Immortality and cultivation begin with full comprehension.

Chapter 823 Final Preparations, Demonic Calamity Erupts (Seeking Monthly Tickets)

"Are they the indigenous intelligent race of the 'Crimson Flame Realm'?"

Fairy Void exclaimed in surprise, "Those monsters...could they be...?"

"A minion of the 'Void Demons'! It's the 'Shadow Fiend'!"

"Although they are only the lowest-level Shadow Demons, their energy characteristics are exactly the same as those recorded!"

The old man with a grave expression pointed to the energy graph fed back by the magic array, "They've actually infiltrated the 'Crimson Flame Realm'?!"

This news weighed heavily on the hearts of everyone on the bridge.

The shadow of the demonic calamity arrived even faster than expected!

Almost simultaneously, a crimson streak of light shot out from the distant volcano; it was none other than the Guardian, Jin.

"Li Yunjing! The Southern 'Lava Tribe' has been attacked by extraterrestrial demons!"

His expression was more solemn than ever before, even with a hint of urgency. He said directly to Li Yunjing, "The High Priest has ordered that your side, in accordance with the 'Flame Pact,' immediately send troops to provide assistance!"

The test is here!

The third clause of the "Flame Pact" states: If the Void Demons descend, the "Sky Lan Alliance" outposts must be the first to fight!
Li Yunjing's gaze swept over everyone. The Xuan Gang Sword Master's eyes were filled with fighting spirit, while the Thousand Machine Elder and the Void Spirit Fairy looked worried.

Sending troops at this moment means being directly involved in the conflict with the "Void Demons," which may expose our strength and could result in casualties.

But this is also a golden opportunity.

Demonstrate value, gain trust, and even... observe the characteristics of these low-level monsters up close to accumulate experience for future battles.

"Fellow Daoist Jin, rest assured, now that the 'Flame Pact' has been established, my 'Tianlan Alliance' will never break my promise!"

"Fellow Daoist Xuan Gang, Elder Li Cangqiong, gather three hundred Nascent Soul elites and follow me into battle!"

Without the slightest hesitation, Li Yunjing declared loudly, "Fellow Daoist Qianji, Fairy Xuling, take charge of the base, activate the defensive array, and be ready to provide support at any time!"

"Order!"

A moment later, a medium-sized combat airship flew out from the belly of the "Sky Patrol Ship," carrying three hundred Nascent Soul cultivators led by Li Yunjing. It transformed into a streak of light and headed straight for the southern battlefield.

Ash also transformed into a crimson rainbow, following closely behind.

A distance of thousands of miles can be covered in an instant.

When the airship arrived over the battlefield, the battle below had already reached a fever pitch.

Although the native warriors known as the "Lava Tribe" were brave, they had suffered heavy casualties under the Shadow Fiend's strange attacks and corrosive properties, and their defenses were on the verge of collapse.

"Form the 'Heavenly Gang Demon-Slaying Sword Formation'!"

Li Yunjing gave the order.

Three hundred Nascent Soul cultivators instantly flew out of the flying boat and formed a chilling sword formation in the air.

"Chichichi..."

Brilliant sword lights fell like a galaxy, precisely slashing at the shadow demons.

This time, the main force in the battle was the "Tai Xu Sword Sect" experts, mixed with sword cultivators from other sects. They had been working together for several years, and their sword formation was highly skilled and extremely powerful.

As the sword flashed, the Shadow Demon let out a shrill scream, its gray-black body disintegrating like melting ice and snow.

Especially the Xuan Gang Sword Master, who was one with his sword, whose sword light was invincible, instantly annihilated several powerful shadow demons that were trying to surround him.

With the addition of fresh troops, the tide of battle turned instantly.

The warriors of the "Lava Tribe" felt greatly relieved and let out a thunderous cheer, their eyes filled with gratitude and awe as they looked at the human cultivators in the sky.

Li Yunjing did not personally participate in the battle. He stood on the flying boat, his divine sense covering the entire area, carefully observing the characteristics of the Shadow Demon, while remaining vigilant against any potentially more powerful demons.

He discovered that these low-level Shadow Demons were indeed highly resistant to physical and energy attacks, but they were quite vulnerable to the extremely yang and powerful lightning magic, sword energy, and pure Taoist true essence.

The battle lasted for about half an hour, and the hundreds of Shadow Demons that attacked were all annihilated, leaving only a mess and traces of corrosion.

"Chief of the Lava Clan, Rock Clan, thank you for your esteemed ally's timely rescue!"

