Chapter 418: Battle of the Golden Crow

By the will of Heaven.

The white-haired, white-bearded Water God of the Heavenly Courts was gracefully and calmly transported to the edge of the battlefield by the auspicious ancient beast, Bai Ze.

It was a simple strategy, yet one that defied the imagination of countless beings. The combination of the Water God and Bai Ze conclusively proved that dissolving the morale of the entire demon army truly takes only an instant.

The demon race's three-front battle lines were on the verge of complete collapse!

The Dragon Race experts were naturally not shocked by Bai Ze's unexpected appearance; most merely praised the Water God's unique and ingenious entrance. Led by dozens of ancient battle dragons, hundreds of azure dragons soared wildly, swiftly tearing open cracks in the demon formations!

Two lines of demon soldiers immediately retreated, intending to regroup and fight again. Fortunately, more demon soldiers surged forward, preventing a complete collapse of those two battle lines. But at this moment, the protagonists of the battle were no longer the demons.

Heavenly soldiers and generals, descending in golden light columns, spread out in ranks, like bricks forming a tall wall, or a vast net spread across the heavens and earth. From a distance, the Heavenly Army formation resembled the spread wings of a Kunpeng soaring ninety thousand miles high, with golden and silver lights shimmering in unison.

Li Changshou now stood directly above Black Mountain, his back to the somewhat dazzling eastern sun, his white hair seemingly dyed golden. He was in no hurry to act, instead locking onto individual Karma Demons while issuing commands to various Heavenly Generals. Capitalizing on the immense shock their arrival had dealt to the demon race, which led to collapsing morale and momentary confusion, the Heavenly soldiers swiftly completed their formations.

Over three hundred thousand Heavenly soldiers now cast spells simultaneously! The chanting of their incantations was almost loud enough to disperse the morning glow! Before each Heavenly soldier and general, a golden disk appeared. Each then took out an immortal bean and threw it into the center of their disk. The immortal beans instantly disintegrated, transforming into hulking, shield-wielding figures.

"Annihilate the demons!" Dong Mu Gong roared, vertically striking down with his treasured sword. Three hundred thousand immortal bean shield soldiers surged towards the demon army! The phrase "overwhelming" was truly fitting here.

The Heavenly soldiers replicated the method, summoning a second batch of immortal beans to manifest ice archers on the spot. Each Heavenly soldier then commanded their archers to draw their bows and unleash their immortal power upon the distant demon formations!

Thus, orderly shield walls, Heavenly soldiers charging in formation, and a barrage of arrows erupted. Even the ancient demons on the demon side were awed by the Heavenly soldiers' momentum. The lower-cultivation demon soldiers had never witnessed such a grand formation before. During the Ascent of the Demons, the Heavenly soldiers had merely observed from afar, not participating in the battle. But today, these Heavenly Court forces, once protected by the Water God, were finally going to stain their battle robes with blood and let their swords drink it.

However... when the Heavenly soldiers attacked, whether by deploying their 'vertical wall' formation, charging behind the immortal bean shield soldiers, or by initiating ranged attacks like archery, throwing magical treasures, tossing hidden weapons, and unleashing spear shadows with their immortal-infused long spears while still far from the demon troops, it always gave a sense of excessive caution. Yet, the effect was truly impressive.

Before close combat even began, demon soldiers were falling in swathes. Meanwhile, the Heavenly soldiers, following their usual training, habitually popped pills into their mouths, rapidly restoring their immortal power and maintaining a safe distance. Recklessness was not the mark of a qualified Heavenly soldier.

On the demon side, morale was close to completely collapsing. This 'layered' vertical wall formation, seemingly full of flaws, allowed the Heavenly soldiers to launch a saturated, overwhelming attack on the demon troops. At this point, many greater demons attempted to rally their forces, but most of the demon soldiers had lost morale, and the initiative on the battlefield was almost completely ceded. The Heavenly Army's momentum was now unstoppable.

Several ancient demon kings, hoping to turn the tide, charged forward with a host of demon experts. They transformed into their true forms and slammed into the Heavenly Army formations on both sides. However, the Dragon Race experts had already been waiting in their path! Azure dragons surged forward, successfully blocking the demonic beasts. From the ground to the high heavens, intense hand-to-hand battles erupted! The strength of the Dragon Race, ancient overlords, was now on full display. Although some Dragon Race experts were suppressed by fierce greater demons, the Dragon Race largely gained the upper hand in most of the close-quarters combat.

Just then! A bolt of purple lightning streaked through half the battlefield, zipping past several azure dragons suppressed by demonic beasts, and struck towards where the demon experts were gathered! Within the lightning, a figure darted back and forth! Behind the four demonic beasts engaged in battle with Dragon Race experts, the same ephemeral figure appeared one after another, separated by mere instants!

