Black Demon City.
As the core of the Black Demon Banner territory, it was also a huge city.
This city was different from Rakshasa City. It still carried the atmosphere of a barbaric tribal settlement, built against the mountain in layered tiers.
But compared to ordinary tribal fortresses, Black Demon City was many times larger.
The mountain, over three thousand metres above sea level, was densely packed with houses.
The city wall at the mountain foot exceeded a hundred li, and there was even a wide moat winding around the mountain.
The entire Black Demon City had a population of over three hundred thousand.
The entire Black Demon Banner territory had thirteen alliances, over one hundred and sixty nine tribes, more than a million square kilometres, and a population of ten million.
As the highest leader of the Black Demon Banner territory, the land directly ruled by Black Demon City exceeded a hundred thousand square kilometres, with a population over a million, and elite troops exceeding two hundred thousand.
Black Demon Castle was similarly at the highest point of the mountain peak, but this castle was much larger in scale. It had three levels in total, covering over a thousand mu of land. It was an impregnable military fortress, like a dark monster perched on Black Demon Mountain peak.
Above the castle, dozens of griffin knights were constantly patrolling back and forth.
Prince Consort Naishu of the Rakshasa King stood at the castle’s highest point, overlooking the entire Black Demon City.
The Black Demon Banner assembly had finished. The great matter of sending troops to attack the Yan Mo tribe had been completely decided.
Of the one hundred and sixty nine tribes in the entire Black Demon Banner territory, apart from over a dozen chiefs of the Silver Alliance who could not come, the remaining over one hundred and fifty chiefs had all attended.
At the assembly, Naishu read out the decree of the Little Rakshasa King.
Not a single one of the one hundred and fifty five chiefs dared to defy the Little Rakshasa King’s order.
The one hundred and fifty five chiefs present, each sending seven thousand troops, totalled nearly one million one hundred thousand troops.
Black Demon City sent one hundred thousand troops. Added together, it was a total of one million two hundred thousand troops to attack the Yan Mo tribe.
The destruction of the Yan Mo tribe was already a foregone conclusion, but Naishu still felt his heart was incomparably heavy.
His father, the Black Demon Banner Lord, had not been ungenerous in his support this time.
After the meeting ended, his father said one sentence to him, “If you lose again this time, it will not just be you who is destroyed. The entire Black Demon Banner territory, the entire Black Demon Nai family, will all be buried with you.”
His father did not blame him, but he had indeed done something not worth the cost.
One million two hundred thousand troops attacking the Yan Mo tribe, even if they won, would bring no honour.
But this matter had to be done.
However, this great battle should have no suspense at all. Even if Khan Xie Li’s six thousand centaur army joined the battle, it could not change the outcome.
This time, there were over four thousand griffin warriors alone. No matter how powerful the Yan Mo tribe’s air defence was, it could not defend against four thousand griffin knights. No matter how strong the centaur army was, it could do nothing against the griffin knights in the air.
If nothing unexpected happened, the Xie Li tribe’s six thousand centaur army could no longer join the battle, could no longer protect the Yan Mo tribe.
But just in case, Naishu still prepared a trump card, specifically to deal with the centaur army.
His father, the Black Demon Banner Lord, personally took him to visit the Mammoth Clan tribe, exhausting a hundred years of friendship, and borrowed a powerful mammoth army.
No matter how powerful the centaurs were, under the hooves of the mammoth army, they would be trampled into minced meat.
At this moment, a griffin flew from afar and landed on the castle.
A griffin knight leapt down from the griffin’s back and knelt, saying, “Young Banner Lord, the Chi Yan tribe has already sent troops, and united with over a dozen centaur tribes. An allied force of over twenty thousand centaurs is currently besieging the Xie Li tribe.”
Naishu was overjoyed. The great matter was accomplished.
The Xie Li tribe was surrounded. Khan Xie Li would definitely lead troops to rescue them.
Six thousand against twenty thousand. No matter how powerful Khan Xie Li was, he was destined to be completely annihilated.
The Yan Mo tribe without the centaur army could not even block a hundred thousand troops, let alone a million troops.
“This battle is certain to be won. I am just waiting to cut off Lanling’s head and make his skull into a chamber pot,” Naishu said.
At this moment, a graceful and enchanting figure appeared behind him, hidden in the darkness.
“Prince Consort, there is still some time before the million troops assemble. Do you not want to cause some trouble for the Yan Mo tribe?” this graceful figure said.
“Trouble? Tell me about it,” Naishu said.
This graceful figure said, “Do you know the legend of the three headed chimera beast of the Chimera tribe?”
Naishu nodded. This was top secret to others, but of course not to him.
