"To swallow me will not be that easy!"
The moment Bai Liyun realized he was about to be consumed by the laws of the Great Dao, he unhesitatingly chose sacrifice. Rather than letting his entire Dao-fruit be swallowed by the universe, he would sacrifice it to Qi Ping, the Star-Emperor, allowing Qi Ping to sweep away the demons in his stead!
Only Qi Ping's Dao could carry his sacrifice. This was something Bai Liyun had discovered when he first saw Qi Ping's Dao of All Living Things after becoming a True Demon Unity cultivator: Qi Ping's Dao could accommodate the true spirit and consciousness!
He had even sensed his own imprint within Qi Ping's Dao. He didn't know this was because his burgeoning faith and trust in Qi Ping had already made him a "faith-vassal," making his existence a part of the Dao of All Living Things. Furthermore, Bai Liyun becoming a True Demon Unity cultivator was a core factor that had allowed Qi Ping's Dao to reach the Unity stage itself. This was why he could sense his own imprint within it.
Perhaps due to this imprint and the unique nature of a True Demon, this sacrifice became possible.
The moment Bai Liyun began the sacrifice, the laws of the Great Dao fell into a frenzy. In their eyes, Bai Liyun's act was akin to snatching food from a tiger's mouth! Even more horrific Dao-shackles manifested on his body.
Yet Bai Liyun's consciousness had not fully vanished. His remaining strength transformed into countless demonic blades that hacked at the shackles once more. His horrific demonic nature and his will to "cleave the heavens" caused the shackles to tremble and crack, freezing them in the void.
In that instant of freezing, Bai Liyun's entire Dao-fruit broke through space in a bizarre state, vanishing from that world without a trace. When it reappeared, it broke through space once more, descending into the region where Qi Ping was located.
After Bai Liyun left that World-Domain Battlefield, the Star-Sea's world node was completely exposed and instantly sensed by the remaining Saint-grade demons.
At this moment, a look of relief appeared on the faces of many surviving Saint-grade demons. They knew of Bai Liyun's True Demon state and his insane slaughter within the sector. Even the Black Tortoise Demonic Crocodile, famed for the highest defense, had fallen to him.
Naturally, these high-status Saint-grade demons were shaken. They were invaders, cruel and vicious, but they also cherished their lives. Against ordinary cultivators and worlds, they were happy to sweep through with irresistible momentum. But against a legendary True Demon practitioner, they avoided fighting to the death if possible. They knew he would eventually be assimilated by the Great Dao anyway; he could never leave that sector.
And now, the madman had finally dissolved into the Dao!
"A good death!"
"I truly don't understand how a world that has declined this far could produce such a rare existence."
"We usually wipe out worlds of this level with a wave of our hands. Why are there so many troublesome individuals here, one after another?"
"No wonder Futu Zi of the Sky-Dragon Continent sought us out. Had they not promised us Power of Creation-grade items and the fact that Sky-Dragon is one of the most famous worlds in ancient history, would we have crossed the vast void to come here? It seems this Star-Sea World truly holds a great secret!"
"There must be! Otherwise, given the current level of the Star-Sea, such anomalies shouldn't keep appearing."
"But now, their True Demon cultivator is dead. He was their only Unity stage expert. From now on, nothing should be able to block our Imperial Blood Demon World's progress!"
"It's just a pity for our fallen friends. Now, even their rebirth in the Demon Nest is uncertain. Even if they are reborn, it will be in the distant future..."
While many demons were rejoicing, two Saint-grade demons felt it was a pity. They paused when they sensed the world node.
"I had hoped to see the legendary True Demon Realm for myself... A pity. I wonder if that famous True Demon could have withstood my suppression!"
Immediately following the appearance of the node, a wisp of gray demonic energy descended. A boundless force crushed the entire space, including the world node.
In this World-Domain Battlefield... the Star-Sea World had been defeated!
The moment Bai Liyun sacrificed himself and the world node was destroyed, Qi Ping sensed his aura.
"Daoist Bai!?"
Looking at the Dao-fruit flying toward him, a look of uncontrollable sorrow filled Qi Ping's eyes.
