Chapter 7: Raising an Army to Attack Xia

"This campaign against Great Xia," said White Extremity True Immortal coldly, "each of you has your assigned tasks. If any party fails, don't blame me for reporting it to the Master."

"Rest assured, Fellow Daoist White Extremity. Conquering Great Xia is our most important goal so far," said the Cave Master of Ten Thousand Demons Cave. "None of us will slack off."

"Rest assured, Fellow Daoist." The Blood Cloud Tower Lord spoke with a smile.

"Elder Brother, just watch. We must get our hands on Great Xia," said the Green Fox Sect Leader as well.

White Extremity True Immortal nodded slightly: "Good. Since the Master has placed me in command for this conquest of Great Xia, I don't want to lose. Even if I die, I must win this battle."

The other seven Heavenly God True Immortals present exchanged glances, muttering inwardly.

This White Extremity True Immortal was formidable, but too extreme and stubborn. His old grudge with the Xia Emperor was neither trivial nor grave. Generally, as a Pure Yang True Immortal, one should be open-minded and have long forgotten it. But White Extremity True Immortal held onto it, enduring silently. When the Divine King subtly guided him, White Extremity True Immortal saw an opportunity for revenge and immediately became a disciple of the Divine King, cultivating bitterly for endless ages. In terms of strength—though few outside knew—the Green Fox Sect Leader and others were well aware of White Extremity True Immortal's prowess. Moreover, he had managed White Extremity City like an iron fortress and was skilled in patience, truly a commander.

Conquering Great Xia was of utmost importance, so the Divine King ultimately entrusted this task to White Extremity True Immortal, with the Green Fox Sect Leader, Ten Thousand Demons Cave Master, and Blood Cloud Tower Lord assisting.

…

This was a fiery red world.

Towering figures walked across this land, some a thousand zhang tall, others even ten thousand zhang. They varied in appearance: some had eight arms, some three faces, some were beast-like... Their surging divine power resisted the world's scorching heat.

"Days like this are truly comfortable," sighed a green-haired one-eyed giant, sitting on the blazing ground. Though the heat sizzled his skin, he still looked relaxed.

"The Xia Emperor imprisoned us for endless ages, torturing and tormenting us. Why has he stopped tormenting recently?" wondered a red-haired giant beside him.

Though the environment was still harsh, it was much better.

The heat and scorching ground were minor matters. Decades ago, each of them had been tortured to the point of bodily fragmentation, only recovering thanks to their divine demon bodies. That was truly unbearable.

Only by comparison did they feel the current comfort.

"Boom~~~"

High in the sky of this world, a huge void suddenly appeared. From it stepped a tall, black-robed human man—the Xia Emperor.

Immediately, countless divine demons on the vast land looked up, their gazes fixed on the Xia Emperor.

"It's the Xia Emperor."

"Damn it."

"What are you here for?"

"Xia Mang, still here to humiliate us?"

Countless roars erupted from all directions.

The black-robed Xia Emperor looked down from the sky, his gaze sweeping over the countless divine demons. In the age of divine demons, humanity had ultimately triumphed. Though many ordinary cultivators thought the defeated divine demons had died, in truth only a few had perished; most were imprisoned.

For instance, the Shaoyan clan had imprisoned some.

After all, once tamed, these divine demons would become loyal servants for endless ages. They could live forever, so who would be willing to kill them easily? The Xia Emperor and his people had migrated from the ancient Pangu World and held a strong advantage over these native divine demons. They gradually subdued them until one day, a 'Heavenly God' arose among the native divine demons. Only then did the human factions dare not be negligent, joining forces to completely suppress them.

Except for a few top clans that obtained some divine demons, ninety-nine percent of the divine demons were imprisoned by the Xia Emperor.

Endless ages of torture had indeed made some divine demons submit long ago, like the four Return to Void divine demons guarding the Xia Emperor's gate. But the majority had not submitted, including that Heavenly God, who had also been imprisoned here by the Xia Emperor. Normally, a Heavenly God True Immortal was considered a strong figure in the Three Realms and could only be imprisoned for a short time; long-term imprisonment was rare. Fortunately, the Xia Emperor's status was special, and that Heavenly God had no background or backing, so he could be imprisoned indefinitely.

"Xia Mang!" A roar rang out.

A towering, mountain-like figure flew through the air. His flowing hair exuded endless cold, his eyes gleamed green, and he was nearly naked, with only animal skin around his waist. He stood coldly in the void, glaring at the Xia Emperor. "What are you here for?"

One-on-one, he was no match for the Xia Emperor.

Though they had a sea of divine demons and theoretically overwhelming power to crush the Xia Emperor, this world imprisoning them was within a先天 spiritual treasure. As its master, the Xia Emperor didn't even need to act; merely using the power of the spiritual treasure's world made all divine demons suffer unbearably.

"Cold Howl Heavenly God, have you been comfortable these years?" The black-robed Xia Emperor said calmly with a smile.

"Hmph," Cold Howl Heavenly God sneered. "The little ones have had it easier these past few decades, so they're all happy and joyful. But they've forgotten... originally, we divine demons roamed the vast lands. The endless, boundless earth was our world, our territory. It was you outsiders who seized our lands, killed our people, captured us, tortured us, and made us slaves and servants."

