Chapter 109: Demon Plane, Setback in the Initial Battle
Qian Daoliu suppressed the stormy waves in his heart, his golden eyes staring fixedly at the dark red portal within the distorted space, as secrets of the Angel lineage's Legacy flashed rapidly through his mind.
"The gate of hell... the Demon Plane..." he muttered in a low voice, his tone solemn to the extreme.
According to the records of the Legacy, the Universe is vast, with planes as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. The Douluo Continent is located in a massive, stable, and resource-rich "Large Material Plane." And the portal before him connected to a "Medium-sized Material Plane" that fell under the same "Material Plane" category as the Douluo Continent but was far inferior in scale—the Demon Plane!
Between Material Planes, the rules are stable, making it difficult for them to devour or merge with one another; they are more like independent "islands." Therefore, regarding an invasion from such a Medium-sized Material Plane, as long as Divine Rank forces are not directly involved in the battle, or the level of death on the Douluo Plane does not reach a massive scale, the Gods who sit high in the God Realm and govern the rules usually do not intervene directly.
Gods are not babysitters, and humans are not giant infants. They are more inclined to send a "God's Envoy" or "High Priest" who holds a Legacy in that plane to lead humanity to handle it themselves; the Gods themselves rarely intervene personally. Of course, if those "Energy Planes" composed purely of energy (such as the Abyssal Plane that invaded in the third era of Douluo, which is actually a supplement for the God Realm) appear in the God Realm's vision, then the God Realm will certainly "with tears in their eyes" accept this gift from heaven.
However, this does not mean the threat from the Demon Plane is small! Quite the opposite! Precisely because they cannot directly devour the Douluo Continent like an Energy Plane, their method of invasion is even more cruel and destructive—plundering resources, slaughtering living beings, and spreading chaos and despair!
"These damned plunderers!" A cold fire of rage ignited in Qian Daoliu's eyes. The Legacy memories told him that this was not the first time the Demon Plane had invaded the Douluo Continent! Throughout the long course of history, they had acted like greedy hyenas, attempting several times to pry open the "back door" to this rich World!
Every invasion brought profound disaster to the creatures of the continent. Especially the human Soul Master forces; in the early days when development was relatively primitive and top-tier powerhouses were scarce, they were the demons' priority hunting targets (after all, the Soul Beast side had many Ferocious beasts presiding over them, making them harder to deal with). Fortunately, the god of angels left a Legacy on the Douluo Continent, and successive generations of Angel High Priests shouldered the responsibility of protection, stepping forward every time to fight bloody battles, ultimately driving back the invasion and severing the passage with great difficulty.
But these demons were extremely cunning! They knew the God Realm existed and did not dare to push things to the extreme and trigger the wrath of the Gods. Therefore, every invasion was controlled at the scale of "plundering" rather than "World destruction," quitting while they were ahead. Most detestable of all, when their first large-scale invasion was repelled, they took advantage of the chaos to scatter countless "Demon Seeds" across the Douluo Continent.
These seeds were either hidden in certain special Bloodlines, forming so-called "Innate Evil Spirits," whose owners were like miniature, unstable gate of hell seeds that, as their cultivation improved, would one day be able to open the gate of hell; or they turned into invisible curses scattered across the continent, relying on the absorption of resentment, blood qi, and negative emotions of living beings to grow slowly. Once the conditions were ripe, they could turn into new gate of hell passages!
Although after the first time, the Angel High Priests gained experience and strengthened their vigilance, successfully intercepting more seeds the demons tried to plant in subsequent invasions, the lingering poison from the first time has still not been completely cleared! Most of the source of those strange and powerful Evil Martial Souls on the continent lies right here!
"This portal before me is clearly a Demon Seed that has lain dormant for untold years and has just finished gestating after absorbing enough energy!" Qian Daoliu instantly judged the situation. The portal's level of solidification was not high, and although the aura it emitted was evil and majestic, the passage was not yet stable, clearly having just formed recently.
However, the strength of the being guarding the gate was terrifying! The strike from across space just now contained a level of power that definitely reached the standard of a Limit Douluo! That was at least a being of the "Demon King" level! With it presiding there, it would be very difficult for Qian Daoliu, with his current Rank 97 strength, to bypass its protection and destroy the not-yet-solidified gate of hell!
