“This trial, the Rabbit Clan is willing to follow the Celestial Fox Saintess.”
“This trial, the Sparrow Clan is willing to follow the Celestial Fox Saintess!”
“I, the Snake and Scale Clans…”
“The Saintess already knows of your loyalty.” Xiu Popo accepted the letters delivered by the other four clans, then instead took out a different set of scrolls from her storage bag.
“And she also has related tasks for you.”
“We will complete the Saintess’s tasks!”
After watching the four clan leaders depart, Xiu Popo cast a restriction and returned to the main hall.
In the main hall, Liu Qingxi sat at the center, hexagram runes swirling around her.
If one looked closely, they could see those spirit patterns forming an image of Blackstone City, along with the distant Miasma Plain.
As for Lu Li, he paced with his arms crossed, continuously circling the room.
Liu Qingyun and Yuan He were on the sandbox, deploying troops and deducing the situation.
“You Saints have worked hard,” Xiu Popo said.
“I have already instructed the other lesser demons to prepare a meal in the kitchen.”
“Thank you, Xiu Popo.” Lu Li nodded, then continued staring at the battlefield trends shaped by Liu Qingxi. “But… now isn’t the time for that.”
“This old woman knows, but in truth, all of you need not be so…”
“Ah, that’s not how it should be said. After these days of interaction, some demons are irreconcilable with humans. But most demons simply live ordinary lives.” Yuan He shook his head.
“And if Blackstone City cannot withstand the beast tide, the Heavenly Deduction City behind us will suffer the impact instead.”
“Moreover, using this as a foundation, it might even become the starting point for an alliance between humans and demons… although for now, we still have to pretend to be the Celestial Fox Clan.” Liu Qingyun finished speaking, then looked at Lu Li.
“Lu Li, here’s the situation in Blackstone City: most of the weaker races are willing to join us, but some of the stronger ones are not.”
“That’s to be expected. Lie Shan and his brother, along with Jiao San, were defeated on the battlefield when facing us.” Lu Li continued pacing in the hall.
“So they’re willing to join us. But other races, like the Leopard Clan and the Boar Clan, don’t take kindly to us.”
“Killing the chicken to scare the monkeys didn’t work either.” Yuan He sighed.
“It’s not that it didn’t work—it’s that demons only believe in whoever has the greatest power. The Celestial Fox Clan, as Lu Li is playing, has historically been known for charm and illusion techniques. Even though we won this time, completely overturning their values… is hard.” Liu Qingxi cast a beam of mystic light, and a more detailed city layout emerged on the ground.
“I’ve calculated for you. This plan has a sixty percent success rate.”
“Over fifty percent is enough.” Lu Li nodded and turned to Xiu Popo.
“The letters you sent to the other races earlier—they’ve all been delivered, right?”
“They have been delivered.”
“Good. Then tonight will do.” Lu Li nodded, and Liu Qingxi casually conjured a hexagram symbol.
“You’re sure it’s tonight?”
“Yes, tonight.” Liu Qingxi closed her eyes.
“Once your plan starts, don’t talk to me. I’ll need to spend a lot of time deducing… Your plan is too outrageous—how can it be so detailed?”
“It’s not that detailed, and it mainly relies on everyone.” Lu Li shook his head instead.
“I haven’t been a Saintess for long, but deploying troops and drilling armies—those things are your forte.”
“If war comes, us Saint Sons aren’t just titles; we truly have to lead the sect’s people into battle… It’s just that I’ve memorized so many books.” Liu Qingyun sighed.
“Enough talking. I need to go work on the plan you gave me, Lu Li.”
“Right, so many things to do.” Yuan He also picked up his book, preparing to leave.
“I thought this would just be straightforward fighting with demons.”
“What we’re about to do is also a kind of battle, just not with real swords and spears.” Lu Li finished speaking, then looked through the restriction at the gradually changing sky.
“Let’s prepare for tonight first.”
The moonlight slowly shifted. On the central plaza of Blackstone City, many demons had gathered.
In the past, these demons would have trampled each other and quarreled.
Because demons revered strength and distinguished by bloodline superiority.
Worse still, a demon’s strength determined their form.
Ordinary demons were no different from demon beasts, except they had opened their spiritual wisdom and could speak simple words.
