“Auntie Xiu, please translate the demon race script for me.” Lu Li could only make out the first few big characters on the jade slip; the detailed rules that followed gave him a headache.
Among them, Liu Qingyun read a few lines and began rubbing the acupoint between his brows.
Yuan He managed a few more lines before blinking incessantly.
Only Liu Qingxi was able to slowly read through it.
“The rules are actually divided into three sections.” Auntie Xiu scanned the slip, then explained to everyone, “Starting tomorrow, the Ten Thousand Demons Conference officially begins.”
“All holy sons and holy daughters in Blackstone City will use their respective mansions as camps. They can recruit troops, confront opponents head-on, or assassinate and poison—life or death doesn’t matter.”
Auntie Xiu continued, “According to the Yao Kingdom’s classification, the Qi Refining Stage can be called Demon Soldiers, and the Foundation Establishment Stage Demon Generals. As for Golden Core and above, they’re not something that can be freely deployed in this kind of Ten Thousand Demons Conference.”
“So the first stage appears to be an internal fight within Blackstone City, but it’s actually a process where Demon Generals recruit soldiers, probe each other, and annex mansions.”
“Whoever has more Demon Soldiers and stronger Demon Generals will have an advantage later, when they go to the Miasma Plain to build fortifications and resist the tide.”
“Such operations will last a full six months. If you can hold out or achieve victory early, you’ll leave Blackstone City and head to the Miasma Plain to defend against beast tides from other kingdoms.” Auntie Xiu pointed to the middle section of the manual.
“Each holy son and holy daughter must build their own fortress from scratch, set up barriers, and block the attacks. During this period, you can also harass each other’s territories.”
“Finally, if you endure until the end of this wave of beast tides, you’ll earn a spot to enter Southern Bright City. There’s a good chance you’ll receive the reward of Holy Blood, and you might even get Realm Infusion.”
Auntie Xiu said, “Fellow Daoist Lu, you are humans. I suggest ending it after the first stage. During that time, roaming Blackstone City and gathering information should be enough.”
“In terms of efficiency, that’s true…” Lu Li thought for a moment, “But just staying in Blackstone City, I probably won’t be able to learn about the changes in the Yao Race’s recent newborns, nor how far they’ve progressed in their research, or whether they truly have a way to solve the beast tides.”
“What I think is, we’ll last as long as we can.” Liu Qingyun joined the conversation.
“Since life or death doesn’t matter, we might as well use this opportunity to sharpen ourselves… What about you, Yuan He?”
“Either way works. The more dead and wounded, the more I can perform liberation rites. The more rites I perform, the faster my cultivation improves.” As Yuan He said this, Lu Li and Liu Qingxi couldn’t help but roll their eyes at him.
“That’s perfectly normal, isn’t it? What’s wrong with helping the deceased find rebirth?”
“Let’s not talk about your Rebirth Mantra for now.” Liu Qingxi closed her eyes and counted on her fingers. “Hmm… the hexagram shows that while the overall situation is full of danger, the longer we stay, the better. That’s strange.”
“Fortune in the midst of danger?” Lu Li nodded. “If it starts tomorrow, we can move today.”
“That urgent?” Yuan He said, a smile creeping across his lips.
“Speed is the soul of war.” Liu Qingyun looked at the map Auntie Xiu had taken out. “Lu Li, you must have a plan already.”
“Just a plan for the first stage. Since I’m not well-versed in military campaigns, the faster we resolve the problems in Blackstone City, the more time we’ll have to prepare thoroughly.” Lu Li turned to Liu Qingxi.
“Speaking of which, Liu Qingxi, I remember your Heavenly Deduction Sect teaches troop deployment and battlefield formations, right?”
“They do teach some. Formation diagrams, supply routes, fortifications, offensive and defensive strategies—I’ve studied them all, but I’ve never actually applied them on a real battlefield.” Liu Qingxi took out several military manuals and distributed them to everyone.
“This time, I’ll have to put them into practice.”
“I won’t be able to help much this time.” Auntie Xiu spread the terrain map on the table and could only sigh.
“No, Auntie Xiu.” Lu Li shook his head instead.
“This time, you’re the core of our plan.”
“This?” As Auntie Xiu looked bewildered, Lu Li slowly revealed his plan.
When everyone heard it, they were all caught between laughter and tears.
“Your plan…” Liu Qingyun glanced at his storage bag.
“The spirit stones we just got from those thirteen cultivators will be completely wasted.”
“And we have to count the spirit stones that little wolf sent before.” Yuan He sighed.
“The plan is good, but we’ll be busy all night and won’t get any sleep.”
“We’ll also waste the Flower and Grass Dew.” Liu Qingxi shook her head.
“But if Fellow Daoist Lu’s plan goes smoothly, it really could resolve these Yao soldiers and generals in Blackstone City in one night.” Auntie Xiu’s face glowed.
