...
On a vast plain.
Fine snowflakes were falling from the sky, carried by the cold wind that brought a distinct scent of blood.
Even with this heavy snowfall, it couldn't conceal the lingering smoke of battle on the silver-covered earth.
Looking around, broken swords and spears were stuck in the white snow, tattered flags swayed in the cold wind, and countless soldiers lay dead on the snowy ground. Severed limbs and mutilated bodies were scattered everywhere, resembling a purgatory on earth.
The air was thick with the scent of gunpowder and filled with sorrow and despair. The mournful sound of the wind whistling seemed to be the wails of these fallen souls.
Even this heavy snowfall couldn't bury this battlefield.
Snowflakes continued to fall, and amidst the howling cold wind, a solitary figure walked on this battlefield that resembled a purgatory. It resembled a wandering ghost.
"The brutality is beyond imagination."
As Zeng Yi walked across this plain, he looked at the countless dead soldiers on the snowy ground, and a touch of sadness flashed in his eyes.
He didn't know how many lives were buried on this plain. Standing here, he couldn't see the end of it.
This feeling of being on a battlefield was unimaginable.
In his previous life, Zeng Yi had lived in an era of peace, and he had only seen scenes like this in movies. Even though he had been reborn into this world and had experienced numerous life and death battles as a Spirit Master, this was still the first time he witnessed such a scene.
It was too shocking, the impact too profound. The feeling of being amidst a pile of corpses, and the sense that there was no end in sight, sent shivers down one's spine.
Zeng Yi was aware of some of the reasons behind this war.
On one side was the Mios Kingdom, and on the other side was the Kale Kingdom.
This continent was vast, Zeng Yi knew that. Its size was even greater than that of the world in his previous life, with an enormous population.
Dean Flender once mentioned that the estimated population of the entire continent was at least ten billion.
Therefore, even as kingdoms, their strength and population should not be underestimated.
Based on the estimation of the number of dead soldiers on the post-war battlefield, Zeng Yi guessed that this was a war involving no less than a hundred thousand people. There were at least fifty thousand buried here!
Standing on this battlefield, Zeng Yi felt as if he were in the thick of it. He could vaguely see the magnificent scene of the two armies charging at each other, the exhilarating sound of war drums ringing in his ears, horses neighing, soldiers roaring, and the clash of swords, shields, and weapons colliding in a symphony of steel.
But after all that, what remained was only endless desolation.
Zeng Yi hated war because every time it appeared, countless lives were lost, and he didn't know how many families were destroyed.
But what could he do? In the eyes of those in power, war was a necessary means to achieve their goals, and they didn't care about the thoughts of the common people.
Zeng Yi was helpless in the face of this. He was just one person. Even if he wanted to change things, he felt powerless.
He was well aware of his own abilities. Overthrowing a regime, establishing a new nation, and creating a world without strife were all unrealistic goals.
He was just a person, not a god. Even gods fought amongst themselves. If even gods couldn't achieve certain things, how could he?
All Zeng Yi could do was to become stronger in order to control his own destiny.
The world had its beauty and its hardships.
In this mortal world, he was just one of the countless beings.
Zeng Yi bent down, reached out, and closed the eyes of a fallen soldier by his side.
Standing up, he looked up at the sky, where pure white snowflakes were falling, burying this battlefield.
Letting out a sigh, Zeng Yi put on his straw hat, dressed in a green robe, and continued forward.
...
"I see, he's about to arrive!"
Elsewhere, a middle-aged man in a red robe stood at the edge of a cliff, one hand behind his back, the other holding a fist-sized blood-red bead up to his right eye. Through the bead, he looked at the sky.
His paleness resembled a corpse, devoid of any hint of color. As he gazed at the sky, an exaggerated and sinister smile curved on his lips, sending chills down the spine.
"Your Excellency."
Behind the man, three figures in black robes kneeled with one knee, respectfully addressing him.
The man turned around, his eyes fixed on the three individuals before him, and let out a chuckle.
Uniquely strange were his vertical pupils, giving off an eerie coldness despite the smile on his face, much like a venomous snake.
The man threw the blood-red bead towards the middle person who caught it hurriedly, waiting for further instructions.
"You can go and prepare the ritual. He will arrive here soon. We just need to quietly await our prey."
"As you command."
The three spoke in unison, then disappeared instantly.
Once the people left, the man slowly turned around, stood at the edge of the cliff, and gazed at the vast plain before him, a battlefield burying tens of thousands of lives.
"It's truly unexpected that he managed to kill the three Spirit Saints Mou Yang, Qing Gui, and Mo Hu. But, those tainted by the Holy Ghost Church won't be able to escape easily. Moreover, it seems that the Supreme God is quite fond of your body. Soon, he will see you with his own eyes. I, Blood Dragon Douluo, will welcome you in advance to join our Holy Ghost Church. Hehehe~"
...
"Something's not right!"
Walking on the battlefield, Zeng Yi suddenly stopped, his eyes narrowing as he surveyed his surroundings with a serious expression.
Since he reached the realm of [Unity of Heaven and Man], he could clearly sense the flow of natural energy in the world.
Zeng Yi was not sure if humans had spirits. After all, this was a fantastical world with extraordinary powers, and he couldn't make a definitive judgment.
But after comprehending the realm of [Unity of Heaven and Man], Zeng Yi could confidently say that humans did possess spirits.
On this desolate battlefield that resembled purgatory, Zeng Yi could feel the presence of various negative energies like sadness, despair, helplessness permeating this space.
It seemed as though countless resentful spirits hovered above this battlefield, exuding a strong air of malice.
But Zeng Yi discovered that all the negative energy in this space was flowing in one direction, which was extremely strange.
It was like pouring water into a pool suddenly equipped with a water pump.
Not only negative energy, but also this Blood Spirit Essence!
The bodies of the dead soldiers in the vicinity shriveled up, turning into fleshless skeletons that eventually crumbled into powder, leaving only their cold armor behind.
Witnessing this scene, Zeng Yi widened his eyes.
Indeed, behind these wars, there were the shadows of Evil Spirit Masters.
What kind of conspiracy did these people have?
Watching all of this unfold, Zeng Yi furrowed his brows, feeling a strong unease in his heart.
No! I have to go take a look.
Zeng Yi was well aware that he now had the ability to protect himself on the continent. As long as it wasn't a Titled Douluo, he had no fear.
His mind was made up. Zeng Yi immediately flew in the direction where these energies were flowing.