Chapter 1740
Chapter 1740. Seventy-Three Dikes, the Predecessor of the Weiyang Celestial Dynasty
Seeing that the canary seemed frightened and finally calmed down, the woman in the red robe nodded in satisfaction. Then, with a gentle touch, a pale gray mist descended onto the canary.
The canary, whose eyes had been filled with terror, now looked full of doubt. It opened its nimble beak and found that it could speak.
“You great devil, retribution will come for you sooner or later! You destroyed my homeland, left my people displaced and homeless, turned my native land into a wasteland… chirp chirp chirp chirp…”
Its voice was clear and melodious, yet filled with furious anger.
The woman in red, however, did not wait for it to finish and shook her head impatiently, sealing its beak again.
“You really don’t listen. If it weren’t for the purity of your bloodline—which is extremely rare—I would have sent you to meet your kin long ago.”
The canary’s beak was sealed once more. It could only make distressed chirping sounds, flapping its wings violently and crashing against the cage.
The red-robed woman ignored it, lifting the cage and walking slowly. Behind her, a servant brought a wicker recliner, and she lazily reclined on it, her figure graceful and elegant. Her half-lidded eyes surveyed the vast, gloomy world below.
“Within half a month, tear open this defensive line. Can it be done?”
Her voice was languid, carrying a strange allure, like a cat’s claws scratching at the heart.
The dark creatures kneeling before her all answered in unison, with utmost respect, “Rest assured, Priestess Qiluo. Within half a month, we will break through this place and march onward.”
“Go.”
The red-robed woman nodded in slight satisfaction, flicking her delicate hand casually.
A boundless wave of black mist surged forward like a black dragon, tearing open the sky itself, roaring as it struck the towering dike ahead.
The overwhelming energy erupted like a black sun exploding, destroying everything in its path.
The colossal dike, as high as the heavens, shook violently.
Countless runes scattered in chaos, stones flew through the air—the dark energy was terrifying, more fearsome than the raging deep sea. It flooded everything, crashing against the wall.
Some sections of the dike had their runes obliterated, cracks appearing as if the structure might collapse.
This scene left the strong beings and creatures of the Zhengyi Alliance utterly shocked and horrified.
Even the ancestral Dao-level entities confronting the threat in the distant heavens felt a chilling unease, their hearts heavy.
It was clear that this attacker far exceeded expectations—a true major figure among the dark creatures.
Ordinary cultivators and beings trembled with fear, their souls chilled, many collapsing in worship.
The Zhengyi Alliance had relied on these ancient dikes as natural barriers against dark creatures.
There were seventy-three of them, built by ancestors in a distant age using the combined strength of countless worlds, imbued with infinite power, and inscribed with innumerable runes.
Each dike extended far beyond hundreds of trillions of miles, forming a nebula-like ring enclosing the Zhengyi Alliance. At the outer edges lay chaotic spatial rifts and barren lands filled with calamity.
Only ancestral Dao-level beings could traverse these barriers. They were the most natural and stable defense, making large-scale invasions by dark creatures nearly impossible.
Unless the dark creatures spent enormous effort to open and stabilize a passage, which the higher-ups of the Zhengyi Alliance would inevitably notice.
During this period, while the Zhengyi Alliance was receiving reinforcements from various Daoist lineages, numerous powerful cultivators were stationed near the seventy-three dikes.
But today’s event—countless dark creatures gathering and striking a single dike—was entirely unexpected.
The dark creatures came in overwhelming waves, merging seamlessly with the black mist. In the distant broken cosmos, untold numbers of dark creatures lay in wait.
The Zhengyi Alliance was in extreme danger. Meanwhile, the Fatian Alliance was gathering its forces to “seek revenge,” leaving the Zhengyi Alliance trapped between two threats. Reversing the situation would be extraordinarily difficult.
The cultivators and beings on the dike felt hopeless and powerless.
Boom!
