“Four thousand five hundred jin.”
Strictly speaking, it was no longer a stone bar, but a massive dead tree trunk.
Lanling took a deep breath and lifted it once more.
This time, it was no longer effortless.
He could clearly feel the strain.
Then he added another one hundred jin, bringing the weight to four thousand six hundred jin.
After another deep breath, he lifted it again, though it required tremendous effort.
Finally, he added another one hundred jin.
Four thousand seven hundred jin.
This time, he had truly reached his absolute limit.
Yet…
He still managed to raise the 4,700-jin dead tree.
That meant Lanling’s cultivation had now reached the level of a Four-Star Great Demon Warrior, only half a step away from becoming a Five-Star Great Demon Warrior.
From a Tenth-Level Demon Warrior to a Four-Star Great Demon Warrior.
It was completely beyond expectation.
A single Ghost King’s Eye had increased his cultivation by such an astonishing amount.
…
Did that mean the Ghost King’s Sword inside the Ghost King’s Tomb contained even greater power?
At first glance, it almost seemed as though the Ghost King’s relics granted greater benefits than the Dragon God’s or Demon God’s relics.
But that was not actually the case.
The Dragon God and the Demon God were practically the creators of this world.
Their power stood at the absolute pinnacle.
The difference was that every Dragon God or Demon God relic Lanling had encountered so far had only contained indirect remnants of their power.
For example, the Mirror Demon King was merely a single gaze left behind by the Demon God King.
The Fallen Dream had only been one beautiful dream dreamt by the Dragon God countless ages ago, with only a tiny fraction of its original energy remaining.
The Dragon Flame Ruins and Dragon Tear Ruins were not parts of the Dragon God’s body.
They were simply energy that had seeped from it.
Even so, the Dragon Flame Ruins had sustained the entire Blood Coast Lost City for countless years.
Even after its power had nearly been exhausted, it still possessed enough strength to boil the entire Sea of Blood dry.
Likewise, the Dragon Tear Ruins had supported several generations of human civilisation.
From the ancient Sea God Empire to the later Rock Tribe civilisation, everything had been built upon its power.
When that energy finally ran out, the Rock Tribe civilisation collapsed with it.
The Ghost King’s relics were different.
This time it had been his eye.
Next time, it would be his sword.
These were actual parts of his body.
They contained a far greater proportion of his original power.
That was why they produced such astonishing breakthroughs.
…
Construction within the Flame Demon Tribe continued at full speed.
However, they were no longer building castles and houses.
Now everyone was constructing defensive fortifications.
The city walls were being stocked with rolling logs and massive boulders.
Countless arrows were also being manufactured.
Eleven days remained before the protective barrier disappeared.
Everyone in the Flame Demon Tribe was eager for battle.
Although everyone understood that one thousand men could never defeat thirty thousand, even if they were the tribe’s strongest warriors.
The Flame Demon Tribe now possessed fewer than one thousand soldiers.
All of them had once belonged to the Foreign Tribe Army.
The strongest among them were the few dozen surviving Berserkers from the Wild Horse Tribe.
After nearly three months of relentless labour and training, the tribe’s military strength had improved dramatically.
Even so, in terms of pure combat ability, they still could not match the elite warriors of the Chimera and Ankara Tribes.
This should have been a hopeless battle.
A battle they could never win.
Yet no one felt despair.
No one’s spirits wavered.
Everyone remembered the wager Lanling had made with the Wild Horse Tribe Chief.
If they won this battle, the Wild Horse Tribe would cease to exist.
Its hundred or so surviving warriors would all join the Flame Demon Tribe.
Everyone believed one thing without question.
If Chief Lanling said they would win…
Then they would win.
As for how…
No one knew.
Lanling had already created miracle after miracle.
The first was his battle against the Wild Horse Tribe.
His military achievements had surpassed Du Yan’s, earning over nine hundred enemy kills.
The second was advancing eleven cultivation levels within a single month before defeating the seemingly invincible Du Yan in single combat.
Surely he could perform a third miracle.
Surely he could lead them to victory against Constantine’s thirty thousand allied troops.
