... It was evident that although the Sky Cities under the Holy Radiance King, and the fortress-level entities like the Sky Main City, possessed immense power, they were ultimately inferior in terms of sheer military numbers and overall strength compared to their adversary.

Yet, war is not merely a contest of tabulated figures; it must be forged in the crucible of actual, blade-to-blade combat. In this decisive battle, the Holy Radiance King’s faction seemed, for various reasons, to be on the back foot, but who would ultimately claim victory remained uncertain until the final moment. Throughout history, countless examples exist where the few overcame the many, and the weak triumphed over the strong.

A general offensive, once launched, often becomes an irreversible cascade. Typically, such an undertaking cannot cease until a definitive victor emerges. With such colossal numbers engaged—the combined forces already reaching the tens of millions—once the full assault commenced, a decisive outcome was inevitable.

Within that most glorious of temples, the Holy Radiance King’s expression was grim. The Lord of the Abyss, whom he derisively called a "country dog," actually possessed the audacity to launch a full-scale offensive while his own forces were stretched thin. This prospect made him feel incandescently furious.

However, the Holy Radiance King seemed to forget that his own strategy involved consolidating the remnants of the Flowing Moon and Blazing Star factions before launching a counter-offensive against the Lord of the Abyss.

But at this very moment, the overall situation appeared somewhat disadvantageous for the Holy Radiance King. With the enemy having already committed to a total assault, retreat was no longer an option for him. His choices were either to withdraw and be relentlessly chased out of the Abyss Domain, or to secure absolute victory in this final confrontation.

“Issue the order,” the Holy Radiance King commanded, his face ashen and menacing. “Consolidate all units. Defend with everything you have. I want to see how these filthy, despicable, shameless country dogs plan to breach my Sky Cities! How many lives do they think they have to fill up my Sky Cities?”

“Yes, My Lord.”

The commanders of the various divisions under the Holy Radiance King acknowledged the order and began issuing directives down the chain. The slightly dispersed forces of the Radiant King, the Holy Radiance King, and the Dusk King began to draw closer, retracting many of their extended tentacles, adopting a posture ready to meet a monstrous surge.

For the Winged God race, their greatest aptitude lay not in offense, but in defense. Their massive armies could only exert their maximum combat effectiveness with the support of the Sky Cities.

The Lord of the Abyss and the Holy Radiance King, two consummate gamblers, having poured their stakes into the pot thus far, were now blood-crazed. Neither had the patience for further petty skirmishes; they decided to go all-in—either total victory or total defeat. And for the victor, the greatest prize would be that strange other world steeped in Chaos Spiritual Qi. Obtaining that realm would yield boundless and immense rewards for every sacrifice made.

Even with the battlefield contracting due to the necessary deployment of troops, it still spanned an area of countless li. Those initiating the attack were naturally the motley collection of allied troops from various races, deemed the cannon fodder. The skirmishes between these disorganized masses, intentionally steered by both sides, primarily occurred in the vicinity of the imposing Sky Cities.

A charge of five million soldiers from the coalition of smaller tribes stretched for thousands of li, a spectacle unseen in the Six Realms and Nine Continents for tens of thousands of years. The roar of battle deafened the air, a chaotic tapestry of spells flew everywhere, and life was extinguished at every moment. The battlefield functioned as a colossal, high-powered meat grinder, mercilessly devouring flesh and blood. Among the allied troops were numerous masters, with Nascent Soul stage cultivators being quite common. Yet, on such a massive battlefield, even a Nascent Soul expert could never guarantee survival.

Innumerable weak and strong alike perished.

The concept of ‘many ants bringing down an elephant’ proved true; that allied force of five million indigenous warriors from smaller tribes played an enormous role in this war. Despite suffering horrific casualties while fighting under the fierce bombardment, they inflicted a painful cost upon the Winged God race. Those smaller tribes, having managed to survive and flourish in the perilous environment of the Abyss Domain, undoubtedly possessed unique strengths. The vicious little tricks they employed on the battlefield, born of a desperate will to live, proved surprisingly effective in some instances.

Boom—One Sky City’s shield was shattered by a group of Cyclopes using a primitive, indigenous technique: hurling massive stones from a distance. The Abyss Demons swarming around it stormed the breach with maniacal frenzy, engaging in slaughter, plunder, and even brutally assaulting any captured female soldiers on the spot. This was the style of the Abyss races: utterly wild and savage, a stark contrast to the gleaming armor, strict discipline, and order of the Winged God race.

From its very inception, this decisive battle immediately escalated to a white-hot intensity. The scorching battlefield allowed neither side a retreat; only victory offered a path to survival. The opponent’s strength was precisely what both commanders had anticipated.