At the edge of distant heavens, the horns of war sounded again. Dark creatures charged forth.
Some rode snow-white corpses, wielding sky-crossing blades and long spears, countless in number, like an army of the dead returning from the Nine Netherlands, issuing furious roars at the living.
On the dike, brilliant lights flared—array formations, sword shadows, thunder, storms, true fire, ice… all sorts of Daoist spells and symbols were unleashed without restraint.
This was an unprecedentedly brutal battle. The endless wastelands were drowned in blood and black mist. Surrounding starfields shattered, leaving only ruin.
Where the black mist spread, nothing grew; the land was barren.
The red-robed woman lounged lazily in her wicker chair, half-lidded eyes, playing with the canary, her gaze cold and indifferent.
“Liuyun, did that person you mentioned last time come to see you again?”
She slightly tilted her head, her beautiful eyes curiously looking at the white-robed beauty beside her.
“Reporting to Priestess Qiluo, no. That elder only asked me to deliver those words to you,” said Liuyun, shaking her head.
“The people of the Tianshui Sect deliberately sought you out to deliver that message… what do you think it means? Are they watching us?”
The red-robed woman Qiluo narrowed her eyes, pretending to ponder.
Besides the Supreme Grand Priest, the Tianshui Sect had nine other priests, ranked from one to nine. The higher the number, the more terrifying their power.
The red-robed woman Qiluo, fourth in rank, was often called the Red Yanluo by Tianshui Sect’s followers—a testament to her terrifying might.
The Grand Priest was ethereal and rarely seen, its whereabouts unknown. Even during the Grand Ritual, the first and second priests remained absent.
Thus, the third and fourth priests, especially Qiluo, were the de facto rulers of the Tianshui Sect, feared even by other priests and guardians.
Qiluo personally led the army against the Zhengyi Alliance, making her intentions utterly mysterious.
Liuyun, serving as her subordinate, could only guess at her motives. Perhaps it related to the words brought by the elder who claimed to be from the Tianshui Sect.
Liuyun noticed a significant change in Qiluo’s expression at that time—her usually unshakable composure wavered slightly.
Most importantly, given Qiluo’s strength, breaking the dike would be effortless. Yet she had not acted, as if waiting for something.
“Young Moon Grand Priest allowed you to stay by my side… she promised you something, didn’t she?”
As thoughts raced through Liuyun’s mind, Qiluo’s light, slightly amused voice interrupted her.
“The Grand Priest only allowed you to work by my side. There was no other promise.”
Liuyun bowed respectfully, saying nothing.
A fair, slender hand reached out, caressing Liuyun’s smooth, jade-like face.
Liuyun dared not move or raise her eyes.
The warm, delicate hand slithered like a snake, full of danger, ready to crush her head at any moment.
Qiluo smiled faintly, “Whatever the Grand Priest promised you, I can fulfill. Why must you still serve her?”
Liuyun remained respectfully silent.
Qiluo, finding this somewhat boring, withdrew her hand and shook her head.
“I’m waiting to watch a good show, but no one is performing. How dull.”
“Half a month should be enough to break this dike. I wonder what others will do… just observe for now?”
She then gazed coldly at the grand dike, lost in thought.
The black mist surged, killing waves crashing. Creatures fell, and more rose, like grass cut and regrown relentlessly.
Ever since the Fatian Alliance issued the decree to attack the Zhengyi Alliance, a silent war had begun.
The members of the Zhengyi Alliance had to defend against dark creatures while also watching for the Fatian Alliance’s forces.
At the borderlands, fierce battles erupted. Endless armies clashed with cries and chaos, equally overwhelming.
The entire universe became a battlefield. Ancient warships traversed time and space. Primeval war beasts appeared. War fortresses materialized.
Enormous streams of runic energy destroyed all in their path. Any star system faced instant annihilation.
The scene resembled an ancient apocalypse. No civilization could escape unscathed.
