Chapter 113: War Erupts Again, Never Forget to Keep Your Heart at Peace, and the Great Demon King’s Malice!

Late at night.
At the summit of Taiping Mountain.
A cold wind howled, and snow began to fall once more, though no one could say when it had started.

Inside the cozy cave, bathed in a warm, ruddy glow, Lu Wufei leaned back on a bench, watching the Crow Demon and Huang Gui, both flushed with drink, as they challenged each other to a drinking contest. Beside them, Red Skin, his eyes equally bloodshot, was busy stuffing his face with meat. The meat Lu Wufei used for cooking consisted entirely of the corpses of other demons—a rare treat that the others rarely got to taste. In this, one could see the cunning of Red Skin.

Wandashan was there as well, also eating with heads-down intensity. Though she was a female demon, her appetite was no smaller than the others. As for the treasure-hunting rat, Xiaobai, it remained curled up on Lu Wufei’s lap, fast asleep.

"Thump."

The Crow Demon didn't even notice that the black iron rod he had been clutching had fallen to the ground; he remained locked in a rowdy argument with Huang Gui. Lu Wufei, however, looked at the iron rod and could not help but recall his trip to Langlang Mountain earlier that day to trade treasures with Bai Yunxiao.

In truth, as soon as he had returned, he had intended to distribute some of the idle treasures he possessed among his brothers. But there were three brothers, and with the addition of Wandashan, there were four in total. He only had three suitable artifacts currently gathering dust: the black iron rod he had obtained from Bai Yunxiao, and the ring-pommel saber he had seized from a fallen Demon General back at Shituo Ridge. Both were low-grade artifacts, and since they were both weapons, they would have been perfect for his brothers. But he only had two of them. These were artifacts, not common goods; he couldn't give to one and not the others, as that would inevitably breed resentment. Thus, Lu Wufei had not been in a rush to hand them out, originally planning to wait until he had enough for everyone.

But circumstances had shifted too rapidly. The sudden death of the Immortal-level ancestor meant that a second great war was clearly on the horizon. Now that he was a Demon Commander, he could no longer protect them on the battlefield as he once had; the only option was to find a way to bolster their combat strength. He could wait no longer, which was why he had visited Bai Yunxiao earlier that day. He had traded a somewhat mediocre mid-grade artifact—a pale gold snake scale he had originally looted from a snake demon on the battlefield—for two more low-grade artifacts. Now, he had exactly enough to satisfy everyone.

"Big Brother..."

Red Skin’s voice suddenly cut through the air. Lu Wufei looked up and saw Red Skin, his eyes now much clearer, stop eating and look at him. "We have been training every day—is something going to happen?"

Seeing the question, Lu Wufei smiled. "Haven't you already guessed it?"

His "Whisper" supernatural ability was perfected; as long as he wished, he could easily overhear everything happening on the main peak of the towering Taiping Mountain and the surrounding peaks as well. Naturally, he had heard how the other Demon Commanders were reacting to the situation.

Seeing his Big Brother admit it, Red Skin’s eyes widened with interest, and he immediately pressed, "Is there really going to be a great war? When?"

Watching Red Skin’s still-enthusiastic reaction, Lu Wufei shook his head. "I don't know when, perhaps at any moment... But the war itself is certain."

As he spoke, Lu Wufei stood up and walked outside. Red Skin quickly followed. Lu Wufei stepped to the mouth of the cave, looking out at the pitch-black sky, where the wind and snow raged, and spoke again: "It may be more cruel and intense than any battle we have experienced or imagined!"

"In the coming fight, even I may not be able to guarantee my own survival."

Saying this, Lu Wufei turned to look at Red Skin beside him, his expression playful. "Do you still think this battle will be small?"

Upon hearing his Big Brother’s words, Red Skin, who had been quite excited about the war, immediately fell silent. He understood that his brother was warning him, and he couldn't help but scratch his head.

In the days that followed, Lu Wufei went nowhere, staying mostly on Taiping Mountain. The two hundred and fifty small demons under his command drilled every day. Ever since being reprimanded by his Big Brother, the Demon Commander Red Skin had been drilling the lesser demons with increasing strictness.

Time passed day by day. In the blink of an eye, eight days had gone by.

Early morning. The sky was just beginning to brighten when a sharp, clear eagle's cry suddenly echoed throughout the Taiping Mountain range.

