"They've already gone mad. The contradiction between the Nine Heavens Dao Venerables and Great Yi is probably even greater than we imagined. This battle is aimed at completely annihilating Great Yi. That's fine. When the time comes, we'll slaughter all of the Nine Heavens Dao Venerables together. Whether there are demons among them or not, whether we know which one it is or not, we'll kill them all indiscriminately. That way, all troubles will be resolved naturally."Donghuang Taiyi sneered coldly, murderous intent surging like a sea, already itching to act.
Up to this point, the identity of the demon among the Nine Heavens Dao Venerables had never been completely confirmed. But once the fighting truly began, no one would distinguish between who was demon and who was not—everyone would strike to kill. What mattered now was to reach a consensus.
"Target them all first. We can sort it out later."Ancestor Minghe spoke after a moment of silence. At this moment, everything depended on Great Yi.
Only if Great Yi could withstand the assaults of the Nine Heavens Dao Venerables' retainers, only if it could frustrate their schemes, would it truly enrage them and force them to personally enter the fray. If Great Yi could not even endure such an offensive and was destroyed outright, then the Nine Heavens Dao Venerables would have no reason to act directly. And without stepping into Great Yi's domain, how could there be any chance to "slay the heavens"?
So for now, there was only one choice—wait.
Wait for Great Yi to repel the Dao Venerables' attack, for the true momentum to unfold. Wait until the Destiny True Dragon discovered the Ascension Gate and, within it, completed its metamorphosis. When Great Yi began its true ascension into an Immortal Court, the Nine Heavens Dao Venerables absolutely would not remain idle.
Of course, Great Yi's strength had already shocked them.
The existence of the Space Annihilation Cannons was simply too overbearing and brutal. Under their bombardment, even beast claws strong enough to rival Dao Proving experts were blasted apart on the spot, their deadly force instantly shattered, neutralizing the first wave of attacks and preventing catastrophic damage.
With four Space Annihilation Cannons mounted on every Immortal City, even the most powerful beings twitched at the corners of their mouths. Donghuang Taiyi's eyes twitched violently—where in the world had Great Yi gotten so many terrifying weapons? This was already leagues beyond any other Destiny Dynasty. These were not solitary super-weapons, but mass-deployed in formation.
One or two cannons were nothing to fear—but too many of them posed an immense threat, one that could be fatal even to top-tier existences.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
As soon as the Xuanhuang Barrier opened, an ocean of the Nine Heavens coalition surged toward the city. At the forefront was a tide of Heavenly Demon Insects.
They blotted out the sky, grotesque and horrific, morphing into countless demonic forms: Evil-Eye monstrosities, skeletons, demon tigers, beasts with many claws and legs—an endless variety, bizarre and nightmarish, every type imaginable.
Blood Asuras wreathed in murderous qi appeared in droves. Yellow Turban Warriors, bodies towering like divine generals, hefted colossal battle-axes. A horde of Evil Sword Immortals materialized in the void, each wicked sword gleaming with cold light.
"Prepare the God-Slaying Ballistae!!"
"Ready the Yin-Yang Annihilation Bomb!!"
"All soldiers prepare—free attack, no restrictions!!"
Upon the walls, countless Great Yi soldiers swiftly moved into position. Massive ballistae were cranked open, rune cannons began to glow. An army of bounty hunters rushed onto the battlements, each collecting a God-Slaying Crossbow. Ammunition was supplied without limit—one crate emptied was instantly replenished. Never would Great Yi's war reserves be found lacking.
War was not only about numbers. It was about equipment, logistics, and reserves.
War is money.
And Great Yi had money to burn.
Great Yi would rather spend gold to buy lives.
Money lost could always be earned again.
Life lost—nothing remained.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
Without hesitation, thick ballista bolts tore through the air, piercing the coalition ranks. Heavenly Demon Insects were blown apart. Yellow Turban Warriors roared, swinging giant hammers to smash incoming bolts—yet even then, the explosions engulfed hundreds of feet, spraying clouds of blood mist.
