["What a pity, our position is too high up, we can't hear what they're saying."]
The Sword Lord said abruptly.
["That monkey is saying: 'Esteemed Azure Dragon, when do we launch our attack?' The Azure Dragon says: 'No rush. Since we've decided to attack this time, we must settle it once and for all, and it must be swift to avoid the Shen Family and the Three Great Holy Lands stepping in to help.'"]
You were utterly impressed by the Sword Lord.
["Your hearing is truly remarkable."]
["No, I can't hear either. I know how to read lips."]
["You can read the Demon Tribe's lips?"]
You looked at the dragon's mouth and the monkey's mouth. What on earth could you possibly read from those??
The Sword Lord was simply too overpowered.
With the Sword Lord providing simultaneous interpretation, you learned a lot of crucial intelligence from the conversation between the Azure Dragon and the Four-Eyed Spirit Monkey.
Four-Eyed Spirit Monkey: "Aren't the Shen Family and the Three Great Holy Lands on our side? They've already promised not to support the Five Regions, to let us and the Five Regions settle our old grudges ourselves!"
Azure Dragon: "That's because they don't know our true goal is to completely eradicate the entire Five Regions! If they knew that, whether they would still withhold support is hard to say. In the end, they are all human..."
Four-Eyed Spirit Monkey: "Exactly! Humans are the least trustworthy! Esteemed One, we'd better guard against the Shen Family and the Holy Lands, just in case they stab us in the back!"
Snort Demon General: "Hmph! Don't worry! When the time comes, I'll be patrolling the heavens on the dragon corpse, keeping an eye on the Shen Family's movements in the Starry Domains!"
Ha Demon General: "Ha! With the phoenix corpse stationed in the Great Wastes, I'll be the first to know of any moves from the Holy Lands!"
Azure Dragon: "Regardless, this battle must be swift, to sweep through the Five Regions with thunderous momentum! For this, the entire elite forces of our Great Wastes Demon Tribe will be mobilized! Gathering our clansmen takes time. Spirit Monkey, don't be impatient and ruin our grand plan!"
Four-Eyed Spirit Monkey: "The Esteemed One is wise! I'm just already impatient, eager to see the humans groveling and begging for mercy under the trampling of our Demon Tribe!"
The Sword Lord frowned.
["It seems it really was someone on our side who caused trouble, making the Demon Tribe this furious."]
From just these few demons' conversation, it was impossible to understand the whole story's ins and outs.
The Sword Lord decided he would need to investigate this thoroughly later. If war between the two races could be avoided, that would be for the best.
You looked somewhat regretfully at the Demon Refining Pot now in the Four-Eyed Spirit Monkey's possession.
["We're a step too late. The Demon Refining Pot has already been retrieved by the Demon Tribe."]
The Sword Lord laughed.
["Not late at all. We'll just take it from this monkey demon."]
You felt the Sword Lord's words carried a distinct whiff of the Ten Thousand Souls Banner.
["I thought you wouldn't intervene."]
["Now that we know the Demon Tribe no longer intends to honor the agreement, why should we be bound by it? If a great battle between the two sides is inevitable, of course we must secure the Demon Refining Pot in our own hands!"]
You and the Sword Lord, with Turtle Breath Talismans stuck on you, kept watching the Four-Eyed Spirit Monkey from the air.
You were very patient, tailing him all the way.
Until he separated from the Azure Dragon and headed alone to a certain place, that's when you and the Sword Lord struck simultaneously!
["Demon-Imprisoning Sword Formation!"]
The Four-Eyed Spirit Monkey was flying along just fine when a sword formation erupted from the ground, trapping him in place with beams of sword light.
["Who?!"]
You used the 'Trait Slingshot' to launch 'Thank You, Taro!'.
Trapped within the sword formation with nowhere to dodge, you easily hit him.
["Hmph! This tickling attack is useless against me!"]
The Four-Eyed Spirit Monkey was extremely irritable. While resisting the sword formation, he released his spiritual sense and quickly discovered you and the Sword Lord.
