Staying in the sect, controlling beasts and cultivating immortals

The Chaos Heavenly Gate stands majestically atop the ruins of Wanxiang.

The thousand-foot-tall gate gleamed with the cold, hard luster of chaotic refined gold and primordial divine iron. Countless intricate runes flickered like breaths, and reliefs of the five divine beasts—the Black Tortoise, the Golden Roc, the Flaming Dragon, the Colorful Star, and the Evil Demon—surrounded and guarded it. At the center of the lintel, the projection of the Chaotic Purple Spirit Emperor Sword radiated the majestic imperial might that ruled over life and death. Inside the gate, the deep, swirling chaotic star vortex, like the maw of a colossal beast, connected the core of the Qingzhou Imperial Array with this scorched earth of the Eastern Border of Wuzhou, which had just been bathed in the flames of war and purification.

"Eastern Heavenly Gate—Stand!"

Mo Heng's voice, hoarse from exhaustion, was filled with unparalleled excitement and pride. As his words fell, the Heavenly Gate solidified completely, and an incomparably thick pillar of chaotic light erupted from the depths of the star vortex, piercing straight into the heavens! Wherever the pillar passed, the last trace of filth and gloom remaining in the eastern border of Wuzhou was completely dispelled, as if baptized by holy light. The parched and cracked earth greedily absorbed the boundless vitality and pure spiritual energy contained within the pillar of light, emitting a low, joyful hum, and strands of new green shoots stubbornly sprouted from the cracks in the scorched soil at a visible speed.

Yu Changsheng stood atop the broken pillar, his Chaos Emperor's robes fluttering in the surging air currents of the pillar of light. His profound gaze swept across the gradually reviving earth beneath his feet, past the Heavenly Gate, and finally landed on the unknown and vast territory beyond the Star Pivot. No words were spoken, but his will to rule the eight wastelands and expand the territory was clearly transmitted through the Emperor's Array to the hearts of every citizen of the Divine Dynasty.

"Divine Martial War King, Wang Cheng!" Yu Changsheng's voice, like the clang of metal, resounded across the battlefield through the pillar of light at the Heavenly Gate.

"Your subject is here!" Wang Cheng took a step forward, his newly formed chaotic bone arm shimmering with a cold luster of interwoven dark gold and gray light under the chaotic halo. His remaining left fist slammed heavily against his breastplate, producing a muffled but resolute boom. Although his Bloodthirsty Heavenly Domain was now restrained, the terrifying baleful aura of a half-step Void Refinement Peak cultivator still caused the surrounding space to slightly distort. Through this battle, his "Breaking Law" fist intent became even purer and more refined, faintly touching the true meaning of Nirvana and Annihilation.

"Bearing the 'Demon-Slaying Order,' leading the 'Demon-Slaying' and 'Heavenly Patrol' armies, as the vanguard of the Divine Dynasty! The Heavenly Gates have opened, and our military might is poised to strike—"

Yu Changsheng waved his arm, and the invisible imperial might transformed into a stream of dark golden light, merging into the Demon-Slaying Token in Wang Cheng's hand. The token instantly shone brightly, with the Returning Void Sword Seal flowing across it, echoing the projection of the Purple Spirit Emperor Sword at the core of the Heavenly Gate.

"—Sweep away the remnants of the Eastern Territory, cleanse the world, and display the might of our Divine Dynasty! All those who obstruct our path, whether sects, rogue cultivators, or demons, will prosper or perish! The territories we gain will be established as the Eastern Region of the Divine Dynasty! Of the resources we obtain, seventy percent will go to the treasury, and thirty percent will be used to reward the army!"

"Your subject—obeys the Emperor's command!" A fierce battle ignited in Wang Cheng's eyes, like a long-suppressed volcano erupting. He abruptly turned to face the grimly arrayed army of the Divine Dynasty, raising the Demon-Slaying Decree high with his Chaotic Bone Arm, his voice tearing through the sky:

"Slay the demons! Patrol the heavens! The Emperor commands—"

"The Heavenly Gate has opened! Follow me—"

"—The Eastern Expedition!!!"

"Kill! Kill! Kill!!!"

