Banners fluttered, and ancient warships rumbled as they tore through spatial channels, heading toward the border territories of the Alliance of Righteous Unity to demand an explanation.
The scale of this movement was immense, causing the star systems and universes along the way to tremble.
Countless cultivators and beings shuddered in fear, terrified of being caught in the crossfire.
The various races and sects across the vast expanse were also shaken. In these troubled times, most True Worlds had already shifted their focus to guarding against the invading Dark Beings.
No one had expected the Alliance of Righteous Unity and the Heaven-Slaying Alliance to choose this moment to go to war.
This would undoubtedly lead to even greater chaos and instability, giving the Dark Beings more opportunities to strike.
The Heaven-Slaying Alliance was furious, while the Alliance of Righteous Unity was both shocked and enraged, claiming that this was a conspiracy by the Heaven-Slaying Alliance.
The Alliance of Righteous Unity, considering the welfare of all living beings, had never thought of sending assassins to kill the leader of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance. Given the strength of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance's leader, who in the vast expanse could possibly assassinate him?
Anyone with eyes could see that this was clearly a plot by the Heaven-Slaying Alliance, a clumsy excuse to target the Alliance of Righteous Unity.
As the saying goes, "A crime fabricated without evidence is easy to justify."
The various member factions of the Alliance of Righteous Unity were also furious, believing that the Heaven-Slaying Alliance was being overly arrogant and domineering, not taking them seriously at all. How could they come up with such a flimsy reason?
The Heaven-Slaying Alliance naturally denied these claims. That day in the grand hall, a blazing sun had risen, unleashing terrifying energy that could have destroyed an entire universe.
Everyone had witnessed this. Wasn't this a premeditated assassination?
In the various territories of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance, more and more ancient warships gathered. Ancestral Dao Realm existences blew war horns, their ancient sounds echoing as if ancestral immortals were returning to summon the spirits of the past.
War was imminent. Gu Changge, the leader of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance, did not make an appearance or speak about the "assassination" attempt.
The higher-ups of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance seemed to tacitly accept the situation.
Over the next few days, the Heaven-Slaying Alliance prepared for war. Divine mountains and immortal caves shone with radiant light, and portals to small worlds opened, releasing large numbers of elite troops.
The atmosphere was tense, with every rustle of grass or cry of a crane causing alarm.
In the cold, damp prison cells inscribed with grand Dao runes, Chen Yi and the others slowly awoke.
Many of them were still disoriented, their heads throbbing with pain, their faces filled with confusion.
Huijue Jushi, however, stared blankly at the prison around him, as if he had gone mad.
Chen Yi rubbed her aching temples, surveying her surroundings. The ground was covered with dry straw, simple and bare.
Outside the cell, prison guards walked back and forth, occasionally glancing at them with cold, emotionless eyes.
"Why is this happening? We didn't do anything."
"We didn't even see the leader of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance."
"And now we're being treated as assassins, locked up here."
Chen Yi's cold, beautiful face showed a mix of confusion and bitterness.
She had thought that after enduring countless hardships, they had finally reached the end. But now, this final calamity awaited them.
Now, they were labeled as assassins who attempted to kill the leader of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance. They didn't know how many years they would be imprisoned here, or if they would ever see the light of day again.
Their grievances had no outlet.
Now, their cultivation had been sealed, reducing them to ordinary people. Escaping from the Heaven-Slaying Alliance's territory? That was nearly impossible.
The prison was dark and devoid of energy or matter, with an eerie, cold aura permeating the air.
In the distance, the cries and wails of other cultivators and beings echoed, sending chills down their spines. It felt as if countless sinister eyes were watching them from the darkness.
Chen Yi and the others could even feel terrifying movements coming from beneath the prison.
Below them, there were deeper layers where even more terrifying beings were imprisoned.
"A crime fabricated without evidence? I knew things were going too smoothly after we arrived at the Heaven-Slaying Alliance. They were waiting for us here."
"The outside world must be in chaos by now. The Heaven-Slaying Alliance will definitely use this as an excuse to attack the Alliance of Righteous Unity."
"It's laughable that the Alliance of Righteous Unity still harbored illusions of coexisting peacefully with the Heaven-Slaying Alliance to face the Black Calamity together. This is no different from making a pact with a tiger. They'll only get burned in the end."
An elderly man with white hair and a starry Daoist robe sighed, then spread some dry straw on the ground and lay down, seemingly resigned to his fate.
He was from one of the Alliance of Righteous Unity's member factions. Having reached the end of his path and with little time left, he had been chosen as an envoy to accompany Chen Yi and the others to the Heaven-Slaying Alliance.
Thus, he had already come to terms with the current situation.
"Are we just waiting to die here?" someone asked despairingly.
Chen Yi remained silent.
She raised her eyes, looking into the deep, dark prison, and could only shake her head helplessly.
Would anyone come to save them?
