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The Eastern Wasteland is vast and boundless, with countless living beings. Among them, cultivators are few in number, but still number in the hundreds of millions.
The echoes of the oath made at the Jade Pool Grand Gathering still reverberated in the Ancient Land of Dao Source. An unprecedented joint extermination operation, sweeping across the Five Regions of Big Dipper, had already been silently unfurled like a meticulously crafted and ruthless net, without the vast majority of cultivators noticing.
Nine days later.
At three-quarters past midnight, on a rainy night, one carries a knife but no umbrella.
In all regions of the Big Dipper, hundreds of coordinates that had been locked in time simultaneously erupted with dazzling divine light and earth-shattering sounds of battle!
In the Northern Region of the Eastern Wilderness an ancient Gobi desert called " Black Gravel Plain ".
This place is barren and desolate, with sand and gravel whipped up by fierce winds all year round, and it is rarely visited by people.
However, at the stroke of midnight, a seemingly ordinary giant rock deep in the Gobi Desert suddenly exploded, revealing a magnificent palace built of star iron that reached hundreds of feet underground.
A living fossil of the Jiang Family, with his hair and beard standing on end, had a replica of the Hengyu Furnace floating above his head, from which hung down a thousand feet of crimson light, burning the entire Void until it twisted and collapsed.
Dozens of dark figures that had just emerged from the tunnel, along with the steel hall that symbolized death and training, were forcibly refined into a void of crystal by the supreme divine fire amidst terrified screams and the sound of magical artifacts shattering, before being completely swallowed up by the surging magma.
On the outskirts, the Jiang Family cavalry swept through like a crimson torrent, clearing out seven hidden sentry posts and supply transfer points. Where their hooves trod, blood stained the yellow sand, which was quickly buried by the wind and sand, as if nothing had ever happened.
In the Southern Region the Eastern Wasteland, in the capital city of the Great Yan Kingdom, lies the most bustling " Soft Red Lane."
As night deepened, the sounds of music and laughter masked the stench of blood from the depths of the earth.
The powerful figures from the Purple Mansion Holy Land and the Dao Yi Holy Land descended together without alerting any mortals.
A Yin-Yang Dao Diagram and a sky full of purple mist quietly enveloped the underground space of the entire block, freezing everything in place.
Hundreds of assassins, disguised as all sorts of people, their lewd smiles or fawning expressions still lingering on their faces, were horrified to discover that both their physical bodies and souls were locked by an invisible Daoist aura, making even the desire to trigger the Sea of the Bitter Sea and self-destruct impossible.
The next moment, the Daoist aura trembled slightly, and all life force was extinguished like candle flames.
The next day, Soft Red Lane was still bustling, but several of the most successful shops had changed owners, and no one knew that a silent cleanup had taken place underground the night before.
Central Continent, bordering the " Nine Li Dynasty Dragonfall Ancient Mine ".
This mine has been abandoned for many years. The mine shafts are deep and winding, and there are often strange winds blowing through them. It is considered an ominous place.
At the third quarter of midnight, the bronze chariots of the Jiuli Divine Dynasty crushed the Void, and the roars of the nine dragon descendants shook the Ancient Mine.
The old emperor personally took action, Imperial Dragon Qi transformed into a sky-covering, Shrouding the Heavens phantom of an imperial seal, carrying the weight of the nation and its people, and crashed into a seemingly natural fault node in the Ancient Mine.
As the earth shook and the fault collapsed, a huge pool of blood, filled with the bones of countless living beings and radiating resentment, was revealed below. Nearly a hundred assassins dressed in blood-red short clothes were performing some kind of sinister ritual at the edge of the pool.
The pool of blood boiled, attempting to transform into a troll to resist, but shattered inch by inch under the illusory image of the jade seal.
The desperate screams and wails of vengeful spirits were completely purified and crushed by the Imperial Dragon Qi.
Ultimately, the entire underground space collapsed completely, forming a bottomless abyss, which was permanently sealed by the Jiuli Divine Dynasty with a restriction.
The former site of " Withering and Flourishing Chan Monastery " on the edge of the Western Desert.
