They were well aware of who was behind the phenomenon and could make assumptions as to what was happening. Liang Yifei had manipulated them, but the question that eluded them was 'why.' Why would he go through all the trouble of summoning them to this world and then immediately send them back? The answer was an enigma to them.
The Spirit Severing cultivators realized that something strange was happening and halted their assaults, gazing at the Devil Kings in amazement. The occurrence baffled them, but they knew it was something good. Shortly after, the five Devil Kings disappeared into the formation without leaving a trace, leaving behind only their devilish aura.
The war abruptly ceased as the Devil forces felt the loss of their leaders and hastily retreated through the portals. The stunned cultivators were left to pick up the pieces of their devastated world. Unbeknownst to them, the true mastermind behind the war had long achieved his goal, leaving behind a trail of chaos and destruction.
As days stretched into weeks, and weeks became months, the world slowly started to recover from the aftermath of war. The remaining cities banded together, pooling their resources to rebuild what was lost, but it was never to be the same. The Ten Great Sects that once stood proud were no longer there, and the Ten Major Cities no longer had owners to rule them. Their influential presence, once so tremendous, had all but disappeared.
After the war, the Ten Great Sects were left severely weakened and their ten Spirit Severing Realm cultivators were gravely injured, with even their cultivation level plummeting. The Spirit Qi, which was once abundant, had now dwindled, making it nearly impossible for them to make a recovery. With no other recourse, the ten cultivators had no choice but to leave the planet and look for another one with a thicker spirit qi , leaving their sects leaderless, like a headless snake surrounded by a sea of cultivators. In fear, the Ten Great Sects went into hiding and were never seen again.
The span of two hundred years had swept past, and while it may have seemed an entire lifetime for mortals, it was a mere fraction of time for immortal cultivators.
Iron Mountain, Dragon Terrace City, or Arcane City as they call it now- it didn't matter which, for the two held tales that could make a mortal's heart sing. Inside a luxurious inn that sat at the city's center, a man stood, his gaze fixed on the pulsing rhythm of the bustling metropolis. He appeared to be in his early forties, tall and composed, his presence commanding attention.
His hair is cropped short and neatly styled, and there is a hint of grey at his temples. His stern face is marked by a few faint scars, giving him a rugged and slightly intimidating look.
The man wears a simple, but well-tailored set of robes, made from high-quality silk in a deep shade of navy blue. A thin, braided rope serves as a belt, cinching the robes at his waist.
There is a sense of quiet power emanating from that man as if he is a force to be reckoned with. Despite his stillness, he seems to be observing everything around him with a keen eye, taking in the sights and sounds of the bustling city with a measured gaze. If Liang Yifei was here, he would be shocked as that man is Han Zhi, but he seems different from before because the aura coming from him was not that of Core Formation but Nascent Soul Realm.
"Greetings, Master" a voice pierced through the silence as a young man appeared behind him. Han Zhi turned around to face him and asked, "Any news on Liang Yifei?"
"Unfortunately, none to report. We've been searching for quite some time but to no avail. Perhaps he's met the same fate as the others who perished in Blood Moon City. Even cultivators of the Spirit Severing Realm would have difficulty surviving such a calamity," the young man sounded perplexed as to why his master was so insistent on finding Liang Yifei.
"No, he wouldn't have succumbed to the tribulation so easily. Liang Yifei was the mastermind behind the Devil's invasion, but I don't know his true motives or plans," Han Zhi's expression was somber as he spoke. He knew the man better than anyone else.
"But wasn't he just a servant of the Devils?" The truth of who aided the Devils in their invasion had finally been uncovered after two hundred years, but due to the lack of concrete evidence, no one dared to speak out.
Han Zhi burst into a laugh upon hearing that. He narrowed his eyes and mocked, "You have it all wrong. Liang Yifei was the one who used the Devils to his advantage. Once he had achieved his goal, he sent them back to their realm."
The young man was taken aback by this revelation. "Master, are you saying that Liang Yifei was the one behind the war, and not the Devils themselves?"
Han Zhi's gaze grew distant as he spoke. "Liang Yifei was always ambitious. He always wanted power and control over the world, and he saw the Devils as his ticket to achieving that. But when he realized their true power and threat, he knew he couldn't let them stay. He orchestrated the invasion to weaken our world and forced the Devils to leave, but he did not count on the cost of innocent lives and the damage it would cause."
The young man shook his head in disbelief. "I can't imagine anyone being so ruthless and selfish."
Han Zhi's expression softened as he placed a hand on the young man's shoulder. "Sadly, there are many like Liang Yifei in this world. We must always be vigilant and strive to prevent such atrocities from happening again."
Han Zhi's face lit up with determination as he spoke. "That's why I'm on the hunt for him. I need to uncover his true intentions and understand what he's gained from all of this."
The young man nodded respectfully. "I'll keep my ears open and search for any leads we can find on him, Master."
"Well said. We cannot allow his nefarious actions to go unpunished. Even though the world has healed from the war, the marks it left behind are still visible," Han Zhi declared, before turning around and leaving the inn.
As he stepped out into the lively streets of the city, Han Zhi's thoughts drifted back to the day when the Devil King had been expelled from his body.
Unlike the other four, he hadn't perished. Instead, he had awoken to find that his cultivation level had soared to the Nascent Soul Realm.
As for the reason for this sudden progress, he later learned that it was due to his incredibly resilient
physical body.
Moreover, the Devil King's possession of him had been incomplete, as he had been forcefully expelled before the process could be completed.
It has been two hundred years since the fall of Blood Moon City, and no one has dared to rebuild it since. The ominous aura permeates the air, even miles away, making it clear that this is not a place for the faint of heart.
Beneath the ruins of the city, there lies an underground palace. Here, at the center of it all, a gigantic egg pulsates with powerful vitality, pulsing with crimson light and bearing mystic symbols and runes etched into its surface.
As time passes, the shell of the egg begins to crack, giving way to the unknown that lies within.