On the main peak, inside the stone cave, Lu Wufei, his body wreathed in a faint, clear energy, awoke from his meditation. He stood up and walked out of the cave, seeing a magnificent black eagle flying rapidly toward him from the high sky in the distance.

"General Bai, the Great King has ordered you to take all the lesser demons under your command and depart immediately for Dahuang Mountain."

"Do not fail!"

The black eagle came and went like a flash of lightning, leaving behind only those words before spreading its wings and vanishing into the high sky.

The day grew brighter, though the sun remained hidden. A cold north wind howled, wantonly ravaging everything in its path. On the plaza halfway up the main peak of Taiping Mountain, a terrifying demonic aura gathered; a vast, dark sea of lesser demons had assembled.

"I heard we're going to war with other mountains."
"Who did you hear that from?"
"Isn't that what everyone says? Why else would the General make us train every day?"
"That's not what I heard. I heard we're going to compete against other mountains, that’s why the General is training us."
"Isn't that the same thing?"
"Kid, you must be new here. Let me tell you, it's not the same at all."

The lesser demons whispered and argued. The six Demon Commanders up front wore solemn expressions. They had already learned from Red Skin that a great battle awaited them.

Just then, a massive presence descended from the sky. The demons below were instantly invigorated, all looking up to see their General, dressed in flowing black robes, descending on a white cloud. His presence was cold and formidable, appearing for a moment like an immortal.

"Greetings, General!"

Seeing the General land on the highest platform, the lead Demon Commander saluted, and the crowd of lesser demons followed suit, shouting in unison: "Greetings, General!"

Lu Wufei remained expressionless. He looked at the demons and said, "You have been training for some time; I imagine some of you have already sensed the truth."

"You were right: it is for battle!"

"A great war awaits us!"

As his voice fell, a buzz of conversation erupted from the demons below.

"It really is a battle!"
"A battle... have you ever been in one?"
"No, but isn't it the same as when I fight that guy, Dachun?"
"I don't know, probably not..."
"I've been in one. That's war—a real war. Many demons will die."
"Maybe you, me, or Big Bird—if we aren't careful, we'll die."
"If it's really a war, I'll fight bravely! If I win glory, the General will surely notice and reward me with treasures. Let's see who dares to look down on me, Babie, then!"

The demons continued to chatter noisily. Lu Wufei did not mind. Once the noise subsided, he stood on the platform and spoke again: "This morning, the Great King ordered us to depart for Dahuang Mountain immediately!"

"However, I believe that one must be well-fed to have the strength to fight."

"So..."

Lu Wufei looked toward the kitchen. "Bring it out."

At his command, several kitchen demons carried oversized vats into the plaza. Within them, large chunks of meat floated, garnished with wild scallions, radishes, and mushrooms, the scent of spices wafting through the air. Such cleanliness, such abundance of vegetables and spices—this was not something ordinary demons ever got to eat.

The lesser demons cheered wildly. "Long live the General!"

Except for a few older demons who knew of the Great King, many of the demons did not know him, nor did they care; they had no concept of the Great King. As for the younger demons born on Taiping Mountain, they recognized only the General before them. In their excitement, they shouted whatever slogans came to mind.

"Go eat now. No fighting, there is plenty for everyone."

Following the General's words, the demons scattered to find bowls or makeshift utensils. Even the Demon Commanders standing at the front couldn't resist stepping down to enjoy the fragrant, clean meat.

Truth be told, when Lu Wufei was a lesser demon on Langlang Mountain, he had despised how General Hei treated them—one meal a day, never enough to be full, and terrible hygiene. Only when he became a General himself did he understand why there was only one meal: the demons were too gluttonous. He had to limit their rations. One meal or two, it was all the same in a day. Those who were truly hungry would find their own food; Taiping Mountain was no longer the backwater it once was.

However, during these ten days of training, Lu Wufei had not been stingy; he had added an extra meal. With the General watching from the platform, the demons were well-behaved, lining up for their portions.

Watching the demons devour their food with relish, Lu Wufei thought to himself: *Days of grueling training to improve their survival, and now, despite the Great King's orders, a final, full meal.*

*After this, they go to die.*

*At least this is a final meal before the execution.* Lu Wufei felt a modicum of peace; it was all he could do.

In this moment, looking at his subordinates who were about to go to their deaths, he felt helpless. A thought suddenly occurred to him: perhaps coming to Dahuang Mountain had been a mistake. He should have just occupied a mountain and been a king himself, answering to no one—that would have been the most carefree path. But with his current cultivation of the early Golden Core stage, he was clearly still lacking. Without a powerful Demon King to back him, he would struggle to hold any decent territory, as all the good spots were already occupied. Even if he were lucky enough to seize one, he wouldn't fear other Golden Core demons—not even a late-stage Golden Core Demon Commander—but what if he encountered a Demon King?