This place was once an ancient temple, but it was destroyed in war, leaving only ruins. Ascetic monks often come here to pay their respects.
Intelligence indicates that this place is actually a crucial communication hub for " Hell ".
An old monk from Mount Sumeru arrived quietly, sat cross-legged on the crumbling ruins, and began reciting the mantra of the Shurangama Sutra.
The Buddha wheel behind the head slowly rotates, emitting a warm and irresistible purifying light.
As the light reached, the ruins rippled like water, revealing a dark hall hidden beneath, where murals of evil Buddhas were painted on the skins of living beings, and dozens of assassins whose auras and shadows were one.
The Buddha's light shone down, and the shadows melted away like snow being poured on boiling water, revealing a hideous, twisted face and a body covered in curses.
The evil Buddha on the mural emitted a silent wail as it peeled away inch by inch.
The old monk gently tapped his Vajra Pestle, and golden lotuses sprang from the ground, accompanied by chanting, dispelling all filth and evil, leaving only a truly peaceful and serene ruin.
Northern Plains, beneath the " Permafrost Ice Abyss ".
This is a forbidden zone for life; ordinary cultivators who venture a hundred miles in may have their souls frozen by the Eternal cold.
Several elders from top northern families, their blood and qi burning like golden furnaces, tore through layers of mysterious ice and boldly entered a huge, warm void deep within the ice abyss, maintained by an array.
The scene inside the cave was horrifying: hundreds of ice coffins were neatly arranged, each containing assassins of various realms who were in a state of suspended animation, ready to be awakened at any moment.
Deeper inside are the relics and techniques of assassination targets from past dynasties, preserved using secret methods, making it one of the archives and heritage repositories of the Assassin Divine Dynasty.
Ultimately, this sinful palace, hidden beneath absolute cold, was completely buried and sealed by the eternally frozen ice amidst violent energy shocks and chain reactions of collapse.
Deep in the Southern Ridge, among the " Hundred Thousand Mountains," lies the " Ghost-Crying Ravine," shrouded in miasma.
The demon king's true form manifested, his thousand-foot-tall demonic body stirring up the wind and clouds, his demonic aura sweeping across hundreds of miles, causing the Desolate Antiquity forests to collapse in his wake.
He led the elite troops of the Heavenly Demon Palace straight to a key stronghold in " Hell " at the bottom of the ravine, which was concealed by natural poisonous barriers and illusion arrays.
Unlike the cunning and treacherous assassins, the demon race values strength and directness, crushing all concealment and traps with their ferocious demonic arts and powerful physique.
The poisonous barrier was dispersed by the demonic wind, the illusion array was torn apart by sharp claws, and the exposed assassin stronghold was like a nest of frightened poisonous insects, which was quickly wiped out due to the absolute difference in strength.
As the dragon's tail swept across, the mountain stream collapsed, burying the ruins and the bloodshed together.
The Yaoguang Holy Land, the Ji Family, the Yin-Yang Sect... all those who have sworn an oath are acting in unison.
In an inconspicuous hilly area in the Eastern Wasteland, a giant pit tens of thousands of feet deep suddenly appeared overnight. At the bottom of the pit, there were still sharp sword energy and scorch marks. Experienced old cultivators recognized at a glance that it was the trace of the collision between the Yaoguang Holy Law " Holy Light Technique " and some kind of Void Killing Sword. Several unidentifiable fragments of tattered black robes were scattered around the edge of the pit.
In a small town in the Southern Region, famous for its winemaking, an overwhelming stench of blood emanated from the wine cellar outside the town for three consecutive days. When people came to investigate, they found that the fine wine stored in the cellar had been replaced with dark red blood, and at the bottom lay dozens of bloated and unrecognizable corpses, each with a tiny black dot on its forehead that looked as if it had been pierced by a fine needle.
Overnight, the tentacles of the Big Dipper struck both Hell and the Human World with devastating force.
The news spread like wildfire, shocking the Five Regions.
" The Black Gravel Plain has been transformed into the Glazed Plain! The Jiang Family has made their move!"
