The Demon Plane: A Setback in the First Battle (4K)

Qian Daoliu suppressed the turmoil in his heart, his golden eyes fixed on the dark red portal in the distorted space, and the secrets of the Angel Lineage's inheritance flashed through his mind.

"The Hell Gate... the Demon Plane..." he muttered to himself, his tone extremely solemn.

According to the inherited records, the universe is vast, and the planes are as numerous Ruheng. The Douluo Continent is located in a huge, stable, and resource-rich "Large Material Plane". The portal in front of us connects to a "Medium Material Plane"Material Plane that belongs to the same category as the Douluo Continent, but is far smaller in size - the Demon Plane!

Between Material Plane, the rules are stable, making it difficult for them to devour or merge with each other; they are more like independent "islands." Therefore, for invasions of such Medium Material Plane, as long as they do not involve direct participation of God Level forces or cause widespread Life in the Douluo Plane, the Gods reside in the Divine Realm and govern the rules usually do not directly intervene.

Gods are not babysitters, and humans are not overgrown babies. They would rather send "Divine Envoy" or "Great Consecrator" who have left their legacy in that plane to lead humans to handle things themselves. Gods themselves rarely get involved. Of course, if those "Energy Plane" that are purely composed of energy (such as the Abyss Plane that was invaded in Dou San, which is actually a supplement to the Divine Realm) appear in the Divine Realm's field of vision, then the Divine Realm will definitely "tearfully" accept this gift from heaven.

However, this does not mean that the threat from the Demon Plane is less! Quite the opposite! Precisely because they cannot directly devour the Douluo Continent like the Energy Plane, their methods of invasion are more cruel and destructive—plundering resources, slaughtering living beings, and spreading chaos and despair!

"These damned plunderers!" A cold rage ignited in Qian Daoliu's eyes. His inherited memories told him that this was not the first time the Demon Plane had invaded Douluo Continent! Throughout history, they had been like greedy hyenas, repeatedly attempting to pry open the "back door" to this rich world!

Each invasion brought profound disaster to the creatures of the continent. In particular, the human Soul Master forces, in their early, relatively primitive development and with few top-tier experts, were prime targets for the demons (after all, the Soul Beast side had many Ferocious Beast guarding it, making it even more difficult to devour). Fortunately, the Angel God left behind a legacy in the Douluo Continent, and successive Great Angel Consecrator shouldered the responsibility of protection, stepping forward each time, fighting valiantly, and ultimately repelling the invasion and cutting off the passage.

But these demons are extremely cunning! They know the existence of the Divine Realm and dare not go too far, lest they incur the wrath of the Gods. Therefore, each invasion is kept within the bounds of "plunder" rather than "destruction," and they know when to stop. What is most despicable is that when their first large-scale invasion was repelled, they took advantage of the chaos to spread countless "Demon Seed" across the Douluo Continent.

These seeds either lie dormant within certain special bloodlines, forming what are known as "Innate Evil Martial Soul," whose owners are like miniature, unstable seeds of Hell Gate, who will one day open the Hell Gate as their Cultivation Level improves; or they transform into invisible curses, scattered throughout the continent, slowly growing by absorbing the resentment, blood energy, and negative emotions of living beings, and once the conditions are ripe, they can transform into new passages to Hell Gate!

Although the experienced Great Angel Consecrator strengthened their vigilance after the first invasion and successfully intercepted the demons' attempts to plant more seeds during subsequent invasions, the lingering effects of the first invasion have not yet been completely eradicated! The source of most of the strange and powerful Evil Martial Soul on the continent lies in this!

"This portal before us is clearly a Demon Seed has been dormant for countless years, and it has just taken shape after absorbing enough energy!" Qian Daoliu instantly assessed the situation. The portal was not very solid, and although the aura it emitted was evil and powerful, the passage was still unstable, indicating that it had only recently taken shape.

However, the being guarding the gate possesses terrifying strength! That attack from afar just now contained power at least at the level of Titled Douluo! It is at least a "Demon King" level being! With it guarding the gate, Qian Daoliu, with his current level 97 strength, could very well bypass its protection and destroy the still unstable Hell Gate!