"I must immediately send word back to the Spirit Hall! No, the Spirit Hall alone might not be enough to deal with this. The Demon Plane might have other tricks up its sleeve; we need to assemble the top forces of the continent!" Qian Daoliu made a prompt decision. He took a deep look at the portal that was constantly leaking evil aura, and the six wings on his back flapped fiercely, turning him into a golden streak of light that soared into the sky at maximum speed, racing toward the Spirit Hall! He even ignored the consumption of Soul Power, pushing his speed to the limit!
Shortly after, he arrived at the regional main temple of the Spirit Hall in the nearest large city, having them use the Spirit Hall's special communication method to send the earth-shattering news that "the Demon Plane is invading, the gate of hell has appeared in the Savage Beast Hills, and a Demon King is guarding it" back to Spirit City at the highest emergency level.
When the message reached Spirit City, the upper echelons of the Spirit Hall were shaken! The current Supreme Pontiff immediately ordered the activation of the highest emergency plan, mobilizing the elite forces of the Spirit Hall on one hand, and sending emergency relief messages to the recently ranked Upper Three Sects and Lower Four Sects, as well as the two great Empires, at the fastest speed! The demon invasion concerned the survival of the continent; it was no longer the matter of a single sect or hall!
As for the Angel High Priest Qian Chongxiao, he was startled awake from his secluded meditation the moment he received the message from his son, Qian Daoliu. He didn't even have time to make further arrangements, leaving only the words "Assemble with all your might and come quickly for support" to the Supreme Pontiff before his figure instantly disappeared from the hall, rushing madly toward the Savage Beast Hills! He knew the horror of a demon invasion better than anyone!
However, the distance between them, even for a Limit Douluo, was not something that could be reached in an instant. Although Qian Chongxiao traveled at full speed, it still took nearly a full day to get from Spirit City to the remote Savage Beast Hills!
This single day, for Qian Daoliu who was waiting on the outskirts of the Savage Beast Hills, felt like a year!
He had left to report and then returned at full speed, taking only a little over half a day in total. But when he arrived at the outskirts of the Savage Beast Hills again, the scene before him made his heart sink to the bottom!
That gate of hell was twice as solid as before! The crack in the portal had also widened slightly, and the evil aura gushing from it was even denser! More terrifyingly, in the originally barren valley before the portal, thousands of demons were now densely gathered.
These demons were of various forms, hideous and terrifying:
The lowest tier were the "Lesser Demons" with short statures, dark red skin, and sharp claws and teeth. Their aura was roughly equivalent to a human Soul Elder, and they were the most numerous, surging like a tide and emitting ear-piercing hisses.
Slightly stronger were the "Inferior Demons" with tall statures, knotted muscles, and bone blades, and the "Blade Demons" with agile bodies, arms like blades, and a cold glint. Their strength was comparable to a Spirit Ancestor, and they were the backbone of the demon legion.
There were even dozens of "Hell Demons" over three meters tall, covered in bone armor and emitting a fierce aura. Their strength had actually reached the Soul Emperor level! They acted like minor chieftains, driving the lower-tier demons.
The entire valley was filled with towering Devilish Qi and sky-shaking roars; it had clearly become a demon's nest!
Qian Daoliu's eyes were nearly splitting with rage. He could not allow them to continue expanding! Without hesitation, he manifested his Six-Winged Angel True Body, held the Angelic Sacred Sword, and charged into the demon swarm!
"Sacred Purification!"
Brilliant Holy Light spread like a tide. Wherever it passed, the lower-tier Lesser Demons and Inferior Demons were like snow meeting the sun, screaming as they turned into fly ash! The Blade Demons and Hell Demons also let out painful howls, black smoke rising from their bodies as they hissed and died.
Qian Daoliu was like a tiger among a flock of sheep, his Sacred Sword swinging, each strike taking the lives of dozens of demons. The Angel divine force's restraining effect on demons was extremely significant.
However, the number of demons was simply too great! Moreover, as if sensing his threat, seven powerful figures suddenly rushed out from the gate of hell!