After the battle ended, a tall lava tribe chief with flame-patterned features walked to the front of the airship, supported by his tribesmen. He placed his right hand on his chest, bowed deeply to Li Yunjing and the others who had landed, and said in a hesitant but grateful tone, "May the glory of the Flame God be with you!"

Jin also landed to the side, looking at Li Yunjing. The wariness and aloofness in his eyes seemed to have dissipated considerably, replaced by a hint of approval.

"I will report today's battle to the High Priest and the Flame God in detail."

He said in a deep voice, "You... kept your promise."

Li Yunjing offered a slight gesture of support to the Panshi clan chief and said gently, "Clan chief, there's no need for such formalities. Fighting against external enemies is our duty."

“Fellow Daoist Jin, it seems the vanguard of the demonic calamity has arrived.”

He turned to look at Jin, his expression solemn: "The demonic calamity is not far off."

Through this battle, Li Yunjing and his "Tianlan Alliance" expeditionary force proved their sincerity with concrete actions.

The Lava Clan's gratitude and Ember's recognition were just the beginning.

The news quickly spread throughout the intelligent races of the "Crimson Flame Realm." High Priest Chi Liao personally issued a divine decree, confirming the reality of the threat posed by the "Void Demon Clan," and calling on all tribes to strengthen cooperation with the "Tianlan Alliance" outposts to jointly defend against the external enemy.

Once the barriers of trust are broken down, the efficiency of cooperation is greatly improved.

The natives of the "Crimson Realm" began to provide various forms of assistance to the "Ash Plains" outpost.

Guides familiar with the terrain led the Tianlan Alliance cultivators to explore safer areas further away in search of scarce array materials.

The Lava Tribe and other tribes skilled in forging began to use earth fire to assist in refining special components needed for large array bases, following blueprints provided by the Thousand Machine Elder.

Some native cultivators with an extremely high affinity for fire even volunteered to join in the adjustment of the "Zhou Tian Xing Chen Locking Demon Array". Their unique fire control ability played an unexpected positive role in balancing the relationship between the array and the earth vein fire.

The construction of outposts was thus accelerated significantly, and the defense system became increasingly sophisticated.

Seeing that the situation in the "Crimson Flame Realm" had initially stabilized and the cooperation with the indigenous forces was on track, Li Yunjing knew it was time to return to the "Ancient Burial Realm of Immortals" to stabilize the overall situation.

After all, the foundation of the "Tianlan Alliance" lies in the Tianlan Star Region, and the "Burial Immortal Ancient Realm," as a crucial hub connecting all parties and a resource base, must not be lost.

He temporarily transferred command of the outpost to the three of them: Xuan Gang Sword Master, Thousand Machine Elder, and Void Spirit Fairy.

He repeatedly instructed them to act cautiously, focusing on strengthening defenses and gathering intelligence, and to avoid direct conflict with any potentially powerful demons.

Everything will be decided after the full-scale outbreak of the demonic calamity.

After arranging everything, Li Yunjing quietly returned to the "Ancient Realm of Burial Immortals" through a secretly set up inter-star domain teleportation array.

Over the next four years, the massive war machine of the "Tianlan Alliance" operated efficiently.

With the valuable experience gained from the "Crimson Flame Realm" and the initial confidence established, the "Expeditionary Force" fleet, under the command of Xuan Gang Sword Master and others, successfully established the third and fourth outposts on two other carefully selected remote stars with relatively harsh environments but of vital strategic importance.

Although these two positions are not as large as the "Crimson Flame Realm", they both rely on treacherous terrain and have set up powerful defensive formations.

Like two wedges, they were embedded in the flanks of the predicted path of the demon race's possible invasion, forming a preliminary early warning and strategic containment system.

The formation masters of the "Tianlan Alliance" have demonstrated astonishing creativity and execution over the past four years.

They no longer limited themselves to the defense of the planet's surface, but turned their attention to the vast starry sky.

A large number of array masters were dispatched to the desolate meteorite belts between various star fields to rearrange and refine these meteorites of different sizes using arrays, and to inscribe various runes for detonation, imprisonment, illusion, and energy impact.

These modified meteorite belts, seemingly no different from usual, have in fact become death traps, large-scale "one-time forbidden artifacts" prepared by the "Tianlan Alliance" for the demon race.

Once the demon army enters these areas and triggers the restrictions, it will suffer a devastating series of attacks.

