In the Xuanwu Battle Zone, a fierce battle was unfolding.

Wei Qin led the Demon Soldiers and Demon Generals of the Xuanwu Army, relentlessly crushing the Zero Desolate Army and continuously shrinking the living space of the Zero Desolate Demon Soldiers and Demon Generals.

"Run, run fast!"

"Don’t run that way! Hurry, follow me!"

A group of Zero Desolate Demon Generals on the front line sprinted and shouted as they ran.

Behind them, the sea surface fractured, like a terrifying giant beast opening its gaping maw, eager to select and swallow demons.

"Bro, Bro—"

"Go quickly! Don’t worry about me!"

Wails began to rise as a portion of the Demon Soldiers and Demon Generals were about to plunge into the unfathomable depths of the sea, to be engulfed by darkness.

Even for those who might survive, the odds were greatly against them.

One could only say that the situation had changed too quickly; most of the Zero Desolate Demon Soldiers and Demon Generals were unprepared.

Even now, the demons of the Zero Desolate Army still couldn’t figure it out: How was our impregnable defensive Energy Array destroyed by the enemy?

If the enemy possessed such capabilities, they would have used them much earlier and would not have allowed them to capture three sea regions in the Xuanwu Battle Zone as strongholds.

"General, I feel terrible. The Demon Essence in my body is almost depleted," Hu Li said calmly.

Although he was just a Fox Cultivator unskilled in direct combat and only recently promoted to a third-tier Demon, he remained calm and composed even when faced with a desperate situation. Because he had followed Demonic Body Hong Yuan through life and death, he had long been tempered to view life and death with indifference.

"Damn it, what in the hell is going on?!" General Hu Wan roared in rage.

By this time, he was drenched in sweat. He had squeezed out every bit of his Demon Essence; the Demon Skills he activated not only propelled himself but also the other Fox Cultivators.

If Hu Li couldn’t hold on, then this Demon Skill would become difficult to maintain on him.

At that point, Hu Wan could only watch helplessly as his young kinsman fell into the bottomless abyss.

Had I known it would come to this, I might as well have quit while I was ahead and taken everyone back to Spirit Fox Island to enjoy our fortunes early. Hu Wan was extremely distressed. The hearts of men are greedy, and the hearts of demons are no exception. The prowess of Demonic Body Hong Yuan was clear for all to see, but who could have imagined the path to becoming the ruler of the four directions would be so fraught with difficulty?

Just as Hu Wan, Hu Li, and the other Fox Cultivator Demon Soldiers and Demon Generals plunged into despair, the scene before their eyes suddenly turned blood red.

Hu Wan was stunned for a moment. He looked up and was immediately dumbfounded.

BOOM!

He saw Li Jianqiu standing atop a Blood Wing Dragon Bat, holding an oil-paper umbrella and soaring high into the sky. The Black Cloud Tribulation Evil around her made space itself tremble.

Beneath the Blood Wing Dragon Bat, turbid blood qi shot up into the sky, like a True Dragon bursting forth!

Li Jianqiu’s black hair flowed like a waterfall, dancing wildly in the wind. Her eyes, bright as stars, made her seem like a goddess of the Ninth Heaven stepping forward from distant ages, inspiring awe and fear.

"Go!" Li Jianqiu uttered a single word.

The majestic blood qi surged, paving the way for the Demon Soldiers and Demon Generals of the Zero Desolate Army below, allowing them to withdraw in an orderly fashion.

HISS. The Great General truly has a third of the King’s majesty! Hu Wan led Hu Li and the other Fox Cultivators to retreat quickly, his heart filled with admiration.

It wasn’t just him; the other Zero Desolate Demon Soldiers and Demon Generals also saw a trace of Hong Yuan in Li Jianqiu at that moment.

"Blood spawn, perish!" Wei Qin’s eyes hardened, and his hand, white as pristine jade, pressed down like a heavy barrier between heaven and earth.

BOOM!

The sky immediately went dark. The intense killing intent chilled the hearts of the many Demon Soldiers and Demon Generals of the Zero Desolate Army.

Wei Qin seemed like a terrifying demonic champion born into the world, causing the very void to collapse.

"Not even close, not even close! You haven’t even reached the eleventh stage of the Xuan Guangqiao!" Li Jianqiu’s eyebrows arched fiercely, and the oil-paper umbrella spun.

She manifested a profound Tai Chi Divine Map, with black and white carp leaping and circling in the air.

This was a new technique she had grasped.

Since Hong Yuan had shattered her Dao Heart, she had been unwilling to completely submit to him. After intense reflection, this was the method she had devised.

Unite the masses, integrate the strength of all living beings into myself, and use that to confront the Xuan Guangqiao!

The Tai Chi Divine Map was mysterious and inscrutable, possessing an indescribable supreme Divine Power.

