A voice echoed across the void.
It didn't matter whether one had ears or not, whether one could hear—it simply entered the mind, etched itself clearly into the heart, branded itself onto the soul. You couldn't misunderstand it, even if you tried. At that moment, all living beings on the Eternal Continent, regardless of where they were—regardless of race or strength—heard it.
"The Myriad Races Battle for Supremacy. Those ranked in the top ten shall receive Heaven's rewards and boundless fortune."
Once again, the voice of the Heavenly Dao resounded.
This kind of fortune could only be described as supreme, the kind of encounter one might dream of but never attain.
This wasn't personal combat—it was a battle among all the myriad races. To rank among the top ten across the myriad races of the Eternal Heavens was already a miracle, something almost impossible.
The rewards for that... were beyond imagination.
The Eye of the Heavenly Dao scanned the heavens and the earth briefly before vanishing without a trace—just as suddenly as it had appeared. No one could perceive where it had gone. And as for what the so-called Battlefield of Gods and Demons was, there wasn't a shred of information to be found. No clues. Nothing to grasp onto.
"Myriad Races battle… Battlefield of Gods and Demons. What does this even mean?"
Anima's face was full of confusion. Then, his eyes lit up as he turned toward the Book of Truth, exclaiming, "The Book of Truth! Yes! As long as I offer sacrifices, give it tributes, it will give me an answer."
He eagerly opened the Book of Truth again and began frantically tossing all kinds of items into it as offerings, asking it about the Battlefield of Gods and Demons.
"Battlefield of Gods and Demons... Graveyard of Gods and Demons…"
Eventually, a few words appeared slowly on the Book's pages.
That was all it offered—no other details about the so-called battlefield. According to the Book, it wasn't a battlefield at all, but rather a graveyard.
A graveyard.
"A battlefield, a graveyard… whose tomb? Whose grave?"
Yi Tianxing's eyes flickered with a strange light.
From those two words alone—"graveyard"—he could tell just how brutal, how terrifying this battlefield would be. Compared to this, the so-called World's Greatest Martial Tournament might as well have been child's play—they weren't even on the same level.
It was already the fourth year of the Eternal Era.
Which meant there was less than a year left until Year Five—the time when the Battlefield of Gods and Demons would open. That remaining year was the only window the myriad races of the Eternal Continent would have to prepare. Once time was up, the battlefield would open.
No one knew what awaited them inside. No one knew what would happen. But there was no doubt about one thing:
It would be a war drenched in blood.
Yi Tianxing took a deep breath and said solemnly, "Master Anima, it seems this is where we part. I truly appreciate your gift. I hope that we may remain friends forever—and not find ourselves enemies on the battlefield."
Anima smiled. "Of course. My Darkblood Town will always remain neutral. We goblins only do business and research. Fighting and killing—we want no part in it."
Yi Tianxing merely smiled, though he didn't take those words to heart. In this world, you couldn't avoid war simply by saying so. There was no such thing as a land untouched by conflict.
Shua!
A space gate opened before him. Yi Tianxing stepped into it. With a flash of light, the gate—and he—vanished.
"A spatial gate… It really was a spatial gate. So the rumors were true. With that gate, not even Heaven and Earth can hold back the King of Yi."
Anima was stunned. The fact that gate could operate even within his treasure vault...
"No. I must find a way to block spatial transmission. Otherwise, this vault isn't safe."
He slapped his thigh and muttered to himself.
Across the Eternal Continent, an uproar erupted.
Countless races. Countless experts. Countless powers—each one stirred into motion.
"The Battlefield of Gods and Demons. The Myriad Races Battle for Supremacy. Hahaha! Finally, the day has come! This Eternal Continent is far too vast—I thought it impossible to ever meet other powerful beings from distant lands. Now, we have the chance to gather in a single battlefield. The time has come for my Three-Eyed God Race to rise to fame!"
A powerful being of the Three-Eyed God Race opened their third eye and looked to the heavens with pride.
"Pass down the order! Tell the clan to prepare! A year from now, we enter the battlefield. Anyone who disgraces the Three-Eyed God Race—don't bother coming back. We don't need trash!"
