Staying in the sect, controlling beasts and cultivating immortals

"As the Emperor commands!"

Yu Changsheng's edict was like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, stirring up new ripples on the battlefield that had just been tempered by blood and fire.

The weary but sharp-eyed soldiers of the Demon Slayer Army and the Sky Patrol Army responded in unison, their voices shattering the last lingering wails of the vengeful spirits.

The cruelty of war did not diminish their will; on the contrary, under the emperor's supreme power to cleanse the filth and command reincarnation, it transformed into a more refined and fervent loyalty and fighting spirit.

Wang Cheng resembled a war god returning from a bloodbath. Although the dark gold-gray light on his chaotic bone arm had dimmed slightly, it appeared even more restrained and profound. He strode forward, commanding with composure.

"All guards, take stock of the casualties and collect the remains of your fallen comrades! Array masters, immediately survey the earth's veins and plan the site for the Protectorate General's headquarters! Logistics battalion, treat the wounded and stabilize the defenses!"

His voice carried an undeniable, iron-fisted authority, and every command was precise and efficient. Although the Overlord Blood Burning Heaven Domain had been withdrawn, the invisible killing intent and commanding aura still made every soldier subconsciously straighten their spines.

His gaze swept over the churning, now filthy, blood-red waters at the edge of the battlefield—the remnants of the purification channel opened by Chen Xueqing. He frowned slightly, then ordered, "Send out a team of elite troops to cooperate with Fairy Chen and ensure the purification zone is completely stable, with no backlash from the foul air!"

Chen Xueqing sat cross-legged on the jade lotus platform. The light of the Pure World Lotus had changed from its initial brilliance to a gentle flow, like the warm spring sun, continuously nourishing this wounded land.

Her face was slightly pale, clearly indicating the considerable strain of purifying countless remnant souls and opening the passage, but her eyes were exceptionally bright and resolute. Hearing Wang Cheng's arrangements, she nodded slightly, her slender hands forming a hand seal. The light of the azure lotus flowed like ripples, penetrating deep underground, smoothing the ley lines distorted and corrupted by the Blood River Sect's evil magic, laying a pure foundation for the soon-to-be-established "Soul-Suppressing Protectorate."

She could clearly feel that, under the blessing of Yu Changsheng's decree, which combined the power of Nirvana and the inclusiveness of chaos, her purification power seemed to have been tainted with a trace of the profound meaning of reincarnation, greatly increasing its efficiency. The speed at which this land was recovering its vitality far exceeded expectations.

Yu Changsheng stood alone in the void, the Sword of Annihilation had returned to calm, hovering beside him. The newly formed dark red divine pattern on the sword moved slowly like a living thing, exuding a contradictory Dao charm that was both heart-palpitating and full of vitality.

His gaze was deep, passing over the busy, disciplined army, and over the scorched earth gradually revealing life, and turned eastward.

There, where heaven and earth meet, lies a deeper, more ancient grayness, like a solidified behemoth lying prostrate, exuding a silent aura that oppresses even the soul—the Ancient Ruins of the Burial of Gods.

That was an even more mysterious and dangerous place than the core area of ​​the Burial Bone Plain where the Blood River Sect was based.

Legend has it that it is a battlefield ruin where ancient gods and demons fell and the Great Dao collapsed. Spacetime is distorted, the laws are chaotic, and it is filled with eeriness and ominousness, where even true immortals may perish.

The Blood River Sect occupies this place, but it only draws some of the scattered blood and evil energy from its periphery.

Now that the Blood River Sect has been destroyed, the Ancient Ruins have lost this not-so-strong barrier, and the true terror lurking deep within is faintly emanating from the boundless darkness, sending unsettling tremors through the air.

“The Ancient Ruins of the Burial of Gods…” Yu Changsheng murmured to himself, his voice almost inaudible in the silent void. His divine sense, like invisible tentacles, tried to extend into that gray expanse.

However, upon first contact, one felt a viscous, cold resistance filled with decay and madness, as if crashing into a wall of sighs formed from countless resentments and broken laws, even more despairing than the tangible wall of the Blood River Ancestor.

