Tianshu City, this most prosperous giant city of the cultivation world, today had a completely different atmosphere. The usual hustle and bustle was replaced by solemnity and sanctity. The "Dao Inquiry Plaza"—the giant square capable of holding hundreds of thousands—now overflowed with people, banners fluttering.
Above the plaza, thousands of various flying artifacts, spirit vessels, and even several cold-technological-glowing Silicon-based warships floated, together forming a sky-covering three-dimensional array. On the ground, Three Realms Alliance soldiers from human, demon, sea, Silicon-based, and other affiliated races stood in formation, bright helmets and armor, weapon edges gleaming coldly, killing aura rising straight to the clouds.
On the high platform, all core members of the Alliance Council attended. Senior Brother True Person, Dragon Palace's Crown Prince Ao Qin (projection), several demon kings, the Silicon-based Commander's cold projection... and at the very front, wearing simple blue Taoist robes yet seeming like the center of heaven and earth—Tang Xiaoqi.
Behind him stood the four team members about to execute the ultimate infiltration mission: one dressed in moon-white palace attire, cold as snow—Mu Xue; holding an ancient sword, gaze sharp as eagles—Third Senior Sister Liu Yun; built like a mountain, face honest yet eyes resolute—Zhao Tiezhu; and a floating metallic rhomboid inscribed with mysterious runes—the "iron coffin" representing Second Senior Brother within.
Around the plaza, enormous light screens floated, projecting the high platform's scene to every corner in real-time, ensuring even the most peripheral warriors could see and hear clearly.
The auspicious moment arrived. A sonorous bell resounded through heaven and earth; even the bustling waves of sound momentary stilled.
Senior Brother True Person stepped forward, his voice through amplification formations clearly spreading across the entire plaza, even through the spiritual network to every corner of the Three Realms paying attention to this battle:
"Fellow Three Realms citizens! Alliance soldiers!"
His voice was solemn yet powerful, carrying historical weight.
"Today we gather here, not for celebrations, not for feasts! But for one common goal—to punish the Demon Lord and protect our homeland!"
He waved his arm, pointing skyward, as if pointing toward that Demon Nest hidden in endless depths.
"That Demon Lord devours stars, poisons living beings—cancer of the universe, enemy of all worlds! It destroyed our homes, killed our people—this grudge is blood-deep!"
"Once, we passively defended, suffering heavy losses, blood flowing like rivers! Countless heroes gave their lives for this!" Senior Brother's voice carried a trace of grief. Countless soldiers in the plaza, recalling sacrificed relatives and fellow disciples, had eyes welling with tears and hatred.
"But today is different!" His tone shifted sharply, voice suddenly rising, "We no longer passively take hits! We no longer fight alone! Humans, demons, sea beings, Silicon-based... all Three Realms and myriad races, today gather here, forming an alliance, united as one!"
"We have gained greater power, more advanced artifacts, more thorough plans! More importantly, we possess—unwavering victory conviction and the determination to protect everything!"
His gaze swept across the densely packed, multi-racial yet equally battle-eager soldiers below, finally returning to Xiao Qi beside him.
"Now, I invite our Three Realms Alliance Lord, supreme commander of this battle—Tang Xiaoqi True Lord—to make the oath for us!"
In an instant, all gazes, all light screens, focused entirely upon that blue-robed figure. A mountain-and-sea-like surge of cheers, roars, metallic clanging (from Silicon warriors) erupted thunderously, the sound wave almost overturning the heavens!
Xiao Qi stepped forward slowly, his gait steady. He didn't immediately speak, only using those deep eyes like starry seas to calmly sweep across the boundless array below, feeling that surge of will and conviction like a tide almost solidifying.
Cheers gradually quieted. Everyone held their breath, awaiting the Lord's command.
Xiao Qi spoke. His voice wasn't particularly loud, yet carried a strange penetrating and soothing power, clearly entering every living being's ears—whether through air, spiritual network, or directly resonating in spiritual consciousness.
"Fellow cultivators, fellow soldiers."
His voice was calm, yet seemed to contain the tranquility before a storm.
"Standing here, looking at you, I see not cold armor and weapons—I see countless living lives, children in parents' eyes, concerns in hearts of companions, heroes in children's dreams."
Simple opening, yet instantly struck the softest place in countless soldiers' hearts; many people's eyes slightly moistened.
"We cultivate, seeking immortality, seeking freedom, seeking transcendence. But if home doesn't exist, loved ones suffer—what point has this immortality? Where is this freedom to be found? Isn't this transcendence becoming rootless duckweed, water without source?"
He paused, his voice slightly rising, carrying power pointing directly to the heart:
"Today we stand here, not for some abstract Great Dao, not for ambitions of dominating the universe! We stand for the villages with curling behind us, the academies echoing, the blue seas stretching, the forests vast! For everything we love, to not be swallowed by darkness!"
"The Demon Lord is strong." Xiao Qi's tone turned grave, "It hides in, its Demon Nest fortress-like—this battle will be difficult, will... see sacrifices."
He didn't avoid the harsh reality, making his words even more real, more powerful.
"Perhaps some of us, parting today, will be eternal farewell."
The plaza fell silent. Only the wind rustling banners.
"But!" Xiao Qi's voice suddenly rose, like a sword leaving its sheath, cleaving that momentary heroism and silence, "Some things, knowing they cannot be done, must still be attempted! Some battles, knowing death awaits, must still be fought!"
His gaze became sharp beyond measure,:
"Because behind us are countless beings needing our protection! They are our roots! Our Dao!"
"This battle—not for merits, not for fame, only to tell that Demon Lord, tell this universe! We Three Realms beings cannot be humiliated! Our homeland and native lands cannot be violated!"
"Even if body dies and Dao scatters, even if soul scatters and spirit shatters—our conviction does not perish, our will endures eternally! This vast starry sea will forever remember: there once lived unyielding beings who, to protect what they loved, launched the most resolute counterattack against ultimate darkness!"
He suddenly raised his right fist, his voice like thunder from nine heavens, exploding in every being's soul:
"This battle—"
"Will be victorious!"
After brief deathly silence came erupting, star-shaking roars!
"VICTORIOUS!!!"
"VICTORIOUS!!!"
"Long live the Lord! Long live the Alliance!"
Human cultivators waved artifacts; demon warriors howled skyward; sea warriors surged spiritual tides; Silicon warriors' body surfaces flashed intensely! Countless voices, countless wills, converging into an unstoppable torrent, battle intent soaring, conviction like steel!
Xiao Qi looked at the seething ocean below, at those faces flushed with excitement or gleaming with metallic cold light, knowing morale had reached its peak!
He turned, looking at the infiltration team members ready for deployment behind him, at all core leaders on the high platform, deeply clasping his hands in salute:
"Fellows, I entrust this to you!"
"For the Three Realms!"