Cold Howl Heavenly God's voice resounded through heaven and earth.

"Roar."

"Damn Xia Emperor."

"Die."

Countless divine demons roared.

But the black-robed Xia Emperor remained expressionless, shaking his head with a smile: "You're wrong, utterly wrong. This is not your territory. In the distant past, there was chaos. Pangu split heaven and earth, giving rise to the ancient Pangu World. Later, Goddess Nüwa created a race based on Pangu—the human race. We humans inherited Pangu and Nüwa, so it was natural for us to rise. We ancient humans later rose and became the true masters of the ancient Pangu World! But then came a great calamity, the ancient world shattered, giving rise to the Three Thousand Great Worlds and countless minor worlds. To be precise, even my Great Xia World is merely a fragment of the shattered ancient Pangu World."

"So tell me, are humans the masters of Great Xia, or are you?" The black-robed Xia Emperor said calmly.

"We were born here, grew up here; naturally, we are the masters," roared Cold Howl Heavenly God.

"We are."

"Damn humans."

Countless divine demons roared.

The black-robed Xia Emperor said calmly: "I won't bother arguing. The victor is king, the loser a bandit. Now you are imprisoned here, in darkness. I now give you a chance... If you are willing to submit to me and serve me for a hundred thousand years, after a hundred thousand years, I will set you free!"

His voice boomed, echoing through heaven and earth.

"Freedom?"

Countless divine demons were stunned.

They longed for freedom. Throughout their endless imprisonment, the Xia Emperor had never promised freedom, only eternal servitude as slaves. That was why they had refused. In peaceful times, a hundred thousand years was fleeting. Having a group of divine demons serving for only a hundred thousand years would be useless.

"Xia Emperor, are you deceiving us?" Cold Howl Heavenly God frowned.

"No," the Xia Emperor shook his head. "I can swear a Heavenly Dao oath."

"I'm afraid that after a hundred thousand years, when you release us, you'll kill us again," Cold Howl Heavenly God roared. "Even if you don't, other humans will surely strike at us."

The Xia Emperor smiled: "I said I would set you free. I can even promise to grant you territory within my domain to live peacefully. As long as you don't rebel or oppose humanity, you can live safely."

All the divine demons became excited.

They now understood human strength well, having truly experienced their 'fist'.

"Only a hundred thousand years?" Cold Howl Heavenly God pressed.

"I can swear a Heavenly Dao oath," said the Xia Emperor.

"Good! Then we will serve you for a hundred thousand years." Cold Howl Heavenly God's eyes shone. A hundred thousand years was nothing; they had been imprisoned for countless times that long. To divine demons, a hundred thousand years was indeed brief. Enduring servitude for a while for eternal freedom—they weren't foolish.

…

Thus, the Xia Emperor finally subdued the mighty army of divine demons. Originally, countless human clans had united to completely suppress them. Of course... these divine demons would serve only a hundred thousand years.

"A hundred thousand years. I wonder how many will survive the great calamity. If they do, what does it matter if I let them live freely?" The Xia Emperor sighed inwardly. "But I don't know if I will be alive or dead by then."

…

Above White Extremity City in the Great Xia World floated a black city. This black city was a military camp city personally refined by the Dao Ancestors for campaigns, called 'Endless City' by the Nüwa camp.

On the square of Endless City.

Countless scattered immortals gathered, while from the three huge black mist tunnels leading to the Fifth World, an endless stream of black-robed figures flew out. Sometimes blood-robed figures appeared, all with powerful auras—some scattered immortals, some with celestial immortal auras. The vast army made the countless scattered immortals in the square burn with fervor.

"The Endless Sect is too powerful."

"They've summoned more immortals."

"Joining the Endless Sect was the right choice."

Inside the most majestic palace of Endless City.

"Fellow Daoist White Extremity, my forces have assembled," said the Blood Cloud Tower Lord with a smile. "Just now, they all arrived at Endless City."

"Good."

White Extremity True Immortal's sharp, sword-like brows lifted, and he smiled. "Excellent. Junior Sister Green Fox, have the three thousand celestial immortals all mastered the first volume of the Mixed Water True Method?"

"All mastered," the Green Fox Sect Leader nodded.

"It's time to raise the army and attack Xia," said White Extremity True Immortal, rising. "Set up the Heaven and Earth Penetrating Array. I want to announce it to the world."

The other seven Heavenly God True Immortals also stood.

…

The Heaven and Earth Penetrating Array was set up. White Extremity True Immortal stood within, his gaze cold as he looked into the endless void, and declared in a booming voice: "The Xia Emperor is without virtue. The great calamity descends. I, White Extremity True Immortal, lead a million immortal army, following the Heavenly Dao, to raise arms and attack Xia!"

Throughout Great Xia's three thousand six hundred commanderies and the four seas, White Extremity True Immortal's voice echoed.

Whether mortals, beasts, great demons, or cultivators—

all heard this voice.

It was a voice resounding in every corner of the vast Great Xia World! And it signified... the prelude to a great immortal war in Great Xia had begun!

…