"I've broken through—Divine Sea Realm, Eighth Layer."
"I've reached the Ninth Layer! What a powerful pill. Many thanks to the King! I swear to serve Great Yi, to die for the human race if necessary!"
"So powerful! I feel like my physical strength has increased by thousands of kilograms. My body feels better than ever. This is muscle and bone refinement—complete rebirth. It's incredible. Even if another major battle breaks out now, I wouldn't be afraid. My body feels like it's brimming with endless power. Even my foundational constitution has been refined and improved. This is divine fortune!"
"Indeed. I feel more attuned to the world. It's like the shackles binding me have broken. I can now absorb Heaven and Earth's spiritual energy faster and in greater quantities. A single Yin-Yang Pill is equivalent to one or two years of hard cultivation!"
The soldiers, now fully awake, beamed with joy. The sensation was miraculous. Without the usual bottlenecks, the Yin-Yang Pill had filled in all the gaps. The boost it provided was massive—and came with no side effects.
This was true fortune, the kind that only Great Yi Dynasty could offer.
Yin-Yang Pill (阴阳丹) – A divine pill that enhances physical strength, refines constitution, and dramatically accelerates cultivation progress without side effects.
"Getting stronger—only by constantly growing stronger can we survive on this battlefield. This is merely the first night in the Divine-Demon Battlefield. No one knows what horrors still lie ahead. Only strength can let the human race rise among the myriad races."
Every soldier now held onto this unshakable belief.
Though it was only the first night, they'd already experienced unending waves of attacks. Who could predict what horrors the following nights might bring? What entities lurked in the darkness? Where had those mysterious enemies come from, and why were they attacking humans? Though no one spoke these questions aloud, they all weighed heavily in their minds.
Now, with just one Yin-Yang Pill, their power had surged. Their fear and anxiety dissipated, replaced by confidence and fighting spirit.
They believed—they knew—they could survive, win glory for the human race and for Great Yi.
Soon, the first batch of soldiers all broke through their limits, strength surging and fatigue vanishing. They returned to the walls, replacing the second batch.
Rest, eat, take the Yin-Yang Pill.
The second batch repeated the same steps.
Breakthroughs erupted once again.
"Amazing pill. With these Yin-Yang Pills personally refined by His Majesty, Great Yi can absolutely become stronger through war. The longer we fight, the more powerful we become. This is a massive advantage."
Jia Xu's eyes gleamed with admiration. This was one of the true pillars of Great Yi's strength in the Divine-Demon Battlefield.
[Important Note: The Yin-Yang Pill was refined through the Yin-Yang Treasure Bottle (阴阳宝瓶)—a divine ability (not a physical item) that consumes tremendous energy and is only sustainable temporarily.]
"As long as there's enough blood and flesh, refining Yin-Yang Pills isn't difficult. But activating the Yin-Yang Treasure Bottle isn't easy. With my current strength, I can only sustain it for a single night—and that's with the souls of relatively weak beings. If they were stronger, I could last even less. This is a divine power, not a treasure."
Yi Tianxing nodded with both satisfaction and concern. This method couldn't be sustained endlessly. It had already drained all the Yin-Yang energy stored in his innate Yin-Yang Eyes, and more than half of his vast Sea of True Essence. Still, it was worth it.
Watching the troops break through one after another filled his heart with joy.
"His Majesty is benevolent. We offer our deepest thanks."
The generals—including Jia Xu—saluted respectfully.
"The Yin-Yang Pill is effective for Fate Map cultivators as well. Its fortune energy can nourish the Fate Map's foundation and rapidly build up strength. A single pill equals one to two years of cultivation. You should also take them—raise your strength quickly. I suspect last night was just an appetizer."
Yi Tianxing's tone was calm, yet the meaning behind it was heavy.
Everyone, including Jia Xu, received ten Yin-Yang Pills each. Other commanders were rewarded as well.
Howl!!
Suddenly, from the distant sky, a golden light streaked toward them.
"Report! A mysterious Star Gate has appeared three hundred li from Sunset City. The monsters and even the Yellow Turban Army have retreated into it and disappeared. But the Star Gate remains."
The scout was none other than Nine Lives. He continued, "I didn't dare approach too closely for safety. I returned as fast as I could to report."
"Report! Another Star Gate has appeared 350 li south of the battlefield. Large numbers of monsters and beasts retreated into it and vanished."
"Report! North of the battlefield, 430 li away, another Star Gate has been found. Creatures retreated inside and disappeared without a trace!"
One Goldscale Guard after another returned with the same shocking discovery.
"Star Gates?"
Yi Tianxing and the others exchanged serious looks.
"So it's true. These monsters and armies of other races aren't native to the Divine-Demon Battlefield… or even the Eternal Continent. They come from elsewhere. Your Majesty, I request permission to inspect the Star Gate."
Jia Xu was deep in thought.
"If you're curious, we'll go together."
Yi Tianxing nodded.
He, too, wanted to investigate these mysterious Star Gates. They might be connected to another world—or even natural enemies of the Eternal Continent.
ROAR!
With a wave of Yi Tianxing's hand, the Nine-Dragon War Chariot appeared before them. It could travel both land and sky. The three dragon beasts pulling it were like real beings, holding steady in midair.
Yi Tianxing boarded the chariot, standing high and surveying the land.
"Lord Jia, please take a Goldscale Bird."
Nine Lives smiled, gesturing to the golden-winged mounts.
Though Fate Map cultivators could fly, their speed couldn't match a flying beast without special techniques.
Jia Xu and the others stepped onto the backs of the Goldscale Birds without hesitation, soaring toward the Star Gate.
From the air, the battlefield below was littered with corpses—some alien, some human. It was unclear whether they were from the Eternal Continent, but they had clearly died during the night assault.
"This is a battlefield. The Divine-Demon Battlefield is even crueler. Death is the simplest outcome."
Jia Xu shook his head.
"Not even a single prompt or rule when entering this battlefield… Who knows how many strong ones died in just one night? The myriad races will suffer heavy losses."
Ye Zhiqiu sighed. Even with a city like this, the pressure was immense. What of those without such protection?
"Your Majesty, the Star Gate lies ahead."
Nine Lives pointed forward.
Everyone's expressions shifted to awe.
In the plains ahead stood a dark, towering gate, shimmering with faint starlight. It pulsed with mysterious patterns.
It was not quite solid—somewhere between illusion and reality. Black currents swirled within, flickering with dangerous light.
At first glance, it radiated ominous power. One instinctively knew: stepping through this gate could mean certain death.
"Your Majesty, I volunteer to explore the Star Gate."
Nine Lives stepped forward.
"No. This gate is strange and appeared alongside the meteor storm. Charging in recklessly could lead to disaster."
Jia Xu raised a hand to stop him.
"The advisor is right," Yi Tianxing agreed. "Your life is precious. We don't waste it on gambles. There are other ways to test it."
"Let me slash it once," said Fu Hongxue, his eyes gleaming like blades.
He gripped his hilt. Power surged.
CLANG!
A blood-red blade light ripped through the air—dozens of meters long, charged with annihilation.
Blade Intent – Level Two Tribulation (二劫刀意) – Destructive, cold, unstoppable; its mere presence threatens to tear the soul apart.
The strike hit the Star Gate instantly—too fast for the eye to follow.
But the outcome was eerie.
The Star Gate didn't resist. A black vortex emerged, swallowing the blade light whole as though it were nothing.
Fu Hongxue's face changed.
"I… I can't sense my blade intent. It's completely gone inside that gate."
RUMBLE!!!
Suddenly, the ground began to quake violently.
The next threat was already approaching.