65: front

Barely two days after the Star Palace's fervent task craze began, battle reports, stained with the scent of blood and fire, flew back like snowflakes to the massive light screen in front of the main hall, which now had a more fitting name: the Blood Crystal Stele. This object was entirely dark red, like congealed blood, and the rolling task and merit numbers on it carried a certain intensity, constantly reminding everyone that the Immortal Realm was not a playground.

Deep within the Corrupted Mire Poison Forest, the air was so thick it could drip with venom, and the rotting swamp gurgled with dark green bubbles. Feng Qiqi, in her fiery red combat attire, was already covered in mud and the foul-smelling blood of insects. A thin barrier of Primordial Nirvana Fire enveloped her, sizzling as it resisted the omnipresent corrosive poisonous mist. Behind her, a dozen elite Divine Fire Army soldiers followed, all wounded and somewhat dispirited, yet their eyes remained fierce.

"The intelligence was wrong! How is this a small-sized mother worm? This is almost a medium-sized one!" Feng Qiqi spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva, her crimson eyes fixed on the center of the swamp ahead. There, a giant worm, a hundred zhang in size, covered in wriggling pustules, and spewing acid venom arrows, was twisting frantically! It was none other than the small-sized mother worm, Corrupt Pus! Surrounding it were dense, tide-like waves of Scythe Worm Guards, moving at astonishing speed, their blade-like legs glinting with eerie green poison light!

"Form up! Burn the Heavens!" Feng Qiqi roared, slamming her hands downwards! Boom! Over a dozen pillars of Primordial Nirvana Fire shot into the sky, instantly weaving into a sea of fire covering a hundred zhang! The scorching flames, imbued with the strange power of destruction and rebirth, incinerated the swarming Scythe Worm Guards into charcoal! But the insect horde was endless and fearless! Even more terrifying was the mother worm; its bloated body suddenly contracted, then expanded! Poof! Countless basketball-sized pustules, wrapped in viscous venom, shot out like cannonballs, slamming into the edge of the sea of fire!

Sizzle—! Boom! The venom collided with the flames, erupting in a piercing corrosive sound and a violent explosion! The sea of fire was instantly torn open in several places! Several Divine Fire Army disciples, unable to dodge in time, had their protective immortal light corroded through by the venom, and were engulfed by the subsequent surge of Scythe Worm Guards with screams, leaving only white bones in an instant! "Little Six! A'Hu!" Feng Qiqi's eyes were about to split, and her Nirvana Fire erupted, burning a swarm of insects around her to ashes, but rescue was too late! For the first time, her beautiful face lost its usual flamboyance, leaving only icy killing intent and pain. "Retreat! Fall back to the second line of defense! Use the Vermilion Bird Blazing Plains Talisman! Blow its damn head off!"

The orbit of the shattered Blackrock Ore Star. This was no longer an ore star, but a vast graveyard floating in the void. The planet's surface was covered with bone-deep cracks, and dark red Asura Demonic Qi spewed out of the fissures like festering sores, polluting every inch of space. The air was filled with despair and madness, and occasionally, remnants of miners, corrupted into monsters by the Demonic Qi, could be seen wandering.

Leng Yuechan held the Pseudo Immortal Slaying Sword Sheath, her plain combat attire spotless, yet the Nirvana Sword Intent emanating from her was colder than this void. Behind her were twenty elite sword cultivators from the Nirvana Sword Hall, all with solemn expressions, their Sword Intent contained but ready to burst forth. They had just cleared a wandering Asura small squad, and the Demonic Qi from their fallen enemies made the air stagnate.

"Senior Sister, the Demonic Qi concentration is too high! The purification array plate is depleting too quickly!" A disciple, looking at the rapidly dimming core of the array plate in his hand, said in a hoarse voice. "Su Yuan's calculated node is directly beneath the largest Demonic Qi vent ahead." Leng Yuechan's voice was cold, her gaze like a sword piercing towards the giant fissure ahead, which resembled the mouth of hell, from which faint, non-human roars could be heard. "Sword formation, clear the way. Junior Sister Qing Xuan, prepare the maximum range 'Sea of Life Purification.'"

"Yes!" Qing Xuan's voice carried a hint of fatigue but was incredibly firm. She stood in the center of the team, her moon-white long dress fluttering without wind, forming hand seals. Gentle yet vast purification light of life gathered around her, forming theprototype of a giant orb of light, fiercely contending with the violent Demonic Qi around it, emitting sizzling sounds of erosion.

