The Awakening of the Devil's Plain

On the Devil's Plain, where countless war souls had been buried for eons, a peerless divine treasure was about to see the light of day, shaking the entire world.

Celestial music rang in harmony; petals of flowers rained down from the heavens. Auspicious light flooded the skies, and curtains of rainbow radiance cascaded downward, illuminating all directions. Primordial, mounted on a celestial crane, descended from the clouds.

He wore a purple-gold crown and a yin-yang Daoist robe. His hair, as white as snow, hung down his chest and back, flowing in the wind. His face was like a silver moon—no trace of age—and he appeared to be a handsome man in his early thirties. His nose was straight, his mouth square, and his eyes were deep as the ocean. Though he exuded no oppressive aura, his tranquil and effortless bearing gave one the sense of unfathomable depth. The more one gazed upon him, the more reverence grew in the heart.

The sky was filled with rainbow-colored ribbons of light, and crystalline petals drifted down amid celestial music, drenching the heavens with a heart-soothing fragrance.

The celestial crane let out a long cry and flew away into the distance. Primordial stood in the void, and around him, a majestic palace materialized, shrouded in mist and clouds. Many immortals appeared at his side. He sat cross-legged on a cloud, closed his eyes, and remained motionless.

Though he spoke not a single word, his mere posture struck fear into all hearts. This was a Half-Ancestor!

In another part of the sky, Buddhist chants resounded through heaven and earth. Golden script appeared in the air—ancient Sanskrit characters shining like stars. Lotus blossoms bloomed endlessly in the sky, their pure white petals unstained by dust. It was as if a paradise of bliss had manifested.

A Buddha appeared, his body sixteen feet tall, his skin the color of burnished gold, as if cast from the finest yellow metal. His expression was one of compassion and sorrow, his mercy filling the heavens. He sat upon a twelve-grade lotus throne, his eyes closed, radiating a holy, peaceful aura that saturated the entire sky.

Incense rose from his bare feet, which trod upon auspicious clouds in a most extraordinary manner. The twelve-petaled lotus throne manifested divine arts; beside the Eight Virtues Pool, white light shone forth. His lifespan equaled heaven and earth—no lie. He had endured eons of waves—words not wild. He had cultivated the relic, named Fetal Breath, and dwelt in the blissful Western Paradise.

This was the legendary Buddha, who in a past life had been crucified on the Devil's Plain. Later, he attained Buddhahood. In the ancient war, save for the Ancestral Gods, he could contend for supremacy under heaven, rarely finding a match. After the great battle on Dragon Island, he had vanished completely, and many believed he had perished there. Yet now he had reappeared.

The Buddha—a saint of compassion, an all-powerful god. And now he too had been drawn here. One could imagine how important this divine treasure must be, to cause even a Buddha to walk the mortal world once more.

The massive twelve-grade lotus throne, as towering as a small mountain, radiated thousands of auspicious beams. Buddhist chants resounded all around. A vision of the Western Paradise appeared: Buddha light illuminated all, ancient temples stood tall, pagodas soared into the clouds, and five hundred Arhats stood in ranks on either side.

It was both real and illusory. With the arrival of Primordial and the Buddha, it seemed that entire new worlds surrounded them, making it impossible to distinguish truth from fantasy.

By now, the number of great figures who had descended upon this place was beyond count.

The First Lord of the Demon Palace, the White Tiger Saint Emperor, the Supreme Assassin, and the Great Saint Kong Xuan had all arrived, lending the Devil's Plain an air of profound mystery.

The White Tiger Saint Emperor cast a cold glance at the Buddha—they had clashed in the ancient war and could be called old rivals.

Word spread that this divine treasure had been anticipated by many ancient powers for countless years. They had been waiting for the seal to loosen, so that when it appeared, they could seize it.

It was said that Lord Tongtian had long since mastered a primordial spatial passage leading to the treasure's location. He had sent an incarnation into that ancient path, standing guard over the treasure site for years. For a being of Half-Ancestor level to guard it so diligently—one could imagine its immense importance.

Lord Tongtian's main body stood upon a cloud, sweeping his gaze over Primordial and the Buddha. He gave a cold snort. The four killing swords—Zhuxian, Luxian, Juexian, Xianxian—each over a thousand feet long, were thrust into the ground. They quivered, their murderous aura soaring to the heavens.

The condensed sword energy of the Twenty-Four War Swords was vast and unfathomable. Attentive cultivators noticed that Tongtian's four swords bore an uncanny resemblance to the sword-light forms of the Twenty-Four War Swords, as if they stemmed from the same source.

