When the last demon commander was hacked into ten thousand pieces by a resolute youth wielding a notched, broken blade, the light of victory finally shone upon his exhausted face. It illuminated the tired, grime-streaked, and scarred countenances of the young geniuses—prodigies who now possessed a steadfastness far beyond their years.
They had finally won! They had truly crawled their way out of hell!
However, those who survived to the final victory did not immediately savor the fruits of their labor. Instead, they turned and rushed toward their comrades who had collapsed from wounds or exhaustion. After enduring this war, no one understood the value of a brother-in-arms better than they did. Had it not been for those standing shoulder-to-shoulder with them, no matter how talented or brilliant they were, they would have been nothing more than a thin sheet of paper beneath the infinite demonic torrent.
Because of this selfless act, many who had reached their absolute limits were dragged back from the gates of the netherworld. Only after every rescue was complete did they allow their weary bodies to rest. At that moment, the lucky youths shared a smile amidst the unseen dawn. Only they understood how heavy and hard-earned that smile truly was.
After the final tally, the casualty rate was revealed. Approximately forty percent of the survivors had perished in the final push. In other words, of the thirty percent who remained from the initial seventy-percent culling of the Foundation Establishment battlefield, another forty percent were gone.
Of everyone who set out for this World-Domain War, only a little over ten percent of the Foundation Establishment cultivators crawled out of that hell. Standing beneath the dawn of victory, each survivor now radiated a unique and charismatic aura. There was no doubt that these youths, tempered by blood and fire, would soar in the future. They had earned the right to stabilize the world. The title of "young genius" no longer suited them; they were now the most elite, peerless warriors.
While the Foundation Establishment battlefield secured its victory at a staggering cost, the Gold Core battlefield welcomed a figure truly capable of shifting the tides of war: The Demonic Physician, Chang Qing!
On a battlefield thick with tension and the stench of slaughter, facing the terrifying army of Gold Core demons, there stood an existence more demonic and more terrifying than the demons themselves.
He radiated an aura of stygian darkness. Life-Essence Demonic Runes covered nearly every inch of his body, making him look like a true demonic god—a supreme emperor of the Demon Realm standing on the side of humanity. Yet, he was a genuine human. The killing intent he directed at the demons was so explosive that few in the Star-Sea World could match it. This reflected the sheer strength of his will, signaling that his Dao-heart and intent had reached the pinnacle of their development.
Yet, this same sinister, horrific existence had been an elegant and gentle man before the war began—a talented cultivator who dreamed only of using his medical skills and healing arts to save as many people as possible.
The gap between his past and present was vast, but the transformation had been inevitable from the moment the war started.
Chang Qing had grown up in a warm, harmonious clan. He was inherently kind, a trait reinforced by his mother's teachings. Even after his family was wiped out, leaving only him and his sister, his nature did not change; he only wished to slay his enemies. He never thought of harming others, working diligently to earn money and even willing to sacrifice himself to save his sister, Chang E.
His innate talent was focused on aiding the growth of plants and enhancing life potential, not on slaughter. Furthermore, he whole-heartedly identified with the Azure Sky Domain and the Star-Sea Nine Domains that Qi Ping had built. He was one of Qi Ping's most fervent supporters.
That Chang Qing could hold a high position in the Star-Sea World at such a young age was not merely because of his talent for agriculture or plant-potential extraction; it was because his heart was entirely dedicated to assisting others and the development of the Star-Sea. This temperament amplified his abilities infinitely, and under Qi Ping's protection, no one dared to hinder him.
He was one of the prime examples of how the Star-Sea World scouted and magnified talent. Once he held office, he gained access to ample resources, profound techniques, and rare materials, further refining his abilities. He became a core figure in the spirit-plant industry and intended to use his Life-Essence talent and medical knowledge to save lives during the war.
These experiences fueled his grand ambition—a vow that felt like 'unless hell is empty, I shall not become a Buddha.' His goal was not divinity, but simply to make the Star-Sea World better. Such a person, possessing a grand vow and immense talent, was a natural seed for immortality, surpassing many with special physiques.
But this Dao-heart changed completely within the World-Domain Battlefield.
He saw the demons—powerful and seemingly inexhaustible. He saw his friends and comrades die miserably before his eyes. Surrounded by demons, he struggled just to stay alive, and the healing spells he took such pride in became useless ornaments.
Specifically, when his best friend and his most beloved sister, Chang E, were wounded to the point of near-death by the demons... he was forced to accept a cruel reality. Medicine and healing could be useful, but they could not save this world. They couldn't even save his own sister or his dearest friend!
At that moment, Chang Qing's vow underwent a cataclysmic shift. A killing intent and a desire for destruction like he had never known rose from his heart! This unique, powerful vow pushed his destructive urges to heights no other genius could reach.
Under this horrific new vow, his talents and abilities underwent a polar transformation.
Life Restoration became the inverse: Life Siphoning!
His talent for potential extraction and cultivation became the ultimate weapon for devouring the "Life Core" of others, massively increasing the efficiency of his consumption. His profound medical knowledge and vast understanding of healing arts became fertile nourishment for his Life Siphoning abilities!
Under these extreme, horrific conditions, the Demonic Physician Chang Qing was born! The Gold Core within his dantian underwent a fundamental, world-shaking metamorphosis.
A cultivator's Gold Core represents the first stage where they truly widen the gap between themselves and others, magnifying their life's work. This is different from the Foundation Establishment stage, where it is harder to pull away from the pack. Once Chang Qing completed the sublime evolution of his Gold Core, a truly terrifying existence was unleashed.
