Martial Ascent to Divinity

Eagle Alliance, deep beneath the Black Hall.

Within the blood-stained hall, gold and blood intertwined.

Everything in sight—decorations, patterns, or furniture—was formed from human bodies.

Human skin curtains, bone tables and chairs, flesh carpets, thousand-eyed murals, doors of ten thousand lips, blood fountains...

On the walls in the deepest part of the blood-stained hall, there were paintings of the Eighteen Layers of Demon Purgatory.

Except for the Endless Battlefield, each throne of the demon purgatories was occupied by a lord, with countless demons kneeling on the blood-red soil, worshiping the lords.

In front of the mural, around a round table of blood and bones, sat thirteen human Martial Saints.

"Dragon Country’s luck is too good."

"We originally intended to use Zhao Hao to force Dragon Country’s Martial Saints to take action, then we could use a violation of the Martial Saints’ agreement as an excuse to launch a full-scale cold war, cutting off all their external trade, weakening them..."

"Now the problem is, what to do about Zhou Leng?"

"The lords are very dissatisfied."

"There’s nothing that can be done about that; he has the Blood of Tyranny to assist him. Previously, he bought dying demigods from the Blood of Tyranny, and now he’s directly acquiring the blood of ancient beasts."

"I think the Blood of Tyranny is just one part; as a grandmaster, he has the power to annihilate a newly elevated demigod with just his fist. His own strength is extraordinary."

"Zhao Hao was already injured during the Ten Thousand Yang Celestial Fall, and later, when he forcefully exerted his power, it’s hard to say how strong he was."

"Does anyone have Zhou Leng’s latest battle record?"

"Can’t find it at all; he’s hidden it well. Based on the existing intelligence analysis, he seems to have gained some benefit from the Celestial Calamity Envoy battle."

"I think it doesn’t matter; when His Majesty the Celestial Calamity God arrives, he can only wait for death."

"But the lords want to be certain about Zhou Leng’s matter, what can we do?"

"Can’t investigate it?"

"Completely unable to investigate; all races are helping him. With Zhao Hao’s death, Dragon Country’s Demon Worship Sect is near dissolution."

"So what you’re saying is, we need to take action personally?"

The Martial Saints looked at each other.

"According to intelligence, he often visits the Ancient River Research Bureau and his hometown, Xiaoru Village."

"Forget the Ancient River Research Bureau; there are Martial Saints secretly guarding it year-round. Venturing there recklessly is likely to get noticed. Moreover, what if there’s power from the Ancient River Sect there..."

The Martial Saints at the meeting went silent. The power of the Ancient River Sect was something they both coveted and feared.

"Then go to Xiaoru Village?"

"Now Xiaoru Village is the territory of the Tree-men, and five Trees of Life have been planted there, birthing several Demigod Tree-men. If we dispatch an ordinary Martial Saint, whether they can return alive is a problem."

"So, should we ask the esteemed Benjamin to take action?"

The three of them turned their gaze to Benjamin, the Upper-Rank Martial Saint of the Demon Worship Sect, Blue Star’s strongest Demon Worshiper.

Truly the first Sect Hierarch of the Demon Worship Sect.

Ranked first in the eagle and seagull alliances’ Martial Saint rankings for years, and often placed third in Dragon Country’s Martial Saint rankings.

Face square, grayish-white hair slicked into a three-seven part, thin lips, big nose, furrowed brow, deep-set eyes, with a gaze both stern and cold.

He was not only one of Blue Star’s strongest but also the chief planner of many Demon Worship Sect events.

Almost seventy percent of the world’s wars and chaos in recent decades have had his shadow behind them.

"I object; the esteemed one is the pillar of our Demon Worship Sect. He shouldn’t go to the dangerous lands of Dragon Country."

"Dangerous lands? If Lord Benjamin wants to leave, can the Dragon Country’s Martial Saints stop him?"

"Uh, that is true."

"A dignified Upper-Rank Martial Saint taking such a risk is inadvisable."

"Then you go?"

