Chapter 847 : A Desperate Retreat and a Solemn Vow

"Senior!"

Eldrin Chen's eyes were bloodshot, and he yearned to lend his strength once more, yet he was restrained by Dorian, the Sage Lord.

Maris the Sea Steader also held him back, his expression grave as he said, "We cannot perish here. How else shall we defend the Eastern Wastelands?"

"Preserve our strength for now. We shall plan our counterattack another day."

Eldrin Chen's heart ached with a wrenching pain. Leading the others, he looked back with every step he took, yet ultimately resolved to carve a path of slaughter toward the periphery with unwavering determination.

At the moment of parting, he witnessed the Black Dragon soaring into the heavens. He saw one Dao Lord after another stepping forward to hold the line, embracing their doom. He beheld the mighty, whose names once shook the world, now finding their final rest in this place.

Only after a long while, having fought their way for millions upon millions of Li-lengths [one Li-length equals five hundred meters] through the chaotic battlefield, did they finally catch up to the Human Race's Treasure Ship Fleet that had withdrawn from the Cosmic Star Islands.

Several days later, Nascent Soul Dao Lords began to return one after another, each bearing grievous wounds.

It was not until three days had passed that the master of the Horizon Sea Pavilion summoned everyone aboard the Pure Yang Treasure Ship named 'Sea Pavilion World-Suppressing Ship'.

"Brother Horizon Sea." Visit @udio-novel.com to enjoy the complete series.

Upon the Treasure Ship at this moment, all present gazed towards the master of the Horizon Sea Pavilion, awaiting his address.

The master of the Horizon Sea Pavilion swept his gaze over the assembled figures, noting that barely thirty Nascent Soul Dao Lord [powerful cultivators whose souls have ascended to the nascent stage] were seated in attendance.

Even counting Eldrin Chen and others who possessed combat power rivaling a Primordial Spirit [the spiritual core of a cultivator, representing a higher stage of existence] despite being at the Half-Step Primordial Spirit [a transitional state just below the Primordial Spirit realm], the total number of combatants with Primordial Spirit strength was merely around forty. A shadow of gloom darkened his eyes.

The battle had been fought with devastating ferocity. The three allied races of the Purple Realm—the Human Race, and the two Demonic Monsters [powerful demonic beings] clans—had mustered little more than one hundred and fifty Primordial Spirit cultivators in total.

For this conflict, the Human Race had committed over eighty Nascent Soul Dao Lord, joined by over thirty from the two Demonic Monsters clans. In total, roughly one hundred and twenty Nascent Soul Dao Lord had taken to the field—a near-total mobilization of their highest-tier forces.

Yet, the aftermath of this single engagement was dire. Directly slain Nascent Soul Dao Lord exceeded thirty percent of their number. Another thirty percent had their physical bodies utterly destroyed. Of those who remained with any fighting capacity, only these thirty or forty were left.

And among those whose bodies remained intact, most bore grievous wounds. Their faces were pale, their vitality drained. What fraction of their true power they could still muster was uncertain.

Contemplating this, the Master of the Horizon Sea Pavilion could not suppress a wave of bitter sorrow.

He let out a heavy sigh before speaking. "Fellow Daoist [a respectful term for a cultivator of similar attainment] Taiyuan fell in the Demonic Abyss Cataclysm [the cataclysmic battle at the Demonic Abyss], holding the rear guard so that we might retreat."

"Boom—"

Though he had anticipated it, hearing it confirmed directly from Master of the Horizon Sea Pavilion felt like a colossal bell tolling against his very soul, leaving Eldrin Chen's mind reeling and his thoughts scattered.

The battle had been fought with devastating ferocity. Nine supreme powerhouses of the Purple Realm were trapped within the Formation, locked in a stalemate against the Eastern Sovereign's Physical Body.

Among the supreme Ninth Layer Nascent Soul experts who had not entered the formation, Master of the Supreme Profound Hall had perished together with the Primordial Flame Demon, while Lord of the Separated Flame Hall's physical body was utterly destroyed, rendering him incapable of battle for centuries to come.

Lin Tianqi, the Sword Saint and Netherdeep Demon Venerable had fought to a mutual standstill, their clash carrying them to the distant ends of the boundless firmament. Both had sustained unprecedented, grievous wounds that would likely require hundreds of years to heal.

Now, with Taiyuan the Daoist fallen in battle, the only one remaining with any significant combat strength was Master of the Horizon Sea Pavilion alone.

Suppressing the turmoil in his heart, Eldrin Chen drew a deep, steadying breath. "Senior," he asked, his voice grave, "what path lies before us now?"

"Indeed, what are we to do?"

At these words, solemn expressions settled upon the faces of all present.

With the loss of the Zhou Heavenly Stars Grand Formation, the Human Race could only retreat in defeat. Yet, this conflict was far from over.

The Human Race was newly broken, its Various Great Immortal Clans and even its Nascent Soul Dao Lord severely wounded. For the Extraterrestrial Heavenly Demon, this was the perfect moment to press their advantage and pursue a decisive victory.