The completion of this massive project has given the "Tianlan Alliance" a crucial first wave of remote interception and weakening capabilities in the upcoming demonic calamity.

Four years have passed in the blink of an eye.

The "Ancient Burial Realm of Immortals," the outpost of the "Crimson Flame Realm," the two newly established star formations, and the numerous forbidden artifacts scattered throughout the meteorite belt...

The "Tianlan Alliance" space defense line has begun to take shape.

This consumed almost half of the entire "Tianlan Alliance's" resources!
All the major sects and families have started to tighten their belts and make ends meet.

Everyone could feel that the atmosphere in the Star Sea was becoming increasingly oppressive, and a sense of urgency, like the calm before the storm, enveloped the hearts of everyone who knew the situation.

On Tianlan Star, following the "Alliance Supreme Meeting," Emperor Huangze's forces have begun dispatching their main forces into the cosmos to garrison four major strongholds.

Each star has ten Nascent Soul Realm True Monarchs, thousands of Nascent Soul Realm True Persons, and an army of thirty thousand Golden Core Realm cultivators!
On this day, cultivators who were well-versed in astrology were shocked to discover that the originally brilliant and vast starry sky seemed to be covered by an indescribable veil of darkness.

Some ancient stars, which symbolize calamity and slaughter, became unusually bright and scarlet.

The flow of stellar energy also showed signs of disorder.

Especially in the star field where the four outposts are located, subtle spatial ripples and distorted light and shadow can often be observed.

It seems that some enormous thing is stirring in the distant void, and the invisible force field it emits has begun to interfere with the normal laws of the universe.

On the home planet of "Tianlan Star" and on its four outposts, the climate has become extreme and abnormal.

The drought and floods are uneven, sometimes leaving the land barren and sometimes causing torrential rain.

The circulation of spiritual energy has become sluggish, and occasionally small-scale spiritual energy storms will erupt without warning, or a brief "spiritual energy vacuum" zone will appear.

Some spiritual plants began to wither, and low-level demonic beasts became restless, with small-scale beast tides occurring frequently.

In the mundane world, the frequency of natural disasters such as earthquakes and tsunamis has increased significantly, and various ominous signs have caused inexplicable panic among the lower classes.

Despite repeated reassurances from officials, a sense of impending doom continues to spread silently.

As the core of the alliance, "Huangze Continent" has become the center of various strange phenomena and a tense atmosphere.

With Emperor Huangze personally in charge, the dynasty's elite army was deployed in full force. In addition to sending troops to the four major strongholds, strict wartime control was implemented on the mainland.

All the major city formations were activated, and the patrol efforts increased several times over.

Resources were allocated to prioritize war needs, and many non-essential commercial activities and large gatherings were halted, making the entire dynasty like a fully drawn bow.

Top forces such as the "Thirty-Six Grotto-Heavens", "Blood God Sect", "Luofu Dao Sect", "Kasyapa Treasure Light Temple", and "Taixu Sword Sect" have also responded.

These forces kept their gates tightly shut, and the light from their protective formations shone day and night, clearly indicating that they had activated the highest level of defense.

Occasionally, powerful divine senses would sweep across the sky, probing for any unusual activity, but they all remained eerily silent, as if gathering their strength and waiting for the final moment to arrive.

The mysterious Taoist nun known to Li Yunjing from the "Guanghan Palace" in the East China Sea still hasn't appeared, but the sea area where the "Guanghan Palace" is located is becoming increasingly frigid.

Sometimes, even in broad daylight, one can see the illusory moon's shadow, hanging over the sea, emitting a cool yet powerful wave, as if preparing for something.

In this situation, the Shenxiao Dao Sect and its allies have also made the worst-case preparations!

The power of the "Shenxiao Mountains" and "Crossing Mountains" has shrunk drastically. As for the power of the "Ming Dynasty", "Youyue Kingdom", "Cang Kingdom", "Zhao Kingdom", "East Sea", "South Sea", and even the "Chang'an Dynasty" and "Shenxiao Dao Sect", it has been withdrawn.

Basically, apart from a few liaison personnel who stayed behind, everyone else has returned to the two ancestral sites.

Li Yunjing's private business, "Xingyue Trading Company," has also scaled back its operations.

Over the years, besides supplying his women with the resources they had earned for their cultivation, Li Yunjing allocated the surplus to the "Shenxiao Dao Sect".

The "Alliance Supreme Meeting" is being held more and more frequently, but its contents are highly confidential.

