In the Hall of Knowledge and Action, they had not waited long before Liu Bowen and the assembled ministers all arrived.
"How do you view the recent Chaos Tide?" Yi Tianxing asked with a nod.
"Disaster is coming," Liu Bowen replied.
The high officials of Great Yi already knew of the Chaos Tide. With Yi Tianxie present, such intelligence was no secret and was easily obtained. Having prepared in advance, the ministers had gained greatly during this tide, securing many rare treasures. One could say they had all profited immensely.
However, their true concern was not these treasures. Though important, they were nothing compared to what lay ahead. A treasure was meaningless if one did not survive to enjoy it.
The tide had arrived, and with it, true trouble was at hand.
Thus, none of the ministers bore optimistic expressions. They knew well that after the Chaos Tide, Demon Abysses would emerge in large numbers. No realm could escape. All would face an endless, boundless demonic calamity. The catastrophe was upon them.
"According to the Heavenly Eye's investigations, new small-scale Demon Abyss have already opened within Great Yi's territory. Though these present little true danger, their very presence here means that other realms will inevitably face the same—on a far greater scale. The number cannot yet be estimated, but each realm will have no fewer than one. The formation of the demonic calamity is now unavoidable."
Yi Tianxing slowly laid out the current situation.
There was no doubt: the demonic calamity was moving into a new stage. The true great catastrophe was arriving.
"Yes, the calamity will ravage all, but it is also an opportunity for Great Yi. On the battlefield of gods and demons, we did not deploy our elite legions. Thus we retain enough strength now to seize greater benefits. Yet this humble servant believes that, before the calamity, Great Yi should refrain from drastic moves. First, let us lie low, then strike. It is on the ruins left behind that Great Yi will find welcome, not resistance."
Jia Xu smiled faintly. "Those realms' forces will be broken. That is to our advantage. Shattered vessels can be rebuilt anew. When we occupy a realm, we must reconstruct it anyway. Better to revive life from ruins than wrestle with entrenched powers. This will save us much trouble and lessen burdens."
His thought was clear: maximize Great Yi's gains.
Facing the realms around them, Great Yi could not move lightly. But should Eternal Night's demons run rampant, and if realms could not withstand them, then when Great Yi's troops marched, it would be under the banner of righteousness. That legitimacy was crucial.
A righteous army is the army of kings!
"This minister agrees!"
"This servant concurs!"
The hall echoed with assent.
But Xun Yu shook his head. "I cannot fully agree. For realms dominated by foreign races, yes, we may act thus. But for those whose realms are led mainly by human powers, we should show mercy beyond law, grant them clemency, and leave them a path of retreat. Otherwise, they will face utter annihilation, with no hope of survival, bringing misery to our human race. If we preserve them, we preserve human vitality and expand Great Yi's population. This too carries great benefit."
After all, the humans of other realms were still part of the human race. Preserving them was to preserve the human heritage.
The ministers fell into thought, then nodded. "This is reasonable. Yet how to implement it is the challenge. Great Yi cannot openly interfere in other realms, lest we lose prestige."
"This matter may not be impossible," Liu Bowen mused. "Our Cosmic Cube Cloud Realm can open domain gates. Once we acquire the coordinates of other realms, such gates can be formed. Then, secretly, we spread word of their existence—without revealing Great Yi's name. If others are driven to despair, they may step through the gate to seek refuge within our lands."
"Perhaps," Zhuge Liang added, "we might also construct underground sanctuaries in various realms, offering humans there a chance to take refuge. This would grant them a path to survival."
The ministers proposed numerous suggestions.
Since Great Yi could not easily dispatch armies, these became practical temporary measures—ways to ensure some portion of the human race survived the demonic calamity. Of course, saving everyone was impossible. Even such measures had to be carried out in secret.
The Eternal World held no shortage of hidden enemies.The Hydra lurking in the shadows watched Great Yi's every move with unblinking eyes.
"Very well. We shall do as you suggest," Yi Tianxing nodded. "It is necessary to preserve seeds of humanity in other realms."
Thus decided, the ministers turned to discuss further strategies against the calamity. The Ministry of Works and the Heavenly Engineering Pavilion had already resolved to forge immortal cities on a massive scale, employing craftsmen numbering in the billions. The daily consumption of resources was astronomical—enough to frighten anyone to death. If not for Great Yi's abundant mines, rich materials, and resources drawn from the seas, such efforts would have been impossible.
The entire nation was preparing comprehensively for the future.
The talent reserves were replenished again. The imperial examinations had been held successfully, producing a flood of new talent. Great Yi's cultivation and training systems were in full effect, creating more and more structured talent. By now, Great Yi was fully prepared for any upheaval.
…
The Chaos Tide passed.
Across the Eternal World, the cultivators of myriad races still lingered in joy and excitement. Many strong ones ventured into the wilderness and forests, searching for the scattered rare treasures. Guided by lingering traces of resonance, they hoped to uncover unclaimed celestial treasures. Everywhere was lively.
The changes of heaven and earth were clear to see. Vital energy had grown denser. Realms expanded. Landforms had shifted.
News of cultivators finding unclaimed treasures constantly spread across the Star Network, igniting even greater fervor.
The craze grew ever more frenzied.
Yet unbeknownst to them, true danger was already creeping near.
The Violet Orchid Realm.
This was a Western fantasy-like world, home to many races: orcs, elves, goblins, dwarves, fairies, and humans. At the peak of power stood the wizards—a special kind of cultivator who practiced sorcery. They were infamous for their strangeness and terror. Curses and black magic made them hard to defend against. Some of their top sorceries wielded earth-shattering might.
Wizards were seekers of truth—madmen obsessed with unraveling heaven's mysteries, dabbling in countless fields. Among cultivators, they were notoriously difficult to provoke.
In the Violet Orchid Realm, nominally all power belonged to the Witch Emperor, Medoran. In reality, countless forces carved up the land. It was no true Empire dynasty, but a collection of powers, bound together by Medoran and other top experts through the Council of Truth. Together, they governed the realm in a delicate balance.
Many races coexisted.
Many factions coexisted.
Conflicts and wars were common.
At present, on the White Stone Continent, stood a human dynasty known as the Violet Empire. This Western human empire was built upon the knight's path, cultivating battle-qi. Nobility followed a feudal system, with countless barons, viscounts, earls, and marquises. Each lord ruled his fiefdom as an absolute ruler. Some even retained cruel, archaic rights over their subjects.
In one such fief, the Rose Territory, a grand castle stood tall—Rose Castle, residence of its lord. Around it stretched Rose City, built by the residents. The land was famed for its roses. When they bloomed, bards flocked to sing, and the flowers were made into unique perfumes and spices.
It was peaceful, prosperous, and populous, home to over a million. One of the most flourishing places in the region.
Suddenly, the peace shattered.
In a nearby valley, a pitch-black opening had silently formed underground. Deep and swirling, it exuded eerie darkness, devouring light around it, filling all who saw it with dread.
This vortex had been still—until now. Violent ripples surged. A moment later, terrifying roars echoed forth.
Crack!
A long, spear-like black leg thrust out from the vortex. In the next instant, a monstrous insectoid emerged. Over two meters tall, it resembled a spider but was even more horrifying. Its body was encased in black chitin that gleamed like metal, clearly possessing terrifying defense.
It was a Shadow Spider—an infamous Zerg breed, known for its blinding speed and unstoppable slaughter.
At its appearance, more Shadow Spiders poured forth, surging endlessly from the abyss, gathering in the valley until it became a black, seething ocean.