The Sword of Annihilation hummed softly, its tip pointing towards the ancient ruins. The dark red divine rune flickered slightly, seemingly sensing, or even... yearning for, some being deep within.
At the same time, the three beast tamers also showed unusual behavior.

The Golden Roc withdrew its sharpness that had torn the sky, landing on a barren mountaintop. Its golden eyes were fixed on the direction of the ancient ruins, and the gray light of the ruins at the edges of each feather unconsciously flowed faster, emitting a faint cutting sound, revealing a rare vigilance and solemnity.

The Fiery Dragon coiled in mid-air, its Chaotic True Fire flickering on and off. Its massive head was lowered, and the sparks spewing from its nostrils carried a hint of restlessness. It instinctively felt repulsed and threatened by the pure, silent, deathly aura.

The Evil Beast was the quietest, its massive body almost blending into the shadows of the void. Only its deep, abyss-like eyes flickered with an eerie light, as if it were deciphering the "eternal night" information hidden in the grayness of the ancient ruins, information that ordinary people could not understand.

Three days later, the foundation stone of the Soul-Suppressing Protectorate was laid.

In just three days, with the concerted efforts of tens of thousands of elite cultivators from the Demon Slayer Army and the Sky Patrol Army, as well as the array master team led by Chen Xueqing, the prototype of a magnificent city has already stood tall at the junction of the original Blood River Sect mountain ruins and the purified Blood Sea.

This city is built around the core framework of the Chaos Emperor Array, incorporating the pure earth vein power purified and refined by Chen Xueqing. It is further based on nine "Soul-Suppressing Emperor Seals" personally driven into the earth by Yu Changsheng, each containing the true meaning of the Chaos Tribulation Domain and the Cycle of Annihilation. The city walls are not constructed of bricks and stones, but rather, led by Wang Cheng and his earth-elemental cultivators, they draw upon the purified earth power, imbued with a faint life force, mixed with the runic light of the Chaos Emperor Array, to "grow" directly from the ground. This results in a strange metallic texture, interwoven with dark gold and grayish-white, standing over a hundred feet tall and incredibly heavy.

The city walls are engraved with countless mysterious runes, including war totems of the Chaos Divine Dynasty, purification Dao patterns of the Pure Lotus, and the Return to the Void sword marks evolved from the Sword of Annihilation. The power of the three is not simply superimposed, but under the control of Yu Changsheng's will, it forms a wonderful balance and cycle, exuding a powerful aura that suppresses evil spirits, stabilizes space, and purifies the mind.

Above the city gate, a huge black plaque hangs high, inscribed with four ancient seal characters from the Chaos Divine Dynasty, imbued with imperial might and flowing like dragons and snakes—"Soul-Suppressing Protectorate"! The characters faintly reveal the sharpness of the sword of annihilation and the gentle warmth of the lotus of purification.

At this moment, in the central square of the Protectorate General's Office, in front of a makeshift command platform.

Thirty thousand demon-slaying soldiers and ten thousand sky-patrolling soldiers were arrayed in neat and solemn square formations.

Although the armor had been repaired, it still bore the marks of blood and fire, but every pair of eyes was as sharp as an eagle's, their fighting spirit soaring to the heavens.

The repeated bloody battles and the baptism of the Emperor's decrees have transformed the temperament of this battle-hardened army. Their killing intent has become more restrained, but their will is like a divine weapon forged through countless trials, its sharpness concealed.

Wang Cheng, clad in a newly forged, dark-colored heavy armor imprinted with more chaotic runes, his chaotic bone arms completely exposed, the dark gold patterns shimmering with a powerful luster in the sunlight, stood at the very front of the command platform, like a peerless, deadly blade about to be unsheathed.

Chen Xueqing stood slightly behind him, dressed in an elegant blue robe, her aura ethereal. The phantom of the Pure Lotus appeared and disappeared above her head, like an auspicious omen that stabilized the destiny of the world. The enormous figures of the Golden Roc, the Flaming Dragon, and the Evil Beast hovered in mid-air, each occupying a side, their overwhelming pressure naturally emanating and intimidating all directions.

