Finally, Qi Yuan, seated high above, declared, "Since everyone is so confident, then all ancient gods, prepare immediately! We will sweep across the Qingheng Continent!"

His calm voice struck like thunder in Lishan's ears.

"By your command!" Thunder responded, brimming with anticipation. Ever since he had been injured, he had not truly fought. The last time he prepared to assassinate Zhang Feng, Qi Yuan had intercepted the target. He longed for this battle!

The twins’ eyes flashed sharply. "By your command!"

Who could have imagined? They went from retreating step by step, even abandoning the Northern Lands to flee south, to launching their first large-scale counteroffensive.

No matter the outcome, the world would clamor. Even the Yang Spirit within the Heavenly Pillar would surely hear of it. Rather than being afraid, everyone grew more excited.

Wang Song roared, "Kill! Kill! Kill! Turn the heavens upside down!"

Everyone stood ablaze with battle intent. The fighting spirit pent up for tens of thousands of years surged like a volcano, ready to erupt.

For countless years, the evil gods had terrorized the Northern Lands. The ancient gods endured endless hardship, struggling merely to survive. Few had dared to dream of a counterattack. Yet today, a massive, crushing counteroffensive was finally underway.

Lishan was deeply moved. He realized that many of these familiar ancient gods now radiated terrifying power.

Caught up in the atmosphere, he murmured, "Thunder, if you really can slay a Mythic, what harm is there in me playing a tune for you?"

***

At the Qingheng Continent lay the base camp of the evil gods. Marshal Liyang, clad in black robes, held a gaze deep and unfathomable. Vice Marshal Taizhong stood at his side, reverence glinting in his gaze. Though both were Mythics, the gulf between them was vast.

Favored by the Yang Spirit, Liyang had been granted a star of his own. Though only one and a half times the Blue Planet’s moon, it still illuminated the cosmos. Furthermore, Liyang had once slain a Mythic from the Mortal Heart World. The two men truly couldn’t be compared to each other.

Lowering his head like the most devout of servants, Taizhong asked softly, "Marshal, what did the Supreme Lord say?"

Not only had a star projection fallen, “Sunset Slope” had become a name spoken in shocked whispers. All five Marshals were stirred. Liyang had even personally sought an audience with their lord and had only just returned.

Liyang shook his head, his expression complicated. "Supreme Lord is in seclusion. I did not see him."

They served the Blood God Great Sage, a Yang Spirit who towered above the heavens and commanded countless soldiers. Among his subordinates alone, more than twenty had stars in the sky. Even his daughter—the Blood Sun Great Sage—was a Yang Spirit, making a terrifying pair.

If the Blood Sun Great Sage managed to devour the Heavenly Dao and refine the entire world into a primordial seed, her strength and potential would surge dramatically. Naturally, as her subordinates, their power would rise along with hers. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

"You need not worry," Liyang noticed the concern in Taizhong's eyes. "History will not repeat itself. When the star projection fell, Supreme Lord chose not to intervene. It was too troublesome. Far simpler to let Her Highness handle it. Even to the princess, that strike was little more than a scratch. Who would’ve expected that unknown Yang Spirit to disregard all propriety and strike Sunset Slope directly? This time, our lord will take it seriously. Without the aid of a Yang Spirit, the Mortal Heart World is powerless against us. Not even a single Mythic remains, how could they dare challenge us? Once word comes from our Supreme Lord, we will regroup and eradicate these wretched fiends completely!"

Confidence blazed in Liyang's eyes. Without the backing of a Yang Spirit, their enemies were nothing more than chickens and dogs.

Taizhong sneered. "You're right, Marshal. Without a Yang Spirit, they're just clowns."

In fact, he could almost single-handedly topple the entire southern lands. What enemies? What foundations? They were all worthless!

Just then, a boundless voice boomed in the sky, akin to thunder of cataclysmic force.

"I govern life and death, withering and flourishing, reward and punishment of good and evil. I command the Five Thunders and stir the Three Realms. By decree, I summon the lightning of ten thousand tribulations to slay demons, to exterminate enemies, to purge the heavens of evil!"

As the vast proclamation rolled across the sky, dark clouds smothered the base camp. Thunder shook the world. Above, an inverted sea of lightning loomed, resembling a divine prison set to fall in fury. Within the endless storm, terrifying divine projections emerged one after another.

The Nine Heavens Thunder Lord Generals, the Eight Directions Cloud-Thunder Generals, the Five Thunder Kings, the Thirty-Six Thunder Lords, the Five Barbaric Thunder Envoys, the Twenty-Four Dharma Protecting Heavenly Lords...

An endless host of thunder division soldiers and divine generals unfurled their banners and brandished lightning.

"Charge!"

"Charge!"

"Charge!"

Thunderous war drums roared. The word “kill” surged like a tidal wave.

Every evil god turned pale, feeling as if they were being besieged by millions of True Gods. Chaos erupted instantly.

Shock flashed across Liyang's eyes. A Mythic! A Divine Domain! How could this world still possess a Mythic?!

Still, there was no time to think. He had to drive out the fear taking root in his subordinates' hearts!

Thus, Liyang roared, "This is a Mythic’s Divine Domain! All these gods are illusions, they are not real!"

However, it was to no avail. Even as mere projections, the figures radiated an overwhelming, irresistible might. The pressure pouring down from the sky was suffocating. If the illusion was already this terrifying, what would the real thing be like? They did not even dare imagine it.

Anxiety crept into Liyang's heart. Even he could sense the thick scent of danger. Even worse, their base camp was entirely trapped inside the enemy’s Divine Domain. He had to break this encroachment fast!

With a furious roar, Liyang shouted, "O’ Supreme Lord, Blood God Great Sage, lend me your divine light and sweep away this illusion!"

In the heavens, a star no larger than a grain of rice blazed radiantly.

A blood-red brilliance ignited within the Thunder Divine Domain. Even Liyang seemed to be formed by surging tides of bloodlight, standing atop an endless sea of crimson radiance. However, facing the invincible might of the lightning, the Bloodlight Divine Domain ultimately wavered.

Seeing this, Taizhong immediately expanded his own domain. "Marshal, I will aid you!"

Two Mythics joined forces against the terrifying foe.

High above, Thunder's violet eyes remained emotionless, reflecting countless arcs of lightning. His voice boomed, "Above, I illuminate the Great Dao of Heaven. Below, I deliver the suffering of hell! You harbor delusion in your hearts, thus you shall be slain! Nine Heavens Thunder, heed my command. Die!"

With that dreadful decree, boundless lightning transformed into divine generals and heavenly soldiers, crashing down from the sky and plunging into the sea of bloodlight.

The battle within the Divine Domain began in earnest.