Chapter 45 The Attack of the Demon Clan
Chapter 45 The Attack of the Demon Clan
Our successive victories shocked the tribal elders. Their eyes nearly popped out when they heard the news. One after another, they hurriedly wrote letters requesting permission to participate in the war so they could claim some credit for themselves.
The Beast Emperor was naturally delighted. He immediately mobilized troops from the various tribes to the borders to construct defensive fortifications. At the same time, he took the opportunity to dispatch large numbers of followers to the different territories to teach various skills to the tribes. While granting favors to their rulers and winning the hearts of their people, he also expanded the influence of the Beast God Religion.
I stockpiled a large quantity of military provisions and defensive equipment in Stanla City. At the same time, I stationed twenty thousand werewolf soldiers, twenty thousand naga soldiers, and the four main corps there. Our total military strength reached roughly fifty-five thousand troops. Even if the Demon Race sent several tens of thousands of soldiers, I was confident that we could hold the city for several months using its defenses.
While we were actively preparing for defense, the internal organization of the Demon Race fell into chaos. No one had expected that we Beastmen would dare to attack them.
Although our surprise assault had been carefully concealed, the information still leaked out after we captured the sixth city. Stanla City had long since sent emissaries requesting reinforcements, but unfortunately the message reached the chancellor responsible for military affairs while he was drunk. The letter was accidentally misplaced, which was why Stanla City never received reinforcements.
When we finally reached Stanla City, the Demon Race’s chancellor received a second urgent report. Only then did he realize the seriousness of the situation and hurriedly reported it to the Demon Emperor. By the time the Demon Emperor learned of the incident, we had already secured the entire border of Dunder Province.
Inside the Demon Empire’s palace, the Demon Emperor sat on his throne dressed entirely in black. A purple-gold crown inlaid with eight gems rested on his head. He wore a black royal robe trimmed with gold and a cloak made of the same material. Waves of icy killing intent radiated from his body as his fingers rhythmically tapped the armrest of the throne.
Standing beside him was a middle-aged man whose appearance somewhat resembled his own. The man wore no official attire, only simple snow-white silk clothing. He was Gu Chuan Lucifer, the father of Gwynn and Griffin, and the only person besides the Demon Emperor who possessed the power of a Four-Winged Fallen Angel.
Although he was nearly seventy years old, he still looked remarkably young.
Ever since the Demon Emperor had forcibly opened Mi You’s meridians and passed the Demonic Arts to her, his own strength had not fully recovered. As a result, Gu Chuan had naturally become the strongest expert in the entire Demon Race.
His loyalty to the Demon Emperor was unquestionable. Otherwise, the Demon Emperor would never have taken such a great risk to pass his arts to Gu Chuan’s daughter.
Mi You stood beside her father, occasionally playing with a strand of her long hair.
The Minister of Military Affairs knelt trembling before the throne. Civil and military officials stood on both sides of the hall.
Among the civil officials closest to the Demon Emperor stood a man wearing a robe similar to the Demon Emperor’s, though without the golden trim. A faint smile constantly hung on his face, yet a strange glint occasionally flashed deep within his eyes.
This man’s power and status were second only to the Demon Emperor himself.
His name was Prince Su Cha.
He had also been the mastermind behind the previous ambush against Gwynn and Griffin.
The Demon Emperor’s voice sounded like shards of ice blowing into the ears of the kneeling minister.
“Don’t tell me that Wharton only sent this message yesterday.”
The Minister of Military Affairs trembled as he replied, “Your Majesty… please have mercy… A few days ago there was indeed an emergency letter, but… but…”
The Demon Emperor’s voice exploded with anger.
“But what?”
The minister lowered his head. “At that time… I was not paying attention…”
The Demon Emperor slowly rose from the throne. His gaze turned terrifyingly cold.
“You were not paying attention? Do you know what happened while you were ‘not paying attention’? The entire Dunder Province was occupied by a group of Beastmen.”
He paused before speaking again in a chilling voice.
