The Alliance of Righteous Unity, a tranquil place untouched by the outside world.
Even as war raged outside and chaos reigned, this place remained unaffected, as if suspended beyond the heavens, transcending the mundane world.
Thin mist swirled, and immortal radiance rose. A grand bronze hall stood deep within a cluster of mountains and islands.
Surrounding stars orbited, and chaotic energy spread, permeated with the aura of the Great Dao. The scene alternated between chaos and blurry obscurity.
Inside the hall stood many blurred figures, shrouded in thick mist.
Only when their eyes opened and closed could one glimpse the rise and fall of living beings, the collapse of past and present, and even the shattering of Dao runes. Their existence seemed to embody eternal and indestructible order and Dao principles, standing at the pinnacle of the immortal path, overlooking all living beings.
Although the Alliance of Righteous Unity was modeled after the Heaven-Slaying Alliance, it did not have a single leader.
Each faction and civilization selected their own representatives, who held decision-making power within the Alliance of Righteous Unity on behalf of their respective forces.
Now, the figures in this hall were all top-tier figures in the vast expanse, each at least at the Ancestral Dao Realm.
Before them, a ripple-like wave spread, forming a crystal-clear mirror with Dao laws flowing within. The vast expanse of time and space, the boundless universe, all seemed to be reflected within it.
In this mirror, one could see the brutal battles raging across the Alliance of Righteous Unity. War spread, ravaging starry skies everywhere.
Not only were there scenes of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance's armies on the offensive, but also the Dark Beings attacking from beyond the embankments and walls.
Outside the embankments, various races and forces, following orders, fought desperately to resist wave after wave of the Dark Tide.
Endless blood and bones spilled across the heavens, exploding in the starry void. The vast deserts and wastelands were littered with corpses, shattered armor, and blunted weapons.
Thick black mist continued to surge from distant lands, like endless waves, covering the sky and earth, a sight that was suffocating and despairing.
Within the black mist that blotted out the sky, terrifying dark figures stood, causing hearts to tremble and despair. There was no sign of life to be seen.
Some embankments had already crumbled, their runes erased, their walls collapsing, teetering on the brink of falling.
Despite this, countless cultivators and beings charged out from behind the embankments, their eyes bloodshot, throwing themselves into the fray like moths to a flame.
"It seems we can't hold out much longer, but it doesn't matter. As long as we buy time, it will be worth it."
These figures coldly watched the scenes reflected in the mirror, their eyes devoid of emotion.
In their eyes, the beings and cultivators who charged forward without regard for their lives were no different from ants.
If they could delay the collapse of the Alliance of Righteous Unity's frontlines, then the sacrifices of these beings and cultivators would be worth it.
Because behind them, more clans and forces were migrating, heading toward the central regions of the Alliance of Righteous Unity.
What is gained must be lost—this is an eternal truth.
However, amidst the thick chaotic mist, a figure spoke, with a hint of reluctance.
"The Weiyang Immortal Dynasty aiding us at this time is a good opportunity. Why don't we seize the moment to counterattack and teach the Heaven-Slaying Alliance a lesson?"
"If we continue to retreat like this, our territory will be whittled away bit by bit. It won't be long before the Alliance of Righteous Unity loses its footing entirely."
The person beside him shook his head, coldly saying, "Now is not the right time. The Alliance of Righteous Unity does not need to protect the weak. In times of great calamity, only the fittest survive and are destined to go further."
"The outside world thinks the Alliance of Righteous Unity is weak, retreating step by step. How could they know our true intentions? The outbreak of war and the descent of the Black Calamity are natural laws of survival of the fittest. The weak are destined to perish in this turmoil. Only the strong can endure. The Heaven-Slaying Alliance is merely a tool for us to eliminate the inferior."
"Don't you all know that every era, a great reckoning descends? Isn't that the natural law of the Heavenly Dao, eliminating the weak and supporting the strong? We are merely following nature's course."
The hall fell into a cold silence. Even the person who had spoken earlier fell silent.
The Alliance of Righteous Unity claimed to be founded to uphold justice and eradicate the Black Calamity.
But in essence, how different was it from the Heaven-Slaying Alliance?
In such a short time, the Alliance of Righteous Unity had grown to such a scale. It was impossible that there wasn't someone behind the scenes pushing it forward.
Although they were Ancestral Dao Realm beings, revered as ancestors in their respective civilizations and true worlds, within the Alliance of Righteous Unity, they were still constrained, not truly free from restrictions.
Everyone knew that behind the Alliance of Righteous Unity stood an extremely mysterious and powerful figure.
It was this figure who had orchestrated the formation of the Alliance of Righteous Unity.
Many speculated that this figure might be from the same era as Ling Yuling, the founder of the Imperial Immortal Palace, or even older, possessing the qualifications and strength to rival Gu Changge, the leader of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance.
Otherwise, this mysterious figure would not have modeled the Alliance of Righteous Unity after the Heaven-Slaying Alliance, establishing it as a rival force.