That had become the prevailing belief throughout the Flame Demon Tribe.
“I think we’re definitely going to win.”
“Why?”
“Because the Chief said we would.”
“But how? One thousand against thirty thousand. That’s impossible. Tell me how.”
“How would I know? If I knew how to win, I’d be the Chief instead of an ordinary soldier.”
So despite facing a battle of one thousand against thirty thousand, the entire Flame Demon Tribe continued working enthusiastically, eagerly awaiting the coming war.
…
Ten days remained before the battle.
That day, the Near-Human woman Amo, who had long admired Suomo, came to see Lanling.
“Xiaoling, the situation isn’t looking good,” Amo said.
Lanling sighed inwardly.
She wasn’t even his aunt yet.
Could she stop looking at him like an elder?
“What happened?” he asked.
Amo excelled at disguise.
She frequently entered and left the Ghost Domain World, infiltrating Constantine’s allied camp to gather intelligence.
She served as one of Lanling’s most valuable scouts.
Although her martial strength was average, her spiritual power was quite impressive.
“Constantine has backed down again,” she said.
“Backed down?” Lanling frowned.
“So after ten days, when the barrier disappears, he won’t order an attack?”
“That’s right.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know.”
“Perhaps you’ve created too many miracles.”
“He’s terrified of falling into another trap.”
Lanling frowned deeply.
This was very bad news.
His original plan had been to annihilate Constantine’s allied army in one decisive battle.
That victory would allow the Flame Demon Tribe to enter a golden age of rapid expansion.
For him, the worst possible outcome was being trapped under siege.
Although the Mirror Demon King had replenished his strength by absorbing the Ghost King’s spiritual energy, his protective barrier could not last forever.
If Constantine simply maintained the siege for several more months until the Mirror Demon King’s power was exhausted again…
The Flame Demon Tribe would truly face destruction.
…
Why had Constantine changed his mind once again?
Originally, he had sworn that the moment the Ghost Domain World’s barrier disappeared, he would launch an immediate assault.
He intended to wipe out the Foreign Tribe Army and tear Lanling to pieces.
Everything changed because he received an urgent letter from Rasha City.
It had been sent by his daughter, Ninian.
Using relay flights of griffins between tribes, the message travelled from Rasha City to the Chimera Tribe in only three days.
That alone demonstrated the influence she now wielded as the Little Rasha King’s concubine.
Previously, the tribes along the route had ignored Constantine completely.
Now they obediently delivered Ninian’s messages.
Her letter instructed him not to act recklessly.
She urged him to continue surrounding the Ghost Domain World and wait for further instructions.
Above all…
She warned him not to fall into one of Lanling’s traps.
Of course, Constantine had never informed Ninian that the barrier was about to disappear.
Her sudden warning was prompted by the failed attempt to seize the Brilliant Star Tear, the Ghost King’s Eye.
Although she had failed to recognise Lanling during the auction, she had felt an inexplicable sense of unease.
No matter how impossible it seemed…
She could not shake the suspicion that the mysterious buyer might somehow have been Lanling.
She had planned to ambush and kill that person.
Instead, Princess Shayan intervened and protected him.
Ninian never mentioned her suspicions in the letter.
They sounded too absurd.
Lanling had no reason to travel thousands of miles to Rasha City.
He should never even have known about the Ghost King’s Eye.
Yet…
She feared the slightest possibility that she might be wrong.
So she sent the warning anyway.
“I’ve made my decision,” Constantine declared.
“We’ll continue surrounding the Ghost Domain World.”
“We absolutely will not attack recklessly.”
“Why?” Priestess Yin Ji asked.
“No reason,” Constantine replied.
“This is my decision.”
Alfonso’s face twitched.
He wanted to argue.
But he no longer dared.
Things had changed.
Constantine’s daughter had become the Little Barbarian King’s concubine.
His status had risen enormously.
“As for the provisions needed to maintain the siege,” Constantine continued, “I’ll provide them.”
He was not exaggerating.
Ever since Ninian entered the Little Barbarian King’s household, countless nearby tribes had sent gifts.
Gold.
Food.
Meat.
