"Xiaozhi speaks with reason—truly with reason. My second and third brothers and I are like brothers of one heart, bound by oath and righteousness. Back then, we vowed: 'Though not born the same day, may we die the same month and year.' The bond between us is as clear as the sun and moon. Surely, my two worthy brothers would never betray me. It must be because the Eternal World is too vast and they couldn't find me, that they temporarily joined the Great Yi Dynasty. As long as I can meet them again, I'll definitely persuade them to return with me."
The middle-aged man was overjoyed as he spoke, his face lit up with ecstasy.
This man was none other than Liu Bei.
Back when they merged into the Eternal World, the three sworn brothers were separated, cast far apart across immeasurable distances—like the ends of the earth. Time and again, they had missed each other by mere inches. Now, he had finally laid eyes on his two sworn brothers. Yet things had changed—they now served under another banner, as generals under a different sovereign.
The mix of joy and sorrow was overwhelming.
But soon, hope reignited in Liu Bei's heart.
In his mind, their allegiance to Great Yi was only due to the long separation and hopelessness of reunion. If he sought them out in person, surely he could sway them. The three brothers could once again build a great enterprise together, and create another legendary tale.
The scholar beside him was named Fa Zheng, courtesy name Xiaozhi, a master of strategy and a man of remarkable intellect—especially skilled in unconventional tactics. At Liu Bei's side, he held a high and influential position. His contributions to the founding of the Great Shu Dynasty were indelible.
Liu Bei's optimism was boundless—but Fa Zheng was far less hopeful.
"Great Yi Dynasty" – the foremost human Destiny Dynasty.
"To have the three generals join Great Yi may not be a bad thing," Fa Zheng thought silently. "Only within Great Yi can they find a stage large enough to fully unleash their abilities. Serving Great Yi is still serving the human race. If they return to Shu, it might not be for the best. Besides, even if His Majesty desires it, things may not go as he wishes."
He had watched the battle within White Crow City and was equally awed. Not to mention Yi Tianxing's overwhelming strength, nearly invincible and fathomless—even the ongoing siege revealed much. Great Yi's army was shockingly powerful. Each ordinary soldier possessed the peak cultivation of the Life Diagram Realm, enough to serve as generals leading armies of 100,000 in Shu. Yet here, they were mere foot soldiers. It was no longer a mortal dynasty—it was a true Immortal Dynasty.
A top general in such a realm could unleash immeasurable combat power. Their contributions to the human race were beyond compare.
Even Fa Zheng, with his sense of duty and intellect equal to Zhuge Liang, couldn't say for sure what choice he'd make in their shoes.
If even he hesitated, how could others not?
For Guan Yu and Zhang Fei to remain in Great Yi might truly be for the best—just not for Liu Bei.
But Liu Bei, of course, didn't see it that way. He said immediately, "Xiaozhi, tomorrow at dawn, I will personally travel to White Crow City and see if I can bring my brothers back. Then our Great Shu Dynasty will have wings like a tiger—ready to soar. The path to Royal Dynasty, even to Emperor Dynasty, will no longer be far."
"While I'm away, you must oversee the city. Maintain a defensive stance at all costs—do not leave the war city."
Liu Bei's determination to go to White Crow City had become unshakable.
That day, countless cultivators across the Divine-Demon Battlefield felt their hearts stirred. Great Yi, and Yi Tianxing himself, had now been engraved into the hearts of untold strong cultivators and Heaven's Chosen across both Eternal and Evernight. His presence even subtly altered how many alien races viewed the human race.
True strength often earns privileged treatment in unseen ways.
Unnoticed, the night faded away.
Soon after, the pillars of starlight began to dissipate. The seemingly endless Evernight army retreated into the battlefield, dispersing across various regions. The ferocious assault vanished like mist.
"It's finally over. Those Evernight demons were utterly fearless. I don't even know where they keep finding such endless armies." Nie Xiaoqian let out a breath of relief.
The previous onslaught had resembled a tidal wave—dense, overwhelming. Just this night alone, the number of Evernight soldiers who fell outside would not be less than a billion. No matter how many were slain, they never seemed to end. It was a crushing pressure—mentally and logistically.
"This is just the beginning," Yi Tianxing said calmly. "With time, the armies will only grow stronger."
"Why doesn't Evernight just send their strongest forces at the start and crush us outright?" Cao Jie asked curiously.
"It likely has to do with the laws of the Divine-Demon Battlefield. This is still our territory—Eternal's domain. Evernight's invasion, through opened channels, is a form of corrosion. Bit by bit, their aura, laws, and presence invade this battlefield, gradually resisting the suppression of Heaven's Dao. Only then can they deploy stronger forces. But this is just speculation on my part."
If Evernight could, they would have struck a lethal blow immediately and seized everything. That they couldn't spoke volumes.
"Let's return," Yi Tianxing said. "White Crow City will continue moving and deploying Yin-Yang Annihilation Bombs to kill off enemy forces. The more damage we cause, the less pressure we face. There must be a cost to summoning such endless armies."
He smiled. "Let's head back and see what we can exchange from the Divine-Demon Treasury. We've earned quite a bit of merit this time."
Just Collapsing Star Gate cost 10 billion merit. Add to that the slaying of an Evernight Heaven's Chosen—1 Billlion more. In just two days of war, the accumulated battle merits had become immense.
All told, Yi Tianxing now had over 12.5 billion merit points.
Such an enormous trove must be exchanged swiftly—many items in the treasury were one-of-a-kind, first come first served.
"You're right," said Yao Yue, her eyes lighting up. "There are rare treasures we need to grab fast. With them, our Great Yi will grow even stronger."
BOOM!!
Suddenly, an earth-shaking boom came from the void. Endless divine light surged. Darkness and light intertwined—Evernight and Eternal collided with titanic force.
This wasn't a battle of men—it was a clash of laws themselves.
Within the light, a massive platform emerged from the void—entirely blood-red, as if forged from blood itself. It was not ordinary—it was a Void Arena, soaked in cruelty and carnage. A Life-and-Death Arena.
Its surface was etched with countless Dao patterns, mingling Eternal and Evernight auras in delicate balance.
Upon this arena stood a Heavenly Staircase, reaching skyward. Each of the 3,000 steps radiated ancient divine power.
At its peak, a sacrificial altar held two treasure boxes, inscribed with mysterious and profound runes.
"What's that?"
"Where did that arena come from?"
"That staircase... what's happening?"
This scene stunned the entire battlefield. Not just Eternal, even Evernight forces were shocked. It felt like something outside of everyone's control had suddenly begun.
SWOOSH! SWOOSH!
Two divine lights fell from the sky, landing on the arena.
Visions followed: blowing warhorns, dancing heavenly maidens...
DANG DANG DANG!!
"A thunderclap in the heavens!"
"The dazzling duo descends!"
Amid radiant light, two giant eggs appeared on the arena.
With radiant flair, they struck dramatic poses.
"Hello everyone! I'm your most anticipated friend—Hei Dashuai!" he cried coolly.
"I'm the most carefree and dazzling of all realms—Xiaosa Ge! We meet again!"
"We missed you so much!"The two cried in unison.
"Those two clowns again…"Yi Tianxing's mouth twitched slightly, showing a strange expression.
"This is the Void Arena," said Hei Dashuai. "Jointly constructed by Eternal and Evernight—a Life-and-Death Arena, also called the Heavenly Staircase Arena. It's for Eternal and Evernight's Heaven's Chosen to duel. Only Heaven's Chosen may ascend."