"Who is it?"
"Who is that—what's going on? Don't tell me that the closure of Great Yi's borders isn't just for recuperation, but to suppress some kind of terrifying enemy. That aura... it's pure evil!"
"What's happening? Something doesn't feel right..."
This sudden shout sent waves of fear rippling through the hearts of countless citizens. It was becoming clear that the lockdown of the nation was far from simple. It carried far deeper implications.
"Your Majesty the Dragon King, what should we do? Shall we observe for now?"
Prime Minister Tortoise asked in a low voice.
"Hmm, let's wait and see for now."
The Vast Sea Dragon King's fury abated slightly upon hearing that, and he nodded in agreement.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
In a mountain range within Yi Prefecture, a massive peak suddenly underwent a bizarre transformation. All life on it—plants, trees, flowers—withered and died in an instant. A huge crack split the mountain open, as though a giant wound had been torn into the heavens. From within, a vast surge of yin qi and evil energy erupted like a geyser.
From inside, ghostly wails echoed, and sinister thoughts seemed to converge in the air. Countless distorted black shadows gathered in the void. Within the darkness, countless twisted faces shifted in and out of form—terrifying to behold. The oppressive aura they emitted seemed capable of ripping the very fabric of space apart.
Beneath it all, within the depths of the rift, a colossal whirlpool of darkness spun slowly, leading to some unknown destination. Its presence radiated a deathly danger that words could not describe.
This aura—far beyond the Nascent Soul Realm, even surpassing the Yang God Realm—had reached an unspeakable level of terror. It was like a peerless demon god awakening. A presence that made one's soul tremble.
"Yi Tianxing, do you really think you can bind me with your lockdown tactics? You've underestimated me. I am the Nightfiend. I am no soft fruit to be easily crushed!"
A cold voice boomed from the black shadow, laced with malevolence. "You're already on the Eternal Night Hunt List. You won't escape. If you surrender now, I'll leave your corpse intact. Otherwise, you'll learn what it means to become an enemy of Eternal Night."
The words dripped with wickedness.
"What? It's an Eternal Night fiend!"
"How is this possible?! A powerhouse of Eternal Night exists here in the Eternal World? Could that rift be a passageway connecting to the Eternal Night World? Is the army of Eternal Night preparing to invade?!"
"So the closure of Great Yi's borders... it was to stop this evil from escaping and ravaging the surrounding regions!"
Gasps filled the lands of Great Yi. The terrifying pressure from that aura was no illusion—it was real.
"There's no doubt. That's the aura of Eternal Night. That rift must truly be connected to it."
The Vast Sea Dragon King frowned deeply, his pupils narrowing in dread.
In the face of Eternal Night, all other concerns became secondary. Eternal Night was the ultimate threat. If it emerged within the territory of Great Yi, then their border lockdown was justified. In fact, it was a selfless sacrifice—shielding the world at Great Yi's own expense. Such noble integrity was truly admirable.
That aura—he could feel it. There was no mistake.
But this Nightfiend—who or what was he exactly? Cloaked entirely in black mist, his form was mysterious and utterly evil. The evil aura had spread rapidly since his appearance, and it seemed that his body was composed of countless ghosts and demons—chilling and grotesque.
"Nightfiend, this is the Eternal World. This is the land of Great Yi. You will not run rampant here. You want to open a gateway to summon your Eternal Night army? So long as Great Yi stands, we will never let you succeed. Kill!!"
Yi Tianxing stood in the void, righteous and resolute. His voice carried an unshakable conviction.
As he spoke, he advanced toward the Nightfiend, each step drawing in the momentum of the entire world, crashing toward the demon like tidal waves. With every step, Yi Tianxing's form seemed to grow—becoming as lofty as a mountain.
"Good! Come, then!"
The Nightfiend did not retreat. Instead, black energy burst forth from his body and began covering the sky. Day turned into deep night in an instant, and the blackness spread outward at visible speed.
From the rift, a colossal black gate was taking shape—clearly meant to lead somewhere dreadful. What lay behind it reeked of pure horror.
"Iron-Blood Great Wall, Seal the Nation—Great Yi, Lock the Realm!!"
Yi Tianxing chanted as he advanced.
Immediately, the Iron-Blood Great Wall materialized from the void, emitting a crimson divine light that enveloped all of Great Yi. The land was isolated from the outside world. The wall merged with heaven and earth, creating a domain barrier that would last eternally.
This was not the Iron-Blood Guardian mode—it was an even stronger mode: Iron-Blood Realm Lock. It sealed off realms, severing the nation from the outside. Great Yi became a self-contained miniature world, unaffected by external forces. Even the laws of reality within it became distinct.
Around the Wall, chaos spread—turbulent spatial rifts and warped time currents. Without the correct method, intruders could become lost in space forever.
Great Yi gradually faded like a mirage, vanishing from the Eternal World's perception.
However, this process could be interrupted. If anyone attacked at this moment, the sealing would slow or even fail.
Yet, as the black mist of the Nightfiend spread, no one dared act. Not even the Dragon Clan. The Vast Sea Dragon King stared intently at Great Yi's domain—but gave no order to attack. Not even to trigger a beast tide.
That aura, that pressure—it all confirmed that this being was tied to Eternal Night. Under such circumstances, no one dared to interfere. Many even hoped that Great Yi would take on the burden and suppress the Nightfiend themselves.
"Anyone with desire in their heart becomes my slave! Let Great Yi become a demon kingdom!!"
The Nightfiend let out a crazed laugh.
Within the darkness covering Great Yi's cities, countless citizens suddenly emitted black evil energy. Their eyes and faces took on a twisted glow of savagery. They were clearly being corrupted—losing themselves.
"Evil shall be purged. Light shall remain. Where there is light in the heart, there is purity. By decree—let light shine forth and cleanse the world!"
Yi Tianxing spoke solemnly.
As his words fell, an endless tide of holy light surged through the sky. Wherever it passed, the black evil within the people receded visibly. The citizens—previously lost—struggled, then regained their clarity as the evil vaporized into nothing.
"Fight me!!"
"Let me strike down a future great threat to Eternal Night—Kill!!"
In a flash, darkness and light collided. The entire void was illuminated by godly radiance. Only two figures could be seen battling amid the light—each clash echoing like thunder, each strike creating scenes of utter devastation.
Below, in the wilderness, a werewolf tribe observed the battle. Though they couldn't see clearly, the force radiating from the combat shook them to their cores.
"Not good—run!!"
One of the tribe's powerhouses roared, but it was too late.
A gigantic spear fell from the heavens like a falling star. When it landed, its terrifying force detonated like a bomb. The werewolf tribe was torn apart—nearly annihilated in one blow.
"Collateral damage..."
A surviving elder howled in grief.
Just then, a black long blade tore through the sky, flung away by some unknown force, and landed in the middle of a ghoul tribe nearby.
When it hit, the ground split open. A strange corrupting energy surged out, transforming all the ghouls into the Nightfiend's slaves, their eyes glowing with bloodlust—they were fully enslaved.
Amid roars and explosions, the battlefield kept shifting.
The duel between Yi Tianxing and the Nightfiend had reached a fever pitch—far beyond what others could intervene in. Even getting close was suicide, as the mere pressure would pulverize intruders.
The battle raged on—from the wilds to the sea. Every ripple of force turned sea beasts to mince. The waves became a graveyard.