The spiritual energy was restored, and he became a mortal immortal in two days.

Chen Xuan raised his hand and grasped the hilt of the Cangming Sword.

"Nine Netherworlds. If there is an afterlife—"

"Stop talking."

Jiuyou interrupted him, the eerie green flames in her eyes suddenly intensifying, "The matter of the next life can be discussed in the next life. Today—let's fight!"

As soon as he finished speaking, his aura exploded!

Peak of Nascent Soul! Early Stage of Void Refinement! Mid Stage of Void Refinement!

Within three breaths, Jiuyou's cultivation level surged from the peak of the Nascent Soul stage to the mid-stage of the Void Refinement stage!

The demonic heart in his chest pounded violently, each beat making his aura even more ferocious!

"In the beginning! Welcome me—to the Nine Netherworlds!"

Jiuyou formed hand seals, and nine streams of turbid Yellow Springs appeared behind him!

Each of the Yellow Springs transformed into a hundred-foot-long Nether Dragon. The nine Nether Dragons roared in unison and pounced towards Chen Xuan!

Wherever the Nether Dragon passes, rocks decay, vegetation withers, and even the air is drained of life!

Chen Xuan drew his sword.

The moment the Cangming Sword was drawn, its azure light illuminated half of Tianmen Mountain.

"Cangming Sword Technique - Overlapping Waves"

The azure sword light transformed into nine illusory waves, layered upon each other, heading towards the nine Nether Dragons!

Each wave contains twice the sword intent of the previous one; when the nine waves are stacked, the sword power increases five hundredfold!

"boom--!"

The first wave crashed into the first Nether Dragon, and the Nether Dragon shattered!

"boom--!"

The second wave crashed into the second Nether Dragon, and the Nether Dragon exploded!

"BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM—!"

Nine booming sounds rang out in succession, and all nine Nether Dragons were shattered! The Nine Netherworlds were directly defeated by the Azure Sea Sword Technique!

Jiuyou staggered back three steps, a trickle of black blood spilling from the corner of his mouth. But there was no anger in his eyes, only excitement: "Good! This is the Primordial Beginning! Let's go again!"

He then formed a hand seal: "All things in the netherworld!"

With a flicker, Jiuyou's figure split into two, then into four, then into eight... instantly transforming into countless Netherworld clones!

Each clone possessed the combat power of the early stage of Void Refinement, and they surrounded Chen Xuan en masse!

Chen Xuan remained expressionless, forming a hand seal with his left hand.

"Primordial Seal - Demon Suppression".

A chaotic sphere of light appeared in his palm, suddenly expanding and transforming into a chaotic barrier that covered an area of ​​ten miles in radius!

Within the barrier, the power of primordial chaos suppressed all the aura of the netherworld! Those millions of netherworld clones were trapped in the barrier like they were in quagmire, their movements slowed down tenfold!

Chen Xuan held his sword in his right hand, sweeping the Cangming Sword horizontally!

"Cangming Sword Technique - Severing the Sea".

The azure sword light transformed into a ten-thousand-foot-long sword beam that traversed the entire barrier!

With a single sweep of his sword, millions of Netherworld clones exploded simultaneously!

The Nine Nether True Body fell from the group of clones, its imperial robe torn open by the sword light, revealing its violently beating demonic heart.

"Cough cough..."

Jiuyou coughed up blood, yet still smiled, "I haven't used the Profound Heaven Sword Intent yet."

"In the beginning, do not hold back. You know the significance of this battle."

Chen Xuan remained silent.

He was indeed holding back.

The Cangming Sword Technique and the Hunyuan Seal Technique are his divine abilities from seven thousand and five thousand years ago, respectively. However, he has yet to reveal the "Primordial Sword Technique" that he used to seal the heavens ten thousand years ago.

"You're hesitating."

Jiuyou wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, his smile turning ferocious. "Taichu, you're still so soft-hearted."

"Ten thousand years ago, you were too soft-hearted and only sealed off the outer heavens without destroying them, leaving behind future troubles."

"Ten thousand years later, you soften your heart and are unwilling to kill your old friend, even though he has already half fallen into the demonic path."

He suddenly tore open the imperial robe, revealing his entire chest!

That pitch-black demonic heart was completely exposed to the air, pounding wildly!

With each pulsation, a surge of demonic energy from beyond the heavens erupted from within, enveloping Jiuyou's entire body!

"Since you can't bring yourself to do it—I'll help you make the decision!"

Jiuyou plunged his hands into his chest, grabbed the edge of the Demon Heart, and yanked it hard!

"Sizzle—!"

He forcibly ripped the demonic heart from his chest! Black blood gushed out, and Jiuyou's face instantly withered, but a final, crazed light burst forth in his eyes!

