As the voice fell, a great battle erupted.
Nascent Soul and Spirit Transformation experts took the field one after another, and terrifying clashes unfolded in the border city.
The Human Race's army, over ten thousand strong, soon fell into a disadvantage.
The Demon Race naturally had stronger bodies than the Human Race, making them very difficult to kill at the same cultivation realm.
"Human Race, since you wish to die, I'll grant your wish."
As he spoke, a mighty Body Integration Realm demon stepped out beside him.
Terrifying flames wreathed his entire body as he fixed his gaze on the lord of the western border city.
"Human Race, fresh flesh and blood... I've almost forgotten what you taste like."
As he spoke, a flaming wolf phantom pounced in an instant.
"Cang Sword Form!"
The city lord dared not be careless. He was only in the early stage of the Body Integration Realm himself.
He struck with all his strength right from the start.
Crack!
Smack!
His sword was instantly snapped by a swat, and his entire body went flying backward.
He crashed onto the street.
"City Lord..."
Everyone was stunned. What happened next plunged them all into the depths of helpless despair.
The city lord's heart was ruthlessly pierced through. His still-beating heart was ripped out, tossed into a mouth, and chewed.
The sight left everyone trembling with fear.
"City Lord! You beasts, I'll fight you to the death!"
One Spirit Transformation expert after another chose to self-detonate without another word.
In an instant, a thousand human bombs began bombarding them in succession.
"Damn humans! I'll tear you apart alive!"
The young man's face twisted viciously. He had not expected humans to be so difficult to deal with. His subordinates kept falling.
The power of a Spirit Transformation cultivator's self-detonation could well be imagined.
Under the onslaught of the Demon Race's beast tide, tens of thousands strong, the border city soon fell and became a hell on earth.
News of the Demon Race's invasion of the border city spread like a plague in an instant.
"Damn the Demon Race! Why couldn't they just stay in their dens? They had to come out and cause trouble. They really don't know what's good for them!"
"Our experts still haven't acted, even now. I really don't understand."
"So what if they're the Demon Race? Just send a single Saint, and they can definitely wipe them out."
Countless people roared, yet no one came to help.
Forget a Saint-not even a single Martial King appeared.
Meanwhile, the Temple of Light, situated in the western part of the Southern Region, finally received the news.
All the eminent monks gathered beneath the Great Hero Hall.
"Buddha Son, how do you think we should resolve this?"
"Since when have demons been allowed to run rampant on Human Race territory? Seventh Elder, Eighth Elder, lead the Eighteen Arhats down the mountain and stop the Demon Race's invasion. Can you do it?"
"Buddha Son, our Temple of Light has spent all these years recuperating, yet we still haven't recovered. Are you certain you want to do this?"
"The Buddha said, 'If I do not enter hell, who will?' As members of the Human Race, even if we die in battle, we cannot let another race lay a finger on even the slightest part of the Human Race's territory."
The Buddha Son's gaze was resolute, his expression calm.
Buddha was the Buddha within one's heart. If Buddha could not vanquish demons and safeguard the peace of a region, was there any need for Buddha to exist?
"But..."
"There are no buts. If you are unwilling, I believe Zhikong, our prospective Buddha Son, would be willing to descend the mountain."
At those words, everyone's expression grew grave.
Zhikong possessed the Buddha-Demon Physique. Once he descended the mountain, he would surely stir up a storm of blood.
"Buddha Son, I am willing to descend the mountain to vanquish demons and defend the Dao. Please grant my request."
Zhikong also wanted to descend the mountain to temper himself. Buddha was not some Buddha enshrined in a temple, but a Buddha amid the mortal world.
"Good. Zhikong, heed my command. I order you to lead the Eighteen Arhats down the mountain at once, suppress the Demon Race, and restore peace to the world."
"Zhikong accepts the command."
Then, before everyone's astonished eyes, Zhikong led the Eighteen Arhats down the mountain.
Zhikong was a peak Martial King expert, while the Eighteen Arhats were all early-stage Martial Kings. They were more than capable of descending the mountain to suppress the Demon Race.
The Buddha Son was not too worried.
As for the Seventh and Eighth Elders, they were sent straight to Reflection Cliff as punishment, to face the wall and reflect on their mistakes.
"Lowly Human Race, die!"
A group of demons was chasing a woman in green.
The woman was covered in wounds, her eyes bright as she charged forward without regard for anything else.
It was all for the Human Race. Through sheer, indomitable will, she had forced her way out of the encirclement.
"Save... save... Flower... Sect..."
With the last of her strength, the woman crashed into a middle-aged man.
Before the man could react, countless attacks came bearing down.
"Human Race, such succulent flesh and blood. Truly delicious."
A mighty Body Integration Realm demon charged as he spoke.
"A mere little demon dares act so brazenly before me?"
As his words fell, his opponent was already stone dead.
The demons pursuing from behind were instantly scared witless.
"Human Race, you dare kill our leader? You're courting death!"
As they spoke, they attacked Cao Zhengchun.
The man was none other than Cao Zhengchun. Ye Changge had sent him out to rescue the Flower Sect.
The Flower Sect was a gathering place for female cultivators. In any case, he had been bored lately, listening to songs in pleasure houses and never managing to find anyone, and now this unexpected turn of events had arisen.
Taking over the Flower Sect would be a matter of minutes.