The supreme powerhouses of both sides appeared, yet whether human or demon, not a single trace of joy could be seen on their faces.
Everyone was filled with worry and unease.
"It's the Emperor..."
"That is the Emperor?"
"What a powerful aura."
"That is Ye Xianyu, the Sect Master of Wendao Sect."
"Who is the other one?"
"I don't know, probably some Patriarch of Wendao Sect."
"A war between humans and demons seems unavoidable now."
"Brother, should we run?"
"I want to, but my legs won't listen to me."
"This has become a massive mess."
"It's all Xu Xian's fault..."
As the powerhouses confronted each other, the atmosphere was thick with tension. Inside and outside a single city, two separate worlds seemed to be contained.
Whispers filled the air, like ants discussing the Dao.
At the peak of the sky.
The man with silver hair, white robes, a jade crown, and eyes brimming with divine light spoke first, breaking the silence.
With a hint of mockery, he said, "Yun Zheng, it has been a long time. Your sword intent hasn't improved even a little bit, has it?"
The latter remained unperturbed, responding warmly, "After ten thousand years, your wounds, Bai Ze, seem to have mostly healed."
Those two simple sentences of dialogue sent a massive shockwave through the two worlds behind them.
Bai Ze?
Yun Zheng?
Very few people present from either world had ever seen them—nearly none.
However, those who could cultivate to the nascent soul stage or the fifth grade, whether human or demon, had naturally lived for a long time. They had read many books and heard many stories.
They were not unfamiliar with these two names.
Bai Ze went without saying.
The Lord of East Desolation.
A ninth-grade beast god.
The strongest of the demon beasts in East Desolation, he had dominated the region ten thousand years ago.
He was invincible in the world!
Later, he suffered a narrow defeat at the hands of the Sword Ancestor and led the demon beasts into seclusion in East Desolation. Since then, he had never appeared before the eyes of the world again.
The world only knew that his original form was an auspicious beast, born in the sacred land of East Desolation, the Divine Moon Pool.
As for Yun Zheng...
Very few of the younger generation had heard of him; some might not even know the name. But the older generation knew him well.
Particularly the core powerhouses of the Three Sects, Seven Schools, and Hundred Schools—none were ignorant of him.
Yun Zheng.
The fifth disciple under the Sword Ancestor, the Fifth Patriarch of Wendao Sect, and currently the strongest existence within the sect.
He possessed a mutated wind spirit root.
He was an expert swordsman.
He had gained fame very early.
As far back as eight thousand years ago, he had already entered the ninth stage, tribulation transcendence.
In rumors, records concerning him were sparse, consisting of little more than what was mentioned above.
It was only said by the elders that after the Sword Ancestor went on his long journey, he entrusted Wendao Sect to Yun Zheng's hands.
For the next several thousand years, he remained within Wendao Sect, never appearing in the world or walking among mortals.
He had never even drawn his sword in the human realm.
Records of his strength were even scarcer, almost non-existent.
However.
It was said that when Yun Zheng broke through to the tribulation transcendence stage, three bolts of heavenly tribulation lightning fell, and Yun Zheng struck three times.
Three bolts of heavenly lightning were extinguished.
Yun Zheng ascended to tribulation transcendence.
In Fanzhou, there were many living tribulation transcendence experts and many who had died; there was more than just one. Naturally, many had crossed the lightning tribulation.
But in all of history, Yun Zheng was the only one known to the world who had slashed through the lightning tribulation with a sword.
Years ago, it was heard that the Ancestors of the Three Sects all told their disciples that the flourishing of Yun Zheng's sword dao was second only to the Sword Ancestor, and the sharpness of Yun Zheng's sword peak was such that even the three of them might find it hard to withstand.
What did this mean?
It was obvious. In the eyes of the Ancestors of the Three Sects, Yun Zheng's strength was considered the greatest among the human race.
Such a high evaluation was proof of his power.
Seeing his true form today, the lingering might of that single sword strike was indeed terrifying, exactly as the rumors described.
