The Merit Golden Body was just one foot away from completion.
In the north of the Northern Continent, at the site of the Great War between Heaven and Demons, Li Changshou stood quietly above a mountain of demon beast corpses, feeling the sorrow of living beings flowing through heaven and earth.
Scattered pursuit battles still raged at the horizon. The Heavenly Soldiers here had begun tending to the wounded and collecting the bodies of their fallen comrades.
Having completed their task of intercepting the Demon Race ambushers, the Underworld Officials turned back to their proper duties, gathering up every soul in the area that had not been destroyed.
With a faint sigh, Li Changshou descended from the sky and sat cross-legged in midair before several fallen Heavenly Soldiers, reciting the Daoist Scripture for Saving Beings.
Streams of light rose from the bodies of those Heavenly Soldiers, condensing into several faint phantoms. They cupped their hands toward Li Changshou in salute, then flew of their own accord toward the nearby Underworld Officials.
Life and death were no small matter; when war arose, flesh and blood congealed.
Li Changshou's recitation did not cease. A water-blue banner appeared behind him, and many Demon Souls that had been scattered were able to gather again. The Underworld Officials bound them with chains and dragged them away into the distance.
More voices gradually joined the chanting. Many Heavenly Soldiers and Generals stopped where they were, each reciting scriptures.
Beyond Black Mountain, the Wu Tribe, who had been celebrating their harvest, also fell quiet. The four Great Witch Sacrifices softly recited ancient prayers.
Half an hour later, Li Changshou's true body met up with Bai Ze. After cupping his hands to Bai Ze, man and beast rode clouds away from the place, soon vanishing into the depths