“Gu Chuan.”
Gu Chuan Lucifer stepped forward expressionlessly. With a single step, he reached the kneeling minister and seized his head.
Although the Minister of Military Affairs possessed some strength, he was completely powerless in front of Gu Chuan.
“Your Majesty! Your Majesty! Please spare me this once!” he cried desperately.
The Demon Emperor ignored him completely and returned to his throne.
Gu Chuan looked at the minister as though he were already a corpse.
“Oh most wondrous God of Darkness, I ask thee to punish this sinner with the harshest torment before my eyes.”
His voice was calm and low, yet each syllable struck heavily against the hearts of everyone present.
Prince Su Cha’s facial muscles twitched slightly. The Minister of Military Affairs had belonged to his faction.
A thick, concentrated black mist began to pour from Gu Chuan’s body and seep into the minister’s body.
The minister screamed in agony.
His miserable cries filled the entire hall, making the palace seem like a scene from purgatory. The ministers’ hair stood on end as fear seized their hearts.
Gradually the screams weakened.
The minister’s body slowly collapsed.
Gu Chuan released his hand and gently blew forward. The black mist scattered outward in all directions.
The surrounding officials immediately retreated in terror.
The once tall and robust body of the Minister of Military Affairs had turned into a pool of black liquid.
Gu Chuan waved his hand again, and the liquid ignited instantly. Black flames burned on the floor, making the atmosphere in the hall even more sinister.
The smile on Prince Su Cha’s face vanished completely. He glared coldly at Gu Chuan but said nothing.
After all, the minister had committed a grave error. Even if Su Cha wished to protect him, he could not.
Gu Chuan’s body seemed weightless as he floated back to stand beside the Demon Emperor.
The Demon Emperor’s cold gaze swept across every official in the hall.
“Can anyone tell me what should be done now?” he asked slowly. “The Beastmen who have always obeyed our commands have suddenly dared to rebel.”
Prince Su Cha stepped forward and bowed.
“Your Majesty, dealing with those brainless beasts is simple. We should gather our great armies and strike them with the speed of thunder, leaving them no chance to react. We will crush them completely and recover our lost territories.”
The ministers began whispering among themselves, while those belonging to Su Cha’s faction openly supported his proposal.
Su Cha continued confidently.
“Your Majesty, if you grant this humble official two hundred thousand soldiers, I guarantee that the lost territory can be reclaimed within a month.”
A cold expression flashed across the Demon Emperor’s eyes.
“That will be enough for today. I will decide how to respond tomorrow.”
He turned to a towering officer standing among the military ranks.
“Sithers, order all provinces to mobilize their troops and keep them ready for immediate deployment. Station the First, Third, and Sixth Corps in the provinces surrounding Dunder Province. Dispatch reconnaissance forces and send constant reports from the front lines.”
The iron-tower-like officer stepped forward and bowed.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The Demon Emperor then returned to his study, accompanied by Gu Chuan and Mi You.
The moment they entered the room, the grim expression on the Demon Emperor’s face disappeared.
“My worthy brother,” he said to Gu Chuan, “what do you think of this situation?”
The Demon Emperor was one year older than Gu Chuan. The two had grown up together since childhood. It was with the Demon Emperor’s help that Gu Chuan had successfully cultivated to the realm of the Four-Winged Fallen Angel.
Gu Chuan smiled faintly.
“What threat could those Beastmen pose? Once our army arrives, they will be driven away immediately. If we truly wanted to destroy the Beastmen race, we could have done so long ago.”
Mi You spoke softly.
“Then why didn’t we eliminate them earlier? If we had done so, wouldn’t we have avoided the trouble we face now?”
The Demon Emperor looked at his beloved daughter and smiled.
“Silly child, it isn’t that simple. If the Beastmen were not acting as cannon fodder on the front lines, we would suffer enormous losses every time we attacked the Dragon God Empire. And if we attacked the Beastmen now, the Dragon God Empire would certainly launch a sneak attack against us.”
His expression turned thoughtful.
