Witnessing the cruel outcome of the Demon Army's total annihilation, the morale of the remaining Demon forces on the battlefield completely collapsed.
Having lost their command structure and core combat units, they could no longer organize effective resistance. Like headless flies, they fled madly.
However, the bloodthirsty Douluo Alliance had no intention of easily letting these invaders escape.
Under the command of their officers and elite units, the Allied Forces leveraged their advantage and launched a fierce assault on the retreating enemy lines. Exploiting the enemy's weakened state, they thoroughly crushed them. The fleeing Demon Army suffered heavy losses once more, leaving the battlefield littered with corpses.
Of the remaining demons, only one in ten survived. Only a very small number of lucky demons managed to escape back through the flickering dimensional portal.
Just as the Allied Forces began sweeping the battlefield, Bibi Dong—wielding the Rakshasa Demon Scythe—charged toward the dimensional portal without hesitation.
"Not good!"
Chen Yi and the others' expressions changed almost simultaneously.
In this battle, the Demon Realm had suffered catastrophic damage, and its top combat power was nearly wiped out. However, the Demon Realm's spirit still existed.
Moreover, based on past contact, the power of that Demon Spirit was truly terrifying and far surpassed ordinary gods.
More importantly, Chen Yi and Qian Renxue knew that the origin of that Demon Spirit was extremely unusual and very likely had some unknown connection with the Fallen Angel God.
Bibi Dong was extremely powerful and wielded a Rakshasa artifact, but she had not yet become a god and was not in perfect condition.
Rashly forcing her way into another dimension where a powerful Demon Spirit still existed was like jumping into a trap herself.
Indeed!
Bibi Dong's figure had only disappeared into the passage a few breaths earlier.
BOOM!!!
A terrifying impact sound suddenly rang out from inside the passage. Afterward, a deep purple figure was violently thrown out from the entrance at an even faster speed than when she had entered.
Bibi Dong was covered in blood. Her magnificent purple papal robe was in tatters, full of scorch marks and tears. Deep wounds exposing bone covered her exposed skin. Within some wounds, eerie black light flickered at the edges, corroding each other and constantly hindering healing.
Her face was pale, her breathing extremely weak, and she kept vomiting blood mixed with fragments of internal organs. She was clearly severely injured. Even the hand gripping the Rakshasa Demon Scythe trembled slightly.
"What are you doing?!" Qian Renxue felt both shock and anger. In an instant, she appeared behind Bibi Dong, caught her swaying body, and released gentle soul power from her palm to stabilize the injuries.
Supported by Qian Renxue, Bibi Dong's body stiffened slightly. She struggled to raise her head and looked up at Qian Renxue's angry face. Her lips moved several times as if to say something, but only a few violent coughs came out.
Chen Yi slowly walked over, stared at Bibi Dong's miserable state for a moment, then glanced at the passage entrance that still emitted dark fluctuations. In a calm tone, he said:
"The Demon Realm's spirit has an extraordinary origin and profound foundation. Even with a divine artifact, it is impossible to seize anything in its home territory."
Upon hearing this, Qian Renxue's delicate body trembled faintly. She gripped Bibi Dong's hand tightly.
She stared at Bibi Dong's pale yet stubborn profile. Complex emotions filled her eyes. After a brief silence, she said coldly:
"It's not necessary."
"Even without them, I can revive the angels with my own power."
Hearing Qian Renxue's words, Bibi Dong trembled again, and the light in her eyes dimmed slightly.
She slowly lowered her head, avoiding Qian Renxue's gaze, and repeated in a low voice like a stubborn child refusing to admit wrongdoing:
"I know… I just… wanted to…"
The rest of the words were never spoken.
Nearby elders like Chu Shanhe exchanged glances, completely puzzled. They had no idea what riddle the mother and daughter were speaking or why Bibi Dong had risked stepping into the Demon Realm passage.
However, Qian Daoliu sensed something. He frowned, fixed his gaze on the deep passage, then looked at the heavily injured Bibi Dong and recalled the mysterious whispers he had just heard… A shocking speculation arose in his mind.
At this moment, Ye Ci'en had already rushed over and directly activated his Martial Soul True Body. Behind him, a massive Nine-Hearted Begonia bloomed wildly. Pink light completely enveloped the severely injured Bibi Dong.