If nothing unexpected occurs, the Extraterrestrial Heavenly Demon will undoubtedly launch another assault after a brief respite. Seizing the moment before the Human Race can recover its strength, they will aim to breach the Eastern Sea Cultivation World and the Eastern Wastelands in one fell swoop.

At this thought, expressions of profound anxiety appeared on everyone's faces.

In this battle, the Human Race has already suffered a grievous defeat, yet the Extraterrestrial Heavenly Demon has also paid a heavy price. Should both sides regroup and clash anew, the final victor remains uncertain.

After a Millennium has passed, some of the fallen Nascent Soul Dao Lord would return from their Reincarnation Tribulation [the trial of rebirth after death for powerful cultivators]. Once the survivors recover from their wounds, they might even gradually suppress the Extraterrestrial Heavenly Demon.

However, if the Extraterrestrial Demon God seizes the Eastern Wastelands and the Eastern Sea Cultivation World, the living space for the Human Race would be drastically reduced, while the strength of the Extraterrestrial Demon God would recover swiftly.

With one side waning and the other waxing, the Human Race would find it nearly impossible to expel the Extraterrestrial Heavenly Demon thereafter. They would be forced to watch helplessly as the Demon Race continuously establishes more Demonic Forbidden Lands. The complete novel can be found at audio-novel.com.

Once the number of Demonic Forbidden Lands exceeds a certain threshold, the Extraterrestrial Demon God could deploy the World-Refining Grand Formation [a grand demonic formation designed to corrupt and consume a world], gradually eroding the heavens and earth of the Purple Realm and refining them into Demon Abyss Filthy Earth.

In this manner, it would likely take only three Millennium to corrupt the majority of the Purple Realm. The Extraterrestrial Demon God could then completely refine this realm's Heaven and Earth Will [the collective consciousness and natural order of a world], transforming the entire Purple Realm into nourishment for its cultivation.

By that time, the myriad beings of the Purple Realm would have nowhere to flee. Whether a common mortal or a Demigod Ancestor whose might shakes the world, all would become mere blood sustenance for the Extraterrestrial Demon God.

Faced with such a dire and desperate situation, even Master of the Horizon Sea Pavilion dared not delay or show the slightest negligence.

He drew a deep breath, then spoke, "Given our current circumstances, our only recourse is to regroup and recuperate. Then, relying on the few Sacred Land [places of immense spiritual power and defensive strength] within the Eastern Sea Cultivation World, we must face the Extraterrestrial Heavenly Demon [demonic invaders from beyond this realm] in another battle."

"Only by repelling the onslaught of the Extraterrestrial Heavenly Demon can we blunt their ferocity and win a precious moment of respite for the myriad beings of our Purple Realm [this world, named for its dominant spiritual hue]."

"Another battle?"

The expressions of those present shifted subtly, each face clouding with worry and hardship.

Every person gathered here bore significant injuries. Even with the formidable defensive formations of Sacred Land like Dorian's Immortal Island and the Horizon Sea Pavilion, victory was far from assured.

And to fight on would almost certainly mean further casualties.

Seeing their troubled countenances, the Master of the Horizon Sea Pavilion spoke with resolute firmness, "Esteemed colleagues, this battle is our foundation, our stand."

"If we do not fight, we risk surrendering the entire Eastern Sea Cultivation World. Should that fall, the Eastern Wastelands would likely follow. What hangs in the balance are your kin, your disciples, the very lands where you cultivate."

Hearing this, the several Dao Lord [masters who have comprehended a profound Dao path] from the Eastern Wastelands and the Eastern Sea nodded in grim agreement.

This concerned their most vital interests. To abandon the fight now would be akin to carving flesh from their own bones. Naturally, they were resolved to stand and fight once more.

Dorian, the Sage Lord swept his gaze across the assembly and declared, "Do not fear him, my fellow cultivators. Though our losses in this battle were grievous, the Extraterrestrial Heavenly Demon [demonic beings from beyond this realm] suffered far greater casualties."

"If we stand united and summon the Fellow Daoist [fellow cultivators] guarding the various Sacred Land [places of immense spiritual power], victory is not beyond our grasp."

Hearing his words, the gathered cultivators nodded slowly in agreement.

While the Purple Realm [a major cultivation domain] had indeed paid a heavy price, the Extraterrestrial Heavenly Demon had also been dealt a severe blow.

The Extraterrestrial Heavenly Demon forces numbered close to two hundred. Even before the main clash, Eldrin Chen and his companions had ambushed and slain more than twenty of the Heaven-Demon [a powerful rank among the demonic invaders] on the periphery.

In the brutal, central conflict that followed, the mighty figures of the Human Race struck down their foes on all fronts. Taiyuan the Daoist alone fought to the death against seventeen Nascent Soul Celestial Demon [demons possessing power equivalent to the Nascent Soul realm], a tally that included two at the Primordial Spirit, Late Stage [an advanced stage of spiritual cultivation].

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