"Good! Good! Good! With this Battlefield of Gods and Demons, I'll finally meet other Werewolf Clans. Time to share information and compare our strength. Pass the order—train the Wolf Cavalry. This is the battlefield where our cavalry will shake the world!"
Excited shouts rang out from the werewolf tribes.
"If we, the Winged Ones, can make it into the top hundred on this battlefield of myriad races, we will become a force to be reckoned with across the land! We are no weaklings—we are a strong race!"
A winged warrior declared with certainty.
DONG! DONG! DONG!
The warning bell rang in Xuanhuang City.
In the Hall of Heaven, Yi Tianxing sat on his throne. The ministers had gathered. Every face was grim.
The voice of the Heavenly Dao was known to all. The brutality and bloodshed of the battlefield were unquestionable. The worst part was the lack of any real information—it was all too vague.
"Your Majesty, is it confirmed that participation in the Battlefield is mandatory? Has the will of Heaven made it compulsory?" asked Jia Yucun, unable to hold his tongue in the heavy silence.
"You wish to avoid the war?" Yi Tianxing glanced at him calmly. He understood exactly what was meant.
"We can't avoid it," said Huang Chengyan without hesitation. "This war will gather the myriad races in one place. It's an unprecedented opportunity. To retreat now would be to lose everything. If Your Majesty leads the human race to a top ranking, you'll become a hero in the eyes of countless humans across the continent. The political, strategic, and emotional rewards are incalculable."
Avoiding this battle was unacceptable.
Yi Tianxing was the ruler of the first true Destiny Dynasty of the Eternal Continent. To abstain now would severely damage the prestige of Great Yi. A dynasty that cowers from battle cannot endure.
"Indeed, we cannot avoid it," said Jia Xu after a pause. "Even if we do, this won't be the last time. We are surrounded by hostile races—countless humans die every day. This battlefield may be unknown, but it is also a tremendous stage. If we perform well, we earn great fortune—and, more importantly, gain the hearts and minds of the people."
Yi Tianxing nodded solemnly. "I have decided. One year from now, when the battlefield opens, Great Yi will participate. If other races dare enter, then why not us? Even if we fall on the battlefield, we'll show the pride of the human race. We are no weaker than any other race!"
His voice was firm. Unyielding.
"Generals of the Military Council! Do you dare follow your King into the Battlefield of Gods and Demons?!"
Yi Tianxing's voice rang out.
"We are willing to follow Your Majesty! Wrapped in horsehide, we would die a hundred deaths without regret!!" shouted Qi Jiguang and the others, eyes ablaze with battle spirit.
To stand face to face with armies of other races. To represent the entire human race. That possibility made their blood boil.
"Good." Yi Tianxing nodded. "There is still nearly a year before Year Five. In that time, Great Yi must not remain stagnant. We must grow stronger. We must complete our expansion plans. The armies will rotate on campaigns, accompanied by celestial cities, conquering the wilderness. The greater our territory, the stronger our Destiny—and the more likely new talents will rise."
"This battlefield will be a meat grinder. Entering without strength is suicide. I don't want our soldiers buried there without purpose. We represent all humanity. If we must die, we must die with honor. Only the strongest will be selected to go."
His words echoed throughout the great hall.
"Yes!!" the generals responded in unison.
"Good. You are dismissed. Now that Gold-Silver City has been fully integrated, our territory has expanded. There's still much to do. Begin preparation at once. Starting tomorrow, all military meals will consist of spirit grain. Every meal. This entire year must be focused on growth."
"Lu Master, remain behind."
Yi Tianxing took a deep breath.
Within his Life Aperture, the spiritual field was beginning to mature. Lower-grade spirit grain had already reached harvestable volumes and had gone through multiple crop cycles thanks to abundant nutrients. He had already stockpiled significant reserves inside the Hongmeng Heavenly Emperor Pagoda—which also housed a massive internal cultivation of spirit grain.
Though the pagoda's interior wasn't a true spirit field, the spiritual energy was dense. Growth was swift.