“What puzzles me is this: the Beastmen seem completely unconcerned about provoking the Dragon God Empire. That doesn’t make sense.”
He looked at Gu Chuan.
“You were wrong earlier. Think about it. The Beastmen managed to occupy the entire prosperous Dunder Province in less than a month. What does that prove? It proves they possess strong military power—and an excellent commander.”
Gu Chuan looked slightly surprised.
“I heard that the ‘Old Behemoth’ personally led the army.”
The Demon Emperor nodded.
“Although the Old Behemoth is powerful, he is not particularly clever. Someone must be helping him. If he had personally commanded the campaign, he would have attacked openly, making the entire continent aware of it. How could he possibly have occupied my territory so quietly?”
He turned toward the door.
“Bring in the messenger from Dunder Province.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Moments later, a short but sturdy demon was escorted into the room by the Demon Emperor’s personal guards.
“I pay my respects to Your Majesty, long live, long live my king”
The Demon Emperor made a sound of approval and said, “Enough, get up and speak.”
The messenger with his head lowered, slowly stood up; this was the first time he saw the Demon Emperor. Gu Chuan and Mi You saw that his bent leg was shaking; evidently he was very nervous.
The Demon Emperor said in a cold voice, “I heard that you are the messenger of the third group that escaped from the city when it was under attack. Tell me, who attacked you?”
The messenger calmed his mind with great effort, and as much as possible made his voice appear respectful and mild, as he said, “Reporting to Your Majesty, it was like this: By the time we received the news, 6 cities and 10 villages within my province were already occupied by the enemy. Lord governor general straightaway dispatched this lowly me to the inland to request for help….”
The Demon Emperor got annoyed and he said, “Did I ask you about these? My question was: who attacked you?”
The messenger was so frightened that knelt down soundly again, and with a trembling voice, he said, “Yes, yes, your majesty, it was a large quantities of Beastman.”
“How many of them were they? What are their races?”
The messenger thought of a while and replied, “From what was told from our men, the enemies numbered around 20000 men, including, the four races: the Behemoth’s Titan Beast, Lionmen, Werewolves and Naga.”
The Demon Emperor glanced at Gu Chuan.
Gu Chuan frowned, “If I remember correctly, there were at least 40 thousand defenders at the Stanla city, by only defending, did they fail to even defend against merely 20 thousand men?”
The messenger trembled even more, he raised his head with his eyes filled with fear, “The 20 thousand beastmen were different from what we’ve seen from the past, most of them were the Beastmen’s Wild Lion corps, and the men from the Naga corps and the Werewolf Corps were surprisingly even more formidable than the Wild Lion corps. Especially those Nagas, they could even climb the wall by sticking onto the wall, furthermore, there were a few powerful guys on their side; the started by flying onto our city, our ordinary guards simply couldn’t withstand their attacks. Too strong…. one of them could kill at least 10 of our men!
Gu Chuan and the Demon Emperor looked at each other in dismay, although the Demon Emperor had already anticipated that these beastmen were no easy opponents, but he never thought that they would actually be so strong.
The Demon Emperor said, “From what you said, they have other experts on their side aside from the Behemoth King.”
The messenger nodded repeatedly, and replied, “There were also three very powerful men, the Behemoth King alone took down lord governor general, the rest did not even fight. The Naga soldiers climbed up from the spot where the few experts attacked, and in just a while they took down all our defenders above the wall.
The Demon Emperor nodded and said, “Enough, you may leave.”
“Yes, your majesty.” The messenger nearly crawled out.
“My worthy brother, did you hear that? This matter is not as simple, without a certain confidence, the beastmen wouldn’t have dared provoked us.”
Gu Chuan clenched his fist and said, “Let me go, I do not believe that ‘Old Behemoth’ the loser can beat me.”
The Demon Emperor shook his head and said, “If you left, wouldn’t that Su Cha take advantage of this and start a rebellion? Didn’t he asked for orders today? He didn’t posses the news from these messengers. I think that he thinks the same as you, they is thinking that the beastmen are easy to deal with. Since he asked for 200 thousand men, then I will give 200 thousand men.”
