“General Yanze.” The demon god Wuyun Huo addressed.
He dared not underestimate this demigod-level demon in the least. Even in the Dark Abyss, the demon god that General Yanze served and Wuyun Huo himself resided in vastly distant layers of the abyssal realms, belonging to completely different factions. Therefore, even within the Dark Abyss, General Yanze had no fear of Wuyun Huo. Let alone now, when he had arrived in the Xia Clan’s world.
In the Xia Clan’s world, these demon generals stood at the pinnacle of power. The entire Xia Clan’s demigods required divine artifacts and had to unite in attacks to even hope of slaying them.
Therefore, even Wuyun Huo had to be courteous and dare not provoke General Yanze too much. After all, this “General Yanze” commanded a vast host of demons, having nearly completely infiltrated the five northern provinces. His forces had already suffered heavy losses this time. If General Yanze issued another command, Wuyun Huo’s spread of faith would become even more difficult in the long years to come, and might even face total annihilation.
“It is indeed a cause for celebration that General Yanze has entered the Material World.” The demon god Wuyun Huo smiled. “I won’t beat around the bush. I sought you out, General Yanze, because I have a precious treasure in the hands of Dongbo Xueying.”
“Dongbo Xueying?” General Yanze replied with a smile. “Your treasure has fallen into the hands of a human transcendent. Why come to me, a demon, for help?”
“Wu Ma Hai, the Xia Clan’s demigod, is with him now, known as Knight Chiqiu Bai of the Long Wind.” Wuyun Huo said. “I wonder, General Yanze, do you have the courage to act and seize back this treasure from them? With your might, to kill Dongbo Xueying and subdue Chiqiu Bai would be as simple as lifting a hand. Even the Xia Clan’s number one demigod on the Half-God List, Mountain Master Heshan, would still fall short compared to you.”
“Thank you for your praise, my lord god. I must say, I enjoy hearing such words. If the Xia Clan’s demigods lacked divine artifacts, I could sweep aside ten of them single-handedly! Unfortunately, their top-tier demigods all wield divine artifacts. I have seen Mountain Master Heshan unleash his full power, and it is indeed formidable. In a one-on-one duel against him, I cannot claim a clear advantage.” General Yanze smiled. “I could suppress Chiqiu Bai, but slaying him would take time, and the Xia Clan’s demigods would soon arrive with their divine artifacts…”
General Yanze had yet to engage the Xia Clan directly.
But he had long secretly observed the strength of the Xia Clan’s demigods and had already formed a clear judgment.
“If the godly lord were to grant me a divine artifact, I would be willing to take the risk.” General Yanze looked at Wuyun Huo.
“Haha, a divine artifact? In the Dark Abyss, giving away a divine artifact wouldn’t bother me. But here in the Xia Clan’s world? I can’t afford to offer one! The Earth Temple and the Blood Blade Tavern each possess only one or two divine artifacts at most.” Wuyun Huo shook his head.
Delivering divine artifacts to the mortal world
came at too high a cost.
The Earth Temple, the Blood Blade Tavern, and the Demon God Assembly all had mighty backers. Yet even they possessed only one or two divine artifacts each. Because the great beings behind them, such as those supporting the Blood Blade Tavern… had establishments similar to the “Blood Blade Tavern” in countless mortal worlds. Sending one or two divine artifacts to each mortal world, the cumulative total across countless worlds became staggering.
Thus, for such major powers, they had to consider whether the investment was worth it.
Only the ancestors of the Xia Clan!
The ancestors of the Xia Clan might not have matched the might of the beings behind the Earth Temple or the Demon God Assembly. But they truly asked for nothing in return, willing to sacrifice for their homeland! Generation after generation, the Xia Clan’s ancestors accumulated divine artifacts, eventually amassing only a handful of powerful divine artifacts.
“Then why have you come to me?” General Yanze’s face turned cold. “What? Do you think I would foolishly help you without any benefit?”
“No, no, no. You wouldn’t be helping me, but helping yourself.” Wuyun Huo quickly replied. “As I understand, you several demon generals have secretly discussed and confirmed your respective territories of occupation, haven’t you? The five northern provinces are your domain, General Yanze.”
“That’s right.” Yanze nodded.
The five provinces controlled by the Yuan Shui Daoist Monastery were precisely the territory Yanze had secured after secret discussions among the demon generals.
