Ark Undead

Ling had already given the answer: this was the body of the so-called god, a demon's habitat forged from a body of supreme power, and the most painful curse left by the departed god to the Great Yan.

Even the immortals felt an inexplicable pressure after entering the Cave of Ten Thousand Demons.

Perhaps they are the wandering souls of the dead who have lived here for millions of years, or perhaps they are the gaze of gods who no longer exist.

From the moment half an hour ago, when the 2,000-strong army stepped into the Demon Cave, they began an endless battle with the long-awaiting demons.

Not only the Imperial Guards, but also two thousand elite border soldiers gripped their weapons and, with roars, strode toward their destination.

Everyone knows that this battle is an endless one; the war between the Great Yan and the demons has a long history.

If there were a way to solve this once and for all, it would have ended long ago. But unfortunately, such a solution only exists in dreams.

Throughout history, countless generals and soldiers of the Great Yan Dynasty have longed to end this endless war. But reality has shown them that this is a struggle, and also the suffering that comes with being alive.

Just like Li Qing now, and the two thousand Southern Expeditionary Army soldiers who went to war with the Undead.

With Li Qing having lost his power, the Undead naturally became the commander with the highest authority on the field.

So he raised the greatsword in his hand.

A golden light shone on his sword, and another spear clashed with it.

Onstan gripped the cross spear tightly, and armor formed from divine power materialized on his body, revealing the golden lion's majesty in the Cave of Ten Thousand Demons.

As the spear and greatsword drew near, a warm power surged into the bodies of the soldiers behind them.

That was a battle that ushered in a new era, and the beginning that countless knights would aspire to in the future.

Miracle (Oath of Gold and Stone)

Without a word, the two tacitly averted their gazes and turned to their respective targets.

Li Qing had said long ago that before reaching the real fire, at least two passages needed to be shut down to ensure that the fire-worshiping ceremony could end undisturbed.

The fire-worshiping ceremony was not long, but if demons came to disturb it, the soldiers would need to buy time for Li Qing.

If the two channels closest to the real fire are not closed, the soldiers will not be able to withstand the immense pressure when Li Qing performs the fire-worshiping ceremony, and a tidal wave of demons will completely devour them.

Each of the two led an army and entered the maze-like, winding passage via a predetermined route, with Ling and Nian each following one side to assist in killing the enemy.

When Ling Yu Nian was present, they could clearly sense the power of the amulets carried by the soldiers.

That was their former power, divided into countless parts and bestowed upon the people of Great Yan, enabling them to resist malice from beyond the world.

The order and the year allow this power to be activated, actively taking on some of the malice within the soldiers and helping them resist the influence of the abyss for a longer period.

But the human body is ultimately fragile.

Even a god like Ling Yu Nian is troubled by the influence of the abyss, so how can mere humans resist the erosion from the abyss?

Therefore, not long after the start of the war, some soldiers began to struggle because they could not withstand such a huge amount of demonic energy.

Their bodies mutated, and the power of the abyss drove them to madness, causing everything to irreversibly transform towards the abyss.

Demonization.

But his comrades beside him remained unmoved, continuing their relentless pursuit towards the direction of the Undead or Ornstein.

Because they knew that their own death was inevitable.

Fish-scale armor, a long sword with fiery patterns, and that iconic beast face.

The Embroidered Uniform Guard's duty was precisely this: to slay demons and monsters and protect the stability of the Great Yan Dynasty.

The long swords in their hands are not only weapons for slaying demons, but also graves for the people of Great Yan.

The moment a head falls to the ground, it signifies the forced termination of a demon's birth, and it also means that they have taken the life of another comrade.

Perhaps on some unknown night, they also thought about their own fate.

In the battle against demons, his body was torn apart, and his blood splattered on the ground.

Deeply mired in the pain of blood on his hands, he loathed himself for gradually becoming one with the demons.

But before they die, the Imperial Guards, regardless of right or wrong, are solely responsible for slaying demons and monsters.

Even if they were to walk alongside demons, it would be their inevitable fate.

This is a battle with no end in sight.

Chen understood this from the very beginning.

"Chen Huijie, what are you doing?"

Amidst the chaos of the army, Chen heard such a voice. She turned around blankly and saw a Jinyiwei (Imperial Guard) wearing black armor and a beast-faced hat, just like her, staring intently at her.

"Now, you are a member of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and this is your duty."

The person kneeling in front of her also endured the discomfort caused by the physical changes.

He was such a vicious person, such a powerful senior. Yet now he gripped his long sword tightly and knelt before him.

He raised his head and looked at Chen. Only half of the shattered beast mask remained, and beneath the exposed skin, something seemed to be constantly surging, shattering all texture and biological common sense, as if it would explode from his face at any moment.

"cut!"

The eyes of the half-beast face were like projections from an ancient ferocious beast; their fierce gaze sent chills down Chen's spine and robbed her of her last shred of hesitation.

