The Divine-Demonic Treasury was a place of unimaginable wealth. No matter how extravagant or rare an item one could think of, it likely existed there. While four billion merit points sounded like an astronomical figure, in front of the Divine-Demonic Treasury, it was barely a drop in the ocean. Even with reckless spending, Yi Tianxing could only redeem a fraction of its treasures—like the tip of an iceberg. This was after a careful selection, too. If everything were displayed outright, the sheer quantity would be mind-numbing.
Without a doubt, the Divine-Demonic Treasury belonged to the Heavenly Dao itself.If the Heavenly Dao desired to gather treasures, it could do so effortlessly and endlessly.
Of course, the Heavenly and Earthly Treasures were prioritized above all.
This time, Yi Tianxing selected a range of rare treasures and weapons—blades, spears, swords, staves—all included. Yet even these were nothing compared to the treasury's true depths. Most of the redeemed items were sent to the Star-Seizing Pavilion, where the astral layout had begun to form. A sea of stars dotted the void, ever-shifting and moving, as if forming a true starry sky.
Unknowingly, the four billion merit points had nearly run dry.
Toward the end, he redeemed a large batch of blueprints—not ordinary ones, but blueprints for mechanisms and large-scale war machines. Yet possessing the blueprints was one thing; the real challenge lay in how to bring them to life. That was the true test.
"Phew!!"
When every last point was spent, Yi Tianxing couldn't help but let out a long breath.
"Finally done. Turns out going on a spending spree isn't as easy as it sounds… It's mentally exhausting."He murmured to himself with a wry smile.
His consciousness withdrew from his sea of consciousness. Lifting his eyes to the sky, he noticed dusk falling once more. With nightfall, it was certain the Eternal Night forces would launch yet another assault.
As long as the Divine-Demonic Battlefield wasn't shut down completely, the war would never cease. The slaughter would continue each night without end. Every night, countless Eternal cultivators fell in battle—and the same for the Eternal Night legions.
Such was the brutality of war.
"As long as no Eternal Night powerhouses intervene, Sunset City will remain immovable—unshakable."
Yi Tianxing had full confidence in the strength of Da Yi's troops. That confidence came from bloodshed and hard-won experience. After last night's brutal defense, he doubted Eternal Night would send high-level assassins again. One failure was enough to demonstrate the risk; a second attempt had even lower odds of success. Without powerful enemies, their puppet armies alone posed little threat.
Just then, Yao Yue and Lian Xing approached hand in hand. Seeing Yi Tianxing resting in a pavilion, they asked gently:
"Husband, you're here. Aren't you going to the city walls?"
Yi Tianxing smiled, motioning them to sit beside him.
"Let's talk here. The city walls are well-defended—with our strategists and soldiers, Sunset City won't fall unless Eternal Night launches an overwhelming attack. Minor injuries may happen, but nothing major. Whether I'm there or not makes little difference."
He looked at the two women, a rare softness flickering in his gaze.
Lian Xing spoke with a trace of concern:
"Husband, the battlefield is nearing its end. My sister and I are to follow you back to Da Yi... but we worry whether Sister Zhao Ji will accept us."
It was a shared concern—one that lingered in both sisters' hearts.
Yi Tianxing chuckled.
"So that's what you're worried about? Zhao Ji is gentle by nature. In fact, she once told me she hoped I'd find her a few sisters. She's felt too lonely in the palace—no one to share personal talk with. She'll welcome you both, truly. Once we return, we'll all be family. In times of chaos, it's those closest to us that we must rely on."
His tone was laced with sentiment.In an era where survival itself was a challenge, internal strife was stupidity incarnate. Better to focus that energy on cultivation, to strengthen one's foundation, rather than on court intrigue.
Zhao Ji's character and upbringing were, in Yi Tianxing's eyes, beyond reproach. She had the bearing of an empress and a magnanimous heart.
Yao Yue nodded slightly, relieved.
"That's good. I wouldn't want unpleasantness because of such matters. If so, I'd rather not even step into the palace."