"We must send this message back to the Spirit Hall immediately! No, the Spirit Hall alone might not be able to handle this. The Demon Plane might have a backup plan; we'll need to gather the continent's top forces!" Qian Daoliu made a decisive decision. He glanced deeply at the portal that was constantly emanating an evil aura, then his six wings flapped violently, transforming him into a golden streak of light. He soared into the sky at top speed, rushing towards the Spirit Hall! He even disregarded the consumption of his Soul Power, pushing his speed to the limit!

Soon after, he arrived at the Martial Soul Hall of the nearest large city and had them transmit the earth -Spirit Hall shattering message—"The Demon Plane has invaded, and the Hell Gate have appeared in the Savage Beast Hills, guarded by the Demon King"—back to Spirit City at the highest level of urgency through the Spirit Hall's special communication method.

The message sent shockwaves through the Spirit Hall's leadership! The current Pope immediately ordered the activation of the highest-level emergency plan, mobilizing the Spirit Hall's elite forces on one hand, and sending urgent requests for assistance to the newly selected Upper Three Sects, Lower Four Sects, and the two great empires on the other! The demon invasion concerns the survival of the continent, and is no longer a matter for a single sect or hall!

The Great Angel Consecrator, Qian Chongxiao, was jolted awake from his seclusion the moment he received the message from his son, Qian Daoliu. He didn't even have time to make further arrangements, only leaving the Pope with the words, "Gather all forces and come to our aid immediately," before vanishing from the hall and frantically rushing towards the Savage Beast Hills! He knew better than anyone the horror of the demonic invasion!

However, even for Titled Douluo, the distance between them was not something that could be covered in an instant. Although Qian Chongxiao traveled at full speed, it still took him nearly a day to get from Spirit City to the remote Savage Beast Hills!

For Qian Daoliu, who was guarding the outer perimeter of the Savage Beast Hills, this day felt like an eternity!

He left to deliver the message and then returned at full speed, a journey that took only half a day. But when he arrived at the outskirts of the Savage Beast Hills again, the scene before him made his heart sink!

The Hell Gate were twice as solid as before! The gaps in the gates had also widened slightly, and the evil aura emanating from them was even more intense! Even more terrifying, the once desolate valley before the gates was now densely packed with thousands of demons.

These demons come in various shapes and are terrifying in appearance:

The lowest rank consists of short, dark red-skinned, and sharp-clawed "Lesser Demon," whose aura is roughly equivalent to that of a human Soul Elder. They are the most numerous, surging like a tide and emitting piercing hisses.

Slightly stronger are the "Inferior Demon," tall and muscular, wielding Bone Blade, and the "Blade Demon," agile with blade-like arms that radiate a cold light. Their strength is comparable to that of Soul Ancestor, and they are the backbone of the Demon Legion.

There were also dozens of "Hell Demon" that were over three meters tall, covered in bone armor, and exuding a ferocious aura; their strength had reached the Soul Emperor level! They acted as minor leaders, commanding lower-level demons.

The entire valley was filled with Demonic Energy and deafening roars, and had become a den of demons!

Qian Daoliu's eyes widened in horror. He couldn't let them continue to expand! Without hesitation, he manifested his true form as Six-winged Angel, wielding the Angel Sacred Sword, and charged into the horde of demons!

"Divine Purification!"

The dazzling Holy Light spread like a tide, and wherever it passed, low-level Lesser Demon and Inferior Demon turned to ashes as snow meeting the sun! The Blade Demon and the Hell Demon also let out painful howls, hissing black smoke rising from their bodies as they died with screams.

Qian Daoliu like a tiger among sheep, his holy sword flashing, each strike claiming the lives of dozens of demons. The Angel Divine Power was extremely effective in restraining demons.

However, there were simply too many demons! And, as if sensing his threat, seven powerful figures suddenly burst forth from the Hell Gate!

These are seven towering demons riding Nightmare Warhorse engulfed in eerie blue flames, clad in heavy black armor, and wielding massive, cleaving Great Demon! Their auras are refined and malevolent, clearly at the level of ordinary Titled Douluo! They are none other than the elite of the Demon Legion — the Great Demon Knight!