These were seven tall demons riding Nightmare Steeds burning with ghostly blue flames, clad in pitch-black heavy armor and wielding massive zanbato! Their auras were condensed and evil, and they had all actually reached the level of an ordinary Titled Douluo! They were the elites of the demon legion—Great Demon Knights!
More troublesome was that these seven Great Demon Knights were clearly proficient in combined attack techniques! They surrounded Qian Daoliu in a fan shape, their blade light continuous and Devilish Qi interwoven, forming a massive net of death. Their offensive was like a violent storm, and they coordinated with tacit understanding, actually trapping Qian Daoliu firmly!
Although Qian Daoliu held the upper hand through his holy attribute advantage and exquisite swordsmanship—each time the Sacred Sword clashed with a zanbato, it left deep scorch marks on the opponent's armor or even severed their weapon—the vitality of these great demons was extremely tenacious. After being wounded, their Devilish Qi would surge, and their wounds could actually heal slowly! Furthermore, they coordinated flawlessly, attacking and defending as one. For a time, Qian Daoliu was unable to quickly defeat any of them, and the battle fell into a stalemate!
He was anxious in his heart but helpless. He could only circle with the seven Great Demon Knights while constantly releasing area-of-effect Holy Light to clear the lower-tier demons trying to approach, slowing the expansion of the demon army. But his efficiency was greatly reduced.
Just as Qian Daoliu was struggling, at noon on the third day, the sky suddenly brightened! A vast, majestic, and powerful pressure filled with a holy aura enveloped the entire valley like a canopy!
"Vile creatures! How dare you invade my Douluo!"
An angry shout rang out like thunder from the Nine Heavens! Qian Chongxiao's figure finally arrived! His hair and beard were flared, his white robes fluttering, and he held a longsword that was entirely golden, emitting endless light and holy fluctuations—the Divine Artifact, the Angelic Sacred Sword!
The terrifying pressure of a Limit Douluo, mixed with the supreme Divine Might of the Divine Artifact, caused all the demons in the valley to stall, letting out howls of fear! Even the seven Great Demon Knights attacking Qian Daoliu instantly slowed their movements, revealing openings!
"Father!" Qian Daoliu's Martial Souls were lifted.
"Die!" Qian Chongxiao wasted no words, his eyes filled with killing intent. With a swing of the Angelic Sacred Sword, a Golden Sword Astral spanning heaven and earth fell like the Milky Way pouring down, slashing toward those seven Great Demon Knights and the massive demon legion behind them!
Before the Sword Astral even arrived, that pure purification power had already caused countless lower-tier demons to vaporize directly!
However, right at this critical moment!
"Roar—!"
A roar filled with tyranny and madness came from deep within the gate of hell! That portal, which was already constantly trembling, suddenly erupted with eye-piercing blood light! The crack in the portal expanded abruptly! Following that, a massive, hideous, dark red figure emitting a terrifying aura far beyond a Limit Douluo forcibly squeezed out from the not-yet-fully stabilized passage!
It was over ten meters tall, with curved giant horns on its head and tattered fleshy wings on its back. Its body was covered in dark red, heavy scales, and it held a giant axe burning with Hellfire! It was the Demon King presiding behind the gate! Seeing Qian Chongxiao coming with a Divine Artifact and posing a huge threat, it actually did not hesitate to use the vitality and Souls of many of its subordinate demons as a price to forcefully mature the passage and descend early!
"Birdman! Do not be so arrogant!" the Demon King roared, swinging its Hellfire giant axe to meet Qian Chongxiao's Angelic Sacred Sword!
BOOM—!!!!
The holy Sword Astral and the Hellfire axe slammed together! A terrifying energy storm instantly swept through the entire valley, the ground cracked, and space distorted! Countless lower-tier demons nearby, along with those seven Great Demon Knights, were torn to pieces like paper in the aftermath of this collision!
Qian Chongxiao's body swayed slightly before he stabilized himself, his gaze icy. The Demon King, on the other hand, stumbled back several steps, leaving deep footprints on the ground. Its scales were cracked in many places, leaking molten lava-like blood, and a clear notch was left on its fire axe. In the initial clash, Qian Chongxiao, wielding the Divine Artifact, clearly held the upper hand!
