Morale was somewhat low, and some looked toward the distant Heavenly Court with eyes filled with hatred.

The war had taken a heavy toll on the Demon Clan, and many had lost comrades and brothers in the conflict, the flames of hatred fiercely burning in their hearts.

"We’ve lost the position!" a monster said softly, his words tinged with a hint of despair.

Shituo King turned his head to look at the monster, a kind smile appearing on his blood-stained face.

"Discouraged by such a minor setback, have you forgotten who our opponent is?"

"The Heavenly Court has dominated the Three Realms for many years, ruling since time immemorial with countless Immortals and resources flowing into it. Did you really think we could easily defeat such an opponent?"

"Perhaps the recent victories have blinded you, breeding a sense of arrogance; otherwise, fighting to this extent should make you proud."

After finishing his speech, Shituo King looked around and continued, "We are but a few, many born from mountain tops, having never undergone formal training. Yet, even so, we’ve managed to halt the Heavenly Court’s advance for days. If you were to go outside, who wouldn’t give us a thumbs-up and praise us as heroes?"

"So stand tall, we may have lost this battle, but we also made them pay a price in blood. Fighting against such a colossal force as the Heavenly Court means a war of vast scope and long duration; we cannot afford the slightest complacency."

"This is a time to endure!" Shituo King said, sighing as he gazed at the vast sky.

"Let’s fight. If the Heavenly Court wants to fight, then we’ll fight, whether it takes ten, twenty, or thirty years. We will stick it out to the end. Believe it or not, in a few hundred years, the Demon Clan will still be the Demon Clan, and we won’t be gone." Peng Demon King gently patted his brother’s shoulder and said in a deep voice beside him.

The words of the two Great Saints restored the crumbling morale and swept away their despair.

A few victorious battles had bred contempt in the hearts of these monsters, leading them to think they could withstand the Heavenly Army. Yet, reality had harshly taught them a lesson.

The overwhelming power of the Heavenly Court had crushed them, which was the source of their despair.

However, after Shituo King’s reminder, they realized that even being called a ragtag bunch by the Heavenly Court, they had managed to bring the Heavenly Court to this condition, a feat worth boasting about anywhere.

"Now we should take a good rest. The war with the Heavenly Court has only just begun. I hope everyone here lives to see the day we win the war. Then we will witness a brand new world together, a world without hunger and oppression."

The calmed monsters began to lick their wounds, sort their equipment, and build new fortifications.

Shituo King quietly left the camp, climbing a mountain peak under the moonlight, staring blankly in the direction of the Heavenly Court.

"What is the Great Saint thinking about?" Black Tiger Great General asked, puzzled.

Shituo King sighed and said, "What do you think the Heavenly Court will do to us tomorrow?"

He was guessing Li Jing’s moves, preparing accordingly. Previously, commanding mountains and roaming from place to place, he was used to fighting guerrilla warfare, but now with two armies locked in confrontation, there was no room to maneuver, which made him somewhat uneasy.

"Most likely they’ll use the Treasure Ship!" Black Tiger was very certain.

"Oh! Why is that?"

"Over the past few days, the Heavenly Court had suffered great losses in soldiers and generals. As the Commander, Li Jing was naturally well aware of the casualties. Now that they had emerged from the Valley of Ten Thousand Demons, without its suppression, they would use the Treasure Ship to its fullest advantage to minimize casualties."

"Luckily, we destroyed quite a few of their Treasure Ships the other day, otherwise tomorrow’s battle would be difficult."

Upon hearing this, the Shituo King smiled and said, "When will our trump card be in place? With it, I am confident that we can keep all of the Heavenly Court’s Treasure Ships here."

"It’s also thanks to your successful efforts on the front lines that our preparations are all set. Tomorrow, we will certainly give Li Jing a big surprise."

The two stood on the mountain peak, talking while a light breeze brushed their faces. The air still carried a scent of blood, and countless bodies of Monsters were buried in this land.

"Damn this war!" the Shituo King muttered under his breath.

He had never loathed war as much as he did today, but the words Lin Fang once said flashed through his mind: to fight for peace is to maintain it, to compromise for peace is to lose it.

Faced with the greedy Heavenly Court, only by hurting and frightening them could they be made to retreat and give the Demon Clan a chance to catch their breath.

The moon set and the sun rose; thus, the night passed. As the sun slowly rose from the East, casting down brilliant rays and cloaking the earth in rosy light.

Having rested for the night, both sides started their new arrangements. The Demon Clan’s area had already been fortified, so they started the new day in an orderly fashion.

Meanwhile, the scouts of the Heavenly Court had already noticed the movements of the Demon Clan.

They reported everything they saw to Li Jing, and the Marshal waved his hand to dismiss them.

"The Demon Clan is using such meticulous strategies, having already built a new defense line so early," Li Jing sighed.

He had to admit, the defensive fortifications constructed by the Demon Clan had indeed caused serious obstacles for the Heavenly Army. The great battle of yesterday was still vivid in his mind; even a seasoned commander like him had never seen such a brutal scene before.

The fortifications seemed like an insurmountable chasm, even giving him the illusion that they would never be breached at that moment.

Luckily, everything went smoothly, and he finally managed to lead the army out of the Valley of Ten Thousand Demons, establishing a firm foothold in Luzhou in the North.

Yet, the sight of these defenses also inspired fear in him. If another battle like yesterday’s were to occur, then the Heavenly Court would suffer heavy losses, something he did not wish to see.

The others also looked somber, having witnessed the battle of the day before. Everyone knew this would be another killing ground, and they inevitably felt some fear.

"Father, let’s use the Treasure Ship. Now that there’s no suppression from the Valley of Ten Thousand Demons, our Treasure Ships can attack from high above. No matter how strong their defenses are, what use will they have if we attack directly from above with our ships?" Nezha said softly.

After pondering for a moment, Li Jing said, "Tell the Treasure Ship’s team leader that they will be taking the lead this time. They must demonstrate the might of the Heavenly Court, and show these mud-legs of Luzhou in the North just how formidable our Treasure Ships are."

At his command, the resounding sound of drums began to echo throughout the Heavenly Court’s camp, as one by one, the Treasure Ships took to the sky. Their dark muzzles were directed towards the ground, and countless Heavenly Soldiers and Generals aboard the ships began flying towards the Demon Clan’s positions.

"What a pity, had it not been for the mistakes a few days ago we should have had more Treasure Ships."