion, sipping tea and chatting. Feng Xiaoyao had already delivered the items and brought news that the Yaksha Race had annihilated the Black Gong Race, with Ba Yin's participation. Years ago, Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan had been pursued by Ba Yin; had it not been for a set of sixth-tier formation talismans to trap him, they would not have escaped. Ba Yin had since advanced to the Integration stage and was also on the front lines. However, his station was tens of trillions of miles from the Heavenly Ox Mountain Range, with the Fire Affinity Race's territory in between. The Fire Affinity Race attacked the Lizard Race from the west, the Yaksha Race from the east, and the Human Race from the south, forming a three-pronged pincer movement and slowly advancing.

"Fellow Daoist Feng, is your senior disciple brother also on the front lines?" Wang Changsheng casually asked. Grandmaster Heavenly River Sword's senior disciple had not appeared for many years; his cultivation should be quite high, given that Feng Xiaoyao himself had reached the mid-Integration stage.

"Senior disciple brother perished during a grand heavenly tribulation; Master has not publicly disclosed this," Feng Xiaoyao said, his face showing grief as he sighed.

Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan exchanged glances. Grandmaster Heavenly River Sword was different from Xuan Qingzi; he hadn't established a sect and only had two disciples. Logically, his two disciples should have received ample resources and ought not to have perished under a grand heavenly tribulation. Grandmaster Heavenly River Sword made the four seas his home. Perhaps while he was away on his travels, his senior disciple went to a dangerous secret realm in search of treasures, was injured by a demonic beast or a restriction, and before his injuries fully healed, the grand heavenly tribulation arrived, leading to his demise. Such situations were not uncommon; the higher one's cultivation, the longer it took to recover from severe injuries without potent spiritual elixirs. Since Feng Xiaoyao had stated it so, Wang Changsheng didn't dwell on it further.

"Oh, right," Feng Xiaoyao recalled, reminding them, "Strengthen your defenses. The Lizard Race has dispatched many experts to infiltrate our rear, attacking territories under our control. Several strongholds have had their cultivators annihilated, with Integration cultivators leading the assaults."

Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan nodded in agreement.

"Alright, I have other matters to attend to, so I won't trouble you further. Farewell," Feng Xiaoyao said, rising to depart. Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan personally saw him off.

After seeing Feng Xiaoyao off, Wang Changsheng entered a secret chamber, retrieved the water of the Underworld River, and began to condense his Dharma Idol.

Meanwhile, Wang Ruyan entered another secret chamber, released the Void-Rending Beast, took out an Enlightenment Pill, and fed it to the beast. After consuming the Enlightenment Pill, the Void-Rending Beast let out a loud roar, its body trembling slightly as its skin turned blood-red. A blinding spiritual light flared, and the Void-Rending Beast transformed into a delicate-featured young girl with golden spiritual patterns on her skin.

"Thank you, Master, for bestowing this pill," the girl said, bowing gratefully. Had Wang Ruyan not fed her the Enlightenment Pill, the Void-Rending Beast might not have been able to transform into human form, even upon reaching the eighth tier. Some powerful eighth-tier demonic beasts in the desolate wilderness had also failed to achieve human form.

Wang Ruyan took out a set of golden robes for her to wear and said with a smile, "From now on, you shall be named Wang Huanyu! Your cultivation speed will be faster now that you've transformed into human form." The higher Wang Huanyu's cultivation tier, the larger and more stable the temporary spaces she could tear open, making them more secretive.

"Yes, Master," Wang Huanyu dutifully replied.

Wang Ruyan gave a few instructions, bestowed upon her several low-grade Heaven-reaching Spiritual Treasures, and then turned and left, allowing Wang Huanyu to cultivate in peace.

Entering another secret chamber, Wang Ruyan sat cross-legged, took out Celestial Sound Sand, and began to condense her Dharma Idol.