Chapter 654

Clang!

Clang!

The Chaos Bell rang once, shaking the vast cosmos and stirring the ages of the Myriad Heavens.

- Translation: "The Chaos Bell rang once, shaking the myriad worlds, stirring the ages of the Myriad Heavens."

Check: "The Chaos Bell sounded once". "shook the vast cosmos". "stirred the ages of the Myriad Heavens". We'll produce: "The Chaos Bell rang once, shaking the vast cosmos and stirring the ages of the Myriad Heavens."

But need to keep meaning exactly. We'll do: "The Chaos Bell rang once, shaking the vast cosmos and stirring the ages of the Myriad Heavens."

Under the bell's will, the countless, densely packed Heavenly River elites—drawn from myriad races and arrayed according to the Great Dao's principle of mutual generation and restriction—began to ebb like a tide.

- Translation: "Under the will of that bell sound, the Heavenly River Elite—countless, densely packed, drawn from myriad races, assembled into an army by combining racial talents according to the Great Dao's law of mutual generation and overcoming—began to retreat like a tide."

We need to keep all info. Let's craft: "Under the will of that bell toll, the Heavenly River Elite—innumerable, tightly packed, sourced from countless races, formed into an army by combining racial talents per the Great Dao's law of generation and overcoming—began to retreat like a tide."

The human troops at this border pass, their armor already stained five colors by foul demon blood, had fought sleeplessly and to the death for countless days and nights; upon seeing the enemy retreat like a blanket over mountains and fields, their minds went blank and they exhaled.

- Translation: "The human soldiers guarding this border pass, their armor long stained five colors by the foul demon blood, had fought sleepless and death‑defying for countless days and nights; when they saw the enemy retreating like a blanket over mountains and fields, their minds went blank and they let out a breath."

Their armor had long been stained five colors by foul demon blood; after fighting sleeplessly and to the death for countless days and nights, upon seeing the enemy retreat like a blanket over mountains and fields, their spirits dazed, they exhaled.

Let's produce: "The human soldiers guarding this border pass, their armor long stained five colors by the foul demon blood, had fought sleepless and death‑defying for countless days and nights; upon seeing the enemy retreat like a blanket over mountains and fields, their spirits went dazed and they exhaled."

As that breath was released, many soldiers instantly sat and dissolved, their bodies turning into a sky‑full rain of light. This burning from soul to flesh held little lethal power—only warmth and blessing that fell on comrades, soothing their wounds and easing their souls' pain.

- Translation: "When that breath was released, many soldiers instantly sat and dissolved, their bodies turning into a sky‑full rain of light—this was the burning from soul to bodily remnants, yet strangely it held little lethal force, only warmth and blessing, falling on comrades to soothe their wounds and ease their souls' anguish."

Sat and dissolved, their bodies suddenly turned into a sky‑full rain of light—this burning from soul to flesh held little lethal power, only warmth and blessing that fell on comrades, smoothing their wounds and easing their souls' pain.

Let's produce: "When that breath was released, many soldiers instantly sat and dissolved, their bodies turning into a sky‑full rain of light—this was the burning from soul to bodily remnants, yet surprisingly it held little lethal force, only warmth and blessing, falling on comrades to smooth their wounds and ease their souls' anguish."

They were exhausted!

- Translation: "They were utterly exhausted!"

They were exhausted to death.

- Translation: "Exhausted to the point of death!"

They had taken too much damage!

- Translation: "They had suffered far too much damage!"

They persisted solely by a stubborn will to fight to the death.

- Translation: "They persisted solely on a sliver of death‑defying obsession!"

Stationed here amid the endless heavenly‑earthly war, the demon army launched relentless, cost‑no‑object assaults; when the battle grew dire, even the human reserves were forced forward to fight on the front lines.

- Translation: "Guarding this place, amid the endless sky‑and‑earth war, the demon army launched all‑out attacks without regard for cost; when the battle grew dire, even the human reserves were forced onto the front lines to fight."

Even the troops already stationed here, who had borne the earlier waves of defense, hardly found a moment's respite, almost constantly charging on the battlefield.

- Translation: "Not to mention the human troops stationed here who had borne the previous waves of defense—they hardly had a moment's rest, almost constantly charging on the battlefield."

