Mountain Peak Grand Hall.

Fire Cloud Zhenren laughed heartily, with a hint of ruthlessness:

"Heh heh, let’s see how those Demon Kings are going to handle this now!"

He was the most powerful cultivator in Luofeng Valley, at the seventh layer of the Golden Core stage and the only late-stage Golden Core cultivator in the Western Continent.

Qingxu Daoist Master was severely injured, his life hanging by a thread, about to be extinguished soon.

Today’s battle plan was proposed by Luofeng Valley, aiming to find an opportunity to slay the Demon King on the front line, forcing the Demon Race to retreat.

Then gather the strength of the Western Continent to try and find the hidden Demon Cultivator.

The start of the Canglan Secret Realm was supposed to be a good opportunity for gathering resources but ended up being an unspeakable pain for Luofeng Valley.

Not only did many elite disciples die, but a Golden Core Daoist Master was also lost—this grudge must be avenged.

Nanshan Zhenren coughed lightly and said:

"Although the demon calamity has been in full outbreak for less than a year, the number of low-tier disciples we’ve lost already exceeds the figures from the last demon calamity statistics.

At this stage, half of the low-tier demon beasts should also be exhausted, meeting the conditions to end the war.

But if the demon beasts continue to besiege us, how should we respond?"

According to their reconnaissance, the number of Demon Kings is comparable to the number of Human Race Golden Core cultivators, but they are not as united as the Human Race.

With the death of a Demon King, the cohesion of the Demon Beast Race would surely diminish significantly.

If the demon beasts continue to attack fiercely, there must be some reliance.

As soon as he posed the question, the hall fell silent, and everyone understood what it meant.

Fire Cloud Zhenren paused for a moment, gritting his teeth, and said:

"Let’s observe the intensity of demon beast attacks in the coming days. If they remain fierce, we’ll retreat according to the original plan."

If the Demon Beast Race continues to launch fierce attacks with Demon Kings, it means there are Nascent Soul stage demon beasts behind the scenes; otherwise, such steadfast battle spirit is impossible.

The thought of this made him a bit fearful.

A Nascent Soul stage demon beast wouldn’t have much difficulty in crushing him.

"It’s all those Middle Continent cultivators’ fault, with their support arriving so late, otherwise we could have acted more freely."

Nanshan Zhenren said hatefully, this time around, the Western Continent was very well prepared for the demon calamity, with both low-tier and high-tier cultivator numbers much greater than during the last outbreak.

With the addition of elite support from the Middle Continent, the Mingfeng Mountain line of defense would not have been breached.

If the Mingfeng Mountain line were secure, the Demon Cultivator that ambushed Qingxu Daoist Master could not have easily infiltrated.

Daoist Master Zhengyang pondered and said:

"In the eyes of the Central Continent sects, we are mere expendables.

Even if we were to be completely wiped out, the edge of the demon calamity would be blunted.

They could always forcibly migrate another group of cultivators, who after thousands of years of reproduction, would be ready for the next demon calamity.

They didn’t expect us to be able to stand our ground this time!"

In previous outbreaks of the demon calamity, while sects and families did unite, their cohesion was weak, and most sect gates were breached individually by the demon beasts.

During the last demon calamity, although there were several Golden Core Daoist Masters in the Western Continent, only one was a mid-stage Golden Core cultivator, while the rest were in the early stage.

Now, the Western Continent has one late-stage Golden Core cultivator and three mid-stage Golden Core cultivators.

In terms of both quality and quantity, the high-end battle strength is much stronger than during the last demon calamity.

Moreover, the Three Sects spared no expense, enticing over a hundred thousand loose cultivators and mobilizing the forces of the Western Continent to establish the Mingfeng Mountain defense line.

All the efforts were not in vain, the immense force invested has not been wasted.

Fire Cloud Zhenren nodded:

"Fellow Daoist Zhengyang is right, the Middle Continent wants us to be a shield but does not want the Western Continent’s power to become too strong.