At the Qi Refining Stage, they could speak complete sentences and gradually stand.
In the military system of the Yao Kingdom, this level was usually called a demon soldier.
At Foundation Establishment Stage, they looked very similar to humans, but most of their bodies still retained their demonic form.
If one could command a squad of demon soldiers, they were called a demon general.
Thus, in Blackstone City of the past, demon generals stood in front, and demon soldiers stood behind.
Lesser demons that had not yet transformed were pushed to the edges—it was almost taken for granted.
“What’s going on this time?! Why aren’t we Foundation Establishment demon generals allowed to stand at the front?!” A deer clan Foundation Establishment demon cultivator shouted.
“Why are there a few untransformed dogs and cats at the front?!”
“This is the Celestial Fox Saintess’s order. First come, first served; no seating by rank.” Lie Shan stood guard with his men nearby.
“From today on, Blackstone City will be like this.”
“Hmph, just a fox girl of the Celestial Fox Clan, and…” As the deer clan Foundation Establishment cultivator was about to speak, several tiger clan guards quickly drew their long blades and pressed them against his neck.
“Violators will be punished,” Lie Shi added calmly off to the side.
“If you don’t care about your life and still want to go to the front, we’d be happy to put your head in the first row.”
At these words, the cat and dog clans surging in the front row had light flickering in their eyes.
If this were the old Blackstone City, they would have been the most ostracized.
Now they could stand in the positions of Foundation Establishment stewards, or even Golden Core true persons.
“Oh? So if I really force my way through, what can you do to me?” A leopard clan Foundation Establishment demon cultivator snorted, his fur bristling.
“Lie Shan of the Tiger Clan, I’m afraid you’ve been enchanted by that fox.”
“Bao Ling, my suggestion is that you’d better follow the rules.” Lie Shan also drew his long blade.
“Otherwise, when the Celestial Fox Saintess arrives…”
“What can she do even if she comes? What use are strong charm and illusion techniques?!” Bao Ling shook his arms, sending the blades of other guards flying. Just as he was about to step forward, a long sword suddenly crossed in front of his neck.
“Then what if this Saintess doesn’t use illusion techniques?” Lu Li walked slowly from the crowd, her blue dress trailing lightly, her nine fox tails trembling slightly.
“Bao Ling, Foundation Establishment, refining self demon cultivator.”
“Yeah, a long sword as thin as a twig like that—how could it…”
Schlick!
A flash of cold light cut through the night.
Crimson blood sprayed out. Bao Ling stared in disbelief at his shoulder; a large chunk of flesh had been sliced off.
“Take him away and lock him in prison. He hasn’t truly crossed the front line yet, so the crime doesn’t warrant death.”
“…But he threatened the crowd and intimidated this Saintess.”
Lu Li flicked the long sword, and the blood splattered precisely into Bao Ling’s eyes.
“If any demon still wants to challenge me, this Saintess won’t use charm or illusion techniques—I’ll only use strength to accompany you.”
With these words, coupled with the image of Bao Ling grinding his teeth while being held by several tiger clan guards, no other demon cultivator dared to step forward.
“And…” Lu Li turned around again, taking several bottles of pills from her storage bracelet and distributing them to a few trembling Qi Refining and non-transformed demon cultivators nearby.
“This is Qi Gathering Powder, as compensation.”
“Saintess above… what compensation do you owe us? We dare not accept this…” A cat clan girl lowered her head, shrinking her hand back.
“No, this is the rule I have established.” Lu Li smiled faintly at the cat clan girl.
“Since I let you stand at the front, I should ensure that you are not frightened or harmed because of this rule.”
“Saintess…”
“So take it.” Lu Li grasped the cat clan girl’s hand and placed the porcelain bottle into her palm.
The others around her also received the spirit pills Lu Li distributed without exception.
After this incident, all the other demons assembled in the plaza in order of arrival.
Lu Li looked up at the sky, then at the high-hanging moon, and walked to the center of the plaza.
“Demon brothers and sisters, I am the Celestial Fox Saintess… Su Youli.” When introducing herself, Lu Li used the alias recommended by Xiu Popo.
The saintesses of the Celestial Fox Clan were usually surnamed Su.
“Here, I need to tell you all a very bad piece of news.”
“According to information from our spies, tonight, a large beast tide will attack our Blackstone City.”