With the powerful healing ability of the Nine-Hearted Begonia, the bleeding from Bibi Dong's terrible wounds stopped rapidly. The torn flesh slowly wriggled, and her rapidly declining aura finally stabilized. She was still weak, but at least out of danger.
She vomited a few more mouthfuls of blood. Some color returned to her face, and with Qian Renxue's support, she managed to stand.
Chen Yi temporarily shifted his gaze from Bibi Dong to Chen Zhen—who was directing the battlefield cleanup and casualty statistics—and Dawn Douluo and others handling specific Allied Forces matters. In a low voice, he asked:
"How many casualties are there?"
Chen Zhen smiled bitterly and replied in a heavy tone: "According to preliminary statistics, the three Soul Hall direct subordinate soul master legions suffered the heaviest losses, with a casualty rate of nearly… two-thirds."
"The reinforcements from various kingdoms and duchies—especially the cavalry units mainly composed of ordinary elite soldiers—also suffered shocking casualties. Some small duchy units were completely wiped out."
Chen Zhen paused, looked at the soul masters receiving treatment or collecting remains in the distance, and softened his voice:
"As for high-level combat forces… thanks to Elder Ye's Nine-Hearted Begonia support, as long as they weren't instantly killed, most can be saved with proper treatment."
"The losses… will be relatively smaller."
High-level soul masters possessed astonishing vitality and various survival techniques. Unless they faced overwhelming force or fatal surprise attacks, instant death was rare.
The Nine-Hearted Begonia's top-tier recovery ability was virtually a strategic asset on the battlefield, greatly reducing casualty rates among elite combat units.
However, low-level soul masters—especially ordinary soldiers who relied almost entirely on their bodies and blood with almost no soul power—were extremely vulnerable when facing ferocious demons and suffered massive casualties.
"Sigh…" Chu Shanhe let out a deep sigh, gazing over the devastated battlefield, and said in a low voice:
"They are all… heroes of my homeland, Douluo Continent."
Upon hearing this, everyone around nodded silently. In this war that concerned the survival of the entire planet, these fallen warriors—regardless of their origins or reasons for fighting—had ultimately given their lives to protect the land beneath their feet and the millions of lives behind them.
They were worthy of the title hero.
Chen Yi turned to look at Qian Renxue. Her expression was equally heavy.
"Heroes must not be disheartened. Their posthumous affairs must be handled properly… We must do everything in our power."
Qian Renxue nodded after a brief pause and said, "Don't worry. Before the war began, we activated the highest-level compensation plan. The relevant resources and personnel are fully prepared."
Chen Yi shook his head and spread his five fingers.
"That is not enough. To be precise, five times. Compensation for the fallen and generous care and preferential treatment for their families should be paid at five times the highest standard in the pre-war plan."
He paused slightly before adding, "For soldiers who are heavily injured and disabled, or who have lost their combat ability, provide three times the standard compensation plus resettlement support."
"I want them to know that those who shed blood and sacrificed their lives for this continent will never be forgotten or treated unjustly."
Hearing this, Qian Renxue frowned. "If that's the case, the Spirit Hall's current reserves will be quite strained, and there may even be a massive deficit."
"Post-war reconstruction, military recovery, and defense against other potential threats will all require enormous resources."
Chen Yi's eyes were expressionless. He had already anticipated this question. He replied calmly:
"Resources? Doesn't the continent still have those old nobles, those parasites?"
His gaze swept across the distant battlefield, carrying a chilling killing intent in his low voice.
"If we kill them all, some innocents might be among them. But if we kill nine and let one escape, some will definitely get away."
"In peacetime, they exploit the people and act arrogantly. In wartime, they flip-flop. Now that the war has just ended and everything needs reconstruction, this is the perfect opportunity to eliminate these ills and quell public discontent."
He paused, looked at Qian Renxue, and continued his analysis: "Moreover, although we won this battle, we also suffered considerable damage."
"Ambitious individuals may take advantage of this situation to cause trouble and betray us. In that case, wouldn't it be better for us to strike first?"
"You have served as the Crown Prince of the Heaven Dou Empire for many years, so you should be very familiar with the affairs of Heaven Dou's nobles. Therefore, the possibility of wrongful killings is low."
