Chapter 556: Fiery Sun Sect Battle, Omen of the Approaching Storm

At that moment, on the front lines.

Bishop Youpeng, Tianmingzi, Filth Daoist, Lord Leihou, Three-Corpse Daoist, Fiendess Sha, Evil Soul Ancestor, Yin-Yang Demon Lord, Ghost Blade Demon Lord, Old Man Lanxin—an overwhelming number of demonic grandmasters had gathered beneath the Mount Liyang Sect. At first glance, there were no fewer than a hundred Nascent Soul experts, with more than ten, nearly twenty, powerful cultivators at the late-stage Nascent Soul or even perfected Nascent Soul realm. It was a display of the full might of the Chiyuan Demonic Cultivators. The crème de la crème of the demonic path were all present.

This signified that the final general assault was imminent. The commander was none other than the Earth Fiend Demon Lord, a mid-stage Soul Transformation cultivator, whose body was as towering and robust as an iron tower. His mere presence stirred the demonic cultivators into a deafening roar, like mountains crumbling and tsunamis raging.

Beneath the intense spiritual radiance, the Fusang Ancient Tree, the Liyang Sect's treasured guardian artifact, was shining brilliantly. The fifth-tier formation, the Great Liyang Demon Refining Array, built around this ancient tree, was fully operational.

The Liyang Sect Master, a half-step Soul Transformation realm cultivator, felt despair fill his heart as he witnessed the scene of countless demons howling beyond the formation's spiritual light. His voice was hoarse and low. “Gentlemen, the day our sect perishes is upon us. Have the young prodigies within the sect retreated?”

“Sect Master, all the seed disciples have retreated overseas.”

“The Sword Sect, as the leader of the righteous path, has truly behaved despicably, plotting against us in such a manner. If they hadn't promised support, we wouldn't be in this predicament…”

“Indeed! These hypocritical scoundrels, who claim to lead the righteous path, are simply too deceitful!”

“The remaining forces from Thunderfire Temple and Moon-Gazing Palace have probably sensed that something is wrong. If our Liyang Sect is destroyed now, the vast Taihu region will be left with only those despicable dogs from the Sword Sect! It infuriates me!”

The cultivators of the Liyang Sect were furious, their resentment towards the Sword Sect reaching its peak. But what could they do? With countless demons already present, there was no escape, neither in the heavens nor on the earth. The space had been sealed off long ago, making even ancient teleportation arrays unusable. Furthermore, the Liyang Sect had just suffered heavy losses from a recent rebellion.

From every perspective, this was a death trap.

The Liyang Sect Master bowed to the gathered Nascent Soul cultivators and said, “Gentlemen, the disparity in strength between us and the enemy is vast. When the battle begins, flee if you can.”

The cultivators, who had just been full of indignation, were instantly struck speechless. No one dared to respond to the Sect Master's words. Flee… who wouldn't want to? It was only out of dire necessity that they had to stay. Even the Nascent Soul cultivators, whose interests were deeply intertwined with the sect, had considered escaping. Losing a ten-thousand-year foundation was better than losing their lives. If the people survive, even if the land is lost, both can eventually be restored. But if the land is held while the people are lost, then both are lost. This principle held even truer for cultivators, as the cultivation world was inherently ruled by the strong. The problem was the Sword Sect's ambiguous stance, and the subsequent developments were unpredictable.

They feared that if they retreated now, they would never have the chance to return to the Taihu Spirit Realm in this lifetime. The choice was entirely up to each cultivator.

The Liyang Sect Master saw the silence in the hall and knew that some were hesitant due to pride, unable to be the first to retreat in front of colleagues they had served with for many years. He continued, “The sect's seed disciples who leave will need the protection of you elders to have a greater chance of growing into towering figures. So… those who wish to go, may go. The sect will not be so unfeeling in this certain death situation. It will be enough if you elders remember the Liyang Sect and the vengeance for its destruction.”