In the grand hall of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance, Chu Heng, Zhuo Fengxie, Hun Yuanjun, Jing Tianyun, and other high-ranking members had gathered, respectfully awaiting Gu Changge's orders.
Ling Yuling, dressed in a white gown that fluttered like a fairy, stood with an ethereal and holy aura.
Behind her were the rulers of the forbidden zones who had returned with Gu Changge to the Heaven-Slaying Alliance.
In addition, there were many powerful figures who had recently pledged allegiance to the Heaven-Slaying Alliance. The weakest among them in the hall had survived five Heavenly Decline Tribulations.
Near the entrance of the hall, leaders and sect masters of various races and sects stood with bowed heads, awaiting orders.
This force was terrifyingly powerful, capable of sweeping through a Supreme True World without a civilization treasure to protect it.
"Alliance Leader, the Alliance of Righteous Unity has provoked us first, bullying us relentlessly. Despite the chaos and the threat of enemies surrounding us, they still harbor ill intentions. This is unacceptable."
"I am willing to lead the Demon Court to wage war against them."
Demon Emperor Di Kun, his face filled with anger and killing intent, spoke before the assembly.
Gu Changge, dressed in a dark robe with wide sleeves and his hair loose, stood with his back to everyone. Hearing this, he simply shook his head slightly without turning around.
"No, launching a war now would only play into the hands of the Dark Beings. It would not benefit the vast expanse."
His voice remained calm and unhurried.
Mu Fuguang, who had been watching the scene with amusement, couldn't help but twitch her lips at this. Was he planning to play the good cop now?
Tong Xianyao and the others kept their eyes down, pretending not to hear.
The powerful figures of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance, however, showed no surprise, their expressions calm.
Di Kun took a step forward, his anger intensifying. "Alliance Leader, if we continue to show mercy to the Alliance of Righteous Unity now, it will only invite more disaster."
"The Alliance of Righteous Unity is not like you, benevolent and wise, upholding righteousness and taking the welfare of all living beings as your responsibility."
Gu Changge remained deep in thought, not responding.
Zhuo Fengxie and Hun Yuanjun exchanged glances, then stepped forward to plead, "Alliance Leader, now is not the time for indecision. Please consider the bigger picture. Do not forget what happened during the last Prime-Origin Alliance meeting."
"This assassination attempt by the Alliance of Righteous Unity's envoys is a clear warning. If not for your unparalleled strength and invincibility, you might have been injured."
"The peace and stability of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance, and the safety of all races, are all thanks to your presence."
"The Alliance of Righteous Unity is scheming, sending assassins to harm you. If you were injured, the Heaven-Slaying Alliance would be vulnerable to the Dark Beings. This plan is truly sinister…"
These words caused Ling Yuling's expression to stiffen slightly.
The leaders and sect masters of the various races and sects in the hall also changed their expressions.
They hadn't considered this before, but now it seemed clear that the Alliance of Righteous Unity was indeed plotting something sinister, trying to shift the blame.
The Heaven-Slaying Alliance's current stability was entirely due to the Alliance Leader's presence, which kept the Dark Beings at bay.
"Very well, since that's the case, I will follow your advice. The Heaven-Slaying Alliance will, by my decree, raise troops to wage war against the Alliance of Righteous Unity, to cleanse the righteous path and restore order."
Gu Changge seemed to ponder for a moment before calmly issuing the order.
With that, his figure disappeared from the hall.
Zhuo Fengxie, Hun Yuanjun, and the others exchanged glances, then spread Gu Changge's decree.
The leaders and sect masters of the various races and sects also left. They had long been prepared, knowing that the vast expanse was about to be engulfed in a storm of bloodshed.
As the decree to wage war against the Alliance of Righteous Unity spread across the Heaven-Slaying Alliance's territories, the various members of the Alliance of Righteous Unity began recalling their powerful figures to prepare for the impending attack.
The already turbulent situation grew even more chaotic, with ordinary cultivators and beings filled with fear and anxiety.
Ancient warships raced through the depths of the universe, tearing through spatial channels and traversing the vast expanse.
At the same time, in various universes, cultivators witnessed the appearance of Dark Beings.
Endless black mist drifted in, as if spreading from a distant shore, more directly devouring the surrounding worlds.
With the confrontation between the Heaven-Slaying Alliance and the Alliance of Righteous Unity, the Dark Beings grew even bolder, taking the opportunity to strike at the Alliance of Righteous Unity, old grudges and new grievances erupting together.
During this time, the Alliance of Righteous Unity had formed small teams to set traps and hunt Dark Beings, which had already angered the Dark Beings.
To many beings and cultivators, it seemed as if the Heaven-Slaying Alliance and the Dark Beings had joined forces to attack the Alliance of Righteous Unity.
The endless black mist surged forward, covering the heavens like a tidal wave. Countless Dark Beings, like locusts, rushed toward the border territories of the Alliance of Righteous Unity.