This led many to speculate: could it be that the world-shaking four swords of Tongtian were born from the Twenty-Four War Swords? If so, the revelation was staggering. Four swords had already spread fear across the world—if all twenty-four were unleashed together, nothing could stand against them.

If the conjecture held true, this treasure surpassed every divine weapon ever known. And given the rumors that Tongtian personally sent an incarnation to guard the passage, perhaps it was all true: he sought to gather all twenty-four swords.

Far off in the sky, Xiao Chen gazed from a distance. He did not approach. The sky above was dominated by the greats, while below were the endless forests of white bones surrounding the war swords. Further out, crowds of cultivators thronged. He felt that pressing forward would yield little beyond chaos.

"Hehe..." At that moment, the barefoot demoness Yao Yao fluttered over like a spirit, beautiful and light. Her black dress rippled in the wind, her slender waist swayed gently. Her crystal-clear toes shimmered with an alluring luster, and her peerlessly beautiful face was full of smiles.

"My lovesick man, what are you daydreaming about? Our allies have arrived."

Behind Yao Yao came the Fairy Xuan Xuan of the Compassionate Sword Hut, Jue Dao—the current inheritor of Little Li Flying Dagger—and behind them, the Roman Empire powerhouse Samo. Last came a tall, golden-haired beauty, graceful and magnificent, peerless in elegance. Her body was tall and lithe, her hair as brilliant as sunlight, her snow-white skin delicate and smooth. Her sea-blue eyes sparkled with intelligence, and her long lashes fluttered as wisdom gleamed in her gaze.

Except for the last woman, Xiao Chen already knew the names of the others.

A light flashed—her immortal sword leaped from its sheath and pointed directly at Xiao Chen's throat. Xuan Xuan, a fairy of the Compassionate Sword Hut, had crossed paths with Xiao Chen before. He had struck her chest with his elbow, drawing blood. Though her face was veiled, her watery eyes had grown sharp, launching two brilliant beams of light at Xiao Chen. The immortal sword behind her clanged and sprang free, its killing intent enveloping him. She had been defiled; now her murderous intent was undisguised.

Xiao Chen paid it no mind. He strode forward boldly through the void, approaching the fairy who had gathered the spiritual essence of heaven and earth, and said without restraint: "Elder sister, could you please stop staring at me like that? I really don't like your type of woman."

Samo wanted to laugh but held it in. Yao Yao laughed openly, not hiding her amusement. Her faction had been mortal enemies with the Sword Hut since ancient times, and she delighted in seeing the fairy put out.

Flash.

With a flicker of light, the immortal sword returned to its sheath, and Xuan Xuan regained her calm. She did not wish to let her mind waver or anger rise in such a setting. Xiao Chen admired that composure.

"Fairy, I was wrong—I apologize. Actually, I do like your type..." Seeing the killing intent flicker in her eyes, he smiled and said, "I won't explain further. Truly, I meant no harm. I'm a good man."

"Hahaha..." Samo flew over, laughing. "Villains always call themselves good. Today we fight side by side—let go of the past. Let me introduce you: this is one of the top ten young experts of our Roman Empire, Nalis."

"And let me introduce a friend as well." Xiao Chen nodded to Nalis, then clapped his hands toward the distant sky. A dragon roar rang out, and the Emerald Dragon King flew over, carrying the monk Yizhen.

The atmosphere grew tense with hostility.

But Yao Yao laughed lightly, dispersing the enmity. "We have all come to the battlefield for cultivation. We have no national allegiance—do not let this become a feud of nations."

With that, Xiao Chen, Yizhen, Yao Yao, Xuan Xuan, Jue Dao, Samo, and Nalis—seven great experts—joined forces to seize the treasure.

Yet Xiao Chen and Yizhen harbored grave doubts: with so many grand figures before them, what could they possibly gain? This was a true case of snatching food from a tiger's mouth. One misstep would mean total annihilation. Though their potential was immense, they were far too weak compared to the legendary ancients.

Just then, the Twenty-Four War Swords trembled violently. The Devil's Plain convulsed, the earth split open with massive fissures, and heaven and earth rocked. Limitless light shot straight into the sky. All around, the army of white bones rose to their feet and howled at the heavens. Though they had no souls or flesh, the bone army emitted a truly terrifying shriek.

