The complete rout of Blood Sea Immortal City carried a far different weight than the attack on Linhai City.

Blood Sea was merely a buffer zone between the East Sea Cultivators and the Demon Sea; even if it were shattered, the foundation of the East Sea Cultivation World would remain unshaken.

But Linhai City was different. It was the easternmost, most crucial gateway to the East Sea Cultivation World, possessing teleportation arrays linking it to almost every other Immortal City in the region—it was the East Sea Cultivation World's pivotal bridgehead fortress. Given the density of its teleportation arrays, perhaps only the largest city, Xianque City, rivaled Linhai in importance.

Should this core stronghold fall, the Demon Race cultivators, who already held the upper hand in the Blood Sea, could pour through Linhai City toward the **East Sea, leaving the entire chain of East Sea Islands vulnerable to demonic threat.

This supremely urgent war report drastically stimulated the high command of the Heavenly Dao Alliance and the Heavenly Demon Alliance, whose nerves had been taut for so long.

The exorbitant demand of two ancient Spirit Transformation cultivators—over twenty million high-grade Spirit Stones—had to be met, even if it meant gritting their teeth at this critical juncture.

After all, as long as the foundation of the East Sea Cultivation World remained secure, Spirit Stone taxes would be collected annually. But if the East Sea Islands descended into chaos or faced utter devastation, the consequences would be far beyond the cost of twenty million high-grade Spirit Stones.

Sect Master Li of the Heavenly Dao Alliance and the Chief Grand Elder of the Heavenly Demon Alliance personally sought an audience with the two Spirit Transformation cultivators resting in Xianque City, imploring them to swiftly deal with the Three-Legged Crow. The twenty million high-grade Spirit Stones from the treasuries of the East Sea Islands' Immortal Cities would be transported immediately thereafter to pay the two Ancestors.

"Fine. I'll note the Spirit Stones for now. I trust you wouldn't dare renege on this Demon Lord's accounting! This Demon Lord will first go deal with that flat-feathered beast, and collect the Spirit Stones afterward. The teleportation array leading to Linhai City, it hasn't been shut down yet, has it?"

Blood Gourd Old Demon's expression shifted slightly upon hearing the news.

In his view, after expending such effort to return to the East Sea Cultivation World from the Southern Demon Continent, which had already cost him considerable time, receiving a handsome reward in Spirit Stones was only fair.

As for the situation in the Blood Sea: the destruction of Black Sand City by the Three-Legged Crow could be treated as either a major or minor issue. However, if the Three-Legged Crow Demon Saint came causing trouble in the East Sea Cultivation World… that was something he wished to avoid. His reputation would be tarnished.

"Let's go! If a Demon Saint dares destroy an East Sea Immortal City, it means we’ll inevitably have to make a trip to the Demon Sea and wipe out a few major Demon Race tribes!"

Azure Hao Sword Venerable, who had closer ties to the Heavenly Dao Alliance, frowned upon hearing this.

"We juniors will guide the way for the two Spirit Transformation Ancestors!"

The Chief Grand Elder of the Heavenly Demon Alliance flew toward the teleportation array in Xianque City using his artifact.

With a flicker of movement, Blood Gourd Old Demon transformed into a streak of red light, following close behind and entering the teleportation array bound for Linhai City.

Azure Hao Sword Venerable said nothing further, silently following on his sword.

Seeing the two Spirit Transformation cultivators set out, the Chief Elders, Sect Masters, and Titans of the Heavenly Dao Alliance and Heavenly Demon Alliance within Xianque City breathed a collective sigh of relief.

But the matter was far from over.

"The two Spirit Transformation Ancestors are personally engaging the Three-Legged Crow Demon Saint. However, besieging Linhai City are countless other Demon Race cultivators, comprising large contingents from major Demon Race tribes. We must expedite the mobilization of Nascent Soul cultivators to reinforce Linhai City's defenses. Linhai City's fortifications have already been breached; a massive army is required to withstand the Demon Race's large-scale assault. Without delay, all Elders, Sect Masters, and Titans must return to their respective lineages to mobilize forces and rush to Linhai City to participate in the battle—the sooner, the better!"

