Given Ye Qingxuan’s current cultivation level, the great distance prevented him from fully perceiving everything that had happened at Xuantian Peak.
However, after contacting Ye Qingxiao, he still learned the full story.
Moreover, after Xuantian Sect opened a spatial passage to the lower realm, the other hegemonic-level powers also received Xuantian Sect’s transmission. They began using various methods to investigate the situation in the subsidiary worlds connected to the Earthly Profound Realm.
Ultimately, they learned that nine lesser worlds below were being invaded by the Green Demon Clan. Among them, five lesser worlds had already been completely transformed into demonic domains by the Green Demon Clan.
The remaining four lesser worlds were also largely overtaken.
Across these nine lesser worlds, the majority of the human population had been reduced to nothing more than food for the Green Demon Clan.
With the deep foundations of the major hegemonic powers, they naturally understood the danger of lesser worlds being turned into demonic domains.
Therefore, even knowing the journey ahead would be arduous, they still had no intention of abandoning these nine lesser worlds.
But this time, facing a full-scale invasion by the Green Demon Clan—and with the subsidiary worlds below having not only lost their home-field advantage but instead becoming the Green Demon Clan’s home ground—the situation was completely reversed. Relying on these hegemonic powers alone to handle it would be quite a strain.
Thus, on the very next day after the incident occurred, all eighteen hegemonic powers of the Earthly Profound Realm joined forces.
From the Central Region, the seven hegemonic powers: Immortal Profound Sect, Lingxiao Monastery, Qian Yuan Sect, Zhantai Immortal Clan, Blade Sect, Profound Sha Sect, and Sword Sect.
From the Eastern Region, the three hegemonic powers: Xuantian Sect, Tian Yuan Sect, and Huangfu Immortal Clan.
From the Southern Region, the three hegemonic powers: Jade Profound Sect, Tian Sect, and Dao Profound Sect.
From the Western Region, the two hegemonic powers: Ten Thousand Buddhas Sect and Lotus Dharma Monastery.
From the Northern Region, the three hegemonic powers: Hao Tian Manor, Demon Suppression Manor, and Heavenly Strategy Manor.
Under this alliance, they began conscripting all powers across the five inner regions of the Earthly Profound Realm, as well as independent cultivators at the Divine Transformation realm and above. The goal was to form a Divine Transformation allied army and counterattack the lower worlds.
As for those above the Divine Transformation realm, they naturally had their own arrangements.
Since the Green Demon Clan’s scheme had already been partially exposed, how could their subsequent maneuvers possibly remain completely hidden from the Earthly Profound Realm?
If it were merely a simple counterattack on the nine fallen lesser worlds, the eighteen hegemonic powers alone would actually have been sufficient.
The reason they went to such lengths to form an alliance army within the Earthly Profound Realm was, of course, to deal with the Green Demon Clan’s follow-up moves.
Among the conscripted powers, most did not resist. This was because many in the allied army were disciples originating from the hegemonic powers themselves. No one is a fool; these powers knew the severity of the situation. Seeing that the disciples of the hegemonic powers were not avoiding battle, they naturally would not shrink back either.
Furthermore, the origin energy obtained by sacrificing slain demons was far greater than that obtained by sacrificing ordinary demonic creatures. In their view, this was a chaotic war, but it was also an opportunity to break free from the shackles of their spiritual root aptitudes and advance to the next level. Many cultivators, having not yet experienced the cruelty of war, were actually rather eager to try their hand.
However, a small number of powers planned to hide at the very back, waiting for the foundations of other powers to be nearly destroyed in battle before emerging to reap the rewards.
Among these, there were even a few pseudo-hegemonic powers that possessed Great Vehicle realm cultivators presiding over them but lacked immortal artifacts to guard their sects.
In the territory that the three hegemonic powers of the Eastern Region had deliberately set aside for other powers to develop without restriction, there was the Blood Demon Sect.
At this moment, quite a few people within the Blood Demon Sect were gathered together, discussing the hegemonic powers’ conscription order.
One person seated in a lower position asked, his face full of worry, “Sect Master, are we truly not sending anyone to Xuantian Sect for the alliance meeting?”