"Nirvana Returning to the Void Myriad Swords Guidance!" Leng Yuechan let out a clear shout, and the sword sheath in her arms hummed! The twenty sword cultivators behind her instantly formed a formation, and twenty incomparably sharp Nirvana Sword Qi converged into a gray torrent that tore through the void, slashing fiercely into the depths of the fissure! Roar—! Accompanied by earth-shattering roars of pain, several 'Demonic Fiends' corrupted by Demonic Qi, with massive and twisted bodies, were forced out by the Sword Qi! They wielded giant arms condensed from ore and Demonic Qi, rushing forward with an aura of destroying everything! "Purify! Expand!" Qing Xuan cried out, pushing her hands forward fiercely! Hum—! A pure, sea-like wave of emerald green light spread out from her center with a roar! Like a warm tide, it instantly enveloped the rushing Demonic Fiends and the churning Demonic Qi around them! Sizzle, sizzle—! Like a red-hot branding iron plunged into ice water! The Demonic Qi on the Demonic Fiends' bodies rapidly melted away, emitting painful shrieks! Their movements instantly became sluggish! And the sword light of the Nirvana Sword Hall precisely cut into the weaknesses exposed by the purified Demonic Fiends! Pfft! Sword Qi crisscrossed! Several Demonic Fiends were instantly dismembered! But from the depths of the fissure, more roars came, and denser Demonic Qi gushed out! Qing Xuan's face paled, and the orb of light maintaining the Sea of Purification fluctuated violently. This place was simply a bottomless pit!

On the other side, the shattered small world codenamed Anvil. This was once an important forging base for the Immortal Alliance, but now only broken walls and wandering Asura patrol teams remained. Mo Sha's figure appeared atop a collapsed giant furnace. His figure was still slender, wearing an inconspicuous black tight-fitting suit, like a ghost blending into the shadows, completely different from his previous image of carrying the Heaven Opening Axe and howling.

Behind him, a dozen members of the Ancient Demon Battle Group, equally restrained in aura and like rocks, lay in silent ambush. "Target: the remains of the central forging vault." Mo Sha's voice was low and hoarse, transmitted through special divine sense fluctuations. "Intelligence shows that a batch of Star Core Sinking Gold, not yet transferred, might be sealed inside, which is a top-grade material for crafting immortal artifact cores. Guards: one squad of Asura War Generals, two squads of Scythe Worm Guards. Su Yuan's calculated optimal route and weaknesses have been shared." A faint glow flickered in his eyes, and ancient demon patterns subtly lit up beneath his skin. "Action. Be quick, be silent. Alarm the main forces, and the merit points will be wasted." A dozen dark figures dispersed like phantoms, merging into the shadows of the ruins. There were no shouts of battle, only the occasional extremely faint sound of bones shattering and the dull thud of sharp weapons entering flesh. The efficiency was terrifying, like the most precise killing machines.

In front of the Star Palace's main hall, on the Blood Crystal Stele, merit points rolled down like a waterfall, the numbers jumping in a heart-stopping manner. But along with the merits, shocking battle damage reports were also updated:

Feng Qiqi's unit in the Corrupted Mire Poison Forest successfully destroyed the small-sized mother worm, Corrupt Pus, and the core of the insect nest. Merit points added: 80,000. Battle damage: 3 elite Divine Fire Army disciples killed, 7 severely wounded. Leng Yuechan and Qing Xuan's unit in the Blackrock Ore Star completed 65% of the main Demonic Qi vent node purification, clearing four Demonic Fiends. Merit points added: 25,000. Consumed: three high-grade purification array plates. Qing Xuan's immortal power was overdrawn. Mo Sha's unit in the Anvil World successfully seized three thousand jin of Star Core Sinking Gold. Merit points added: 60,000. Encountered a small reinforcement, 2 slightly wounded.

Lin Xuan no longer sat idly; he stood with his hands behind his back in front of the Blood Crystal Stele, looking at the blood-stained reports with no expression on his face. The pressure of a Mid-stage Heaven Immortal was as solid as a mountain, making the surrounding air somewhat viscous. Yu Lin silently gnawed on a piece of metal, her silver-white eyes occasionally sweeping over the 'fallen' words on the Blood Crystal Stele. A Zi's small face was taut, purple electric arcs flickering uneasily at her fingertips. You Ye's figure was faintly discernible in the shadows, her aura cold.

"Master," Yun Qingyao's clear and cold voice carried a subtle hint of gravity, "the front line is crueler than expected. The Asura Clan and the insect hordes have been entrenched for a long time, holding a geographical advantage, and are unusually cunning and fierce. Although the disciples have been imbued with immortal qi, their practical experience and adaptation to the environment still require time."

"Understood." Lin Xuan's voice was flat, betraying no emotion. His gaze swept over the Blood Crystal Stele. "Tell Chu Xinghe to prioritize supplying the small mobile array plates of the Primordial War Fortress he developed to high-risk task teams on the front lines. Merit points can be advanced." "Yes." Yun Qingyao nodded. "Tell Huang Yan to properly tally compensation and merits; not a single cent less than what is due. The families of fallen disciples are to be settled in the core area of the Small Immortal Realm." "Understood." Yun Qingyao noted it down.

Just then, Su Yuan, who was always responsible for intelligence summary, hurried over, his face solemn: "Master, the latest developments within the Immortal Alliance. Several Mid-stage and Late-stage Immortal Monarch elders, led by Xuan Gu and Chi Xiao, have united with seventeen major families in the rear and are holding a secret meeting. They are extremely dissatisfied with our open task system, especially our high-priced acquisition of Asura materials, denouncing it as aiding the enemy and disrupting the Immortal Alliance's resource system."