Perhaps showing off his status as a disciple of Wuzhuang Temple would save him once or twice, but he couldn't always rely on his sect's reputation. And that wasn't even accounting for the possibility of encountering some truly insane demons. This was the world of the demon race; there was never a shortage of madmen.

*Wait a while longer. Just wait a while longer.*

With this thought, he watched the demons finish their meal and spoke again: "It is time to go."

Soon, the well-fed demons, including the Commanders, gathered together. Lu Wufei waved his hand. The sky darkened, and sand and stones flew. His black sleeves expanded instantly in the wind, and all the lesser demons were swept up by a gale and drawn into his sleeves.

Lu Wufei flicked his sleeves, and as he flew into the high sky, he sent a mental message to the cave at the top of Taiping Mountain: *Stay on the mountain and wait for my return.*

He then shot straight into the high sky. Soon, a large white rat darted out of the cave, blinking its sleepy eyes and squeaking loudly at the sky.

"Squeak! Squeak!"

In the sky, a streak of golden light shot toward the distance. The rat squeaked even more fiercely.

By the time Lu Wufei reached Langlang Mountain, Bai Yunxiao was already assembling his demons.

"Brother." Seeing Lu Wufei appear, Bai Yunxiao was not surprised. "You must have received the notice as well, right?"

Lu Wufei nodded. "That is exactly why I am here."

Soon, the lesser demons of Langlang Mountain experienced the same feeling of being bound by the "Heaven and Earth in the Sleeve" that the demons of Taiping Mountain had felt a month prior. Not long after, Lu Wufei and Bai Yunxiao flew rapidly toward Dahuang Mountain.

It was nearly noon when they reached the territory of Dahuang Mountain. Lu Wufei had never displayed his "Golden Light of the Earth" in front of other generals, and Bai Yunxiao knew nothing of it. Looking at the dense mass of demon soldiers on the Broken Peak Platform, the two knew the other generals had arrived.

Finding a suitable spot, Lu Wufei and Bai Yunxiao descended onto the platform. Lu Wufei waved his hand, and the thousand-plus demons from Taiping Mountain and Langlang Mountain appeared instantly. Having done this several times, he had gained experience; though the demons were dizzy from being trapped for so long, at least none of them were injured.

Soon, the Taiping Mountain forces were in formation under the command of Red Skin and the other Demon Commanders, and the Langlang Mountain forces were organized by Commander Yang and Commander Xiong.

Lu Wufei gave a few final instructions and looked around. Seeing that General Dilong was not present, he walked with Bai Yunxiao toward General Changwei.

"General Changwei."
"The two Generals Bai."

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Bai Yunxiao asked directly, "When Manager Li came to notify us, he said nothing. Does the General know the specifics of the situation? Who is our opponent this time?"

General Changwei shook his head. "I don't know either. I just arrived, no earlier than you."

Lu Wufei, who had been scanning the area, suddenly saw a figure flying in from the high sky. "General Dilong is here. Since his territory is closest, he must know more than we do."

General Changwei looked in the direction Lu Wufei indicated, his eyes lighting up as he moved to greet the newcomer.

No sooner had the three approached and General Dilong landed than a vast, overwhelming aura swept down from the sky. The four generals looked up in unison to see a slender figure suddenly appear in the high sky—none other than the Third Great King.

"Come up."

The voice echoed in the ears of all the generals. Realizing what was happening, Lu Wufei sent a quick message to Red Skin in the distance, then stepped onto a white cloud, following the other generals into the sky.

Soon, the seven generals appeared beside the Third Great King. Without a word, the Third Great King tossed out a handkerchief. It grew rapidly in the wind, expanding into a massive object that blotted out the sky above the Broken Peak Platform before descending. All the demon soldiers on the platform were sucked into the handkerchief and vanished.

"Let's go. I'll take you to meet my two older brothers."

The Third Great King tucked away the handkerchief, summoned a rolling black wind to envelop all the generals, and flew deep into the heart of Dahuang Mountain.

"We are going to meet the Second Great King and the First Great King?" The generals' eyes lit up at the news.

