Chapter 859: Snatching the Spoils in the Shadows

"Li Yi, stop now. We've fought consecutive battles and have no strength left to continue. If we force another fight and other factions join in, we're all finished."

At this moment, Xiang Xiangzi and Xuan Yuezi arrived together, urging Li Yi not to pursue the killing any further.

Li Yi had just controlled the Demon King's weapon to slay several Demon Gods and was now exhausted. He looked around—the darkness was rapidly receding, and the ground along their path was littered with corpses.

Almost all were the remains of Demon Gods; few Evolvers or Daoists had fallen, for they all wore Crimson Gold Battle Armor, which neither cultivators, great demons, nor these Demon Gods could penetrate.

"Indeed, we must stop. Even I am exhausted, let alone others." Li Yi watched the darkness retreat and sighed, choosing not to pursue further.

Powerful foes from a great realm are not easily eradicated. To drive them back this time is already a great victory.

Xiang Xiangzi and Xuan Yuezi breathed a sigh of relief at Li Yi's reason and obedience—they had truly feared that, in their weakened state, a formidable enemy might strike and deliver a fatal blow.

After all, Earth held too many dangers; caution was unavoidable.

Li Yi immediately said: "Immediately order everyone to cease pursuit and return swiftly to Earth's defensive line for rest. As for any stragglers, we can clean them up later after we've recuperated."

"There's plenty of time. Once I break through to the Three Flowers Realm, I'll settle accounts with these people."

His gaze flickered; his killing intent remained undiminished.

Li Yi had already decided: once he broke through to the Three Flowers Realm, he would travel to the Demon God Realm or the Xuan Immortal Continent, making them feel the same fire that had scorched his world.

"Ladies, come with me."

Without further hesitation, he turned and left.

On the return journey, Li Yi continuously transmitted orders, summoning all Daoists and Evolvers back to Earth's defensive line for rest. Do not chase the fleeing enemy—do not waste your lives. Preserve strength for unknown dangers ahead.

Upon Li Yi's summons,

Daoists and Evolvers immediately responded, turning back on their paths without hesitation. They abandoned solo actions—even if they had a chance to kill the enemy before them, they chose to let it go.

After all, this was a battlefield. One must obey command and arrangement; no one should show off.

All had this awareness. These Evolvers had survived countless battles; the Daoists obeyed Li Yi without question.

As all gathered from every direction, Li Yi surveyed the surroundings and finally relaxed.

Earth's defensive line had already learned of the situation here.

Zhao Yongshan, Xiao Jianguo, and others in the command center, via intelligent satellites, had confirmed the battlefield's status. Those Evolvers who hadn't fought were now filled with excitement.

"Good, excellent—the Demon Gods of the Dark World have been driven back. We actually won this battle. Unbelievable. Truly unbelievable."

"Hah! The Demon King was slain! The Demon God Realm is terrified. Did you see? Silver Fang Demon King didn't even look back—he abandoned his base and fled, dared not retaliate."

"It was right to strike first at the Xuan Immortal Continent. Under the combined assault of our two experts, they were already nearly wiped out. After the Immortals fell, the True Immortals dared not descend—after one skirmish, they ran. Pathetic."

Yet Zhao Yongshan saw deeper. He said seriously: "The True Immortals of the Xuan Immortal Continent are the most treacherous. They fought our two experts merely to drain their strength, then provoked the Demon King to intervene—using the Demon King's hand to achieve their goal while watching the battle unfold, gaining two advantages at once."

"But the Demon King was too greedy. Silver Fang Demon King held off our experts, while another Demon King tried to swiftly clear the battlefield and then seize both gains. When Golden Feather Demon King revealed his true form, I nearly lost hope. I never expected Li Yi to turn the tide and slay Golden Feather Demon King decisively. Had he failed, we'd have been shattered—forced to flee across dimensions."

Others saw only victory or defeat. Zhao Yongshan saw the layered calculations—and understood why the True Immortals, despite knowing their base had been destroyed, still fought Xiang Xiangzi and Xuan Yuezi.

He also understood why the two Demon Kings did not attack together but split their forces.

The greatest turning point lay with Li Yi.

When Miao Huizi was defeated, Wang Chengjun and Li Weiguo wounded, the situation was on the verge of collapse. No one anticipated that when the dimensional gate opened, Li Yi's power surged—he unveiled the Demon King's weapon and struck fiercely, growing stronger with each battle, ultimately turning the tables and killing Golden Feather Demon King.

Of course, Wang Chengjun and Li Weiguo's decisive action was indispensable—they sacrificed their own cultivation to transfer their destiny's fortune to Li Yi.

After weathering the most perilous moment, the Demon God Realm's base was purged, and the Dark World's Demon Gods who had hoped to scavenge the battlefield were severely wounded. We won this great battle decisively.