It was the wailing of evil ghosts, the true sound of death. Millions of skeletons brandished their claws and roared at the sky, a sight so shocking it shook heaven and earth. The surrounding cultivators were stunned. No one could approach; all watched from afar.

"Boom!"

The earth shattered. At that moment, the Twenty-Four War Swords suddenly tore themselves from the ground, twenty-four radiant blades that dazzled the eyes. They seemed to collapse heaven and earth, as if the world were ending. An overwhelming pressure sent many fleeing in terror.

It was absolute deterrent, the threat of death plunging straight into their souls, forcing them to retreat. Treasure was precious, but life was more so.

Yet more chose to stay, for word had spread that this time, the divine treasure would choose its owner by fate, regardless of cultivation level. Even an ordinary man had an equal chance.

"Rumble..."

The earth crumbled and sank. The Twenty-Four War Swords floated in the sky, slowly shrinking, their light condensing and growing ever more dazzling.

Finally, they transformed into twenty-four shooting stars, emitting bursts of gorgeous color that floated in the air.

At that moment, the greats moved. Kong Xuan's Five Colored Divine Light blazed across the sky, five beams of radiance sweeping toward the Twenty-Four War Swords.

At the same time, Lord Tongtian shook his wide sleeve. The opening expanded without limit, seeming to encompass heaven and earth, sweeping toward the twenty-four sword pellets to collect them.

Strong winds roiled. Many cultivators of middling strength could barely fly before they were snatched away by the gale stirred up by Tongtian, turned to ash and smoke. More were blown hundreds of miles away.

Such dreadful power!

With sleeves drifting, Tongtian directly collapsed the entire sky. He was a ruthless and peerless fiend, utterly dismissive of the ordinary cultivators who sought to contest the treasure.

Heaven and earth shook violently at his action!

Not far off, amid drifting clouds and celestial music, the heavenly palaces stretched on in an unbroken line. Seated upon his cloud, Primordial opened his eyes, which burst forth with beams of purple light. The yin-yang diagram on his Daoist robe shimmered and then floated up, expanding rapidly until it was as vast as a mountain, as deep as an ocean, as vast as the starry sky. It rotated toward the Twenty-Four War Swords, seeking to draw them into the yin-yang eyes.

The yin-yang diagram was boundless; each of its two eyes was as large as a valley. It covered the sky, its power unfathomable, containing a terrifying force of annihilation. The souls of many cultivators trembled.

From another direction, the Western Paradise shone with Buddha light. Celestial birds flew, divine beasts frolicked. Countless ancient temples and shrines appeared solemn and sacred. Buddhist chants never ceased. The Buddha, his sixteen-foot body like cast gold, shot forth tens of thousands of beams of light. The twelve-grade lotus throne beneath him left his seat and appeared above the Twenty-Four War Swords in an instant. The white lotus seat emitted Buddha light, and chants flowed endlessly. Strands of auspicious radiance poured down like a waterfall, sealing the entire sky.

Far away, all cultivators were astonished. With the three titans making their moves, no one else could approach. Anyone who drew near was either annihilated or blown hundreds of miles away.

No one did not cherish their life. The divine treasure was important, but life was more precious. Except for the White Tiger Saint Emperor, the First Lord of the Demon Palace, the Supreme Assassin, and Kong Xuan, no one dared to cross the threshold.

It was clear to all that these three titans greatly valued the Twenty-Four War Swords and each wanted to claim them for themselves.

In the distance, a palm-sized, delicate flying sword tore through the void, accompanied by an aged voice: "The Twenty-Four War Swords do not belong to this world. By what right do you meddle?"

"Boom!"

Without a word, Tongtian's other sleeve swept out, sending the flying sword flying.

On the other side, Primordial was even more ruthless, pointing a finger and shattering the space, crushing the flying sword to dust.

Compared to them, the Buddha was calm, not striking, only doing his utmost to collect the Twenty-Four War Swords.

Yet to everyone's surprise, the Twenty-Four War Swords stood as steadfast as the heavens themselves. Even the three greats could not take them.

Now, anyone could see that these were peerless treasures, top-grade artifacts that even three titans had to covet.

"Tongtian... you have already seized four swords from our realm. Are you still not satisfied?" It was the same voice, hoary with age.

All were shocked. Having weathered a blow from both Tongtian and Primordial, this man had not been annihilated but was still alive and well. His power was unfathomable. More importantly, he seemed to be a visitor from another world.

To most cultivators, this was unimaginable. Were there worlds beyond the World of Immortality?

