Daoist Xuan Yan was clad in robes the color of fiery red—the supreme defensive Taoist robes personally forged for him by his master, Daoist Yan Xu, possessing an automatic warding function.

At that moment, he rode atop a Qingluan, leading a host of three hundred thousand soldiers, speeding toward Mount Hualuo. Following behind him were two other experts who had achieved the Jue Xian (Absolute Immortal) realm.

From a distance, Daoist Xuan Yan could already see the encircled Blood Demon Legion. Lord Liang, however, had vanished somewhere, and his army showed no inclination to engage. What was happening?

Could it be that Lord Liang and the enemy commander were already locked in a fight to the death? Were the Celestial Soldiers hesitant to make a move until the victor was decided?

What age was this, still resorting to such tactics? This Lord Liang was far too antiquated! As this thought crossed his mind, a faint smile touched Daoist Xuan Yan’s lips. Since you won’t act, preferring to let me claim this immense merit, then I shall not be polite. Without the slightest hesitation, Daoist Xuan Yan launched his assault.

In his estimation, the enemy’s strongest figure had been drawn away by Lord Liang. If he failed to seize this opportunity to annihilate this legion of demons, how could he possibly justify himself?

Under Daoist Xuan Yan’s command, three hundred thousand Celestial Soldiers descended from the heavens, charging toward the Blood Demon Legion. Daoist Xuan Yan, Daoist Qing Feng, and Daoist Ming Yue led the vanguard. A mere group of heretical Blood Demons—they truly held them in no regard.

Just as the trio prepared to strike, four figures shot forth from the depths of the Blood Demon host, intercepting Daoist Xuan Yan and his entourage.

A sweep of divine sense revealed that these four demons were all beings who had reached the Zhou (Cosmic) level. A hint of surprise flickered across Daoist Xuan Yan’s face. No wonder this army was so formidable, smashing through defenses all the way here; they possessed four Zhou-level experts. Most armies lacked even a single Zhou-level master; how could they possibly hold out?

Still, four Zhou-level experts, and those of the nascent grade at that—they were nothing to concern him.

Without wasting breath on pleasantries, he extended a single finger, summoning four colossal bolts of lightning from the sky to assault the four demons simultaneously.

Yan, Wu, Kuang, and Yue saw Daoist Xuan Yan declaring war on all four of them at once. A cold smirk played on their lips as they channeled the dark power within, manifesting a shield of pure black before them. The immense lightning bolts slammed onto the barrier, shattering it instantly, but they could not inflict even the slightest harm upon the four demons.

“Interesting…” A smile touched Daoist Xuan Yan’s mouth. He hadn't expected these four nascent-grade Zhou experts to withstand the lightning he summoned so casually. He reached into the void with one hand, and a fan painted with vibrant, five-colored hues materialized in his grasp.

Just as he was about to wield the fan, the figures of Jiu Feng, Xi Yang, and Tao Tie burst forth, blocking their path.

Another sweep of divine sense confirmed they too were Zhou-level masters. Daoist Xuan Yan’s expression shifted again. How could there be so many Zhou-level experts? In that moment of shock, a figure cloaked in black materialized directly before him. An ordinary iron sword appeared in the person's hand, stabbing directly toward Daoist Xuan Yan’s body.

The shock in Daoist Xuan Yan’s heart intensified. As one of the Ten Great Heavenly Lords, his cultivation had reached the peak of Jue Xian, and his divine sense was terrifyingly vast. Yet, someone had bypassed his perception to stand before him. This meant the person’s strength was at least at the peak level. Could it be that the commander of the Blood Demon Legion had not been lured away by Lord Liang? Under Daoist Xuan Yan’s gaze, etched with utter dread, the iron sword, which seemed utterly devoid of light, struck the protective Taoist robe covering his body. Crimson light erupted from beneath the fabric, successfully blocking Bing Ming’s fatal thrust.

But it was only one strike. That luminous barrier was instantly pulverized by the blow, and the massive recoil force slammed Bing Ming backward several steps. Only then did Daoist Xuan Yan react, preparing to wave the Wind-Fire Five-Beast Fan in his hand, only to see a mocking smile curling on the man’s lips.

Before Daoist Xuan Yan could process why the man was smiling, a colossal pressure descended upon him from above. Looking up, he saw a massive seal, radiating five-colored light, plummeting straight down.

That pure essence of the Five Elements, that flawless Five Elements Divine Array, the overwhelming majesty only felt within the Five Directions Divine Array—Daoist Xuan Yan instantly recognized the legendary artifact: the Kongtong Seal...

Did this person possess such a treasure in his hands? Daoist Xuan Yan had no time to ponder how the adversary acquired such a relic. While scrambling to pull out his own defensive artifacts to shroud himself, he lashed out with the Wind-Fire Five-Beast Fan toward the Kongtong Seal. Nor were Daoist Qing Feng and Daoist Ming Yue, following behind him, any better off. Faced with the terrifying pressure of the Kongtong Seal, they too immediately summoned their strongest treasures, hoping to resist the seal’s potential annihilation.

Meanwhile, the four demons—Kuang, Yan, Wu, and Yue—darted toward the three Taoists the moment the seal descended. They possessed no powerful artifacts, nor any profound spells; their sole reliance was formidable close-quarters combat ability. Under normal circumstances, given their strength, they could never hope to approach Daoist Xuan Yan, let alone engage in such fierce fighting. But now, Daoist Xuan Yan was preoccupied with defending against the Kongtong Seal and could not stop them.

Furthermore, Jiu Feng, Xi Yang, and Tao Tie launched their own attacks simultaneously. Even Bing Ming lunged toward Daoist Xuan Yan once more. He knew the Daoist was also a peak Jue Xian expert, having grasped a trace of World Power. Although that nascent world was unstable, once the Daoist unleashed it, it would become troublesome. It was best to eliminate him as soon as possible.

The Celestial Soldiers and Generals behind Daoist Xuan Yan attempted to intervene, but their maximum strength only reached the Hong (Vast) level; how could they possibly withstand the combined assault of so many Zhou-level masters?

By the time Daoist Xuan Yan and the others managed to fend off the Kongtong Seal, the four demons were already upon them. Kuang and Yan simultaneously raised their weapons and brought them down upon Daoist Qing Feng. Wu and Yue struck Daoist Ming Yue with synchronized force.

Neither Taoist was a body-cultivating immortal; their experience in close combat was virtually zero. At such a moment, how could they possibly withstand the deadly clash of two masters of equal rank? In almost an instant, their fragile immortal bodies were blasted into fragments. Two primordial spirits flew out from the shattered husks, attempting to flee into the distance. But Xi Yang and Jiu Feng, having anticipated this, swiftly summoned the two grand cauldrons they had obtained from Ye Jingyu, slamming them down fiercely upon the escaping spirits. Without the protection of a physical body, these two nascent souls could not withstand the cauldrons’ assault. Though they were smashed to smithereens, Tao Tie, at that moment, had already opened his massive maw, sweeping up these residual souls...