The thirty thousand Demon Slayers roared in unison, their sonic waves coalescing into a tangible torrent of crimson-gold malevolent energy that caused even the Heavenly Gate Starry Sky to ripple slightly! The Xuan Tie battle halberds pointed forward in unison, the law-breaking gray light flowing along their blades forming a chilling, deathly gleam. The engines of the five thousand Sky-Patrolling Flying Ships roared, their eerie blue tail flames instantly blazing, like a swarm of bees poised to pounce.

boom!
A torrent of crimson gold surged forth! Led by Wang Cheng at the forefront, the 30,000 Demon Slayers formed a massive arrowhead battle formation, like a red-hot giant blade, crashing headlong into the slowly rotating chaotic vortex! Five thousand celestial patrol boats followed closely behind, transforming into countless azure meteors that disappeared into the deep passage. The Heavenly Gate trembled violently, and chaotic light engulfed their figures.

Chen Xueqing did not join the charge. She sat cross-legged on a jade lotus platform, a phantom of the Pure Lotus hovering above her head, casting a soft yet resilient emerald light, like a giant canopy covering the Wanxiang Ruins and surrounding area, which had just survived a bloody battle and was slowly recovering. Her Dao of Life, like the most nimble fingers, meticulously combed through the blood-soaked, withered, and eroded veins of the earth, accelerating the return of life. Simultaneously, an invisible "Purifying Lotus Net" had quietly unfolded, penetrating deep into the newly acquired territory, vigilantly searching for and purifying any remaining spores of annihilation or evil aura. Her battlefield was a silent revival and an eternal protection.

Shi Poshan stood on the newly cleared site of the old command platform, with the "Zhenyue" army standing ready behind him. His mission was to defend the Heavenly Gate, establish an advance base, and bring this newly conquered land under the protection of the Imperial Array and the rule of the Divine Dynasty as quickly as possible. Under Mo Heng's command, countless craftsmen from the Heavenly Crafts Institute had begun to outline new defensive array nodes and the prototype of teleportation arrays around the base of the Heavenly Gate. The projection of the Myriad Transformations Returning to the Void Furnace appeared and disappeared, ready to refine the evil substances left over from the battlefield and transform them into materials for building the fortress.

Yu Changsheng withdrew his gaze from the depths of the Heavenly Gate, his divine sense flowing like an invisible tide, following the newly expanded network of the Imperial Array, surging deeper into the eastern border of Wuzhou. He could clearly "see":

Wang Cheng's Divine Dynasty Iron Cavalry, like a destructive crimson-gold storm, was erupting from the other end of the star vortex! They appeared in a desolate, barren plain, utterly withered by the blood-draining formation of the Rift Heaven Alliance. Scattered across the plain were small, evil sects and demonic lairs affiliated with the Rift Heaven Alliance, as well as some mortal settlements struggling to survive in the cracks, still shaken by the experience.

The phantom of the crimson-gold giant wolf once again coalesced above the plains, and Wang Cheng's domineering and unparalleled will swept across the land:
"The Chaotic Divine Dynasty, Divine Martial War King Wang Cheng is here! The Emperor has decreed: pacify the Eastern Territory! Those who surrender will not be killed, those who kneel will be spared! Those who stubbornly resist—"

"—Slaughter the entire sect, leave no one alive!" The roar, carrying the true meaning of breaking the law and the evil aura of returning to nothingness, shook the souls of all living beings on the thousand-mile plain! Some small evil sects, already living in constant fear, had their protective formations shattered by Wang Cheng's punch from afar. Their sect leaders and elders, pale and trembling, led their followers to kneel on the ground. A few fierce demons attempted to resist or escape, but were instantly covered by the rain of returning to nothingness arrows from the patrolling army. They didn't even have time to scream before turning into ashes. The iron hooves of the Demon Slaughtering Army trampled over the scorched earth, deeply embedding the black and gold battle flag representing the Chaos Divine Dynasty into this ravaged land.