A Chief Grand Elder of the Heavenly Dao Alliance spoke in a deep voice after the two Spirit Transformation cultivators vanished into the teleportation array.

"If the Demon Race tribes dare invade Linhai City... our East Sea Immortal Alliance must deliver a crushing blow!"

"The decisive battle for the East Sea is here!"

"Go! This old man will mobilize the troops first. Follow me!"

The leadership of the Heavenly Dao Alliance and the Heavenly Demon Alliance departed with high morale.

The Sect Masters, Titans, and Grand Elders of both Alliances dispersed quickly to gather the cultivator teams under their command.

Xianque City, and indeed all major Immortal Cities across the East Sea Islands, had received the urgent war reports and were operating at peak efficiency. Vast numbers of Nascent Soul cultivators began concentrating in Xianque City before being dispatched in droves to Linhai City. Countless war supplies were also rushed toward the front lines.

The teleportation arrays in various cities shone almost ceaselessly, blazing with transit light day and night.

A large contingent of Nascent Soul cultivators from the Northern Lineage of the Heavenly Dao Alliance, led by Sect Master Zhou Yu and Chief Grand Elder Zhong, completed their mobilization in just half a day. Ye Qin was among them, acting as the leader of a small squad of Nascent Soul cultivators.

When the Northern Lineage's Nascent Soul cultivators emerged from Linhai City's teleportation array, both the Three-Legged Crow Demon Saint and the two Spirit Transformation cultivators, Blood Gourd Old Demon and Azure Hao Sword Venerable, were nowhere to be seen.

From the Nascent Soul cultivators who had arrived earlier from other lineages, they learned that before their arrival, the two Spirit Transformation cultivators and the Three-Legged Crow Demon Saint had fought a devastating battle in the skies near Linhai City for nearly an hour.

Facing two against one, the Three-Legged Crow Demon Saint was no match for Blood Gourd Old Demon and Azure Hao Sword Venerable.

At a disadvantage, the Three-Legged Crow Demon Saint retreated, and the two Spirit Transformation cultivators pursued, intending to eliminate this great threat entirely. However, killing a Demon Saint-level demonic cultivator was no simple task.

Linhai City, having been developed over thousands of years, possessed extraordinarily powerful defenses. Yet, the battle between the two Spirit Transformation cultivators and the Demon Saint had still resulted in the destruction of more than half of the city's districts.

The cultivators who survived within Linhai City were somewhat fortunate.

Ye Qin had witnessed the terrifying might displayed when the Three-Legged Crow Demon Saint destroyed Black Sand City. Seeing Linhai City now, he couldn't help but feel a lingering chill. Vast sections of the once prosperous and bustling Immortal City, equipped with powerful defenses, were reduced to rubble and ruins.

And this was considered the 'better' outcome; the surrounding island strongholds that had encircled Linhai City had been completely wiped out, leaving not even a trace behind.

Hearing this, Ye Qin didn't dwell on it further.

At this moment, wave after wave of Nascent Soul cultivators from both Immortal Alliances continued to pour out of the undamaged teleportation arrays in Linhai City. Following them came the Golden Core cultivators.

Numerous cultivators proficient in formations and mechanisms were urgently working to repair the remaining defenses of Linhai City—the spiritual energy heavy cannons and the protective shields on the city walls.

From every lineage, battleships of various sizes and grades took to the skies, forming a vast, endless line along Linhai City's defensive perimeter, their muzzles aimed eastward. On and around the warships flew crowds of Nascent Soul cultivators astride their flying swords. The light coalesced into a continuous band of rainbow radiance stretching for hundreds of miles.

Meanwhile, seven to eight thousand miles away from Linhai City, towering tides of sea beasts surged in from all directions, commencing a massive mobilization. Cultivators from the Demon Race tribes were rushing from every corner of the Blood Sea to this location, their numbers so immense they darkened the sky like storm clouds. If one factored in the sea beasts driven by the demonic cultivators, the scale could be called boundless.

The fierce wind howled, and killing intent permeated the heavens.

