That colossal root gave them no chance to react. In an instant, it fell upon the star and pierced directly into the Star Realm, drawing out torrents of origin power. This origin was continuously siphoned into the Chaos World Tree, pouring straight into the countless leaves of the tree, causing the chaotic spaces within them to strengthen and expand, enhancing their innate origins.
More and more chaotic qi was derived. Once new heavens and earths were opened within, they would be broader, deeper, and more profound.
Not only was the origin of the Star Realm extracted, but even the Eternal Night humans within were devoured by the roots. It was as if they were swept through an unseen passage, only to suddenly appear inside the chaotic qi of one leaf after another.
"No… how did we end up inside chaos? Break it open!!"
The Eternal Night humans, once inside the leaves, were instantly alarmed. But in the next second, they were influenced by an invisible will. By instinct, they unleashed their strongest divine powers, madly striking against the chaos before them.
Boom!!
Chaos churned violently. The chaotic qi before them was not as indestructible as they had imagined. Their blows caused it to explode, evolving into earth, fire, water, and wind, and then they pressed on, madly striking at the edges. Space continued to expand, birthing greater and greater heavens and earths.
"Why… why is this happening? I'm being controlled! I don't want to open the heavens!!"
"Damn it, help!! What is this!!"
Within one world leaf, a great mass of Eternal Night humans were forced into the process of opening heavens. With all their strength, they struck the chaos. Some, in the midst of this, exhausted themselves, coughing blood, and their bodies fell into the newborn world. Under the suppression of supreme might, their forms quickly disintegrated, merging into the budding land, becoming nourishment for life.
Life force surged into being, and rich vitality spread across the new heavens and earths.
Thus, one after another of the Eternal Night humans, collapsing from exhaustion, fell to their deaths, their blood and flesh irrigating the worlds. Their sacrifice strengthened the worlds' foundations.
In this way, they had given everything to the newborn heavens and earths. The glory of these worlds bore their mark, and the worlds would remember them.
Such scenes repeated endlessly within the Chaos World Tree. One new world after another was opened upon its leaves. Each world was already the size of a cave-heaven, and some were not far from reaching the level of a Small Thousand World. In a short time, after settling, they could very well complete the breakthrough.
The origin of one Star Realm, plus the unwilling sacrifice of the Eternal Night humans, was enough to open tens of thousands of leaves into new worlds.
And this was only the beginning.
Once the first Star Realm was completely consumed, leaving not even scraps behind, Yi Tianxing unhesitatingly brought out more Star-Devouring Pouches. With a wave of his hand, thousands of stars erupted into the air at once.
Boom!!
In the void, countless roots manifested—almost one root for each star—easily embedding themselves within, siphoning their origin as sustenance. The Eternal Night fiends within the stars were instantly transformed into puppets of creation, forced to open the heavens within the small chaotic spaces.
One, two—Dozens, hundreds—
Every breath of time, vast numbers of new worlds were being opened.
And under the palace-treasure tree's regulation, these newborn worlds were immediately seeded with countless varieties of plants, trees, and herbs. Using the innate energy of creation, forests and grasslands rapidly sprouted. Spirit herbs and precious medicines grew in abundance, their growth accelerated by countless years.
The creation was immeasurable.
The plundered stars from Eternal Night were an inestimable resource. Not only did their origins strengthen the World Tree, but their inhabitants—the Eternal Night fiends—were the best tools. Many of the strongest were thrust into these new spaces, forced to open worlds. If they died, they became nourishment. If not, they were cast into another leaf to continue the process until nothing remained of their strength.
They would be drained to the marrow.
Every breath of time, more worlds opened.
For ten thousand years, the Chaos World Tree had not been idle—it had constantly absorbed vast energies of heaven and earth, strengthening its leaves. Even without star origins, it could open cave-heavens. Now, with these star-worlds, it was a true opportunity.
The Eternal Night captives were countless. With them as nourishment, the worlds that opened were at the peak of cave-heavens, a step from becoming Small Thousand Worlds.
Unknowingly, when all the star-worlds had been consumed, the Chaos World Tree had birthed no fewer than billions of new worlds.
"These Eternal Night fiends can be said to have died with purpose, adding to Great Yi's foundation. These new worlds are already suitable for habitation. They will allow Great Yi's population to increase by the trillions."
Yi Tianxing nodded in satisfaction.
He could sense that the palace-treasure tree had become even more extraordinary.
The new worlds were already habitable, ideal for human migration. And in time, with resources, they could expand endlessly.
"Master, in these new worlds, remnants of the Eternal Night bloodlines will likely give rise to races or species related to them. Should they be purged?" asked Ruyi Fairy.
"No need. Whatever bloodlines they had, they are now fused into the world. Let them spread. If they ever grow unruly, we can crush them then."
Yi Tianxing dismissed it lightly.
…
Within Great Yi, few noticed the changes. Over the next period, a great many city lords mysteriously vanished once more. But Great Yi's reserves of talent over these ten thousand years had reached monstrous levels.
Even opening billions of new worlds was something Great Yi could shoulder with ease. Populations were steadily migrated from the Hongmeng Heavenly Emperor Pagoda, as well as some from Great Yi's core.
Immortal cities of Great Yi were deployed and settled into the new worlds. Soon, each small world had its own city lords and citizens, order was established, and vast fortune-energy coalesced.
The true heritage of Great Yi was hidden here.
What the outside saw was but the tip of the iceberg.
Time flowed on.
Over a year had passed since the unsealing of Great Yi.
Then, one day, the void trembled with unbearable pressure. Thunder roared inexplicably across heaven and earth.
Countless cultivators raised their eyes.
And what they saw made their faces blanch—
Projected upon the sky were two colossal continents. One radiated dark, evil aura; the other, endless baleful qi as if it would endure forever. Upon them, countless cities stood. Vast armies surged, slaughter staining the battlefields with rivers of blood.
"This… what is happening!?"
"That's the God-Demon Battlefield! Look, our Eternal World elites are fighting there!"
"The Dragon, Phoenix, and Qilin clans are present—yes, it's the God-Demon Battlefield. And the other continent must be the Eternal Night Battlefield. Why are both projected here?"
"The two battlefields… they're moving closer! They're going to collide!!"
And indeed, under some mysterious force, the two vast battlefields crashed together.