What's even more troublesome is that these seven Great Demon Knight are clearly proficient in combined attacks! They surrounded Qian Daoliu in a fan shape, their swords flashing continuously, their Demonic Energy intertwined, forming a huge net of death. Their attacks were like a storm, and their perfect coordination kept Qian Daoliu firmly entangled!

Although Qian Daoliu held the upper hand thanks to the advantage of his divine attribute and exquisite swordsmanship, each clash between his holy sword and the horse-slaying saber left deep burn marks on the opponent's armor and even severed the weapon, these Great Demon possessed extremely tenacious Life Force. After being injured, their Demonic Energy surged, and their wounds could slowly heal! Moreover, they coordinated perfectly, forming a unified offense and defense. For a time, Qian Daoliu was unable to quickly defeat any of them, and the battle reached a stalemate!

He was anxious but helpless. He could only fight the seven Great Demon Knight while continuously releasing area-of-effect Holy Light to clear out the low-level demons that tried to approach, slowing down the expansion of the demon army. But the efficiency was greatly reduced.

Just as Qian Daoliu battle, at noon on the third day, the sky suddenly lit up! A vast, majestic, and sacred aura of power enveloped the entire valley like a canopy!

"You wicked creature! How dare you offend my Douluo!"

A furious roar resounded like Heavenly Thunder! Qian Chongxiao's figure finally arrived! His hair and beard stood on end, his white robes fluttered, and he held a longsword that was entirely golden, radiating endless Light and Holiness energy—a divine weapon, the Angel Sacred Sword!

The terrifying pressure of the Titled Douluo, combined with the supreme Divine Might of the artifact, caused all the demons in the valley to freeze in place, letting out terrified howls! Even the seven Great Demon Knight who were besieging Qian Daoliu slowed down instantly, revealing their weaknesses!

"Father!" Qian Daoliu's spirits lifted.

"Die!" Qian Chongxiao didn't waste any words. His eyes were filled with killing intent. He swung the Angel Sacred Sword, and a golden sword aura that stretched across the sky and earth, like a celestial river pouring down, slashed down at the seven Great Demon Knight and the large Demon Legion behind them!

Before the sword aura even arrived, its pure Purification power had already vaporized countless low-level demons!

However, at this critical moment!

"Roar--!"

A roar filled with savagery and madness came from the depths of the Hell Gate! The already trembling gate suddenly erupted with blinding blood light! The gap in the gate widened abruptly! Then, a huge, ferocious, dark red figure, exuding an aura far exceeding that of Titled Douluo, forced its way out of the still unstable passage!

Standing over ten meters tall, with curved giant horns on its head, tattered fleshy wings on its back, and its entire body covered in thick, dark red scales, it wielded a giant axe burning with Hellfire! It was none other than the Demon King guarding the gate! Seeing that Qian Chongxiao was arriving with a divine artifact, posing a great threat, it did not hesitate to sacrifice the Life Force and souls of a large number of its demon subordinates to forcibly accelerate the passage's development and arrive ahead of schedule!

"Birdman! Cease your arrogance!" the Demon King roared, swinging his Hellfire axe to meet the Angel Sacred Sword from the Qian Chongxiao!

Boom--!!!!

The holy sword energy and the Hellfire axe collided violently! A terrifying energy storm instantly swept across the entire valley, the earth Rupture, and space distorted! Countless low-level demons that were close by, along with the seven Great Demon Knight, were torn to shreds like paper in the aftershocks of the collision!

Qian Chongxiao swayed slightly before regaining his footing, his eyes icy cold. The Demon King staggered back several steps, leaving deep footprints in the ground. His scales Rupture in several places, flowing with lava-like blood, and a noticeable chip appeared on his fire axe. In their first exchange, Qian Chongxiao, wielding a divine weapon, clearly had the upper hand!

"Evil will be Purification!" Qian Chongxiao pressed his advantage, his Angel Sacred Sword shining brightly as he unleashed a barrage of attacks! His swordsmanship was expansive and powerful, each strike imbued with the supreme will to Purification evil, forcing the Demon King into a series of retreats, where he could only barely hold on with his powerful physique and eerie Hellfire.

