At the edge of the Northern Plains, the Frost Wolf Tribe was once the most valiant clan on the snow plains. Now the entire camp was deathly silent, and bizarre purple-black ice crystals coated the tents. Patrol members of the alliance law enforcement team stopped a li away from the camp's outer perimeter, daring not to approach further, the air there drifted with visible gray miasma, and several squad members who had attempted to approach to investigate had already fallen unconscious.
"It is the Miasma Demon." The accompanying Purification Department specialist said with a grave expression. "Demonic energy fused with the Northern Plains' extreme cold energy, producing a mutant. Our purification arrays have minimal effect against it."
When this news reached Qingxu Temple, Xiao Qi was in the middle of comprehending the chapters on inner demons from the Scripture of World Purification. Hearing the words Miasma Demon, he immediately interrupted his cultivation and personally rushed toward the Northern Plains.
When he arrived at the Frost Wolf Tribe's outer perimeter, the scene before him made his heart sink. The gray miasma flowed through the camp like a living creature; wherever it passed, even the ice and snow were dyed gray-black. What was even more terrifying was that this miasma seemed to possess consciousness, when Xiao Qi attempted to probe with his divine sense, the miasma immediately condensed into a distorted human face, issuing a silent roar.
"Alliance Leader, be careful!" The Purification Department specialist urgently reminded him. "This miasma can erode divine sense!"
Xiao Qi withdrew his divine sense, his brows tightly locked. This mutated demonic energy was completely different from what he had encountered at Ten Thousand Poison Swamp; it was more bizarre, more elusive, more difficult to fathom.
He attempted to unfold the Green Lotus Domain, and gentle azure light spread toward the camp. Yet shockingly, the miasma did not dissipate like ordinary demonic energy; instead, it condensed into countless minute gray flies, frantically gnawing on the azure light. Although the flies disintegrated the instant they contacted the azure light, even more flies were born from the miasma, advancing wave upon wave.
"They are evolving..." Xiao Qi keenly sensed that these flies' resistance to the purifying power was continuously strengthening.
He had no choice but to retract the domain, changing to employ the Nirvana Crimson Flame Sword. The crimson-golden sword light illuminated the snow plains, and where the sword edge passed, the miasma retreated like a tide. Yet just when everyone thought they had succeeded, the retreating miasma suddenly condensed into a massive gray wolf form, precisely the totem of the Frost Wolf Tribe!
"Roar!" The miasma wolf released an ear-shattering roar. Its chilling killing intent caused the temperature within a ten-li radius to plummet sharply.
Xiao Qi's expression grew grave. He knew he could no longer hold back. The Creation Universe Wok flew forth at his thought. The taiji diagram at the wok's base projected a stream of chaotic qi, tightly binding the miasma wolf. Under the wearing-down of chaotic power, the wolf form finally collapsed, yet the dissipated miasma did not disappear but instead seeped underground, vanishing without a trace.
"It escaped?" The Purification Department specialist found it unbelievable.
Xiao Qi shook his head: "No, it merely changed its form. Order every region to heighten alert, this mutated demonic energy is far more difficult to deal with than we imagined."
At the same time the Miasma Demon appeared in the Northern Plains, bad news also came from the Western Desert. An oasis that had already been completely purified was, overnight, covered by bizarre black vines. These vines slithered like live snakes, and any creature that approached would be entangled and devoured. Local cultivators called them Sinful Creatures.
Xiao Qi traveled without stopping to the Western Desert. When he saw that oasis, his heart sank again. The black vines bore bewitching purple-red flowers, and at the flowers' centers were actually distorted human faces. The vines' roots drove deep underground, connecting to the spiritual vein, forcing purification would likely damage the spiritual vein.
"These Sinful Creatures are absorbing the spiritual vein's spiritual energy to strengthen themselves." A geological expert accompanying reported. "At this rate, within a month, the entire spiritual vein will be polluted."
Xiao Qi attempted to sever the vines with the Crimson Flame Sword, but where the cut was made, new vines immediately grew, and the newborn vines showed clearly increased resistance to fire. Using the Universe Wok to absorb them, the vines would actively break off the portions leading to the underground, preventing him from eliminating them completely.
"They are learning and evolving." Xiao Qi arrived at a disturbing conclusion.
Even worse news came one after another. The Southern Sea saw the appearance of Sea Demons capable of controlling water currents, Central Region saw the appearance of Heart Demons capable of parasitizing cultivators' bodies, and even overseas regions reported discovering Fog Demons combined with local toxic fogs. These new-type demons each had their own characteristics, but all shared one thing in common: extremely strong resistance to traditional purification methods, and the ability to continuously evolve.
Inside Qingxu Temple's deliberation hall, the atmosphere was unprecedentedly solemn. Representatives from each race gathered to discuss countermeasures.
"We must find a root solution quickly!" Eastern Sea Dragon King Ao Guang's voice was anxious. "If this continues, the four seas will all be taken over by Sea Demons!"
"Our purification arrays have poor effect on these mutated demonic energies." Second Senior Brother Luo Feng, responsible for technical research and development, said with exhaustion. "It seems they can sense the fluctuations of purifying power and quickly develop resistance."
Third Senior Sister Liu Yun raised an even more terrifying speculation: "Could these mutated demonic energies be deliberately created by the demonic entity?"
This speculation sent chills down everyone's spines. If this were true, it meant the demonic entity had not only recovered some of its strength but also understood their purification methods inside out.
Xiao Qi was silent for a long while, then finally spoke: "Issue orders throughout the three realms, activate the World Purification Plan."
Everyone was stunned. This was the ultimate plan recorded in the Scripture of World Purification, requiring the mobilization of all strength from the three realms.
"Alliance Leader, this plan consumes too much..." Someone wanted to dissuade him.
"There is no time for hesitation." Xiao Qi stood up, his gaze sweeping across the entire assembly. "These mutated demonic energies are mutually learning, mutually evolving. If we cannot eradicate them before they form a network, the consequences will be unimaginable."
He took out the Alliance Leader Token and began issuing orders:
"First, immediately seal off all regions where mutated demons have appeared, strictly prohibiting anyone from entering or exiting;
Second, establish Special Action Teams, led by me personally, to eliminate mutated demons one by one;
Third, spare no effort to develop new purification technologies;
Fourth..."
The orders were transmitted one after another, and the entire Three Realms Alliance sprang into action. Yet in Xiao Qi's heart's depths, a question lingered unshakably: these mutated demonic energies, are they truly merely puppets of the demonic entity? Or have they already developed independent consciousness?
This thought caused him deep unease. If even unconscious demonic energy could evolve intelligence, this war was probably far more difficult than he had imagined.
That night, Xiao Qi stood alone on the Star-Gazing Platform, gazing at the snow plains to the north shrouded in miasma. He could sense that something terrifying was being bred there. And this time, he might truly face unprecedented challenges.