The mountains rose and fell, exuding a palpable dampness.
The area was far too damp, completely uninhabitable.
Simply walking through the area made the Captain from the Demon-slaying Bureau feel ill. It was as if he could wring water from his clothes.
"Damn it, these worthless beasts can really run."
"Once we breach the Demon Stronghold, I’m going to make them pay!"
The Captain gripped the hilt of the blade at his waist. Clearly, this relentless pursuit had pushed his frustration to its peak.
Ordinary demon-slaying mountain sweeps were usually confined to the outer mountain ranges. The round trip would take no more than two or three days, and the environment was never this treacherous.
All they usually had to do was follow the Vice General’s orders, set up a Demon Suppression Array in advance, and when faced with those miserable beasts, it was like slicing melons and chopping vegetables. They would finish the battle with ease and return to the city to claim their rewards.
It was never this arduous.
The reason they had pursued the demons this far, of course, was because General Lei had made a mistake while trying to intercept Demon Monarch Bi Hai.
That senior Mountain Master from the Chen Family had fallen in the mountains, causing the Chen Family to lose all face. They desperately needed to salvage their reputation... especially before the Yu Family’s Mountain Master arrived in person. They had to accomplish something, or the comparison would be utterly humiliating.
That was why the Demon-slaying Bureau had deliberately avoided Demon Monarch Bi Hai’s territory.
Since they couldn’t defeat a Demon Monarch, they had to find another way. A large enough Demon Crowd would also be an accomplishment that could save face.
In other words, this entire operation was purely to bolster the Chen Family’s prestige and atone for the Demon-slaying Bureau’s prior failure.
But no matter how displeased they were, they were only disciples. How could they complain about an Immortal Family?
It was all the fault of these worthless beasts for refusing to die quietly, insisting on this hopeless struggle!
"Senior Brother Tang, we’re almost there!"
Meng Ting, clad in Profound Armor and holding a Carved Dragon Compass, halted along with a dozen or so Vice Generals.
Despite being Vice Generals of the Demon-slaying Bureau, they had taken the unusual step of replacing the Captains, personally searching the mountains and scouting for auras.
With fawning smiles and humble tones, one said, "Rest assured, Senior Brother. In our experience, we only needed to spread the word ahead of time. The demons, having long since lost their nerve, would naturally gather together, subconsciously huddling for comfort. It’s no different from herding pigs."
"Now, we just need to break this Array. The number of demons inside is guaranteed to satisfy you."
"It had better be."
The proper-looking, middle-aged man in the Spider Patterned Profound Robe replied coolly.
He stood with his hands clasped behind his back, casually surveying the landscape.
’That Yu Family’s Mountain Master returned from the Border Region and scared off a group of demons by himself? What’s so great about that?’
’When it comes right down to it, he didn’t even kill a single Little Demon. In terms of sheer intimidation, how can that compare to a mountain of demon corpses?’
HUMMM!
As the dozen or so compasses vibrated violently, golden lightning tore through the sky, lunging forward like a giant python.
They coiled in the void, as if wrapping around something invisible.
As time slowly passed, almost imperceptible shattering sounds rang out one after another.
"This..."
In a mountain range still some distance away.
The scarred Demon General abruptly looked up. Seeing the strange phenomenon in the distant sky, a look of despair washed over his face. "It’s over... We were too late!"
Even though the Demon Monarch’s Moving Technique was nearly on par with that of Immortal Gods, the Demon-slaying Bureau had already cornered the Group of Demons at the stronghold’s entrance. There was no chance to move them again.
"Your Excellency..." The Demon General’s voice grew hoarse.
He was just a Demon Monarch passing through the area; he had no connection to the Group of Demons in Anren Prefecture.
Delivering the message was already more than could be expected.
He couldn’t bring himself to ask this eminence to fight for a group of strange demons—to risk life and death in Magical Combat against a Golden Core Realm Mountain Master Disciple.
[Golden Core Seventh Grade. Demon Lion Suppressing Treasure Body: Perfection]
Last time at Seven Stars Mountain, this Golden Core Tempering Body Technique was at Eighth Grade Perfection, close to Breaking Through.
Lin Shu poured all four thousand-odd Sin Coins he had recently earned into it, easily bringing the technique to the peak of the Early-stage Golden Core.
Besides the Sin Coins, he had also earned around three thousand-odd Merit Coins during this time.
If not for the fact that many Demon Strongholds had already been breached, resulting in heavy casualties among the Demon Soldiers and demon people, the amount could have been even higher.
Adding the three thousand one hundred he had saved from before.
The number of Merit Coins in Lin Shu’s possession reached six thousand seven hundred, more than enough to help the Calamity-Crossing Cyan Simurgh replenish its Magical Power.
He exhaled slowly.
He carefully checked the few Magical Treasures he usually kept in his Storage Bag, along with the ancient Bronze Treasure Mirror.
Finally, he turned to look back at the scarred man, who was smiling earnestly.
’After all, this is my first time in Magical Combat with a Golden Core Cultivator.’
’It’s never a bad idea to be fully prepared.’
"Let’s go."
Lin Shu raised his gaze slightly. He borrowed another wisp of the Calamity-Crossing Cyan Simurgh’s Golden Core Magical Power and once again activated his Wind-Riding Mountain Patrol Divine Technique.
"Urk!"
The Demon General hadn’t yet figured out how to speak when he inexplicably found himself swept into the sky by a fierce wind, heading straight for Lingyun Stronghold.
CRACK! CRACK!
Like clear glass shattering, the landscape distorted, rippling like water.
Soon, a massive stronghold materialized out of thin air.
They were like frightened rabbits watching their burrow being dug open.
A dozen or so Demon Generals held Magical Artifacts, staring numbly at the sky, their eyes both weary and hopeless.
Behind them were numerous panicked Demon Soldiers, their faces filled with terror.
The entire Demon Stronghold was filled with a foul stench.
Before the sheer number of demon people, the towering peak seemed like a mere dirt mound, and they were the ants crawling all over it.
These beings could no longer even wail or beg for mercy.
They sat listlessly on the mountain, their skin long since rotted by the damp air. They looked disgusting, like walking corpses.
An environment so harsh that even a Foundation Establishment Cultivator would feel ill was completely unsurvivable for an ordinary person.

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