As battalions of Abyss troops fell, Sky Cities were destroyed one after another, and life was extinguished ceaselessly across the field. Overall, however, the Holy Radiance King’s side, having divided its forces, exhibited a clear disadvantage, being pushed back relentlessly under the advance of the vast, tide-like Abyss Heavenly Army.

Yet, the situation was not without recourse. After three days of staunch defense by the Holy Radiance King, Ajiana finally led the "remnants" of the Flowing Moon King and the Blazing Star King to successfully reinforce him.

With the arrival of this substantial fresh force, the Holy Radiance King could finally take a breath under the opponent's relentless pressure. The Holy Radiance King had not anticipated that the Abyss races—known for their double-dealing, scheming, and depravity—could erupt with such desperate, heart-stopping power when engaged in outright combat.

In truth, it was only natural that the Abyss races were skilled in war. Their scheming and base natures were merely manifestations of their ruthless pursuit of survival. And the core essence of survival lies in having sufficiently hard fists. In the Abyss Domain, aside from highly specialized races like the Succubi, all other races placed immense value on courage and strength. An individual lacking these qualities could not survive, not even within their own tribe, let alone across the entire Abyss Domain. For the races of the Abyss, where conflict and warfare were as common as daily meals, no one stepping onto the battlefield would hope for anything less than... [The source material breaks here]

The Holy Radiance King was too arrogant, too haughty. He had overlooked the myriad Abyss races he deemed garbage, unworthy of existence, failing to recognize that they too were living beings, possessing an intense desire to survive, and certainly not lacking in valor or power.

Despite his arrogance, he had to concede the formidable might of the Winged God race, particularly their aerial fortresses, which boasted both superior defense and firepower. This engagement, originally shaping up to be a field battle, had effectively devolved into a siege and defense war.

With the influx of fresh troops, the Holy Radiance King gradually began to reverse the unfavorable tide, and the conflict grew ever more explosive and brutal.

The total decisive general offensive raged for seven full days. Regardless of strength, both sides suffered losses exceeding fifty percent of their total forces. And still, the war continued.

High in the distant heavens, beneath clouds of gray-black malevolence, the Judgment King looked deeply troubled. “Lei Dong, is that enough? If this continues, my people will be annihilated. The Lord of the Abyss and the Holy Radiance King both seem possessed, determined to settle this score once and for all.”

“Mmm, the Lord of the Abyss has no choice but to fight. If he doesn’t, not only will his own realm be lost, but the entire Abyss will fall,” Lei Dong nodded calmly. “However, the Holy Radiance King indeed has an issue. He is too proud; he cannot tolerate defeat.”

“Evil Phoenix, you just returned from the front lines. Has the Shadow Demon King made any moves?” Lei Dong asked first. Evil Phoenix, having broken through long-standing limitations via the Divine Water of Life, had advanced to the mid-stage of Soul Transformation. The Nether Phoenix race was renowned for its profound comprehension of Spatial Laws, and Evil Phoenix, being a master among them, was the most suitable candidate for reconnaissance.

Evil Phoenix found herself increasingly admiring Lei Dong. This was the same person she had once chased across the world in her youth. Yet, in just over a hundred years, he had grown to this stature, forging an alliance and commanding actions that even beings of the level of the Netherworld Ghost Emperor and the Purgatory Demon King now obeyed.

Even being tasked with scouting and espionage elicited no complaints from her; rather, she actively sought to carry out his directives. She stated solemnly, “Lei Dong, you were correct. Although subtle, the true elites of the Shadow Demon clan have vanished. Furthermore, the one directing the central command is certainly not merely a peak mid-stage Soul Transformation Shadow Demon King. Otherwise, if I had intentionally revealed a flaw as I did, the Shadow Demon King, given his strength, would surely have detected me.”

“Evil Phoenix, thank you for your trouble,” Lei Dong said calmly. “The Shadow Demon King is cunning and treacherous; he surely intends to seize the other world while our forces are locked in this massive battle. Though the Chaos Spiritual Qi realm is fraught with danger, if he hides cleverly, finding him will be difficult. Once he obtains enough Chaos Crystals, he will have a chance to break through to the late-stage Soul Transformation, perhaps even the Void Refining realm—that is the crucial point. As for the Lord of the Abyss and the Holy Radiance King, no matter how hot-headed they are, they understand the difference in importance between a battle of pride and achieving the Void Refining stage. Especially concerning that Shadow Demon King, they certainly maintain some level of vigilance and surveillance. If the Shadow Demon King makes any move, they will not stand idly by. Moreover, the Holy Radiance King has likely still failed to acquire the precise location of the other world from the extremely cunning Shadow Demon King; otherwise, the latter would have already met his end.”

“The true decisive battle is coming,” Lei Dong murmured, projecting his divine sense across the tragically fierce battlefield from afar. However, the real decisive confrontation would only unfold within the other world.

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