Too many had died in this war. Of those who had entered the World-Domain Battlefield, more than half had already fallen. Because his Dao of All Living Things and these people were mostly linked by faith, he could clearly sense the fallen citizens and warriors. Each of their faces and Dao-fruits was clearly imprinted within his Dao.
Now, those imprints were flickering out one by one, losing all sign of life. And now, even Bai Liyun's imprint had grown dim. He was a True Demon Unity cultivator, yet even he had met such an end!
Only after personally seeing the terrifying combat power of the Saint-grade demons could one know the horror of the Unity stage battlefield. Setting aside Bai Liyun, even Qi Ping had nearly perished countless times. He had only escaped death by the skin of his teeth on several occasions.
He had managed to survive only because of his proficiency in the Space Dao and his ability to adapt perfectly to the disaster-stricken battlefield. As for winning... his current strength was simply not enough.
Though he had the amplification of the Dao of All Living Things, giving him power comparable to the Unity stage, he still could not defeat the strongest of the Saint-grade demons. When he met them, he could only run.
With Bai Liyun's fall, he was the only Unity-level combatant left. Once the battlefield ended, they would have no choice but to retreat to the Star-Sea Nine Domains.
Thus, seeing Bai Liyun's solitary Dao-fruit appear, Qi Ping felt a heavy sense of grief.
"Daoist Bai..."
Qi Ping clenched his fists. A horrific power radiated from his hands, causing the clouds to shift and the wind to boil, mirroring the turmoil in his heart. He thought he had prepared himself for such an outcome. This was an inevitable sacrifice.
But when those who believed in him truly began to fade from the Dao of All Living Things, his heart could not help but be shaken. Now, this Blade Demon whom he had come to respect—the only Unity stage cultivator born in the Star-Sea in countless years—had fallen. He had only just reached Unity; he should have had a brilliant future.
The death toll was simply too high. Most of them were his faith-vassals, the loyal contributors who had followed him from the beginning to build this world.
'Could it be that I was wrong?'
A trace of doubt rose in his heart. If he hadn't become a Druid and an Earth Immortal, perhaps he wouldn't have attracted the vengeance of the Sky-Dragon Continent so quickly. The Star-Sea World might have lingered for a long time.
But that doubt was instantly crushed!
'Those people didn't deserve to die!'
If he hadn't become a Druid, the Star-Sea World would still be tearing itself apart under the manipulations of the Sky-Dragon Continent. Countless would die every year, and the world would continue to decline under their harvests. With those people standing over them, the suffering would never stop, the tragedies would continue, and destruction would still be inevitable.
It was a destined suffering, but now it was different. Those people were afraid! They were afraid that this suddenly appearing Earth Immortal would become the hope that severed their shackles! They were afraid that the Star-Sea's final struggle would disrupt their plans of countless ages!
"The point is not the sacrifice itself, but that the sacrifice must have value!"
"I must possess even greater strength to prevent tragedies!"
"I need even more power!"
Qi Ping had never desired power as much as he did at this moment. He wanted the ability to slay his enemies with his own hands, to protect the home he had built and the citizens who believed in him... rather than just lingering on.
In truth, having grown to this point, he had long lost the privilege of "lingering on." There was no longer any remote corner of the world that could sustain him.
At that moment, the Dao of All Living Things seemed to sense Qi Ping's state of mind. A warm golden light fell upon his trembling body. Immediately after, an unprecedented golden war-armor, carrying the will of all living things, draped itself over his frame.
If anyone with knowledge were here, they would know that this was a Dao-phenomenon that only appeared on the true Sovereigns of the ancient era. Furthermore, Qi Ping's armor was not just a Sovereign's image; it was carved with various spirit beasts and trees of immense spirituality.
In that same instant, Bai Liyun's Dao-fruit merged into the golden armor, transforming into a demonic blade colored in black and gold. A will to "cleave the heavens" erupted from the blade.
The horrific aura even forced back the surrounding subterranean fires and tribulation lightning.
However, Qi Ping's main attention was not on the powerful armor. Within the demonic blade, he sensed a wisp of Bai Liyun's demonic nature and true spirit—though weak, it truly existed!