At these words, at least half of the cultivators showed signs of wanting to move, but then a wise guy suddenly spoke up. “Why don’t we surrender to the demonic path? After all, converting to demonic energy is quite convenient. Since the Sword Sect regards us as expendable, why not surrender to the demonic path, join them in attacking the Sword Sect's mountain gate, and exact our revenge!”

The Liyang Sect Master was stunned by these words. He had never truly considered such an option. From the moment he began cultivating, his elders had instilled in him the idea that the righteous and demonic paths were irreconcilable. Now, upon reflection, demonic cultivation methods and divine abilities were merely a bit more bloody. Essentially, there was no fundamental difference. The territories under their control simply followed a 'boiling frog' strategy, slowly and steadily harvesting resources from lower-level cultivators, focusing on sustainable development.

Seeing that the Sect Master actually seemed to be considering this possibility, the Nascent Soul elders' thoughts immediately became active.

“Blazing Flame is right, let's surrender to the demonic path and attack the Sword Sect to avenge ourselves!”

“Let's surrender to the demonic path!”

“I agree too.”

“Surrender, Sect Master, this is our only chance. Perhaps we can even preserve the Liyang Sect's ten-thousand-year foundation. They say righteous and demonic paths are irreconcilable, but in truth, there's little difference.”

The Liyang Sect Master's lips parted. His weary body and mind suddenly surged with renewed energy. After glancing around, he finally made up his mind, gritting his teeth as he said, “Then we shall surrender. However, all elders should remain within the formation. I will personally go and negotiate with the Earth Fiend Demon Lord.”

Surrender was indeed a good option. But whether the demonic path would accept was still unknown. Given the demonic cultivators' bloodthirsty nature, they would likely prefer to incur some casualties and utterly conquer the Liyang Sect. After all, the rewards of annihilating one of the seven righteous sects would be substantial, allowing everyone to gain abundant resources. Therefore, negotiations would be extremely dangerous.

Since the Sect Master was willing to step forward, the others were naturally pleased and had no reason to object.

“Then we shall proceed as the Sect Master wishes.”

“Sect Master, please be careful. Demonic cultivators are known for going back on their word. Be wary of them feigning agreement to trick us into opening the formation's defenses.”

“Rest assured, I understand these principles. I will only proceed if there is a contract as proof, then we can be at ease.”

And so, just as the Earth Fiend Demon Lord had finished arranging the attack routes, he was surprised to see the Liyang Sect Master emerge from the mountain gate. The Sect Master called out loudly, “Venerable Earth Fiend, I wish to speak with you.”

The demonic cultivators scattered across the sky instantly looked on with strange expressions. Some scoffed, some sneered, some worried, and some were utterly confused, vividly showcasing the myriad expressions of sentient beings.

Upon seeing this, the Earth Fiend Demon Lord stepped forward to the front of the array. “Liyang Sect Master, speak your mind. I'll give you time to enact your schemes.”

The demonic cultivators fell silent.

The Liyang Sect Master gave a wry smile and began, “It’s like this…”

At the Refining Heaven Demonic Sect's mountain gate, within the Sect Master's cave abode, after years of secluded cultivation, the Refining Heaven Demon Lord had finally cleared the numerous curse-killing techniques inflicted by the White Tiger Demon Venerable and fully recovered. Upon emerging, he immediately noticed Chitian in his reborn state. Before he could even ask what had happened, he received a long-distance message from the Earth Fiend Demon Lord. Utilizing a spiritual treasure for instant, un-delayed communication across two realms, he learned of the Liyang Sect's intention to surrender. He immediately burst into laughter. He replied, “You can agree to their terms, but when we attack the Sword Sect's mountain gate, they must lead the vanguard, including in the seven prefectures under the Sword Sect’s jurisdiction.”

“Understood!”

After issuing the command, the Refining Heaven Demon Lord finally had time to question Chitian. “What happened to you?”