Yu Changsheng did not ascend the platform; he hovered in the void above the command platform, the Sword of Annihilation beside him, his aura merging with the entire nascent Soul Guardian Prefecture. He was the soul of this majestic city, the sharp blade pointing towards the Eastern Border.

Without needing any further words, as Yu Changsheng's gaze slowly swept across the steel torrent of troops below, an invisible, vast will, as mighty as the heavens, enveloped the entire arena. Every soldier felt their blood boil, and a silent war drum resounded deep within their souls.

"Soldiers." Yu Changsheng's voice wasn't loud, but it clearly penetrated the depths of everyone's soul, carrying a power to soothe restlessness and solidify faith. "The river of blood has been calmed, and the filth has been swept away. This city is a place to suppress the souls! It suppresses the souls of the past grievances, and even more so, the souls of the evil spirits that will covet our divine dynasty's territory and poison our people in the future!"

He paused slightly, his gaze suddenly becoming incredibly sharp, like two bolts of cold lightning tearing through the dark clouds, piercing straight into the heavy grayness of the east.

"However, the root of the trouble in the Eastern Territory lies in the Ancient Ruins! The Blood River Sect is nothing more than an ant crawling in the shadow of the Ancient Ruins, sucking the filth of the world. The true cancer, the source that buried gods and demons, distorted time and space, and bred endless evil—the Ancient Ruins of the Burial of Gods—still exists!" "It devours life, distorts the laws, and is an enemy of chaos, an obstacle to the return to the void! Its very existence is a desecration of the order of Heaven! Today, we have established the foundation for suppressing the soul here; how can we allow such a cancer to continue to entrenched itself, threatening the billions of lives in the Eastern Territory of our Divine Dynasty?"

"Therefore!" Yu Changsheng's voice suddenly rose, like a thunderclap from the heavens, causing the entire array base of the Soul Guardian Mansion to hum. In the sky, the Golden Roc roared, the Flaming Dragon roared, and the Evil Beast growled in response!

"In the name of the First Emperor of the Chaos Divine Dynasty, I hereby issue this decree!"

"Slaying demons is our blade, soaring through the skies are our wings!"

"Wang Cheng!"

"Your subordinate is here!" Wang Cheng stepped forward, his voice booming like a bell. The gray-gold light of the Chaos Bone Arm soared into the sky, the Overlord Blood Domain unfolded with a bang, and the crimson-gold blood smoke shot straight into the clouds. Behind him, the blood-red giant wolf phantom formed by the baleful aura of the Demon Slaughter Army instantly solidified and roared to the sky!

"I hereby appoint you as the vanguard general, leading your demon-slaying army to cut through mountains and dam rivers! Open up a path to the core of the ancient ruins for the army! May all evil spirits that obstruct our way be utterly wiped out!"

"By imperial decree! Slay the demons, follow me—carve through the ancient ruins!" Wang Cheng roared, his fighting spirit boiling to its peak.

"Chen Xueqing!"

"Disciple is here!" Chen Xueqing bowed gracefully, and the Pure World Green Lotus shone brightly, spreading out a pure life force that dispelled the last trace of unease in the air.

"I command you to sit in the central army, wield the Pure Lotus, purify the filth of the ancient ruins, protect the souls of the army, and maintain the life-giving channels! All evil magic and corrupt souls shall be cleansed by you!"

"Disciple will obey the decree! I will certainly not fail the Emperor's trust!" Chen Xueqing's voice was clear and resonant, carrying an unwavering determination.

"Golden Roc, Flaming Dragon, Evil Demon!" The three giant beasts responded simultaneously with a deafening roar.

"You are the spearheads to break through the formation, each display your abilities! The Golden Roc tears apart the spatial barrier, the Flaming Dragon burns away the filthy demon's lair, and the Evil Demon suppresses the distorting force field! Clear the obstacles ahead for the army!"