A vast host of demons obeyed General Yanze’s commands.
Of course—
About two or three out of every ten demons who entered the mortal world no longer obeyed orders after arriving, indulging in reckless and wanton behavior. However, most of these unruly demons were eventually slain by the Xia Clan while in their frenzied states, with only a few clever and cautious ones managing to remain hidden.
The majority still obeyed commands, for only by relying on each other could these demons survive longer in the Xia Clan’s world! Perhaps one day, they could fully conquer this mortal world.
“Your main opponent is the Yuan Shui Daoist Monastery.” Wuyun Huo said. “The Yuan Shui Daoist Monastery currently has three demigods: Sikong Yang, Chao Qing, and Chiqiu Bai. Sikong Yang and Chao Qing have long reached the peak of demigod power… their strength can hardly progress further. But Chiqiu Bai has only recently become a demigod, and he wields a third-tier true intent. In a few hundred years, he could completely surpass Mountain Master Heshan. Then he would be your great enemy!”
“Actually, I think the one who poses the greatest threat to you is Dongbo Xueying!”
“He is not yet sixty years old and has only been cultivating for a short time. His current strength in the Xia Clan probably barely makes him top ten on the Holy List!” Wuyun Huo said. “His potential surpasses even Chiqiu Bai! Perhaps in another three or five hundred years, he will become the most powerful figure in the entire Xia Clan, your true greatest enemy. If you were to die in the Xia Clan’s world, it might well be by his hand!”
“You’re trying to incite conflict?” General Yanze said coldly.
“I’m not inciting conflict.” Wuyun Huo quickly replied. “You’ve been in the Xia Clan’s world too short a time, understanding too little about them, and even less about Dongbo Xueying. Even if I didn’t tell you, in time… when you truly understand the transcendent beings of the Xia Clan’s world, you will realize how great the threat of Dongbo Xueying’s potential is. Do you want to be eradicated from the human world in just a thousand years? With your ambitions, surely you wish to devour countless human souls, to raise humans like livestock, providing a continuous stream of souls… even to break through to become a demon god, right?”
General Yanze snorted coldly: “Of course!”
To raise countless humans, letting them multiply, and then have General Yanze harvest them in cycles… devouring countless human souls. General Yanze believed that his hope of becoming a demon god would increase tenfold.
“I’ve said what needed to be said.” Wuyun Huo suddenly turned grim. “Damn it!”
He had been secretly monitoring Dongbo Xueying and Chiqiu Bai from afar all along.
But now, the Xia Clan’s demigod ‘Chao Qing’ had arrived there as well.
“As a demon general, commanding an army in battle, you should clearly understand… how to deal with potential threats that could destroy you.” Wuyun Huo smiled slightly, then with a ‘whoosh,’ the image on the crystal ball vanished into thin air. Obviously, Wuyun Huo had severed the connection.
In the cold, shadowy hall of the warship.
General Yanze stood with his back to his subordinates, silently watching the crystal ball.
“Dongbo Xueying?” General Yanze murmured softly.
Previously, he had only considered Dongbo Xueying’s strength, believing that demons below the fifth Step could not match him.
But he had truly not realized the extent of Dongbo Xueying’s threat, for his attention had been focused more on the Xia Clan’s demigods. He had been studying each of the Xia Clan’s demigods, thinking about how to kill them.
Demons had come to the mortal world for slaughter and conquest! Not to remain in hiding forever!
“Pass my command, find Dongbo Xueying.” General Yanze ordered.
…
At the location of the previously destroyed castle, now a massive crater.
Dongbo Xueying and Chiqiu Bai were curiously examining and pondering the evil-scented demon bath before them, its countless tendrils connected to the Xia Clan’s world, which they had not yet dismantled or moved.
“Whoosh.” Space tore open.
An emaciated old man wearing slippers strolled leisurely across the void, smiling as he looked toward Dongbo Xueying and Chiqiu Bai in the distance.
Seeing young transcendent beings always delighted the old man Chao Qing, for they represented the continuation and inheritance of the clan.
“You two younglings found some treasure, did you? You even needed me to come identify it?” Old man Chao Qing approached with a smile, his gaze also falling on the sinister demon bath. At the sight of it, his eyes immediately widened. “You found this thing? Who’s so lucky?”
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