The phantom wielded a bronze ruler, seemingly striking forward effortlessly, hitting either the demon beast's forehead, neck, or vital heart points. As the lightning flashed, the physical parts of the four Golden Immortal realm demonic beasts struck by the bronze ruler mysteriously turned to powder, leaving behind four circular holes three feet in diameter! Within half an instant, the circular holes collapsed inward, the cosmos wrinkled, and the colossal bodies of these four demonic beasts directly shattered! The abstruse Dao resonance left by the bronze ruler swept by, and the cosmos, like a crumpled tablecloth, was smoothed out once more. Of the four demonic beasts, only a few ashes floated in the air. It was as if some fierce beast, hidden beyond the cosmos, had opened its maw and devoured these four ferocious demons!

The 'fake' Qiankun Ruler: can change size at will, thrown to strike people.The 'true' Qiankun Ruler: holding it means grasping the Great Dao of Qiankun (Heaven and Earth)!

The demons were utterly terrified. Following the previous lightning flash, Li Changshou, having descended into the demon ranks, calmly surveyed his surroundings, the Xuanhuang Pagoda above his head and the Qiankun Ruler in his hand.

So much merit...

"Kill the Water God!" an old demon roared. Among the demon race, there was no shortage of fierce individuals, who immediately launched streams of light towards Li Changshou. Several demon experts with profound auras directly pounced on him. The White Bear demon shouted "Bear Power!" as he brought down two massive hammers from high above; the Crocodile demon swung a serrated blade forged from its own sharp teeth, slashing horizontally at Li Changshou.

There were too many attacks to describe them all, but Li Changshou simply ignored them. With his left hand, he drew talismans in the air, murmuring incantations, while the Xuanhuang Pagoda above his head sent down wisps of Xuanhuang energy, blocking all incoming assaults. Li Changshou remained as stable as Mount Tai. The mere recoil force from the Xuanhuang Pagoda caused the pouncing demon experts to retreat rapidly, injured.

A lightning talisman materialized, and purple divine lightning reappeared! Thousands of lightning dragons pierced through the surrounding surge of demon experts. Those below the Golden Immortal realm were severely wounded by the divine lightning. Li Changshou's eyes were filled with lightning, his body encased in tiny electrical arcs. With a light tap of his foot, his figure vanished with a whoosh. In an instant, phantom after phantom appeared beside dozens of Karma Demons! Moving by evasion, moving with lightning! Lightning Evasion, Qiankun Ruler Point Kill!

Li Changshou's own cultivation served as a foundational support. His masterful evasion techniques, combined with this supreme-grade congenital spiritual treasure 'loaned' by a saint, achieved an effect comparable to an Archmage's strike in the chaotic melee involving many beings! When Li Changshou attacked, he paid no heed to whether the opponent's cultivation was high or low; regardless, even if it was high, they couldn't breach 'Tower Lord's' defense. Li Changshou prioritized targets based solely on the amount of karma they possessed. He alternated between Qiankun Evasion and Lightning Evasion, utilizing the Qiankun Ruler's power almost to its absolute limit. In moments, Karma Demons were 'devoured by Qiankun' one after another. This sight nearly became the final straw that broke the Dao hearts of the demon experts. One man charged the formation, unhindered by any demon!

Li Changshou briefly divided his attention. Inside Black Mountain, his paper effigy turned and let out a low roar, shaking the multitude of Witches! The Black Mountain defensive array cracked open, revealing six open stone gates on the stony peak. The battle Witches, swift as wind, rushed out with thunderous battle cries. Four Grand Shamans activated formations, forming the illusory figures of ancient Ancestral Witches. Leading the battle Witches into the fray, their fists struck like thunder, leaping a thousand feet at a time, and scenes of them tearing apart demon soldiers with their bare hands were everywhere.

The Heavenly soldiers on both flanks coordinated with the Witch Tribe's strong offensive. After depleting a significant number of demon forces, they too engaged in close combat with the demon soldiers. Within hundreds of miles, the ground and sky were filled with the fighting figures of humans and beasts. The battles between demonic beasts and azure dragons had spread across thousands of miles, and the surface of the North Sea was also bustling with activity.

Yet, in this moderately significant war, the most dazzling presence was the one who had already charged behind the demon formation, harvesting the lives of Karma Demons amidst continuous flashes of lightning... a certain ordinary influential minister of the Heavenly Courts, a third-rank righteous god, the Water God Chang Geng.

