A Great War Loomed, and the Beast Realm Answered the Call!
The Spirit Race is expanding rapidly in the south, clearly intending to oppose the Beast Realm.
Within a few short months, over a hundred million miles of territory south of Marsh Plains, more than ten small and medium-sized ethnic groups were either wiped out or submitted to the regime.
The Spirit Race army was overwhelming, and the aura of Life Dao was so dense it was suffocating.
The Beast Realm reacted just as swiftly.
North of Marsh Plains, the spatial passage of the Peak and Mountain Imperial Clan suddenly opened.
This time it wasn't just one, but a full six!
Six enormous spatial rifts, large enough to allow even giant beasts tens of thousands of feet tall to pass through, were simultaneously torn open tens of millions of miles north of the Marsh Plains. Within these rifts, the power of the Dao surged, and the auras of the six great royal families poured out.
The Ultimate Force Ape Imperial Clan was the first to arrive. The Dark Gold giant ape stepped out of the spatial passage like Shan Yue, and each step it took caused a deep crater to form in the earth.
Leading the group was a giant ape at the Perfected Spirit Transformation; its body was surging with Ultimate Force Dao, and its earth-shattering brute force almost tore the void apart.
Following closely behind was the Conjoined Fire Kui Wolf Imperial Clan, a pack of black wolves surging out of the passage, their bodies wreathed in dark flames; the leader, a Late Spirit Transformation cultivator, had eyes like blood moons, his Sha Qi soaring to the heavens.
The third Profound Lightning Beast Imperial Clan descended, arcs of electricity exploding in the air with blinding white light, the roars of the Lightning Beast shattering the clouds, and the Profound Lightning Dao aura enveloping an area of millions of miles.
The Dark Gold of the Sha Qi Tiger Imperial Clan descended through the air, its murderous aura solidifying into a tangible form, causing vegetation to wither and birds to fall wherever it passed.
The Heavenly Wind Profound Eagle Imperial Clan spreads its wings, blotting out the sky. Gray-white wind blades cut through the void, and hurricanes whip up thousands of miles of demonic clouds, covering the sky and the earth.
Finally, the Barbarian Bone Bear Emperor Lineage descended.
The Daoist aura of Barbarian Bone Dao continuously seeped from the passage, and the pale, bone-like luster flowed in the air; fifteen Nascent Spirit Transformation stepped out of the passage.
Leading the group was the Ancestor Shanyue, who was guarding the rear; his Earth Dao was as solid as a mountain peak, and the power of his Four-Foundation Perfection radiated outwards!
Perfected Spirit Transformation!
Shan Yue broke through, and Shi Jian stood beside Shan Yue, feeling the perfect power of the Dao emanating from the ancestor. He thought to himself that the timing of this breakthrough was excellent.
It was clearly the Ancestor Egu forcibly helped him cross that threshold for this battle.
Cang Wuji chuckled, "The Ancestor is really impressive now."
The Shan Yue did not respond. The pale giant bear stood in the void, its gaze sweeping southward. Tens of millions of miles away, the emerald pillar of light of the Spirit Race soared into the sky, the Dao power of the Immortality Dao Venerable declaring its sovereignty.
"Alright, let's get started."
"We originally intended to slowly erode your strength, taking the opportunity to elevate Shi Jian to the forefront; we never expected the Spirit Race to be so sensitive, actively escalating the war."
"It was a twist of fate that allowed me to break through to the next level."
The Shan Yue couldn't help but sigh, yet they remained composed.
Now that the great battle has begun, it is a contest for the Treasured Earth Dao Fruit; this great battle will determine who will ultimately hold that position.
The Peak and Mountain Imperial Clan simultaneously issued a call to action to the six major royal clans.
One emperor and six kings, all participating in the war!
Each of the six royal families led more than ten Nascent Spirit Transformation, advancing simultaneously to the east and west from the Wanli Marsh Plains as the center; every few hundred million miles, they built a giant pass, with spatial passages as the skeleton, Spirit Vein as the flesh and blood, and restrictions as the armor.
In just half a month, seven passes rose from the ground.
The easternmost part is guarded by the Ultimate Force Ape Imperial Clan and named Ultimate Force Pass; twenty-three Nascent Spirit Transformation are stationed there, and the pass covers an area of tens of millions of miles.
The entire structure is made of massive Dark Gold stones, each brick of which is engraved with Ultimate Force Dao runes.
To the west are Profound Lightning Pass and Heavenly Wind Pass, each guarded by a corresponding member of the royal family, with the number of Spirit Transformation ranging from fifteen to over twenty.
