The outskirts of the Dark Plain were encircled by dense hordes of demonic beasts, so tightly packed that the hundreds of thousands of kilometers of the plain were completely blockaded. This alone spoke of the ferocity of the beast tide.
While the Great Luo Realm had experienced several beast tides in its history, they paled in comparison to the scale of this one.
Tens of thousands of miles away from the Dark Plain stood a mountain peak that pierced the clouds. What was once a steep and treacherous peak had been leveled, transformed into a temporary gathering place for human cultivators.
More and more human cultivators arrived, their hearts trembling as they beheld the overwhelming legion of demonic beasts surrounding the Dark Plain. Despite the Great Luo Palace doors being fully open, no one dared to trespass.
Days after the Great Luo Palace opened, a considerable number of human cultivators had gathered on the flattened mountaintop. Some meditated, while others contacted various parties to seek cooperation. The mountaintop bustled with activity, a rare sight in the Great Luo Realm.
"This is becoming troublesome. All the Demon Kings from the core region have been mobilized, and even many powerful demonic beasts from the inner territories have been summoned. There are at least dozens of Nine Tribulation Realm demonic beasts gathered outside the Dark Plain. It seems entering the Great Luo Palace won't be easy this time," Gong Yiyi, clad in a crimson robe with fiery patterns, said softly as she stood at the mountain's summit, gazing at the colossal horde of beasts in the distance.
Under Gong Yiyi's leadership, the disciples of the True Fire Grotto-Heaven had seen significant improvements in their strength during their two years in the Great Luo Realm. Gong Yiyi herself had obtained a source of true fire, and her power had now reached the peak of the Nine Tribulation Realm. Yet, faced with this scene, she still felt it was a daunting challenge.
Behind her stood several disciples of the True Fire Grotto-Heaven, their eyes filled with worry. Having journeyed so far only to be blocked by demonic beasts, anyone would feel a sense of frustration.
Currently, over a hundred Nascent Soul stage cultivators were gathered on the mountain. To reach the core region, the weakest among them had to be at least at the Fifth Tribulation Realm. Naturally, the most dazzling among them were the leaders of the various top factions.
Cang Lan Mingyue and Cang Lan Qiuyue from the Canghai Palace, Gong Yiyi from the True Fire Grotto-Heaven, and Zhan Feiyang from the Sun Shadow Grotto-Heaven – each of them was a formidable expert in the Nine Tribulation Realm.
There were also many rogue cultivators who, at this moment, could only band together to have a voice in such circumstances.
"Fellow cultivators, I believe everyone is aware of the situation outside the Dark Plain. While fundamentally we are rivals, to enter the Dark Plain, we must join forces. Otherwise, none of us will be able to break through," Zhan Feiyang's voice boomed across the mountain, drawing the attention of many cultivators.
"Brother Feiyang speaks the truth, we must unite!"
A slightly elevated voice echoed from afar. Dozens of figures sliced through the sky, landing on the flattened mountaintop with great speed. Their arrival was grand, accompanied by a surge of immense spiritual energy that stirred up the wind and gathered the clouds.
This contingent was led by Nangong Feng, Fu Tianling, and Qin Hao, representing three major forces. Their group of several dozen, each radiating immense power, caused many to change their expressions.
Although the primary reason for this beast tide was their three factions' relentless conquest of dangerous territories and the slaughter of countless demonic beasts, no one dared to voice any accusations at this moment. It was all due to their strength.
Cang Hai Mingyue and Cang Hai Qiuyue stood in the distance, observing the scene with calm expressions.
"Brother Nangong, Brother Tianling, it's been a while. I presume this must be the young master Qin Hao of the Giant Spirit Hall from the Shattered Star Domain. With your arrival, our human cultivators' strength has greatly increased," Zhan Feiyang greeted with a smile, his demeanor quite enthusiastic.
Fu Tianling surveyed the mountaintop but did not see Zhang Fan or the figures from the Sixth Prince's Estate, showing a slight disappointment. Suddenly, he sensed a fluctuation in the distance, and a faint smile touched his lips.
The others seemed to have sensed it too, turning their gazes toward the horizon where a dozen figures were slowly approaching.
Zhang Fan and the entourage from the Sixth Prince's Estate arrived, appearing quite relaxed and casual. Under the gazes of everyone present, they slowly descended onto the flattened mountaintop.
Zhang Fan's gaze swept across the area. All six top factions had arrived. Cang Lan Mingyue and Cang Lan Qiuyue stood at the edge of the mountaintop, gazing at the Great Luo Palace in the distance, seemingly detached from everything around them, exuding an air of aloofness.
Gong Yiyi led the disciples of the True Fire Grotto-Heaven, observing everything quietly. The dozens of rogue cultivators gathered together, with only a few exceptionally proud individuals remaining separate.
With the arrival of Zhang Fan and the Sixth Prince's Estate, the atmosphere on the mountaintop immediately became somewhat delicate.
