Chapter 589: The Bloody Era

But the Desolate Demon Realm is, after all, the home ground of the Azure Demon Clan, brimming with vast quantities of demonic qi.

Low and mid-tier cultivators of the Human Race, with their current cultivation bases, are still unable to absorb demonic qi and convert it for their own use.

During combat, this demonic qi indirectly accelerates the consumption of the human cultivators' spiritual power.

In contrast, the Azure Demon Clan can absorb a portion of the demonic qi during battle to replenish their own losses.

Over time, as the balance shifted, many human experts who were originally evenly matched began to fall behind, unwillingly meeting their demise at the hands of the Azure Demon Clan.

However, although the Azure Demon Clan holds a certain advantage within the Desolate Demon Realm, this edge is insufficient to sustain them through continuous major battles.

Thus, as time passed, a large number of both human and Azure Demon Clan cultivators began to perish.

Nevertheless, overall, the number of human cultivators falling in battle was slightly higher than that of the Azure Demon Clan.

In the Eastern Region of the Earthly Profound Realm, within the Star Tribulation Sect, a power at the Tribulation Crossing realm.

The Sect Master of the Star Tribulation Sect looked at the intelligence reports from the Desolate Demon Realm, his expression extremely grim.

Seeing this, the Grand Elder of the Star Tribulation Sect hesitated for a moment before tentatively proposing:

"Perhaps we should halt the war first? Let Liu Liu Yuanjun and the others establish a defensive line in the Desolate Demon Realm, and seize the realm at a more suitable opportunity later?"

In just a few short days, although this human alliance has not yet fallen behind in the Desolate Demon Realm, they have already suffered significant casualties there.

Although most of the fallen were Nascent Soul realm experts, continuing on this path would create a crisis of massive casualties even among experts below the Soul Transformation realm.

The Star Tribulation Sect is indeed a power at the Tribulation Crossing realm with deep foundations.

But if a large number of Soul Transformation realm disciples were to perish, it would have a considerable impact on the future of the Star Tribulation Sect.

Continuing like this would likely cause a certain degree of gap in the emergence of experts for the Star Tribulation Sect in some future period, which is something the Grand Elder is unwilling to see.

Therefore, although the benefits of seizing the Desolate Demon Realm are great, the Grand Elder of the Star Tribulation Sect began to consider avoiding a life-and-death struggle with the Azure Demon Clan in the Desolate Demon Realm.

"No, we cannot halt the war. We must seize the Desolate Demon Realm in one go; otherwise, the difficulty of taking it later will only increase."

Hearing the Grand Elder's proposal, the Sect Master of the Star Tribulation Sect rejected it outright without a second thought.

Seeing the Grand Elder's hesitant expression, the Sect Master of the Star Tribulation Sect continued:

"The Rule Crystals and Law Crystals concern the probability of our Star Tribulation Sect producing Mahayana realm experts, or even Immortal Realm experts, and even whether our sect can ascend to become a new hegemonic power in the Earthly Profound Realm in the future."

"Therefore, unless absolutely necessary, we must absolutely not abandon the Desolate Demon Realm."

The Star Tribulation Sect took the lead in forming a Demon-Hunting Alliance to conquer the Desolate Demon Realm specifically to obtain the Rule Crystals and Law Crystals.

Now that they have just encountered a counterattack from the Azure Demon Clan, the Sect Master of the Star Tribulation Sect is unwilling under any circumstances to stop the advance on the Desolate Demon Realm.

Seeing that his Sect Master was unwilling to halt the war, the Grand Elder of the Star Tribulation Sect wore a bitter smile and said with some difficulty: "But the situation on the battlefield of the Desolate Demon Realm has already been leaked. Now, within the Eastern Region of the Earthly Profound Realm, the number of independent cultivators and even disciples from other factions willing to join the Demon-Hunting Alliance and enter the Desolate Demon Realm is decreasing day by day."

Hearing this, the Sect Master of the Star Tribulation Sect, who was aware of this situation, his expression shifted, and he fell into silence.