The teleportation arrays flashed continuously between the main strongholds, carrying out the final allocation of personnel and supplies.

A mixture of determination, anxiety, and even a hint of madness permeated the high-ranking cultivators. Everyone understood that there was no way out but to fight to the death.

The four outposts located in the starry sky felt the ever-approaching threat directly.

The most obvious anomalies are found in the "Crimson Flame Realm".

The "Silent Volcanoes" are no longer silent; deep rumbles often emanate from them, and the earth trembles more violently, as if the "Flame God" deep underground is also restless due to the approaching demonic calamity.

High Priest Chi Liao met with Xuan Gang Sword Master and others on multiple occasions, and the relationship between the two sides was closer than ever before.

Native warriors and Tianlan Alliance cultivators formed mixed teams and patrolled the designated defensive line day and night, the atmosphere as heavy as solidified lava.

"Mysterious Ice Realm" is an ice-covered planet, but it is now experiencing an abnormal warming phenomenon. The glaciers on the edge are melting on a large scale, revealing ancient ruins hidden deep beneath the ice layer, while also bringing unknown risks.

The cultivators stationed here not only have to withstand the bone-chilling cold, but also have to be wary of the native ice-type monsters that have become active due to the drastic changes in the environment.

The planet "Storm Realm" is shrouded in terrifying energy storms year-round. At this moment, the intensity and range of the storms are expanding rapidly, and they are even beginning to erode the defensive formations that have already been established.

The garrisoned cultivators had to devote a great deal of energy to maintaining the stability of the formation, while also using the storm as a natural barrier to set up more traps.

At the center of the four outposts lies a planetary debris belt, a complex and bizarre environment.

Recently, the number of spatial rifts in the fragment zone has increased significantly. Occasionally, weak, distorted monsters seep out from the rifts. Although they are quickly eliminated, this is undoubtedly the most direct warning.

The vanguard of the demonic calamity has already begun its infiltration.

On this day, just as Li Yunjing finished processing a batch of emergency supplies transfer documents in the "Burial Immortal Ancient Realm", the four communication jade talismans on the table in front of him, each corresponding to one of the three major outposts, suddenly burst out with dazzling light and began to tremble violently at almost the same moment!

Among them, the jade talisman representing the "Crimson Flame Realm" shone the brightest, and the Xuan Gang Sword Master's voice transmission, accompanied by rapid breathing and a background booming sound, instantly resounded throughout the quiet room:
"Vice Alliance Leader! Urgent reports from all outposts!"

"The 'Crimson Flame Realm' volcanic cluster has erupted!"

"The aura of the Flame God soared into the sky, as if confronting an unknown entity from afar!"

"Massive tearing of spatial rifts in the asteroid belt!"

"High-intensity energy signals from a demonic fleet detected!"

"Both the 'Mystic Ice Realm' and the 'Storm Realm' have reported being infiltrated by small groups of demonic vanguard!"

"The demonic calamity... has fully erupted!"

"The main force of the demon race is forcibly crossing dimensional space-time, heading straight for our defense line!"

Li Yunjing suddenly stood up, his aura surging uncontrollably, shattering the jade slip on the table.

There was no fear in his eyes, only a resolute fighting spirit accumulated over years, even decades, which transformed into a deep and firm decree that resounded throughout the entire "Ancient Realm of Burial Immortals" and all its strongholds:
"Order! All units of the Star Defense Line, proceed according to the final contingency plan and engage!"

"Tianlan Starfield, enter final defense mode!"

"Fellow Daoists, follow me... to kill the enemy!"

Li Yunjing's order was like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, instantly creating ripples.

The entire star field controlled by the "Tianlan Alliance" was like a sophisticated war machine, operating at an unprecedentedly high efficiency.

At this moment, outside the "Crimson Flame Realm," which was the first to come into contact with the demons and was destined to be one of the main battlefields, the scene was enough to cause any cultivator with a weak mind to collapse.

Through the slightly distorted images transmitted by the "Sky Patrol Ship" and various observation arrays due to the interference of violent energy, it can be seen that against the backdrop of the dark red sky of the "Crimson Flame Realm," the void is being torn apart by an irresistible brute force!

"Thorn..."

It wasn't just one or two cracks, but the entire star field was like fragile glass, covered with spiderweb-like cracks, before it shattered with a deafening roar!
A colossal dimensional portal, its edges flowing with viscous dark energy, was forcibly opened and stabilized.