I feel every merchant flying ship that comes to trade is actually conducting espionage.

If the Western Continent becomes powerful, it contradicts the fundamental interests of the Middle Continent."

If the Western Continent develops in peace, producing Nascent Soul Daoist Masters is inevitable.

Before that, if the Western Continent obtains resources needed by Nascent Soul stage cultivators, it will inevitably choose to trade with Middle Continent powers.

Because holding onto them serves no purpose, the Western Continent is essentially a resource warehouse for the Middle Continent’s Nascent Soul cultivators.

But if Nascent Soul cultivators arise in the Western Continent, the flow of such resources to the Middle Continent will surely decrease significantly.

It would no longer be possible for Middle Continent cultivators to purchase these resources at ’low’ prices.

This is driven by interests; a strong Western Continent is not something the high-ups in the Middle Continent are willing to see.

...

The Demon Kings rode the Black Wind to the entrance of a grotto mansion, each shrinking their bodies as they respectfully stepped inside.

This grotto mansion was very tastefully furnished, unlike the dwelling of a demon beast.

Covered with silks and gold-threaded drapes, a rosewood dressing table sat quietly against the wall, reflecting a jade box placed on the table in a bronze mirror.

On either side of the main hall, two muted bronze three-legged incense burners were placed.

A faint fragrance lingered in the air, barely perceptible and blending in.

A recliner engraved with a phoenix pattern was set in the center of the grotto, draped over with several layers of light gauze.

A charming and graceful woman walked out from the inner chamber, dressed in a pink silk skirt, with jade phoenix hairpins adorning her black hair.

Every step she took was filled with a unique allure.

The corners of her lips tilted slightly upwards, exuding an enchanting charm.

She lounged lazily in the chair and spoke softly:

"You returned so early, was it smooth?"

Her voice was soft and sweet, but hearing it, the Demon Kings broke into a cold sweat.

A Black Wind Wolf Demon King mustered up the courage to speak:

"Hu Fairy, here’s the situation: the Human Race cultivators were hidden deep. Demon King Xiong Zhuang was ambushed and killed. We could only save our skins to return to your grotto mansion for orders."

The Human Race cultivators’ Mountain Guardian Spirit Beast had unexpectedly reached the Golden Core Stage and joined the battle, something the Demon Kings had not anticipated.

"Useless!"

Three fluffy white tails appeared behind the beautiful woman, instantly transforming the scene within the grotto mansion.

A cold moon like a hook, desolate grass and solitary graves, a gusty wind blew, and sporadic sobs floated through the wind—it was a Nascent Soul Dharma Aspect!

The Nascent Soul emerged, terrifying ghosts and deities. Every Nascent Soul cultivator possessed a unique Dharma Aspect.

The Dharma Aspect appeared for a moment before quickly disappearing, and several Demon Kings hunched their bodies, bowing to the ground:

"Thank you, Fairy, for sparing our lives."

They all understood they had just escaped from the brink of death.

The beautiful woman snorted coldly. She spared these Demon Kings not out of kindness, but because they were still of use.

The Human Race cultivators kept expanding, and the demon beasts couldn’t withstand it.

If the situation developed unchecked, the Human Race’s control range would one day border the Qingqiu Celestial Fox Race.

"The Middle Continent cultivators have extended their reach into the Western Continent for more than six thousand years, continuously shrinking the Demon Race’s territory.

On the orders of the Great Elder of Qingqiu, I am to curb the expansion of the Human Race cultivators during this war.

If a few Golden Core stage Human Race cultivators don’t die, don’t even think about retreating,"

Hu Yuniang said coldly, knowing that there was still hidden strength within these Demon Beast Groups that hadn’t been revealed.

Several old undyings were trying to break through to the Transformation Realm, hiding in their ancestral land to cultivate, and using a few young fools to fool her was not going to work.

The Transformation Stage is equivalent to the Nascent Soul Stage of the Human Race.