Chitian, inside his blood cocoon, his reconstructed body still in its youthful stage and its physical strength not yet fully restored, looked terrified upon seeing the Sect Master's sudden arrival and said, “Chitian is incompetent. I ask for the Sect Master's punishment. The destruction of my physical body was caused by the Extreme Law Profound Pill Demon Lord. Decades ago, Tianyuzi sought assistance from our sect, but Daoist Earth Fiend was not present…”

Chitian spoke for quite a while before clarifying the entire sequence of events. When the Refining Heaven Demon Lord heard the title 'Extreme Law,' he immediately recalled the situation in the Heavenly Palace Secret Realm.

“He broke through to Soul Transformation?”

“Yes, and his combat power is formidable. Even a mid-stage Soul Transformation cultivator might not be his match.”

“As expected, he is indeed the number one genius of Chiyuan. Impressive.”

Seeing the Sect Master praise the enemy's ferocity, Chitian immediately blushed and said, “Please give me a chance to atone for my failure, Sect Master. Next time I meet him, I'll make sure he pays dearly.”

“There's no need for that.” Unexpectedly, the Refining Heaven Demon Lord shook his head and said, “Wang Yu is quite shrewd. He must have guessed my plan. When we attack the Sword Sect's mountain gate, he will also be a valuable asset. The stronger he is, the better. You must show him respect next time you meet him. As for your personal grudges, at this point, they are no longer important. Whether the plan succeeds or fails, that person is beyond your ability to deal with.”

Chitian immediately fell silent. This truth was a huge blow to him. What he had just said was merely bravado; escaping with his life was already a stroke of luck. How could he dare to face such a formidable person again? What he had said earlier was merely an attempt to get the Sect Master to avenge him. Since things were like this, he would simply avoid him. Could Wang Yu still relentlessly pursue him? It was Wang Yu who initially started the animosity by snatching his treasure. How did it now become him actively seeking enmity? It was truly baffling.

“Is Wuji here? The great war between the righteous and demonic paths is about to enter its final stage. We still need to put on a show with the Sword Sect to lull the Prison King Spirit Official into a false sense of security.”

Upon hearing this, Chitian quickly said, “Senior Wuji should have infiltrated the depths of the Sword Sect's mountain gate by now. With the Sword Child acting as an insider, the Ancient Living Demon will be our strongest trump card against the Prison King Spirit Official.”

“Very good.”

The cooperation between the Demonic Sect and the Sword Sect actually concealed something: the utilization of the Ancient Living Demon, of which the Sword Sect was unaware. The reason both sides were able to cooperate, and why the Sword Sect followed the Refining Heaven Demon Lord's plan, was because he possessed a devastating weapon left behind by the ancient immortal dynasty. It existed as one of the trump cards for killing the Prison King Spirit Official.

Therefore, the situation became one where the Sword Sect cooperated with the Demonic Sect, using a feigned defeat to attract the Prison King Spirit Official's attention, drawing him into action to prevent the demonic path from unifying the Ice Prison Realm. But that was the plan. However, no one was foolish; everyone knew that the other side surely had deeper objectives and could even guess at parts of the truth. But what did it matter?

If the Ice Prison Realm were to be dominated by a single power, an overlord of the era would easily emerge, consolidating the entire world's resources to cultivate Soul Transformation cultivators, and the peak strength would only grow stronger. The Prison King Spirit Official would never stand idly by. So even if he guessed this was a bait to lure him out, he had no choice but to accept it. This was the power of an overt strategy.

Similarly, during the many wars between the righteous and demonic paths, the Refining Heaven Demonic Sect had repeatedly shown its obsession with the Sword Sect's mountain gate. How could the Sword Sect not be aware of their covetous desire for the Ancient Living Demon? They had merely tacitly allowed it. All interests and ideologies were making way for their 'cage-breaking' plan. For this, what did it matter if they abandoned their past principles? Only when nearing the end of their lifespan would these top-tier cultivators agree to things they would never have considered in earlier years. Compromise… was the norm for seasoned cultivators.