At the very least, there were likely very few in the world who could render that beast god opposite him immobile with a single sword strike.
Now, facing the Lord of East Desolation, Bai Ze, he remained expressionless, his heart as calm as an ancient well.
He was indeed terrifyingly strong.
"It's actually Bai Ze?"
"He is Yun Zheng?"
"I've seen them alive; I can die happy now."
"I can't imagine what kind of scene it would be if these two started fighting?"
"I'm afraid this three-thousand-mile Demon Suppression Abyss would cease to exist. You and I... heh, we wouldn't escape the disaster either."
Sounds of shock were endless, and a feeling of panic spread in all directions.
Xu Xian also felt uneasy.
One was his Fifth Senior Brother, a modest gentleman.
The other was the legendary Bai Ze, the Lord of East Desolation.
Plus an unknown beast god, his senior sister, dozens of beast sovereigns, and dozens of great ascension experts.
Of course, half of those great ascension experts did not belong to Wendao Sect. They had come, but whether they would actually fight or put in any effort if a battle truly broke out was another matter entirely.
However, if a fight did start, this battle would likely overturn the entire landscape of the Northern Borders and even the situation of all Fanzhou.
Was there any room for mediation?
To outsiders, perhaps. But those from Wendao Sect knew better, including Xu Xian.
They were all very aware that this battle would definitely happen; it was unavoidable.
It wasn't that the demon race insisted on fighting, but that Wendao Sect insisted on it.
Otherwise, Xu Xian would not have trampled this city.
Otherwise, he would not have left this elk alive.
But he had confidence in his senior brother and believed in his senior sister. Since she had intended for him to act this way and provoke this conflict, regardless of the purpose or reason, he believed Wendao Sect would win.
He also believed his senior sister and senior brother must be right.
Even if the price paid was heavy, even if they were criticized by both worlds, it didn't matter. At the very least, for Wendao Sect, it was certainly beneficial.
There wasn't that much good and evil in this world. Most opposition was nothing more than a difference in standpoint.
Xu Xian was part of Wendao Sect, so Wendao Sect was his standpoint—and that was perfectly justifiable.
Taking advantage of the confrontation between the two sides, he jumped down from the blood-colored elk's body and forced it to transform into a human form.
It became a young boy in his teens.
There was still a hint of naivety in his features. He was thin with fair skin, a high bridge on his nose, deep eyes, and thin lips like blades. He had a bit of a thuggish air, which, combined with his fiery red hair and blood-red eyes, added a touch of demonic charm.
One look and you could tell he wasn't a good person.
Looking closely, hidden within his flowing red hair was a pair of antlers, and his ears were pointed.
Xu Xian used a forbidden technique to lock his meridians. Then, he took out the iron chains from the Divine Sword Pool that had previously bound the divine swords Heaven-Burning Sparrow and Yellow Spring Burial, piercing them through the boy's collarbones to completely suppress his cultivation.
The boy let out a painful cry, his expression contorted, but it was all in vain.
Those were chains meant to lock divine swords, made of special materials. Although they had been snapped and their ancient power had vanished, they were more than enough to lock a sixth-grade beast king.
Seeing him try to struggle with hostility flaring in his eyes, Xu Xian stepped on his face and said fiercely, "Behave yourself, or I'll slaughter you."
"Kneel!"
The blood-colored elk lowered its gaze and actually sat obediently on the ground, no longer daring to struggle.
It was an auspicious beast. Its perception was very strong, and its insight was not weak either.
It could feel that other people or demons wanted to capture it but wouldn't kill it. But this youth before it was different—if he said he would kill, he truly would.
And he wouldn't even blink.
It didn't want to die.
Li Qingshan glanced over and said enigmatically, "Keeping it is useless; it won't be able to cross the Longevity Bridge."
Xu Xian wrinkled his nose and said honestly, "Alive, it's worth more than dead."
Li Qingshan pondered for a moment and agreed, "That's true."
The blood-colored elk understood and its eyes filled with a mix of shame and anger.
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