Xuanzong Shangqing Dao Alliance.

Years of battle have left the Dao Alliance severely weakened. Its population has shrunk to less than half, and its territory is now only a tenth of what it once was, barely surviving by clinging close to the Donghua Taoist Alliance for protection.

Even so, the Donghua Taoist Alliance has been reduced to just a tiny patch of land.

Looking down from the sky, the demon army encroaches upon the Human Clan from all directions, devouring this last bastion like a giant pie.

This war has raged on for over a decade.

In just a little over ten years, the Human Clan's population has plummeted from billions to merely three or four hundred million.

The countdown to extinction has begun.

"Heavenly Master, we must make a decision! The demons will launch an all-out attack any day now, and we're bound to lose!"

The Taoist Heavenly Master advised solemnly.

Qingchen Heavenly Master did not respond but instead looked toward Jianxin, asking, "Has the Donghua Taoist Alliance's array been completed?"

"No news yet. It might just be a ruse to boost morale."

Jianxin pondered briefly and replied.

Qingchen Heavenly Master felt a wave of helplessness.

Fate has been cruel, and the path of resistance for the Human Clan has been unbearably arduous.

"Go back and tell the envoy of Yujue Demon Country that I won't negotiate with him. Let him bring one of the Five Directions Evil Gods."

"Understood."

Three days later.

The clear sky turned ominous, thick black flames spreading across the heavens like storm clouds. The Yin Wind howled shrill and eerie, akin to wailing ghosts and werewolves.

A faint scent of sulfur lingered in the air between heaven and earth.

Suddenly, an indigo-colored arm stretched out from the clouds, dotted with blue phosphorescent fire like stars.

Merely this one arm extended thousands of meters in length.

It was none other than the Southern Evil God, the Fire God. Yujue Country was teeming with spirit monsters, and the Fire God was originally a spirit formed from ancient battlefield phosphorescence over ten-thousand years ago.

The presence of this god alone bore down with an overwhelming, suffocating aura.

Qingchen Heavenly Master felt a shudder rise in his heart; this creature was undoubtedly here to assert dominance.

Though both were in the Harmonization realm, Qingchen felt confident he could face the Fire God on equal footing, and given enough time, perhaps even defeat him.

But the enemy had five such entities.

Beyond these five in Harmonization, there were the Twelve Yuan Chen spirits, with combined forces equal to two or three additional beings in Harmonization's strength. Add to that the Five Directions Old Demons, the Ten-thousand-year-old White Bone Spirit, the Seven Fighting Ghosts, and the Mountain Ghost—it was an impossible lineup.

Even if the Donghua Taoist Alliance joined forces with him, at best, they could withstand the onslaught.

And yet, with two other demon countries involved, all the Human Clan could manage was defense; counterattacks were simply out of the question.

Although Song Lin was full of confidence, even successfully repelling several waves of demon forces under his leadership,

They had already lost Xuanyu City and Yunzhou, leaving them without a home—how could the people be convinced under such circumstances?

"Greetings, Fire God. I've long admired your name."

Facing the descending Fire God, Qingchen Heavenly Master spoke with respect.

"Quite the talker. Let's not waste words. There are no terms for surrender, no rewards to speak of. Surrender and you'll receive the standard treatment awarded to the demon clan."

"Of course, this only applies to Taoists with cultivation. Mortals will not be treated the same as before. However, I might consider granting a few quotas to differentiate your kin from ordinary mortals."

While this offer seemed harsh, for those accustomed to dealing with demons, it was actually a rare concession.

In the past, they had required annual tributes at the very least, and even then, cultivators would often become their fodder on a whim.

For a moment, all eyes turned toward Qingchen Heavenly Master, awaiting his decision.

"Fine."

Qingchen Heavenly Master bowed his head with great difficulty.

He had, after all, been an advocate for war, but every concession now was an effort for survival and future rebellion.

After decades of brutal resistance, Qingchen had long accepted reality: the demon forces were too powerful. At least within his generation, victory was out of reach.

If he could not become the savior, he would bear the burden of infamy and become the spark of survival for the Human Clan.

He would leave the problems for future generations to resolve.

Thus, an agreement was reached between the two sides.

"Haha, I've heard the Red Dust Sword Immortal possesses an unmatched technique known as Xuanyu Cosmos. I've admired it for many years. Let's spar when there's time."

"Perhaps another time."

Qingchen Heavenly Master felt a bit awkward.

The Xuanyu Cosmos technique was said to have been derived by the Heavenly Emperor during the creation of the heavens and the opening of the primordial chaos. Legend had it that it could cleave the fabric of chaos itself.

Yet this technique demanded extreme focus and a serene, untainted heart.