“That three headed chimera beast, after being raised for decades, was still as big as a chicken, weak and unbearable, and brought misfortune to the Chimera tribe. It was thrown into a volcano to be burned to death several hundred years ago,” Naishu said.
“It did not die,” this graceful figure said. “This three headed chimera beast has powerful demon blood in its body. It is a very powerful flying magical beast. But what it needs to grow is energy, not food. At that time, the Chimera tribe fed it meat like an ordinary chimera beast. Of course it could not grow big, nor could it become strong. And being thrown into the magma was instead an opportunity for transformation.”
“An opportunity for transformation? What do you mean?” Naishu said.
“If its demon blood talent was not powerful enough, of course it would have been burned alive and turned to ash. But if its demon blood talent was strong enough, not only would it not die, but it would devour the energy of the volcanic magma, continuously growing, continuously becoming stronger,” the graceful figure said. “Now several hundred years have passed. If it has not died, it has certainly become a very powerful colossus. Once it is released and attacks the Yan Mo tribe, that would absolutely be a catastrophic disaster.”
Naishu said, “Then how do I know it did not die? If it did not die, why was it unwilling to come out? When the Chimera tribe was destroyed, it did not appear either.”
The graceful figure said, “Because its heart is full of hatred. Back then, the Chimera tribe threw it into the volcano to burn it to death. Even if it did not die and instead became powerful, it also suffered terrible torment. So it watched the Chimera tribe be destroyed.”
Then, she said again, “Prince Consort, do you know about the Chimera tribe’s Heavenly Eye Trial?”
Naishu said, “Of course I know. This was Constantine’s trickery. He sheltered the lowly near human race, which ultimately led to the outcome of clan extermination. He brought it upon himself.”
The graceful figure said, “Every Heavenly Eye Trial, over a hundred people would be thrown alive into the magma to be burned to death. Whenever this happened, there were powerful energy fluctuations in the volcano. So I think these people thrown into the magma all became the three headed chimera’s feast. So…”
“Living sacrifice?!” Naishu said.
“Yes, living sacrifice!” the graceful figure said. “There must be a powerful shaman in Black Demon City who can communicate with the three headed chimera beast in the magma, and use living sacrifices to establish a contract with the three headed chimera.”
Naishu narrowed his eyes.
Now several hundred years had passed. This three headed chimera had devoured countless magma energies. It was certainly incomparably huge, incomparably powerful.
Once it was released, and a contract was established with living sacrifices, letting it destroy the Yan Mo tribe, it would absolutely bring catastrophic disaster.
But once living sacrifices were made, thousands or tens of thousands of lives would have to be offered.
Now the Yan Mo tribe was already destined to be destroyed. Was there a need to do something so unnecessary?
“Prince Consort, with such a powerful monster beast, it would be like adding wings to a tiger for you,” the graceful figure said.
Naishu’s gaze contracted.
That’s right, indeed.
A heaven defying monster beast like the three headed chimera was something that could be encountered but not sought. As long as he could obtain it and become its contract master.
Not to mention anything else, every time riding such a heaven defying beast out, it would be incomparably imposing.
Moreover, its combat power in the air was almost invincible.
As for destroying the Yan Mo tribe, that was merely incidental.
Naishu grinned broadly and laughed, “Good, prepare the living sacrifices. If I subdue this heaven defying monster beast, I will credit you with a great merit.”
After placing the Demon Flame crystal deep into the volcano, the second step of conquering the Chi Yan tribe was complete.
Next, what Lanling had to do was the third step, showing off.
Mount the griffin beast and leave the Chi Yan Sea, flying toward the Xie Li tribe.
One day later.
Lanling and the thirteen death knights flew near the Xie Li tribe.
At this time, there were still two days until the five day deadline set by Khan Chi Yan.
Lanling waved his hand, and all thirteen death warriors descended, hiding near the Xie Li tribe.
Lanling was going to face the meeting alone with a single blade.
At this time, the ground was densely packed with centaur warriors everywhere.
This time, Khan Chi Yan had brought a full force of over twenty thousand centaur troops. Over ten thousand of them surrounded the various entrances and passes of the Xie Li tribe.
Khan Chi Yan led eight thousand centaur troops into the Xie Li tribe.
Khan Xie Li had led six thousand troops to support the Yan Mo tribe, almost taking all the tribe’s elites. The several thousand centaurs left behind were half elderly and frail old men, half tender young centaur children, and a few hundred young centaur recruits.
Although these several hundred centaur recruits left behind were very brave, they were outnumbered. In just one day, the Xie Li tribe had been breached. Khan Chi Yan led eight thousand warriors to completely occupy the Xie Li tribe.
