Knowing that demons had descended upon the mortal world, Dongbo Xueying, like many other Transcendents, bore a heavy heart. Yet at this moment, as he received his beloved family, he could not suppress the joy welling from within.
“That mansion over there is my residence in the Xia Capital,” Dongbo Xueying said, guiding his parents and the others through the skies. The power of the Heavens and Earth enveloped his family, shielding them as he pointed toward the grand estate in the distance.
“It’s quite large—it seems even more refined than our Xueshi Castle!” his mother, Mo Yangyu, gazed curiously from afar. “Xueying, living alone in such a vast mansion, don’t you feel lonely?”
“Mother,” Dongbo Xueying replied gently.
Beside her, Qing Shi eagerly chimed in, “I’ve heard that the mansions of Transcendents in the Xia Capital are usually filled with many servants. With so many attendants, one wouldn’t feel lonely at all!” As he spoke, Qing Shi gazed in awe at the magnificent city before them. This was the Xia Clan’s most central and vital city.
Not only Qing Shi, but all the family members were filled with curiosity. None of them had ever visited the Xia Capital before. Yet, with the Dongbo Clan’s current prestige, they all understood its significance—it was where the majority of the Xia Clan’s Transcendents gathered, and even many Titleholders resided.
“Let’s descend.”
Dongbo Xueying led his family downward, landing before the grand entrance of his mansion. The gates stood wide open, flanked by a host of guards. The housekeeper, Xu Qin, had already gathered a large group of maids and female servants within the courtyard, awaiting their arrival.
“Greetings, Master,” Xu Qin spoke first, followed by all the maids and servants bowing in unison.
“So many! Must be over a thousand!” Qing Shi exclaimed in astonishment.
“And all of them are female servants,” a young woman beside Qing Shi whispered with a chuckle. His other two companions, a couple, also looked on in admiration.
It wasn’t only them—Dongbo Lie and Mo Yangyu, his parents, were equally amazed. They could immediately tell that the housekeeper Xu Qin and the other servants were all of exceptional beauty, some even stunningly attractive, and each well-versed in etiquette. Unlike the clumsy maids of Xueshi Castle, these attendants were refined and graceful.
“They were arranged by the Xinhuo Palace,” Dongbo Xueying explained with a smile. “Everyone, please come in. Xu Qin, prepare the evening banquet.”
“At once, Master,” the housekeeper replied respectfully.
In the past, she had feared what her master might do to her, but after more than twenty years, it was clear her fears had been unfounded. Still, she found contentment in this quiet life.
Night fell.
Inside the grand hall of the mansion, each guest had their own individual table, sitting cross-legged in a relaxed, informal arrangement.
“Brother, your life is just too comfortable! So many beautiful women serving you, and the food is so exquisite—I feel like my tongue is about to be swallowed whole! I haven’t eaten this well in years!” Qing Shi devoured his meal voraciously, while his young girlfriend beside him ate more modestly. The other couple also dined with refined manners.
They had only managed to come to the Xia Capital thanks to Qing Shi’s connection, and being in the presence of a Transcendent made them feel rather uneasy.
“Qing Shi speaks truly,” the lion-man Tong San laughed. “These delicacies are indeed exceptional.”
“The Xia Capital gathers the majority of the Transcendents, so all sorts of rare ingredients are brought here,” Dongbo Xueying explained with a smile. Since it was their first visit, this feast had cost two jin of Source Stones—no wonder the food was so exquisite. However, as his family would be staying for a while, such extravagance would only be occasional. Even the Demigods wouldn’t dare indulge like this daily.
By the end of the meal, everyone was utterly full.
Dongbo Lie, who had finished eating long before, sipped from his wine cup and finally asked, “Xueying, regarding the demons entering our Xia Clan’s world, how much do you know?”
At once, the hall fell silent.
“The situation may be quite serious,” Dongbo Xueying frowned. “This matter may not be resolved in a short time.”
He had read too many records.
From past events and the information he had gathered, he could deduce a general picture.
“Not resolved in a short time? What do you mean by ‘short time’?” Dongbo Lie pressed.
“It may take a century before it is resolved,” Dongbo Xueying replied. At his words, a heavy silence fell over the hall. The threat of demons looming over them—could it really take a hundred years to resolve?
“You needn’t worry too much,” Dongbo Xueying continued with a smile. “Just like during the initial invasion, when the commotion was greatest, none of you even encountered a demon, did you? As time passes, the demons will grow more discreet. It will become extremely difficult for you to even encounter one. Ultimately, it is the Transcendents who must deal with the demons.”
The clash between Transcendents and demons.
Occasionally, some ordinary humans might be caught in the crossfire, but compared to the vast expanse of the Xia Clan’s world, such incidents were negligible.
The general populace remained manageable. The true tragedy lay with the Transcendents—they had to bear the burden. If they did not rise, who else would?
In the following days, the Transcendents of the Xia Capital learned of various developments through different channels. Clearly, the battles between the Demigod Lords and the Abyssal Demons were intensifying.
Wave after wave of great battles.
Since the humans who fought were all Demigods, many of whom wielded Divine Treasures, and they could support each other, they generally only suffered injuries, with very few casualties.
Of course…
Only very few, but not none.
In the third month of the Longshan Calendar, 9662, the human Demigod ‘Knight Greygull’ Pang Bai fell in battle! When the news broke, all the Transcendents in the Xia Capital were stunned and grief-stricken. Knight Greygull had not even lasted a single breath before being slain by a demon named ‘Tuluwu,’ before any other Demigods could come to his aid.
However, two months later, above the Red Moon Lake, Demon Tuluwu was pursued by Mountain Master He. The entire Red Moon Lake was destroyed in the ensuing battle. Mountain Master He overwhelmed the demon, and then Elder Madam Ye arrived to assist. Together, they swiftly beheaded Tuluwu.
In the eighth month of the same year, another human Demigod, ‘Knight Bloodflame’ Liang Fang, was slain. Liang Fang was even stronger than the late Knight Greygull, nearly ranking among the top ten Demigods. His Bloodflame True Will was a fourth-tier Will, fierce and ferocious! Yet he was killed by the nearly unmatched demon of this invasion—the Frost Demon ‘Saka.’ Though Knight Chiqiu Bai of the Long Wind and Thunder God Chao Qing arrived in the end, the Frost Demon Saka did not engage in battle and fled immediately. His escape skills were truly formidable.
As time passed,
The Transcendents within the Xia Capital gradually learned more information. At the very least, intelligence on the most powerful Demigod-level demons became increasingly detailed.
Although two Demigods had fallen, this was still human territory, protected by numerous powerful Divine Treasures, even Clan-Treasures. The demons who had perished were far more numerous.
By September of the year 9662,
Human forces had slain no fewer than nine Demigod-level demons! The Xia Clan’s true strength was revealed. However, the remaining Demigod-level demons had learned from their losses. Those who survived repeated ambushes and traps were either extremely powerful, possessed unique abilities, or were exceptionally cunning.
In short, after September of 9662, the Xia Clan gradually found it increasingly difficult to detect the traces of Demigod-level demons.
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