Gu Chuan suddenly understood, and he said, “You are going to use this opportunity to weaken his strength.”
Demon Emperor nodded as he said, “He sent people to attack both of your sons last time, I’m sure you haven’t forgotten about that, this is a good time to retaliate. Since this piece of bone is too difficult to gnaw on, he can have it. I will move all the people of his side to be under his command, I shall see how much he can possibly do. Even if he could take down all the beastmen, I’m afraid that it will greatly reduce his strength, let alone I doubt that he has the ability to even do so. I need not fear that he would use the armies to strengthen his power to stand against me, he doesn’t have the guts to do that right now. Gu Chuan, after Su Cha takes his people and leaves, you must immediately begin to gather the soldiers and train them. It doesn’t have to be many, 100 thousand men is enough. Simultaneously, dispatch more manpower to the border between us and the Dragon Empire in order to defend against their sneak attack.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
A few moments later, a short and sturdy demon was escorted in by the Demon Emperor’s personal guards.
“I pay my respects to Your Majesty. Long live, long live my king.”
The Demon Emperor gave a brief grunt of acknowledgment. “Enough. Stand and speak.”
The messenger slowly rose while keeping his head lowered. It was the first time he had ever seen the Demon Emperor. Gu Chuan and Mi You both noticed that one of his legs trembled slightly. Clearly, he was extremely nervous.
The Demon Emperor spoke coldly.
“I heard you are the messenger from the third group that escaped the city when it was attacked. Tell me—who attacked you?”
The messenger steadied himself with great effort and tried to make his voice sound respectful.
“Reporting to Your Majesty, the situation was like this: by the time we received the news, six cities and ten villages within the province had already been occupied by the enemy. The governor-general immediately dispatched this humble servant inland to request reinforcements—”
The Demon Emperor cut him off impatiently.
“Did I ask you about that? My question was: who attacked you?”
The messenger was so frightened that he immediately dropped to his knees again.
“Yes—yes, Your Majesty. It was a large number of Beastmen.”
“How many?” the Demon Emperor asked. “And what races?”
The messenger thought briefly before answering.
“According to the reports from our soldiers, the enemy numbered around twenty thousand. They included four races: Behemoths, lionmen, werewolves, and naga.”
The Demon Emperor glanced at Gu Chuan.
Gu Chuan frowned slightly.
“If I remember correctly, Stanla City had at least forty thousand defenders. Even if they only defended the walls, could they truly not withstand merely twenty thousand attackers?”
The messenger trembled even more. He raised his head slightly, his eyes full of fear.
“These Beastmen were very different from those we encountered before. Most of them were soldiers of the Wild Lion Corps, but the naga and werewolf troops were even more formidable than the lionmen.”
His voice shook.
“Especially the naga. They could climb directly up the walls by sticking to them. Furthermore, there were several extremely powerful experts among them. They flew directly onto the walls first, and our ordinary soldiers simply could not resist their attacks. They were too strong. Each of them could kill at least ten of our soldiers.”
Gu Chuan and the Demon Emperor exchanged troubled glances.
Although the Demon Emperor had already expected the Beastmen to be difficult opponents, he had not imagined they would be this formidable.
The Demon Emperor spoke slowly.
“So besides the Behemoth King, they also have other powerful experts.”
The messenger nodded repeatedly.
“Yes, Your Majesty. There were three extremely powerful individuals. The Behemoth King alone defeated the governor-general. The others barely needed to fight. After those experts attacked, the naga soldiers climbed up from that position and quickly defeated all our defenders on the wall.”
The Demon Emperor nodded.
“That is enough. You may leave.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The messenger nearly crawled out of the hall.
The Demon Emperor then turned to Gu Chuan.
“My worthy brother, did you hear that? This matter is not so simple. Without confidence in their strength, the Beastmen would never dare provoke us.”
Gu Chuan clenched his fist.