The grievances between the Black Sand Grotto-Heaven and the Flying Immortal Manor and Zhang Fan were well-known. Many powerful cultivators from the Flying Immortal Manor and the Black Sand Grotto-Heaven had died at Zhang Fan's hands, including elders. Zhang Fan had even seized an immortal treasure from the Black Sand Grotto-Heaven, making their conflict irreconcilable. No one knew how they would resolve their issues when facing the beast tide surrounding the Great Luo Palace.
No one spoke. Even the previously active Zhan Feiyang stood aside, his calm eyes sweeping over Zhang Fan with a peculiar glint.
Nangong Feng, holding a black spear, suddenly lunged at Zhang Fan. Lightning flashed, and the spear, like a dragon, seemed to pierce through space. The crowd only saw Nangong Feng make his move; the next instant, the spearhead was aimed directly at Zhang Fan's face.
The sudden attack by a peak Nine Tribulation Realm spear master caught everyone present in a moment of stunned silence. By the time they reacted, their hearts were already mourning for Zhang Fan.
Even an ordinary Nine Tribulation Realm cultivator would have found it difficult to resist such an assault. However, Zhang Fan's divine sense was incredibly powerful. The moment Nangong Feng attacked, the Profound Iron Sword appeared in his hand. With a casual flick of his sword, he easily blocked Nangong Feng's surprise thrust.
Fu Tianling and Qin Hao stepped forward simultaneously, flanking Nangong Feng. Fu Tianling stared coldly at Shen Feichen, his voice chilling. "Shen Feichen, the Black Sand Grotto-Heaven has some private matters to settle. I hope you will not interfere."
"Enough nonsense. Don't think a few helpers will make you invincible. If you want a fight, I, Shen Feichen, will see it through!" Shen Feichen replied icily, showing no deference.
"Esteemed Daoist Friends, with the beast tide upon us, you all represent the pinnacle of our human cultivators' strength. If we engage in internal conflict at this time, I fear none of us will be able to enter the Great Luo Palace. Perhaps we should set aside our personal grudges until after we enter the Dark Plain," Gong Yiyi said, seeing the tense, confrontational atmosphere.
"Miss Yiyi, you are mistaken. Even if it were just my sister and me, we could still enter the Great Luo Palace. So, let the fight proceed as it should, no need to consider our feelings," Cang Lan Mingyue said with a smile, his demeanor elegant and his words full of a relaxed ease, as if he were watching children squabble.
Hearing this, everyone looked at Cang Lan Mingyue with some helplessness, acknowledging his statement. But who could blame them? They were disciples of the Canghai Palace, and they truly possessed that capability.
"This beautiful young lady speaks well. It is indeed not appropriate to fight at this moment. Whichever side wins will be a loss for us human cultivators," Qin Hao said, stepping forward to mediate. His words gained the approval of many but drew questioning glances from Nangong Feng and Fu Tianling.
Qin Hao ignored them and instead turned his gaze to Zhang Fan, saying, "However, this fellow Daoist seized an immortal treasure from the Black Sand Grotto-Heaven. If you are willing to return it to the Black Sand Grotto-Heaven, I can guarantee that the Flying Immortal Manor and the Black Sand Grotto-Heaven will temporarily refrain from pursuing the matter. What do you say?"
Zhang Fan scoffed, "And if I refuse?"
Upon hearing this, Qin Hao stared at Zhang Fan with a smile that was not quite a smile. "The Black Sand Grotto-Heaven merely wants to reclaim its property. They are even willing to let the matter rest for now. For you to be so unreasonable, with such an attitude, how can we cooperate with peace of mind moving forward?"
"Young Master Qin Hao speaks the truth. Fellow Daoist Zhang Fan, why cling to a treasure that does not belong to you? Return it now, and everyone will be happy, entering the Great Luo Palace together. Wouldn't that be wonderful?" Zhan Feiyang chimed in.
Other rogue cultivators began to murmur, seemingly dissatisfied with Zhang Fan's attitude. However, Zhang Fan had the backing of the Sixth Prince's Estate, so this group of rogue cultivators dared not offend him, only communicating through private transmissions.
Nangong Feng and Fu Tianling, witnessing this scene, revealed smiles. This young master of the Giant Spirit Hall did have some strategy. Even when holding an absolute advantage in strength, he knew how to leverage pressure.
"You want the immortal treasure? Then come and take it with your strength. To expect me to hand it over with just a few words is simply laughable," Zhang Fan said, too lazy to explain. Could the animosity between the two sides be resolved simply by returning an immortal treasure? Did the Black Sand Grotto-Heaven temporarily forgo their pursuit, but had they asked Zhang Fan?
"I originally intended to let you live a little longer. Since you seek death, I shall grant it!" As Fu Tianling's icy voice resounded, powerful auras permeated the air without reservation. The flattened mountaintop was instantly shrouded in countless sword shadows.
A great battle was about to commence.