Even salt, once incredibly precious, was arriving in endless quantities from the Silver Tribe.
There was now so much that it was being used simply to preserve meat.
Alfonso bowed respectfully.
“I naturally follow my elder brother’s lead.”
Since Ninian’s rise, Alfonso had completely abandoned any ambition of swallowing the Chimera Tribe.
Instead, he did everything possible to curry favour.
Thus the thirty-thousand-strong allied army reached a final decision.
Even after the barrier disappeared…
They would continue the siege.
No rash attack.
…
Nine days remained before the barrier disappeared.
Amo hurried back to Lanling.
“Constantine has officially announced that even after the Ghost Domain World’s barrier disappears, the army is forbidden from attacking.”
“They’re to continue the siege.”
Lanling frowned and paced the room.
This would not do.
If Constantine truly refused to attack after nine days…
The Flame Demon Tribe would instead be facing certain destruction.
All Constantine had to do was maintain the siege for another three or four months.
Eventually the Mirror Demon King’s energy would be exhausted once more.
Of course, the protective barrier could simply be left inactive to preserve energy.
But then…
The Flame Demon Tribe would have no protection at all.
Its territory covered hundreds of li.
Barely one thousand people could never defend such a vast area.
A thief only needed to succeed once.
A defender had to succeed every time.
The entire tribe would become trapped in a passive position.
Construction would grind to a halt.
Morale would steadily collapse.
Expansion would become impossible.
Countless Near-Humans throughout the Silver Alliance were watching this battle.
If Lanling won…
They would flock to join the Flame Demon Tribe.
“We can’t allow this,” Lanling said firmly.
“Constantine can afford to wait.”
“We can’t.”
“We must make him attack on schedule.”
Amo frowned.
“But changing his mind again won’t be easy.”
Lanling smiled.
“Constantine is narrow-minded.”
“He’s emotional.”
“Making him change his mind again is actually very simple.”
“We only need to make him furious.”
“How?” Amo asked.
Lanling replied calmly,
“I’ll sleep with his wife again.”
“And this time…”
“I’ll take her with me afterwards.”
Amo’s face immediately turned bright red.
She silently cursed him.
How could the upright and honourable Suomo possibly have such an outrageously wicked nephew?
“But won’t that make Constantine realise it’s an obvious provocation?” she asked.
“No,” Lanling answered.
“My reason is perfectly convincing.”
“I’m rescuing my woman, Ali.”
“Sleeping with Gouri again is merely… incidental.”
Amo considered it carefully.
Indeed…
There was no obvious flaw.
Lanling was famous for doing outrageous things.
If he discovered Ali had fallen into enemy hands again…
Charging in to rescue her, assaulting Gouri again, and even abducting her afterwards…
That was exactly the sort of madness everyone expected from him.
Constantine would almost certainly lose all reason.
The moment the barrier disappeared…
He would order an immediate assault to tear Lanling apart.
“I agree,” Suomo said.
Lanling nodded.
“This time only four of us will go.”
“Uncle.”
“Doduo.”
“Duolong.”
“And me.”
“We leave the Ghost Domain World after midnight.”
“Our destination…”
“The Chimera Tribe.”
…
Near midnight…
Lanling, Suomo, Doduo and Duolong rode four griffins across the land and quietly left the Ghost Domain World.
Although Constantine commanded thirty thousand soldiers, completely sealing off the entire region was impossible.
Gaps inevitably existed between the encampments.
Once they had travelled far enough away…
The four griffins took to the sky.
Three hours later…
They landed several dozen li from the Chimera Tribe.
Lanling headed alone towards the forbidden hot spring.
If nothing unexpected had happened…
Second Madam Sisi should still be there.
As expected…
The moment he entered…
A startled cry sounded.
A breathtakingly beautiful figure emerged from the water.
Sisi, in her half-human, half-serpent form, rapidly swam over and wrapped herself around him.
She passionately kissed him.
“You bastard!”
“You disappeared for so long and left me suffering!”
“The last time you had Gouri, you didn’t even touch me!”
“Do you know I’ve been soaking in this hot spring every single day?”
“I can barely even maintain my human form anymore.”
