Journey to the West: Starting from Changing Sun Wukong’s fate
Chapter 647 - 511: A Pyrrhic Victory in the Three Realms, Heavy Losses_2

Chapter 647: Chapter 511: A Pyrrhic Victory in the Three Realms, Heavy Losses_2

If they could not keep them outside the gates at this time, how could they face those Quasi-Saints who had died in battle for the Three Realms?

Defending the Three Realms was a task for the most powerful among them, but now, the greatest sacrifice had been made by the Quasi-Saints, a result that filled their hearts with immense sorrow.

"I really hope you can keep up this tough act! Hongjun, even if I can’t break into the Three Realms today, you still won’t be able to hold on to them!"

"Just you wait!"

Yang Mei said bitterly.

In reality, all he could do now was to talk tough here.

To charge into the Three Realms in one fell swoop now seemed to be nothing but a foolish dream.

Especially since they could activate the Three Realms Barrier at any time, which had become the most reliable barrier to keep them out of the Three Realms.

After all, Yang Mei had not forgotten that a single Three Realms Barrier had kept them at bay for half a month, and if the other side had not actively opened it, perhaps they would have continued their futile assault from outside, without even the opportunity to engage with the Quasi-Saints and Saints of the Three Realms.

"Hmph!"

Looking in the direction of the Three Realms, Yang Mei couldn’t help but snort coldly.

It was so close, just a bit more, and the Three Realms would have been his!

But now, everything was gone, filling Yang Mei’s heart with unwillingness.

...

The people of the Three Realms and the Demon Clan stood at the brink of the Void and Chaos, confronting each other.

However, at least now the inhabitants of the Three Realms had a bit more confidence or, to put it in another way, for people like Daoist Ancestor Hongjun, being able to defend the Three Realms was the most important thing.

They were prepared to fight to the bitter end, and if they really couldn’t hold on, they planned to cause significant damage to the Demon Clan.

It was with this determination that they erupted with strong will and fighting spirit in this great battle. Not to mention the more than a hundred and fifty Quasi-Saints, they even managed to eliminate two Saints.

The Demon Clan, on the other hand, found themselves in a difficult position, having lost so many Quasi-Saints and still failing to win the war, with no significant diminishment of the Saints’ combat abilities on the other side.

If the battle continued, of their seven Saints, it was uncertain how many would return alive.

Moreover, this sortie essentially drew out more than half the strength of the Demon Clan, and if the losses were too great, their strength would be greatly reduced. Then, those forces opposed to the Demon Clan would certainly seek to kick them while they were down.

But if they were to return now, so many would have died in vain, and they would end up empty-handed.

This put the Demon Clan in a difficult situation.

"Hongjun, I underestimated you again. I didn’t expect your One-Step Saints to be able to hold off Two-Step Saints."

"But, you’d better not let me encounter him alone; I most enjoy killing geniuses!"

Yang Mei’s expression went through a series of changes, then he said to Hongjun.

The person he referred to was Wang Yang.

Without Wang Yang holding back Ghost Slayer, even one more Saint in the Three Realms would have been of no consequence before the Two-Step Saints.

"Let’s go!"

After spitting out his harsh words, Yang Mei said to the remaining Saints of the Demon Clan.

He wanted to conquer the Three Realms, indeed, but he also had to lead the Demon Clan.

If too many Saints perished in the Three Realms, even if he conquered it, it would be a pyrrhic victory.

That’s why Yang Mei chose to retreat, giving up the conquest of the Three Realms.

Ancestor Wu Yu and the others felt somewhat reluctant, but at the same time, they breathed a sigh of relief.

No one, having cultivated to the level of a Saint, truly wished to die there.

Looking at the fates of the Great Protector and the Third Elder, one could see how deplorable it would be to dissipate soul and spirit after such difficult cultivation.

So, watching Daoist Yang Mei leave, they followed closely, not wanting to fall behind.

In the Two Realms, as they watched Daoist Yang Mei truly lead his forces away,

everyone in the Three Realms breathed a sigh of relief.

The pressure from the Demon Clan had been immense, and continuing the fight, the outcome was uncertain.

Even if they could hold on, it would have been exceptionally difficult.

"We, have won!"

Once he confirmed that Daoist Yang Mei wasn’t feinting and had truly left the Three Realms, Daoist Ancestor Hongjun finally showed a hint of a smile and said to everyone.

"We won, we have won!"

Saint Taiqing muttered to himself while also recalling his only two disciples, both of whom had fallen in this battle.

"The Great Catastrophe of the Three Realms, it is truly over now!"