This person was the Grand Elder of the Blood Demon Sect.
The Earthly Profound Realm’s territory is vast. Although it was a conscription alliance involving all powers of the five inner regions, not everyone gathered in one place. Instead, the regions were divided according to the respective hegemonic powers’ areas. Powers gathered and consolidated at the local hegemonic power’s base.
Then, unified mobilization rules were established. This was because only hegemonic powers possessed the strength and foundation to open spatial passages at any time, sending the allied army to support the various worlds below.
And the Blood Demon Sect was within the area Xuantian Sect was responsible for, meaning they needed to accept Xuantian Sect’s conscription. According to this timeline, the Blood Demon Sect should have already sent people to Xuantian Sect to accept the unified command of the Earthly Profound Realm’s allied army. Yet, they had not sent a single person.
Besides the Blood Demon Sect, among the various powers outside Xuantian Sect’s sphere of influence, a small portion were also observing the situation and had not immediately led people to Xuantian Sect. These powers, developing outside the hegemonic powers’ spheres of influence, each harbored considerable ambitions. Moreover, developing in such chaotic, unregulated lands—as long as they didn’t destroy spirit veins—they didn’t need to follow the rules and regulations set by the hegemonic powers. This had long made them forget the deterrent force of those hegemonic powers.
The Blood Demon Sect’s Sect Master, seated in the highest position, heard the Grand Elder’s words and saw his worried expression. He sneered, “Grand Elder, you can rest assured. With me here, our Blood Demon Sect will be fine.”
The Sect Master himself was a Great Vehicle realm cultivator. He did not believe Xuantian Sect would dare to rashly attack him, stirring up internal strife in the Earthly Profound Realm, while facing the Green Demon Clan’s invasion.
But the Blood Demon Sect’s Grand Elder still hesitated, about to say, “But…”
He was unexpectedly cut off directly by the Sect Master: “There are no ‘buts.’ Our Blood Demon Sect has struggled for many years in this chaotic land. We are now just one step away from becoming a hegemonic power. We cannot let all our efforts go to waste.”
“Grand Elder, mind your position. This matter was discussed by all the elders and finalized by me. There is no need to discuss it further.”
He had led the Blood Demon Sect through years of struggle, finally advancing to the Great Vehicle realm himself, and built the Blood Demon Sect into a pseudo-hegemonic power. He would naturally not easily give up any chance to make a push for true hegemonic status. Currently, the Blood Demon Sect was only one immortal artifact away from becoming a hegemonic power.
As for a tenth-order spirit vein, he naturally knew where to find one. His smooth advancement to the Great Vehicle realm was inseparable from the assistance of a tenth-order spirit vein. Now, he only needed to obtain an immortal artifact to guard the sect, and his Blood Demon Sect would be a true hegemonic power.
And this Green Demon Clan invasion was the best opportunity for the Blood Demon Sect to advance to a hegemonic power. A war between two realms was fraught with danger; a moment’s carelessness could lead even a Great Vehicle cultivator to perish, body and soul extinguished.
As long as one of the eighteen hegemonic powers suffered severe damage, with all its Great Vehicle cultivators falling, it would be the time for his Blood Demon Sect to seize their immortal artifact and ascend to the rank of a hegemonic power. When that time came, with the combined assistance of the immortal artifact and the tenth-order spirit vein, perhaps he too would have a chance to break through to the Immortal Realm and ascend to the upper realm.
Just as the Blood Demon Sect Master was daydreaming about a glorious future, a stern voice rang out, shattering his fantasy: “Future? You have no future! The Blood Demon Sect refuses to obey the Earthly Profound Realm Alliance’s conscription order. This is considered a betrayal of the entire Earthly Profound Realm. According to the alliance’s laws, punishment is death!”
As soon as the words finished, Cen Zhe’s figure appeared above the Blood Demon Sect, holding the Xuantian Sword.
Cen Zhe had arrived just in time to hear their last words. Without any hesitation, he swung his sword for the first time. A sliver of cold light split space, slashing downward toward the Blood Demon Sect.