"Wow—!"

"hold head high--!"

A silent, deep roar reverberated at the level of the soul.

"Sky Patrol Army!"

"Here!" Ten thousand Sky Patrol Army cultivators responded in unison, their Void Crossbows glowing with an eerie light.

"You shall ascend into the air and take control of the entire situation! With the power of the Void, snipe powerful enemies, suppress the ancient Void beasts, conduct reconnaissance and vigilance, and ensure the flanks of the army are secure!"

"Understood! Wherever the celestial patrols go, demons and monsters will flee!"

The pre-battle mobilization was concise, sharp, and filled with overwhelming killing intent! There were no formalities, only a clear objective and burning fighting spirit. With the Emperor's will as the linchpin, Yu Changsheng instantly united his strongest forces into an invincible torrent.

"All troops—move out! Target: the core of the Ancient Ruins of the Burial Gods!"

As Yu Changsheng issued his final decree, the Sword of Annihilation emitted a clear and melodious sword cry that pierced the heavens and the earth, its tip pointing directly at the deep gray expanse in the east!
"Boom! Boom! Boom!" The chaotic war drums resounded, their sound shaking the surrounding wilderness.

"Kill! Kill! Kill!" A battle cry as loud as a mountain roared and the army was mobilized.

Wang Cheng transformed into a crimson-gold meteor, taking the lead. With a swing of his chaotic bone arm, he blasted a passage through the distorted space and surging low-level foul energy in front of him.

Thirty thousand demon-slaying soldiers followed closely behind, their condensed military demon wolves galloping and roaring with the power to crush everything, charging first into the boundless gray mist! Wherever they passed, the earth groaned under their iron hooves, and the remaining low-level evil creatures were reduced to dust before they could even scream.

Jinpeng transformed into a golden-gray lightning bolt, instantly surpassing the army. With a flap of its wings, the gray light of the void, like the sharpest invisible blade, forcibly cut and tore apart the increasingly viscous, seemingly solidified gray mist in front of it, opening up a relatively "clean" aerial passage.

The Flame Dragon followed closely behind, its massive body wreathed in blazing chaotic true fire. Its breath incinerated the strange, foul gas, which resembled black tar and was trying to reassemble itself after being torn apart by the Golden Roc, or that was gushing out from the cracks. The gas emitted terrifying sizzling sounds and a pungent, burnt stench.

The evil beast, like a giant shadow vortex, silently covered the vanguard. The "Eternal Night·Return to the Ruins Barrier" was fully deployed, not only resisting the spiritual pollution and spatial tearing force contained in the darkness that could erode the primordial spirit, but also constantly absorbing and assimilating the chaotic energy fluctuations around it, stabilizing this fragile space distorted by the ancient ruins.

The Sky Patrol Army, piloting various flying boats and magical artifacts, rose into the sky like a swarm of bees, spreading out in the relatively open airspace.

The eerie light of the Guixu Ballista flickered uncertainly in the gloom, vigilantly scanning the massive shadows or energy reactions that might appear in the mist below and in the distance.

Chen Xueqing sat upright on the jade lotus platform, at the heart of the central army.

The light of the Pure Lotus was like a bright, emerald moon, gently yet firmly illuminating the entire advancing legion.

Wherever the azure light reached, the wisps of foul air that tried to seep in from the cracks in the ground or from the mist were instantly purified and dissolved.

She closed her eyes and concentrated, her powerful divine sense spreading out with the help of the Azure Lotus, like the most sophisticated radar, sensing the malicious and evil energy nodes hidden deep within the ancient ruins, providing crucial guidance for the vanguard troops and Wang Cheng ahead.

At the same time, a visible emerald green "vitality channel" composed of pure life energy extended from beneath her lotus platform, like the umbilical cord of life for the army, connecting to the Soul-Suppressing Protectorate behind it. It continuously drew upon the relatively stable spiritual energy of the earth's veins, nourishing the exhausted soldiers and dispelling the oppressive and corrosive effects of the ancient ruins environment. (End of Chapter)