However, this mysterious figure had never appeared in person, only occasionally manifesting through miraculous means to command his subordinates and carry out his will.
Even the leaders and ancestors of some immortal factions obeyed his commands.
"In that case, let us order the clans to hold the embankments at all costs. Every day we delay is a victory."
"As for the Heaven-Slaying Alliance, we should avoid them as much as possible. What does it matter if we cede some useless territory to them?"
The figures in the hall began to discuss again, their words showing no regard for the invading Dark Beings or the Heaven-Slaying Alliance.
The territorial boundaries of the Alliance of Righteous Unity were actually quite vague, with only a general outline.
As more factions joined the Alliance of Righteous Unity, its territory expanded, making it impossible to define its exact borders.
Even the high-ranking members of the Alliance of Righteous Unity were unclear about the exact extent of its territory.
They didn't even know which factions had joined the alliance recently.
Under these circumstances, as long as the situation within the Alliance of Righteous Unity remained within their control and did not affect their own civilizations and true worlds, why should they care? Why bother about how many members had fallen or how much territory had been lost?
Perhaps the factions on the frontlines, resisting the Dark Beings, were still waiting for aid from the Alliance of Righteous Unity, holding on to hope.
But the leaders of the Alliance of Righteous Unity had already abandoned them.
The master of the Cosmic Annihilation Mansion watched all this coldly, saying nothing. His true form stood within the mist, like the others, concealing his aura and origins.
He was the current representative of the Endless Yang True World, having taken control of factions like the World-Birth Hall and Mindless Mountain.
After surviving eight Heavenly Decline Tribulations, he had no rivals left in the Endless Yang True World.
With his accumulated power and influence, taking control of the Endless Yang True World was not difficult.
After all, the Endless Yang True World was no longer at its peak, unlike supreme civilizations like the Prime-Origin Civilization.
But after taking control of the Endless Yang True World, even he began to lose his autonomy.
His former ambition was to restore the Endless Yang True World to its ancient glory, making it the Sole True World and achieving true transcendence, free from the cycles of tribulation and reckoning.
There were rumors that the Realm of Origin was actually the evolved form of the ancient Sole True World.
If he could create the Sole True World in his lifetime, wouldn't he become a figure on par with the supreme beings of the Realm of Origin?
For this ambition, he worked tirelessly, laying down many contingency plans, and finally made the Cosmic Annihilation Mansion the top faction in the Endless Yang True World.
But this prosperity did not last long. Before the Endless Yang True World could regain its ancient glory, the Black Calamity descended, arriving even faster than the Epochal Tribulation.
The entire vast expanse was thrown into turmoil, and a long period of panic and fear began to spread across civilizations and true worlds.
This caught him off guard, and he began to worry. With the current state of the Endless Yang True World, resisting the Dark Beings and surviving the Black Calamity was nearly impossible.
At the beginning of the Black Calamity, some supreme true worlds had already fallen, consumed by the power of darkness and plunged into eternal silence.
If no solution was found, the fate of those fallen supreme true worlds would be the fate of the Endless Yang True World.
All the people of the Endless Yang True World, across countless universes and timelines, would be swallowed by darkness.
It was at this moment of desperate need for power, seeking a way out of this predicament, that the mysterious benefactor appeared. This benefactor bestowed upon him a Dao scripture and guided him on his path, clearing the fog ahead.
From then on, he successfully survived eight Heavenly Decline Tribulations and unified the entire Endless Yang True World.
Subsequently, with his deliberate efforts, the framework of the Alliance of Righteous Unity took shape. Leaders and powerful figures from other civilizations and true worlds also joined, deciding to unite and form an alliance.
The master of the Cosmic Annihilation Mansion was filled with thoughts. The emergence of the Alliance of Righteous Unity had solved his urgent problem.
However, it also turned him into a puppet, controlled and no longer autonomous.
The aid of the mysterious benefactor came with a price. There were no free benefits in this world.
Suddenly, outside the hall, divine radiance flashed, illuminating the entire sky with a sacred brilliance.
A green dragon and a green phoenix descended, abruptly crossing the vast universe to arrive here. They landed and transformed into two children, a boy and a girl.
In the hands of the boy was an edict emanating a hazy, majestic light. As he approached the hall, all the figures who had been discussing strategies fell silent, their gazes fixed on the edict.
Clearly, they recognized this pair of children, and their expressions were filled with respect and obedience, not daring to show any disrespect.
"This is the master's edict. The master of the Cosmic Annihilation Mansion, receive the decree."
The boy's gaze was cold and ancient. Despite the thick chaotic mist, he immediately spotted the master of the Cosmic Annihilation Mansion.
The figures in the hall were shocked and astonished. They had all concealed their auras and origins, unwilling to reveal their true forms.
The master of the Cosmic Annihilation Mansion, though surprised, did not dare to delay and quickly stepped forward to receive the edict.
Even though he had survived eight Heavenly Decline Tribulations, he still felt pressure and unease in the presence of these two children.
