Chapter 473: The Battle's Final Stage
The brutal conflict along the border was reaching its climax.
The ancient fiend tide had already broken through the second defensive line, now gathering in front of the third defensive line, engaging in fierce life-and-death battles against the frontier forces of Qinghe Mo City.
Meanwhile, far behind the ancient fiend tide, Li Hao and Mi Xueyao had spent two months feasting, and their primordial souls had grown tremendously.
Li Hao's primordial soul golden bones had already condensed 72 pieces, maintaining a steady growth rate of half a bone per day—meaning he could form an entire golden bone every two days. This was already his absolute limit when it came to refining and absorbing the essence from the ancient fiends.
According to the True Sovereign Spirit inside the True Sovereign Tower, the ultimate path of the primordial soul followed a strict progression:
Condensing the Primordial Soul Gold Veins
Forging the Primordial Soul Bones
Cultivating the Primordial Soul True Blood
Finally forming the True God's Seal
At present, Li Hao's primordial soul golden bones had yet to produce true primordial soul blood, meaning he was still far from the final stage of the True God realm.
However, he could feel that compared to two months ago, his primordial soul had undergone an undeniable transformation.
His divine sense range had expanded several times over, and purely in terms of soul strength, he could barely rival a Celestial Lord of the fourth or fifth realm!
That was utterly insane, considering he was still only at True Immortal Stage Three.
Besides Li Hao, Mi Xueyao's primordial soul had also grown exponentially.
Her actual cultivation was Celestial Lord Stage Five, and her primordial soul strength had initially matched a Celestial Lord Stage Seven—which, compared to the myriad races of the True Realm, was already enough to rival a Celestial Lord Stage Eight expert.
Yet now, after two months of feasting, her primordial soul had surged to the level of a Celestial Lord Stage Nine!
Such an absurd growth rate made her ecstatic.
She doubled down on scavenging ancient fiend corpses, putting in more effort than ever.
Even though Li Hao shamelessly took half of her haul, she gradually stopped complaining—because every day, her primordial soul continued to strengthen at an insane pace.
And more than just cultivation benefits—
The food itself was delicious.
Under Li Hao's masterful hands, the ancient fiend remains were transformed into a dazzling variety of gourmet dishes.
Each meal had a unique flavor, but all of them were undeniably exquisite.
Even someone like Mi Xueyao, who had never cared for food, gradually became obsessed—as if a whole new world had been opened to her.
She had never imagined that food could be this good.
"The battle over there should be ending soon, right?"
Li Hao casually asked while enjoying a plate of white-cut fiend meat with garlic-infused cold cuts.
Sitting beside him, Mi Xueyao was also eating her share, their two months of coexistence having formed an unspoken understanding between them.
At this point, it almost felt natural.
She chuckled, then snorted lightly, saying,
"I checked earlier. The battle is intense, but the fiend tide hasn't deployed its true forces yet."
"Ending soon? I think not."
She shot Li Hao a meaningful glance.
She knew that this ancient fiend tide wasn't just some mindless attack.
Aside from the Wheel-Turner Clan, the Di Jiang Clan—another royal bloodline among the ancient fiends—had yet to reveal themselves.
The ancient fiends appeared to be showing weakness, limiting their offensive to a 'Level Two' assault—but it was nothing more than a ruse to mislead the humans.
If the human commanders underestimated the situation, they would soon drown in rivers of blood.
Her gaze flickered—but she also thought about the Di Jiang Clan's internal struggles.
Even though there was a solid war plan, the ancient fiend race wasn't entirely united.
Would they really be willing to launch an all-out invasion and risk drawing the Heavenly Palace's attention?
"Oh?"
Li Hao frowned, his expression turning serious.
"Are you sure? If that's the case, we need to send this intelligence back immediately. This is crucial military information."
Mi Xueyao froze.
She had only intended to scare Li Hao a little—she hadn't expected him to actually react like this.
Her thoughts spun quickly, and she immediately said,
"Don't overthink it. If I know about this, you think the general commanding the army over there doesn't? They've been fighting for this long—I'm sure they're already prepared."
Li Hao said nothing, deep in thought.
Even if this information wasn't new, just sending a warning to make them extra cautious wouldn't hurt.
Since Mi Xueyao was an ancient fiend, her words were probably true.
Seeing his serious expression, Mi Xueyao regretted speaking too much.
