Extraterrestrial demons invaded; I laid the groundwork eight years in advance.

On the battlefield.

The demonic energy crashed onto the armor, shattering into large shards of dark red light. The shockwave tore wildly to both sides, plowing two scorched marks into the soil behind Shen Bai. Gravel and broken grass rolled into the air and then fell down in a flurry.

Shen Bai stood still, motionless, like an iron stake driven into the earth.

Five seconds later, the magical energy was depleted.

The dark red embers remaining in the throat of the Sky-Splitting Demon Bat had not yet dissipated. When it saw Shen Bai, who was unharmed, it spread its broken wings in panic and tried to retreat and create distance.

Shen Bai didn't give it a chance; the crisis was far from over, and a swift resolution was necessary.

He silently recited in his mind: "Evolution points added, 200 points."

A surge of warmth exploded from his chest, flowing along his meridians and permeating his limbs and bones. In the blink of an eye, his cultivation level rose from the first level of the second tier to the third level of the second tier.

The moment his spiritual power surged, he took a step forward—the ground beneath his feet cracked, and his body shot out like a bowstring. He activated Blood Burning Technique and Spirit Edge Technique simultaneously, and the tip of his halberd slashed upwards from below, the blade wrapped in pale golden spiritual power, tearing a deep, bone-revealing gash in the demon bat's chest.

The Sky-Splitting Demon Bat hissed and flapped its wings to ascend. It took another step, using the momentum to soar into the air, raising its battle halberd high. Pale golden spiritual energy gathered along the dragon patterns, reflecting off the dark red blood armor around it.

The halberd fell.

The demon bat's body suddenly stiffened, a thin line pierced through its head and down, and then its two halves fell from the sky, black blood splattering across the fields.

Shen Bai landed and confirmed that the Sky-Splitting Demon Bat was dead, but did not leave immediately.

He looked at the four fallen men, waved his left hand, and four golden rays of light simultaneously emanated from his palm, entering the bodies of Fang Yan, Sun Chen, Li Yang, and Li Xiuming respectively.

The moment the golden light entered the body, it spread, covering the entire body, and then slowly receded into the skin.

That is the power of the origin of all things through evolution points. Although it cannot directly heal injuries, it can enhance the original state of all things and accelerate the recovery process of life itself.

Fang Yan, who was lying on the ground, suddenly regained his breathing. He rolled over, supported himself on the ground to stand up, spat out a mouthful of turbid blood, and the crushing pressure in his chest slowly dissipated.

After regaining his balance, he didn't look at his own injuries, but instead looked past Shen Bai and landed on Meng Xing.

The nineteen-year-old boy lay in the mud a dozen meters away, a barely perceptible smile still lingering at the corner of his mouth.

Fang Yan walked towards Shen Bai, his lips moving, his voice hoarse as if squeezed out from between pebbles: "Prophet... I'm sorry. I couldn't protect him."

Shen Bai stood two steps away, the blood-red armor peeling away piece by piece from his shoulders, revealing the combat uniform underneath. He looked at Fang Yan, his gaze devoid of reproach.

"You've done very well, it's not your fault," he said. "Standing here, we are all prepared to sacrifice. Guarding the rift is the meaning of our presence here."

The sound wasn't loud, but it was clear in the night breeze.

Shen Bai turned his head and glanced at Li Yang and Li Xiuming, lingering for a moment to confirm that everyone's vital signs had returned to normal.

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He didn't linger and said to Fang Yan, "The rest is up to you."

Fang Yan didn't speak, but nodded heavily.

The pale golden light patterns spread out beneath his feet once more, and his figure condensed into a thin line, disappearing into the night sky in an instant.

In the distance, Li Xiuming slowly sat up, supporting himself on the ground. The bloodstains on his Taoist robe had dried, and the numbness in his body was gradually fading.

He looked in the direction where Shen Bai had disappeared, where a faint golden halo still lingered in the night sky.

Tonight's events felt like a dream—the monster's power far exceeded what the four of them could overcome together, and from its appearance to its end, it only took a few minutes for that person to cut the monster in two.

He recalled the scene that Yu Guangzhong had witnessed.

The moment the halberd was raised high, golden spiritual energy and dark red blood armor overlapped and shone, and the person stood in mid-air, like a god descending or an Asura descending to earth.

Master is right, there are always people more capable than you, and there is always something beyond your understanding.

Beside him, Li Yang also stood up, his left arm hanging at his side.

Although the golden light of the evolution point accelerated the healing of his injuries, the broken bones would not return to their original positions on their own. He supported his left elbow with his right hand, waiting to deal with it after the battle.

He happened to have seen the whole thing and heard Fang Yan address that person.

prophet.

Shuguang Group has revealed that the creator of the cultivation method is someone else who foresaw the revival of spiritual energy and the arrival of demons, but is unwilling to reveal their identity.

Both the Dawn Group and the Dawn Organization are linked to that person, and all the intelligence gathered by the Extraordinary Administration points to that person.

He was just there.

Young, much younger than he had imagined.

Sun Chen got up from where he stood. His injuries made him stagger, but he braced himself and walked step by step toward Meng Xing.

Meng Xing lay on the ground, his face pale. Sun Chen squatted down, reached out and straightened Meng Xing's clothes to cover the penetrating wound.

He stared at that face for a long time, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down, his lips moving, but in the end, no sound came out.

The night was long. He looked up.

The moon had already set in the west, and the entire night sky had been cleansed. On the eastern horizon, a single morning star stood alone, shining forlornly, emitting a faint, thin light against the backdrop of the still-deep blue sky.

Fang Yan and his group walked over from a distance and stopped a few steps behind Sun Chen.

Fang Yan followed Sun Chen's gaze to the star on the horizon, remained silent for a moment, and then said, "It's almost dawn."

His voice wasn't loud, but it had a solid quality, like a smooth stone being placed firmly on the ground.

"I used to hear from the elders that the morning star is the last light in the dark night, the lamp that keeps watch for the dawn."

He lowered his head and looked at Meng Xing.

"Xiao Meng was that morning star, and so are each of us," Fang Yan said. "He fell here, but we will all remember him, remember that he stood in front of us. His extinguished light means dawn is just around the corner."

Fang Yan raised his head and looked at the crack in the distance. The dark red light was still surging, and low-level monsters were still squeezing out.

He gripped the broken knife tightly and turned to walk towards the crevice.

"Let's go." His voice wasn't loud. "Finish the work before dawn. Don't let Xiao Meng die in vain."

Li Yang didn't say anything, patted Sun Chen on the shoulder, and was the first to follow Fang Yan's footsteps.

Sun Chen squatted on the spot, his knuckles clenched so tightly they turned white.

He took one last look at the pale face on the ground, stood up, turned around, and followed.

Li Xiuming stood beside Meng Xing and bowed. He straightened up and looked at the backs of the three people in front of him.

Morning Star—so this is why they stand here. In this era of great change, perhaps he has already found the path to governing the world.

He lifted his foot and followed.

The dark red light deep within the rift was still fluctuating, and the distant gunfire continued intermittently.

The war is not over yet.