At this moment, Lu Qingyang seemed to transform into countless forms, able to perceive the world through the eyes of his devout followers.
This experience made him feel as if he were standing above the nine heavens, overlooking all realms and observing the myriad beings.
Instantly, Lu Qingyang profoundly comprehended the vast power of the incense.
Through the perceptions and conversations of his followers, Lu Qingyang clearly understood the current plight of the human world.
Fifteen years ago, blood rain fell from the sky, and mysterious secret realms across the world began to crack open.
Beasts residing in these secret realms broke through the barriers, initiating a catastrophic beast tide.
Simultaneously, ordinary beasts scattered across the world mutated into demonic beasts under the baptism of the blood rain.
However, these demonic beasts, transformed from ordinary beasts, were far less powerful than those that emerged from the secret realms.
The beast tide spread rapidly to every corner of the world.
Initially, various factions could resist with the help of cultivators.
But with the appearance of third-tier demonic beasts, which ordinary cultivators could hardly harm, the balance of victory began to tilt in favor of the beasts.
Weaker sects were the first to fall, their sects destroyed, and the land turned into desolate areas dominated by demonic beasts.
Other sects had to use their reserves to barely hold back the beast tide.
After a round of heavy bombardment, just as people were about to relax, countless demonic beasts surged from the depths of the vast ocean, landing on the shores.
The newly calmed beast tide surged once more, even more terrifying and ferocious than before.
After this tide, nearly ninety percent of the world's living beings perished.
Large areas of land became nests for demonic beasts, and many sects fell.
Eventually, the surviving humans, led by the Taihua Sect, established the Cultivators' Alliance, gathering the remaining forces to jointly resist the demonic beasts.
The alliance then divided the land into eighteen major territories, stabilizing humanity's footing.
As years passed, humans began to appear who could break through to the third tier, significantly strengthening the alliance.
From then on, they no longer feared demonic beast invasions.
However, with the recent blood rain, many third-tier demonic beasts advanced to the fourth tier, completely shattering the previously stable situation of the human alliance.
"This world seems different from a true cultivation world; it feels like a fragmented world!" Lu Qingyang pondered privately.
He was also surprised by the cultivators among humans.
The birth of cultivators stemmed from humans consuming demonic beast flesh.
Some people, after eating demonic beast flesh, broke through certain barriers and became cultivators.
To further advance, they needed to continuously devour demonic beast flesh to achieve their own transformation.
However, not everyone who consumed demonic beast flesh could become a cultivator.
Some had no reaction, while others couldn't withstand the wild power of the demonic beast flesh and died from their bodies exploding.
Those who could truly become cultivators were extremely rare.
Facing the risk of their bodies exploding, not many dared to risk consuming demonic beast flesh.
After all—
Even ants cherish life, let alone humans?
At the brink of life and death, how many would dare to gamble with their lives? Even in the face of desperation, how many could make the decision?
"Third-tier demonic beasts appeared fifteen years ago, and now, after being baptized by celestial blood, it's no surprise they've broken through to the fourth tier. Based on current knowledge, seven or eight fourth-tier demonic beasts have emerged, but these known ones may not be all of them!"
Lu Qingyang felt a deep dread towards fourth-tier demonic beasts.
Although he had the confidence to face fourth-tier demonic beasts after breaking through to the early third tier with the help of his ancient wood spirit roots, and with the Ancient Wood Domain, he could even contend with mid-fourth-tier demonic beasts.
However, having the qualifications to challenge didn't mean certain victory.
He could handle one fourth-tier demonic beast, but that didn't mean he could face several at once.
If the demonic beasts completely destroyed the human alliance, he, located in the Hundred Thousand Mountains, would also become a target for the demonic beasts.
He had no doubts about this.
In the secret realm, he had been besieged by demonic beasts many times, and though he always managed to kill them, he noticed that the spiritual energy within the ancient tree was highly tempting to the demonic beasts.
With the human alliance in front, he was safe for now, but if the alliance was destroyed by the demonic beasts, the mountains wouldn't be spared either.
As for the threat from the human alliance,
Lu Qingyang wasn't worried for now.
In their current state of depleted reserves, he was confident in his ability to withstand conventional magical attacks.
Now, having broken through to the early third tier, he feared nothing except the hidden reserves of the sects.
Afterward, Lu Qingyang fell silent.
The demonic beasts in the Hundred Thousand Mountains were now all keeping their distance from him, not daring to approach the ancient tree's territory. Hunting demonic beasts became an impossible task.
...
On the coastline of the Pacific Ocean, demonic beasts emerged from the sea, attacking the territory of the human alliance.
In the sky above the continent, a line of defense stretched continuously, as if tightly guarding the entire human alliance.
Alliance troops manned the defense line, continuously repelling demonic beast assaults.
Artifacts streaked across the sky, and talismans exploded among the demonic beasts, accompanied by deafening booms and dazzling flashes.
Boom!
Boom!
Many demonic beasts were obliterated in the explosions, but more emerged from the sea. Strange tentacles suddenly rose from the water, grabbing a flying artifact a thousand meters high and dragging it into the sea, disappearing without a trace.
The sudden scene shocked everyone.
"Fourth-tier demonic beast!"
On the Great Wall, the Grand Commander of the Fifth Alliance, Yang Yan, focused on the tentacle a thousand meters high, his stern face extremely serious.
The powerful aura emanating from the tentacle made even him, one of the top human alliance experts, feel apprehensive.
As the Grand Commander defending the Pacific Ocean, Yang Yan's strength was unquestionable, having reached the pinnacle of the third tier.
Due to his presence, the beast tides had never truly shaken the Fifth Alliance.
But now, the appearance of a fourth-tier demonic beast made Yang Yan's expression even more grave.
The sea surged with hundred-meter waves, revealing a terrifying demonic beast resembling a giant octopus. Its overwhelming and majestic aura spread, causing all present to pale in fear.
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