She added quickly,
"The Wheel-Turner Clan is still over there. They've already started engaging in battle. But to be safe, we should keep watching. Once we confirm things, we'll report back together."
Li Hao nodded slowly.
"Alright. Let's eat first. We'll check it out afterward."
"Tsk."
Mi Xueyao rolled her eyes, knowing she wouldn't win this argument.
She couldn't help but admire Li Hao's sense of duty—
As a human prodigy, his first instinct was to risk his life delivering intelligence to the front lines.
If the ancient fiend race had more warriors like this, the war might have ended long ago.
She had spent ten thousand years warring against the myriad races of the True Realm.
She had heard stories and witnessed firsthand countless self-sacrificing warriors, men and women willing to give their lives for their race.
And it was precisely these people who had managed to hold the front lines for ten millennia, preventing the entire realm from falling.
"Hurry up and eat."
Li Hao finished his meal, then glanced at Mi Xueyao.
Seeing her deliberately stalling, he urged impatiently,
"Come with me. We'll check the situation first. We can eat when we get back."
Mi Xueyao snorted coldly.
"I'm a Celestial Lord, not your servant. You order me around like I'm your personal maid."
"So, are you coming or not?"
Li Hao's brows furrowed slightly.
Mi Xueyao gritted her teeth, then stood up reluctantly.
She saw the look in Li Hao's eyes—
She knew exactly what was going to happen next.
If she refused, this damn brat would definitely use food as leverage again.
During these past two months, they had argued multiple times, but in the end—
She had always given in because of his damn cooking.
She had even thought about capturing him, making him her personal chef—but the Futuo Emperor's Heart Tower made her hesitate.
That trump card alone was deadly enough—who knew what else he might be hiding?
And more importantly—
She didn't want to cause too much of a commotion and risk attracting more Wheel-Turner Clan pursuers.
"You…"
Mi Xueyao gritted her teeth, seeing the unwavering coldness in Li Hao's eyes. A strange sense of grievance welled up inside her.
Since childhood, when had she ever been treated this way?
She stomped her foot, then angrily stored away the food she hadn't finished.
"Fine! Let's go!" she huffed.
Seeing this, Li Hao didn't waste any more words. He turned and flew straight toward the battlefield.
Mi Xueyao clenched her jaw in frustration and followed closely behind.
Approaching the Third Defensive Line
They concealed their presence, carefully making their way toward the third defensive line.
Despite her irritation, Mi Xueyao still activated her Celestial Dao laws, enveloping Li Hao with her concealment technique.
By mixing in a trace of ancient fiend aura, she ensured that even if a Celestial Lord Perfected Stage scanned the area with divine sense, they wouldn't be detected.
Several thousand miles ahead, the battlefield stretched across the vast starry sky.
Explosions of celestial techniques echoed everywhere—
Ancient war bells rang out, sending ripples through space.
Lightning dragons roared, tearing through the enemy lines.
Countless divine weapons clashed, illuminating the heavens.
The battle was fierce, chaotic, and utterly ruthless.
Mi Xueyao's sharp eyes swept across the battlefield.
Among the ancient fiend tide, she quickly spotted the hidden Di Jiang Clan, as well as the Wheel-Turner Clan, who had now begun joining the battle.
But soon, her gaze landed on the countless corpses littering the battlefield, and for a moment—
She felt… tempted.
If she could jump into the battlefield and collect all those remains, wouldn't that be amazing?
Just the thought of all that valuable flesh and soul energy made her heart itch with greed.
But soon, she shook herself awake, feeling a rare moment of self-reproach.
As a member of the ancient fiends, was she really hoping for more deaths just to harvest their bodies?
How disgraceful…
Still, if they were fated to die anyway, wouldn't it be an honor for them to become her nourishment?
After all, when she conquered the myriad races of the True Realm in the future, their sacrifices would not be in vain.
Mi Xueyao's thoughts swirled continuously, shifting between guilt and justification.
Meanwhile, Li Hao was observing the human forces within the chaotic battlefield.
Among them, the Tiger-Lion Army had the largest presence.
They fought ferociously, their battle style brutal.
Every second, soldiers were falling, their lifeblood soaking the battlefield.
Throughout the battlefield, Celestial Lord-level ancient fiends rampaged, appearing and disappearing at will.
At the same time, human Celestial Lords would suddenly emerge to slaughter the fiends, keeping the lines balanced.
It was pure chaos.
Even Li Hao, despite his confidence, knew that if he entered this battlefield, there was no guarantee of survival.