["Come out! You two demons dressed all in bright red, with a pair of ox horns, not a single hair on your bodies! Still foolishly trying to pretend to be human sword cultivators? Get out here now!"]
Confirmed.
Now, in the Four-Eyed Spirit Monkey's eyes, no matter who he looks at, he sees Taro.
That put your mind at ease.
["Sword Lord, we can go seize the Demon Refining Pot now."]
["Aren't you afraid he'll recognize me?"]
["Don't worry, he won't recognize you."]
You and the Sword Lord walked out openly.
The Four-Eyed Spirit Monkey's four eyes glared at each of you.
["Hmph, I knew it! You're jealous that I've earned the Esteemed Azure Dragon's favor! Tell me! Which lineage do you belong to?!"]
The Sword Lord looked puzzled.
["He seems to think we're from the Demon Tribe. Did that move of yours just now cause him to hallucinate?"]
You smiled.
["Something like that."]
You thought about what Taro looked like. In this context, it did indeed seem more like a demon.
What decent person has horns on their head!
The Sword Lord was stronger than the Four-Eyed Spirit Monkey. Without much effort, he seized the Demon Refining Pot.
But this Four-Eyed Spirit Monkey wasn't easy to deal with either.
The bone armor on his body transformed into something alive, swallowing him whole, then turned into a wisp of green smoke and sank into the ground to escape.
Seeing you wanted to pursue, the Sword Lord stopped you.
["Do not pursue a desperate foe. Killing just him won't affect the Demon Tribe's overall strength.]
The urgent task now is for the two of us to return to the Five Regions and inform all parties of what we witnessed today.
If the Holy Lands and the Shen Family offer no aid, the Demon Tribe is enough to raze the Five Regions to the ground!
[Only by preparing defenses in advance and investing resources and manpower do we stand a fighting chance!"]
Previously, the Sword Lord might have been half-doubting your so-called "prophecy."
Now, naturally, that doubt was gone.
The Sword Lord gave the Demon Refining Pot to you.
Looking across the Five Regions, who could be more suitable for the Demon Refining Pot than the Demon Tribe's Bane?
["Hey! You bunch of stinking outsiders!]
I'm a Great Wastes man! I'm gonna be an independent, self-reliant Immortal Artifact! Nobody gets to be my master!
You think just 'cause you snatched me from that stinking monkey, I'll acknowledge you as my master?
Keep dreaming, you!
[Kid, I heard there's a Spirit Artifact Kingdom in Xiliang. Who else is fit for the throne if not me? Hurry up and take me there!"]
The Demon Refining Pot was bossy and domineering.
The Sword Lord glanced at it.
["I reckon you'll have your hands full. This Demon Refining Pot has also been influenced by the Ten Thousand Souls Banner from back then."]
You smiled calmly.
["Don't worry."]
You soothed the Demon Refining Pot.
["To Xiliang, right? We'll go right away."]
Seeing you so obedient, the Demon Refining Pot stopped its yelling.
The Sword Lord flew you back to the Eastern Wastes, then the two of you split up to act separately.
You went to the Southern Borderlands.
The Sword Lord, starting from the Eastern Wastes, would visit the major martial arts sects one by one.
After parting with the Sword Lord, you took out the Demon Refining Pot and tossed it on the ground.
["Hey! Brat, why'd you stop? You're delaying my coronation, I'm telling you! You believe I won't refine you into bloody water?!"]
You extended your left hand, the Immortal Artifact Ten Thousand Souls Banner gripped within it, demonic energy billowing!
You extended your right hand, the Great Dao Immortal Artifact Nine Provinces Cauldron swirling in your palm, divine might radiating!
Then look at your eyes, already filled with the glow of the 'Materialist Warrior', ready to pull out the Demon Refining Pot's artifact spirit at any moment and give it a thorough beating.
The Demon Refining Pot remained in a "non-still frame" on the spot for ten seconds, then pounced onto the top of your foot and started rubbing against it.
["Oh dearie me! Master! You had this kind of power and didn't show it earlier? This is like the floodwaters washing over the Dragon King's temple, family not recognizing family, isn't it? Come on, let's do the master acknowledgment ritual right now!"]

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