Beyond the passage lay not a dazzling starry sky, but an endless, deep darkness that seemed capable of swallowing all light.

Then, a chilling scene unfolded.

First, huge chunks of flesh, like rotting tumors, or "living warships," slowly squeezed out of the passage.

These biological warships are covered with a constantly writhing, mucus-secreting purplish-black fleshy membrane. Thick blood vessels and nerve bundles twist and turn like vines on the outside, and huge, cloudy eyeballs are embedded in various parts of the tumor, indifferently scanning the world in front of them.

They have no fixed shape, sometimes shrinking and sometimes expanding, emitting a nauseating stench and strong waves of mental pollution.

This is the "Rotten Sac Demon's Nest"!
The Demon Race's basic transport and assault units contain tens of thousands of low-level demon soldiers. Following closely behind the "Rotten Sac Demon Nest" are even more ferocious war behemoths.

There is a creature resembling an abyssal centipede magnified billions of times, its carapace covered with barbs and bone blades. With each limb's movement, ripples appear in the void. This is the "Void Predator," adept at tearing apart formations and shields.

It resembled a giant floating jellyfish, with countless tentacles shimmering with the fire of the soul hanging from its umbrella. Wherever it passed, the space became cold and deathly silent.

This is a "Soul-Stealing Demon," specializing in mental attacks and soul extraction.

There are also massive rock golems, as large as mountains, forged entirely from some kind of dark metal and bones. Every step they take causes the void to tremble. These are the "Lava Colossi," pure physical destroyers.

……

And this was merely the vanguard of the demon army!
The real terror lies in the various demon tribes that swarm around the war behemoths, emerging like locusts or a dark tide!

The largest quantity, like a wave formed by the convergence of viscous shadows.

Some shadow demons have no fixed form, sometimes taking on human form and sometimes dispersing into a black mist. They can blend into any dark corner, and when they attack, they extend sharp claws or energy tentacles. They are good at sneak attacks and infiltration, and the hissing sound they emit can disturb the mind.

They were cannon fodder and scouts for the demons, but their endless numbers were enough to overwhelm everything.

The Balrogs, on the other hand, are somewhat compatible with the environment of the "Crimson Flame Realm," but their flames are a filthy dark red or a ghastly green.

These demons are tall and muscular, with curved horns on their heads, and their bodies are engulfed in an inextinguishable demonic fire. They wield whips or greatswords made of condensed flames.

The sparks they spew when they roar are highly corrosive, polluting even lava into toxic scorched earth wherever they go.

They are the main force in attacking the enemy and have extremely high resistance to fire spells.

There were also flying demons that blotted out the sky. They had fleshy wings similar to those of bats, but were more dilapidated and twisted. Their bodies were as thin as skeletons, and their claws and fangs gleamed with a cold light.

In the void of the universe, they fly in flocks, emitting piercing shrieks that are themselves a sonic attack capable of shattering metal and tearing apart souls.

They are contenders for air superiority and sharp weapons for rapid attacks.

After these demons appeared, the spacetime tunnel suddenly contracted, then exploded with a "bang," expanding several times over!
Another group of trolls appeared.

They were as big as small mountains, with skin as rough as granite and muscles bulging to an exaggerated degree.

They are simple-minded, but incredibly powerful, wielding crude but enormous bone clubs or stone axes, each swing carrying the force to shatter mountains and split the earth.

Outside the "Crimson Flame Realm," there are countless demons.

The number is countless.

million?

Ten million?

This is just the beginning!

All the demons are at least at the Golden Core stage!

There are almost no low-level beings.

Within the "Crimson Flame Realm," everyone—from the Flame God and the Four Guardians to the High Priest and the Xuan Gang Sword Master—was dumbfounded.

Too much!
The power of a single realm is simply insufficient to resist!
At this moment, the Xuan Gang Sword Master seemed to recall Li Yunjing's words: "If things cannot be done, leave through the interstellar teleportation array and retreat to the 'Ancient Burial Realm of Immortals'!"

"It's time to leave ourselves and our disciples a way out."

Xuan Gang Sword Master glanced at the natives of the "Crimson Flame Realm" without showing any emotion, thinking to himself.

Anyway, the Flame God is definitely not going to escape. He is a totem god and is deeply bound to the world, so he has no chance anymore.

Those guardians and the high priest are obviously brainwashed fanatics; they'll just be cannon fodder in the end!
This actually made them perfect cannon fodder to cover the retreat of the "Tianlan Star" army.

