Chapter 766: The Battle of Void Refinement

In the blink of an eye,

twenty years passed.

The war of realms dragged on for ages; often, the time spent merely traveling equaled a mortal's entire lifetime. Had it not been for contraceptive spells, many babies might already have been born, grown up, started school, and prepared for the college entrance exam within the fleet.

The steel fleet plunged into the realm barrier filled with a sky full of red clouds.

The temperature around them suddenly skyrocketed to several thousand degrees Celsius. Looking out, above and below, everywhere was a sea of fiery red; clusters of flames swayed with the wind, like trees moving in the breeze.

The layer of violent wind had entirely transformed into a layer of fire wind.

Only after breaking through the violent wind layer and entering the cloud layer did the temperature begin to drop. Colors other than fiery red began to appear around them, yet it still felt like several hundred degrees, enough to steam a mortal to death.

There were no ambushes.

Up to now, the ground forces of the Brother Xuanwu Heavenly Palace had been completely exhausted. They could only conscript vast numbers of vassal powers; native Foundation Establishment and Jin Dan cultivators relied on the Great Realm Stabilization Array to hold their ground, stalling for time, with no capacity for open-field warfare left.

The Northern Sky Heaven Front Army, having successfully landed, adjusted their battle formation and flew east toward the Xuan Wu Ding Gao Jie array base, a towering peak named Fire Spirit Mountain.

"Commander, we have entered the Fire Spirit Realm and are executing the mission."

Teacher Ouyang Hui saluted and reported, "The Fire Spirit Realm is a Minor Thousand World with extremely abundant fire-attribute spiritual energy. It boasts a rich variety of fire-attribute demon beasts, demon insects, and fire-attribute spiritual plants of diverse ranks, but it is unsuitable for habitation."

"According to intelligence, the entire human population of the Fire Spirit Realm numbers only a little over ten million. Their bloodlines and genes have mutated in a fire-attribute direction to adapt to the local environment. The Brother Xuanwu Heavenly Palace refers to them as the Fire Spirit Clan, and many disciples originate from this race."

"This is the homeland of the 'Fire King,' whom you once met."

"The history of the Brother Xuanwu Heavenly Palace ruling here has exceeded one hundred thousand years. One could say the history of the Fire Spirit Clan is the history of the Brother Xuanwu Heavenly Palace. Resistance here will be stronger than in other Minor Thousand Worlds."

"Beyond that, the united front work here might be difficult to carry out."

"Currently, it seems we can only recruit and promote some low-level cultivators from the Fire Spirit Clan, thoroughly eliminate the stubborn ones who refuse to cooperate, yet not strike too harshly... We need the Fire Spirit Clan. Many possess innate superhuman strength, excellent fire-attribute talents, and are often body-refining cultivators. They are very suitable laborers; their wages are far lower than heat-resistant engineering robots, and their work efficiency is quite good. Ordinary workers casually possess ten-thousand-jin strength."

"It's starting to feel a bit like the demon race."

Jiang Ding nodded.

The distinction between the demon race and humanity, this dominant race, is that the lower limit of strong demon clans is high; they are born with powerful physiques and possess one or two praiseworthy, excellent innate abilities.

However, their upper limit might be somewhat lower; the bloodline that allows them to become cultivators also imposes restrictions upon them.

Humanity, on the other hand, has an extremely low lower limit but an extremely high upper limit.

"We hope to apply for some Immortal Gate citizens who cultivate fire-attribute Gong Fa, as well as fire-attribute special adaptation nano-liquid robots, to enter and participate in supervising and managing the Fire Spirit Clan, preventing rebellions that will almost certainly occur frequently due to well-known reasons."

Teacher Ouyang Hui handed over a document containing exactly the content mentioned above; it required the signature of the Sky Heaven Front Army Commander to take effect.

Well-known reasons.

During the era of the Brother Xuanwu Heavenly Palace, a vast number of the Fire Spirit Clan entered the Brother Xuanwu Heavenly Palace, becoming inner and outer sect disciples, and even producing one of the 'Ten Kings of the Heavenly Palace.' There were one or two Soul Transformation Master Canghai Canghai Tianjun within the clan, holding very noble status.

In fact, a Soul Transformation Master Canghai Canghai Tianjun of the Fire Spirit Clan is still alive, gazing at his homeland within the Brother Xuanwu Heavenly Palace with eyes full of hatred.