“Let me go. I refuse to believe that the ‘Old Behemoth’ can defeat me.”
The Demon Emperor shook his head.
“If you leave, wouldn’t Prince Su Cha take the opportunity to rebel? Didn’t he request command earlier today? He does not know the contents of these reports yet. I believe he thinks the same as you—that the Beastmen are easy to deal with.”
A faint smile appeared on his lips.
“Since he asked for two hundred thousand soldiers, I will give him two hundred thousand soldiers.”
Gu Chuan immediately understood.
“You intend to use this opportunity to weaken his strength.”
The Demon Emperor nodded.
“He previously sent people to attack both of your sons. I am sure you have not forgotten that. This is a perfect chance to repay him. Since this bone is difficult to chew, we will let him chew it.”
He leaned back slightly.
“I will place all the troops loyal to his faction under his command and see how capable he truly is. Even if he defeats the Beastmen, his power will be greatly weakened. And frankly, I doubt he can defeat them at all.”
His voice grew colder.
“I am not worried that he will use the army to strengthen his power against me. He does not have that courage yet.”
The Demon Emperor continued.
“Gu Chuan, once Su Cha departs with his forces, immediately begin gathering soldiers and training them. There is no need for too many—one hundred thousand will be sufficient. At the same time, send more troops to the border with the Dragon God Empire to guard against a possible sneak attack.”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” Gu Chuan replied.
Inside the Dragon God Empire’s imperial palace, the emperor sat upon his throne.
The Dragon Emperor, Ji Yin, looked toward his most trusted officials.
“According to the reports from our scouts, the Beastmen have launched an attack against the Demon Race. Furthermore, they have occupied one of the Demon Race’s provinces in a very short time. What are your thoughts on this matter?”
Duke Ji Dian and Dragon General Lantis exchanged glances before both looking toward the crown prince, Jizin.
They had already received reports of this matter earlier, but the sudden conflict between the Beastmen and the Demon Race still puzzled them.
Duke Ji Dian spoke first.
“Your Majesty, I suspect the Demon Race and the Beastmen may have arranged a trap. They may be waiting for us to launch a surprise attack, only to ambush us once we cross into their territory.”
The emperor nodded slightly.
“That is indeed possible.”
He then turned to the crown prince.
“Jizi, what is your opinion?”
The emperor never missed an opportunity to test his future successor.
The crown prince replied calmly.
“Father Emperor, what Duke Ji Dian said is very reasonable. However, it is also possible that this conflict has nothing to do with us. The Demon Race has oppressed the Beastmen for a long time. Perhaps the Beastmen could no longer tolerate this oppression and finally launched a rebellion.”
The emperor nodded again.
“That possibility also exists. However, I do not believe the Beastmen would risk the destruction of their entire race over such grievances. They are not even a match for the Demon Race. Even if they had confidence in defeating them, how could they not fear us taking advantage of the situation?”
He paused.
“The Beast Emperor is not like ordinary Beastmen. His mind is sharp, and he can see through most schemes.”
Dragon General Lantis stepped forward.
“Your Majesty, this servant supports Duke Ji Dian’s theory.”
The emperor nodded.
“Very well. Lantis, inform Liwer of the situation and instruct him to closely monitor both sides of the conflict. He should dispatch scouts immediately and report any information to me as soon as possible.”
“Yes, Your Majesty. This servant will carry out the order.”
Ji Dian stepped forward and said, “This servant also requests permission to withdraw.”
Ji Yin nodded. “All of you may leave.”
After the two ministers departed, the crown prince spoke in a low voice.
“Father Emperor, do you truly believe this is part of a conspiracy?”
Ji Yin asked calmly, “What do you mean?”
The crown prince replied, “While a conspiracy is possible, I doubt they would create such a massive incident merely to lure us into a trap. Should we…?”
Ji Yin raised his hand, cutting him off.
“Do you remember our ancestors’ teachings?”
The crown prince immediately understood.
“Oh… so you meant that…”
Ji Yin nodded.
