Chapter 1681: Turning Point The Milky Way Tilts

"The Primordial Realm needs a victory! A significant and morale-boosting triumph!"

In the South Sea, islands dotted the waters like scattered stars, large and small. Emperor Chi and Emperor Ming stood before the Five Dragon Isles of the South Sea.

The remnants of the Crimson Brightness era transformed into three-headed, six-armed divine beings, fighting their way out of the archipelago. They engaged in a bloody battle with the thirty-nine legions of the Celestial Heavens on the sea surface. In truth, any single Celestial Heavens legion outnumbered the gods and devils of the Crimson Brightness Hanging Realm.

The number of gods and devils in the Crimson Brightness Hanging Realm was only equivalent to a single one of the myriad worlds. Although the Crimson Brightness people were brave and skilled in combat, with incredibly powerful physical bodies and primordial spirits, capable of fighting three enemies at once, they were still in a precarious position against the enemy's superior forces.

Emperor Chi and Emperor Ming had managed to hold out until now thanks to the support of the Southern Emperor Vermilion Bird.

The Southern Emperor Vermilion Bird did not command a large army, but her daughter, Yan’er, was one of the most highly regarded generals of the Yanxing Heavenly Venerate. Although she had been delayed for a time due to childbirth, her cultivation had already reached the Imperial Throne realm, making her one of Yanxing's rare Imperial Throne powerhouses.

She led her troops here, and with the Southern Emperor Vermilion Bird defending, they formed a pincer movement with the Crimson Brightness remnants, containing the strength of the Celestial Heavens' thirty-nine legions. Otherwise, the Crimson Brightness Hanging Realm would have found it difficult to hold out until now.

However, even with Yan’er providing flank support, victory remained difficult for Emperor Chi and Emperor Ming. The two Heavenly Emperors from the Crimson Brightness era had been dead for too long; despite their resurrection, their cultivation and divine arts had become outdated.

In recent years, they had absorbed the reforms of Yanxing and grown rapidly, but they still lacked time.

And the Celestial Heavens would not grant them that time!

Each of the Celestial Heavens' thirty-nine legions was commanded by an Imperial Throne expert. Coupled with Emperor Chi Qi Xiayu, whose cultivation and power were unfathomable, Emperor Chi and Emperor Ming had no chance of victory.

"The Primordial Realm needs a great victory."

Yan’er's gaze fell upon Emperor Chi's army, which was holding the line in the rear. There, flames soared skyward, phoenixes danced, and raging fires made the sea boil.

Within the flames, a vision of a nine-headed phoenix soaring through the celestial palace manifested!

"Emperor Chi Qi Xiayu is a secret pawn that Moon Heavenly Venerate and I jointly placed."

The Southern Emperor Vermilion Bird approached her, her gaze also fixed on the nine-headed phoenix. "She is a disciple of Moon Heavenly Venerate and me, embedded within the Celestial Heavens. If she were to suddenly lead her forces to strike, we could form a three-pronged pincer attack! Breaking the thirty-nine legions would not result in many casualties!"

Yan’er asked, "Then why hasn't Emperor Chi acted? What is she waiting for?"

The Southern Emperor Vermilion Bird hesitated for a moment. "Back then, she betrayed Earth Mother Yuanjun and sided with the Southern Supreme Sovereign, then was captured by Crown Prince Mingya and betrayed the Southern Supreme Sovereign to join the Celestial Heavens. This was a strategy devised by Moon Heavenly Venerate and me. I'm concerned she..."

She did not wish to elaborate further.

Yan’er said, "Are you worried she has become unwilling to abandon her power in the Celestial Heavens?"

The Southern Emperor nodded. "The Celestial Heavens has already bestowed upon her the title of Heavenly Venerate, placing her beneath the Heavenly Emperor but above countless beings and gods! Once someone becomes one of the Ten Heavenly Venerates and succumbs to the allure of power, there's no turning back. To make her return and become our secret pawn, a great victory is needed to sway her heart! Yet this victory..."

Yan’er's heart sank. This victory, however, could not happen in the South Sea.

As of now, Emperor Chi Qi Xiayu had not yet made up her mind.

If she were to make up her mind and personally lead the demigod army of the Southern Heavens into battle, that would be the moment she fully became one of the Ten Heavenly Venerates, with no possibility of return!

Where would this victory, which would decide the fate of the Primordial Realm and Yanxing, come from?

The Western Earth.

Even surrounded by beauties, Yue Tingge's face held no smile at this moment. He looked up at the myriad heavens of the Upper Heavens, where the White Emperor led twenty-seven legions, constructing the impregnable Bulwark City. A battle between the two sides was imminent.