Even though Yandi's logistics were fully stocked with medicines and he spared no effort arranging and deploying personnel, striving to care for every soldier.

- Translation: "Even though Yandi's logistics were fully stocked with medicines and he spared no effort arranging and deploying personnel, striving to care for every soldier,"

Even though Yandi's logistics were fully stocked with medicines and he spared no effort arranging and deploying personnel, striving to care for every soldier.

But there are too many enemies!

- Translation: "But the enemy was too numerous!"

The demons' defining trait is their numbers.

- Translation: "The Demon Race's trait is sheer numbers!"

So many races!

- Translation: "Many races!"

Their numbers are vast.

- Translation: "Vast numbers!"

All kinds of strange and wondrous abilities, as countless as they come—the demons' sheer numbers are astonishing.

- Translation: "All kinds of bizarre divine abilities, as endless as their numbers……the Demon Race's numerical advantage is astounding!"

Even if Yandi had to defy heaven, he pre‑planned the strategy so every soldier knew it by heart; in battle they could spontaneously adjust their lines, using the perfect mystical counters against most demons to send the right fighters against the right foes, gaining maximal victory at minimal cost and achieving a stunning kill‑loss ratio.

- Translation: "Even if Yandi had to defy heaven, they pre‑planned the strategy so every human soldier knew it by heart, allowing flexible, spontaneous adjustments of the battle lines when combat began; relying on their understanding of most demons, they applied the most fitting divine means in each place to counter them, sending the right people against the right foes to gain maximal results at minimal cost, achieving a stunningly glorious kill‑loss ratio……"

But humans have limits.

- Translation: "But……humans have limits."

When the limit is reached, orders inevitably break down.

- Translation: "When the limit was reached, the enforcement of orders inevitably broke down."

They could have retreated to buy time and adjust.

- Translation: "Originally, they could have chosen to yield, trading space for time to make adjustments."

But no one did.

- Translation: "But nobody did so."

Each human bore this mistake with their own flesh and blood, fighting to the death without retreat, holding the line and keeping the demons from crossing this frontier.

- Translation: "Every human bore this mistake with their own flesh and blood, fighting to the death without retreat, holding this line of defense, not letting the demon race step past this strategic pass."

When their mana is exhausted, they burn their blood and qi.

- Translation: "When magical power was exhausted, they burned their blood and qi!"

When their blood and qi are drained, they burn their souls.

- Translation: "When blood and qi were drained, they burned their souls!"

In the end, even with only a sliver of resolve left, they still fought on.

- Translation: "In the end, even if only a sliver of obsession remained, they still fought on!"

This is the human spirit and will; it shocked countless attacking demons, making their very souls tremble.

- Translation: "This is the human spirit, this is the human will; it shocked countless attacking demons, making their very souls tremble."

Only after the demon army withdrew did those soldiers—who were already dead—come to from their resolve and realize their state.

- Translation: "Only after the demon army withdrew did those soldiers who were already dead in body awaken from their obsession and realize their condition."

After a soft sigh, they smiled as they dissolved into the Dao, bidding farewell to the living and leaving hope, blessing, and their own faith in humanity's struggle to their comrades.

- Translation: "After a soft sigh, they smiled and dissolved into the Dao, bidding farewell to the living, leaving hope and blessings to their comrades, along with their own faith in humanity's struggle."

Those still alive silently shed tears, tracing their faces—a profound grief.

- Translation: "Those still alive silently shed tears, tears tracing their faces—a profound grief."

The wounds to their flesh never caused them fear or pain, let alone tears; only the loss of comrades could stir the warriors' iron‑clad resolve.

- Translation: "The wounds to their flesh never made them fear or suffer pain, let alone draw tears from that; only the loss of comrades could stir the iron‑clad resolve of a warrior's spirit."

However, once the tears ran dry and the comrades' light‑rain fell upon them, they returned to normal—no, they became even more resolute, a strength born from within.

- Translation: "But once the tears ran dry and the comrades' light‑rain fell upon them, they returned to normal—no, they became even more resolute, a strength born from the heart!"

Kill!

- Translation: "Kill!"

The Wu, who oversees ideological work and holds a status equal to a clan leader, coldly watched the retreating demon troops, gauged the battlefield, then suddenly let out a low roar and led the charge in a counter‑offensive.