The Refining Heaven Demon Lord's plan was not particularly clever. Its only characteristic was sheer audacity. His intention was surprisingly to directly and forcefully kill the Prison King Spirit Official. It was unclear what kind of trump card gave him such confidence.

After communicating with Chitian and obtaining the desired information, he then used an attendant boy to summon all the cultivators of the Demonic Sect. Although attacking the Sword Sect's mountain gate was a pretense, the Refining Heaven Demonic Sect possessed the greatest number of powerful cultivators among all the Chiyuan sects. They had to be present, and even if they couldn't participate in the Soul Transformation battle, the Refining Heaven still had other uses. The summoning process lasted for more than ten days. During this interim, the Refining Heaven Demon Lord received more intelligence, primarily concerning Wang Yu's movements, which he paid particular attention to. He then discovered information about the Soul Transformation battles at Xijijing and Mount Qiuniu. He was immediately overjoyed.

“What a Wang Yu! Excellent work, truly splendid… This way, only one Heavenly Mother Xuyu has to be dealt with, allowing us to consolidate all our strength against the external intruders.”

This sudden pleasant surprise was even more valuable than the Liyang Sect's surrender. At the same time, he also sent messengers to notify the demon race. Although the Azure Dragon and White Tiger Demon Venerables had a mortal feud with him, they were targets that could be rallied in the face of such a critical matter. Who wouldn't want to break free from this prison world? Due to the rules of the immortals, ascension had been confirmed as false. Only by breaking out of the 'cage' would there be a chance to continue climbing the immortal path, which would be a great fortune for all living beings in the world. Therefore, abandoning hatred was simpler than imagined.

Thus, half a month later, as the news of the Liyang Sect's surrender spread, the Refining Heaven Demonic Sect also came out in full force, heading west. They would converge with the Demonic Alliance army outside the Sword Sect's mountain gate to launch the final general assault! Success or failure would depend on this one endeavor.

Chiyuan, Fengzhou Prefecture City.

When Wang Yu learned the news from the outside world, it was precisely at the time of the Liyang Sect's surrender. With his keen intuition, he naturally sensed the arrival of the decisive battle. He just hadn't figured out the Refining Heaven Demon Lord's full capabilities. His confidence, truthfully, was not high. However, he definitely had to participate. Therefore, he immediately crushed the jade pendant gifted by the Heavenly Demon Bone Forest, notifying the other party that the time was ripe. As he didn't hold much hope, Wang Yu did not notify his confidantes like Jin Miaoshan and Yan Ling, believing that ultimately, one must rely on oneself.

“Conservatively, in at most a year, the Battle of the Sword Sect will commence. I must seize the time to return to the ice plain, and then head directly to the Sword Sect's mountain gate…”

He mentally reviewed the sequence of events. Wang Yu arrived and departed on the same day, using the extreme speed of his Aurora Evasion technique to head towards the Ice Tribe's guardian tribe. He considered that the Ice Tribe had been particularly active in the last century. He might even have to fight a battle there. He felt no pressure, only wondering how to obtain the Ice Demon Path's Soul Transformation legacy from the Ancient Frost Demon. In his opinion, the power of demonic corruption could be resisted by his Glazed Heart state. Naturally, he could leverage its greatest advantage. Then, using the deduction ability of the 'placement panel,' he could obtain a top-grade cultivation method for the sixth-tier Void Refining stage. This was his true trump card for contending with the Prison King Spirit Official.

Both matters were crucial. In fact, acquiring the Frost Demon legacy was even more important, as it concerned his future cultivation. At the same time, he also needed to prepare several life-saving trump cards for his escape in case the Refining Heaven Demon Lord's plan failed. After this event, he would gain accurate insight into the Prison King Spirit Official's true strength, which would be extremely important intelligence. He couldn't afford not to go.

Wang Yu gave himself three months to complete these tasks, and then… he would rush to the battlefield!