Although it was only a rough creation by Li Jianqiu, merely a Demon Skill yet to reach the level of Divine Power, it still possessed the capability to gather "momentum"!

By using it, Li Jianqiu could aggregate the momentum of an entire army, even the majestic aura of a Paramount Monarch, and potentially the momentum of heaven and earth itself.

The idea of establishing a Supreme Demon Dynasty by utilizing the Luck Tao school and others was not unique to Hong Yuan; Li Jianqiu was actively working to realize it.

She was determined to be Empress, the sole Demon Emperor of this world! Only in this way could she possibly defeat the terrifying Xuan Guangqiao...

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Explosions rang out one after another as Li Jianqiu actually fought Wei Qin to a stalemate, neither gaining the upper hand.

...

...

「Desolate Flourishing Sea Region.」

In the Monarch’s command camp of the Zero Desolate Army, Hong Yuan was refining the last Water Order of the Vermilion Bird War Zone. Once it was complete, all the sea regions of the Vermilion Bird War Zone would fall into his hands.

He would then fully comprehend the location of the Vermilion Bird’s Heavenly Scenic Tower Demon Realm, and the Water Order would become the token to unlock it!

"With the intent of my true self, I preserve the essence of heaven and earth."

"Invisible to all beings, only I shall obtain and perceive it."

"..."

Hong Yuan muttered incessantly, his hands moving constantly as if performing a ritual dance.

Amidst his incantations, the Tao Marks of Refining Tao shone brilliantly. They instantly refined the final segment of the Vermilion Bird War Zone’s collective fortune of sentient beings, transforming it into a bright yellow blaze.

From within the bright yellow flames, a familiar bird cry echoed.

A bird resembling a Vermilion Bird flew out of the fire, soaring towards the outside world.

Hong Yuan remained expressionless. However, the Dragon-transforming White Python on his person, long poised to strike, leaped forward and, in an instant, caught up to the Fortune Vermilion Bird formed by the Water Order.

With a forceful bite from the Dragon-transforming White Python, a mournful chirp resonated in Hong Yuan’s heart.

The transformation begins anew.

Its belly resembles a Shen; it seems to be a dragon’s belly.

The Fortune True Dragon’s transformation is more than four-ninths complete. Not bad, not bad.

A smile spread across Hong Yuan’s face; his mood was elated.

Suddenly, his eyebrows twitched slightly. He felt a strong summons from the far south.

There lay the entrance to the Vermilion Bird’s Heavenly Scenic Tower Demon Realm!

After gazing towards the far south for a while, Hong Yuan withdrew his gaze, awaiting the arrival of reinforcements.

Now was not the time to unlock the Vermilion Bird’s Heavenly Scenic Tower Demon Realm, which was akin to a great treasure. This was especially true when the proficiency panel’s data log was updating at breakneck speed.

Glancing at the data log of the proficiency panel, Hong Yuan lowered his eyelids.

Such a rapid update rate. It seems Li Jianqiu and her group are not faring well.

...

「Half a day later.」

As night approached, the reinforcements of the Zero Desolate Army finally arrived.

In total, there were ninety contingents from various sea regions. Including Hong Yuan’s core Black Dragon Army, that made ninety-one contingents in all.

Vast and mighty, their warships spread out, occupying nearly every inch of the Desolate Flourishing Sea Region’s waters.

The native inhabitants of the Desolate Flourishing Sea Region all hid in their caverns, nervously watching this scene unfold.

So many, far too many. As far as the eye could see, everywhere was filled with the Demon Soldiers and Demon Generals of the Zero Desolate Army.

BOOM!

The Flood Gathering War Banner—Water Transformation!

Hong Yuan activated the Flood Gathering War Banner, once again manifesting the Purple Gold Ancient War Chariot.

He stood at the center of the chariot, boundless radiance engulfing heaven and earth.

Around the Purple Gold Ancient War Chariot, the True Dragon Dharma Idol and Divine Phoenix Dharma Idol danced, entwined.

The dragon and phoenix cried out in harmony; immortal music played ceaselessly.

When had the reinforcements of the Zero Desolate Army ever witnessed such a spectacle?

HISS...

Before they could even finish their sharp intake of breath, Hong Yuan once again waved the Flood Gathering War Banner, unleashing his Divine Power.

The next moment, all the warships were enveloped by purple-gold divine light and ascended into the sky, moving at extreme speeds.

This was a domain exclusive to a Demon Saint, and Hong Yuan, with the powerful foundation of his Demonic Body, recreated it!

Following Hong Yuan’s will, the great army marched magnificently towards the Xuanwu Battle Zone, like a host of Heavenly Soldiers.

And Hong Yuan, surrounded and protected by the multitude of his forces, was like the Heavenly Emperor himself!