The Zhengyi Alliance’s Daoist lineages dispatched reinforcements immediately, including the younger generation, to resist this sudden calamity.
For the Zhengyi Alliance, this disaster determined life or death, the very survival of its existence.
In the Zhenyang True Realm, the Chancellor of the Zhoumie Mansion, having survived eight Heavenly Tribulations, stood with arms crossed, his cold gaze fixed on the dimming regions of the star map.
Each dimming region represented a civilization or a True Realm. As they darkened, it meant conquest by dark creatures. Even a supreme True Realm like Zhenyang could not protect all its dependent civilizations. Its power could not extend to every corner. Even sending strong cultivators immediately could be too late. Ultimately, much would be lost.
At that moment, perhaps the only option was to abandon some civilizations, shrinking the domain to ensure the safety of central realms and citizens.
“This assault by the dark creatures seems premeditated, as if coordinated with the Fatian Alliance,” the Chancellor said.
“The origins of the Fatian Alliance are unknown. Its leader appears to have mysterious ties with the dark creatures.”
Stars collapsed and rebirthed in his eyes as he observed the unfolding horrors. His face was somber, like it could drip water. He had survived eight Heavenly Tribulations with the help of benefactors. The founding of the Zhengyi Alliance was directly related to one such mysterious benefactor.
This aid would not come without a price. If the Zhengyi Alliance fell now, the consequences would be dreadful.
“In these troubled times, we can only sever the tail like a gecko—delay the enemy and retreat toward the central region.”
He sighed heavily and turned to confer with other leaders of the civilizations.
Since the battle was unavoidable, all-out resistance was necessary. Both the dark creatures and the Fatian Alliance must pay a heavy price.
The Zhengyi Alliance was not as weak as it appeared. Its current disarray was due to scattered forces.
Once the domain shrank and forces concentrated, its strength would increase—a natural trend.
At the Xieyue Sect, mountains and islands rose majestically, shrouded in mist, but the atmosphere was solemn.
Elders and disciples gathered in the central plaza, with divine lights converging from all directions.
“We have no retreat. Dark creatures seek to destroy the dikes. Our sect must cooperate to defend Dike Seventeen. Today’s assembly is to discuss this matter.”
“All disciples of the Immortal King realm or above are to be conscripted. Daoist elders will lead them to defend Dike Seventeen.”
The Sect Master, long mustached and with the aura of an immortal, had a solemn expression.
Dike Seventeen was nearest to Xieyue Sect. If it fell, the sect and allied lineages would face the dark creatures directly, likely perishing and turning into ruins like other destroyed civilizations.
Thus, this battle could determine the sect’s survival.
“We, the cultivators, fear no battle, fear no death. We are ready to march to the frontlines and exterminate the dark creatures!”
Their voices echoed across mountains and islands, shattering clouds and rocks, full of resolve.
Elders and disciples showed no fear in the face of life and death, inspired perhaps by Elder Chen Yi’s noble example.
The Sect Master nodded, slightly gratified but mostly helpless.
“If Chen Yi’s spirit could see this, he would be pleased.”
Elsewhere, Lan Xin and her disciples, dressed in white, had equally determined expressions. Gu Xian’er accompanied them silently, her young face solemn.
Ancient warships took off, carrying elders and disciples to the frontlines.
The outbreak was sudden, leaving no time for preparation. Most disciples had never faced real death or the horrors of war.
Gu Xian’er, though not favored in the sect, had been cared for by Lan Xin and others. She naturally stood with Xieyue Sect against the overwhelming dark creatures.
At this time, while the cosmos was turbulent, in the Fatian Alliance’s headquarters, all was calm, as if nothing had occurred.
Tap…
The crisp sound of chess pieces echoed. Gu Changge withdrew his hand, studying the board thoughtfully.
“Does this also involve the predecessor of the Weiyang Celestial Dynasty?”