Wang Yang let out a sigh of relief.

People had been struggling with the great calamity of the Three Realms, and now they had finally come through it, but many could no longer see this day.

Not to mention others, of those left among the Quasi-Saints, there were only Xuanzang, Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie, Golden Spirit Holy Mother, Yun Zhongzi, Xuanyuan, Fuxi, Kong Xuan, Zhu Long, Houtu, and Emperor Song—twelve in total. The rest had perished in this great battle.

Such devastation was an unbearable disaster for the Three Realms.

They had spoken of stopping them with their lives, and these people truly paid with their lives.

Even as he considered the fact that they had survived the great calamity of the Three Realms, Wang Yang couldn’t feel entirely elated.

"Life and death, sickness and health are natural for all beings; take a broader view!"

Daoist Ancestor Hongjun sighed softly.

"Let’s go back, everyone. Taiqing, you are still beyond the heavens. Wang Yang, you are familiar with the affairs of the Three Realms. Go down and ensure their normal operation,"

"Dismissed!"

Having said that, Daoist Ancestor Hongjun was the first to return to the Purple Cloud Palace. Though they were all injured after the big battle, Hongjun now didn’t even entertain the thought of inviting them to visit the Purple Cloud Palace.

Although he didn’t voice it, Wang Yang understood that Daoist Ancestor Hongjun was equally displeased in his heart.

Taiqing and the others left one by one, looking as if they had been defeated, utterly without spirit. Leader of the Tongtian Sect gave Wang Yang a meaningful look before he left, clearly gesturing for him to treat the Cutting Teachings Sect well.

A few Saints left first, and at the edge of Chaos, only the twelve Quasi-Saints and Wang Yang, a Saint, remained.

"Everyone, head back to Golden Turtle Island first! Healing there would be faster,"

Wang Yang looked at the injured Quasi-Saints before him, contemplating that the most critical matter now was for them to heal.

The group nodded their heads, glancing at the Void before leaving.

Then they journeyed to Golden Turtle Island with Wang Yang.

"They’re back; they’ve returned!"

"We won, we must have won!"

"The Quasi-Saints are back! We’ve won!"

"The Demon Clan has been defeated! They’ve guarded the Three Realms!"

"..."

As soon as the group reached the skies above Golden Turtle Island, cheers erupted from the island.

Golden Turtle Island had now become a sea of people, as if everyone already knew they would return there.

Not only those who were remaining with the Pinnacle of Great Luo were there, but even Golden Immortals and Heavenly Immortals from the Various Sects had come to safeguard the island, packing it from inside to out.

Now, seeing the golden light of the returning Quasi-Saints, everyone couldn’t help but cheer.

This was a great victory, a victory for the Three Realms, a victory belonging to them.

"It’s a Saint, that’s Saint Wang Yang returning!"

There were sharp-eyed ones below who, through that layer of golden light, spotted Wang Yang standing in front of the others and immediately shouted excitedly.

Since Daoist Ancestor Hongjun had ordered the Saints back beyond the heavens, it hadn’t been easy to witness a Saint manifest in the Three Realms.

Had it not been for Wang Yang’s Achieving Saintliness, who knew when they might catch a glimpse of a Saint.

"The Saints have returned, hurry, help me up to see..."

In Chang’an City, the enthroned Tang Xuanzong, upon seeing the sky filled with golden light, commanded his civil and military officials to leave the palace to greet them.

Watching the sky awash with golden light, the current Prime Minister was visibly moved.

His surname was Yin; he was the grandson of the founding Duke Yin Kaishan.

Ever since Xuanzang became the Holy Monk and went Seeking Scriptures to the Western Heaven.

Afterwards, when Xuanzang manifested as a Saint in Chang’an, the status of the Yin family rose even more in the Tang Dynasty.

In every era, and even now during Xuan Zong’s time, the Yin family had stood indestructibly like a linchpin of the Tang Dynasty, unaffected by the changes of dynasties.

And indeed, after all, Xuanzang was from the Yin family.

Of course, the present-day Yin family’s rise was entirely thanks to Xuanzang, from the very beginning till now, and always so.

For this reason, watching the full sky of golden light,

The Prime Minister was even more excited than Xuan Zong, striving to discern the face known only from the portrait secreted away in the private chambers of the Yin family.

"Heaven’s blessings upon Great Tang!" Tang Xuanzong, enveloped by the heavenly golden light, bellowed with vigor.

"Long live the Emperor! May he live forever!"

The civil and military officials knelt and chanted in unison.