In terms of strength, these two were certainly no weaker than him.
"This is the master's will. He hopes that the master of the Cosmic Annihilation Mansion will take up the position of deputy leader of the Alliance of Righteous Unity in the coming days. The Weiyang Emperor of the Weiyang Immortal Dynasty will soon arrive with his troops. At that time, he will assume the position of leader."
The boy spoke indifferently, not even lifting his eyes, paying no attention to the figures in the hall.
After saying this, he and the girl left without delay.
The master of the Cosmic Annihilation Mansion and the others in the hall were left in a daze. Many exchanged glances, their eyes flickering, unsure of the meaning behind this.
The master of the Cosmic Annihilation Mansion was to become the deputy leader?
And the Weiyang Emperor was coming? Did this mean the Weiyang Emperor was also connected to that mysterious figure?
"What does the edict say?"
Many were curious about the contents of the edict, their gazes falling on it with speculation and probing.
The master of the Cosmic Annihilation Mansion also frowned but did not delay. In front of everyone, he unfolded the edict.
Upon seeing its contents, his expression, along with everyone else's, changed. They were stunned, as if unable to believe what they were seeing.
Even those who had already made plans to retreat and defend were left dumbfounded, unable to believe their eyes.
---
"Reports are coming in. The Great Barren Sect, the Thirty-Three Star Mountain, and the Nine Paths Sect, responsible for defending Embankment No. 13, have fallen. The Dark Beings have broken through and are advancing deep into our territory. The Great Barren Sect and the Thirty-Three Star Mountain have been completely overrun, swallowed by the black mist, turned into dead zones..."
"There are too many Dark Beings there. Several terrifying Dark Beings have taken action, and even Dao Realm beings have fallen in large numbers. Ordinary cultivators simply cannot withstand their onslaught."
"The Ancestral Dao Realm beings have already taken the core resources and seeds of their sects and fled to other worlds, abandoning the rest."
"If the Alliance of Righteous Unity's reinforcements do not arrive soon, our Embankment No. 17 will also fall."
At the same time, within the Crescent Moon Sect, the atmosphere was heavy.
One shocking and despairing report after another came in—either embankments falling or sect territories being breached, with Dark Beings infiltrating and attacking from within.
These powerful Dark Beings had unpredictable methods, and their means of appearing were beyond comprehension.
They could emerge from the fear and despair of cultivators, manifesting in their hearts. Even the elders of various sects and factions could not guarantee that their minds would remain untainted and uncorrupted.
As for ordinary disciples, they were even more vulnerable, full of weaknesses.
Moreover, the cracks in space and the ruptured cosmic tunnels provided easy entry points for the Dark Beings, who would seize the opportunity to descend.
In the blink of an eye, hordes of Dark Beings would flood in, like locusts, covering the sky and earth, endless and all-consuming.
Wherever they passed, rivers dried up, mountains turned barren, cities fell silent, nations perished, and all life was extinguished.
"As long as we hold out until the Alliance of Righteous Unity's reinforcements arrive, there is still hope."
Across the peaks of the Crescent Moon Sect, on various battle platforms, light flashed, and spatial fluctuations spread. Teams and ancient war chariots departed, quickly disappearing as they rushed to the frontlines.
All the disciples and elders clung to a sliver of hope, hoping to hold out until aid arrived.
Outside Embankment No. 17, the battle was extremely brutal. Even describing it as a river of blood and a mountain of corpses would not do it justice.
The air was thick with the smell of blood, and the constant rain of blood turned the sky crimson. The entire world seemed bathed in red.
On the towering city walls, runes flickered, and ancient symbols lit up, surging with energy before transforming into beams of light that crashed down. The tide of Dark Beings was momentarily scattered, but soon they regrouped and charged again.
This scene was despairing and overwhelming, with no hope in sight.
The Dark Beings seemed endless, wave after wave, using their bodies to crash against the walls. Even if they were reduced to dust, they would tear open a gap in the defenses.
In the distant starry void, the battles were equally earth-shattering and equally brutal. The fluctuations and auras disturbed the river of time, creating countless fragmented images.
This was the battlefield of Dao Realm beings, beyond the reach of ordinary immortal cultivators.
Gu Xian'er and Lan Xin, among others, bore expressions of deep exhaustion, their bodies covered in wounds and stained with blood.
Yet, despite this, they did not retreat, holding their ground on the city walls and embankments.
Such battles had lasted for days, and anyone would feel exhausted.
Especially in such a place, where it was difficult to recover from injuries quickly or replenish energy, leading to rapid depletion of strength and an inability to keep up.
Apart from Dao Realm beings, any immortal cultivator facing such a battle would likely die from exhaustion.
"Junior Sister Xian'er, I have a bad feeling. We might really die here today."
Lan Xin, dressed in plain white robes with a white cloth tied around her head, was now covered in blood—her own, her enemies', and that of her comrades.
She looked at Gu Xian'er, who had just slain a Dark Being charging toward her with a single sword strike, and a bitter smile appeared on her face.