Now, when the people of the Fire Spirit Clan arrive beneath the Immortal Gate, their path forward is instantly cut off; the gap is too great.

It will take hundreds or even thousands of years, educating generation after generation, destroying history, and eliminating dangerous elements before this race will settle down and cease causing trouble.

"The Great Dao belongs only to a very small number of Fire Spirit Clan members."

Jiang Ding, expressionless, signed his name on the document.

"The vast majority of Fire Spirit Clan cultivators were originally destined to live mediocre lives. Our arrival has given them a more generous and easier life. The lower and middle levels of the Fire Spirit Clan have been liberated; we stand among the vast majority of the Fire Spirit masses."

"Your attitude needs correction. Most Fire Spirit Clan members are our friends; they can be won over and guided through public opinion."

"A tiny minority of Fire Spirit Clan members cannot drag the entire Fire Spirit Clan down for their own interests; that is foolish and immoral. We cannot fail on the battlefield of public opinion."

A tiny minority of Fire Spirit Clan members with exceptional talent are seekers of the Dao.

The Immortal Gate is also a seeker of the Dao.

The struggle for the Great Dao inherently possesses no justice or evil; it is merely each side employing their own means.

"Yes!"

Teacher Ouyang Hui felt a sudden chill.

Unknowingly, she had already developed prejudices against the entire Fire Spirit Clan in her heart; even later, if it became too troublesome, she had thoughts of wanting to exterminate the entire race.

This would not be difficult to accomplish.

It is merely a little over ten million people; they reproduce with difficulty and require a special environment for growth and development, far less hardy than humans. Extermination, rooting them out, would be a piece of cake.

"The transformation of the Fire Spirit Clan must also proceed simultaneously."

Jiang Ding thought for a moment and added, "The name 'Fire Spirit Clan' should be used as little as possible from now on. When eliminating them, they can be referred to as 'People of the Fire Spirit Realm.'

They are merely humans with some fire-attribute talents; they are not some alien race. The clan consciousness must be eradicated; human thought can be shaped.

If the professional comrades in education do a good job, it will take at most a few hundred years."

"That is somewhat difficult."

Teacher Ouyang Hui shook her head: "Within the Immortal Gate's liberal arts majors, there are many traitors, and bureaucratic habits have been added. Many things, when implemented, often deviate from the plan."

"No need to worry; this is wartime."

"Those people, if they do not wish to be executed, will restrain themselves."

Jiang Ding's gaze turned cold.

"If a Minor Realm seized by the Immortal Gate at the cost of lives is destroyed due to personal selfishness, it must also be repaid with life; that is reasonable and just."

"Let us hope so."

Teacher Ouyang Hui sighed.

Boom!

Boom, boom!

While the two spoke, the naval cannons roared continuously, their light flashing, shaking heaven and earth. Again and again, without cease, the Brother Xuanwu Ding Gao Jie heavenly pillars collapsed amidst the explosions, turning to dust and vanishing just like the stubborn Fire Spirit Clan members within them.

After destruction comes rebirth. The fleet deployed groups of Immortal Gate cultivators, each casting spells and deploying engineering machinery as tall as high-rise buildings. The reconstruction of the realm stabilization array is proceeding in full swing.

It can be seen that compared to twenty years ago, everyone's efficiency has improved significantly; they are familiar with the routine, and this array base can be completed in at most a month and a half.

"The Seventh Realm, the Fire Spirit Realm!"

Jiang Ding muttered to himself.

This Minor Thousand World is the seventh minor realm occupied by the Immortal Sect.

Including the original ones, up to now, the Immortal Sect has possessed twenty Minor Thousand Worlds and is rapidly approaching the Taiyi Qingmu Xianzong average of twenty-six minor realms.

These are all flesh cut from Brother Brother Xuanwu's Heavenly Palace.

In the sky, colorful patches were occasionally seen within the realm barrier, emitting terrible and unknown power that made hundreds of millions of cultivators suffocate, their souls stiffening.

The realm barrier was deforming and shattering!

Outside the realm, a terrifying Void Refining-level war was taking place; the powerful figures of Brother Brother Xuanwu's Heavenly Palace could endure it no longer and could no longer sit idly by while their sect's minor realms were lost one by one.

(End of this chapter)