With the Water God pressing forward relentlessly, almost cutting through the demon formations, how could the Heavenly soldiers and generals not fight to the death? Ao Yi, in his azure dragon form, battled a dozen demon experts, while Bian Zhuang swung his nine-toothed rake, mercilessly pursuing several True Immortal realm demonesses. Dong Mu Gong, who had originally received Li Changshou's voice transmission to coordinate the battlefield, now also charged forward with the Heavenly soldiers and generals, bravely fighting on the fringes. In the high heavens, streams of golden light continuously rained down, and occasional thunder curtains also provided cover for the Heavenly soldiers and generals.

The demon race faced overwhelming defeat!

Just then! Sounds of roaring tigers and howling wolves came from the miasma-filled region to the south! It was the tens of thousands of elite demon troops and hundreds of demon experts who had previously hidden in the miasma of North Continent, now charging into battle! This elite demon contingent headed directly for the Heavenly soldiers on the left flank.

But as soon as these elite demons appeared, gusts of eerie wind suddenly swept across their path. The world suddenly darkened. Sounds of wailing ghosts and howling wolves emerged from everywhere, clusters of phosphorescent lights floated in the air, and countless ethereal figures appeared between heaven and earth. Underworld Yin Soldiers! No, not just Underworld Yin Soldiers; among them were ferocious ghosts and monsters! Eighty thousand Underworld ghouls and hundreds of thousands of Yin Soldiers, ambushed here, now surged like a tide towards the demon ambush force!

A greater demon shrieked: "The Heavenly Dao is unjust! The Underworld's Witch Tribe should not interfere in the Witch-Demon conflict! The Heavenly Dao is unjust!"

"Are you foolish?" Ox-Head bellowed from the summit of Black Mountain. "These are soldiers from the Underworld, here by Heavenly Court's order. What's wrong with that?"

Li Changshou, busy harvesting Karma Demons, quirked his lips upon hearing this. Just a small hidden card. But then again, was Lu Ya not planning to appear today, content to watch this demon army be annihilated here? After today, the power balance between the demon race and the Heavenly Courts would be rewritten. Even if the demon race could gather a new generation of myriad spirits across the Three Thousand Worlds, the Heavenly Courts could recruit even more Heavenly soldiers in a short time.

While 'fiercely battling' the demons, Li Changshou continuously observed the situation everywhere, never letting down his guard.

Finally... just as his Merit Golden Body made a small advancement, the familiar death-inciting sound reached his ears. "Please, precious, turn around!"

At the same time, the Xuanhuang Pagoda above his head trembled slightly, and 'Tower Lord's' booming laughter paused, replaced by a loud shout: "It's here! This Pagoda is getting excited!"

Li Changshou suddenly turned. A wisp of fierce light bloomed before him, but he felt nothing, only seeing the Xuanhuang aura in front of him slightly indent inward. Abruptly, 'Tower Lord' erupted with an even more brilliant light, finally transforming from a small pagoda into a hundred-zhang-tall treasure pagoda, enveloping Li Changshou within its illusory form. The Immortal-Slaying Flying Dagger, disgraced once more!

Li Changshou also saw the old Daoist holding the large gourd, and tightened his grip on the Qiankun Ruler. Two flames burned in Lu Ya's eyes. He held the large gourd above his head and clutched a glowing green sword in his hand. A congenital spiritual treasure, the Demon Emperor Sword! His gaze met Li Changshou's, and tiny arcs of electricity sparked between them. The next instant, lightning erupted from Li Changshou's palm, and true solar flames exploded around Daoist Lu Ya. The two figures, accompanied by two sounds of Qiankun shattering, vanished from their spots!

The extreme speed of the Golden Crow and the Water God's evasion technique were so swift that even the immortal senses of ordinary Golden Immortals could only catch faint afterimages! In almost an instant, they battled from mid-air to the firmament, then plummeted from the firmament towards the North Sea ice plain. The perennial ice mountains shattered one by one.

On the edge of the great battle, Bai Ze watched this scene, a hint of helplessness in its eyes. Dong Mu Gong could only divide his attention to perceive a little; his expression was complex but gradually eased. Meanwhile, in the high sky, beneath the sea, and in distant mountain forests, several figures were also observing the battle between the Heavenly Court's Water God and the Demon Court's Prince.

'Tsk, tsk, the Water God's cultivation progress... isn't it a bit too terrifying?'

Under the sea, Daoist Wen Jing frowned slightly. She could clearly see the situation of the great battle. What surprised her now was not the Immortal-Slaying Flying Dagger in Daoist Lu Ya's hand, capable of directly challenging the Human Sect's supreme treasure, nor the Xuanhuang Pagoda, impenetrable to all spells and unbreakable by anything, nor even the bronze ruler that controlled the Great Dao of Qiankun. It was purely the Water God's strength at this moment. Yet, with treasures obscuring it, it was impossible to clearly discern the Water God's true cultivation level.