- Translation: "The one in charge of ideological work, whose status among humans was no less than that of a clan chief—the "Shaman"—cold‑eyed the retreating demon troops, gauged the battlefield situation, then suddenly let out a low roar, leading the charge with hair flying."

The enemy is in disarray—follow me and charge!

- Translation: "The enemy is in disorder—follow me and charge!"

With each Wu as a core, the remaining able soldiers gathered around them, becoming sharp daggers that ferociously plunged into the equally weary demon ranks; in an instant it was like a boulder dropped in water, sending up countless splashes, throwing the whole scene into chaos as the human elite cut down in all directions.

- Translation: "Taking each Shaman as a core, the soldiers who still retained some fighting strength gathered around them, turning on the battlefield into a multitude of sharp blades that fiercely plunged into the equally weary demon ranks; for a moment it was like a boulder dropped in water, sending up countless splashes, the whole scene fell into chaos, and the human elite slaughtered in all directions."

Humans, you have no martial virtue!

- Translation: "Humans, you have no martial virtue!"

A sharp, metallic cry like metal striking stone, it was the Azure Eagle clan leader issuing the harshest rebuke.

- Translation: "A sharp cry like metal striking stone came from the leader of the Azure Hawk Clan, uttering the sternest rebuke."

Our sovereign has already rung the bell to recall the troops, yet you dare break the battlefield's rules!

- Translation: "Our Majesty has sounded the bell to recall troops, yet you actually broke the battlefield's rules!"

So‑called rules—if they're broken, they're broken.

- Translation: "So‑called rules—if they're broken, they're broken!"

The human Wu roared, "When you invade our borders, plundering and slaughtering, you show no respect for human rights!"

- Translation: "The human Shaman roared, "When you invade our borders, plundering and slaughtering, you show no respect for human rights!""

If that's the case, then on the battlefield don't blame us for using deceit.

- Translation: "If that's the case, then on the battlefield don't blame us for using deceit!"

Moreover!

- Translation: "Moreover!"

What business does the demon emperor have over our bodies? Hahaha!

- Translation: "What business does that Demon Emperor have over our human bodies? Hahaha!"

The Wu laughed unrestrainedly, venting the lingering fury from their hard‑fought struggle and watching comrades fall.

- Translation: "The Shaman laughed uproariously, venting the lingering fury from having fought till now while watching comrades die."

"Humans… you wait!" the demon officer wailed, "Wait for the Eastern Sovereign to kill your emperor, and you'll all die—die!"

- Translation: ""Humans… you wait!" the Demon Commander howled, "Wait for the East Emperor Majesty to slay your human emperor—you'll all die, you'll all die!""

"We've already taken the battlefield—we don't even hope to live!" the human warrior gripped his spear, thrust hard, found an opening, and as if a flash of light pierced the foe's chest, then lifted with all his strength, nearly cleaving them in two, demon blood spraying—"To threaten with death—what is there to fear?"

- Translation: ""We've already stepped onto the battlefield—we never expected to live!" the human war commander grappling with the enemy clenched his spear, thrust hard, seized an opening, and as if a flash of light, pierced the foe's chest, then heaved upward, nearly cleaving them in two, demon blood spraying—"To threaten with death, what is there to fear?""

That warrior's eyes widened, he suddenly let out a low shout that shook the four directions, and then shattered his opponent.

- Translation: "That war commander's eyes widened, he let out a low shout that shook the wilds, and then shattered his opponent!"

Kill! Kill! Kill!

- Translation: "Kill! Kill! Kill!"

He roared, locked onto another foe, and charged straight in to slaughter them.

- Translation: "He roared, locked onto another foe, and charged straight to slaughter him."

However, in this process he still held a thought, silently blessing and praying, cheering on the human Fire Master's sovereign.

- Translation: "But in this process he still held a thought, silently blessing and praying, cheering on the human Fire Master's Emperor."

Your Majesty Yandi, you must not come to harm!

- Translation: ""Yandi Majesty, you must absolutely not come to harm!""

This is not just one person's wish, but the shared hope of many.

- Translation: "This is not one person's wish, but the shared hope of countless people."

So… where is the human emperor Yandi now?

- Translation: "So……where is the human Yandi now?"