"Hmph. You cannot obtain these Twenty-Four War Swords. Even the Ancestral Gods of this world cannot refine them!" The aged voice spoke again, and at the same time, he chanted a curse.

Suddenly, the Twenty-Four War Swords trembled violently, as if responding. Then they shattered. Though Kong Xuan's Five Colored Divine Light, Tongtian's covering sleeve, Primordial's yin-yang diagram, and the Buddha's twelve-grade lotus throne all attempted to hold them, they could not stabilize the broken swords.

Limitless radiance transformed into a cloud of light and shot out.

At the same moment, Tongtian and Primordial's expressions changed.

They knew they had been tricked. These were not the real Twenty-Four War Swords—they were their sword heart essences, impossible to capture.

The streams of light and color rushed into the army of white bones. Every skeleton came alive and soared into the sky, a vast sea of bone, charging at Tongtian, Primordial, and the Buddha.

Evil ghosts wailed, shaking heaven and earth.

Meanwhile, the far-off cultivators fell into chaos, for many beams of colored light had charged into the crowd, rippling outward.

At that moment, Xiao Chen felt several strands of sword heart essence enter his body, while those around him seemed unaware.

Not far away, Yao Yao also showed a flash of delight, quickly suppressed. Clearly, she too had gained something.

"Hmph!" High above, Tongtian swept his sleeve, turning the skeletons to dust. He said coldly, "Even if the sword heart essence has fled, what of it? Once we obtain the Twenty-Four War Swords, everything will be under control."

The light faded. Xiao Chen knew that among them, Jue Dao and Yao Yao had definitely obtained something—the subtle changes in their expressions had not escaped him. Truly, fate was not about cultivation but about affinity.

The glow vanished completely. Where the Twenty-Four War Swords had shattered, the earth rose a dense mist of the underworld, and devilish energy soared to the heavens.

"Reincarnation—the Reincarnation Gate has opened!"

Kong Xuan was the first to charge in. Tongtian let out a cold laugh and followed closely, his four swords shrinking to orbit around him. At the same time, the Zhuxian Sword Formation diagram appeared and hung above his head.

Everyone was horrified. Tongtian was prepared to fight seriously. Except for the time he challenged the Ancestral God Youchao, he rarely used the Zhuxian Killing Formation—one of the three deadliest formations below the Ancestral Gods, with the power to end the world.

Primordial, in his purple-gold crown and yin-yang robe, flickered and vanished, then charged in after him. The Buddha followed with his twelve-grade lotus throne.

Flash! Flash! Flash!

Light flickered continuously as many great figures rushed into hell.

"The White Tiger Saint Emperor has truly come—he charged in!" someone cried.

"The Great Demon of the Demon Palace has also charged in!"

"Heavens, that's the Martial Saint Sun Wu! He's come!" Sun Wu's entry into hell chilled the hearts of all present. He was on the same level as Primordial and Tongtian. If one or two more such beings came, hell would surely collapse.

Flash.

Divine flames blazed. In the distance, a golden sun tore through the sky, forcing everyone to close their eyes immediately. Tears flowed uncontrollably—the light was so intense that even those with celestial sight had to lower their heads.

"Heavens, that's the Sun God! He's come too—one of the greats of the Western tribes!"

The crowd burst into uproar again. Tongtian, Primordial, Sun Wu, the Buddha, a Western tribe titan, and a powerhouse from another realm—all had come. What treasures lay in hell? It must be more than just the Twenty-Four War Swords.

A butterfly fluttered lightly and gracefully entered hell.

"That's... Zhuangzi, whose spiritual realm nearly touches the Ancestral Gods!"

At the same time, an elder with a crutch and a youthful face drifted down from the distant sky, looking calm and without any oppressive aura, before fading into hell.

"Heavens! Am I seeing things? That's..."

"It looks exactly like the Supreme Venerable Laozi in the Daoist temples!"

"It's Laozi! Laozi has come too!"

"What is in hell?!"

Laozi, whose power was said to rank in the top three below the Ancestral Gods, rarely manifested in the world. When the Heavenly Palace of Youchao revealed the Ancestral God's relics, he had not been drawn. But today, he had appeared. Clearly, hell held unimaginable treasures.

Just then, from within hell, through the Reincarnation Gate, a soft, tender voice came: "The second seal has also been opened. Wicked Tongtian, come help me quickly!"

The crowd was stunned. Who dared to call Tongtian ‘wicked’? How absurd!