With his horrific Life Siphoning ability, Chang Qing's physical body—which was already a tier above his peers—achieved a state of near-infinite vitality and energy. Even if he suffered a fatal wound, he could restore himself by devouring the Life Essence of demons.
Because his medical skill was so supreme, he knew exactly how to utilize that energy perfectly, leaving no hidden defects in his body and making his flesh stronger and stronger. This allowed him to maintain near-limitless recovery and explosive power. He was unlike those who devoured energy they couldn't control, turning their own bodies into a mess; Chang Qing could precisely control every fiber of his being to ensure his consumption did not exceed his physical limits. This was the charm of a top-tier physician in the cultivation world.
However, the core that granted him this infinite consumption was not his medical skill, but his unshakeable conviction and vow!
The reason demonic energy is hard to refine or devour is the chaotic will embedded in their bloodline. A normal person would go mad upon contact; devouring a demon of the same rank would typically lead to insanity or being assimilated into a demon. Only those with exceptionally powerful Dao-hearts have the right to temporarily devour and utilize demon flesh—someone like Bai Liyun of the True Demon Realm.
Chang Qing's vow was an extreme of its own. It could be said that unless his consciousness literally exploded, it was impossible for the chaotic will in demon blood to affect him!
Under this transformation, Chang Qing began a crazed slaughter. Every move was a supreme technique that exceeded physical limits! Where others could strike once, he could strike incessantly. His horrific Life Siphoning was not just a means of recovery for himself; it was a terrifying execution for his enemies.
Under this onslaught, the once-difficult battle was completely overturned by Chang Qing! His siphoning power grew stronger with every kill.
Yet, it didn't end there. When the Providential Power of the Star-Sea World descended, Chang Qing—receiving a massive amount of providence—underwent another metamorphosis. Under its influence, his wildly growing Life Siphoning was awakened more completely, allowing him to utilize the two sides of his talent—Life Siphoning and Life Restoration—simultaneously. It became more stable, and more powerful.
In a sense, his already formidable talent was forcibly raised by another tier. On the Gold Core battlefield, Chang Qing was essentially a bug in the system. To say he could fight a hundred alone was barely an exaggeration.
Across the entire demonic front, a group of these bloodline-strong demons could barely contend with someone of Chang E's level. With their absurd numbers, they could destroy whatever they targeted. But facing Chang Qing—a Gold Core cultivator with maxed-out combat power, speed, recovery, and lethality—killing him was an impossibly high hurdle. Even the few Royal Bloodline demons interspersed in the ranks couldn't overturn the situation.
Even more terrifying was that Chang Qing was not fighting alone. Within the "Great Array of the Azure Spirit of the Heavenly Cycle," he received the maximum possible enhancement. His combat power surged again.
To support him, the Gold Core battlefield had assigned four top-tier cultivators of the Gold, Water, Fire, and Earth attributes to form a "Cycle of the Five Elements Immortal Array" with Chang Qing at the center. The Gold-attribute position was held by Chang Qing's best friend, the "Little Spear Immortal" who wore white robes and had slain a thousand demons. The other three positions were likewise held by the most elite Gold Core warriors of the Star-Sea World.
After being modified by Providential Power, each of these individuals had the right to compete for the top tier of Gold Core cultivators. Their grace was dazzling. Yet, even these top-tier warriors could only serve as auxiliaries in the Five Elements formation to support Chang Qing.
It could be said that these five, led by Chang Qing, were the "Strongest Spear" of the Star-Sea World on the Gold Core battlefield—assigned to face the most difficult and densely populated sections of the front! This was one of the Star-Sea World's proudest moments in this war.
On the other side, the demon commanders clearly sensed the horrific pressure radiating from Chang Qing. To counter him, they combined all their Royal Bloodline demons and those proficient in bloodline-synchronization into a single force!
This was one of the few moments in the war when the demons felt genuine fear, despite their numbers far exceeding the enemy's.
Facing this, Chang Qing showed no worry. His expression didn't even flicker; only the crazed, billowing killing intent in his eyes betrayed his emotions.
Soon, the clash in the Gold Core battlefield officially began!
The sun-blotting demonic horde swept through the air, every single one a Gold Core organism possessing world-destroying power. They filled every corner from the heavens to the earth like a world-sized beast. Their demonic majesty shook the foundations of reality!
The vanguard, composed of Royal Bloodline demons, pushed the atmosphere of slaughter to its absolute peak. Each one was equivalent to a peak Gold Core human cultivator!
In contrast, the Star-Sea side was much smaller in number—a ship that looked as if it would be swallowed by the waves at any moment. But their momentum said otherwise.
Under the grand array, the Star-Sea Gold Core cultivators formed an absolute collective, charging into the demon army without retreating! And at the front, Chang Qing and his four companions were like a heaven-piercing sword, rushing toward the Royal demons with the momentum of world-cleaving might!
Soon, the strongest Gold Core forces of both worlds collided!
A massive boom, accompanied by a horrific shockwave of power, swept outward. The powerful bodies of ordinary demons could not even withstand the aftershocks; they collapsed instantly, turning into a rain of blood and flesh that fell from the sky.
At the center of the fluctuation, the supreme Gold Core powers did not engage in a prolonged struggle. Upon contact, life and death were decided!
As the energy explosion subsided, charred, fragmented corpses drifted down from the sky. When the dust cleared, only a single figure remained—standing like a god, yet looking like a demon!