The smoke of battle had not yet cleared from the Burial Plains, yet the black and gold battle banners of the Chaos Dynasty fluttered across the scorched earth, like a brand announcing the arrival of a new order. Surrendered minor sects trembled under the cold gaze of the Demon Slayer Army; the low hum of the Sky-Patrolling Flying Ships was the only melody on this desolate plain. Wang Cheng stood atop the brow of the crimson-gold giant wolf phantom, his newly formed chaotic bone arm flowing with dark gold and gray light. His Breaking Law True Intent cut through the lingering resentment and filth in the air like a tangible blade. His gaze had already crossed this subjugated land, fixed on the eastern horizon—there, the roaring blood river and the soaring, foul blood light heralded his next target: the Blood River Sect.

"Form ranks! Target: Blood River Sect's mountain gate!" Wang Cheng's command was concise and ruthless, echoing with the force of iron and blood. The Demon Slayer Army's war halberds struck the ground with a muffled roar, and the eerie blue tail flames of the Sky-Piercing Flying Ship instantly surged.

However, just as Wang Cheng was preparing to march his army eastward, a sudden change occurred!

"Woo-woo-woo-!!!"

A piercing howl, neither human nor beast, filled with endless pain, resentment, and a destructive will, suddenly erupted from the depths of the ruins of the Bone Demon Palace that they had just trampled! This howl was not a sound wave, but rather acted directly on the level of the soul, like billions of filthy steel needles piercing the sea of ​​consciousness of all living beings!

Wang Cheng turned around abruptly, his pupils shrinking sharply.

On the ruins of the Bone Demon Palace, which had been flattened by the rain of arrows from the Void and utterly reduced to dust by Wang Chengba's blood-red fist, a chilling transformation was taking place. The earth churned and convulsed violently like boiling swamp, not from the impact of energy, but from being torn apart from within by some more primal and terrifying force!
boom! boom! boom!
Countless enormous roots, their color as dark as rotting rust, their surfaces covered with grotesque suckers and withered pustules, burst forth from the earth like deathly pythons breaking free from the deepest depths of hell, dancing wildly! Each of these roots exuded an aura of "withering" and "devouring" that was purer and more violent than that of the ancient, decaying pupa. Wherever they passed, the space seemed to be drained of its life force, presenting a chilling, distorted, and decaying appearance!

Even more terrifying is that these roots are not rootless trees. At their core, they are the writhing, ominous dark red blood sphere formed from the final sacrifice of the Bone Demon Lord and his entire sect, using the remnant petal of the Netherworld Blood Lotus as a catalyst! At this moment, this blood sphere is beating wildly like an evil heart, each beat releasing a massive amount of filthy blood energy, and evoking a dull, drum-like response from the depths of the earth!
The earth groaned! Centered on the ruins of the Bone Demon Temple, a visible ring of gray, deathly ripples spread rapidly in all directions like a plague! Wherever the ripples reached, whether it was scorched soil, scattered bones, or even a tiny sprout of green struggling to emerge from the edge of the Burial Plain, everything instantly lost all color and vitality, turning to ashes! The sky was shrouded in an impenetrable gray aura of death, the sunlight vanished completely, leaving only a despairing gloom.

"The Annihilation Spores! They've been activated!" Wang Cheng instantly realized, a chill running from his feet to the top of his head. The Bone Demon Lord's frenzied sacrifice, using the remnants of the Netherworld Blood Lotus and the flesh and soul of the entire sect as fuel, had forcibly ignited the Annihilation Spores buried deep underground, in a state of absolute dormancy! Moreover, its scale and the ferocity of its eruption far surpassed those previously discovered underground in Qingzhou!
This is no longer a latent crisis, but an erupting catastrophe that is powerful enough to instantly devour the eastern border of Wuzhou and even threaten the newly established Eastern Heavenly Gate!
"Form ranks! Defend! Fully activate the purification shield!" Wang Cheng roared, and the Overlord Blood Burning Heaven Domain erupted to its limit, crimson-gold flames mixed with dark, law-breaking true intent, attempting to block the rapidly spreading, deathly gray ripples. The 30,000 Demon Slayers instantly formed the thickest "Mountain Suppression" circular formation, their baleful aura condensing into a gigantic crimson-gold Xuan Turtle phantom. The purification runes of the 5,000 Sky-Patrolling Flying Ships were activated at full power, casting down a vast expanse of bluish-white light.