“My desire burns so fiercely that I have to return to my true form just to ease it.”
She immediately transformed completely into a human woman.
Her flawless body wrapped tightly around Lanling as she kissed him frantically.
More than an hour later…
Sisi floated weakly upon the water, breathing heavily.
She looked utterly exhausted.
“Where are Gouri and Ali?” Lanling asked.
“They aren’t in the Chimera Tribe,” Sisi replied.
“They’re hiding in a secret stronghold that no one knows about.”
“Gouri has been torturing your Ali day and night.”
“She’s terrified that you’ll return with powerful allies to rescue her.”
“Shouldn’t she have laid a trap here and waited for me?” Lanling asked.
“The trap is near the Ghost Domain World,” Sisi replied.
“There aren’t many experts left inside the tribe itself.”
“Only three or four thousand ordinary soldiers.”
“Where is this secret stronghold?”
“No one knows.”
“Only Constantine and the First Madam.”
“You don’t know either?”
Sisi smiled mischievously.
“If I tell you…”
“What do I get?”
“What do you want?”
“Once you’ve destroyed the Chimera Tribe…”
“Marry me as your Second Madam.”
Lanling smiled.
“Didn’t we already make that deal before?”
“That agreement wasn’t specific,” she replied.
“This time I want it confirmed.”
“Deal?”
Previously their agreement had indeed been rather vague.
Now she wanted a clear promise.
Once the Chimera Tribe was destroyed…
He would marry her as his Second Madam.
Still…
Being Constantine’s second wife had not exactly brought him good fortune.
She seemed rather unlucky.
“Agreed,” Lanling said.
Sisi waved her hand.
The surface of the hot spring instantly froze.
She drew a map upon the ice.
“This is the Chimera Tribe.”
“Ninety-five li to the south-west…”
“There’s an underground cave.”
“That’s one of the Chimera Tribe’s secret bases.”
“Gouri is hiding there.”
…
Ninety-five li south-west of the Chimera Tribe…
Black Wolf Cave.
It had once been Constantine’s secret treasury.
However, after emptying it to provide Ninian’s enormous dowry…
It had been abandoned.
Like any cautious man, Constantine possessed several such hideouts.
To prevent Lanling from rescuing Ali…
Gouri had hidden her there.
For several days…
She had tortured Ali relentlessly.
Ali’s body was covered with burns, whip marks, cuts and bite wounds.
She was barely alive.
Completely unclothed, her limbs were spread apart as she hung suspended in the air.
Gouri tossed a red-hot branding iron into the water.
Ali had fainted again.
“Wake her.”
A female warrior splashed icy water across Ali’s face.
She slowly regained consciousness.
Coughing weakly…
She spat out blood.
“Kill me…”
“Please…”
“Kill me…”
Gouri sneered.
“This hideout is known only to my husband and me.”
“Your Lanling will never find you.”
“This is the punishment I deserve,” Ali whispered.
“I never expected him to come.”
Gouri smiled coldly.
“I’ve tortured you for long enough.”
“Now comes the real feast.”
“I’ve prepared five men for you.”
“Five strong men.”
“Like wild beasts.”
“I’m taking revenge on Lanling.”
“I’ll have his woman violated until she begs for death.”
Ali trembled with terror.
Using the last of her strength, she struggled desperately.
“Kill me…”
“Please…”
“Kill me…”
“You think death comes so easily?”
Gouri laughed.
“Five men are only the beginning.”
“After that…”
“You’ll be treated like the lowest prostitute.”
Ali suddenly bit down on her own tongue, attempting suicide.
Before she could succeed…
Someone stuffed cloth into her mouth.
Gouri had no intention of allowing her to die.
“You want death?”
“Not yet.”
She clapped her hands.
“Come in.”
“My wild beasts.”
“Come and…”
A man slowly walked into the cave.
The moment Gouri saw him…
Her face turned deathly pale.
It was as though she had seen a ghost.
How could Lanling possibly be here?
No one knew about this secret hideout.
How had he found it?
“Lanling…”
“W… why are you here?” she cried in horror.
Lanling smiled coldly.
“To have you once again.”