’This guy looks a little unhinged. Could he be a former senior from the Demon-slaying Bureau?’
Chang Yi was curious.
But the two Vice Generals were already getting far ahead, so he hurried to catch up.
"You two should head back. We leave tomorrow, and I still need a moment to meditate," Lin Shu said, looking at Yu Sheng and Yan Jin.
"But you already meditated today..."
Yu Sheng muttered under her breath.
’I clearly felt my own power surge just a little while ago.’
Still, she obediently pulled Yan Jin along and left the small courtyard.
The crowd of onlookers outside also began to disperse. They had assumed the Qi Family was there to cause trouble and never expected Master Lin to agree so easily.
Just like that, the crowd’s dissatisfaction turned to curiosity.
After all, who wouldn’t want to see just how skilled the renowned Trial’s First Disciple truly was?
Never mind being worthy of the Mountain Leader’s Attire; at the very least, he couldn’t just be mediocre, let alone worse than an ordinary Core Formation Cultivator.
The elegant little courtyard grew quiet once more.
...
Lin Shu returned to his room and closed the door behind him.
In a residence several streets away from Qiankun Academy, someone had been waiting for him for a long time.
For a Demon to walk among mortals, they must wear a Life Token.
These tokens are made from an Immortal Descendant’s Life Blood and can emit a pure Immortal Aura, concealing the wearer’s demonic scent.
Their value depends on how much Life Blood the Jade Token contains.
A mere wisp of blood mist will only last for several hours, while a full strand of Life Blood can last for months without needing to be replaced.
However, the group of Little Demons under Lin Shu’s command had long since become quite well-off.
They were certainly not short on such items.
Still, as a precaution, Lin Shu had no intention of making too much contact with Elder Xu’s group, leaving only a wisp of his soul at a designated location.
At this moment, inside the dim residence, Old Xu sat alone at a square table.
On the table sat an oil lamp, a Jade Hairpin Magical Artifact, and a thick layer of dust.
When he saw the Jade Hairpin gently rise upright, he quickly began to report on recent events in a low voice.
"Word has come from Dragon Ridge. The territories of the three Demon Monarchs have been clearly divided. Demon Monarch Hong Ling has taken sixty cities, the Cloud Dragon Demon Monarch has taken thirty, and we hold the remaining seventeen."
As he said this, a look of resignation flashed in Elder Xu’s eyes.
He knew it wasn’t a matter of Demon Monarch Hong Ling bullying them.
After all, one needs sufficient strength to garrison a territory.
The Cloud Dragon Demon Monarch was heavily injured. Even with ample resources, he would need a long time to recover and had no strength to spare for guarding the Border Region.
Meanwhile, our own lord had gone to Anren Prefecture and was not on the mountain.
The burden of garrisoning the territory naturally fell upon Demon Monarch Hong Ling’s shoulders.
But no matter how you looked at it, the demons of the Liang Kingdom had contributed greatly, yet in the end, they had become little more than vassals. It was a lamentable outcome.
"To fend off the counterattack from the Immortal Families, both sides are desperately trying to recruit other Demon Monarchs."
"On the Great Shun side, it’s confirmed that two Demon Monarchs are heading to Dragon Ridge, but on our side... there’s been no news so far."
As Old Xu finished speaking, the Jade Hairpin quickly traced a word in the dust on the table: "Why?"
Old Xu rubbed his brow. "The main reason is that they’re being watched."
He continued helplessly, "Take Demon Monarch Bi Hai and Night Ghost Demon Monarch in Anren Prefecture, for example. The Yu and Qi Families are furious and want to clean house before retaking the Border Region. I’ve heard both Demon Monarchs have run into significant trouble."
"Secondly..."
Old Xu chose his words carefully. "The Cloud Dragon Demon Monarch has been away from the Liang Kingdom for many years, and you, my lord, are a newly ascended Demon Monarch. For the time being, the Yongzhou Demons will find it difficult to trust us."
Things are much simpler among Demons.
The one who contributes more gains higher status.
Take our lord, for instance. Even though he has left Dragon Ridge, no one dares to covet his seat of power.
But if this trend continues, the Great Shun faction will have contributed significant manpower and resources, and they have numerous Demon Monarchs.
If they truly manage to defend the Border Region from the Immortal Families, their own status will naturally soar.
If you want others to fight and die for you, you have to offer them rewards.
That’s not a situation Demon Monarch Hong Ling can keep in check with just a few words.
When that time comes, the Cloud Dragon Demon Monarch and our lord will likely become Demon Monarchs in name only.
"That doesn’t concern us for now. What do you know about the Demons outside Wuyang County?" Lin Shu replied via the Jade Hairpin.
’He was well aware of his own capabilities.’
’His Body Tempering Golden Core Realm alone was nowhere near enough to live up to such a grand reputation.’
’Besides, he still had to find his heart and had no desire to remain at Dragon Ridge to guard the pass.’
’His initial accomplishments would surely be diminished over time.’
’In any case, he had achieved his goal of securing an escape route for himself.’
"Outside Wuyang County? I’ve been there. The place is called Seven Stars Mountain. It’s occupied by several of Demon Monarch Bi Hai’s Demon Generals. They have about two hundred Demon Soldiers and around eighty to ninety thousand demon people."
"The demons of Seven Stars Mountain were reasonably polite; they welcomed me and Monkey. Their demon people all cultivate Spirit Formulas and are skilled at brewing wine. It tastes pretty good, too."
Seeing Old Xu getting sidetracked, Lin Shu cut him off via the Jade Hairpin, "The Demon-slaying Bureau has a lead and plans to head to Wuyang to exterminate demons. Notify them. Tell them to get out if they can."
"Is that so?"
As if suddenly remembering something, Old Xu exclaimed, "So that’s what’s happening! But I’m afraid this group of demons won’t be able to escape. If the Demon-slaying Bureau is making a move, they were most likely sold out by one of their own."
"When I visited a few days ago, they mentioned that Seven Stars Mountain was being targeted by a Scattered Demon. The demon was demanding a large amount of resources, and the two sides were still in negotiations. If that Scattered Demon gave the information to the Demon-slaying Bureau, I’m afraid their entire Demon Mountain has been thoroughly scouted."
"With so many demon people, relocating them will be difficult..."
"And Demon Monarch Bi Hai?" Lin Shu conveyed, slightly puzzled. ’How could the generals under a mighty Demon Monarch be getting bullied by a Scattered Demon?’

Comments

Loading...