However, those grayish ripples contained the most primordial Dao of "withering," its corrosive power terrifying beyond compare. Upon contact with the crimson-gold baleful energy and the purifying light barrier, they immediately emitted a piercing "sizzling" sound of dissolving, their light dimming at a visible speed! Within the army formation, the faces of the weaker soldiers instantly turned ashen, their life force forcibly drained, emitting painful groans!
"Xue Qing!" Wang Cheng roared in his mind, his eyes wide with fury.

Almost at the same time Wang Cheng issued the warning, Chen Xueqing, who was guarding the Tianmen Gate of the Wanxiang Ruins, trembled violently!
"Brother Changsheng! Something's happened in the Eastern Territory! The Annihilation Spores have erupted on a massive scale, originating in the Bone Demon Palace! Wang Cheng is in grave danger!" Her divine sense instantly pierced through space, conveying an unprecedented urgency to Yu Changsheng deep within the Imperial Palace. Simultaneously, the jade lotus platform beneath her feet shone brilliantly, and the projection of the Purifying Lotus instantly surged, its emerald light like a bursting torrent of life, flowing relentlessly along the veins of the Imperial Array towards the Bone Demon Palace! The Purifying Lotus Net manifested with unprecedented intensity, countless emerald roots shimmering with life runes growing wildly from the void and the earth, like the most resilient vines, layer upon layer wrapping around the dancing, withered roots and spreading deathly ripples, attempting to bind and purify them!
This time, however, the power of the annihilation eruption was far too concentrated and violent! Chen Xueqing's purifying power was like water thrown into boiling oil; although it triggered a violent reaction and temporarily slowed the spread of the gray ripples, it couldn't immediately annihilate them. Those enormous withered roots were lashing out and tearing at the verdant vines, the filth and decay of the Dao frantically eroding the radiance of life, emitting a teeth-grinding cracking sound! Chen Xueqing's face was deathly pale, a trickle of blood spilling from the corner of her mouth; she was using her very essence to forcefully confront this storm of annihilation!

The Imperial Palace of Qingzhou, the core of chaos.

Yu Changsheng, who was sitting cross-legged above the core of the Myriad Transformations Returning to the Ruins Furnace, suddenly opened his eyes! In those deep pupils, the Chaos Divine Patterns and the Returning to the Ruins Sword Seal spun wildly at an unprecedented speed, reflecting the apocalyptic scene on the ruins of the Bone Demon Palace—wildly dancing withered roots, rapidly spreading gray death domain, the struggling crimson-gold military formation, and Chen Xueqing's teetering yet desperately blooming emerald light!
A chilling killing intent, so cold it seemed to freeze time and space, swept through the entire imperial palace like a tangible cold wave! Even the flames of the Myriad Transformations Returning to Nothingness Furnace momentarily froze.

"Remnants of withered bones... lingering poison from the netherworld... embers of annihilation... Good! Very good!" Yu Changsheng's voice was deep, each word containing the fury to consume the heavens and the indifference of a master of life and death. "How dare you use the blood of ten thousand spirits as a sacrifice, forcibly igniting annihilation, ruining my eastern expedition, and injuring my brethren..."

He slowly stood up, his Chaos Emperor Robe fluttering and rustling even without wind. The entire Chaos Myriad Tribulations Emperor Array resonated with a deep, resonant sound, and a vast amount of power converged madly towards him.

"You think you can stop my divine dynasty's advance by invoking annihilation?" Yu Changsheng's lips curled into a cold, mocking smile, a scornful taunt for ants attempting to shake the might of heaven. "I'll show you what a true Chaotic Tribulation Domain is! What it means to forge my divine weapon with your own principles!"

He extended his right hand, palm facing upward, fingers slowly closing. This simple gesture seemed to grasp the Heavenly Dao authority over the entire Qingzhou and the eastern border of Wuzhou!
"Imperial Decree: Chaos without end, all things return to nothingness! This place is now desolate, it shall serve as the fuel for forging my sword!"

"Imperial Decree: The Blue Lotus Purifies the World, the Net of Life! Lock its form, pinpoint its source!"

"Imperial Decree: Divine Martial War King, Unleash Your Bloodthirsty Laws! Crack its roots, shatter its core!" (End of Chapter)