A few days passed, and the human cultivators below the Nascent Soul realm who had originally entered the Desolate Demon Realm were all withdrawing, returning to the Earthly Profound Realm.

With the return of a large number of cultivators below the Nascent Soul realm, the situation on the Desolate Demon Realm battlefield quickly spread throughout the various regions of the Eastern Region of the Earthly Profound Realm.

Due to the ferocity of the Desolate Demon Realm battlefield, many Nascent Soul realm, and even Soul Transformation realm, experts in the Eastern Region began to hesitate.

They would rather raid and hunt the Azure Demon Clan in other Demon Realm worlds, or even within the Azure Demon Realm itself, than face the Azure Demon Clan in a large-scale battle within the Desolate Demon Realm.

After all, once trapped in such a large-scale battlefield and entangled by the Azure Demon Clan, they might have no room to retreat, forced to fight to the death continuously.

In this case, the risk of perishing is simply too high.

Furthermore, the Earthly Profound Realm itself is currently suffering from a large-scale invasion by the Azure Demon Clan.

Although the human leadership has dispatched many high-tier cultivators to encircle and annihilate them, the territory of the Earthly Profound Realm is ultimately too vast; many regions are still suffering from large-scale invasions by the Azure Demon Clan.

Even after human experts destroyed the wormhole entrances and exits opened by numerous Azure Demon Realms, many Azure Demon Clan members unable to return began to disperse into small groups, carrying the unique Demon Origin Trees of the Azure Demon Realm to remote and hidden areas of the Earthly Profound Realm to lie low in secret.

Among these lurking Azure Demon Clan members waiting for an opportunity, there were not a few experts of the Nascent Soul and Soul Transformation realms.

Whether to protect their families or to shield a region, many Nascent Soul and Soul Transformation realm experts in the Earthly Profound Realm have temporarily abandoned thoughts of traveling far.

Under these circumstances, the number of Nascent Soul and Soul Transformation realm experts their Demon-Hunting Alliance recruits daily has begun to drop significantly.

After a long silence, the Sect Master of the Star Tribulation Sect took a deep breath, his eyes sharpening, and declared firmly: "Regardless of the circumstances, this seat will absolutely not abandon the Desolate Demon Realm."

"This seat will go immediately to the Boundless Sect and the Southern Nether Palace. Is it just reinforcements from the Azure Demon Realm? We can reinforce as well, and we will increase the intensity of our reinforcements to seize the Desolate Demon Realm in the shortest time possible."

The Boundless Sect and the Southern Nether Palace, like the Star Tribulation Sect, are powers at the Tribulation Crossing realm.

Moreover, the Boundless Sect and the Southern Nether Palace are two of the three Tribulation Crossing realm powers that led the formation of this Demon-Hunting Alliance within the Desolate Demon Realm.

Besides these three Tribulation Crossing realm powers, the Demon-Hunting Alliance camp also includes seven Void Sky realm powers, over ten Void Void realm powers, and over a hundred powers below the Void Void realm.

"I simply do not believe that with the strength of our three families, plus all the Nascent Soul and Soul Transformation realm experts from other factions, we cannot seize such a small Desolate Demon Realm."

"Furthermore, this time I will also attempt to request aid from the three hegemonies of our Eastern Region: the Profound Heaven Sect, the Heavenly Origin Sect, and the Huangfu Immortal Clan."

"I will also offer vast resources to entice the experts of the Eastern Region; in the future, they will only be willing to enter the Desolate Demon Realm to fight, and the merit gained from slaying the Azure Demon Clan can be exchanged for cultivation resources in the Alliance Treasury."

"The Desolate Demon Realm, this seat is determined to obtain it!"

Having spoken, the Sect Master of the Star Tribulation Sect tore open space and vanished into the void, heading toward the nearest Boundless Sect.

The Grand Elder of the Star Tribulation Sect, left behind, seemed convinced by the Sect Master's summary of their strength, and the worry on his face diminished somewhat.