Among the seven generals, only General Dilong and General Changwei, who had been with the Third Great King the longest, had met the other two Great Kings. The others, aside from those who had seen them during the Great Tournament, had not. Lu Wufei had just returned, and Bai Yunxiao and Madam Hua had been unlucky enough to miss the previous meeting due to the Great Kings' prior engagements.

As they flew deeper into Dahuang Mountain, Lu Wufei finally realized its sheer scale.

"Our opponent this time is still Fengyun Ridge," the Third Great King said suddenly.

The generals were shocked, though not entirely surprised, as they had fought them once before.

"But the scale this time is much larger than the last," the Third Great King continued. The generals listened intently. "Last time, we only faced one of them. This time, we are taking on the entire Fengyun Ridge."

"The entire Fengyun Ridge?"

At these words, the generals were deeply alarmed. During the last war, they had all been present, and even fighting just one Demon King from Fengyun Ridge had been a brutal, bloody affair. To fight the entire ridge was unfathomable. Fengyun Ridge possessed five Demon Kings—two more than Dahuang Mountain.

The Third Great King, without turning around, seemed to sense their distress. "Do not worry. We are not the only ones fighting Fengyun Ridge this time. Your duty is to kill the enemy while protecting yourselves. Act according to the situation; do not be reckless."

Hearing the Great King's concern, the generals saluted. "Thank you for your guidance, Great King."

The Third Great King fell silent. The generals, however, could not calm their hearts. If they were fighting the entire Fengyun Ridge, it meant the involvement of the armies under the First and Second Great Kings, plus the reinforcements the Great King had mentioned. How many demons would that be in total? Before the war had even begun, the generals felt a crushing weight of pressure. The scale of this battle would indeed far exceed anything they had known.

Half an hour later, a large group of demons with astonishing auras appeared in the sky ahead. The two leaders—one in green robes, one in gold—emitted a demonic aura that surged like smoke into the sky. When the Third Great King's forces spotted them, the waiting demons naturally spotted the newcomers as well.

"Big Brother, Second Brother." The Third Great King greeted them as he approached.

"Third Brother, you’ve finally arrived."

As the two Great Kings in long robes spoke, the twenty or thirty Demon Commanders standing beside them offered their respects: "Greetings, Third Great King."

The Third Great King nodded, then pointed to the two Great Kings to introduce them to his own generals. He gestured to the middle-aged man in the gold robe, whose appearance was somewhat domineering. "This is my Second Brother."

Lu Wufei and the other generals saluted. "Greetings, Second Great King."

He then pointed to the elder in green robes. "This is my Big Brother."

They saluted again. "Greetings, First Great King."

After the introductions, the Third Great King gestured to his generals. "These are the commanders under my command."

The Second Great King, whose eyes were golden, swept his gaze over Lu Wufei and the others. "Seven of them already? Third Brother, you’ve been making progress quickly these past few years."

The Third Great King laughed. "I still have a long way to go compared to you, Second Brother."

The First Great King, Yuan Zhang, scanned the commanders and his eyes landed on Lu Wufei. He smiled. "You must be the lucky White Wolf that Third Brother mentioned?"

Being singled out by the First Great King, Lu Wufei felt a jolt of alarm. He quickly saluted. "Your eyes are like torches, Great King; it is indeed this humble demon."

Yuan Zhang examined him carefully before nodding in satisfaction. "Your aura is clear, your demonic body is transparent. It seems you have not joined an ordinary sect. What is your name?"

Sensing the immense aura of the old demon—far exceeding that of his own Third Great King—Lu Wufei suppressed his anxiety and replied respectfully, "This humble demon is called Bailang."

Yuan Zhang spoke again, "I am asking for your Taoist name."

Having anticipated this, Lu Wufei replied calmly, "Lu Wufei."

Yuan Zhang nodded, tilting his head in thought. "Never heard of it, but you are a junior, so that is normal. Which immortal mountain did you study at?"

As Yuan Zhang spoke, Lu Wufei suddenly felt his head grow heavy, his thoughts turning chaotic. An overwhelming, irresistible impulse forced him to reveal his deepest secrets.

At this critical moment, deep within his dantian, his Golden Core—which had been stagnant—suddenly exhaled a breath of pure energy.

The energy circulated. In an instant, Lu Wufei snapped out of the chaos, his mind clearing. Realizing what had happened, he suppressed his surging anger and quickly regained his composure, saluting: "My master once said that while my cultivation is weak, I must not bring shame to my sect. This humble demon is incompetent and dares not disobey, so I beg the Great King's forgiveness."