Chapter Ten: The Outbreak of War

The Red Rock Plateau, usually so desolate, had rarely been so lively. Three hundred thousand cultivators at or above the Nascent Soul stage, along with ten thousand immortals, were gathered within a fifty-mile radius. Countless more were on their way to reinforce the assembly. The ground was strewn with Heavenly Mechanism Stones, used both to replenish spiritual energy and for cultivation, so much so that even the violent dust storms swirling across the plateau were now infused with spiritual energy. Brilliant halos of protective energy danced up and down with their owners’ movements, slowly breathing a semblance of life into this once-killing field.

Two hundred miles away, the western angels were also gathering in dense formation, readying the prelude to their assault. After five thousand years of recuperation, the angels had gradually recovered. Hundreds of thousands of troops awaited the commander's order to attack. More and more angels emerged from spatial rifts, wings beating as they poured from the cracks like drops of water merging into a vast ocean.

A small creature ran among the meditating cultivators, a storage ring clenched in its mouth. Everywhere it passed, a few top-grade Heavenly Mechanism Stones would vanish without a trace.

Nourished by the Heavenly Mechanism Stones, the little creature was growing ever faster; by now, not even Gu Linglong herself could necessarily catch it. It was cunning as well, never venturing near the powerful immortals, always targeting the weaker groups. Before they even realized, their Heavenly Mechanism Stones were already spirited away.

Li Chengzhu was delighted. This was far more profitable than crafting magical artifacts.

Little Shadow grinned as he counted the top-grade stones in his storage ring, thoroughly satisfied. Indeed, this boss was as generous as they came; just to keep his mouth shut, he’d been given fifty top-grade stones at once.

After only a few months with this boss, his purse had swelled nearly tenfold. In the past, this would have him beside himself with excitement.

But now, Little Shadow would not be content with just this bit of generosity.

He eyed the boss, who was drooling as he counted the top-grade stones in his storage ring, with greedy calculation. No one knew just how wealthy this boss truly was. Little Shadow racked his brains, plotting to spirit away the little creature as well.

If the boss were to suddenly fall in this war, wouldn’t the little creature end up with him? Little Shadow mouthed the words, but nothing came out. His lips seemed to shape the phrase: “Die, die.”

At last, the war horns sounded.

After months of anticipation, the angelic legions had grown tired of petty skirmishes. At dawn, under the order of their supreme commander, a hundred thousand angels advanced as the vanguard toward the cultivators’ stronghold.

The scouts quickly relayed the news back to the temporary command post.

Ye Zhiqiu, the third-rank Marshal in charge of the cultivators, commanded all immortal practitioners to assemble and intercept the angelic advance.

As he watched the messenger depart, Ye Zhiqiu wearily patted his forehead. For thousands of years, he had never suffered a headache, and now it throbbed dully. How many cultivators would die in this battle? These men and women were the very foundation of the Immortal Realm.

Though he was a Da Luo Golden Immortal and a third-rank Marshal, he was powerless before the tide of this war.

He could only hope the slaughter would not be too great. Though he would not wield the blade himself, so many would perish because of his single command—such was a violation of the Heavenly Way.

With a piercing cry that seemed to shake the sky, the cultivators and angels finally clashed at close quarters. In an instant, flying swords and magical treasures spun and soared above their heads. Protective auras blazed at full strength, everyone striving to secure the safest position for themselves.

All knew this was war. All understood the price of defeat.

Everyone was prepared to be cannon fodder.

And this was only the vanguard skirmish—the true climax had not yet begun.

Yet death hovered incessantly at their sides. A single misstep, and an enemy lurking behind would run you through.

The cultivators spared no effort in unleashing their spells. Flying swords, under their masters’ command, sought out the weak points in the angelic ranks.

Not even the thick dust storms could dim the brilliant radiance of their magic; the entire battlefield was bathed in dazzling light.

Now and then, a pair or two of angel wings were sliced off; the low-ranked angels, deprived of flight, spun helplessly to the ground, only to be dismembered by several flying swords before they ever touched the earth.

Those cultivators on the ground, either weaker or unable to rise into the air, vented their fury upon these defeated angels.

Not even the souls of the angels could escape, trapped and destroyed on the spot by the cultivators’ spells and magical treasures.

The cultivators’ methods of engagement were even more direct and effective; the bold and hot-blooded among them often perished deep in enemy ranks for lack of support from their comrades.

Even in their final moments, they would not fail to self-detonate their Nascent Souls, giving the arrogant invaders a bitter taste of defeat.

High above, Ye Zhiqiu gazed at the clusters of white light piercing even the dust storms to stab at his eyes; tears welled up within him.

You are the true heroes! The real heroes!

Were it not for his followers restraining him, Ye Zhiqiu would have flown into the fray, sword in hand.

This was a battle of endurance, not a war that could be won by the strength of one alone. Though Ye Zhiqiu understood this, watching the cultivators die before his eyes still filled him with guilt.

Most of the angels in this wave were two-winged or four-winged, with only a few six-winged angels holding the line.

On his side, most of those sent into battle were still short of immortality.

The six-winged angels, plunging deep into the enemy ranks, tore bloody rifts through the crowded cultivators like hot blades through butter.

Wherever they passed, carnage followed; severed limbs and entrails littered the ground.

The blood of the cultivators added fresh crimson to the Red Rock Plateau.

Yet the stimulus of death and blood only drove both sides to greater frenzy, pushing the battle to fever pitch.

If the skirmish of the cannon fodder was already so fierce, what would the true battle be like?

Ye Zhiqiu steeled himself, landed on the ground, and could not bear to witness any more vanishing souls.

Li Chengzhu and Little Shadow were interrupted from counting their spoils by the thunderous noises, glancing in bewilderment at Gu Linglong.

Gu Linglong sighed gently. “It’s begun. Those sounds are Nascent Souls self-detonating.”

Everyone was shocked, mouths agape.

Li Chengzhu felt as though a rod had been driven through his heart and was stirring up a storm within.

If each explosion meant a cultivator had self-detonated their Nascent Soul, then in just that short while, over a dozen had already fallen.

He exchanged a glance with Little Shadow, both filled with horror.

War was so cruel.

Even if a cultivator’s body was destroyed, as long as their Nascent Soul survived, they could rebuild. Only in utter despair would someone self-detonate their Nascent Soul.

What kind of battle was this, to drive so many to such an end?

Even as Li Chengzhu pondered, several more explosions echoed in their ears.

Glancing at Little Shadow, Li Chengzhu smacked his lips but said nothing.

Little Shadow, too, wore a guilty expression.

Just moments before, they had been merrily counting their top-grade stones.

Perhaps by now, the owners of those stones lay dead on the battlefield.

Reflecting on his actions, Little Shadow lowered his head, walked over to Li Chengzhu, and handed him the fifty top-grade stones.

Li Chengzhu curled his lip and took them, slipping them into his own storage ring—if not him, then who?

After all, those cultivators were probably already dead. No sense letting the stones go to waste.