“As long as you understand. Whether it is a conspiracy or not, we must not interfere in their affairs. Observing the situation is the best option. If they truly are fighting each other, both sides will inevitably suffer losses. That would allow us to avoid bloodshed for several years.”
The crown prince bowed.
“This son has learned something new.”
The Wolf God and I stood atop the walls of Stanla City.
Looking at the distant horizon, I said, “Second Brother, Second Sister, don’t you think the past few days have been unusually quiet? It feels like the calm before a storm.”
Jin stared at the distant forest.
“I estimate that the Demon Race will launch an attack soon, and we must withstand it. Yin Jian.”
Yin Jian stepped forward immediately.
“Sire Wolf God, what are your orders?”
Jin pointed toward the forest outside Stanla City.
“Take our men and cut down all the trees within three kilometers of the city. Bring the timber inside the walls. You have two days to complete the task. Move quickly.”
Yin Jian did not hesitate.
“Yes, Sire.”
He immediately departed to carry out the order.
I suddenly understood his reasoning.
“Why didn’t I think of that? Second Brother, you considered this very thoroughly.”
By clearing the forest outside the city, we would prevent the enemy from using the trees to conceal an ambush.
Stanla City was actually difficult to defend. It was isolated and had no natural defensive barriers nearby. If the enemy army was strong enough, they could easily surround the city.
That would place us in a dangerous situation.
Yin spoke calmly.
“Lei Xiang, I think there is a small problem with your plan.”
“Oh? Second Sister, please explain.”
Yin replied, “I think we should send back the unnecessary supplies and stop transporting reinforcements from the Beastmen Kingdom.”
I frowned.
“Wouldn’t that leave us as an isolated army?”
Yin smiled faintly.
“You are still inexperienced. If I were the enemy commander, I would first determine where your main forces are located. Once I discovered that your army is stationed in Stanla City, I would surround the city.”
She continued calmly.
“Next, I would cut off your supply lines and destroy the reinforcement army. Once those forces were eliminated, I would slowly besiege this isolated city. In that situation, do you think we would still have any chance of victory?”
Her analysis made the danger of our situation immediately clear.
My back was already soaked with cold sweat.
“What do you suggest we do?” I asked.
Yin answered calmly.
“It’s actually quite simple. We already have enough provisions and defensive equipment in Stanla City. Unless the Demon Race mobilizes its entire army, we should be able to defend the city for quite some time.”
She continued.
“I suggest we select a portion of the reinforcement troops and add them to the city garrison. Once we reach sixty thousand soldiers, we can send the rest of the army back to the Beastmen Kingdom. Then we can ask the Beast Emperor to position the border armies nearby so they can support us at any time. This will also deter the Demon Race from attacking our territory.”
Jin nodded.
“What Yin said is correct. If we truly wanted to wage war against the Demon Race, we should use a strategy of extermination—destroy every demon wherever we go. We could occupy most of their territory before they gather enough strength to resist.”
I smiled bitterly.
“I would like to do that as well. However, for the development of our Beastmen Kingdom, we must restrain ourselves. Let’s follow Second Sister’s plan.”
I turned and walked away.
Yin remarked quietly, “I really like Fourth Brother’s personality. When he realizes a mistake, he immediately adopts better ideas. In the future, he will accomplish great things.”
Jin nodded.
“Indeed. His strength has improved rapidly. Ever since we left the Wolf God Temple, we have faced constant challenges. Now we are about to face the Demon Race’s counterattack.”
His eyes shone with excitement.
“I can feel my blood boiling. Leaving Yuna Territory with Lei Xiang was the correct decision. This exciting life truly satisfies me.”
Five days later, our scouts discovered a massive army approaching.
Father, Panzong, the Wolf God, and I stood atop the city wall, staring into the distance.
A huge cloud of dust rolled toward us.
All of our brothers were present except for Mink. I had already sent him back to the Beastmen Kingdom to coordinate logistical support.
The Wolf God had the sharpest eyesight among us.
