The movements of Great Yi were never covert.
The Rainbow Bridges used for teleportation released brilliant, unmistakable rainbows.Whenever one appeared, it was clear to all that a Great Yi army was descending.
And when an Immortal City was planted, it made a thunderous impact—the very land seemed to pulse and tremble.
These weren't just barren islands.
Many were massive continents, teeming with billions of lives.Even the smallest landmass rivaled the size of ancient China,while the larger ones were comparable to Earth's entire surface.
These lands held not just populations, but also varied races, powerful cultivators, and danger zones.
"They've come. That's the Rainbow Bridge of Great Yi!With that kind of energy surge, a full military force must be arriving!"
"Damn Great Yi... they've dropped an Immortal City right in front of us.If they gain a foothold, wave after wave of human armies will flood in!"
"This is Barbarian Continent. We won't sit back and let them take root.Unleash the beast tides! Destroy the city! These lands have no place for Immortal Cities!"
From all over the continent, non-human races reacted immediately.
To many who already held hostility toward the Human Race,watching a Great Yi city rise on their doorstep was like watching an enemy claim their home.
They launched counterattacks—driving beast hordes to assault the cities before they were fully operational.
The result: before the cities could stabilize, waves of beasts surged in.
But the Great Yi military legions didn't just stand by.
They manned the walls, preparing for bloodshed.
The battles were brutal, savage, and chaotic.
Yet beast hordes alone could not break these cities.
As soon as the teleportation arrays reopened, waves of civilians and bounty hunters poured through—a tide of reinforcements climbing the walls and defending their new homes.
In Great Yi, "Every citizen is a soldier" was not just a slogan.
Even the female cultivators joined the fray, slaying beasts without hesitation.
"Kill them all! This is our new home! No beasts will ruin this land!This city stands—this land belongs to Great Yi!"
A large man grinned viciously as he fired his Divine Crossbow, bolts thundering into the beast tide.
"So much meat! Slaughter them all—I'll make meat buns for everyone!I'm Sun Erniang! My buns are legendary—you'll beg for more!"
A fierce woman shouted, waving her hand to release a poisonous mist—dozens of beasts collapsed, fast asleep. The poison was lethal.
War had begun.
But this... was merely the appetizer.
The real war was still ahead.
Meanwhile, in Sand Prefecture (沙州).
This region was 90% scorching desert—endless golden sands where most species couldn't survive.
Those who did were adapted desert races, including:
The Sand Tribe (沙族):
Could transform between flesh and sand,
Blend with the desert, and
Multiply their strength within the dunes.
Scorpionmen (蝎人族)
Sandworms (沙虫):
Burrow beneath the sands,
Ambush with deadly precision,
Among the most feared desert predators.
But Sand Prefecture held more than dangers.
In one corner of the desert stood a lush oasis,at its heart a volcano-like mountain—but more than that:
A sect was built into the mountain:
Palaces on the slopes and summit,
Even buildings inside the volcanic crater.
From the crater surged pure fire-attribute Heaven and Earth energy.
Before the mountain stood a stone stele, carved with three words:
🔥 Volcano Sect (火山宗) 🔥
A Human Race Immortal Sect.
At the summit hovered a grand palace—anchored in mid-air, it regulated the volcano's energy, preventing it from erupting.
Inscribed on the palace: Blazing Flame Palace (烈火宫).
Inside sat red-robed cultivators. At their head:
A man with flame-red hair and eyebrows,
A volcanic seal glowing on his brow,
Exuding explosive, destructive power—
He was True Lord Chiyan (赤焰真君), Sect Master of Volcano Sect.
He had reached the True Spirit Realm (真灵境), a level referred to as "True Lord" within the sect.
The sect itself was a Six-Star Pinnacle Sect, rumored to shelter a half-step Dao Platform realm (半步道台境) expert.
Its strength was considerable.
As the sect leader, True Lord Chiyan held immense authority.
Tens of thousands of disciples—including many ordinary mortals—lived under the sect's protection in the oasis below.
Only a few were core disciples, inner disciples, or true disciples.
Inside the palace, senior members of the sect had gathered.
"Everyone," a shrewd-looking middle-aged man reported,"it's confirmed: Great Yi has teleported forces to our desert.They've already dropped a city on the outer edge.More troops and civilians are arriving every moment."
"The Sand Tribe and Scorpionmen will definitely attack.Sect Master, what are your orders?"
True Lord Chiyan took a deep breath.
"We've discussed this before. Great Yi's power and foundation are now unstoppable.On the battlefield, they've become a pillar of the Human Race.We may not be able to protect every human,but we will stand behind those who do."
"The foreign races have allied. We can't let them watch us do nothing."
"We may not turn the tide of battle,but we can offer support."
"Send word: from inner disciples up,all disciples may descend the mountain and join the defense of Great Yi's Immortal Cities.This counts as a life-or-death trial.They'll receive contribution points as reward."
"Participation is voluntary."
True Lord Chiyan's booming voice reflected his fierce, volcano-like spirit.
The major Human Sects had long paid close attention to Great Yi.
Now, as Great Yi's Iron-Blooded Great Wall (铁血长城) expanded across the Vast Sea Realm,its ambitions were obvious.
Sand Prefecture's Sects responded swiftly.
In the Pillflame Sect (丹焰仙门):
Orders were given.
Disciples began descending the mountain in waves.
This sect specialized in alchemy, with powerful Pill Masters.
They sent not only cultivators but large quantities of pills,some as free donations to Great Yi's military.
Notably:
The Bloodburn Pill (燃血丹):
A powerful burst-enhancing pill,
Boosts strength temporarily,
And has no side effects.
Not just Sand Prefecture—Sects across the entire Vast Sea Realm began to move.
Some remained neutral and closed their mountains,while others dispatched large groups of disciples to join the great war effort.