Facing this sudden and terrifying attack, sensing the destructive power contained within the sword light, the Blood Demon Sect Master frantically produced a supreme-grade spirit treasure-level golden shield to block in front of him. The supreme-grade spirit treasure shield seemed utterly brittle before that sword light, easily torn apart. The sword light’s force only slightly diminished before it directly slammed into the energy shield around the Blood Demon Sect Master.
“Boom!”
Instantly, explosions echoed continuously. The originally concentrated sword light burst apart, turning into countless tiny arcs of sword energy that swept across the entire area.
“Cough, cough, cough…” The Blood Demon Sect Master was directly gravely wounded by this single sword strike. Spirit blood flowed profusely; the wound on his chest flickered with residual sword light, preventing it from healing.
Cen Zhe’s first sword, while gravely injuring the Sect Master, also annihilated everyone else in the Blood Demon Sect. Immediately, Cen Zhe casually swung his sword a second time. Seeing this, the Blood Demon Sect Master’s face changed dramatically. He wanted to tear open the void to flee this place.
But he discovered a bronze mirror covered in complex dao patterns had appeared in the sky above this region, suppressing the surrounding space and preventing him from escaping into the void. This bronze mirror was one of Xuantian Sect’s foundational treasures, the low-grade immortal artifact, Xuantian Mirror, possessing sealing and suppressing effects.
Xuantian Sect had no shortage of ancestors who had ascended through the ages; the sect’s foundations were naturally profound, and it certainly didn’t possess only one immortal artifact.
Cen Zhe’s second sword directly annihilated the Blood Demon Sect Master’s physical body, leaving only his dim soul behind. Following that, Cen Zhe swung his sword a third time.
Seeing Cen Zhe raise his sword again, the Blood Demon Sect Master hurriedly begged for mercy: “Fellow Daoist Cen, spare my life! I am willing to fight for the Earthly Profound Realm!”
But the Sect Master’s words did not make Cen Zhe stay his hand. This third sword directly erased the Blood Demon Sect Master’s soul, causing him to perish completely.
In just three sword strikes, the famously mighty pseudo-hegemonic power of the chaotic land vanished like smoke, becoming history.
After finishing, Cen Zhe cleared the battlefield, then left the area and returned to Xuantian Sect.
In chaotic times, heavy penalties must be applied. Now that the Earthly Profound Realm Alliance had been successfully formed, they naturally did not want certain powers sitting back reaping the benefits in the rear, or even stabbing them in the back at critical moments. Therefore, the first thing the Earthly Profound Realm Alliance did after its successful establishment was to eliminate these powers unwilling to contribute to the Earthly Profound Realm. This settled hidden dangers and also served to kill the chicken to warn the monkeys.
It wasn’t just Xuantian Sect; the other hegemonic powers were also moving out at this moment, suppressing the powers unwilling to join the Earthly Profound Realm Alliance. However, they only took down the strongest power in their respective regions as a warning to others. The rest of the powers still hesitating were given a second chance.
Sure enough, after this demonstration of killing the chicken to warn the monkeys, the other powers that had been watching and waiting were so frightened that they hurried without stopping to the hegemonic powers in their respective areas to join the Earthly Profound Realm Alliance.
Only then was the alliance of the five inner regions of the Earthly Profound Realm successfully fully formed.
As for the four outer regions of the Earthly Profound Realm? They were tacitly ignored by everyone. Best not to mention them!
After the alliance was fully formed, the major hegemonic powers began establishing spatial passages to counterattack the nine fallen lesser worlds.
As for why they hadn’t built spatial passages connecting the various lower worlds before: First, constructing spatial passages consumed too many resources and yielded no profit. Second, after building spatial passages, when cultivators from the lower worlds broke through to the Void Realm, they would no longer undergo cross-realm ascension but would instead be directly expelled from the lesser world through the spatial passage into the Earthly Profound Realm. Ascension is one of the few opportunities for cultivators to mend their foundations.
What the hegemonic powers of the Earthly Profound Realm wanted were those ascending geniuses from the lower realms who had already mended their foundations. So, in order to temper the geniuses of the lower realms, they naturally would not easily build spatial passages during ordinary times.