The Human Race’s body is innately Tao-compatible; only when the Demon Race transforms into a human form can they undertake the next step in cultivation.

During the transformation, most of the Demon Race does not fully take on human form but retains some characteristics.

For example, if the Ox Demon race transforms, their horns remain. As their merit deepens, the horns fall off.

At that point, the horns become the finest Artifact Refining Materials, which are called Tier Four Top-Grade Materials by the Human Race.

Using one’s own horns to refine a Magical Treasure attuned to the owner’s mind saves the effort of nurturing spiritual connection, considered to be another kind of compensation from heaven.

"Understood," muttered the Demon Kings, not daring to voice their anger. Their clans were ostensibly subject to the Qingqiu Fox Race.

It was their sacrifice in battle, though Qingqiu sent a Transformed Great Demon, yet contributed little, which they resented greatly.

An Ox Demon spoke in a deep voice:

"Fairy, the Human Race cultivators rely on the Mountain Protection Array’s advantage, making it difficult for us to break through.

If you, Fairy, could dismantle their Magic Array, the Human Race’s geographical advantage would vanish."

Their two major advantages are something the Demon Beasts cannot match. The first is the use of various Magical Artifacts and Magical Treasures, giving the inherently weak Human Race the means to contend with demon beasts.

The second is the Magic Array, which strengthens Human Race defenses by drawing on Spirit Stones and Spiritual Veins.

The Demon Race wishes to employ these, which requires breaking through to the Transformation Stage.

"Haha," Hu Yuniang chuckled softly and coldly replied,

"I can not only break their Magic Array but also kill all those cultivators. Yet what use would you then serve?

And another point, if the Human Race’s Nascent Soul cultivators come and hold you accountable, retaliating against your clans, how will you respond?"

Both the Human Race and Demon Race rarely meddle in clan disputes after reaching the Nascent Soul stage due to the secrets of cultivation involved.

These matters, even if told to this bunch of fools, they wouldn’t comprehend.

The Demon Kings had no reply. Should the Nascent Soul cultivators bluntly seek revenge, they indeed couldn’t bear it, but there were no Nascent Soul cultivators in the Western Continent, and what business would the Middle Continent’s Nascent Souls have with these Western Continent cultivators!

They all assumed this to be a prevarication, inwardly grumbling, yet their expressions remained courteous:

"As the Fairy says."

The Ox Demon King’s eyes rolled as he tentatively inquired:

"Uh, reporting to Hu Fairy, the demon cultivator Cyan Flood Dragon is collaborating with us.

According to reliable information, he successfully ambushed Daoist Master Qingxu of Luofeng Valley, his target fell victim to the Flood Dragon Poison, and it’s just a matter of time before they perish, should this not count as an achievement?"

Their collaboration with the demon cultivator was initially a mutual exploitation. The demon cultivator had been jointly chased by the Western Continent cultivators, and Cyan Flood Dragon, fleeing disaster, sought refuge within the Ten Thousand Mountains under the protection of the Ox Demon domain.

In exchange, Cyan Flood Dragon assisted the Ox Demon race in refining pills for enhancement.

Over the years, the Ox Demon race grew increasingly powerful, for which Cyan Flood Dragon was exceedingly meritorious.

Hu Yuniang raised an eyebrow slightly, carefully scrutinizing the Ox Demon before smiling:

"Of course it counts. Even if Human Race Golden Core cultivators perish of old age, it’s still counted as part of your achievements.

Here’s the deal: the Western Continent cultivators are divided into four groups, namely, the Three Sects and Loose Cultivators.

If four Golden Core stage cultivators die, consider your mission fulfilled, and you can conclude the war.

If the young Qingxu perishes, it will count as one of your accomplishments.

Now go and contemplate how to accomplish the task."

"Fairy, if we kill their Golden Core stage Mountain Guardian Spirit Beast, does that count as achieving a battle merit?"

"It counts!"