One day passed swiftly in tense yet orderly pre-battle preparations. Inside and outside Qingxu Temple, spiritual energy surged, treasures glowed, pervaded heaven and earth. All summoned warriors, whether meditating, polishing artifacts, or having final tactical discussions with comrades, each person's eyes were sharp as hawk's, state adjusted to peak.
The next day, dawn broke, morning sun scattering golden radiance across the Qingxu Temple mountain range.
In the massive square before the main hall, the elite participating in this ultimate battle had completed forming ranks. Though fewer than yesterday's assembly, their auras were more condensed, more dangerous. Everyone standing here was minimum Nascent Soul late-stage cultivation—they were the true backbone and blade of the Three Realms Alliance! Dragon King Ao Guang, various demon kings, tribal chieftains, Imperial patrons, sect elders... each a major figure capable of shaking their region with a stomp, yet like the most ordinary soldiers, stood solemnly in formation, gazes uniformly fixed on the main hall direction.
Tang Xiaoqi's figure appeared precisely on the platform before the hall. He remained in white robes, unstained by dust, chaotic-colored eyes calmly sweeping the army of the Three Realms' peak power gathered below. Mu Xue stood at his side slightly behind, ice-blue eyes holding only cold resolve. Senior Brother Mu Qingfeng, Third Senior Sister Liu Yun, Zhao Tiezhu and others stood respectively at the formation's frontmost, representing Qingxu Temple, also representing the Alliance's core.
No lengthy pre-battle mobilization; Xiaoqi's voice clearly entered each marcher's ears, calm yet containing undeniable authority and resolve:
"The demonic entity ravages and poisons all living beings, old debts unpaid, new grudges added. Today we gather here, not for private feud, but for public righteousness, for this bright world, for countless future generations, to demand justice, to fight for peace!"
"This journey has only one objective——"
His voice abruptly rose, like a drawn sword, decisive:
"Flatten the Shadow, execute the demonic entity!"
"Flatten the Shadow! Execute the demonic entity!!"
Below, mountain-and-sea-like roar erupted instantly, sound waves rolling, causing surrounding clouds and peaks to respond! Resentment and battle intent suppressed too long finally ignited at this moment!
With this thunderous vow, the sky above Qingxu Temple suddenly darkened!
Not dark clouds, but an enormous shadow, blocking the sunlight!
That was a massive fleet that stole one's breath!
Over five hundred of the upgraded "Space-Piercing Shuttle" vessels, tempered by the Demon Nest battle and tech-enhanced by Second Senior Brother Luo Feng! Their bodies flowed with deep rune light, arrow-like prows like hornets, full of the lethal beauty and threat of tech-rune fusion. Besides the Space-Piercing Shuttles, dozens of hard-lined, sleek silver warships from the Silicon Civilization floated quietly nearby, emanating cold tech pressure, forming stark contrast yet mysteriously merging with the cultivation world's creations.
This combined fleet represented the strongest mobile assault force the Three Realms Alliance could currently deploy! They would carry the ground's elite warriors on this unprecedented——Void Expedition, directly striking the Shadow Plane!
Xiaoqi's gaze swept the formation below, then looked up at that sky-covering fleet, no more words. His form slowly rose into the air, like stepping up invisible stairs, step by step, toward the largest, most complexly-runed flagship at the fleet's forefront——the "World-Cleansing" Space-Piercing Shuttle.
Mu Xue, Senior Brother, Third Senior Sister, Zhao Tiezhu, and Dragon King, demon kings, various clan leaders and other core combatants also followed, transforming into streams of light, falling into the "World-Cleansing" and surrounding main vessels.
The Nascent Soul cultivator army on the ground, under their respective captains' commands, orderly transformed into several hundred lights, like, precisely entering those battleship cabins already opened above.
The entire process was efficient, solemn, silent, yet carrying a steel-like will and undefeated conviction.
In barely any time, the square was empty. All strength had entered those steel beasts hovering in the sky.
Xiaoqi's figure had already stood on the "World-Cleansing's" sword-like bow. Wind gusted, blowing his robes, unable to shake him in the slightest. He finally glanced back at Qingxu Temple mountain range bearing too many memories and emotions, his gaze pausing momentarily on that familiar main hall, then turned resolutely toward the endless before him.
His gaze seemed to already penetrate layers of space, seeing that grotesque, demonic aura-filled Shadow Plane, seeing that lurking demonic entity deep within!
Slowly, he raised his right hand.
The entire seemed to freeze at this moment. All battleship engines maintained minimum-power humming, countless gazes through observation formations that white-robed figure on the bow.
Time seemed stretched.
The next moment, that raised hand transformed into a palm blade, carrying resolve to cut through all obstacles and forge the future, ruthlessly waving forward!
"Deploy——!"
Two words, like thunder exploding, like great bells and chimes, clearly transmitted to every battleship, to every marcher's heart!
"hum——!!!""——!!!"
The long-prepared fleet engines, under this command, erupted with full power! Several hundred Space-Piercing Shuttles and Silicon warships ejected dazzling energy streams from their rears, tearing the sky!
The massive fleet, like an awakened starry sky beast, began slowly accelerating, heading unhesitatingly toward that spatial node at the Western Desert edge leading to the Shadow Plane, as indicated by Tang Xiaoqi's spiritual sense lock! Speed increased ever faster, ultimately transforming into a stream of brilliant light, disappearing into the's depths!
Vow made, expedition departed!
The sword bearing the Three Realms' ultimate hope and resolve had unsheathed, directly pointing at the demonic lair!
Volume Five, "Demon Descends Upon the World," concludes.
Volume Six, with this expedition fleet entering the, officially begins the most bloody and glorious prelude to the decisive battle determining destiny!