"Underground!" someone exclaimed in alarm.

It was at that moment when countless monsters burrowed out of their holes and launched an attack on the panic-stricken Heavenly soldiers.

Instantly, cries of battle echoed once more across the land, as both sides commenced another round of fierce skirmishing.

On the battlefield, death and blood were the only constants. In just a blink of an eye, numerous bodies lay strewn on the ground.

Under the command of the Heavenly Generals, the Heavenly soldiers quickly overcame their initial confusion and began to mount an effective resistance, which in turn revealed the might of the Heavenly Court; any ordinary army would have collapsed under such a situation.

Still, the troops of the Heavenly Court managed to swiftly adjust their stance and strike back.

However, the Demon Clan had laid an ambush well in advance and were hardly about to shrink back. On the contrary, they fought even more fiercely, and both sides clashed on the land, their shouts of battle resonating far and wide.

Li Jing, witnessing this scene, immediately ordered the army forward. The Heavenly Court could not afford any further meaningless losses.

The mighty army surged continuously toward the battleground. The fiercely fighting Shituo King immediately discerned Li Jing’s intent, a sly smile tugging at his lips, he roared, "Brothers, do not linger in the fight, it’s time to go!"

The Demon Clan, now holding the upper hand, began their withdrawal. They were not blinded by victory but chose instead to retreat with a levelheaded calmness.

Li Jing felt the Demon Clan before him resembled a cunning, hungry wolf that would lunge for a bite the moment he was off guard, and yet, when he gathered his forces to confront it, the wolf would turn tail and run, unwilling to entangle further.

Such an adversary gave him quite a headache.

The Demon Clan retreated in an orderly fashion into the nearby mountains. Having grown up in this region, they blended into the mountains as naturally as fish to water, disappearing without a trace in no time.

The Heavenly Court’s forces were ready to continue the pursuit, but Li Jing stopped them.

He looked solemnly at the towering mountains and said in a grave tone, "Do not pursue a desperate enemy. These people were born here, raised here. Once we enter the forest, we could easily be led by the nose."

Although the others were reluctant, they still followed the order to sound the retreat. After all, the Heavenly Court had a bloody lesson laid out before them, as countless had entered these mountains in the past, never to emerge again.

Renowned as the children of the mountains, these monsters thrived in the dense woods, effortlessly running circles around their adversaries.

Shituo King, along with other Demon Kings, watched hidden in the mountains as the Heavenly Court forces sounded the retreat and then he sighed, "Li Jing is indeed a tough opponent, always so careful and cautious."

"What a pity. If they dared to follow us, we would definitely show them why we are called the children of the mountains," one of the Demon Kings said, unable to hide his disappointment.

He had once been a Demon King of this mountain range and was utterly familiar with this territory. Should the Heavenly soldiers be bold enough to rush into these woods, he was confident that not a single one would leave.

Yet Li Jing was so cautious, not even making a token attempt, rendering all their previously laid traps useless.

"It seems the Heavenly Court has learned its lesson. Indeed, the Celestial River Naval Forces suffered a harsh blow in these woods before."

After one last look in the direction of the Heavenly Court Camp, Shituo King sighed somewhat regretfully, "Let’s go. It is time to head back. From now on, it’s a matter of who can last the longest."

The war had progressed to this point, and the Demon Clan had already achieved all their strategic goals. They had destroyed the Heavenly Court’s Treasure Ship, stripping them of the mobility to traverse Luzhou in the North at will.

Moreover, the Demon Clan’s banner had essentially blinded the Great Formation of the Celestial Stars Encircling the Heavens, stripping it of its former deterrence power.

Firstly, what seemed to be a war with no chance of victory turned into a protracted battle of attrition, a type of warfare that the Heavenly Court went to great lengths to avoid.

When the front-line battle reports reached the Heavenly Court, the Jade Emperor fell silent.

He knew that things had ultimately taken the turn he least wanted to see, and he felt as if he could sense those malign gazes lurking in the shadows, waiting for him to make a mistake, waiting for him to weaken.

With this thought, a cold smirk tugged at the corners of the Jade Emperor’s mouth, making the temperature of the entire Lingxiao Treasured Palace seem to drop a few degrees.

"Since you all wish to test my mettle, come then!" muttered the Jade Emperor to himself.

His words seemed to carry a sonorous ring, and a sharp aura reverberated throughout the Lingxiao Treasured Palace. If someone were to enter now, they would surely have their hair stand on end.

Such intense killing intent and stern Sword Qi.

"Summon all the immortals to the palace," the Jade Emperor said softly.

The angels, who had been waiting outside the hall, immediately went out to convey the decree. In no time, the immortals of the Heavenly Court walked one by one into the Lingxiao Treasured Palace, the symbol of the highest power in the Three Realms, to see the Supreme of the Three Realms.

"We pay our respects to Your Majesty!" Everyone called out in unison, while they stole glances at the Jade Emperor’s expression with their eyes.

The matter of Luzhou in the North had already spread throughout the Three Realms. Although the foothold was secure, everyone knew the Heavenly Court was now on the defensive, so many were curious about how the Jade Emperor would react.

However, the Jade Emperor ultimately disappointed them. His face was calm as still water, as if nothing could stir even the slightest ripple in his heart.

"It seems you all are quite concerned about me," the Jade Emperor said with a light chuckle.

His voice echoed in the Lingxiao Treasured Palace, resonating in the ears of every immortal, compelling them to lower their heads involuntarily.

"Forgive us, Your Majesty!" Someone spoke anxiously.

The Jade Emperor, however, seemed unconcerned as he continued, "Your concern for me is natural. However, I’m afraid I must disappoint certain individuals present here. I have not yet reached the end of my rope. If the Demon Clan wants to wear me down, I shall grant their wish. I’m curious to see how a Demon Clan, in need of much rebuilding, intends to stand against my Heavenly Court."

Confidence filled the Jade Emperor’s voice, naturally commanding belief.

"I know many wish to mock me, so I invite them to open their eyes wide and see clearly how I’ll sweep them away. The audacity of mere dogs and chickens to harbor ulterior motives."

That day, the Jade Emperor’s confidence gave everyone in the Heavenly Court a glimpse of his will.

For many immortals existing at the lower echelons, such as craftsmen from the Heavenly Forge Bureau like Lu Shu and Liu Ming, the Jade Emperor’s stance mattered little to them as they could hardly grasp the tumultuous currents of the royal court.

What occupied their minds was the endless work and the seemingly never-ending materials to be processed.

"It seems there’s ever more work to be done," Lu Shu sighed.

"Have you noticed? There’s something odd about the materials we’ve been working on recently," Liu Ming mentioned in a low voice. 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

"What’s the problem?" Lu Shu instantly became interested.

"They’re all materials from the Treasure Ship."