However, Qian Chongxiao's brows gradually furrowed. This Demon King was extremely cunning! The previous attack made him well aware of the power of the Angel Sacred Sword, so he used most of his energy to dodge or block the direct slashes of the Holy Sword. As for Qian Chongxiao's accompanying holy impact and Soul Skill attacks, he would dodge if he could, block if he could, and if he really couldn't dodge or block, he would rely on his powerful Demon Body to withstand them!

Although Qian Chongxiao kept attacking it relentlessly, leaving many wounds on its body, none of them were fatal. The Demon King's Life Force was terrifyingly tenacious, and its wounds slowly healed under the nourishment of Demonic Energy.

"No... If this continues, it will hold us back!" Qian Chongxiao thought anxiously. He had suffered a severe internal injury when he was young, and although he had recuperated for many years, the root cause had not been fully recovered, making him unable to engage in prolonged, high-intensity combat. If the battle dragged on and the old injury recurred, or if his Soul Power was excessively depleted, the situation would take a sharp turn for the worse!

He glanced at the battlefield out of the corner of his eye. Although Qian Daoliu had temporarily escaped the siege and was clearing out the scattered demons, the number of demons was still enormous, and new demons were constantly pouring out of the Hell Gate! If he were to wage a protracted war, even if he could defeat the Demon King, he would probably be exhausted afterward. There was absolutely no way that Qian Daoliu alone could break through the demon army's blockade and approach the gate!

Unless... he's willing to risk his life and pay a heavy price to forcibly unleash the full power of the Angel Sacred Sword, he might be able to unleash near -God Level power for a short time and destroy the Demon King along with the Hell Gate! But the worst that could happen is that his Cultivation Level severely damaged, or worse, he would lose his life.

The thought flashed through Qian Chongxiao's mind. But then he thought of the Nine Angel Trials that Qian Daoliu was currently undergoing, and the cruel final trial recorded in the inheritance that required the sacrifice of a close relative... If he were to die in battle now, what would happen to Liuer's Divine Examination? What would happen to the inheritance of the Angel Lineage?

A selfish thought, like a venomous snake, gnawed at his heart. He couldn't bear to die! At least, not now! He wanted to see his son complete the Divine Examination and inherit the God Position!

"God Ancestor above, forgive Chongxiao's cowardice and selfishness..." Qian Chongxiao prayed silently in his heart and made his decision.

He suddenly intensified his attack, the Angel Sacred Sword erupting with blinding light, forcing the Demon King to retreat repeatedly. Taking advantage of the opportunity, he shouted to Qian Daoliu, "Liuer! The demons are powerful, and our defenses are difficult to break! Retreat first and join the reinforcements before fighting again!"

Qian Daoliu was taken aback upon hearing this. He looked at his father and instantly understood his father's concerns and choice. He gritted his teeth, feeling unwilling, but knowing that this was the most rational choice at the moment. A one-on-one fight would have little chance of success.

"Withdraw!"

Qian Chongxiao feinted with his sword, forcing the Demon King back. In a flash, he appeared beside Qian Daoliu, grabbed his shoulder, and with a surge of Power of Space, tore through space, instantly disappearing from the spot with Qian Daoliu.

The Demon King let out a resentful roar, but did not give chase. It had just forcibly descended, expending a great deal of energy, and needed time to stabilize the passage and recover its power. Its scarlet eyes gazed in the direction where Qian Chongxiao and his son had disappeared, filled with cruelty and greed.

"Hmph! Run away, you ants! Once I have completely secured the passage and my army arrives, this once-rich land will be turned into hell!"

In the valley, the demons' roars echoed once more, filled with smugness and arrogance. The Hell Gate gleamed with blood-red light, and more demons poured forth, spreading outwards towards the Savage Beast Hills...

In the first battle, humanity, hampered by delayed intelligence, insufficient support, and concerns about Qian Chongxiao, temporarily retreated. The crisis of the demon invasion had fully erupted! The fate of the continent rested in the hands of the impending Coalition of Seven Sects!