The subterranean demons had always been the bane of the Five Great Immortal Sects of the Jin Kingdom. Or perhaps, the persistent bane of the righteous immortal sects across this land throughout history. But great bane though they were, the power of the subterranean demons remained shockingly formidable. Every successive Demon Saint Emperor was a figure of extraordinary talent. Coupled with the subterranean realm's intricate and ever-shifting topography and utter internal chaos, this blight could not be eradicated. To speak of eradication was impossible; even securing a true, significant victory was rare. Every engagement was purely defensive. Should the demons manage to breach the surface, merely repelling them counted as a victory. Simultaneously, countless energies and personnel were dedicated to maintaining that vigil. Take, for instance, a master like Zu Qianqiu, guarding the depths with legions of powerful cultivators. This was during a period when the demons were weakened. When their power surged, as it did in Ren Du’s era—before Yan Cangtian rose to prominence—the demons actively sought to reclaim the surface, placing the Five Great Immortal Sects in dire peril. The Sixth and Seventh Generations of leaders employed suicidal tactics, resulting in the Five Great Sects being severely wounded, and the demons suffering losses of equal measure. It was only later, with the ascendancy of Yan Cangtian, who single-handedly stormed Demonwood Cliff with his sword, decisively defeating Ren Du and slaying countless demons, that the tide turned, and the demonic power waned. Though conflict between demons and humans seemed minimal now—Lu Yuan had only witnessed the recent assault of a hundred thousand demons on Mount Hua—the enmity between the demons and cultivators was a hatred that even the waters of the Soul-Cleansing River could not wash away. And now, the Demon Saint Emperor, Dongfang Yao, was dead! This was undeniably earth-shattering news.

"Has it been verified?" Fang Ru immediately demanded.

Ye Yangrong nodded. "According to our spies embedded within the demon ranks, it is confirmed. Moreover, the demon forces have noticeably contracted their front lines recently; the pressure on the Five Immortal Alliance has significantly eased."

Fang Ru nodded slowly.

Lu Yuan pondered this internally. Indeed, this represented a monumental opportunity. An opportunity to strike the demons. They had recently suffered a major defeat at Mount Hua, losing numerous high-ranking officials—one of the Five Elements Demon Marquises and one of the Four Great Demon Kings were dead. Now, with the Demon Saint Emperor himself gone, the consequences were vast. Of course, the immediate task was to ascertain the reason for Dongfang Yao’s sudden demise. If it proved not to be an internal conspiracy, this was the perfect moment for a sweeping offensive against the demons. Perhaps they could completely overrun demonic territory, or at the very least, seize a substantial portion of the subterranean world. The subterranean demon realm was riddled with chaotic pockets, but its three main entities were the Holy Kingdom ruled by Dongfang Yao, the Demon Kingdom governed by Fang Xie, and the Devil Kingdom commanded by Jing Huanzhen. The Holy Kingdom alone was larger than the Demon Kingdom and the Devil Kingdom combined. In short, this was an unparalleled chance to assault the subterranean demons. Success would herald an achievement unmatched for ten thousand generations. The grand opportunity was right before their eyes.

Lu Yuan, usually unflappable, felt his throat suddenly dry.

At Sunbreak Peak, East Peak. Chu Duan stood upon the high platform. "The demons have opposed our righteous immortal sects for too long. So many of our ancestors died at their hands. And only recently, when hundreds of thousands of demons attacked Mount Hua, how many of our elders and peers perished defending our home? Now, a magnificent opportunity awaits us." "Now, we strike into the depths! Let the spiritual swords and flying swords in our hands testify to our glory and forge an achievement for ten thousand generations!" Chu Duan roared. From below came a resounding, repeated cry: "Charge the demons! Into the depths!" Setting aside Chu Duan’s immense prestige following his previous victory over Dongfang Yao, the sheer depth of hatred for the subterranean inhabitants was enough to ignite passion. The chance to advance made their blood boil, and the roar shook the heavens. Chu Duan watched the cultivators roaring below, a subtle pride flickering within him. The demon spies had managed to deduce the cause of Dongfang Yao’s death to about sixty percent certainty. He surmised there was unlikely to be a conspiracy detrimental to himself, thus hardening his resolve for this campaign. Furthermore, Chu Duan had deliberately, if subtly, spread word that Dongfang Yao’s death was due to the festering injuries inflicted by his sword during the battle at Mount Hua. Those with true insight would scoff at the claim, but the vast majority lacked such discernment. Spreading this rumor greatly benefited Chu Duan’s personal standing. Chu Duan’s prestige at Mount Hua was currently at its zenith, making it increasingly difficult for the Qi Sect and the Sword Qi Sect to oppose him. While enacting these plans, Chu Duan had also issued a proclamation across the entire Jin Kingdom—the Edict Calling Upon All Cultivators to Punish the Demons. Upon receiving this formal summons, the other four Superior Sects and the various Mid-level Sects had no choice but to join the crusade against the demons. They would attend, unwilling to forfeit such an opportunity. However, by doing so, they were effectively acknowledging his edict, which fundamentally solidified his position as the leader of the Righteous Immortal Sects’ Alliance. In the righteous path, three individuals could have vied with Chu Duan for leadership. However, Zu Qianqiu’s base was the Five Immortal Alliance, whose strength derived from the righteous path itself, lacking significant inherent power, thus rendering him negligible in this contest. Song Qingqiao was too modest and cautious by nature to be suited as the alliance leader. Yan Er was a newly ascended Grandmaster, ranking lowest among his peers; furthermore, he was a sword fanatic, and perhaps if his Senior Brother Zhou—whose power was likely greater than his own—had not vanished into seclusion, the situation might differ. In terms of political maneuvering, however, Yan Er was far inferior to Chu Duan. Chu Duan could not help but feel a touch of smugness. He was nearing the pinnacle of overall leadership for the righteous path, and increasingly close to unifying Mount Hua under his control.

