Chapter 328: Demonic Disaster

A series of live reports flashed across the screen.

"Reporting live, this is Cute Girl, who has evolved into a dragon." She continued to eloquently narrate, live-streaming the grand battle for the forum.

In a sense, this was a major war for the players within the game. A new era had begun, perhaps it could be called a new game expansion pack, "The Expedition of the Demonic Realm." An epic battle had commenced, and the fates of Medusa, Armin, Dao Changsheng, Hu Rennong, Liu Wenjian, and all the other players hung in the balance.

Conflict between two worlds? How would it ultimately conclude?

Cute Girl said no more, only leaving a final remark: "The world of faith is the world of keyboards, the world of words. As long as there's a keyboard to guide public opinion, the collective will of all beings can converge into endless power, offering infinite possibilities—If I, the Keyboard Warrior, had not been born, the eternal path of the keyboard would have remained a long night!"

It was the 404th year of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

The Demonic Realm launched a full-scale invasion, plunging the world into chaos and leaving the populace in dire straits. The Immortal Realm opened, and immortals descended to the mortal world. Governors from various prefectures rose in resistance, while Sword Immortals from Mount Shu emerged, descending to quell the unrest. Martial arts sects and aristocratic families united, each lending their strength.

The Witch Tribe's Nanzhao Kingdom dispatched countless witch priests and warriors, adorned with golden rings and dressed in Miao-style barbarian attire, to join the fray. From the Cloudy Mountain Marshes, man-eating demons began to emerge, one after another. These ancient clans, remnants left by primeval ancient gods, also bathed in blood.

Outside Pingyang City, Great Zhou.

The city had fallen into complete chaos. Screams echoed incessantly within its walls, and elders and children showed signs of despair. Outside, demonic creatures continuously encircled the city, with dark, scaled monsters slowly moving around its perimeter, forming a dense, ominous mass.

Black blood splattered.

In the sky, a Sword Immortal descended, cleaving a minotaur-like demon in two with a single strike.

"Be careful," the chief disciple of Mount Shu said, tilting his head slightly to look at another Sword Immortal, his expression involuntarily turning grim. "Has Pingyang Governor Shangguan Jiucheng still not awakened?"

"It's difficult!" another Mount Shu disciple nearby replied, his face bitter as he quickly descended. "The local governor was ambushed by a powerful demon during the demonic calamity and his body was invaded by demonic energy... The demonic aura is violent and chaotic, possessing a kind of oppressive power, having inherited some characteristics from their original demon gods... Without Governor Shangguan to guide the dragon vein, the Pingyang city-guarding formation will be very difficult to activate... Only the local Confucian scholars, the respected Confucians of the Shangguan family, are left to offer assistance."

Swish!

As the two spoke, their swords flashed with cold light, swiftly slaying demons one after another.

On the front lines of the Great Blood Domain, top Heavenly Emperors from both sides were locked in battle, each defending their respective realms to prevent the other from invading their world. Otherwise, the descent of a single Heavenly Emperor would result in a brutal massacre, and they were all working to prevent that.

However, while restraining each other's strongest figures, they could not prevent the invasion of lower and mid-tier powerhouses from the opposing side. Sixth-tier epic powerhouses surged forward, their objective invasion and slaughter.

The Demonic Realm clearly understood that the Great Zhou Dynasty's weakness lay in its common people in the rear. As long as the Great Zhou Dynasty was annihilated and its dragon veins severed, the resistance on the front lines would collapse on its own!

"I hope the Sect Leader can win!" The chief disciple of Mount Shu stood on the city wall, looking down at the dense, dark mass below, his face sinking involuntarily. "Pingyang City is the main node of the Great Zhou Dynasty's Northern Continent Dragon Vein. It absolutely must not fall. We must defend Pingyang to the death!"

Blood had soaked and darkened the land outside the city.

The Imperial Capital of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

"East Continent is in peril? About to fall?"

In the imperial court, the atmosphere was somber. The current Emperor of Great Zhou, Zhou Chang'an, sat on his dragon throne, adorned in a golden robe embroidered with dragons and wearing a dragon crown.