The scene was terrifying, with black mist crashing and surging, obscuring the universe as if the apocalypse was approaching.
The Alliance of Righteous Unity immediately summoned its powerful figures to resist. Within the previously constructed dam-like walls, they faced off against the Dark Beings, engaging in a world-shaking battle.
Divine light surged, and ancient runes manifested, illuminating the cosmos.
The cultivators seated within the walls chanted ancient texts, their brows glowing as their souls burned, gathering immense power to forge towering, indestructible walls that reached the heavens, blocking the advance of the Dark Beings.
In just a few days, the battles here were unimaginable, as if the heavens and earth were being reshaped, chaos destroyed, and the primordial era recreated.
On the other side of the walls, countless cultivators and beings charged forward, wielding various weapons and Dao patterns, fighting desperately.
Brilliant light, like mist, scattered across the heavens and earth.
The Dark Beings, fearless and relentless, surged forward in a dark mass, trying to tear through the defenses.
Blood and bones rained down like a storm across the battlefield.
In the distant, shattered universes, the mist grew thicker. Terrifying, shadowy figures stood there, one after another, exuding an aura that made the heavens and earth pale and caused all of history to tremble.
They faced off against the most powerful figures of the Alliance of Righteous Unity, their auras clashing across the vast expanse.
The previously eroded and devoured broken universes had become nests for the Dark Beings, with black mist rising into the sky.
It was like a sinister ghost realm, filled with strange and chaotic energies.
At this moment, a luxurious crimson carriage, draped with blood-red curtains, stood quietly in the deep, dark mist, emanating an eerie, cold glow.
A towering giant knelt respectfully, its head like a mountain ridge, with the luxurious carriage resting steadily upon it.
Around the carriage stood four stunningly beautiful young women, one holding a golden tray, another a wine cup, and the others carrying spiritual fruits and immortal tea.
A white-robed woman stood quietly beside the carriage, her eyes emotionless, as if carved from ice.
Inside the carriage, as the curtains were drawn aside, a jade-white hand, as pure as lotus root, reached out and plucked a crystal-clear grape shrouded in purple mist from the golden tray. The hand then slowly retreated, bringing the grape to a pair of delicate, rosy lips.
On the soft couch inside, a stunningly beautiful woman reclined lazily.
She wore a red robe, her hair styled in a cloud-like bun, her shoulders slightly exposed, her skin as white as snow, dazzling to the eye. Every smile and gesture exuded boundless charm, overshadowing even the heavens.
"The Alliance of Righteous Unity is more stubborn than I imagined, but it's all in vain."
"Liu Yun, don't you think so?"
The beautiful woman ate the grape while squinting her eyes, smiling faintly as she asked.
The maid inside the carriage caught the grape skin she spat out on a golden tray. The grape skin, shimmering with purple mist and glowing runes, was an indescribable Dao fruit, containing profound mysteries.
"With Qi Luo Sacrifice personally taking action, the Alliance of Righteous Unity's defenses will surely crumble. They have no chance of resisting," the white-robed woman replied coldly.
"The Alliance of Righteous Unity is nothing to worry about. It was only established a few years ago, yet it dares to resist us. How laughable."
"However, the person behind it, who managed to persuade so many civilization nations to form such a large alliance in just a few years, does have some ability."
The lazy figure in the carriage slowly sat up.
Inside the carriage, near the window, hung a birdcage containing a golden oriole with bright red feathers and flowing light.
She extended her flawless, jade-like hand to play with the oriole, as if talking to herself or to someone else.
The golden oriole in the cage, its beautiful eyes filled with anger, fluttered and struggled, trying to escape the woman's hand.
Dao runes appeared on its feathers, and the surrounding space began to collapse and shatter.
Yet, it could not break free, let alone escape the cage. It could only despair as the woman's fingers teased its head.
The red-robed woman, holding the birdcage in one hand and drawing aside the curtain with the other, stepped out of the carriage. In that instant, the entire space seemed to fall silent, as if time had stopped.
All the Dark Beings bowed their heads in reverence, even the distant figures exuding terrifying auras lowered their proud heads, not daring to look directly at her.
The endless black mist, which had been surging, calmed down, becoming like a boundless, wave-less ocean.
The cold, ice-sculpted white-robed woman also stood respectfully with her hands at her sides.
Only the golden oriole in the cage continued to flap its wings, trying to break free.
Its beautiful eyes were filled with anger and unwillingness. Even as it bled from its struggles, it continued to strike against the cage.
"Little one, if you keep this up, I won't have the patience to play with you anymore."
The red-robed woman smiled, her eyes narrowing, a faint blush coloring her cheeks, making her breathtakingly beautiful.
The white-robed woman bowed her head even lower.
The legendary Dragon Sparrow, a creature from ancient myths, was nothing more than a caged plaything in the eyes of this Sacrifice.