Jin said, “Approximately two hundred thousand soldiers. The Demon Race has invested enormous resources in this attack.”
I immediately shouted orders.
“Relay my command. All officers and soldiers are to remain on the highest alert and await further instructions.”
Father spoke calmly beside me.
“There is no need to rush. They still have some distance before reaching us, and they will not attack immediately after arriving.”
He continued thoughtfully.
“A two-hundred-thousand-man army is not that impressive. Look carefully. The scattered dust at the front indicates the Demon Race’s demonic beast corps. Their offensive strength is great, but they are difficult to control.”
He pointed toward the troops behind them.
“The army following them is the Demon Race’s regular force. I do not know whether the Black Magicians Corps is accompanying them. If they are, this battle will become much more difficult.”
Just as Father predicted, the Demon Race army established a camp six miles away and began constructing defensive fortifications.
They were clearly very cautious.
This was not a good opportunity for a surprise attack.
Panzong suddenly laughed.
“How about sending them a gift?”
I asked distractedly, “What kind of gift?”
Panzong smiled mysteriously.
“You two help me.”
He gestured to the Wolf God.
The Wolf God was momentarily confused but quickly realized Panzong’s plan. Jin and Yin stood behind him and channeled their golden and silver auras into Panzong’s body.
Panzong took out the blue diamond I had previously given him and clasped it before his chest.
He withdrew eight of his heads, leaving only the yellow earth head exposed.
Was he about to cast an offensive earth spell?
Father’s eyes suddenly lit up.
“Attack the enemy’s left side. That is where the Black Magicians Corps has established their camp.”
We all understood the reason. If the Black Magicians joined the battle, our losses would be enormous.
Only the Behemoth warriors possessed true immunity to magic.
The rest of the army had limited resistance, but it was far from reliable.
Panzong’s yellow head began glowing with a sacred radiance as he chanted:
“Oh distant mountains, distant lands that have slumbered for millions of years. I know that you are lonely and desolate. I awaken your endless power to change this stagnant existence. Mountains crumble, earth split. God of Earth, open your embrace and heed my plea—Crumbling Mountains, Splitting Earth!”
The air around Panzong and the Wolf God suddenly grew heavy.
Violent magical energy surged around them.
The pressure forced nearby soldiers to retreat. Even Father and I instinctively stepped back.
The diamond in Panzong’s hands emitted a faint blue glow while powerful yellow earth energy gathered around it.
After half an hour, the energy condensed into something resembling a solid sphere of mud.
Panzong shouted, “Fourth Brother, help me quickly! We must send this over there!”
I did not fully understand what to do, but I stepped forward immediately, gathering my Mad God Battle Qi and channeling it into Panzong’s body.
Panzong roared.
“Go!”
The small mud sphere shot toward the distant Demon Race camp.
The moment it left his hands, Panzong and the Wolf God collapsed to the ground like deflated sacks.
I rushed forward to support them while Father placed a hand on each of them. A white glow radiated from his body as he helped stabilize them.
The Wolf God had already fainted.
Panzong, however, still had his eyes open. A sinister smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.
I climbed onto the top of the wall to observe the results of the attack.
The mud sphere landed near the Demon Race camp and disappeared into the ground.
For a moment, nothing happened.
Did the spell fail?
From the incantation earlier, I knew it was an eighth-tier spell. Otherwise it would not have required the combined power of three of them to cast.
Then suddenly the Demon Race camp began shaking.
Even from the city wall, we could feel the ground trembling.
It’s starting.
Boom.
The ground on the left side of the Demon Race camp suddenly exploded.
A massive crack tore through the earth, splitting the camp into two halves. The surrounding ground continued to quake and fracture, throwing the entire enemy formation into chaos.
Dark flashes of magical light streaked across the camp.
Clearly, the Demon Race’s Black Magicians had already realized that this was a magical attack and were attempting to use dark magic to prevent the earth from continuing to split.
However, the power of nature itself was immense. Panzong had only used magic to trigger it.