At the gateway leading into the subterranean realm, the four Superior Sects and seven Mid-level Sects had already gathered. Only the Nanhai Immortal Sect was absent, delayed by the considerable distance across the sea; they were expected to arrive shortly. Lu Yuan stood amidst the throng, noticing an overwhelming number of Sword Immortals, and a significant contingent of cultivators at the Great Dao Realm. The scale of this battle far surpassed the engagement where hundreds of thousands of demons besieged Mount Hua. With Dongfang Yao dead, this campaign was virtually guaranteed victory. Everyone eagerly awaited their share of the spoils, And the opportunity to carve out an immortal legacy for ten thousand generations.

Lu Yuan moved with the crowd, advancing into the depths. The subterranean world was divided into three realms: the Holy Kingdom commanded by Dongfang Yao, the Demon Kingdom under Fang Xie, and the Devil Kingdom led by Jing Huanzhen, who pursued the path of seeking the Dao. Currently, the righteous sects focused their efforts against the Holy Kingdom, which was now headless and the most powerful faction. Once the Holy Kingdom was subdued, the remaining Demon and Devil Kingdoms would be easier to handle. Naturally, the righteous forces remained vigilant against the other two kingdoms, with a considerable portion of the Five Immortal Alliance forces tasked with surveillance of the Demon and Devil Kingdoms. The main force of the righteous path was systematically sweeping through the Holy Kingdom. The Holy Kingdom, once ruled by Dongfang Yao, differed vastly from the surface world. On the surface, the majority were ordinary people, and the challenge lay primarily against cultivators. Once the cultivators were dealt with, the conflict usually ended. In the depths, however, there were virtually no ordinary beings; every demon was a potential combatant. Down below, all manner of demons existed. Deep within the earth, one could encounter species never before seen on the surface. For example, there were demons capable of perfectly matching their environment’s coloration, rendering them indistinguishable until they struck—these were the Formless Ones, exceptionally difficult to guard against. There were also demons possessing no inherent combat ability, yet capable of killing within dreams. If slain in a dream by such a creature, the victim was irrevocably finished. These rare and bizarre demons revealed themselves, offering a shocking education. Lu Yuan was certainly enlightened, but despite the strangeness of these creatures and their sheer numbers, they were utterly crushed beneath the colossal army of righteous cultivators. The moment a demon exposed itself, it was instantly impaled by countless spiritual swords and flying blades. An absolute, complete rout!

Among them was an Elder Crane, one of the Ten Great Elders Lu Yuan had seen during the Mount Hua incident. This Elder possessed considerable speed and fighting prowess. However, not a single spiritual sword was drawn in their defense; only flying swords were employed. Hundreds of flying swords pierced the Elder alive, turning him into a honeycomb before he could even unleash a second move. Truly terrifying!

After advancing for some time, news suddenly spread that some distance away within the Holy Kingdom, the Undying Tree was about to bear fruit. In ancient legends, the Queen Mother of the West possessed a celestial realm known as the Jade Pool Paradise, replete with endless flora and fauna. This realm housed the nine-headed Kaiping Beast, sheep that devoured flesh instead of grass, the Phoenix, the Luan Bird, and trees such as the Pearl Tree, the Jade Script Tree, and the Undying Tree. It was rumored that Empress Chang'e achieved immortality by consuming the Elixir of Immortality derived from the fruit of the Undying Tree. Within the subterranean depths, a similar tree existed, called the Undying Struggle—though whether it was the same as the legendary Undying Tree was uncertain. This subterranean Undying Tree, by legend, only fruited into the Elixir of Immortality once every thousand years or more. That elixir was a rare treasure rumored to slightly increase the odds of breaking through to the Great Dao Realm. Some analyses suggested a ten percent possibility, which was nearly equivalent to the chances offered by the Dragon-Formed Cockscomb—a significant probability indeed. However, because this tree only bore fruit after a millennium, and the timing was unpredictable, few usually paid it any mind. But recently, a faint, greenish-blue luminescence had been observed emanating from the Undying Tree, indicating only one thing: the Elixir of Immortality would manifest in the near future. At this news, Lu Yuan was greatly stirred. The Elixir of Immortality could enhance the possibility of reaching the Great Dao Realm! He himself was on the verge of challenging that realm, and any phenomenon promising to aid that breakthrough could not be ignored.

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