——He is on a more transcendent battlefield!

- Translation: "——He is on a more transcendent battlefield!"

As the sovereign of all humanity and the emperor of the Fire Master, he has always been at the forefront, single‑handedly opposing the demon Eastern Sovereign and that world‑moving Chaos Bell.

- Translation: "As the human sovereign and the Fire Master's Emperor, he has always been at the very front, single‑handedly opposing the demon race's East Emperor and that Chaos Bell which moves the Myriad Heavens!"

The holy fire blazed, yet it suffered a rare defeat.

- Translation: "The Holy Fire blazed, yet it suffered a rare defeat."

This fire and the Slayer‑Wu sword counter each other, making it hard to say who is stronger on the road… but what about the Chaos Bell?

- Translation: "This fire and the Slayer‑of‑Shamans sword counteract each other—it's hard to say which is stronger on the path……but as for the Chaos Bell?"

This bell is extraordinary and special—it simply doesn't respond to this; it's basically a whole different system.

- Translation: "This bell is quite extraordinary, quite special—it doesn't follow this set at all……it's basically a completely different system!"

The Chaos bell trembled, the myriad ages of time and space were hazy, the vast Chaos surged, sweeping over, as if submerging countless ages and epochs, letting them all turn to dust, buried in the tomb of nothingness.

Even if the Holy Fire strives to burn long, facing this unstoppable torrent like an overwhelming tide, it also appears somewhat powerless, being suppressed.

Chaos Bell…… the two words 'Chaos' are truly transcendent.

The greatest Chaos is a supreme mystery that once required Pangu himself to come, wield the god-splitting axe, to be able to destroy it!

At present, Yandi's performance is still far from Pangu's level, so it is impossible for a spark of Holy Fire to become an eternal, unextinguished lighthouse that illuminates the entire Chaos and dispels all confusion.

When the East Emperor pressed down with his palm, merging with the vast Chaos transformed from the Chaos Bell, he struck toward Yandi……

Although the Human Emperor is not weak, in an instant boundless divine powers erupted, possessing the divine might of Grand Simplicity that opens up everything, he surged upward…… yet in the end he was still injured!

Drop by drop, the unique blood of humanity rolled down his armor, staining half his body red, complementing the crimson flames—bleak yet all the more perilous.

In contrast, the East Emperor remained unharmed, still calm and composed.

In this emperor-versus-emperor showdown, Taiyi held the upper hand.

Nevertheless, despite that, the first to conceive the idea of halting war was the East Emperor…… in the clash of a chaotic time-space, the instant and eternity were opposed yet intertwined, brief yet enduring, prompting him to first make a decision, strike the Chaos Bell, and order the armies to withdraw, temporarily bringing things to a close.

Because Yandi was too stubborn, and also too astonishing.

He seemed to possess boundless potential, in life-or-death combat repeatedly surpassing himself, escaping one deadly calamity after another, always seizing vitality, his gaze growing ever fiercer, his strength ever greater!

One who originally relied only on the Human Emperor's status to touch the threshold of Grand Simplicity, a rookie, as they fought, the East Emperor suddenly realized that Yandi actually had the rhythm to cross that threshold, allowing his insight into the realm to match his combat power!

How is this acceptable?!

Originally the East Emperor wanted to try, to see if he could single-handedly crush Yandi in a swift sweep…… but upon a glance, he felt his elder brother was right—better to be safe, summon helpers, and gang up is the true way.

Kill him in one go, to avoid further power-ups that would leave people bored.

'This Human Emperor might have some secrets!' Taiyi once pondered, 'They say a spark can start a prairie fire, growing ever stronger, which seems reasonable……'

'But a prairie fire will eventually burn out, leaving only scorched earth!'

'Yandi has been able to stalemate with me for so long; there is something strange here…… After all, to rise from an ordinary commoner to this point, surpassing who knows how many peers, how could such a person have no secrets?!'

'However, this is no longer important.'

'Wait until the forces gather, then join hands to encircle and kill…… he deserves to die, die he shall!'

'Just smash him dead, to avoid any strange, bizarre changes.'

The East Emperor absentmindedly thought, the bell's resonant toll letting his demon troops retreat, and he himself also needed to withdraw.