"Our Great Zhou's national fortune... is constantly waning," Zhou Chang'an said, closing his eyes. "Our Great Zhou Dynasty is sustained by the incense of faith. With negative emotions spreading, and cries of lament and fear rising everywhere, the incense offerings have naturally dwindled greatly."

Zhou Chang'an hesitated for a moment, then calmly declared, "Although I have only reached the Sixth Cavern Heaven realm through cultivating the dragon veins, with the imperial dragon's fortune upon me, my combat power approaches that of a Void-Piercing Heavenly Emperor. I... shall personally lead the expedition."

"No!"

"Your Majesty, you cannot!"

A flurry of ministers around him hastily tried to dissuade him.

"The Demonic Realm is clearly waiting for Your Majesty to be unable to resist personally taking action, leading the expedition, and then ambushing and assassinating Your Majesty!"

"Indeed! This is a conspiracy! If Your Majesty were to be assassinated, the common people of the entire dynasty would become even more negative and despairing, emitting negative emotions. Without the incense of faith, our Great Zhou would surely perish."

"Must I, with all my peerless martial prowess, truly watch my people and subjects suffer in agony?" Zhou Chang'an slowly leaned back on his dragon throne, a look of struggle on his face. His gaze slowly passed over the anxious and worried ministers below, as if he saw himself as the Grand Prince, when he and Hu Rennong were close friends, discussing the future of the court together.

Back then, the two of them were still pondering how to suppress the Jianghu (martial world) heroes, and without realizing it, they had supported each other and reached this point.

"What is a king?" he asked in the study.

In the study, Hu Rennong thought for a moment while reading, then a calm voice responded, "A king is the head of the people; without people, there is no king."

He paused slightly, then understood.

"To war!" He looked at the Confucian scholars below who were trying to dissuade him, then suddenly stood up, revealing astonishing resolve.

The Son of Heaven guards the nation's gates; the monarch dies for the country!

Nanzhao Kingdom.

On the street, a couple walked hand in hand. The handsome face of the carefree Mount Shu disciple showed a hint of tenderness as he looked at the girl before him. "I've worked so hard to escort you back to Nanzhao Kingdom. Do you really have to do this?"

A trace of unease echoed in his heart.

"My mother's path is also my path. Don't stop me," the girl said, gently embracing the young man's arm.

"I..." The Mount Shu disciple forced a smile, an uncontrollable bitterness welling up inside him. "The days I spent with you were the best times of my life..."

"Our small Witch Tribe nation cannot resist like the Great Zhou Dynasty. I can only merge with the dragon vein. This is the only way to save the countless citizens of our Nanzhao Kingdom." Soon, deep underground, the white-clad woman gazed at the earth's dragon vein before her. Her legs slowly entered it, and she became enveloped by emerald and dark green vines.

Boom!

A woman with legs entwined by dragon vein vines, transformed into a soaring dragon with a serpent's tail, slowly emerged. She held an exquisite vine staff, and the roots of the vines swiftly lifted her into the air. Looking at the man in the shadows before her, she demanded, "Powerful one from the Demonic Realm, tell me your name!"

This was a handsome man with red hair and black robes, his eyes wine-red, his body enveloped in a faint, eerie blue mist. "From the Human Kingdom of Fedechi, Royal Academy Tutor, I am Yok, the Rockflame Man!"

Just as Xu Zhi slowly rode his carriage towards the Great Blood Domain, the quasi-Emperors from the bar had already departed for battle.

Yok's expression was calm as he looked at the woman before him. "You are formidable. I came with a group of elite disciples, and after just one week, only I remain... I can see your resolve. The anthem of humanity, the anthem of history, also applies to you."

"Why aren't you attacking the Great Zhou Dynasty?" she asked.

"A group of death-sworn warriors has already gone to confront Emperor Zhou Chang'an of Great Zhou. They are as strong as I am!" Yok smiled, bowing slightly in a gentlemanly fashion. "Come, mighty one from the Ancient Desolation Realm, I wish to battle you."

Boom!

A massive burst of flames erupted, engulfing his entire body. The citizens of the entire Nanzhao Kingdom quickly fled, as if a natural disaster had struck.

"Oh my god! That's a flame demon beast!"