"Primordial Beginning! Once the Demonic Heart leaves the body, the consciousness of the Celestial Demon Emperor will fully awaken!"

"Within ten breaths, it will forcibly descend upon the mortal realm, using the demonic heart as its medium!"

"If you do not wish for the destruction of the world—destroy this demonic heart within ten breaths!"

"Come on! Kill me! Destroy it!"

Jiuyou raised the Demon Heart high and threw it at Chen Xuan!

The demonic heart spun in the air, doubling in size with each rotation!

Three breaths later, the demonic heart had swelled to a size of a hundred feet, and a distorted giant face appeared on its surface—the face of the extraterrestrial demon emperor!

"In the beginning—!!!"

The Demon Emperor's roar resounded from his demonic heart, echoing for miles around: "I have sensed you!"

"The ten-thousand-year seal is about to break! When my true form descends, I will surely wash the mortal realm in blood—!!!"

Chen Xuan's knuckles turned white as he gripped the sword.

He looked at the swelling demonic heart, and behind it, at the withered yet relieved face of Jiuyou.

Ten thousand years of grudges, ten thousand years of waiting.

In the end, it ended like this.

"Nine Netherworlds".

Chen Xuan raised his hand, and three colors of light flowed on the Cangming Sword. The pure white Xuan Tian Sword Intent, the azure Cangming Sword Technique, and the chaotic Hunyuan Seal Technique were combined into one. "In the next life, don't walk this path again."

Jiuyou laughed.

A laugh of relief, a laugh of freedom.

"In the next life... if I could choose, I would still be your companion."

Chen Xuan slashed down with his sword.

The three-colored sword light pierced through the demon's heart and through the chest of the Nine Netherworlds.

"Bang--!!!"

The demonic heart exploded! The roar of the Heavenly Demon Emperor abruptly ceased!

Jiuyou's body disintegrated inch by inch in the sword light, turning into black dust that filled the sky.

The light dust drifted and settled on the cliffs of Tianmen Mountain, on the line between heaven and earth, and on Chen Xuan's blue robe.

Chen Xuan sheathed his sword and stood amidst the swirling dust and light.

The wind blew, and the dust settled.

My dear friend of ten thousand years, this is our final farewell.

He looked down at his palm.

There, a patch of black dust condensed and did not disperse, transforming into a small black jade pendant.

The jade pendant is engraved with two characters: Jiuyou.

That was the last thing Jiuyou left him.

Chen Xuan gripped the jade pendant tightly and looked up at the sky.

Above the sky, a rift stretching for thousands of miles is slowly opening.

The impact of the shattered demonic heart accelerated the collapse of the outer seal.

The extraterrestrial demons... are truly about to descend.

"What was bound to happen has finally happened."

Chen Xuan put the jade pendant into his robes, gripped the Cangming Sword tightly, and looked at the ever-growing crack.

"Nine Netherworlds, go in peace."

"Leave the rest to me."

A crack stretching for thousands of miles in the sky

The shockwave from the shattered demonic heart spread from Tianmen Mountain to the rest of the world.

The celestial rift that stretched for thousands of miles rapidly deepened, widened, and lengthened from its original faint trace.

Within three incense sticks' time, the crack had become like a hideous giant maw, hanging in the center of the sky.

From the depths of the rift, an overwhelmingly dense demonic aura surged forth. This aura was a dark purple, more filthy than the deathly aura of the underworld, and more violent than the aura of bloodlust.

The demonic energy alone caused the vegetation within a radius of a thousand miles to wither, the rivers to rot, and birds to fall to their deaths.

Then, the first wave of extraterrestrial demons surged forth.

They come in all shapes and sizes. Some resemble giant locusts, ten zhang long, with mouthparts like sickles, emitting a piercing shriek when they flap their wings. Others resemble twisted human figures, entirely black, with limbs bent at reverse joints, crawling at lightning speed.

Some are like pitch-black clouds, formless and intangible, yet they can penetrate living things and instantly devour their souls.

Tens of thousands of demons poured out of the cracks, like a black waterfall cascading down upon the world.

Upon landing, they immediately scattered and rampaged, annihilating all living things in their path.

And this is not the only crack in the world.

Above the Demon-Suppressing Cliff in the Northern Frontier, a second crack tore open.

A third crack appeared in the sky above Penglai in the East China Sea.

Above the Death Sea of ​​the Western Desert, a fourth crack has opened.

Above the 100,000 mountains of southern Xinjiang, the fifth crack has opened.

Above the ancient city of Fengdu in the Central Plains, a sixth rift tore open.

Six rifts, six armies of demons descended upon the mortal realm simultaneously!

Lingxiao Headquarters, Global Alert

The alarm blared sharply and pierced the air, causing the entire building to shake.