Qingchen could no longer wield it; his sword heart had long since become muddied.

A month and a half later.

The Five Directions Evil Gods led an army of five hundred thousand demons, and the Xuanzong Shangqing Dao Alliance fell without a fight, submitting to demonic rule.

Thus, the Northwest front collapsed entirely, shrouding the Donghua Taoist Alliance in despair.

That day, Song Lin gathered his comrades and said, "Do not panic. Wait a little longer—the array is nearly complete."

In the Eight Sceneries World, all Taoist factions and estates were mobilized.

Song Lin divided into multiple avatars, resisting the demon forces at the border while simultaneously engaging in alchemy and artifact refining.

Millions of luminous pieces of equipment were distributed en masse.

In the council hall,

The gathering members asked Song Lin if he had any solutions. Song Lin replied, "Once Kunlun is fully established, we can turn the tide. During that time, I will ascend to Harmonization and counterattack."

"How long will it take?" Spirit Treasure Celestial Master inquired.

"Two months. Kunlun will be fully constructed in two months."

Before then, Song Lin would enter Harmonization.

Having achieved mastery of the Taiyi Golden Flower Scripture, he now had a clear path toward Harmonization.

Once he himself reached Harmonization and combined powers with the Twelve Yuan Chen, they would become a formidable force.

He wondered how this strength would fare against overlords like Taishi and Qilin,

but at the very least, ordinary Harmonization-level beings would pale in comparison.

Couple that with the creation of an artificial Kunlun, and time would finally favor the Human Clan.

Gritting their teeth, the members ultimately nodded their agreement.

Meanwhile, Moyu Demon Country's general closed in with his massive force.

Their troops were led by the Ghost Qilin,

supported by the three demon lords: Earth Dragon, Black Tiger, and Copper Dragon.

Standing atop the mountain to survey the battlefield, one side of the sky was ink-black while the other oozed dense yin energy, dark as night.

Black and white—the boundary of Yin and Yang was stark.

Song Lin's avatar led the forces forward to hold the line, while his true body secluded itself in retreat to break through.

This same scenario had played out numerous times; they had grown accustomed to it.

But this time was different—this time, the Moyu Qilin was watching closely.

The demons aimed to end it all in a decisive blow, defeating Song Lin and his allies once and for all.

The Donghua Taoist Alliance also realized this and prepared themselves mentally for the ultimate sacrifice.

This battle must repel the demons and grant much-needed time to the Human Clan.

As the two armies clashed,

fire erupted behind Moyu Country's lines.

Zhang Luyao, who had been infiltrating the demon clan for a decade, united hundreds of families and hundreds of millions of determined humans, launching a massive rebellion.

They did not fight for survival but for vengeance against the demons, leaving nothing but ruin in their wake.

At the same time, the lower clans within the demon country also rebelled—an orchestrated effort by the Donghua Taoist Alliance, of course.

From cultivators to mortals alike,

everyone was equipped with magic artifacts and talismans.

Forced into a corner, Moyu Country had no choice but to withdraw, and yet another wave of offensives dissolved into nothingness.

After this battle, the three kingdoms began to send emissaries to one another. A tacit understanding seemed to emerge among them: they could no longer fight separately. Instead, they would focus their combined might on eliminating the thorn that was the Donghua Taoist Alliance first.

The three kingdoms converged, heralding an impending great war.

Another month passed.

The story world.

Kunlun.

The Queen Mother of the West said to Song Lin, "Kunlun's potential doesn't lie only in its terrain. There is also the Immortal Palace, such as my Jade Tower Twelve Layers and the Turquoise Pool."

A divine system must have a Divine Court to suppress all beneath it.

The beginning of a Divine Court is usually a terrestrial one.

This stage is often characterized by an era where humans and gods coexist.

In ancient myths, it was common for mortals to climb a mountain and encounter the Heavenly Emperor, who resided atop it.

Later, the Divine Court ascended into the heavens, separating the pure from the impure. From that point on, cultivators could only meet the Heavenly Emperor by ascending themselves.

Kunlun was now at the terrestrial Divine Court stage.

The Heavenly Court represented the second phase.

"What do you think of the Palace of the Polestar?"

Song Lin asked.

Indeed, his goal was the Palace of the Polestar.

It was the cornerstone of his aspirations in this world.

With Kunlun and the Immortal Palace, could the Real World soon possess its own Ancestral Court at last?

Beneath the guise of Kunlun and Song Lin, others quietly entered Harmonization.

The Eight Immortals reached perfection, ready to cross the seas and slay dragons.

The Peach Festival was about to begin.

The Jade Emperor, ever cautious, relocated the event to the Heavenly Court, but these were mere details.

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