In this world, there were two most advanced weapons: one was the Artificial Sun Warhead, and the other was the Annihilation Cannon. When an Artificial Sun Warhead exploded, it could generate heat exceeding a hundred million degrees, comparable to the core temperature of a nuclear explosion. Its greatest advantage was that the entire blast range maintained this extreme temperature.
Humans had discovered that compared to nuclear radiation, temperature itself was a much greater threat to ferocious beasts. The Annihilation Cannon, on the other hand, fired an invisible beam that could decompose whatever it touched down to its atomic form. Its flaw was its extreme difficulty in production and massive energy consumption.
If launched from afar, ferocious beasts would instinctively evade the trajectory, so both weapons could only be used at close range. Each mecha carried one of these two weapons—using the Sonic Resonance Blade against weaker beasts, but once encountering stronger ones, it would either detonate the Artificial Sun Warhead or fire the Annihilation Cannon.
Jiang Li saw not far away a mecha deploying an Artificial Sun Warhead. In an instant, the light shone brighter than the sun, blanketing the land. Under that blinding radiance, both beasts and mechas melted away completely, leaving not even remnants behind.
It was only through such desperate tactics that humanity managed to barely hold back the onslaught of the beasts. But such attacks could not be used often—for the number of beasts far outstripped that of the mechas, and even under such destructive force, there were always some that survived.
“Union Stage beasts and Spirit Transformation Stage beasts,” Jiang Li focused his gaze.
He saw a huge beast still moving energetically even after surviving the Artificial Sun explosion, while several others, though on the verge of death, were still alive and posed potential danger. On the battlefield, the Union Stage beast rampaged without restraint. No mecha could withstand even a single swipe of its claws.
One mecha charged its energy cell, aimed its Annihilation Cannon at the monstrous creature, and pulled the trigger. The invisible attack turned the oxygen and carbon dioxide in the air into atomic dust. Any clumps of soil it touched instantly vanished, reduced to invisible silicon atoms and other basic particles.
The mecha itself then fell still, energy completely spent, unable to move. But the attack had no effect whatsoever on the Union Stage beast—it stood there unscathed.
“How’s that possible?!”
Ming Zhong could hardly believe his eyes. How could any beast endure both the Artificial Sun and Annihilation Cannon without a single scratch? Such an occurrence was unheard of!
Soon, the Light Brain issued its analysis—Ming Zhong’s expression darkened immediately.
“The beasts… have evolved again!”
“It’s obvious,” Jiang Li said calmly.
“What you encountered before were likely Spirit Transformation Stage beasts. But this one… this one is of the Union Stage.”
Having seen the principles behind both weapons, Jiang Li easily understood why this beast could survive unhurt.
“What is the Union Stage?”
Jiang Li continued, his voice steady.
“It is the union of mind and will, of man and Dao, of body and form. When these three become inseparable, it is called the Union Stage.”
“The Annihilation Cannon can reduce all things into atoms—but when one reaches the Union of body and form, unless one’s will allows it, separation is impossible. Thus, the Annihilation Cannon cannot destroy them.”
“Furthermore, a cultivator of the Union Stage possesses a body so powerful he can roam the cosmos, rest upon the moon, and bask in blazing suns—unharmed by the likes of an Artificial Sun explosion.”
“This…”
Ming Zhong was completely dumbstruck. Previously, Jiang Li had only given him a rough overview of the cultivation realms and had never explained the deeper mysteries. Ming Zhong had thought the Union Stage merely meant great strength and speed—but who could have guessed it was this terrifying?
And above the Union Stage were the Tribulation Transcendence Stage and the Mahayana Stage. Just how powerful was Jiang Li truly? Ming Zhong could no longer comprehend it.
Every time he believed he had glimpsed the depth of Jiang Li’s strength, he would realize he had seen only a small sliver of it. The Union Stage was indeed formidable—and incredibly difficult to achieve.