At this moment, the Xuan Gang Sword Master recalled Li Yunjing's actions that day, which were truly farsighted!

Thinking of this, he secretly sent a complete message to the ten Nascent Soul Realm True Monarchs of the "Expeditionary Force", telling them to be prepared!
Just as the demon army was besieging the area without attacking, another type of demon appeared in the time tunnel: the "Deceptive Heart Demon".

Their form is actually closest to that of humans, but they are more handsome or alluring, with cunning and cruel light flashing in their pupils.

They are usually located at the rear of the battlefield, not directly involved in melee combat, but instead use various strange curses, illusions and mind control to easily drive cultivators into madness or cause them to turn against them.

They are manipulators and strategists on the battlefield, posing a great threat.

Finally, the last batch of demons appeared in the space-time tunnel; these were the "Devouring Demons."

This is one of the most unsettling demon races!

Resembling giant, fang-covered sacs or worms, their sole desire is to devour.

It can devour energy, matter, and even space, and transform everything it devours into its own nourishment or spew out filthy, corrosive energy balls.

They are the nemesis of formations and energy shields.

These are only the main tribes that can be clearly identified. In the torrent of the demon army, there are many more bizarre and terrifying beings that cannot be classified.

There are "Spiky Demons" covered in bone spurs, resembling hedgehogs; "Parasitic Demons" capable of splitting and recombining; "Eye Demons" that resemble floating eyeballs, unleashing various ray attacks; and "Gold-Eroding Demons" that are as small as insects but can penetrate protective auras and magical artifacts...

Endless and bizarre, together they form a terrifying scroll from the abyss of hell.

The auras they emitted intertwined, forming a vast, chaotic, and terrifying force field filled with destructive and murderous intent, like a tangible darkness, pressing down on the "Crimson Flame Realm" and the entire "Sky Blue Alliance" defense line.

This force field distorted the light, interfered with the spiritual energy, and even disrupted the laws of nature.

"Roar!!!"

"Kill them all!"

"Swallow!"

"For the glory of the Demon Lord!"

"This world... is ours now!"

……

Various chaotic and violent mental roars and mental attacks swept in like a tsunami, impacting the minds of every cultivator.

"Activate the 'Zhou Tian Xing Chen Demon-Locking Array'!"

Xuan Gang Sword Master forcibly suppressed the shock in his heart and the slight intention to retreat. His eyes flashed with sword light, and he shouted sharply, "All meteorite forbidden artifacts, target the Demon Clan vanguard cluster, detonate!"

The command was instantly transmitted throughout the entire defensive line via divine thought.

The first to unleash its power was not the "Crimson Flame Realm" itself, but rather the "Sky Blue Alliance's" backup plan deployed in the starry sky!

Along the path of the surging demon army, the meteorite belts that had previously appeared chaotic and silently floating suddenly lit up with countless dazzling runes!

Immediately following, like a chain reaction, the entire meteorite belt in the star field was ignited!

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The deafening explosions continued one after another, a deafening roar like the beginning of the universe, sweeping in all directions!
The violent energy storm instantly engulfed the Shadow Demon tribe and some of the Winged Demons who were at the forefront!

Countless meteorite fragments were accelerated to the extreme, carrying the demon-breaking, tearing, and burning properties granted by the formation, and crashed into the torrent of demons like billions of deadly cannonballs!
At this moment, the starry sky transformed into a vortex of death.

The low-level Shadow Demons were annihilated in droves by the explosive energy and physical impact of the extreme Yang energy, the screech of the Winged Demons was drowned out by the sound of the explosion, and their fleshy wings were torn apart.

Even some of the smaller "Rotten Sac Demon Nests" were hit by dense explosions and debris, their surface tumors ruptured, and sticky blood and the remains of unhatched monsters scattered everywhere!
The first wave of this meticulously prepared "Starry Sky Forbidden Artifact" was highly effective, wiping out at least hundreds of thousands of demon vanguards.

"Hahaha!"

Such a victory greatly pleased the subsequent "expeditionary force".

Even the Flame God's subordinates smiled and breathed a sigh of relief.

Get the head start!

This put the humans and the Flame God clan at ease.

At least everyone's fear of the "Void Demons" has lessened, and they have the determination to resist.

However, this relief did not last long.

"An interesting toy... but that's all."

Deep within the demon army, that cold, contemptuous mental fluctuation emanated once more, carrying a hint of anger at being provoked by ants.