After all, deep within the fiend tide, there were definitely king-level beings lying in wait.
If one of them launched a sudden attack, even Li Hao might not have enough time to call upon Wang Lao for assistance.
Something Feels… Off
As he observed the battle, Li Hao's brows furrowed slightly.
At first, he simply watched the Tiger-Lion Army's tactics, noting their ferocity.
But soon, he noticed something odd.
Despite their aggressive fighting style, their defensive formations were airtight.
The moment a gap appeared, a new battalion would fill the space instantly.
The defense line was rock solid, never crumbling.
It was… too organized.
Li Hao's mind flashed back to Mi Xueyao's earlier words.
Maybe… she wasn't entirely wrong?
This border war had lasted for tens of thousands of years—
How could it suddenly collapse the moment he arrived?
The commanders of this army were not idiots.
Besides, he wasn't some cursed "Death God Elementary School Student"—he refused to believe that his mere presence would lead to an instant disaster.
The more he looked, the more he felt that the Yanchu Immortal Dynasty had already noticed the ancient fiend's plans.
Gradually, he felt reassured.
Turning to Mi Xueyao, he said, "Let's go back."
Mi Xueyao's Regret
Mi Xueyao had been reluctantly pulling her eyes away from the battlefield's corpses, feeling a deep sense of loss.
But seeing that Li Hao had finally changed his mind, she sighed in relief.
Without hesitation, she led him back to their hideout.
"See? I told you."
She plopped back onto a stone, pulled out the white-cut fiend meat she hadn't finished earlier, and resumed eating.
She let out a self-satisfied hum, feeling pleased with herself.
Li Hao ignored her and instead focused on refining the blood and flesh within his body.
Another Month Passes
Time flew by.
One month later—
Li Hao's primordial soul golden bones had grown from 72 to 87, his progress steady and unshaken.
Interestingly, he had barely touched the ancient fiend corpses stored inside his personal space.
These past few weeks, he had only been eating the remains Mi Xueyao scavenged.
Meanwhile, at the Qinghe Mo City border—
On the Grand Immortal Platform, three figures stood overlooking the battlefield, their gazes solemn as they watched the three-month-long war unfold.
On the battlefield, the Tiger-Lion Army warriors were exhausted, their faces filled with fatigue.
Even the Tianlang Army soldiers, known for their ferocity, had fear creeping into their eyes.
Behind them, numerous disciples from various sects had retreated to the rear lines.
They still longed to earn military merit, but their survival instinct took priority.
Every so often, they would team up to plug a gap in the defenses.
They would fight, kill a few ancient fiends, and then retreat the moment they sensed danger.
"They're about to break."
The silver-haired, black-armored youth spoke, his voice calm but commanding.
"Has the Peacock Army arrived yet?" he asked the middle-aged vice general beside him.
The vice general quickly responded, "There's a large-scale fiend incursion at Lishu Mo City to the north. The Peacock Army is mainly stationed there. Only three elite battalions have been sent here."
Each elite battalion had 10,000 soldiers.
That meant only 30,000 reinforcements had arrived.
"That's not enough."
The woman with heterochromatic heavy-pupil eyes furrowed her brows.
She stared at the battlefield, her gaze deep and thoughtful.
"The Di Jiang Clan is still hiding in the fiend tide," she said.
"Fortunately, we planted celestial technique markers on some of the corpses. That allowed us to track their presence."
"They know we're watching them."
"That's why they haven't acted yet."
The silver-haired youth nodded gravely.
"If we rely solely on the Peacock Army, we might not gain the upper hand when the real battle starts."
The woman remained silent.
The Old General Speaks
The elder standing in the center, clad in battle-worn armor, finally spoke.
His deep gaze carried an undeniable sense of authority.
"The ancient fiend tide has gathered all their forces here."
"That means their rear is likely unguarded."
"Send a unit from the Peacock Army to circle behind them."
"A surprise attack from the rear could yield remarkable results."
The silver-haired youth's eyes flickered with consideration.
"Will they have enough time?"
The old general's voice remained firm.
"The Di Jiang Clan is cautious and cowardly. They won't attack recklessly."
"We still have time."
The old general gazed into the depths of the dark void behind the battlefield, his expression calm yet commanding.
"If we had a division of our forces positioned there right now, the enemy would be utterly defeated."
The heterochromatic-eyed woman sighed as she observed the battlefield.