A few days later, atop the Profound Heaven Peak of the Profound Heaven Sect.

A projection of the Supreme Elder Yao Qiu arrived at the cave dwelling where Cen Zhe was in seclusion and asked:

"The Desolate Demon Realm has received reinforcements from the Azure Demon Realm; the progress of the conquest has stalled, and many human cultivators have perished."

"Now, the three major powers—the Star Tribulation Sect, the Boundless Sect, and the Southern Nether Palace—are jointly requesting aid. What is your view?"

Hearing Yao Qiu's inquiry, Cen Zhe, sitting cross-legged upon a lotus throne emitting a white light, slowly opened his eyes and said indifferently:

"The current priority is to stabilize the situation in the Earthly Profound Realm."

"Before the demon calamity in the Earthly Profound Realm is completely quelled, we, along with the Heavenly Origin Sect and the Huangfu Immortal Clan, must dispatch a large number of Elders and disciples to patrol the Eastern Region. Moreover, our Profound Heaven Sect's partitioned Small Thousand Realms are also suffering from incursions by the Azure Demon Clan; we need to dispatch additional Soul Transformation realm disciples to descend and exterminate the invading Azure Demon Clan, leaving us with insufficient strength to send forces elsewhere for the time being."

"As for the matter of the Desolate Demon Realm, let them fend for themselves!"

Hearing this, Yao Qiu nodded in agreement and said softly: "In that case, I will represent the Profound Heaven Sect in rejecting the aid requests from the Star Tribulation Sect, the Boundless Sect, and the Southern Nether Palace."

Cen Zhe nodded slightly, as if recalling something, and asked again:

"By the way, has any information returned from the Endless Sea?"

After the situation within the Profound Heaven Sect's territory stabilized somewhat.

Besides dispatching numerous Elders and Nascent Soul disciples to patrol the various regions of the Eastern Domain, the Profound Heaven Sect also sent a Tribulation Crossing Elder to probe the depths of the Endless Sea.

"Not yet. The Endless Sea is too vast; it is too early to gather much information."

"Sigh, now we can only hope that the human experts within the Endless Sea will take the initiative to sweep away the invading Green Demon Clan!"

A trace of worry appeared in Cen Zhe's eyes, but the Endless Sea was too vast, and he could do nothing about it.

The Endless Sea is also a crucial part of the Earthly Profound Realm, its importance no less than any of the Nine Regions of the Earthly Profound Realm, and its impact on the Earthly Profound Realm's ascension to the Great Thousand World cannot be ignored.

If the Endless Sea were massively destroyed by the Green Demon Clan, it would also have a certain impact on the Earthly Profound Realm.

"Heal your injuries first! Once the situation in the five inner regions stabilizes, the Earthly Profound Realm Alliance will naturally dispatch experts to intervene there."

"Mm, for now, we can only do so."

Immediately, Cen Zhe closed his eyes again, and rule fluctuations rippled through his body.

Seeing this, the projection of Yao Qiu slowly vanished on the spot.

Currently, most areas within the entire Earthly Profound Realm remain in a state of chaos.

Almost every day, countless mortal humans or cultivators are slain by the invading Green Demon Clan.

Bloodshed stained every corner of the Earthly Profound Realm.

If not for the wormhole gateways opened by the Green Demon Realm being successively destroyed by human experts, there would be even more Green Demon Clan members wreaking havoc within the Earthly Profound Realm, and the situation would be even worse.

Furthermore, after the Earthly Profound Realm Alliance began implementing early warnings for wormhole gateways between the two realms, it issued alerts to all cultivators across the Earthly Profound Realm.

It called upon cultivators of the Earthly Profound Realm to return from the Green Demon Realm, lest when the Green Demon Realm reacted and began destroying the wormhole gateways opened by the Earthly Profound Realm, human cultivators would be trapped within the Green Demon Realm.

Thus, after the Earthly Profound Realm Alliance issued the warning, most cultivators returning from the Green Demon Realm to the Earthly Profound Realm ceased going back to the Green Demon Realm.