“Although I’m at Foundation Establishment, I haven’t spent much time on an actual battlefield.”
As they talked, sharpened swords, and organized the items in their storage rings, night gradually fell.
With the news of war spreading through Blackstone City, the Yao tribes began evacuating from around the mansions one by one to avoid danger.
Fortunately, there were hardly any buildings near these mansions to begin with.
The retreating crowds made it easy for Lu Li to locate the mansion of a certain Demon General from the western side.
“Lie Shan, Tiger Clan. But due to impure bloodline, he was exiled to the Southern Demon Kingdom.” Lu Li watched the Tiger Clan soldiers patrolling the entrance, a pink glimmer flashing in his eyes.
“Their guards… have powerful physical strength, but there’s only True Qi inside them—clearly Qi Refining Stage.”
Lu Li mentally cross-referenced Auntie Xiu’s earlier explanation.
Qi Refining makes Demon Soldiers, Foundation Establishment makes Demon Generals.
As for Lie Shan, he is the true Demon General of this mansion.
“Summon Rain.” At his soft murmur, faint black clouds slowly gathered above the Tiger Clan mansion.
As they coalesced, the raindrops gradually grew larger, eventually battering the entire street like popping beans.
Inside the main hall, Lie Shan stood bare-chested, tiger stripes spreading from his neck down to his chest. He pressed his thick paw-like hand on the stone table.
“Why is it raining in the Southern Demon Kingdom?” He slapped the table and roared, “Could it be a trick from the Flood Dragon Clan? They’re used to fighting in water, and their clan has magic techniques for summoning wind and rain.”
“Reporting to the Great King, that’s very likely. The battle begins at midnight… there’s still a little time. According to our spies, dark clouds are gathering all over Blackstone City. More than likely they’re creating favorable terrain for themselves.”
“Then we need to be careful. They have the ability to transform into water.” Lie Shan gritted his sharp teeth.
“This time, we were banished here to attend the conference and didn’t bring enough troops. We can’t defend everywhere… Lie Shi, any suggestions?”
“My suggestion is, instead of fighting them in the rain, keep the patrols outside as they are. Brother, you have a powerful physique, you’re at Foundation Establishment, and you’ve already reached the Seeing Dragon realm.”
Lie Shi explained, “A drifting rain doesn’t last all morning. Their forces are few. Just wait for the rain to clear.”
“True. In the meantime, I might as well use True Yuan to temper my spine. With strong cultivation, all the other Yao tribes will be nothing but a single punch.” Lie Shan nodded. Just as he was about to sit cross-legged and cultivate, a Tiger Clan spy, soaked to the bone, rushed in and knelt in salute.
“It must be something important. No need for formalities.”
“Reporting to the Great King, the Saintess of the Heavenly Fox Clan has already started fighting with the Flood Dragon Clan.” The spy kept his head down, letting the rain drip.
“According to our earlier intelligence, the Heavenly Fox Saintess sent her guards to study with humans, so there’s sword qi everywhere and Buddhist light spreading. The Flood Dragon Clan has already suffered casualties.”
“Good, that’s satisfying. But are her guards injured?” Lie Shan slapped his thigh. “The Heavenly Fox clan’s charm techniques, combined with such guards—I’m afraid we’ll have a hard time resisting.”
“The guards have used up some True Yuan and suffered minor injuries. The Heavenly Fox Saintess is also a bit tired from maintaining her charm technique. She probably won’t be able to move for two or three days.”
“Excellent, excellent… mutual destruction. You’ve gathered such important intelligence—you’ll be richly rewarded later!” With that, Lie Shan turned to Lie Shi beside him. “Second brother, when do you think we should go wipe out the Heavenly Fox Clan?”
“Hmm…” Lie Shi thought for a while, then took a rough token from his storage bag and pointed at it briefly.
“Big brother, this guard’s intelligence isn’t wrong. The Flood Dragon Clan did indeed fight with the Heavenly Fox Clan.”
“What, are you worried the spy misread it?”
“No, I’m just worried the guards were charmed by the Heavenly Fox.” Lie Shi looked at the kneeling spy.
“Sorry, I need to check your memory a little. The Heavenly Fox Clan is very good at this.”
“My memory has been tampered with?” The spy lifted his head, looking bewildered.
“It’s just a possibility.” Lie Shi waved his hand, closing the large doors.
“Don’t worry, this is our clan’s Blood Dripping Stone. It can tell if you’re one of our clan and also see if your memories have changed.”
“In that case…”
The spy, who had been kneeling on the ground, suddenly smiled.
The laugh turned softer and softer, even carrying a hint of coquettishness that didn’t belong to the Tiger Clan.
“Then there’s really nothing I can do.”