The Great Luo Realm had been opened dozens of times, and throughout history, human cultivators had engaged in large-scale battles with demon beasts on several occasions. However, the intensity of those conflicts paled in comparison to the present one; they were on entirely different levels.
The beast tide, unleashed by thirteen great beast kings leading over a million demon beasts, was unprecedented in scale for the Great Luo Realm's history, and its outcome was something no one had anticipated.
Of the thirteen great beast kings, only the Bull Beast King, who had fought Shen Feichen, had narrowly escaped with its life. All others perished here, and of the million-plus demon beasts, more than half were slaughtered, leaving only hundreds of thousands fleeing in disarray. It was a truly tragic scene.
This day would forever be a nightmare for the demon beasts of the Great Luo Realm. In the future, even the sole surviving beast king, upon remembering the mountains of corpses and seas of blood from this day, would likely feel fear.
Although the human side suffered considerable losses, they were almost negligible when compared to those of the demon beasts.
"This Great Luo Realm opening saw the convergence of numerous heroes. I originally thought the most intense struggles would occur within the Great Luo Hall, but I never expected such an unprecedented beast tide," Xiao Yi remarked, gazing at the mountains of demon beast corpses before him.
"The Great Luo Hall will likely be out of the question for contention this time. We can only rely on luck," Cang Lan Mingyue said with a wry smile, glancing at Zhang Fan.
With a powerhouse like Zhang Fan, who was comparable to a half-step Void Refinement cultivator, how could any other cultivator hope to contend with him? Fortunately, the opportunities within the Great Luo Realm were not solely determined by strength; luck played a significant role.
This was also why cultivators in the lower Nascent Soul stage dared to venture into the Great Luo Hall. If it were purely a battle of strength, their presence would be a death sentence, so why take such a risk?
"Let's clear the battlefield. After collecting our spoils, we'll all enter the Great Luo Hall together," Zhang Fan said, looking up at the distant Great Luo Hall. The closer they got, the more he could sense the mysterious power emanating from it—a power that seemed ancient yet eternal.
While the corpse of each Nascent Soul stage demon beast was a treasure, capable of fetching a considerable price outside, most cultivators' storage spaces were limited, preventing them from carrying too many. They could only extract the most valuable parts.
The Winged Black Tiger, a colossal creature exceeding three hundred feet in height and a peak Nascent Soul stage demon beast cultivating both body and spirit, was worth more than several beast kings combined. Its massive carcass drew considerable attention.
Just as everyone was speculating about how Zhang Fan would divide its remains, he waved his hand and collected the corpses of all nine beast kings into his storage artifact.
"Just how vast is that storage space to be able to hold the corpses of these beast kings?" people marveled, yet they were not entirely surprised. Given Zhang Fan's strength, possessing such a treasure was not an unusual feat.
As his cultivation advanced, his Star Realm had long since expanded into a small world spanning over a thousand li in each dimension. However, with his current perspective, ordinary demon beasts held little appeal. After collecting the nine beast kings he had slain into his Star Realm, Zhang Fan collected no further.
The distribution of demon beast corpses proceeded harmoniously. Besides the sheer volume of bodies, no one dared to contend too fiercely with Zhang Fan present.
After all, without Zhang Fan's leadership, most of them would likely have been annihilated in the beast tide, leaving no trace. How could they be in this situation now?
After enduring the beast tide, the weakest cultivators to survive had reached the Five Tribulations realm. The task of dividing the demon beast corpses was swift. However, the sheer number of demon beasts meant that it took more than half a day to complete the task, and everyone wore smiles of satisfaction.
Despite experiencing considerable peril, it was evident that their efforts were commensurate with their rewards.
"Let's go!"
At Zhang Fan's command, the human cultivators followed him in an orderly fashion, flying towards the Great Luo Hall.
As soon as they entered the Dark Plains, everyone felt a dense dark energy permeating the heavens and earth. The rules of their Dao within their bodies were subtly suppressed, and a sense of inexplicable melancholy arose, a feeling of profound discomfort.
This sensation intensified the closer they got to the Great Luo Hall.
And this was the Dark Plains after the Great Luo Hall had opened and absorbed all the dark energy. Had it been before the hall's opening, any cultivator below the Void Refinement stage who dared to trespass into the Dark Plains would likely have been corrupted and died within a few breaths.
"The Dao of Darkness can affect the minds of cultivators. I wonder how the practitioner of the Dao of Darkness in this Great Luo Realm met their end?" Zhang Fan mused, glancing at Luo Xiaoxiao beside him, a flicker of worry in the depths of his calm eyes.
Following her master, Luo Xiaoxiao felt a sense of security. The closer she got to the Great Luo Hall, the more an eager anticipation she felt.
It felt like coming home.
It was as if she belonged here.
The Dao of Darkness not only affected the minds of others but also had a considerable impact on its own practitioners. Zhang Fan had encountered many cultivators of the Dao of Darkness, and influenced by it, they generally possessed eccentric temperaments.
Some were devoid of desire, completely detached from human emotions; others were bloodthirsty, viewing all living beings as mere blades of grass; still others were fickle, like vessels inhabited by multiple souls.
Of course, there were also a few cultivators of the Dao of Darkness who were no different from ordinary cultivators, but they were rare.
The Dark Divine Hall, towering at nine thousand zhang, could only be truly appreciated for its grandeur and magnificence when approached. Its spires were covered in knife and sword marks, each imbuing an ancient and eternal aura that even the passage of time had failed to completely erase.
At this moment, the gates of the Great Luo Hall were fully open. Zhang Fan stood outside, gazing into the interior, but no matter what means he employed, he could only see a hazy gray.
"Let's go. What you gain from here on will depend on your own fortune," Zhang Fan said softly, then stepped into the hall, followed by the others.
As they entered the Great Luo Hall, its massive double doors began to slowly close. Afterward, the entire Dark Plains returned to its former tranquility.
...