And right in the center, at the core of Marsh Plains.
The stronghold that Shi Jian had previously captured was now personally overseen by the Peak and Mountain Imperial Clan and named Peak and Mountain Pass. The pass was surrounded by a vast expanse of land that rose up, creating a small continent on the Marsh Plains.
The entire structure is formed from the soil of countless mountains, and the Earth Virtue permeate every inch of the land. More than twenty deities, Spirit Transformation of the Peak and Mountain Imperial Clan, reside within it.
On the far west side lies the Barbarian Bone Pass of the Giant Bear Clan.
Closer to the center are the Sha Tiger Pass Conjoined Fire Pass.
Shi Jian stood atop the pass, overlooking the newly built war fortress below; Barbarian Bone Pass occupied an area of tens of thousands of miles in circumference, radiating outwards to a vast surrounding region.
The pass was entirely pale white, like bone, with walls reaching tens of thousands of feet high. The remains of dozens of Spirit Transformation beasts were incorporated into the walls; the Barbarian Bone Dao seeped out from the walls, forming a semi-transparent protective shield that enveloped the entire city.
Within the fortress, Spirit Vein crisscross, with more than ten fourth-order Spirit Vein converging beneath the fortress, their Spiritual Qi so dense it's almost condensed liquid; dozens of teleportation arrays have been built within the fortress, allowing reinforcements to be dispatched from the Beast Realm at any time.
Fifteen divine Spirit Transformation were stationed in various fortresses.
Ten of them came from vassal groups of the Giant Bear Clan, and were all at the Early Spirit Transformation. Although their cultivation was not top-tier, they were enough to serve as the backbone of the fortress...
The other five are direct descendants of the Giant Bear Race.
Now, the Ancestor Shanyue has reached the Perfected Spirit Transformation, and the four Earth Dao cultivators have been transferred from the rear of Li Bear Plains to the front line to take command of Barbarian Bone Pass.
Cang Wuji and Shi Jian were responsible for coordinating one region.
There are also two other Nascent Spirit Transformation from the Giant Bear Race, both at the Middle Spirit Transformation. One of them cultivates the Barbarian Bone Dao and is a descendant of the Ancestor Egu of the Giant Bear Lineage.
The other Dao of Strength cultivated strength was an elder of the Cang Wuji Pale Bear Lineage.
At this moment, Shan Yue stood on the highest platform of white bones at the top of the pass, his Earth Dao aura radiating outwards; he transformed into human form, his long, pale hair flowing freely, his face cold and stern as if carved by a knife, and the power of his Four-Foundation Perfection of Dao enveloped a radius of hundreds of millions of miles.
"Gentlemen."
The Shan Yue's voice was not loud, yet it clearly reached the ears of every Nascent Spirit Transformation.
"This battle concerns the future of our Beast Realm; it concerns whether our Emperor can advance further and strengthen our Beast Realm. If the Spirit Race wins, we will have no chance to rise again."
"Barbarian Bone Pass is the western flank's defensive barrier; it must not be lost."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over the assembled Nascent Spirit Transformation.
"The Ancestor Egu has decreed that regardless of the outcome of this battle, the Giant Bear Clan must fight to the very last moment; anyone who dares to retreat will be punished according to clan rules."
All the Nascent Spirit Transformation cultivators responded in unison, and none dared to raise any objections.
Shi Jian stood on the edge of the high platform, his Divine Sense spreading out; tens of millions of miles south of Barbarian Bone Pass, the aura of the Spirit Race was also rapidly gathering, clearly building a similar defensive line.
Two battlefronts, one in the north and one in the south.
In between lies a vast, unclaimed land spanning tens of millions of miles; it was originally the territory of a small, native clan of the Dao Realm, but now, caught between the two realms, the choice is either to flee, surrender, or die.
The shadow of war has completely enveloped the southeastern part of the Dao Realm.
Just days after the seven fortified passes were completed, the sky suddenly changed color.
The once clear sky was instantly torn open by six enormous rifts; from within the rifts poured forth a terrifying aura that surpassed even the limits of understanding for Nascent Spirit Transformation and ordinary cultivators.
It was none other than the Dao Venerable who had descended!
At this moment, a figure stepped out from the rift, his earth-yellow Dao aura solidified like Shan Yue, freezing the void and subjugating all things wherever he passed; it was the Earth Virtue Dao Venerable of the Peak and Mountain Imperial Clan, who held the Earth Virtue Dao Fruit and was one of the three great Earth Dao Venerables of the Beast Realm.