Though she said it casually, her relaxed expression betrayed her inner relief.
"Don't worry. Everything will be fine."Yi Tianxing added with a smile,"Among the treasures I redeemed, there's a unique garden-type treasure that I plan to merge into the royal palace. And a Hundred Flowers Hot Spring, ideal for female cultivators—it greatly benefits the body. I believe you'll all become close sisters in time."
Unlike mundane palace life rife with schemes, the world of cultivators was more direct and open—though if one truly wanted to plot and scheme, it would be on a far more terrifying level. In the mortal world, stabbing a doll could be considered a curse. Among cultivators, curses and dark arts were real and deadly. Still, few would tolerate such behavior in a royal harem.
Suddenly—
BOOM!
Explosions echoed beyond the walls. Fierce clashes erupted again. Blood splashed in the distance—the battle had resumed. It was just as intense as before. Fortunately, the situation hadn't changed. It was nothing the Da Yi forces couldn't handle.
Yi Tianxing listened briefly before departing with Yao Yue and Lian Xing.
The sky darkened.
Spring's charm was in full bloom...
Days passed silently.
The closure of the Divine-Demonic Battlefield drew near.Sunset City had experienced no significant changes—it had weathered the storm peacefully.
The Golden Crow Blades and Fire Ravens had completed another full harvest. If the ancient trees weren't immovable, Yi Tianxing would have uprooted and taken them along.
One day, under the blazing sun—
"The Eternal Night army has vanished! Overnight, they're just… gone."
"Yes! They were still attacking last night, fighting fiercely up to the walls. How could they disappear like that? Did they retreat through the Star Gates like before?"
At daylight, soldiers peered beyond the walls. With the night gone, the field was clearly visible. And shockingly, the massive Eternal Night puppet legions had vanished—without a sound or trace.
It stunned everyone.
"The Divine-Demonic Battlefield is closing."Jia Xu stood atop the wall, eyes narrowing.
Only the battlefield's imminent closure would trigger a full retreat of Eternal Night's forces—even its cannon fodder. This had only been a probe, a clash to assess strength. Eternal Night's power remained unfathomable, yet they had already gleaned much about the Eternal side—perhaps even eliminated many promising Eternal cultivators.
Now that the battlefield was ending, their retreat was swift and decisive.
Just as the various races pondered the Eternal Night army's sudden disappearance—
Phenomena erupted across the sky.
Flowers rained from the heavens. Sacred horns echoed. Divine melodies rang out.A massive scroll shimmering with violet divine light unfolded above the battlefield.
It was holy and majestic.
"The Hongmeng Myriad Races Ranking!"
The moment the list appeared, all cultivators—regardless of race—lifted their heads in anticipation.The moment the list appeared, an aura swept across the battlefield.No matter where one stood—no matter the corner—one could see it and feel its overwhelming, inscrutable presence.
Divine characters flashed across the scroll. Violet light surged. Something immense was about to emerge.
"For the Hongmeng Myriad Races Ranking to appear now, it must mean the battlefield is ending. The final rankings are being confirmed. According to those two eggs, the top ranks will be granted immense fortune."Zhuge Liang's gaze was calm yet intrigued.
"I wonder how that fortune will be delivered—will it benefit entire races, or will it be distributed individually?"Yi Tianxing mused silently.
The return of the Hongmeng Myriad Races Ranking stirred anticipation in his heart.
The first time it had appeared, his rise to the top earned him a tenth of a strand of Hongmeng Purple Qi—a truly unbelievable reward. If that was just the beginning, what would the final rewards be?
According to the two mysterious eggs, the ranking began with race. High-ranking races would be rewarded—but how the rewards would be distributed remained unclear. Perhaps it would be based on contribution—those who gave more, would receive more.
All cultivators turned their eyes to the list.
At the very top, golden ancient characters emerged:
Human Race!!
Rank 1: Human Race
Merit Points: 8.1 billion
No surprises.
After gaining the merit points from four Star Gates, the Human Race's position at the top was unshakable.