"Evil will ultimately be purified!" Qian Chongxiao pressed his advantage, the Angelic Sacred Sword shining brightly as he launched a storm-like attack! His swordsmanship was bold and grand, each strike containing the supreme will to purify evil, forcing the Demon King to retreat repeatedly, only able to barely hold on with its powerful Physical Body and strange Hellfire.
However, Qian Chongxiao's brow gradually furrowed. This Demon King was extremely cunning! After that previous strike, it knew the power of the Angelic Sacred Sword and used most of its energy to dodge or parry the direct slashes of the sword. As for Qian Chongxiao's accompanying Sacred Shocks and Soul skills attacks, it would dodge if it could, block if it could, and if it truly couldn't, it would use its powerful demon body to tank them!
Although Qian Chongxiao kept it suppressed and left many wounds on its body, none were fatal. The Demon King's vitality was terrifyingly tenacious, and its wounds healed slowly under the nourishment of Devilish Qi.
"No... if this continues, I will be tied down!" Qian Chongxiao grew anxious. He had suffered a very severe hidden injury in his youth, and although he had nursed it for many years, the root cause had not recovered, making it impossible for him to engage in high-intensity combat for a long time. If the battle dragged on, once his old injury flared up or his Soul Power was over-consumed, the situation would take a turn for the worse!
His peripheral vision swept across the battlefield. Although Qian Daoliu had temporarily escaped the encirclement and was clearing the scattered demons, the number of demons was still huge, and new demons were still constantly pouring out of the gate of hell! In a war of attrition, even if he could deal with the Demon King, he would likely be exhausted afterward. With only Qian Daoliu alone, it would be impossible to break through the obstruction of the demon army to reach the portal!
Unless... he was willing to risk his Life and pay a significant price to forcefully activate the full power of the Angelic Sacred Sword. Perhaps he could briefly burst with power approaching the Divine Rank and destroy this Demon King along with the gate of hell in one fell swoop! But the best result for him would be a great loss of cultivation, and at worst, death.
This thought flashed through Qian Chongxiao's mind. But immediately, he thought of the Nine Trials of the Angel God that Qian Daoliu was undergoing, and the cruel final trial in the Legacy records that required the sacrifice of a close relative... If he died in battle now, what would happen to Liu'er's God Trials? What would happen to the Legacy of the Angel lineage?
A sliver of selfishness bit at his heart like a poisonous snake. He was unwilling to die! At least, not now! He wanted to watch his son complete the God Trials and inherit the God Position!
"Divine Ancestor above, please forgive Chongxiao's cowardice and selfishness..." Qian Chongxiao prayed silently in his heart and made a decision.
He suddenly intensified his offensive, the Angelic Sacred Sword erupting with blinding light, forcing the Demon King back repeatedly. He took the opportunity to shout to Qian Daoliu via voice transmission: "Liu'er! The demons are too numerous, and the portal is hard to break! Retreat for now and fight again after meeting with the reinforcements!"
Qian Daoliu was stunned upon hearing this, but looking at his father, he instantly understood his father's concerns and choice. He gritted his teeth; although he was unwilling, he also knew this was the most rational choice currently. Fighting alone, the chances of victory were slim.
"Retreat!"
Qian Chongxiao feinted with a strike, forcing the Demon King back, and his figure flashed to Qian Daoliu's side. He grabbed his shoulder, and as spatial power fluctuated around them, he instantly tore through space, disappearing from the spot with Qian Daoliu.
The Demon King let out an unwilling roar but did not pursue. Having just forcefully descended, its consumption was huge, and it also needed time to stabilize the passage and recover its strength. Its crimson eyes watched the direction where the father and son had disappeared, filled with cruelty and greed.
"Hmph! Run! You ants! Once this King has completely stabilized the passage and the army descends, this rich land will eventually turn into purgatory!"
In the valley, the roars of demons rang out again, filled with triumph and arrogance. The gate of hell pulsed with blood light as more demons surged out, beginning to spread toward the outskirts of the Savage Beast Hills...
In the initial battle, the human side took a step back due to lagging intelligence, insufficient support, and Qian Chongxiao's hidden concerns. The crisis of the demon invasion had officially erupted in full force! The fate of the continent now rested in the hands of the soon-to-arrive Seven Sects Allied Army!
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