Xiao Jianguo nodded: "Zhao Yongshan, your analysis is sound. Li Yi's order to recall everyone to Earth's defensive line is correct. If we continue chasing the Dark World's Demon Gods, the True Immortals of the Xuan Immortal Continent might re-enter the fray, striking us while our experts are exhausted."

"Remember, not a single True Immortal has perished. They still possess the strength to reinvade Earth. Do not underestimate them."

"So it really was that close," Zhao Yongshan said. "Though we're now talking post-battle, the battlefield shifts in an instant. Even if we understood their intentions, by the time they acted, it was too late. Everything must be decided on the spot." He then began pacing excitedly.

"Regardless, once Li Yi and his group return to the Demon God Realm's defensive line and rest for a few days, this victory is ours. The tide has turned back to our side. We now have more time and space to grow. The future is no longer hopeless—it still holds promise." He understood: even this victory didn't guarantee safety, but it bought Earth and its Evolvers precious time to develop. When more experts emerged on Earth, a future dimensional war wouldn't leave us so vulnerable.

Xiao Jianguo said: "Not only that. Our victory will draw back many powerful figures who had lost faith in Earth's future. Why did so many experts flee across dimensions? Sometimes it wasn't cowardice—they simply saw no hope of winning. Now, Li Yi has led dozens to crush three great realms' champions. This is a monumental turning point."

"I never expected Li Yi to step forward and save us at this moment. Before the battle, I'd already notified every survival base to prepare for evacuation. Now, it seems unnecessary."

Zhao Yongshan felt a wave of relief.

Had Li Yi failed to repel the Demon King's assassination, he would have immediately ordered survival base leaders to open dimensional gates and evacuate the Evolvers—for the future.

"Quickly bring out the mystical artifacts, open Dimensional Gate #30, and release cosmic energy into Earth's defensive line to restore everyone's condition."

Dimensional Gate #30 leads to an unknown world.

The coordinates of this world are kept under the highest secrecy.

When a faint dimensional gate opened from a hidden location within Earth's defensive line command center, a thick, pure, uncontaminated cosmic energy immediately spread across the entire Earth direction.

This cosmic energy was meant to rapidly restore Li Yi and everyone's condition.

After countless battles, all knew everyone was at their weakest. And now that everyone's strength had been exposed, if any great realm's force now descended, it would be a catastrophic disaster.

So the immediate priority was to restore strength as quickly as possible.

Once today passed, everything would be settled.

When Li Yi returned to Earth's defensive line, he was stunned by the cosmic energy—he clearly sensed a surging torrent of it flowing from somewhere within the command building.

But he gave it no further thought. He immediately formed a hand seal and activated the Heaven-and-Earth Absorption Technique, drawing in the cosmic energy to refill his parched meridians.

Beside him, Xuan Yuezi and Xiang Xiangzi immediately sat upon auspicious clouds, beginning their recovery.

Other returning Daoists and Evolvers did the same.

They were at their weakest now—no room for carelessness.

"Hong Ji, return to Earth's defensive line immediately and keep the dimensional gate open. The incense power must not be cut." Li Yi instructed the AI Hong Ji aboard the Daoist warship.

"Yes, Master." Hong Ji immediately guided the Daoist warship toward them.

Even while recovering, Li Yi had to maintain combat readiness—keeping the incense power active was essential.

Yet their actions were partially observed by the True Immortals far away on the Xuan Immortal Continent.

These True Immortals fell into thought, considering whether to descend now.

Whether Xiang Xiangzi, Xuan Yuezi, or even Li Yi—all clearly had exhausted their magic power, their combat strength severely diminished, unable even to pursue the Demon Gods.

If six True Immortals descended now, they could slay the enemy effortlessly.

"They still have hidden cards. If we descend now, at least three True Immortals will perish," spoke Cang Erzi, a newly ascended True Immortal hermit from the Xuan Immortal Continent.

"Hidden cards?" Taihao True Immortal fixed Cang Erzi with a gaze: "Do you have intelligence?"

"Do you forget how Tian Yue Demon King died?" Cang Erzi said calmly, offering no further words.

All True Immortals frowned.

They had investigated the battlefield where Tian Yue Demon King perished and gained some insights—they understood a formidable presence had concealed itself near Li Yi.

But when Golden Feather Demon King attacked Li Yi, that presence had not moved. They had reason to suspect the powerful being had perished alongside Tian Yue Demon King.

Yet Cang Erzi's reminder made them hesitate.

"If Taihao True Immortal insists on descending, I suggest all six of us strike together—deliver a peak-level assault, giving them no time to prepare. And we must act swiftly—otherwise, once they recover, it will be too late," said Cang Erzi.

Taihao True Immortal's expression shifted. He glanced at the others: "What do you all say? Shall we let this pass, or strike decisively and take this opportunity?"

(End of Chapter)