Boom! Boom! Boom!
The ice-snow storm and the Heavenfire descending from the sky smashed together. The collision felt like the heavens and earth themselves clashing — a wild, roaring explosion. Countless snows melted; countless flames were snuffed by the terrible cold and fell toward the ground. The two forces stalemated, turning the battlefield into a realm of ice and fire.
The Heavenfire Tree, formed from the million Divine Crows, possessed power comparable to a Dao-Proving realm powerhouse. But the Frost Giant Demon was also a Dao-Proving realm demon god, and had nearly reached the peak of that realm. Ice and fire are natural counterforces — the stronger side suppresses the other. The outcome would depend on which was truly dominant.
"Kill!"
In the Frost Giant Demon's hand an ice coffin manifested. The coffin was wrapped in countless exquisite ice blossoms, a perfect work of art. Inside it seemed a whole world made of ice and snow, its forms ever-changing.
The ice coffin surged skyward until it became tens of thousands of zhang tall and shot straight toward the Heavenfire Tree like an iceberg on the move.
Feathers flew — countless dense fire-feathers hurled at the coffin as if to shatter it midair. But the coffin was tyrannical; the feathers could not break it. Instead they were frozen solid by the coffin's chill. The very Heavenfire within was frozen mid-void and fell as shattered chunks of ice.
The ice coffin could not be stopped. It slammed into the Heavenfire Tree.
Crack!
The lid of the coffin opened and a torrent of frost poured out, submerging the Heavenfire Tree. The giant tree was sealed in ice; the expressions on the Fire Crows were frozen in place. Then the coffin struck — with a thunderous blast the Heavenfire Tree shattered into rubble. Countless Fire Crows and their riders were smashed to pieces, pulverized. Even those at the True-Spirit level did not escape. They were gone — utterly annihilated.
That death was spectacular, like snowspark fireworks.
Witnesses across the Eternal World and on the battlefield all inhaled sharply. The scene was horrific.
"How could this be? That was Great Yi's Divine Crow Legion — a million elite! And they were all wiped out in an instant. Commander Mu Guiying fell here — Great Yi will not let this stand. This will drive them mad."
"Eternal Night has gone insane. A force that can rival Dao-Proving realm power just erased an entire legion. Their might is far worse than we imagined.
""With Great Yi's legions annihilated like this, Yi Tianxing won't let it slide. The coming blood and storm is visible already."
On the battlefield another scene unfolded. Snow Kunlun led the million-strong Snow Rabbit Legion, breaking through demonic ranks. Giant snow rabbits stamped and surged, and the legion's officers displayed exceptional skill; their slaughter opened a path through the tide. Snow Kunlun focused the army's power and swelled to tens of thousands of zhang, surging into Dao-Proving strength. They were unstoppable — until a massive Heavenfire meteor fell from the sky.
The meteor smashed down upon Snow Kunlun and transformed into a towering Flame Demon. It roared and tore through the Snow Rabbit Legion, slaughtering them all. The Flame Demon only bore a few savage scars.
Snow Rabbit Legion — annihilated.
"Another Great Yi legion gone. They've truly gone mad."
"Look! The War Tiger Legion is wiped out too! A Fallen Demon of Dao-Proving level slaughtered them."
"Finished — a blue formation of the Seven-Color Corps is destroyed. It's a Demon God Battlefortress. They actually brought out the Battlefortress."
Grim scenes multiplied. The Azure Dragon Legion was slaughtered by a giant demonic dragon. The White Tiger Legion was torn apart by a six-winged flying demon tiger. The Sky Dog Legion was smashed dead by a falling slab that struck like a brick and destroyed an entire war-city with it.
Too many to count. Wherever Great Yi's legions appeared, terrifying demon gods arose in Eternal Night as if targeted specifically at them, launching merciless annihilation. Death and annihilation swept through the ranks.
As the two battlefields fused, this became the hour of doom for Great Yi's expeditionary corps. At first some hoped it might be coincidence, but as one legion after another was wiped out, it became clear Eternal Night was deliberately striking at Great Yi's finest units — specifically aiming to obliterate their elite formations.
Even though many Eternal Night demon gods fell beneath furious strikes from Dragon, Phoenix, and Qilin clans (and even the Progenitor Dragon and Progenitor Phoenix intervened to rout some great demons), it did not reverse the grim losses.
Great Yi's expeditionary legions — annihilated.
Tens of millions of soldiers died on the battlefield.
Across the Eternal World a chill spread. Great Yi had risen from obscurity in this epoch; now every expeditionary corps it sent out had perished. This was a direct, brazen blow — a slap in their face.
"Heh. Interesting. So this is Eternal Night's revenge. Their nature is to punish anyone who dares offend them a hundredfold. Rather than strike at Eternal Night's heart, they chose to slay Great Yi's legions — to make us feel the pain of losing our martial strength."
"But do you truly understand what you're provoking?"
Yi Tianxing stood coldly in the Immortal Palace and watched the Two Realms Battlefield through the void. He clearly perceived the malignant intent flowing from Eternal Night. It was naked provocation — a declaration of war thrown straight in his face.
Eternal Night's message was blunt: "We will slaughter Great Yi's legions. If Yi Tianxing is a man, fight. If you're a coward, stay hidden."
Yi Tianxing was not angered simply by the annihilation itself. Those legionaries were fabricated from the power of the Immortal Creation Kings; they were real to the world because the people believed. In truth the legions still existed within Great Yi, residing in the military-soul war realm — and each legion's power had grown manyfold. But to the outside world they represented Great Yi's face. For them to be butchered was an undeniable humiliation.
"Your Majesty, the Left Chancellor requests an audience — he urges caution. Do not fall into Eternal Night's trap. Their moves surely conceal schemes; do not act rashly."Cao Zhengchun entered and reported swiftly.
"Let them come to the Observatory Hall," Yi Tianxing said with a curt nod.
"Yes, Your Majesty." Cao bowed and left.
Yi Tianxing's eyes flickered with an odd light; a half-smile crossed his lips. He murmured, "Eternal Night, Eternal Night — do you know that during my ten thousand years it was not only the fortune of the dynasty that grew. I myself have not been idle. Today I'll make you know what it means to truly anger me. The wrath of Great Yi is not something just anyone can bear. Prepare yourselves for the pain you will feel."
As he finished speaking a figure stepped out from his body — another Yi Tianxing, an external incarnation born of himself. It was identical in appearance, identical in aura; its power was fathomless.
The duplicate strode toward the Two Realms Battlefield.
One step! Two steps!!
With a sudden roar of dragons, the Nine-Dragon War Chariot manifested beneath him. From the ancient nine dragons auspicious clouds unfurled. He trod the clouds and ascended, tearing through the void toward the Two Realms Battlefield, purple vapors streaming in a thousand folds and golden light clearing the way.