A rain of bolts filled the sky, cutting down Evil Sword Immortals striding through the void. Terrifying cannon blasts shot forth like heavenly spears, every impact unleashing explosions of catastrophic force.
The cannon light ploughed the battlefield flat, covering everything in its radius.
But these opponents were not ordinary. Even under such bombardment, the Nine Heavens coalition unleashed staggering power. Shields, barriers, divine arts—one after another countered the storm of bolts and cannon fire.
Yellow Turban Warriors swung warhammers, detonating blasts that ravaged allies and foes alike, yet their colossal bodies remained standing, though mangled. Some lost entire arms in the shockwaves, blood mist spraying.
Apostles of Judgment wielded the Judgment Order, swatting aside cannon fire and reducing giant bolts to ash.
There was no shortage of powerhouses among the coalition army.
"Rune snipers, divine archers—target their elites! Load Armor-Piercing Annihilation Rounds and Armor-Piercing Annihilation Arrows!"
Orders rang out. Snipers set up rune rifles—three kinds: Viper Sniper Rifles, silent and lethal;
Hurricane Eagle Rifles, blindingly fast and devastating;
and the rare Silver Dragon Rifles, forged with spatial materials, bullets slipping into the void and emerging unpredictably.
Each weapon demanded special conditions—strength, precision, or immense spiritual power to lock onto targets across dimensions. Thus, every sniper was a precious asset.
Gunshots cracked.
On the battlefield, coalition elites suddenly had their heads burst like melons, or gaping holes ripped through their bodies before they exploded entirely.
Archers too unleashed eerie shots, arrows vanishing into the void, reappearing at impossible angles, guided by arrow-intent, each one a death sentence.
Though described at length, all this happened in the blink of an eye.
War was merciless.
Every heartbeat shifted the battlefield.
The coalition's original plan had been to smash through Great Yi's Xuanhuang Barrier with giant beast claws, dropping armies directly into Immortal Cities and breaking resistance from within—just as Demon Heaven Dao Venerable had once done with great effect.
But before even reaching the walls, hundreds of thousands, even millions had fallen. The carnage was horrific.
Observers could only tremble inwardly.
"War truly cannot be won by numbers alone. It is also the fruit of technological development. Great Yi has perfected the fusion of runes into tools, creating war machines with battlefield-dominating power."Donghuang Taiyi narrowed his eyes.
The demon race was weak in this area. They excelled at brute slaughter, but few had talent for patient research, and fewer still could form a disciplined system. Their nature was unruly, ill-suited to decades of meticulous craft.
But the equipment of Great Yi? Donghuang Taiyi coveted it all.
Great Yi's prosperity in civilian life was precisely because of such inventions—their development was too rapid.
"Good. At this rate, the coalition of Nine Heavens won't be breaking Great Yi's Immortal Cities so easily. This war is far from over."Ancestor Minghe nodded to the others. Everything was proceeding as planned. Now it was only a matter of waiting.
In the void, the War Soul Battle Realm hovered above Great Yi, with Zhuge Liang personally overseeing it. Elite main battle legions stood arrayed, ready for deployment.
Currently, only regular garrisons manned the Immortal Cities. The true strike forces of Great Yi had not yet moved. These were the strategic reserves—only when a city faced collapse would they be dispatched. Their movement would mark the battle of life and death.
Now, the War Soul Battle Realm was fully manifested over Great Yi. Every citizen could see it.
Legions of warriors filled the realm—a sight that filled the people with endless confidence. For it showed them that Great Yi's true strength remained intact, always ready to fight.
And the people of Great Yi had never feared war.
"Nine Heavens Dao Venerables, with just this, you think you can shake Great Yi? Too naïve. My Great Yi will not be destroyed simply because you say so. With only this, you will never break our spine. Come then—if you have the ability, step forward! Today, I, Yi Tianxing, will accompany you to the very end!"
Yi Tianxing laughed coldly toward the heavens.