Earth-shaking roars of challenge reverberated among the firmament as the million strong Dusk Phalanx swept through Nephrite Major, Lazuli Major, then Primus Major, and finally the outer realms where the World Gates were!

Wanfeng watched their progress silently, gazing upon an army that contained people she’d known in this life and the last. They had embarked on a road with no return, and perhaps all one million of them would be dead after a few years. Even Yuchi Tianhuang, Yuchi Hanxing, and Xuan Yu might perish.

But they had no other choice.

……

A shocking crimson colored the skies of the world of immortals. When immortals died in battle, their blood sprayed downward in a bloody rain that dyed every inch of the world’s soil.

It was just like a saying that Lu Yun had once heard on Earth: each inch of territory is won by an inch of blood. A million immortals meant an army a million strong.

This wasn’t just a rallying cry meant to bestir public opinion for war, but the voluntary action of all immortals in the world.

In the hundredth year of the Xuanhuang calendar, the Dao Academy welcomed its hundredth anniversary and the last day of peace in the world of immortals!

“Those who die in battle will not die in vain. I’ll have Hell Flowers bloom throughout all of the world,” murmured Lu Yun as he watched blood sprinkle down.

“The world projected by the World Gates won’t hold for long. It’ll shatter, sooner or later.” Resolution flashed through Qing Yu’s eyes as she looked at her dao partner.

“Then… we’ll fight our way out and head for the cosmos. Let’s take a look at what’s out there. How are they creating these horrific yin spirits?!” Lu Yun completely understood where her thoughts were going.

Their previous calculations had shown that if the world of immortals possessed more than ten great emperors when the World Gates fell, that would be enough to potentially emerge victorious over this cataclysm. But when disaster truly descended, they discovered that someone had interfered with their formula dao.

The current world of immortals was far greater than what it’d been at the peak of human dao. Their greatest experts exceeded creator realm and reached immortal lord or higher.

But still, there seemed no hope of winning against the endless tides of yin spirits behind the World Gates.

The chaos creatures didn’t even need to make a move, much less powerhouses from the third realm. Just the hordes of yin spirits alone were enough to shake Lu Yun’s heart and dim the light of hope from his eyes.

There was certainly something dreadful hidden in the depths of the cosmos, something that kept attracting the horrific yin spirits. Only when they resolved that latent threat in the darkness would they have a chance of winning.

“The demon of the immortal dao is on the move. I wonder how Pangu and God are faring.” Lu Yun suddenly worried about the two legendary characters.

They were in charge of suppressing the demon of the immortal dao, but it was beginning to appear with increasing frequency in the world of immortals. The corresponding lack of word from Pangu and God made Lu Yun’s heart sink.

“There’s someone else behind the demon, he’s not alone. Perhaps he has something to do with the third realm.” Qing Yu’s heart grew heavy as well.

“We can’t keep the demon down, so I can only hope that Pangu and God are fine… Blood Demon, Demon God, the two of you must protect the academy well. Remember, the demon of the immortal dao may be coming for you, so you must be careful,” Lu Yun suddenly transmitted to the blood demon and his disciple at the Dao Academy.

“Don’t worry, Headmaster. The demon dares not act recklessly within Mount Xuanhuang,” came the blood demon’s response from a distance. “But you must keep an eye on the Venerated Sacrosanct Immortal King. He possesses the heritage of the Hadal Bone Method as well as an enduring true spirit. Perhaps he’s the demon’s true target.

“The Hadal Bone Method comes from lofty origins, I wonder who exactly left it behind…”

“Hold on!” Lu Yun interrupted. “Doesn’t the Venerated Sacrosanct Immortal King use the Skyturning Seal? Didn’t he return the Hadal Bone Method to you? How can he be practicing it again?”

Of course he knew where the method came from—a great master of the fourth realm!

The Hadal Bonefire with the Hadal Hell had been left behind by the young man of bones. He’d comprehended the method within that hell, which was why he named it the Hadal Bone Method.

The young man knew that entering the Hadal Hell consigned him to an eternity of imprisonment, but he didn’t want his method to die out like this. Therefore, he’d left both method and fire by the perimeter of the Hadal Hell for one who would resonate with them.

Lu Yun had spent the past hundred years running to and fro or deriving combat arts. He didn’t pay attention to those under his command unless they died; they could do everything as they saw fit.

Therefore, he didn’t know that the Venerated Sacrosanct Immortal King was relearning the Hadal Bone Method.

As this method came from the fourth realm, its implications were too great. If word of it got out, experts from the third realm would hold nothing back in fighting for it. A method of the fourth realm was much more important than the world of immortals!

“Well… the Hadal Bonefire has taken root in his enduring true spirit, so even if he returns the method to me, he can cultivate it again,” paused the blood demon. He continued dejectedly, “All of the efforts I put forth in cultivating that method benefited him in the end.

“He’s also the foremost expert of the immortal court now. When creator realm appeared, he broke through to that level without fanfare.”

Lu Yun narrowed his eyes in thought, then nodded. “Alright, I see.”

He thought about it some more and contacted Qing Han in the outer realms, instructing her to keep a close eye on the Venerated Sacrosanct Immortal King.

This disciple was the strongest under Lu Yun’s banner, apart from the Bridge of Forgetfulness. She was their greatest trump card to safeguard the cosmos. It was because of her existence that Lu Yun felt they could hold on for eighty years.

If not for her, they wouldn’t last even a year.

……

Hellfire burning around them, Lu Yun and Qing Yu set foot outside of the world of immortals. But as soon as they did so, they came to a surprised halt.

“What are you two doing here?” Lu Yun frowned at the two people—or rather, dragon and phoenix in front of him.

Ghost Dragon and Ghost Phoenix!

These two often appeared to help Lu Yun fend off enemies—such as when large numbers of experts had appeared in the dragon tomb of the North Sea, or Dusk Province had been under siege.

They’d vanished a while ago, and Lu Yun and Qing Yu had failed to find them through formula dao. To think they’d be in the cosmos outside the world of immortals!

They looked wordlessly at Lu Yun and Qing Yu, then turned around to head deeper into space. Yin spirits teemed among the stars, but didn’t notice their existence.

“After them!” Lu Yun grabbed Qing Yu’s hand and deployed the Boundless Step in their direction.