Then, a figure followed closely behind, pale all over, with a flowing luster in his bones; the Barbarian Bone Dao Venerable and the Ancestor Egu had arrived in person, and the Barbarian Bone Dao Aura pressed down on the southern world.
Finally, there was a terrifying giant ape, its size reaching 100,000 zhang, with its body surging with Ultimate Force Dao energy like a tsunami crashing into the sky; the Ultimate Dao of Strength Venerable, the strongest member of the Ape King Clan, whose punch could split the heavens and whose palm could shatter the earth.
Three Dao Venerable stood in the sky, their Dao power enveloping the entire southern part of the Dao Realm.
In the south, the Spirit Race reacted just as swiftly.
A pillar of emerald light shot into the sky, and the Immortality Dao Venerable stepped through the air, his life force so vibrant it was suffocating; closely following behind was the Decay Dao Venerable, whose dark purple aura of decay dyed half the sky a sickly purple.
Finally, there was the Dharma Breaking Dao Venerable; the Dao of Strength and aura contained within that mass of grayish-white light mist were in no way inferior to that of the Ultimate Dao of Strength Venerable.
Six Dao Venerable stood facing each other in the heavens.
The Earth Virtue Dao Venerable and the Immortality Dao Venerable stared at each other, their Dao powers colliding in the void. The authority of the Earth Dao and the Life Dao clashed, tearing countless fine cracks into the space within a radius of hundreds of millions of miles.
The Barbarian Bone Dao Venerable stared at the Decay Dao Venerable. The pale bone's luster clashed with the dark purple aura of decay. Life and death, bone and decay, the void was annihilated at the point where the Daoist auras collided.
The Ultimate Dao of Strength Venerable and the Dharma Breaking Dao Venerable gaze at each other from afar. The two Dao of Strength and auras solidified in mid-air, intertwining Dark Gold and gray-white. The pure collision of their Dao of Strength almost shattered the sky.
None of the six Dao Venerable made a move.
Because everyone knows that if the Dao Venerable were to fight with all his might in the Dao Realm, the entire Dao Realm would probably be shattered; moreover, the purpose of this battle is not to destroy the Dao Realm, but to compete for the ownership of the Treasured Earth Dao Fruit.
The role of the Dao Venerable is merely to check and balance each other.
The real battlefield lies at the Spirit Transformation and Nascent Soul levels.
Earth Virtue Dao Venerable spoke slowly, his voice calm yet resounding throughout the entire Dao Realm: "Spirit Race, withdraw from the Dao Realm, and this matter is settled."
The Immortality Dao Venerable sneered, "Fellow Feng Yue has quite the nerve. The Treasured Earth Dao Fruit is still unclaimed; why should our Spirit Race yield?"
"If they refuse, then let's fight."
The Barbarian Bone Dao Venerable's voice was icy cold. He gripped his pale bone claws, and a ten-thousand-foot-long bone spear materialized in his palm, resembling a colossal mountain of ten thousand bones.
The Decay Dao Venerable also raised his hand, and a dark purple, corrupt whip burst forth from his palm.
The Ultimate Dao of Strength Venerable and the Dharma Breaking Dao Venerable exchanged a glance, and their respective auras of Dao of Strength surged simultaneously.
Just as tensions were about to rise, the six Dao Venerable simultaneously withdrew their attacks; for they all knew that attacking at this moment would result in mutual destruction, with neither side gaining any advantage.
"In that case, let each rely on their own abilities."
Earth Virtue Dao Venerable withdrew his Dao power, and his body rose upwards, soaring straight into the Heaven Beyond Heaven.
The other five Dao Venerable followed closely behind, and the six figures broke through the Dao Realm barrier, entering that void where even space did not exist.
Heaven Beyond Heaven.
There is no Spiritual Qi, no matter, no concept of space or time, and it gradually descends into chaos; only the pure collision of Daoist principles is the true battlefield where Dao Venerable clash.
The six Dao Venerable faced off in the Heaven Beyond Heaven, their Dao powers restraining each other, preventing any one from being distracted and interfering in the affairs of the Dao Realm.
Meanwhile, in the Dao Realm, the horns of war finally sounded.
At the Barbarian Bone Pass, Shan Yue looked up at the sky for a moment, then looked away.
"Pass down the order: all troops, prepare for battle."
"The Spirit Race's first probing attack is coming soon."
Shi Jian stood atop the city wall, his three Immortal Foundation slowly activating; the nascent form of the Righteous Yang Lightning within his body showed a faint tendency to accelerate its solidification.
The battlefield truly is the best crucible!
This war between the two realms is both a great danger and a natural crucible, constantly tempering one's Immortal Foundation and perfecting one's Dao intent.