The 360 ​​projection screens in the command center lit up red simultaneously, each displaying images of demonic invasion from different areas.

"Northern Frontier Rift: The estimated number of demons is 300,000! Among them, there are more than 50 Nascent Soul level demons and at least 10 Deity Transformation level demons!"

"East Sea Rift: Estimated number of demons 250,000! Penglai Island has fallen, and the East Sea Sword Sect is retreating!"

"Western Desert Rift: The number of demons is estimated at 200,000! The Hunyuan Sect's base has been surrounded!"

"Southern Frontier Rift: Estimated number of demons 350,000! Zhennan Pass is in grave danger!"

"Central Plains Rift: The estimated number of demons is 500,000! From the direction of Fengdu, all the remaining demons of the Nine Palaces of the Netherworld have been mobilized to cooperate with the demon army in attacking the heart of the Central Plains!"

"The main rift of Tianmen Mountain: The number of demons... is incalculable! At least a million! And even stronger beings are descending from the depths of the rift!"

The voices of the correspondents rose and fell, each one a piece of devastating news.

Wang Mingyuan stood in front of the command platform, his hands gripping the table, his knuckles white from clenching them. Behind him, all the top executives of Lingxiao were present, each of them as pale as a sheet.

"Where is the human defense line?"

Wang Mingyuan asked hoarsely.

"Northern Frontier Defense: Pei Jianzun is leading three thousand disciples of Yuqing Sword Ruins in a desperate defense, but the number of demons is too great, and they can only hold out for half a day at most."

"East Sea Defense Line: Sect Leader Shen has burned his lifespan to activate the Cangming Sword Formation, temporarily blocking the main force of the evil forces, but the sword formation can only last for three hours at most."

"Western Desert Defense Line: Sha Zongzhu led the Hunyuan Sect disciples to plug the cracks with their own flesh and blood, and the casualties have exceeded 70%."

"Southern Frontier Defense Line: Ancestor Taiqingzi has set up a purification array with Taiqing Daoist Rhyme, but the Golden Core has already developed cracks and may shatter at any time."

"Central Plains Defense Line: The Empress is leading the Phoenix Guard to defend Zhengzhou City to the death. She has killed three demons at the Nascent Soul level, but the Phoenix Guard has suffered more than half casualties, and Miss Shangguan is seriously injured."

Wang Mingyuan closed his eyes, tears streaming down his face.

"All of Lingxiao's reserve forces are to be deployed to the battlefield."

His voice trembled, "Including the research institute's civilian staff, including myself."

"Dr. Wang!" someone exclaimed.

"Humanity is on the verge of extinction, what use is an old man like me?"

Wang Mingyuan opened his eyes, his gaze filled with determination. "Notify all Lingxiao members: today, Lingxiao will perish, but humanity will live on forever. Fight to the death!"

He turned and walked towards the door.

Lin Xiaoman caught up with him: "Dr. Wang, I'll go with you!"

"You stay."

Wang Mingyuan pressed down on her shoulder. "Contact Mr. Chen. He is our last hope."

Lin Xiaoman nodded with tears in her eyes.

Northern Frontier, Demon-Suppressing Cliff

Pei Hanchuan's sword has already struck three thousand seven hundred times.

With each strike of the sword, a demon was slain.

But the number of demons did not decrease but increased—the demons pouring out of the rifts were faster than he could kill them.

Behind him, more than half of the three thousand disciples of Yuqing Sword Ruins had been killed or wounded.

Those who survived were all wounded, their swords dulled, and their vital energy depleted, yet not one of them retreated.

"Master!"

Ye Li's voice came from the left, trembling with tears, "This disciple can't hold on any longer!"

Pei Hanchuan turned his head and saw Ye Li being besieged by three Nascent Soul level demons.

Her left arm was torn apart, and blood stained half of her body, yet she still fought to the death, wielding her sword with one hand.

"Back off!"

Pei Hanchuan took a step forward, becoming one with his sword, transforming into a streak of azure sword light that pierced through the battlefield!

As the sword light flashed, the three Nascent Soul level demons exploded simultaneously!

He landed beside Ye Li, shielding her behind him: "Can you still fight?"

"able!"

Ye Li gritted her teeth, using her sword as a support to stand up. "As long as Master is here, this disciple can fight!"

Looking at her blood-stained face, Pei Hanchuan suddenly remembered that three hundred years ago, he had also protected the person behind him in the same way.

Back then, he was protecting the disciples of Sword Ruins; now, he is protecting the entire human world.

"Alright." He turned to face the overwhelming army of demons. "Then—fight to the very end."

He raised the Han Chuan Sword, and a bright blue light shone from its blade.

"Disciples of Yuqing, heed my command—form the Myriad Swords Formation!"