Before the words were even finished, the massive "Rotten Sac Demon Nest" group suddenly stopped its pointless charge. As if receiving a unified command, the surface membranes writhed violently, and countless blood vessels bulged!
Immediately afterwards, the huge, murky eyes on its surface all turned toward the meteorite belt where the explosion had not yet completely subsided, and eerie beams of pale green light shot out from their pupils!

These beams of light did not attack directly, but rather shone on the still tumbling, burning fragments of meteorites and the remains of monsters.

A horrifying scene happened.

Any substance that comes into contact with the green light, whether it is rock, metal or the flesh and blood of monsters, begins to twist, multiply and fuse wildly as if it were a living thing!
In the blink of an eye, an even more chaotic and disgusting "living barrier zone" composed of twisted flesh, broken bones, and filthy energy rapidly formed in the starry sky!
This newly formed area not only effectively blocked the explosive impact of subsequent meteorite artifacts, but also emitted strong mental pollution and corrosive energy, thus becoming a temporary barrier and springboard for the demon army to advance!
"It's the power of the 'Parasite Demon' and the 'Gold-Eating Demon'!"

"They are using the wreckage from the explosion to build fortifications!"

The Thousand Machine Elder observed through the magic array and immediately issued a warning.

The demon race's ability to turn waste into treasure and adapt to the battlefield environment at any time far exceeded everyone's expectations.

At the same time, those "devouring demons" opened their huge mouths, like caves, and aimed them at the light screen of the "Zhou Tian Xing Chen Locking Demon Array".

Powerful suction forces arose out of nowhere, forcibly pulling out the star power and earth fire energy flowing on the light screen like water and sucking them into their seemingly bottomless bodies!
The light of the great array's light barrier dimmed slightly at a speed visible to the naked eye. Although it was minuscule, it was undoubtedly an extremely dangerous signal!

The demons possess the means to continuously weaken or even break through the great formation!
"Stabilize the base!"

"Full power output of the geyser furnace!"

With a delicate shout, the Fairy of Emptiness changed her hand seals, guiding more vein fire into the Star Pillar.

The array masters activated the array with all their might, barely managing to maintain the stability of the light barrier.

"How can your filth devour the wrath of the Flame God!"

The high priest, Chi Liao, roared and slammed his staff heavily on the ground.

"Boom!"

The "Silent Volcanoes" erupted violently once again. This time, what spewed out was no longer a simple lava dragon, but countless flame spirits condensed from pure fire elemental power and adorned with flame totems!

These heroic spirits, wielding flaming swords, roared silently as they fearlessly charged out of the light barrier, attacking the "devouring demons" that were absorbing energy and other monsters that were trying to approach the light barrier.

The fire spirits collided with the monsters, unleashing a series of explosions that temporarily halted the "devouring demon's" frenzied absorption.

"Winged Demon Swarm, flank from the left!"

"The Flame Demon Legion, concentrate your firepower and attack the third star hub node!"

Xuan Gang Sword Master scanned the entire situation with his divine sense and quickly discovered that the demons were adjusting their tactics.

Large numbers of winged demons, like dark clouds, bypassed the main battlefield, attempting to find a breakthrough from the flanks. Meanwhile, the fire demon legion, under the command of an exceptionally tall fire demon commander, launched a fierce, concentrated attack on a node in the energy flow of the great formation!

"Boom!"

The dark red fireballs, like a meteor shower, crashed onto a point on the light screen, creating violent ripples.

"Sword cultivators, follow me! Intercept the left flank!"

"Li Cangqiong, take your men and stabilize the Third Star Hub!"

Xuan Gang Sword Master transformed into a beam of sword light, like a shooting star shooting backward, and crashed directly into the winged demon horde!

The sword light exploded, and thousands of sharp sword energies bloomed like lotus flowers, instantly clearing a large area of ​​airspace.

Li Cangqiong led a team of elite cultivators to quickly reinforce the third star node. Various defensive magic treasures and spells shone brightly, managing to withstand the Flame Demon's relentless bombardment.

The battlefield descended into a brutal tug-of-war.

The effects of the Starry Sky Forbidden Artifacts were greatly weakened. The Demon Race, relying on its massive numbers, bizarre racial abilities, and highly efficient battlefield adaptability, constantly changed tactics to find weaknesses in the defensive lines.

The "Zhou Tian Xing Chen Locking Demon Array" was under immense pressure from both inside and outside. Although the cracks on the light screen were repaired in time, the repair speed gradually began to be unable to keep up with the speed of destruction.