Emperor Yanfeng had decreed that Yue Tingge be responsible for the Western Earth campaign. However, after arriving, Yue Tingge discovered that this was arguably the weakest link in Yanxing's territory!

When the Primordial Realm's seals were broken years ago, the Western Earth became isolated, no longer bordering Yanxing, effectively turning into an exclave.

The Western Earth was sustained by the control exerted by Xiong Qi'er, the Palace Master of the True Heavenly Palace, and Xu Shenghua of the Upper Heavens. Yanxing also established teleportation portals, facilitating travel and trade. With Yanxing's reforms, the Western Earth had become a crucial component.

However, due to its geographical distance and Xu Shenghua's absence, defending the Western Earth had become the greatest challenge.

The Western Earth boasted two great sacred lands: the True Heavenly Palace and the Upper Heavens Academy. Fortunately, the Western Emperor White Tiger had also established a third sacred land here, and many powerful warrior women of the White Tiger God Race lived in the region.

Yet, the troop numbers were simply too low.

The towering mountains, lakes, and rivers of the Western Earth were all animated by the women of the region, transforming into colossal giants. Every plant became a soldier, resisting the White Emperor's army.

Yue Tingge had once been the Celestial Heavens' foremost Heavenly Master, renowned for his prestige. However, even the cleverest housewife cannot cook without rice; the scarcity of gods and devils in the Western Earth left him struggling.

Fortunately, the women of the Western Earth possessed extremely powerful spirit-calling magic, capable of animating mountains, rivers, and vegetation into living beings.

Even so, Yue Tingge found it incredibly challenging. Furthermore, although the Western Emperor White Tiger's projection had descended, her true form had not arrived, providing little substantial support to the Western Earth.

"The White Tiger is hesitant, believing Yanxing might not win, and therefore is unwilling to send her main forces."

Yue Tingge knew this perfectly well. The Western Earth had now established a psychic transference bridge with the Western Ultimate Heavens, making it easy for the Western Emperor and the White Tiger God Race army from the Western Ultimate Heavens to descend.

The Western Emperor White Tiger's continued indecision stemmed from her belief that Yanxing was destined to lose, and she did not wish to commit all her hopes here.

"At this moment, no matter which battlefield, a single victory, a great victory, can turn the tide of this unfavorable situation!"

Yue Tingge exhaled a deep breath, looking up at the Celestial Heavens' fierce wolf-like army descending from the Upper Heavens. He grit his teeth. "No matter what, we must hold out and endure until news of a great victory arrives!"

North of the Primordial Realm, on the Kandian Ice Plain, lay Shuofang City.

Here, the weather was bitterly cold, with ice and snow everywhere. The divine cities of Kandian were cities of ice. Wei Suifeng stood in the cold wind of Shuofang City, looking across the vast expanse. Before him, the Northern Heavens' Black Emperor, Nianguan River, led forty legions, allied with the Demonic Ancestor Great Darkness. The sheer number of demonic gods covered the entire ice plain.

Behind Wei Suifeng stood the Feathered Forest Army who had followed him in the past, along with the Kandian defenders. They wore no armor, only thick cloaks, making them appear bulky.

On their backs, they carried the Northern Emperor's divine weapon, the Five Thunders Gourd, belonging to Emperor Xuanwu. Additionally, the city's treasury was filled with various Five Thunders Gourds, White Tiger Divine Weapons, Vermilion Bird Chariots, and Azure Dragon Blades, all forged by Yanxing as imitations of the Four Emperors' divine weapons.

Wei Suifeng rubbed his hands, wiped the ice shards from his eyebrows, and chuckled, "This battle will be tough. The forty legions of the Northern Heavens, plus that old fellow Great Darkness, could flatten me just by pushing. It's a shame the two Emperor Xuanwus still dare not descend directly and clash with the Celestial Heavens! Those two are far too cautious!"

Toot-toot—

A loud horn blared. The Celestial Heavens' forty legions of demonic gods split into different routes, bypassing Shuofang City and heading towards other divine cities in Kandian!

"Damn it! This is a trap to lure us out! Nianguan River, that old fox, saw that Shuofang's defenses were the strongest, so he's attacking other divine cities to force me to leave the city and fight him!"

Wei Suifeng grit his teeth, raising his battle flag. The Feathered Forest Army soldiers simultaneously unleashed their magic, and the vast ice surface of Kandian instantly cracked. One after another, magnificent warships broke through the ice.

Wei Suifeng led his forces out of the city, shouting, "Summon divine weapons!"

The Feathered Forest Army and the Shuofang City defenders charged behind him. One after another, Five Thunders Gourds soared into the sky, their mouths wide open, releasing five vast cloud-thunders that blotted out the sun. Lightning fell like rain across the ice plain.