"We are Martial Saints, not the gentlemen of the technological era with no strength to bind a chicken. Who among us hasn’t faced danger alone? Who hasn’t experienced life-and-death situations?"

"If Lord Benjamin goes, it would actually be the safest. Aside from him, who else can come and go freely in Dragon Country?"

"The current issue is that the lords want intelligence on Zhou Leng. Besides Lord Benjamin, who else can do it?"

After lengthy debate among the Demon Worship Sect’s Martial Saints, Benjamin sighed softly.

The blood-stained hall returned to calm.

"I will personally take a trip, not just for Zhou Leng, but also to understand the current state of Dragon Country, and prepare for the Ten Realms War. Recently, there’s been an initiation ceremony. I want to see the situation in the Ancient River Sect."

The Martial Saints of the Demon Worship Sect had no other option but to comply with Benjamin’s choice.

Ancient River Research Bureau.

Zhou Leng presided over a new initiation ceremony for the Ancient River Sect.

This time, the total number of participants far surpassed the sum of previous ones.

The total number was as many as a million.

The entire city of Rucheng couldn’t accommodate such a vast influx of people, necessitating the Demon Spirit Masters to construct numerous temporary demonized huts outside the Ancient River Research Bureau.

Zhou Leng no longer masked himself, openly presiding over the ceremony as the Senior Brother.

Simultaneously, broadcasting the process to the entire world live.

A million disciples initiating, of a grander scale than a military parade, sparked widespread online viewing and discussion.

After the initiation ceremony ended, Zhou Leng taught publicly and invited renowned Martial Saints like Zhu Shiji to bolster their prestige.

Amidst the disciples were numerous martial artists from various countries, all forces allied with Dragon Country.

Many foreign grandmasters and even Martial Saints sent some of their offspring to Dragon Country.

For three consecutive days, Zhou Leng stayed there to handle related matters.

On the third night, the famous scene of the Ancient River Sect appeared once again.

Heavenly Fire descended, burning the traitors.

Having dealt with the affairs of the Ancient River Sect, Zhou Leng bid farewell to Xu Qingjin and others, heading towards Xiaoru Village.

At that moment, the entire Ruge Mountain was enveloped by the power of the Tree-men.

Five towering Trees of Life spread in five directions.

Zhou Leng first conversed with the Demigod Tree-man, then climbed the back mountain of Xiaoru Village, as usual, entering a cave.

From afar, a pair of sharp eyes used a Demigod Demon Spirit Artifact to observe everything clearly.

Neither the Demigod Tree-man nor Zhou Leng noticed.

"That cave might be his cultivation land. I can restrain him while he cultivates..."

As an Upper-Rank Martial Saint, Benjamin was extremely powerful and quickly set his plan.

He silently arrived at Ruge Mountain, moving like a common man within the mountain.

The Tree-men tribe had set up numerous sentries here, but they all seemed oblivious, allowing Benjamin to move freely.

Benjamin entered the cave Zhou Leng had entered, surprised by the watery two realms membrane.

The Two Realms Barrier here was completely different from others.

The next moment, he suddenly realized.

Even as an Upper-Rank Martial Saint, an irrepressible joy appeared on his face.

So that’s it.

Zhou Leng’s rapid ascent from ordinary martial artist to Martial Saint in just four years must be related to this place.

The treasures and everything within should change ownership!

Benjamin’s heart burned with excitement.

A Two Realms passage that a Martial Saint could traverse was worth as much as a Starry Sky Divine Artifact.

He strode forward, passing through the Two Realms Barrier, entering the cave.

Before him, darkness turned to light, and towering plants came into view.

In the past, Zhou Leng hadn’t recognized them, but Benjamin’s experience was vast, and he recognized them at once.

Beast World!

"Praise the Demon God!"

He restrained his inner joy, maintaining a stoic face, and quickly moved forward. After a few steps, the ground shook, and a massive shadow rose like a mountain, blotting out the sky.

They were terrifying roots with a diameter of over a hundred meters.

An unimaginable force swept the world.

Benjamin’s eyes were full of confusion.

He barely had time to feel fear before his gaze dimmed.