Before the Battle Begins

In this tense atmosphere, Su Luo took out a diary and began writing.

[The human race and the demon beast army have gone to war.]

[The demon beast army launched the main offensive, while the humans used the Northern Heavenly Gate for defense and counterattacks.]

[The first wave of the demon beast army's assault was...]

[...]

[After three days of probing, the full-scale battle began. The demon beasts launched an all-out attack, and their strongest warriors entered the fray.]

[...]

[The Beast Lord, unable to restrain himself, also joined the battle.]

[His power was beyond what ordinary people could withstand. Di Haoran led a group to confront the Beast Lord.]

[...]

[The Beast Lord's strength surpassed everyone's expectations. Even those at the Great Ascension Phase could barely threaten him.]

[At the critical moment, Jiang Ningshu entered the battlefield, finally making the fight even.]

[Tribulation Phase against Tribulation Phase—this was what finally put the Beast Lord at a disadvantage.]

[...]

[By the way, Lin Xuan made three appearances in this battle between the humans and the demon beasts.]

[The first was at the very beginning of the fight. He performed exceptionally well—Lin Xuan was particularly skilled at clearing out weaker foes—but this drew the Beast Lord's attention. A single long-range strike from the Beast Lord left Lin Xuan severely wounded.]

[Human experts rushed to rescue Lin Xuan.]

[Lin Xuan withdrew from the battlefield and received intensive treatment. Before long, he was revived—even strengthened—gaining something like a Super Saiyan bloodline.]

[His second appearance was a heroic return, saving those who were about to be killed by the Grand Priest.]

[Thus, Lin Xuan's opponent became the Grand Priest—a worthy and formidable adversary, a match for Lin Xuan.]

[The two fought until both were grievously injured.]

[Meanwhile, the Beast Lord was losing ground against Jiang Ningshu. Surrounded by human experts, even the mighty Beast Lord found himself in dire straits.]

[The Grand Priest, severely wounded from his battle with Lin Xuan, made a swift decision.]

[He sacrificed his own life, offering all his remaining power—along with the energy of the totem altar—to the Beast Lord.]

[The Beast Lord erupted with newfound strength. Meanwhile, Lin Xuan, having concluded his battle with the Grand Priest, was once again severely injured and forced to retreat for treatment.]

[Empowered, the Beast Lord crushed the human experts. Even Jiang Ningshu fell before him. No one could stop the Beast Lord now.]

[Though the Beast Lord was also battered, the surrounding demon beast army continued to fuel him—albeit at the cost of their lives—so his downfall was still far off.]

[At this moment, there was no one left who could oppose the Beast Lord. He rampaged freely among the humans, slaughtering indiscriminately.]

[Finally, Lin Xuan made his third appearance, entering the battlefield heroically once more to engage the wounded Beast Lord in battle.]

[They fought to a standstill.]

[Not long after, it was my turn to appear.]

[Having absorbed the demonic energy of all the Heavenly Demon Sect members, my mind grew unstable again—mad and erratic.]

[But one thought remained clear: I had to kill Lin Xuan.]

[My arrival plunged the others into despair. Just when victory seemed within reach, the Demon Lord appeared.]

[They must have hated me beyond words. Normally, it wouldn’t have mattered—but at this moment, my presence was especially detestable.]

[Still, remembering the Heavenly Demon Sect, they understood. The sect had aided the demon beast army before.]

[Thus began a three-way battle—Lin Xuan representing the humans, the Beast Lord leading the demon beasts, and me alone, representing the Heavenly Demon Sect and the pinnacle of demonic cultivation.]

[Jiang Ningshu? She had long been expelled from the demonic path.]

[In the battle, I focused my attacks on Lin Xuan. If the Beast Lord interfered, I struck him too.]

[Though the Beast Lord recognized that Lin Xuan and I were mortal enemies, his pride refused any aid from humans. To him, all humans were foes—so he attacked both of us.]

[Lin Xuan, of course, did the same.]

[...]

[In the end, the three-way battle concluded. The Beast Lord fell, exhausted to death. Lin Xuan lay grievously wounded, unable to rise. I was the only one left barely standing.]

[Just as I was about to deliver the final blow to Lin Xuan, the others intervened. I stood alone, but Lin Xuan had an entire army at his back.]

[In the end, I was overwhelmed by the weaker fighters around me. Unable to finish off Lin Xuan, I had no choice but to retreat in bitter frustration once again.]

[But before leaving, I tore out the Beast Lord’s heart, taking with me the refined Blood of the Demon God within.]

[This would be my last means of gaining strength. Without power, how could I remain Lin Xuan’s rival?]

[After consuming it, I became neither human nor beast.]

[My strength surged, but the cost was far from ideal.]

[With the Beast Lord dead, the remaining demon beast army was no longer a significant threat. Their annihilation was only a matter of time.]

[Still, their numbers were vast, and victory wouldn’t come easily—especially since, after the Beast Lord’s death, they entered a frenzied state, fighting to the death and exploding upon defeat.]

[In the end, the humans paid a heavy price for their victory.]

[Several Great Ascension Phase experts perished, but a win was still a win.]

Su Luo closed the diary.

[Diary entry completed. Reward: Constitution +2, Strength +2.]

[Special ability acquired: Heaven-Earth Pressure.]

[Pressure release effectiveness greatly enhanced. Controllable.]

Su Luo felt this ability was useful, but not overwhelmingly so. His pressure was already formidable—now, with this enhancement, a mere glance from him might force anyone to their knees.

Before, Jiang Ningshu’s pressure had surpassed his. Now, with this, Su Luo had completely overtaken her.

Still, Su Luo had no intention of flaunting his pressure needlessly. If not for maintaining his persona as a Great Ascension Phase cultivator, he would have preferred to appear ordinary—returning to simplicity, indistinguishable from a mortal.

After finishing the diary, all that remained was to wait for the right moment to make his entrance.

Three days later, the first wave of the demon beast army arrived near the Northern Heavenly Gate.

Their numbers were already considerable.

Yet they did not recklessly attack—instead, they waited, as many more waves were still on their way.

The humans, too, stood ready, prepared for battle at any moment.

Some suggested a preemptive strike—to catch the demon beasts off guard while they were still assembling.

But the proposal was rejected.

Without the Northern Heavenly Gate’s defenses, the casualties would be incalculable.

On the demon beast side, without the Beast Lord’s command, they remained motionless.

Time passed slowly.

Finally, the Beast Lord gazed upon the Northern Heavenly Gate from afar, his terrifying aura instantly sweeping across the battlefield.

Those with weaker constitutions grew nauseous—some even fainted.

Di Haoran stepped forward, unleashing his own pressure to resist.

It was a pitiful display.

With no other choice, the other Great Ascension Phase experts joined in, releasing their pressure in unison.

Only then did they manage to hold their ground against the Beast Lord.

One against many—before the battle even began, the humans were already at a disadvantage in terms of momentum.

But this was no reason to falter.

At present, there were over a dozen Great Ascension Phase experts gathered here.

Though the cultivation world officially recognized only ten, and with the demonic faction’s losses, the number should have been even lower—there were always hidden masters lurking in the shadows.

Most were ancient ancestors, on the brink of death, who would only emerge in times of crisis.

And now—this was that moment.

The Beast Lord retracted his oppressive aura, then uttered a single command: "Kill all the humans."