They began to stay behind in the Earthly Profound Realm and join the sweep operations targeting the Green Demon Clan.

Even the experts guarding the various state domains increased significantly.

This greatly suppressed the destruction caused by the Green Demon Clan and accelerated the death rate of this batch of invading Green Demon Clan members.

It can be said that while the Green Demon Clan's reckless invasion certainly brought considerable trouble and casualties to the Earthly Profound Realm, the number of Green Demon Clan cultivators who fell in the Earthly Profound Realm was more than three times that of the humans.

But all of this was exchanged for the deaths of countless mortal humans and the destruction of numerous medium and small spiritual lands.

Overall, it can only be considered a pyrrhic victory; neither side gained any real advantage.

Except within the Earthly Profound Realm itself.

The eighteen Demon Realm worlds previously targeted by the Earthly Profound Realm were the most brutal battlefields for Nascent Soul and Soul Transformation cultivators.

Not just the Desolate Demon Realm.

The other seventeen Demon Realm worlds conquered by the Earthly Profound Realm's Demon-Hunting Alliance also saw massive reinforcements of the Green Demon Clan descend almost simultaneously.

Within these seventeen Demon Realm worlds, the current situation is much the same as in the Desolate Demon Realm.

Indeed, in the four Demon Realm worlds taken over by the four outer domains of the Earthly Profound Realm, the human alliance army already shows signs of collapse.

Even Dongxuan City under Ye Ye Qingxuan's command in the Eastern Extreme Domain dares not provoke the Demon Realm world taken over by the Eastern Extreme Domain.

Although Dongxuan City under his command has accumulated many Nascent Soul and Soul Transformation experts over the years, it is still far from being able to stand alone against the reinforcements dispatched by the Green Demon Realm Alliance.

If not for the Earthly Profound Realm Alliance branch within the four outer domains of the Earthly Profound Realm eventually taking over the conquest missions of the four major Demon Realm worlds, mobilizing and integrating the forces of major factions across the outer four domains to support the four human Demon-Hunting Alliance armies.

The four human Demon-Hunting Alliance armies would likely have been completely crushed by the reinforcements from the Green Demon Realm.

As for the other fourteen alliance armies formed by major factions within the five inner domains of the Earthly Profound Realm, although their situation is much better, hoping to conquer a Demon Realm world in a short time has become a pipe dream.

But even so, these eighteen alliance armies have not abandoned their campaigns against their respective Demon Realm worlds.

Setting aside the manpower and resources these factions have already invested, the mere temptation of Origin Crystals, Rule Crystals, and Law Crystals makes it impossible for them to easily abandon the Demon Realm worlds they have already conquered by more than half.

Therefore, with continuous reinforcements from both sides, these eighteen Demon Realm worlds instantly became the bloodiest flesh-grinders between the two races.

Beyond this, even the various minor subordinate worlds of the Earthly Profound Realm were no exception.

Human experts who were previously executing the plan to integrate various minor worlds into the Earthly Profound Realm successively encountered invasions and interference by Green Demon Clan Soul Transformation experts.

If not for the Green Demon Clan fearing that splitting their forces too much would cause them to lose the eighteen Demon Realm worlds currently under human attack.

These minor worlds would likely have also faced massive invasions by the Green Demon Clan.

While the human high command covets the subordinate Demon Worlds of the Green Demon Realm, does the Green Demon Clan not also covet the subordinate minor worlds of the Earthly Profound Realm?

But even though the number of Green Demon Clan experts invading these minor worlds was not large, various battles, big and small, erupted within these numerous minor worlds.

If not for the fact that most mortal humans within these minor worlds had already been relocated to the Earthly Profound Realm, the casualties would likely have been even higher.

It can be said that facing the Green Demon Clan's reckless massive invasion, all human cultivators across the entire Earthly Profound Realm have entered an extremely bloody era.

Many humans, from birth, are surrounded by propaganda and warnings of death and bloodshed.

Even the vast and boundless Endless Sea is no exception.

(End of this chapter)