Ye Qin stood upon a flying sword, gazing first at the cultivator formation on his side, then toward the distant gathering of Demon Race forces, his expression grave.

The Demon Race tribes scattered throughout the Blood Sea, having lost their immediate targets due to the full withdrawal of the cultivator forces, were now massing here to attack Linhai Domain, the crucial bridgehead of the East Sea Cultivation World. Furthermore, judging by the current setup, the Demon Race tribes had not yet completed their deployment; vast numbers of cultivators were still streaming in from various seas within the Blood Sea.

When the Spirit Transformation cultivators dueled the Three-Legged Crow Demon Saint, the Demon Race forces had also dared not approach Linhai City too closely, lest they be caught in the crossfire.

But now that the Spirit Transformation cultivators and the Three-Legged Crow Demon Saint had vanished into the distance, facing the now defenseless Linhai City right before them, the Demon Race cultivators were certain to launch an all-out offensive, aiming to capture this important Immortal City that the Demon Race had not set foot in for ten thousand years in one fell swoop.

Such an opportunity was exceedingly rare for the Demon Race. Should they seize Linhai City, the tide of the East Sea Immortal-Demon War would turn completely, and the East Sea cultivators would lose all initiative.

Ye Qin felt a surge of relief internally that he had not brought Huangfu Bing'er along. Although Bing'er’s cultivation had advanced rapidly to the third layer of the Nascent Soul stage after consuming a portion of the Vermilion Fruit flesh, her foundational stability was still lacking. In terms of combat strength, she couldn't compare to him, who was protected by the Five Elements Flying Sword innate divine ability. Ensuring her safety in such a massive, large-scale bloodbath would have been difficult.

"Everyone, line up and board the warships. Await the battle commands from the two Immortal Alliances!"

Sect Master Zhou glanced in the direction of the Demon Race encampment, shook his head slightly, and flew toward the large battleship of the Purple Sword Palace, issuing his order.

Ye Qin and the other Nascent Soul cultivators of the Purple Sword Palace boarded the main battleship of the Purple Sword Palace following Sect Master Zhou. The Palace Masters and some Grand Elders from other Great Immortal Palaces of the Northern Lineage also brought out their respective Divine Artifact warships, leading their Nascent Soul cultivators aboard.

At this moment of ultimate decision, there was no need for the various Immortal Palaces to hold back their strength. The top-tier Immortal Palaces, those with deep reserves accumulated over thousands or tens of thousands of years, could deploy seven or eight large battleships and dozens of medium to small ones at once.

The large fleet of warships from the Northern Lineage slowly ascended, forming a massive flotilla that joined the ranks defending Linhai City.

Ye Qin’s own small Great Winged Warship was entrusted to several Golden Core disciples from the Azure Pill Palace to pilot, flying beside the Purple Sword Palace's main flagship.

Ye Qin stood at the prow of the Purple Sword Palace's main flagship, surveying the battlefield.

Compared to the scale of the current decisive battle, his previous experiences defending and participating in battles within the Blood Sea were insignificant.

The sky above Linhai City now held nearly all the primary Nascent Soul and Golden Core cultivators from the entire East Sea Heavenly Dao Alliance and Heavenly Demon Alliance, with countless warships arrayed. Immortal Alliance messengers, appearing as streaks of various colors, darted back and forth through the formations. The Demon Race’s imposing presence was even more spectacular.

Ye Qin looked out from the ship's bow toward the Blood Sea: between the sea and the sky, above and below, everything was a dense, black tide of beasts.

They were countless.

The largest confrontation since the outbreak of the Immortal-Demon War was about to erupt.

If they won, the East Sea Cultivation World would gain the time needed to repair the Linhai defense line, catch its breath, and the Demon Race would be unable to organize another substantial offensive for a long time, forcing them back into the Demon Sea. This protracted Immortal-Demon War would thus conclude.

If they lost, the gateway to the East Sea Cultivation World would be seized by the Demon Race, most of the East Sea cultivators’ strength would be depleted here, and the entire East Sea Cultivation World would face a dire crisis of survival.

Ye Qin felt his heart pound violently.