Su Yuan paused, his voice even lower: "There are even rumors that they are questioning Alliance Leader Bai Li's cooperation with our hall as inviting wolves into the house, intending to forcibly take over our hall, under the pretext of centralizing power and unified dispatch. Although Alliance Leader Bai Li has tried her best to suppress it, the resistance is immense. These elders have deep roots in the rear, controlling nearly 30% of the Immortal Alliance's resource lifelines and some elite legions."

"Take over?" Lin Xuan's lips curled into a cold arc, his eyes sharp as blades. "On their authority?"

"Master, we must not be careless." Yun Qingyao said in a deep voice, "These old Immortal Monarchs are highly cultivated, and their subordinate forces are intricately intertwined. We naturally do not fear a direct confrontation. However, if they secretly cause trouble, such as cutting off the supply lines for certain special materials we urgently need and that only the Immortal Alliance controls, or manipulating task intelligence to lead our disciples into deadly situations, the consequences would be unimaginable. The pressure on the front line is immense; if trouble arises in the rear, the disciples may find it difficult to cope."

Pressure! Like a tangible dark cloud, it instantly enveloped the Star Palace. The blood and fire of the front line were visible blades, but the hidden arrows from the rear were the real poison. No matter how strong Lin Xuan was, he couldn't constantly protect all the millions of disciples performing tasks outside! Old monsters at the Mid-stage and Late-stage Immortal Monarch levels, with their millennia of experience, had methods enough to make an elite small squad disappear silently during a task!

Lin Xuan was silent for a moment. He looked at the glaring three fallen members of Feng Qiqi's unit on the Blood Crystal Stele, then looked towards the edge of the medicine field in the distance, where Mu Ling Nannan was carefully using Wood Spirit Qi to nurture a spirit herb that had been corroded by Demonic Qi, her small face full of seriousness.

"Su Yuan," Lin Xuan spoke, his voice hard as metal, "use all your intelligence networks to keep a close eye on Xuan Gu, Chi Xiao, and their clique, as well as the families colluding with them. I want to know their every move, especially those dirty work teams under their command that operate in the shadows."

"Yes! This disciple has activated the highest authority for Heavenly Evolution Flaw Deduction, with Primordial computing power boosted!" Su Yuan's eyes gleamed with wisdom. "Qing Yao," Lin Xuan looked at Yun Qingyao, "adjust the task strategy. High-risk zone tasks must be led by True Immortal Realm disciples, and the team must be equipped with core members skilled in spatial, purification, or defensive arts. Tasks exploring unknown regions are temporarily frozen. All disciples going out must be equipped with the highest-grade emergency distress and spatial positioning talismans, with Chu Xinghe personally engraving the core runes to ensure the signal can penetrate most interference!"

"Understood!" Yun Qingyao accepted the order solemnly. "Heaven Splitting," Lin Xuan looked at the Lie Tian Divine Tiger lying down. Heaven Splitting raised its huge tiger head, let out a low growl, its tiger eyes shining brightly. "Your Void Jump is an emergency trump card. Be on standby at all times, ready to retrieve people." Lin Xuan's voice carried a subtle hint of ruthlessness. Heaven Splitting nodded heavily.

After making arrangements, Lin Xuan's gaze once again turned towards the Immortal Alliance Headquarters, his eyes as deep as a bottomless cold pool. He slowly raised his hand, a wisp of subtle Primordial Sword Qi flickering at his fingertips, carrying an aura of annihilating everything.

"Want to play dirty?" Lin Xuan's voice was so low that only Yun Qingyao and You Ye beside him could hear it, carrying an icy chill. "Alright. This Seat wants to see if your old turtles' shells are hard, or if this Seat's sword is fast and ruthless enough."

The wisp of Sword Qi at his fingertip suddenly trembled, silently annihilating a small section of space in front of him, revealing the deep, cold void behind it.

Above the Star Palace, the sunlight seemed to dim by a few shades. The blood and fire of the front line were burning, and undercurrents were surging in the rear. Lin Xuan's newly launched behemoth had already sailed into the core of the storm. Pressure, like an invisible mountain, weighed heavily on the hearts of every Star Palace disciple, and on Lin Xuan's shoulders as well. This cooperation was far from as beautiful as it seemed. The real test had just begun.

Deep within the Immortal Alliance Headquarters, in a secret chamber enveloped by numerous restrictions, several figures exuding terrifying Immortal Monarch pressure sat in a circle. In the main seat, an old man with a withered face and sunken eye sockets like a skeleton, toyed with a piece of Asura Demonic Crystal emitting an ominous bloody light, letting out a hoarse laugh: "Lin Xuan? A callow youth, daring to stir up trouble? He thinks that with a bit of brute force and his so-called Primordial Furnace, he can establish himself in the Immortal Realm? Heh, soon, he will understand what 'rules' mean." Greed and cruelty flickered in his eyes, and the direction he looked was precisely the Flowing Fire Desert where the Star Palace was located.

An invisible malice, like a cold viper, quietly locked onto that nascent, vibrant land.