"Hundreds of strange corpses have been unearthed in Soft Red Lane, suspected to be the killer!"
" The Dragonfall Ancient Mine has completely collapsed. The Nine Li Dynasty has sealed off the area; it's said there's something terrifying down there!"
"The former site of Withering and Flourishing Chan Monastery was bathed in Buddhist light at midnight, and nearby herders said they heard eerie crying and chanting..."
"Deep within the Hundred Thousand Mountains, the earth shook violently last night, and demonic energy soared to the heavens. It seems the demon race is waging war against something extraordinary!"
Such messages, whether overt or covert, continued to circulate sporadically from various places in the following days.
Some strongholds put up a stubborn resistance, resulting in brief but fierce battles.
Some outposts attempted to relocate or hide, but their escape routes were blocked by the well-prepared alliance forces, trapping them like turtles in a jar.
Some strongholds were so well disguised that the mortals or low-level cultivators around them only realized what had happened at the very last moment before they were destroyed.
Synchronous, efficient, ruthless.
This is the power of the alliance, the first display of the fangs of a terrifying war machine forcibly bound together by Li Qingshan's absolute strength and righteous cause, and bound by the oath of the Great Dao.
Overnight, Hell and the Human World, both in the Big Dipper and in many of their hidden strongholds, suffered the heaviest blow since their founding!
The losses were far greater than any previous encirclement and suppression campaign in history.
The news could not be completely blocked; like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, the ripples quickly spread throughout the entire Big Dipper.
"Hundreds of strange corpses have been unearthed in Soft Red Lane, suspected to be the killer!"
" The Dragonfall Ancient Mine has completely collapsed. The Nine Li Dynasty has sealed off the area; it's said there's something terrifying down there!"
"My God! Divine light soared into the sky in the Northern Region Gobi Desert, seemingly indicating a battle between Saint Lord-level figures. Later, someone went to investigate and discovered that the Black Gravel Plain had transformed into the Glazed Plain! The Jiang Family has made their move."
"It's not just the Northern Region! Deep within the Hundred Thousand Mountains, the earth shook last night, and demonic energy soared to the heavens. It seems the demon race is at war with something extraordinary! In the depths of the Desolate Antiquity forests of the Southern Ridge, demonic energy swept for hundreds of miles, accompanied by earth-shattering roars. It's said that a Mighty Figure demon clan member intervened and razed a mysterious lair!"
"Even on the edge of the Western Desert, Buddha's light shone, cleansing away evil spirits. The former site of the Withering and Flourishing Chan Monastery was bathed in Buddha's light for midnight. Nearby herders said they heard eerie crying and chanting. Could it be that these top forces have agreed to act at the same time?"
"Who is it targeting? Could it be the Assassin Divine Dynasty?"
"Very likely! Have you noticed that things seem much calmer everywhere today?"
Shock, speculation, and much discussion ensued.
Although ordinary cultivators and mortals could not know the whole picture, they could feel the chilling atmosphere that swept across the Five Regions.
However, just as the alliance had achieved its initial victory and various forces were busy tallying their gains and consolidating their achievements, several discordant pieces of news emerged like poisonous stings, attempting to disrupt the newly established "general trend."
Holy City, the most prosperous pearl in the Northern Region of the Eastern Wilderness, a place where the gambling on jade is prevalent.
Ye Fan has been feeling quite pleased with himself lately.
After spending a long time with that scoundrel Duan De and learning a set of unpredictable Source Arts, he began to thrive in the gambling stone market of the Holy City.
With his mastery of Source Arts far surpassing his peers, he repeatedly extracted rare and exotic Origin materials, and even deciphered a considerable number of Divine Source. He not only accumulated a massive amount of Source Stone, bringing him closer and closer to gathering the astronomical Source Stone needed to break through to the Four Extremes Secret Realm, but also gained considerable fame in the Holy City.
However, fame also brought trouble.
The young members of the Source Arts families were quite dissatisfied with this suddenly emerging "wildcat" and, after several provocations, the two sides agreed to a public Source Arts duel with an astonishing stake, attracting countless eyes in the Holy City.
