"The other prodigies and eccentrics of the Gathering of the Heroes Pavilion haven't come with me. My subordinates left them behind in Blazing Flame City. Originally, we came out to hunt Eternal Night demons, earn merit, and trade it for rare treasures and cultivation resources. I never expected to obtain an inheritance—or to be hunted by the Faceless Son. But as long as we return to Blazing Flame City, we'll be able to reunite with the others."
Li Zhilin spoke swiftly, his tone tinged with excitement. After all, this was the fruit of decades of preparation. He was confident that what he had gathered in the Gathering of the Heroes Pavilion would shock Yi Tianxing. Being from the same era, he knew better than anyone just how astonishing the group of eccentrics and prodigies he had assembled truly was. It was a gift of immeasurable value.
"Where exactly is this Blazing Flame City?"Yi Tianxing asked.
At this point, recovering those people was of utmost importance. Leaving such talents behind in a foreign war city carried huge risks—any unexpected incident could lead to disastrous losses.
"It's not far from here. I have the coordinates, but getting there will still take some time."Li Zhilin replied.
After being pursued by the Faceless Son, they had unknowingly traveled quite a distance. So despite its relative proximity, reaching Blazing Flame City would still require some effort.
"All right. We'll first send your Gathering of the Heroes Pavilion members to White Crow City. They'll be properly taken care of. After that, we'll go find the rest of them in Blazing Flame City."Yi Tianxing decided decisively, wasting no time.
"I'll follow the Emperor's arrangements."Li Zhilin agreed without hesitation.
"Very well. Everyone, enter the spatial gate. It will take you directly to White Crow City."
With a wave of Yi Tianxing's hand, a spatial gate shimmered into existence before them. Silver light rippled through it, casting a mysterious and dazzling glow.
Under Li Zhilin's command, the members of the Gathering of the Heroes Pavilion stepped into the gate one by one, vanishing from sight—and reappearing within White Crow City, where someone like Zhuge Liang could easily arrange everything.
"Now then, let's head out as well,"Yi Tianxing said to Li Zhilin.
With Li Zhilin guiding the way, they did not use the Nine-Dragon War Chariot, as only Yi Tianxing and his consorts could ride it—an exclusive symbol of his status. Their flying boat had been destroyed, and in any case, it couldn't compare with spatial gates.
Under Li Zhilin's direction, they began jumping through space, rapidly crossing distance with remarkable speed.
Before long, a war city appeared before them.
The city occupied a vast area—easily capable of holding several million inhabitants. The towering walls were built of scarlet bricks, radiating heat. Each brick was etched with intricate scarlet formation patterns, forming a layered defensive array that could be activated in times of crisis.
These defenses were remnants from a previous era—a legacy from the last epoch. Alone, they saved untold amounts of effort and offered immeasurable benefits. The city's unique resources were equally impressive, greatly enhancing both cultivation and combat ability.
Above the city gates, three characters were carved into the wall:
Blazing Flame City (焚焰城)
On the walls, troops stood guard in formation—humans, minotaurs, barbarians, beastmen, and more. Though many of them were traditionally mortal enemies, they now stood side by side as comrades-in-arms. Here in the Divine-Demon Battlefield, old grudges meant nothing in the face of the Eternal Night.
Clearly, Blazing Flame City was not dominated by a single faction. Instead, it was co-governed by many races in a rare show of unity. This phenomenon was rare in the mortal realm but fairly common in the Divine-Demon Battlefield.
"Emperor, within Blazing Flame City, four main races hold sway: Beastmen, Barbarians, Winged Men, and Humans,"Li Zhilin explained.
"The Beastmen are led by the Lionheart Prince of the Lion King Clan. The Barbarians are commanded by their prodigy, Lei Xiaotian. The Winged Men rally behind their young genius, Feng Baiyu. And the Human faction is held together by a peerless talent named Wu Wudi, whose combat strength is extraordinary. He's united the various human forces to fight the common enemy."
Li Zhilin briefly summarized the major powers within the city. It was filled with countless hidden talents. Many kept their strength hidden, waiting for a chance to make a name for themselves.
Each war city was a nest of hidden dragons and crouching tigers.
After all, killing enemies on the battlefield earned one merit points, which could be exchanged for cultivation resources at the Divine-Demon Treasury. Here, it didn't matter if you were born noble or lowly—talent was everything. A true genius could rise like a dragon in no time.
Thus, no prodigy should be underestimated.
"Very well. Let's head inside. But to avoid complications, refer to me as 'Mister Yi.'"Yi Tianxing said calmly.
He wore a simple green robe and didn't conceal his face, but an invisible spiritual aura around him prevented others from clearly remembering his appearance—a subtle yet powerful disguise. As long as he didn't reveal himself, few could guess his identity.
"Understood, Mister Yi,"Li Zhilin replied with a smile.
"Let's go in. I've prepared quite the surprise for you, sir. You'll love it,"he added, his confidence overflowing.
"Then I look forward to it. Let's hope I won't be disappointed."Yi Tianxing nodded.
At the gates of every war city, there hung a mirror known as the Mirror of Demon-Revealing (照魔镜). It could expose the true form of most Eternal Night creatures. Though it had no offensive power, its ability to reveal demons was highly effective—though not absolute, as the strongest of the Eternal Night could sometimes evade it.
Still, cities generally allowed free movement in and out.
Thus, led by Li Zhilin, Yi Tianxing passed through the gate without issue.
Once inside, the city buzzed with activity. Though various races mingled freely, many set up stalls and markets, trading in a lively atmosphere.
Refiners, talisman-makers, alchemists—many who entered the Divine-Demon Battlefield were top talents in their fields. The items they crafted were anything but ordinary. On the battlefield, such treasures could be the key to survival.
"Come one, come all! The Medicine King from the Gathering of the Heroes Pavilion is about to begin alchemy! This time, the pills will be sold directly to the public in exchange for spirit herbs and fruits. A rare opportunity!"
"The Medicine King's pills are of the highest grade—minimal impurities, and sometimes even flawless ten-grade pills! True spiritual and even immortal pills! Just witnessing such a pill being born is a tremendous honor!"
"His alchemy is divine—observing him work is a priceless lesson in itself! What kind of pill is he making this time? I can't wait!"
Suddenly, excited shouts spread through the crowd. A tide of cultivators surged toward the central plaza.
"The Gathering of the Heroes Pavilion's Medicine King—is he one of your eccentrics?"Yi Tianxing asked thoughtfully.
"Yes. Our foothold here in Blazing Flame City is largely thanks to the Medicine King. Come, sir. You'll understand once you see for yourself."Li Zhilin grinned.
"Very well. Let's go take a look."Yi Tianxing agreed.
Following the crowd, they soon arrived at the massive central square.
In its center stood an ancient pill furnace, and seated before it was an elderly man. Golden flames licked the base of the furnace, preheating it.
This was no ordinary fire—it was Golden Glazed Blaze (焚金琉璃火), a rare strange flame unique to Blazing Flame City. It erupted from small vents hidden throughout the square—eighty-one in total, allowing up to 81 alchemists to refine pills simultaneously using this divine flame.