"I am nothing more than a monkey lost in the mortal realm!" The little man paused for a long time, a full quarter of an hour passing before a sigh escaped his lips.

A monkey lost in the mortal realm? Dugu Bachen and Xuanyuan Jue both started. How could a mere monkey become this formidable?

Immediately after, the little man recounted some of his history. When Dugu Bachen and Xuanyuan Jue finished listening, their faces were etched with astonishment. Their master, it turned out, was truly a monkey—a monkey hailing from the Immortal Realm.

It was only through a twist of fate that he had gained sentience, cultivated formidable abilities, and even acquired numerous magic treasures within some ancient ruins. Among them, the treasure map capable of stealing the sun and replacing the sky was the most supreme artifact in his possession.

However, since he hadn't gained sentience when he was in the Celestial Realm, he had no idea where those Primordial Immortals had vanished. In the end, the entire Celestial Realm became desolate, and the lineages of immortal teachings were severed. Everything he knew was what he learned after achieving enlightenment.

Hearing the little man speak of that place brimming with immortal energy, and thinking of those legendary Immortals, Dugu Bachen and Xuanyuan Jue both displayed expressions of longing. Yet, they understood that they might never set foot there in this lifetime.

With deep solemnity, they bowed to the little man. The two of them summoned two streams of light and shot off toward the Demon Realm. They had to rendezvous with Yu Luosha; they absolutely could not allow the demons to emerge from their seals again. At the very least, they had to delay the demons for some time, buying crucial time for all of humanity.

Watching their receding figures, the little man sighed softly. Perhaps it was true that with great power came great pressure? The Abyss Demons, and that mysterious alternate dimension—what awaited them ahead? Jingyu, can you let me see that day?

The little man murmured another sigh. He knew nothing of Fuxi’s prophecy, nor of fate’s machinations. He only had a vague sense that everything seemed connected to that youth named Ye Jingyu. Recalling the youth’s unnervingly rapid advancement in strength, he faintly suspected that if he wanted to comprehend what truly happened to the Celestial Realm back then, his best course of action was to remain steadfastly by Ye Jingyu’s side.

The border of the Fanlong Empire was a vast desert. Marching through this wasteland was practically courting death, but with a master like Ye Jingyu leading them, what was there to fear?

Ye Jingyu couldn't summon wind or rain—at least, not yet. But when he channeled the power of his Blazing Golden Core to its limit, the fire spiritual energy of heaven and earth rushed ceaselessly into his body. The scorching desert instantly cooled down. Beside him, Jiu Feng shook the Black Origin Water Control Banner in her hand, and waves of mist diffused outward, moistening the air until the oppressive dryness vanished entirely.

After half a month of marching, Ye Jingyu finally led the million-strong army to the very edge of the Fanlong Empire. Meanwhile, Liang Xiaoke had successfully passed his heavenly tribulation and ascended to become a Flying Night Yaksha.

Blocking their path was a force of three hundred thousand soldiers. The leader was a towering brute, easily over eight feet tall. When Ye Jingyu swept him with his divine sense, he recoiled in shock: this man was actually a Martial God? Although only a first-tier Martial God, his actual combat strength had undeniably reached that realm.

Moreover, the surrounding soldiers were no weaker than Martial Masters; even the lowest-ranking officers, the most junior ones, were at least Innate Martial Masters. As for Grandmasters and Great Grandmasters, there were hundreds, perhaps even thousands of them!

When did the Fanlong Empire become so powerful? Ye Jingyu and Liang Xiaoke exchanged a look, their eyes filled with disbelief. Could their sudden surge in strength be connected to the person Medusa mentioned?

At this moment, Medusa, cloaked in a veil, stepped out from the main formation. Sensing the immense auras emanating from the enemy ranks, her expression shifted slightly.

"They are indeed emitting that person's aura—a fiercely violent aura!" Medusa exclaimed in a startled voice.

As a Demon King level expert, she had the ability to boost the cultivation of others. But to elevate the strength of hundreds of thousands simultaneously? Let alone her, even Hei Mingba probably couldn't manage that.

"I thought conquering the Fanlong Empire with our current strength would be like crushing a soft persimmon. Who knew we’d run into such a hard bone, hehe…" Hearing confirmation that the enemy forces were influenced by the very demon who could wound Medusa so easily, Liang Xiaoke chuckled. His eyes showed no hint of retreat. Having become a Flying Night Yaksha, his speed, physical toughness, and innate strength had all multiplied. His confidence had swelled immensely, and he was eager to find worthy opponents for a proper fight, paying little mind to anyone else.

"Order the entire army to consolidate formation!" Ye Jingyu gave the command. Although his rigorous training had improved the soldiers' strength to a certain degree, compared to facing thirty thousand experts above the Martial Master level, it was insignificant. It was akin to pitting a group of three or four-year-old children against seasoned fighters; despite the numerical advantage, the outcome would remain unchanged.

The million-man army halted in perfect unison. Ye Jingyu wasted no time, immediately deploying the Twelve Celestial Witch Annihilation Grand Formation, enveloping the entire army within its protective embrace. This was the only assembled force in the Nine Provinces, and not a single loss could be afforded, as these troops were vital for ruling the entire Douhun Continent later on.

"Men from Nanyun! Our Fanlong Empire has always enjoyed peace and prosperity, and we have always been friendly neighbors to your Nine Provinces Continent. Why are you now invading our lands? Do you seek to instigate war between our two nations?" At this point, the towering man leading the Fanlong contingent bellowed, his voice echoing across the entire battlefield.

Everyone present was confused. It was true; regardless of who ruled within the Nine Provinces, there had never been any conflict with the Fanlong Empire. Why were they invading without provocation now? This single statement placed Ye Jingyu and his allies in a position of injustice.

If they hadn't sensed the demonic auras clinging to the enemy, Ye Jingyu and the others might have felt a twinge of shame. After all, their cause was technically groundless. According to their original plan, once the army reached the border and displayed their overwhelming power, the Fanlong Empire would surely surrender. They never anticipated these sudden changes, resulting in the emergence of so many powerhouses in Fanlong, seemingly controlled by the demons who had descended upon the mortal world. Yet, Ye Jingyu couldn't fathom why demons, given their inherent nature, would bother manipulating a mere mortal kingdom.

And what was the demon’s ultimate purpose in coming to the human world?