So she raised her scarlet longsword.

"Thank you."

A severed head, like a soccer ball that had lost its bounce, bounced once on the ground before rolling down the path of countless bones and congealed blood, finally stopping beside another corpse.

The severed head no longer had any abnormal bulges on its face; its eyes were slightly closed, and a slight smile played at the corners of its mouth, as if it were asleep in a beautiful dream. From the huge gash in its neck, a viscous substance slowly oozed out, the dark liquid mingling with the earth before being completely dispersed under the trampling of another Imperial Guard.

For the first time, the Crimson Sky Sword was so still in her hand. It was as if all her previous rejections and resistances had been nothing but a dream.

This sword was originally used to protect the homeland and to slay demons and evil spirits.

But as the sword sliced ​​across his neck, Chen felt for the first time that he had completely mastered the Crimson Sky Sword.

No longer infected by Chi Xiao's anger and disdain, Chi Xiao submitted to Chen's inner weakness.

Her resentment, her confusion, her helplessness.

For the first time, Chen felt an overwhelming sense of powerlessness. It was as if his five fingers could not close, unable to grasp anything of value that belonged to him.

Her breath was burning hot, as if it were scorching her respiratory tract. Her vision blurred, and she began to feel dizzy.

For the first time, her hands were stained with the blood of her own people, even though it was not her wish.

Chen felt that he needed to rest.

But no one will give her time.

"I'm counting on you for the rest of the time."

A familiar voice came from behind Chen, and Chen turned around.

A boy, his beastly face was crumbling inch by inch, his body could no longer withstand any more demonic energy, and even his armor began to turn into black mist and dust from the ends.

The patterned fire greatsword in his hand also began to shatter from the blade.

But Chen still remembered him. Two days ago, when they were having their reunion dinner on New Year's Eve, the boy was very curious about who had forged the Crimson Cloud Sword in Chen's hand. He thought it was very impressive and said that if he had time, he would like to find that blacksmith after the New Year to reforge a Flame-Patterned Longsword.

Chen invited him to sit down and have dinner together. Only then did Chen learn that the young man had just come of age and had a girl he liked.

Chen recalled that he said he still had many things to do, and if he could retire in the future, he would like to go and see the world beyond the Great Yan.

I want to visit the Kingdom of Knights, Kazimierz, and meet that invincible warrior knight to see how much I can improve compared to him.

I want to go to Minos to participate in the Undead Arena and hone my martial arts skills amidst endless delicacies and glory.

I also want to visit Ursus, which collaborates with Da Yan, and see the scenery there, the tundra landscape of the far north.

But now, he dragged his mutilated body slowly closer to me, his intestines wriggling out little by little from the opening in his abdomen. Not a drop of blood flowed from his severed arm; instead, there was only a thick, black liquid that seemed intent on tearing my original human body apart.

So the boy knelt down in front of Chen and spoke to him in a young and immature voice.

"Thank you."

The girl unconsciously tightened her grip on the longsword in her hand.

The crimson sky shone brightly, its fervor unending.

Beyond the world lies darkness, a place where countless original sins gather.

It is an ocean formed by the convergence of pitch-black malice and profound darkness, a darkness without color or temperature.

The lobbyists scrambled for the bodies falling into the abyss, using them as food for their hunger.

The Harland Knights, entangled by tree roots, wandered aimlessly, swords they had taken from the dead warrior.

There were also deep black creatures with animal faces and insect bodies, raising their heads from the deep sea to gaze at the empty sky.

Countless monsters gather here, where they are born, die, and transform into different forms amidst the mingling of the abyss and souls. All things are in chaos, with only the most primal desires remaining.

This is everything hidden beneath the Cave of Ten Thousand Demons, a vicious curse left behind by a dead god.

On top of Terra's original world rules, a hole was forcibly opened, connecting to the Abyss Sea outside the world.

Whenever the tides of the rules weaken, these abyssal beings will break through the weak walls of the unstable but eternally existing cave and surge into the mortal world.

In the Abyss Sea, there is no concept of time.

These monsters, born from the abyss, have no idea how long they have been in this dark and gloomy place.

However, since the beginning of the last cycle, five passages have already been opened in this weak wall.

Countless monsters poured into the passage, only to be crushed to pieces by the rules of the world. Occasionally, one or two lucky ones would manage to pass through and arrive in the present world, brimming with life.

The flames that had suppressed them had been worn down over fifty years and had become extremely weak, making it another opportune time to feast.

Therefore, they will never resist the desires they are born with.

Eating, destroying, whispering.

Embrace the endless darkness, and wallow in the bottomless evil of human nature.

But everything changed in this cycle.

In the abyss, a hole that had been opened up suddenly began to glow with a crimson light.

That was the first ray of light in this endless darkness after millions of years.

It burned the eyes of the abyssal creatures that gazed at the cave entrance, yet it also drew them like moths to a flame, drawing them towards the light.