However, the forty legions splitting their forces to attack other divine cities was merely a feint to lure the enemy. As soon as Wei Suifeng charged out of Shuofang City, the demonic army led by Great Darkness and the forty legions immediately encircled him.

Wei Suifeng calmly met the challenge, yet he knew that the Yanxing soldiers of Kandian alone could not hold out for long in this battle. They desperately needed the support of the Northern Emperor Xuanwu.

And what would make the Northern Emperor Xuanwu and his consort finally commit had to be an unprecedented victory!

This victory was the key to changing the tide of the war!

In the East Sea, flags fluttered on the warships. Jiang Baigui held command before the formidable pass of Jiangling in the East Sea, gazing into the distance as the Eastern Heavens' Azure Emperor's army appeared on the horizon.

Yanxing had mobilized as many gods and devils as possible. However, even with the nation's full strength, their forces were only one-tenth the size of the Eastern Heavens' Azure Emperor's army of gods and devils!

The Eastern Heavens' Azure Emperor this time led sixty legions from the Eastern Heavens: Tianjiang, Dongxian, Xixian, Tianfu, Qiguan, Cheqi, and Zhenche—all among the Celestial Heavens' most powerful princely armies of gods and devils!

The Azure Emperor was not in a hurry to fight. Instead, he immediately set up camp, advanced cautiously step by step, and continuously drew closer, showing no intention of seeking battle.

"The Azure Emperor's military strategy is flawless."

Jiang Baigui, the Yanxing Imperial Preceptor, calmly observed the imposing aura of the Eastern Heavens' Azure Emperor's army of gods and devils. "Truly worthy of being Heavenly Venerate Yu's Dao Enlightenment Tree. But unfortunately, the Azure Emperor lacks sufficient wisdom. If Emperor Haotian gave him thirty legions, I could not defeat him. But if he gives him sixty legions, he cannot control them, and he cannot defeat me! His unsuitability for his position is the path to his downfall!"

Jiang Baigui waved his command flag, leading his troops out of the city. "Now we shall see whether my teacher achieves merit first, or I do!"

Just then, a divine being suddenly rushed out of Jiangling's teleportation portal, inexplicably agitated, and shouted loudly, "Victory! Carefree Village has decisively defeated the Heavenly River Navy, achieving a complete triumph!"

Jiang Baigui's eye twitched. He murmured, "Teacher, you still have the superior skill... Advance the troops—"

Yanxing's army of gods and devils from Jiangling charged towards the East Sea. Their various divisions adopted a multitude of incredibly complex and endlessly changing formations. The Yanxing army continuously shifted its formations even as it charged.

From the smallest five-person squad, ten-person team, twenty-person platoon, one hundred-person company, five hundred-person battalion, two thousand five hundred-person regiment, to five regiments forming an army—all sorts of formations constantly changed, from the smallest to the largest, entirely under Jiang Baigui's control!

His mastery of formation arts was incredibly meticulous, even surpassing that of Yan Yunxi!

His control capabilities had reached their absolute peak!

"It's a pity the Azure Emperor is too cautious, otherwise this first great victory would surely have been mine!"

News of Carefree Village's great victory spread through various teleportation portals to the Southern Border, the South Sea, the Western Earth, and Kandian. These messages were then sent via psychic transference bridges to the Western Ultimate Heavens, the Northern Ultimate Heavens, and other myriad heavens and worlds!

The Celestial Heavens, brimming with aggressive momentum, had launched a campaign against the Primordial Realm. The Heavenly River Navy engaged Carefree Village in the heart of the Primordial Realm. Wen Tiange utterly defeated the Heavenly River Navy; Zhu Shaoping fled with his shattered remnants; the Lunar Empress, wounded, retreated far away; and the Five Chariots Army was completely annihilated!

In this battle, countless Heavenly River Navy warships were captured, crucial Celestial Heavens' equipment was seized, and their losses were devastating, with innumerable prisoners taken!

The waters of the Heavenly River ran scarlet!

The news spread like wildfire, causing tremors throughout the myriad heavens!

In the Western Earth battlefield, Yue Tingge stood amidst a sea of blood, his face covered in gore. Yet, he looked up and chuckled. "Wen Tiange, the Kaihuang's foremost Heavenly Master, though once my defeated subordinate, fought a beautiful battle this time!"

Golden light now filled the sky, and the psychic transference bridge's radiance grew immensely thick. Countless divine women of the Western Ultimate Heavens' White Tiger God Race, fully armored, were descending through the psychic transference bridge!

And beyond the heavens, the Western Ultimate Heavens was being pulled by an immense force, drawing closer to the Western Earth of the Primordial Realm!

The Western Emperor was about to arrive!