Otherwise, why would the Red Dust Pure Land, Penglai Immortal Island, or the Confucian Sect, though lacking even a single Tribulation Transcendence expert, still stand unchallenged among the Six Great Sects of the world? Because other sects barely had any Union Stage cultivators at all!
“Can you understand what I’m saying?”
Jiang Li called out to the Union Stage beast. Logically speaking, demon beasts gained intelligence equivalent to a human adult upon reaching the Golden Core Stage, yet Ming Zhong had told him that these ferocious beasts were devoid of intellect, unable to communicate. Could it be that ferocious beasts were not truly demon beasts at all?
The creature didn’t comprehend Jiang Li’s words but noticed him and Ming Zhong floating in the sky. It roared and leapt to attack.
“I can’t beat Jiang Li, but I can sure beat you, beast!”
The Yin-Yang Heavenly Seal was enraged by the creature’s audacity. After all, it was the foremost among the Sacred Artifacts of the Nine Provinces—how dare this mindless beast ignore it! It smashed straight down upon the beast’s skull, making the creature dizzy and sending it collapsing to the ground.
Seeing the Yin-Yang Heavenly Seal attack, the remaining beasts, regardless of power gap or fear, all charged forward in frenzy. Jiang Li flicked his sleeve and turned them all to ash in an instant. Only this Union Stage beast was spared—its existence still held value to him.
Ming Zhong had already stopped trying to make sense of things. At this point, he fully accepted that Jiang Li’s methods were beyond comprehension. Why bother stressing over things one could never grasp?
Humans, after all, should know how to be kind to themselves. Though he bore the title of President, in this Era of Accumulation his sole responsibility was to decide when to initiate the transition into the Era of Eruption.
Humans believed that the shift from Accumulation to Eruption could never be calculated—it required the judgment of a person with emotions and foresight, hence, in the Era of Accumulation, a sentimental president was chosen. In contrast, the transition from Eruption back to Accumulation could indeed be computed, but people could not emotionally accept the cold results.
Therefore, during the Era of Eruption, a president without emotions was selected. Inside the command center behind the city wall, the commander and officers were all at a loss. The entire battlefield lay quiet—no beasts remained in sight.
What were they supposed to command now? Against whom were they to fight? Could they possibly go and wage battle against the President himself?
They all felt they had suddenly lost their purpose. Jiang Li woke the unconscious beast. As it regained awareness, it roared at him in defiance.
Jiang Li exerted his Primal Force, locking down the surrounding space, so it could only growl without being able to move.
“How strange,” Jiang Li murmured.
“It has already reached the Union Stage, yet possesses no soul.”
Sending out his Divine Sense, Jiang Li scanned every part of its body. The structure was indeed that of a demon beast, but there were subtle dissimilarities. The Yin-Yang Heavenly Seal’s power of karma could only function within the Nine Provinces, yet its ability of transmuting all things remained.
It tried to awaken the consciousness of the beast—but there was no reaction at all.
“What? My power failed?”
The Yin-Yang Heavenly Seal was full of question marks. A moment ago, after the Artificial Sun explosion, there had been nothing left nearby, so it had only managed to awaken Ming Zhong’s silver bodysuit.
“What?! Why am I naked?! And what kind of pervert is clinging to me like this?!”
The silver bodysuit shrieked in a female voice, feeling utterly violated that Ming Zhong was touching it without clothes on. It immediately detached and flew off him.
“So… my power still works.”
The Yin-Yang Heavenly Seal remained puzzled. Ming Zhong shivered in the wind, feeling both embarrassed and freezing. He cast a gloomy glance at the Heavenly Seal.
The seal hurried to appease him and restored the bodysuit to normal. Ming Zhong quickly dressed again, yet every time he remembered that his clothing could scream like a woman, an indescribable discomfort crept up his spine. Jiang Li stood silently for a long moment, studying the beast.
His brows furrowed tighter and tighter.
“This can’t be right…” he muttered.
For once, uncertainty showed in his eyes. Then, taking out a Remote Communication Talisman, he sent a call to Bai Hongtu. — (End of Chapter)