The several thousand elderly and weak of the Xie Li tribe, and the injured warriors, were all driven to the Moon Demon God plaza, including Khan Xie Li’s wife and his two young daughters.
The eight thousand centaur warriors of the Chi Yan tribe surrounded these several thousand elderly and weak, with countless arrows aimed at them.
With a single order from Khan Chi Yan, they could kill all the several thousand elderly, weak, and injured soldiers of the Xie Li tribe clean.
The huge Moon Demon God sculpture in the plaza had been completely destroyed, becoming a pile of ruins.
The elderly and weak of the Xie Li tribe were kneeling on the ruins, weeping bitterly.
“Xie Li’s wife, your husband is a useless coward. He no longer dares to come,” Khan Chi Yan sneered coldly. “He knows he has incurred the wrath of the centaurs. He knows that once he comes, he is destined to die. So he has abandoned you. No one can save you anymore.”
Khan Xie Li’s wife hugged her two daughters and said coldly, “The great Moon Demon God Lanling will definitely come to save his people. He will definitely punish you aliens, punish you fools. He will definitely strip away your bloodline and turn you into horses.”
“Hahaha…” Khan Chi Yan laughed loudly. “Xie Li’s brain is broken, and your brain is broken too. You were actually deceived and fooled by a lowly near human. We smashed its sculpture. We breached the Xie Li tribe. We are about to exterminate you all. Where is your Moon Demon God? Where is that lowly near human? He does not dare to come. He does not dare to come and die at all.”
Then, Khan Chi Yan’s voice turned cold, “The sun is about to set. As long as your husband and that lowly near human Lanling have not arrived, I will exterminate you all. You can still live for about half an hour.”
Was it not a five day deadline? There were clearly still two days.
Khan Chi Yan was actually about to start a massacre now.
Khan Xie Li’s wife shouted loudly, “Brothers and sisters, do not be afraid. The great Moon Demon God will definitely come to save us. He will definitely come. I can feel it.”
Seeing that the Xie Li tribe was still stubbornly unrepentant, Khan Chi Yan flew into a rage, “All warriors prepare. I will count down ten numbers. Once Xie Li and the lowly Lanling have not arrived, draw your bows and arrows, and kill all these disgraces of the centaur race.”
“Creak, creak.”
Instantly, eight thousand Chi Yan tribe warriors drew their bows and aimed.
Was it not when the sun set? There was still an hour now, and Khan Chi Yan could not wait to start a massacre, completely breaking his promise.
This was because Khan Chi Yan no longer regarded the Xie Li tribe as his own kind, completely breaking his promise as he pleased.
“Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five…”
As the countdown approached, the elderly, weak, and injured of the Xie Li tribe fell into panic and doubt.
They were not afraid of death, but afraid the Moon Demon God would not appear.
They firmly believed the Moon Demon God was real, but if they died and the Moon Demon God still had not appeared, they would waver in their faith. That was more terrifying than death.
Seeing the fear and panic on the faces of all the Xie Li tribe survivors, Khan Chi Yan laughed loudly, “You are about to die. Where is your god? Where is he? You have been tricked. You have been deceived. That lowly near human Lanling is just a fraud. He is just a fraud.”
Slight expressions of wavering appeared on the faces of all the Xie Li tribe survivors.
Three, two, one.
The countdown ended.
Khan Chi Yan grinned hideously, “Your god will not come to save you, because he is fundamentally a fraud. Disgraces of the centaur race, betrayers of the centaur race, all of you die.”
Right at this moment, Lanling’s voice resounded through the entire air.
“Who says I will not come?” Lanling rode his golden maned griffin beast diving down rapidly, then circled above the plaza.
Khan Xie Li’s wife was overjoyed at the sight. All the survivors of the Xie Li tribe shouted with fanatical fervour, kneeling one after another.
“Great Moon Demon God, you have finally come. We knew you would not abandon your people, even though we once so offended your majesty.”
“Great Moon Demon God, even if we die now, we have no regrets.”
Several thousand survivors of the Xie Li tribe kowtowed desperately toward Lanling. The scene was incomparably devout, incomparably fanatical.
Lanling landed as if no one else was present, came before Khan Xie Li’s wife, and gently stroked the small faces of her two daughters. These were two small centaurs, one two years old, one four years old, roughly over a metre tall and two metres long.
The four year old centaur girl opened her eyes wide, stared at Lanling, and said, “Demon God brother, these bad people broke my toys. Help me hit them.”
Lanling pinched her small face and nodded, “Okay.”
Then, Lanling turned toward the over five metre tall Khan Chi Yan and said, “Centaur race, Khan of the Chi Yan tribe, you broke little Xie Ling’s toys. What is your crime?”