On the eve of the duel, Ye Fan was meditating in a quiet room of an inn in the Holy City, preparing to face the challenge in peak condition.
Suddenly, a warning screamed in his heart, and a chilling, bone-piercing feeling, as if he were being stared at by death, instantly enveloped his entire body!
Without any hesitation, Ye Fan used the footwork taught by the Old Madman, his figure moving sideways like lightning.
"Laugh!"
A thin, dark light, almost disappearing into the Void, grazed his neck and silently pierced a small hole in the wall behind him, which was made of black iron wood. The edges of the hole quickly turned black and emitted a corrosive stench.
"Killer!"
Ye Fan felt a chill run down his spine. If it weren't for his keen senses, that attack would have been enough to kill him!
The opponent's concealment skills were extremely high; his killing intent was only slightly revealed at the last moment before he made his move.
He did not stop, his footwork changed, and at the same time, the Green Copper block in the Bitter Sea trembled slightly, and a wisp of weak but indestructible energy fell down to protect him.
"Ding! Ding! Ding!"
Three soft sounds followed as three beams of dark light, attacking from different angles, struck the Green Copper block's aura, producing a metallic clang. They failed to penetrate, only causing ripples in the aura.
The assassin in the shadows seemed somewhat surprised, and his concealed aura fluctuated for a moment.
"Found you!"
A golden light flashed in Ye Fan's eyes, piercing through a trace of illusion. He pointed his fingers like a knife, and a dazzling golden sword aura containing the vast blood and qi of the Desolate Ancient Sacred Body slashed fiercely towards a shadowy corner of the room!
The shadows twisted, and a figure shrouded in black, seemingly without substance, stumbled out, a jet-black dagger in its hand parrying the golden sword energy, producing a piercing scraping sound and Mars.
" At the Fifth Heaven of the Dao Palace, you possess such combat power. As expected of you, Sacred Body Ye Fan."
The assassin in black had a hoarse, dry voice, like two pieces of metal rubbing against each other.
"Someone has offered to kill you."
" The Human World? Or Hell?"
Ye Fan's expression was solemn. The opponent's cultivation was at least at the peak of the Dao Palace, and he might even have touched the threshold of the Four Extremes. Moreover, he was skilled in assassination and was extremely difficult to deal with.
Why ask so many questions of a dying man?
The assassin's figure blurred again, turning into several afterimages that attacked from all directions. Each afterimage contained deadly intent, making it difficult to distinguish between the real and the fake.
Ye Fan gave a deep shout, Bitter Sea boiled. Golden blood energy soared into the sky, illuminating the entire quiet room in a dazzling display.
He swung his fists, unleashing the offensive techniques evolved from the Battle Saint Method. His fist imprints were as large as mountains, clashing head-on with the countless afterimages in the sky.
Loud noises continued, and the array and restrictions in the quiet room were flickering and shattering under the impact of the surging energy.
The cultivators in other nearby areas were alarmed and extended their divine senses.
The assassin seemed unwilling to fight for long, nor did he want to be exposed to the public eye. Seeing that he could not capture Ye Fan in a short time, and that the commotion here had already become too great, he made a feint, and his figure suddenly exploded into a cloud of black mist, about to escape.
"Where do you think you're going!"
Ye Fan wouldn't allow him to come and go as he pleased, so he slammed a giant handprint formed from divine power towards the black mist.
A muffled groan came from within the black mist, and a faint flash of blood appeared, but it eventually dissipated into the air, leaving only a few drops of black blood exuding a chilling aura.
Ye Fan withdrew his stance, his face grim as he looked at the few drops of Black Blood and the messy room around him.
The assassination attempt came suddenly and was aimed directly at him.
Is it because the Source Arts family is enraged?
Or perhaps, his identity as Sacred Body ultimately attracted the killing intent of certain beings?
Or perhaps it's related to the recent rumors circulating in Big Dipper about a joint operation by various forces to wipe out the Assassin Divine Dynasty?
Was I targeted for retaliation or as a warning?