"As for the Star Luo Empire… when we conquered Star Luo City, the Spirit Hall and Body Sect should have obtained a lot of information about Star Luo's nobles, right?"
"Perfect. Let's clean them all up together."
He spoke calmly, as if discussing something ordinary, but the bloodshed and ruthlessness in his words sent chills down the spines of many present.
Chu Shanhe looked at Chen Yi with a mischievous expression and said, "So… you plan to kill them all?"
Chen Yi's expression did not change. "That's right. At that time, I was precisely saving them for today," he admitted straightforwardly.
Qian Renxue took a deep breath, determination shining in her eyes, and nodded slowly.
"Understood. I will immediately arrange for post-war recovery, compensation and resettlement, resource integration, and everything else to proceed smoothly."
She turned and looked at Qian Daoliu, who was standing a little distance away, and said solemnly:
"Grandfather, I will temporarily entrust you with the overall management of these specific government affairs, cleanup, and distribution of compensation funds."
"You are experienced and have sufficient prestige. I can rest assured leaving it to you."
"And you? In this critical moment, when we need to eliminate old forces, appease the people, and rebuild order, it is time for you—the Pope of the Spirit Hall—to step forward and establish your authority!"
Qian Daoliu narrowed his eyes and spoke in a low voice.
However, Qian Renxue's gaze turned once more toward the dimensional passage that was still slowly rippling.
"Me? I… intend to take back what rightfully belongs to me."
"You want to go inside!?" Qian Daoliu's pupils contracted sharply. He almost instantly opposed fiercely. "I object! Absolutely object!"
He pointed at the passage and said in an urgent, worried voice: "You saw it just now. Bibi Dong, with a divine weapon in hand, only advanced halfway before being blasted out by that demon spirit and nearly lost her life from severe injuries."
"Although you have now reached the peak of level 98, you are still far from matching Bibi Dong, who wields a divine artifact. The power of that demon spirit is immeasurable. If you step in, you will only die!"
In the previous battle, Qian Renxue's power had improved, but the gap between her and the will of another dimension remained an insurmountable chasm.
"I will go with Xue'er."
At that moment, Chen Yi stepped forward and stood beside Qian Renxue.
"You're going too? No way!"
Hearing this, the expressions of Grand Elder Chu Shanhe and the others changed instantly. They immediately opened their mouths to stop him.
Chu Shanhe said anxiously: "Chen Yi, I know you are strong, but that is the core of a complete dimension. Fighting in its home territory, its power is immeasurable. This is far too dangerous!"
"That's right, Xiao Yi. Wouldn't it be better to wait until you complete all the God Trials and officially become a god before exploring? That way, your chances of success would be much higher."
The elder frowned.
Chen Yi looked toward the deep passage and slowly shook his head. "We can't wait that long. If the demon spirit destroys the passage, the coordinates will be completely lost. Even if we become gods in the future, reconstructing the Demon Realm in the endless void would require enormous time and effort."
Seeing his son's resolute profile, Chen Zhen's worry deepened. However, knowing Chen Yi's personality, he understood that once he made a decision, it was hard to change. He opened his mouth but ultimately only let out a heavy sigh and lightly patted Chen Yi's shoulder.
"Act cautiously and within your capabilities. If it doesn't work, retreat immediately."
Chen Yi met his father's gaze, a smile appearing on his face, and said casually:
"Don't worry, Father. Your son is famous for being good at hiding things. Besides, I still have… a few trump cards left."
"If we can't beat them, we can just run."
Seeing Chen Yi's confident smile, the Elders sighed and had no choice but to give up trying to persuade him.
"In that case, I won't stop you. Remember to prioritize safety."
"The Spirit Hall, Body Sect, and countless other sects are waiting for your return."
Chen Yi and Qian Renxue exchanged glances again. Qian Renxue received the Angel Sword from Qian Daoliu's hands.
"We are leaving."
Then, the two stood side by side. Simultaneously, they released angel-like holy light and purple-gold lightning. The lights intertwined to form a sturdy defensive barrier.
In the next instant, they moved together, turning into two streaks of light that surged into the passage and vanished into the rippling waves of distorted space.
The entrance to the passage rippled slightly before returning to its original depth and silence.
…
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