I immediately issued orders.
“Four main corps, prepare for battle. Once the enemy camp stabilizes, we attack immediately. Father, I will leave the city to you. I will also charge in and fight for a while.”
Father reminded me sternly.
“Remember—withdraw immediately after the assault. The enemy may have Fallen Angels among them.”
I nodded.
“I understand.”
With that, I led more than fifteen thousand soldiers out of Stanla City.
When the trembling ground finally calmed, our army sounded the horn of death and charged toward the Demon Race.
The Behemoth Legion led the advance, while the other three corps protected both flanks. Like a sharp blade, our forces plunged into the densely packed camps on the right side of the Demon Race’s army.
As we approached, I finally understood the destructive power of the previous spell.
The left side of the Demon Race camp had collapsed into an enormous crater, as though a meteor had struck the ground. Although I could not determine their exact casualties, I estimated that the Black Magicians Corps had likely been annihilated.
Thinking of this made me feel greatly satisfied.
Brandishing Black Sable, I led the charge directly into the enemy camp.
The moment our armies clashed, the Demon Race’s so-called regular troops were crushed instantly. They could barely resist.
The smooth progress of the assault excited me too much. Leading the four main corps, I continued pushing forward aggressively.
Only when we had advanced deep into their camp did we encounter real resistance.
The Demon Race’s commander was clearly capable. In such a short time, their army had already reorganized into a defensive formation to counter our attack.
Without hesitation, I shouted,
“Rear units move forward! Behemoth Legion—reverse charge!”
I had no intention of letting our army become surrounded. These soldiers were my most elite troops. If they suffered heavy casualties, it would be a tremendous loss.
At that moment, the four main corps demonstrated remarkable discipline. Under my command, they pivoted rapidly and charged back along the path we had originally taken.
Suddenly a loud voice echoed through the sky.
“Since you have come, why do you wish to leave?”
The surrounding air suddenly seemed to solidify as a massive pressure descended from above.
Without even looking, I knew what it was.
A Fallen Angel.
I gathered my power. Mad God Battle Qi surged through Black Sable, forming a long streak of golden light as I slashed upward toward the sky.
At the same time, I continued moving without stopping. I could not allow the enemy to entangle me. If I became trapped here, escaping would be impossible.
Because I could not transform, my strength was far inferior to that of a Fallen Angel.
The immense dark energy released by the Fallen Angel slammed directly into me.
Cold, sinister energy seeped into my body.
I quickly circulated the dark magic within me to neutralize the invading power, but the impact still made my chest churn violently, almost forcing blood up my throat.
The Fallen Angel slowed slightly after blocking my sword energy.
At that moment, another attack of equal strength struck from my right side.
From the sensation alone, I knew it was another Fallen Angel.
Damn it.
I shouted loudly.
“Retreat immediately!”
I leaped into the air and unleashed Hundred Splits of Mad Shadow.
Countless shadow figures carrying Mad God Battle Qi streaked backward through the sky.
Not only did I block the two Fallen Angels, but the counterattacking Demon Race soldiers were also struck by my attack. Their bodies exploded with thunderous blasts, turning into clouds of blood.
The Behemoth Legion units that had fallen behind quickly withdrew under my cover. Together with the other three corps, they continued retreating toward the direction we had come from.
Gradually, the power of Hundred Splits of Mad Shadow began to fade.
The two Fallen Angels who had previously wrapped themselves in their wings to defend revealed sinister expressions.
Black mist swirled around their bodies.
Their eyes burned with murderous intent as they stared at me.
At that moment, two more Fallen Angels arrived.
They spread out in a semicircle in the sky before me, silently forcing me into a deadly trap.
A chill ran through my heart.
I truly regretted not listening to Father earlier.
In this situation, my chances of survival were almost nonexistent.
Unless I could transform into the Crimson Angel, using its speed to break through their encirclement.
But right now, I could not enter Berserk Transformation.
It was even more impossible for me to transform directly into a Fallen Angel.