The cannons of the "Starship" fleet roared incessantly, while the puppet army of the Thousand Machine Elder formed a mobile fortress outside the formation, fighting alongside the monster army of the Lava Tribe.

Every moment, demons were slain, and cultivators or natives also perished, their blood and remains staining the dark red sky of the "Crimson Flame Realm" even deeper.

During a lull in the fighting, Xuan Gang Sword Master glanced at the guardian Jin, who stood like a rock in the distance, constantly drawing upon the power of the earth to bombard the demon race, and at the phantom of the Flame God above the crater, whose aura resonated with the entire realm.

The thought of retreat resurfaced in his mind, but it was quickly suppressed by an even stronger fighting spirit.

Now is not the time. We must withstand this fiercest first wave of attack in order to create an opportunity for subsequent evacuation.

"Kill! For our homeland! For the Flame God!"

Clan Chief Pan Shi, covered in blood, brandished his burning giant axe and cleaved a charging giant demon in two, letting out a deafening roar.

His roar infected all living beings in the "Crimson Flame Realm," making the natives' resistance even more tenacious.

Just as the "Crimson Flame Realm" defense line was under immense pressure and the battle was at a stalemate, Li Yunjing, who was far away in the "Burial Immortal Ancient Realm" overseeing the overall situation, was receiving real-time images of the battle situation and energy fluctuations from the front lines through a miniature teleportation array connected to the core of the "Zhou Tian Star Locking Demon Array".

On the light screen, the demons' breathtaking military might, their bizarre adaptability, and the precarious state of their defenses were clearly displayed before his eyes.

In particular, the cryptic message from the Xuan Gang Sword Master regarding the situation assessment and early planning caused Li Yunjing to frown deeply.

He stood with his hands behind his back in front of the star map, his gaze sweeping across the points of light representing the "Crimson Flame Realm," the "Mystic Ice Realm," the "Storm Realm," and the planetary fragment belt.

At this moment, urgent reports also came from the other two outposts and the fragmentation zone that they were under fierce attack, but the pressure was far less than that on the "Crimson Flame Realm," which was the main direction of attack.

“Fellow Daoist Xuan Gang’s judgment is correct… The ‘Crimson Flame Realm’ has become a quagmire, and the main force of the Demon Race intends to open a breakthrough here.”

Li Yunjing muttered to himself, "If we continue to fight head-on, the expeditionary force that my 'Tianlan Alliance' has built up over the years will probably be completely wiped out here, which will not benefit the overall situation."

This expeditionary force, composed of elites from various factions, is a valuable mobile force and source of experience for the "Tianlan Alliance," and must not be easily lost in a war of attrition.

The best strategy is to preserve our strength, retreat to the core star region, and engage in a decisive battle with the forces native to "Tianlan Star" using a deeper defensive line.

Fighting the "Void Demons" is a long-term endeavor, not a war that can be decided by a few major battles!
The opening of a dimensional space requires massive amounts of resources.

The demons must have used a great deal of resources to open this passage.

The laws of the universe will allow this channel to slowly heal and disappear, but maintaining its openness requires a massive amount of resources.

The longer the time drags on, the greater the pressure on the demons.

Wait until the passage is closed!
Without reinforcements, the Void Demons who remained in this spacetime were like fish out of water, destined to be wiped out sooner or later!

This is the best way.

This is also the best way for the "Tianlan Alliance" to resist, given that they have a trump card.

Otherwise, the "Tianlan Alliance" could just directly guard "Tianlan Star" instead of establishing four outposts in the universe.

This is all in order to wage a war of attrition and preserve "Tianlan Star" as much as possible!
Or rather, minimize the damage to "Tianlan Star"!

And things did go according to plan of the "Tianlan Alliance" leadership; the "Crimson Flame Realm" did indeed deplete a portion of the "Void Demon Clan's" power.

Based on the current scale of the war, Li Yunjing had already made some calculations in his mind. At least the demons would leave behind several million corpses, right?
As for the withdrawal of this "expeditionary force"?

Retreat is by no means an easy task!
Under the very noses of the demon army, for a force of tens of thousands to evacuate safely, someone must cover their retreat, chaos must be created, and... a decoy must be found.

Li Yunjing's gaze once again fell upon the figures of the Crimson Flame Realm natives fighting on the light screen, as well as the phantom of the Flame God resonating with heaven and earth.

A complex expression flashed across his eyes, but it was quickly replaced by a resolute look.

(End of this chapter)