"It's a pity. When the ancient fiend tide first struck, they destroyed all the celestial formations along the way. Otherwise, we could've used the Celestial Platform to monitor their army's movements more clearly."
The old general shook his head.
"No point dwelling on what's lost. Send the signal. Have the scattered Cloud Soldiers begin regrouping, and deploy a division of the Peacock Army to flank them from behind."
"Keep the force small. We don't want to alert the enemy prematurely."
Hearing this, the silver-haired, black-armored young man nodded and promptly ordered his adjutant to relay the command.
First Defensive Line
Li Hao and Mi Xueyao were still eating and drinking, savoring their meal when suddenly—
A brilliant crimson light erupted from the distant void, resembling a star going supernova.
Li Hao paused, setting down his food, his gaze sharpening as he soared into the sky for a clearer view.
"Could it be…?"
Mi Xueyao followed his gaze, her face turning grim.
Had the human border defenses really fallen?
Li Hao didn't reply. With a sweep of his hand, he stored away the remaining food into his personal space.
"Let's check it out."
Mi Xueyao, no longer in the mood to linger, swiftly activated her Celestial Dao concealment, enveloping them both before following after him.
Approaching the Battlefield
As they neared, the crimson glow became even more blazing, hanging in the void like a fiery sun.
At the same time, from within the human forces, two military divisions suddenly emerged.
Their soldiers wore emerald-green Peacock Battle Armor, each battalion numbering ten thousand troops.
When they formed their battle array, their collective power manifested as a towering celestial god.
With a single swing of its arm, it crushed an ancient fiend the size of a mountain.
"The Peacock Army!"
Both Li Hao and Mi Xueyao spoke in unison.
The Peacock Army was a top-tier combat force, their elite battalions each possessing strength equivalent to a Celestial Lord at the eighth level.
On the battlefield, they were an absolute force of destruction.
Even more terrifying was the Dragon War Army—their elite battalions wielded power comparable to a Celestial Lord at the tenth level, second only to the Chu Immortal Army.
Now, as the Peacock Army launched their attack, the chaotic battlefield was swiftly stabilized.
Countless ancient fiends perished in an instant, slaughtered by the colossal celestial god wielding divine flames.
These flames weren't ordinary—they were Karmic Flames, capable of incinerating primordial souls, making them a nightmare for ancient fiends.
A Surprise Reinforcement?
Suddenly—
Distantly, powerful auras emerged from the void.
Li Hao and Mi Xueyao turned in unison, gazing into the silent, dark expanse of space.
One after another, Celestial Lord-level figures began appearing.
At first, seven or eight.
Then, over a dozen.
"There are people hiding here?"
Mi Xueyao was visibly stunned.
Li Hao was equally shocked.
He had surveyed this region several times before, yet he had never sensed any hidden forces.
Aside from himself and Mi Xueyao, there shouldn't have been anyone else behind the ancient fiend tide.
But now, these Celestial Lords were converging—
Quickly forming a formidable strike force and charging into the enemy's rear flank!
Caught Off Guard
In the depths of the ancient fiend tide, several powerful fiend auras trembled.
Even they hadn't expected an attack from behind.
Caught completely off guard, they were forced to hastily regroup to defend themselves.
At the same time—
From beyond the battlefield, a colossal celestial god materialized, stepping across the void.
It strode forward with unstoppable momentum, cutting straight into the ancient fiend's rear ranks.
Yet another Peacock Army division had arrived!
Mi Xueyao's Shock
"Where did they come from?"
Mi Xueyao's eyes widened in disbelief.
Then, a terrifying thought struck her.
"Could your human race have someone who has comprehended the seventh level of the Space Primordial Law?!"
She couldn't suppress her shock.
Space was one of the Nine Great Sequences, ranking second in importance.
While there were rare prodigies who could comprehend it, most never progressed beyond surface-level mastery.
The deeper one delved into space comprehension, the more difficult it became.
But if a human expert had truly reached the seventh level of the Space Primordial Law, then—
The implications were catastrophic for the ancient fiends.
With such mastery, one could—
Open concealed, long-distance spatial tunnels.
Instantly deploy armies behind enemy lines.
Even launch direct invasions into enemy fortresses!
It was a power far more terrifying than any battle formation.
Mi Xueyao muttered in disbelief:
"If such an existence were stationed here… this war would already be over."
That level of power wasn't meant for battlefield skirmishes.
Such figures stood atop the grandest war theaters, dictating the fate of entire realms.