But soon, his expression shifted slightly as he beheld the Yandi, face set with grim resolve, fist raised to smash forward, his eyebrows twitching: 'Human Emperor! You humans…… we give you face, yet you are shameless?'

'What is face? Can it be eaten!'

Yandi's eyes blazed like fire, a shocking battle spirit within, tinged with a hint of roguishness: 'Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight until death, then we may rest!'

'I happen to lack a whetstone, and you are just right!'

Yandi bellowed loudly, 'You think you can leave after taking advantage? How could there be such a good thing?!'

The Human Emperor was fervent, his performance dazzling.

And meanwhile, in the shadows……

Nüwa gave a thumbs-up to her own acting, her little face slightly flushed.

'Mm……'

'I have fallen!'

'Playing little Fengxi, I can now perform so proficiently, portraying his shameless demeanor as about seventy‑percent……'

'Alas! I've learned bad, learned bad!'

Once, Nüwa was a very proper goddess, well disciplined by Fuxi.

But in this era of rampant demons and monsters, she gradually let herself go.

Yet even so, some semblance of propriety is still maintained.

However, one day a fork in life appeared——she would disguise herself as the Strategist, the dog-headed aide under her command!

Fengxi's rise along the way is well known to many…… he is a purebred pretty boy, his path sparking with lightning, his propriety never a cause for worry.

——There's hardly anything to worry about; just plan for the worst!

Fortunately, later Fengxi was assigned by the organization to become the Human Emperor, which somewhat restrained him…… yet the realm is easily changed, nature hard to alter.

Occasionally it leaks out, leaving people speechless.

Nüwa, holding this role, feels a bit of a headache and also a hint of forbidden stimulation—rather like a good child crossing some unseen line, beginning to skip class, climb walls, and so on, yet the world regards it as natural, never doubting anything……

Such blatant lowering of the bar truly makes one…… unable to stop!

At this very moment, Nüwa has tasted this pleasure, becoming ever more immersed in the role…… in a haze, she felt she understood her brother's joy, and understood Fengxi's joy.

Her whole being, thus filled with greater passion, she raised her fist and struck toward the East Emperor's face.

'Yandi, you are very brave!'

The East Emperor's face turned cold, he retaliated in kind, a ray of eternal divine light blazed forth, piercing this battlefield of death and carnage, causing the Milky Way to dim, the flow of time to cease!

'Of course I am brave!'

Yandi·Nüwa·Emperor, blood and vigor surging, a fist shattering myriad ages: 'Behind me are my people I must protect; upon my knees are my children to cherish…… I lead a blissful, fulfilling life—how could you, a lone, shadow‑only, fur‑less bachelor, possibly comprehend?'

'Let your brother come talk to me, that would be about right!'

Yandi is immensely god‑like and valiant, his mouth delivering blow after blow like critical strikes.

This feeling of speaking without restraint, words piercing the heart, made him so happy he wanted to take flight.

'Nonsense!'

The East Emperor wore a cold face, 'Since you seek death, I shall grant it!'

The Chaos Bell trembled, its waves boundless, turning this place into powder, becoming the ultimate destruction.

'Hahaha! Exactly like this! Exactly like this!'

Yandi, however, laughed heartily, excited beyond measure in the blood‑soaked battle: 'I saw it! I saw it!'

'The chasm of that realm is no longer distant! No longer impossible to cross!'

East Emperor, haven't you eaten? Put your back into it! Keep pushing!

Whether I can break through this barrier rests entirely on you.

You can rest assured.

I am a very kind person; I will not mistreat those who have merit.

If you help me break through this time, I'll definitely give you a huge medal afterward.

Yandi shouted, his aura growing stronger bit by bit amidst the bloody carnage, blatantly so, and in Taiyi's eyes it shone as clear as a firefly in the darkness.

……

East Emperor's face darkened.

He was disgusted by the snarkiness.

It also made him begin to doubt his divine origin……

How could someone who constantly spews lewd talk and has no morals whatsoever become a great emperor?

Besides, fighting can actually level you up—does one really have to fight to reach a certain standard?

Being mentioned in the same breath as him fills this East Emperor with immense shame!

Overwhelmed by indescribable grief and anger, East Emperor fought while retreating, until he suddenly vanished.

He wanted to be quiet.

(End of chapter)