The monsters, seeing this, revealed expressions of delight on their faces.

The leading Demon King shouted, "My boys, the moment to kill the enemy and avenge our losses is before us, charge!"

Surprisingly, the monsters adopted a high position and launched a countercharge against the Heavenly Army, startling the charging Heavenly Soldiers and Generals with their resolute and desperate demeanor.

Soon the two sides began a fierce battle, blood dyeing the forests red and filling the land with the stench of death.

Having endured the most brutal warfare, both sides now consisted of their most elite warriors, whose fearless battle cries soared to the heavens, shaking the surrounding lands.

The small hilltop turned into the most horrifying flesh and blood mill of the world, where life at that moment seemed incredibly fragile.

This is the cruel reality of war, a war with no other option but kill or be killed.

Witnessing the impressive countercharge of the Demon Clan, Li Jing also showed admiration on his face.

As a general who had galloped across battlefields, what he respected most were such strong soldiers. Regardless of victory or defeat, the tenacity demonstrated by the Demon Clan deserved a second look—an ancient and noble lineage indeed reflected in their demeanor.

"Convey my order, the entire army is to advance and annihilate this demon army at once, no more delays," Li Jing commanded in a deep voice.

The robust sound of drums began, signaling the charge.

Enigmatic runes were inscribed on the crimson drums, and as they sounded, the runes flickered with light and shadow. Suddenly, all the Heavenly soldiers felt as if they had endless energy, howling as they charged towards the Demon Clan.

"Great King, something’s not right, these Heavenly soldiers seem different!" exclaimed a little demon in surprise.

"I see it. It’s likely that the Heavenly Court used some secret technique. Well, even if we only managed to kill once, it’s enough. Brothers, let’s withdraw!" shouted the Demon King loudly.

The Demon Clan, locked in fierce combat with the Heavenly Soldiers and Generals, although showing reluctance on their faces, still followed the command and retreated decisively.

Their sudden withdrawal left the Heavenly Army somewhat at a loss; enemies who had just been fighting to the death were now gone without a trace.

But no matter what, this battle was their victory.

"We won!" The Heavenly soldiers let out a triumphant roar to the sky.

This hard-earned victory seemed all the more precious, with many Heavenly soldiers weeping with joy. The mountain range that had long stood in their way had finally been conquered.

Especially when the Demon Clan had previously surged down from the mountain in a formidable wave, many had felt despair, a feeling unimaginable before.

The series of battles after arriving in Luzhou in the North had planted fear in their hearts, the mountain seeming insurmountable.

Yet now, they had finally captured the last peak, completely driving out the Demon Clan. This once inconquerable mountain range would henceforth be territory of the Heavenly Court.

The knowledgeable ones understood even better, that beyond this mountain range lay vast flatlands. Without the interference of powerful winds, the Treasure Ship of the Heavenly Court could sail unimpeded. Soon the whole of Luzhou in the North would be within their grasp.

This was a victory that could shift the balance of power between enemies and allies, no wonder all the Heavenly soldiers were slightly frenzied.

Nezha let out a sigh of relief. To tell the truth, he had been ready to enter the fray himself when the Demon Clan launched their countercharge. He hadn’t expected the situation to evolve like this, with victory ultimately in their hands.

"They’re just retreating like that?" asked Nezha, somewhat in disbelief.

At the beginning, this group of monsters really had the air of intending to perish together. Now they are retreating without a hint of reluctance.

Li Jing frowned, muttering to himself, "Yes, why did they retreat so easily?"

As he spoke, it seemed he remembered something and suddenly shouted, "Issue my command for everyone to fall back, quick!"

Li Jing’s keen senses detected something amiss. The Demon Clan must have had a plot.

The sound of golden trumpets rose, causing the Heavenly Soldiers and Generals who had stormed atop the mountain to feel very puzzled, not understanding why they needed to withdraw after securing victory.

However, in their moment of hesitation, a thunderous explosion roared, and a massive mushroom cloud soared into the sky, reaching the clouds. The horrific heat instantaneously turned the nearby Heavenly Soldiers and Generals to ash.

The huge blast wave dispersed in all directions, whipping up heatwaves that howled like wild winds. The bright blaze illuminated everything around, visible even from a great distance.

Li Jing looked at the astonishing explosion with an extremely troubled expression, realizing they had been outmaneuvered at the last moment, needlessly losing so many Heavenly soldiers.

At this point, the Heavenly soldiers who were able to charge up the mountain were certainly the best among the troops. Their loss was enough for Li Jing to grieve for a long time.

"These detestable monsters!" Nezha said through gritted teeth.

"They only know these ghostly tricks, not daring to fight us in an upright battle."

Throughout the entire battle, despite the Demon Clan’s inferior strength, they consistently used such tricks to make the Heavenly Court lose soldiers and generals. This feeling irritated Nezha immensely.

Li Jing remained silent. He knew Nezha was just speaking out of anger. In the battlefield, both sides resorted to all sorts of extreme measures to secure victory. The tactics of the Demon Clan were above reproach, and their own side had similarly employed devastating methods, turning the Valley of Ten Thousand Demons Mountain Range into a wasteland.

"Talking about this now is too late, ghostly tricks are useful, that’s that. We’ve suffered losses in this respect over and over because we, the commanders, have been too careless," Li Jing said with a heavy voice. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

At that moment, he was incredibly calm. Throughout this war, the Demon Clan had taught him so much. Sometimes he even felt as if a dazzling civilization was backing the Demon Clan, the kind that could overturn conventional understanding of warfare in unimaginable ways.

"Issue an order to tally the casualties, then report our victory to His Majesty!"

"Yes!"

The crowd obeyed, but their faces lacked the earlier excitement. The recent explosion had slapped them hard across their faces, completely erasing the joy of conquering the Valley of Ten Thousand Demons Mountain Range.

"Have the Heavenly Forge Bureau send someone to investigate what exactly exploded inside this mountain range, to be so formidable," he said.

Meanwhile, the retreating Demon Clan’s army watched the massive explosion from afar.

"Our homeland, it’s gone!" a Demon King said somberly.

The blasted peak had been his homeland, where he grew and practiced cultivation, gradually becoming a Demon King who dominated his territory. And now, he had to destroy his birthplace with his own hands because he couldn’t bear it being desecrated by those from the Heavenly Court.

Another Demon King gently patted his shoulder and said, "Don’t be too sad. At least we exchanged them for so many Heavenly Soldiers and Generals. Let their lives be a consolation for the homeland we destroyed."

The Demon King remained silent, his mood still heavy.

"Let’s go. It’s time to regroup with the Great Saint. We have an even tougher war to continue."