Daoist Wen Jing pondered carefully: how many chances of victory would she have if she were to engage the Water God now? Zero chance of victory. It wasn't about divine abilities; the Water God's heart was simply too dark.

"Aunt Wen, when do we make our move?"

"We'll wait to cover their retreat, let the demon race preserve a bit more strength," Daoist Wen Jing said calmly. "Did you see those Yin Soldiers? The Witch Tribe experts from the Underworld haven't shown up yet; clearly, the Water God prepared them for us. Going out now would only entangle us in the battle, making it hard to escape."

The silver-haired Rakshasa woman thought carefully, her peripheral vision glancing at the dozens of human figures transformed from fierce beasts nearby. "Aunt Wen, this Water God is terrifying. When I thought of slaying him, my sword resisted."

Daoist Wen Jing chuckled softly, crossing her arms and continuing to watch the spectacle. She smiled, "The sword in your hand once lost to that ruler, and its brother, too."

"Oh," the Rakshasa woman murmured softly, cradling her treasured sword. "Don't be afraid."

Just as Daoist Wen Jing was about to tease her, a voice transmission entered her ear, prompting a charming, light laugh from her. "Everyone, prepare to act. There's an order from above: this time, we are to cover the retreat of the demon experts. Don't worry about those below the Golden Immortal realm."

The dozens of figures rose, each surrounded by an aura of malevolence. The Primal Chaos Fierce Beast squad, here to throw, *cough*, here to save the demons.

The Heavenly Courts truly hadn't expected these demon kings and old demons to flee so decisively. When the battle was at its most intense, and the demon race clearly still had the strength to fight, these demon experts chose to abandon most of their soldiers and directly retreat. When the Heavenly Courts side attempted to pursue these demon experts, dozens of Primal Chaos Fierce Beasts appeared to block them, instantly slaying most of the dozens of Dragon Race experts who were in the most eager pursuit. The Dragon Race recognized some of the culprits who had attacked the Dragon Sea Eye that day, demonstrating what it meant to "lose one's head" as they furiously assailed the Primal Chaos Fierce Beasts, giving the old demons a chance to escape.

Li Changshou, who was battling Daoist Lu Ya, felt a bit helpless when his immortal senses captured this scene. Bai Ze, who had been observing from the sidelines, felt a touch of self-mockery in its eyes, closed them, and lay down on the cloud, no longer watching.

Lu Ya's eyes showed a hint of unwillingness. Wielding the Demon Emperor Sword, he confronted Li Changshou head-on. The Immortal-Slaying Flying Dagger struck again, causing Li Changshou's form to pause momentarily. Seizing the opportunity, Lu Ya turned and transformed into his true form, a three-legged Golden Crow, and shot towards the horizon.

Li Changshou snorted coldly. The Qiankun Ruler in his hand glowed, and his figure continuously flickered across the ice plain. Disregarding the expenditure of immortal power, he rapidly pursued using the Qiankun Evasion technique! The three-legged Golden Crow, only half a *zhang* long, abruptly turned its head, its eyes filled with fury. Li Changshou had already arrived! Over a dozen afterimages almost merged as the Qiankun Ruler slammed down on the Golden Crow's head! The Golden Crow threw its head back and cried out loudly. True solar flames surged around it, and the blinding white light stung Li Changshou's eyes. Yet, the Qiankun Ruler, carrying the sound of wind and thunder, smashed through the true flames.

*Whoosh*—

Suddenly, a bright light, slashing horizontally, appeared within the true solar flames. Li Changshou felt as if he saw surging waves of a blood sea. The Qiankun Ruler seemed to have struck something away, and most of its downward force was negated. The true flames fully erupted, creating ripples in the cosmos. Li Changshou's figure was pushed back hundreds of *zhang*, but protected by the Xuanhuang Pagoda, he felt no heat whatsoever.

When the flames receded, the Golden Crow was gone. In Li Changshou's mind, 'Tower Lord's' unrestrained voice rang out: "Huh? Yuan Tu Sword? Mount Lingshan truly has no shame. Didn't the two Saints personally declare they would seal this sword on Mount Lingshan?! What, was it stolen?"

Li Changshou shook his head slightly, the image of the silver-haired girl he saw within the true solar flames appearing in his mind. She seemed to possess some strange divine abilities... Seeing the few traces of blood floating in the air, Li Changshou took out a porcelain bottle, collected the Golden Crow's blood, and turned to rush back to the main battle. He paid no heed to the demeanor of a master, completely unconcerned with harvesting the weaker demons. As long as they had karma, they were 'good brothers' of the demon race!