Unrivaled Comprehension: From Mortal to Immortal King

"What lamp? Is it an immortal artifact?" Lin Jiufeng asked in confusion.

"It's not an immortal artifact," the Painted-Skin Scholar replied. Seeing Lin Jiufeng's lack of understanding, he began to explain, "This matter traces back to ancient times. When the Dimensional Battlefield first opened, the human race, with its advantage in reproduction, brought a large number of powerful cultivators and established dominance over the land. It was then that our ancestors began surveying the terrain, identifying the regions richest in spiritual energy. These lands were later divided into what we now call the Nine Provinces."

"The Nine Provinces are vast, containing the highest concentration of spiritual energy within the Dimensional Battlefield. At the core of this land lie Zhongzhou and Shenzhou—areas with profound origins. However, over time, this essence has slowly been dissipating. Our ancestors calculated that if left unchecked, the essence of the Nine Provinces would be exhausted within ten thousand years. When that time comes, the entire Dimensional Battlefield will enter an era of hardship for cultivation."

"So, in order to preserve the Nine Provinces, our ancestors exerted immense effort, utilized boundless magic, and consumed vast resources to extract the essence of the land. They refined it into nine flames, representing the Nine Provinces, ensuring that this vital energy would not be lost."

"But as the years passed, the human race fell into decline. The Nine Flames began to dwindle—some were stolen, others lost, and some were even betrayed by traitors who gifted them to other races. Now, only one flame remains in the hands of the human race."

"And they have come for this last flame," the Painted-Skin Scholar said gravely.

Lin Jiufeng was shocked to learn of this. He had wondered why these races, who had no deep-seated grudge against humanity, would suddenly join forces with the three hostile tribes. Now, the reason was clear—it was all for the last remaining flame of the Nine Provinces.

Suddenly, he thought of the mortal realm.

The mortal realm had long suffered from declining spiritual energy, making cultivation increasingly difficult. It was likely because its essence had dissipated, gradually gathering in the heavens. Periodically, some of it would descend to nourish the mortal world, but over the ages, it would once again dissipate, leading to another cycle of hardship.

The decision of the ancestors to condense the essence of the Nine Provinces into nine flames was indeed wise.

"This flame must possess great power, right?" Lin Jiufeng asked curiously.

A treasure refined from the very essence of the Nine Provinces—it had to be incredibly powerful.

Sword God Emperor Liu shook his head. "A single flame holds no real power."

"No power?" Lin Jiufeng looked at him in surprise.

"That's right. The Nine Flames must be gathered together to unleash their full potential. In ancient times, when the human race possessed all nine flames, no other race dared to show even the slightest disrespect. If they did, just the suppression of the flames alone could annihilate them—immortal artifacts would be useless in the face of such power."

"If a single flame holds no power, then why do they seek it?" Lin Jiufeng asked in confusion.

"While a single flame lacks offensive strength, it can gather spiritual energy, creating a land of fortune. It improves the physique of those within its influence, helps maintain a race's destiny, allows pregnant women to give birth to more talented offspring, aids in the recovery of the injured, makes breakthroughs in cultivation easier, and even extends the lifespan of the elderly. Though it does not provide direct offensive power, for humanity to rise again, this flame is indispensable," the Painted-Skin Scholar explained.

"If it's so beneficial, then why has the human race remained in decline for so long? Why didn't they come for it sooner?" Lin Jiufeng voiced his doubts.

"Because in the past, this flame had been tainted by traitors using extremely vile substances, rendering it useless for many years. It could no longer provide any benefit to the human race."

"After I took control of the human race, I devoted all my efforts to restoring the flame. It cost me everything, but at last, I purified it. This halted our decline, allowing us to rise once more. Today, our population has grown several times over, reaching fifty million. The number of young talents has also surged, bringing renewed prosperity to our people. But I never expected that we were being watched all along."

The Painted-Skin Scholar sighed.

Lin Jiufeng finally understood.

The other races had not attempted to seize the flame before because it had been useless to them. They were unwilling to waste time and energy on something that was broken.

But now, seeing the human race flourish once more, they realized the flame had been restored. That was why they acted.

Thus, the Alliance of Thirteen Clans had arrived.

"Do we have any allies?" Lin Jiufeng asked, concern evident in his voice.

"Against the Alliance of Thirteen Clans, no ally will dare to stand with us," Sword God Emperor Liu replied, shaking his head.

"When will they arrive?" Lin Jiufeng pressed.

The Painted-Skin Scholar walked to the doorway, gazing into the distance. His voice was deep and solemn.

"They are already here."

Boom! Boom! Boom!

As soon as he spoke, the ground trembled like an earthquake.

From within the vast snowfall, an immense army emerged, its presence overwhelming.

Among them were Nightshades, Asuras, Skeleton Lords, Giants, and Treants…

And above them, rolling thunder echoed through the sky as a black war chariot charged forward, breaking through the white snow.

Nine ancient behemoths, each as large as a mountain, pulled the chariot. Their terrifying aura far surpassed Lin Jiufeng's current level—each had reached the Fifteenth Forbidden Realm. Their sheer presence was enough to make one's heart shudder.

Yet these mighty creatures were merely pulling the chariot.

The true terror lay within.

At the front of the procession, ancient beings paved the way—each with savage appearances and overwhelming arrogance. Their bodies were covered in scales, some possessing flesh wings. Wherever they passed, dark clouds surged into the sky, blotting out the heavens.

This was the Ancient Royal Clan.

Lin Jiufeng had seen this race through the memories of the Nightshade Prince. They were a terrifying force, rumored to be remnants of the Celestial Realm. Born with superiority in their blood, they looked down upon all other races, considering themselves nobility second only to the Holy Celestial Angels.

At this moment, the Alliance of Thirteen Clans arrived as if they had stepped through time itself.

Boom!

Their thunderous presence shook the sky, disrupting the endless snowfall.

"HUMANS! HAND OVER THE NINE PROVINCES FLAME AND SURRENDER TO YOUR DEATH!"

A towering giant, a hundred meters tall, strode forward and roared.

His voice was like rolling thunder, sending shockwaves through the sky. The sheer force shattered the falling snow and spread throughout every human city.

Most people trembled in fear.

Despair filled their eyes as they gazed at the massive army before them.

Yet some turned their gaze toward the towering mountains behind them.

For within those mountains resided their last hope—the Painted-Skin Scholar.

At that moment, the Painted-Skin Scholar extended his hand, tracing patterns in the air. Countless runes emerged, merging into the land of the human race.

BOOM!

In the next instant, a colossal formation activated.

Brilliant light soared into the sky, forming an enormous inverted bowl that shielded the cities and mountains of humanity.

Within the glow, intricate carvings appeared—depicting the sun, moon, stars, birds, beasts, and all living things.

At the four cardinal points, the Four Sacred Beasts emerged: Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise.

They radiated a divine aura, standing guard over humanity.

From within the black war chariot, a cold voice sneered,

"The Four Sacred Guardian Formation… Even in decline, humanity still possesses such treasures. Truly enviable."

"But so what?"

"Today, the human race will perish!"