On the battlefield, countless cultivators also struggled to remain calm, their faces flushed with excitement and extreme tension.

"The Great Divine Ability Ancient Artifact, the Ox Drum, it is time to bring it out. Elder Zhou Rui, place the Ox Drum at the forefront of our Northern Lineage flagship, to bolster the morale of our East Sea Cultivation World!"

Sect Master Zhou took a deep breath, a sharp light flashing in his eyes. Usually steady and reserved, his demeanor was now sharp and imposing as he commanded. His voice resonated far across the distance.

"Zhou Rui accepts the order!"

Elder Zhou Rui, who managed the Purple Sword Palace’s enshrined artifacts, responded with excitement.

"What? The Great Ox Drum? Is it the one that once shook the East Sea during the ancient Immortal-Demon War? Wasn't it rumored to have vanished for over ten thousand years?"

Cultivators within a radius of several dozen miles heard the words clearly, all showing shock.

"The Great Ox Drum? That's a Great Divine Ability Ancient Artifact, and it's in the hands of the Northern Sect Master?"

The news of the Great Ox Drum sent shockwaves like a thousand ripples from a single stone, immediately causing an uproar among the cultivators. Even the Nascent Soul cultivators from the leadership ranks of other lineages turned their attention, engaging in spirited discussion.

Ye Qin was startled by the announcement.

He had given the Ox Drum to Zhou Yu a long time ago and hadn't seen any activity from him since; he had almost forgotten about the drum entirely. Unexpectedly, Zhou Yu was bringing out the renowned Ox Drum at this crucial decisive battle of the Immortal-Demon War. This drum had an unimaginable effect on boosting the morale of the cultivator forces.

"It is said that the drumhead of the Ox Drum is broken, and it cannot be repaired unless a second Ox hide is found—is this true?" Chief Grand Elder Zhong of the Heavenly Dao Alliance urgently inquired.

Sect Master Zhou nodded. "This once Great Divine Ability artifact is indeed damaged and cannot easily restore the terrifying power it held during the ancient Immortal-Demon War. However, this Sect Master has managed over the years to use the hides of dozens of young Oxen to mend the broken sections. Although the current Ox Drum cannot emit a drum sound that suppresses the Demon Race across a thousand-mile radius, powerful enough to threaten a Demon Saint, it can still resound clearly within several dozen miles, causing fear among the demonic beasts driven near it, substantially weakening the Demon Race's ability to control the beast tide. Moreover, this drum has other functions; it retains at least half of its original strength, enough to boost the morale of our East Sea cultivators and intimidate the Demon Race!"

"Excellent! With the sound of this Ancient Great Ox Drum accompanying us, this Daoist will slay these demons with even greater exhilaration!"

"Precisely! However, the Great Ox Drum is also extremely conspicuous to the Demon Race, and it will likely become their primary target. When the battle commences, our neighboring warships must provide full protection to the Purple Sword Palace's flagship and this Great Ox Drum!"

"Haha, that is as it should be! Since the Great Ox Drum has been missing for so long, its reappearance in the hands of our East Sea cultivators means there is no room for the Demon Race to covet it!"

Although the Great Ox Drum was damaged and had lost most of its power, the cultivators were momentarily disappointed, but quickly became excited. Having it was better than not having it at all. In an instant, the morale of the Northern Lineage cultivators of the Heavenly Dao Alliance soared. The tension preceding the great battle vanished, replaced instead by eagerness to fight.

At this moment, under Sect Master Zhou’s signal, Elder Zhou Rui solemnly produced the Great Ox Drum and placed it in the prepared position for a war drum at the prow of the Purple Sword Palace's flagship.

The eyes of the nine skeletal Ox heads on the Great Ox Drum radiated a strange, intense bloody light from their depths. Within those depths, it seemed an endless, boundless sea of blood was hidden, forcing one to avert their gaze.

The gazes of the Nascent Soul cultivators on the Purple Sword Palace's flagship were immediately drawn to it. Upon looking, a chill and shudder rose from the depths of their hearts, and they quickly turned away, unwilling to look further. The ship instantly fell silent.

For more novels, visit storyread.net.