Yun’e Clan, headquarters of the Demon Alliance.
“Rebellious son, rebellious son, rebellious son…”
The Rakshasa King flew into a furious rage because his son, the Rakshasa Crown Prince, had done something that crossed his bottom line.
It was one thing for him to act clever, repeatedly oppose the decisions of the Demon Alliance, and behave as though he alone was sober while the whole world was drunk.
In just these few days, the army assembled along the Rakshasa border had already exceeded thirteen million troops, with another million troops added.
Moreover, the Demon Alliance and the united front of the Demon Empire were still continuously sending reinforcements. From the very beginning, they had clearly adopted the stance of an all-out decisive battle.
It seemed that both sides intended to settle everything in a single battle.
Anyone in the world could see that the great war would certainly break out along the Rakshasa border.
Yet the Rakshasa Crown Prince continued to insist that the Heavenly Rakshasa’s target was the Earth Rakshasa. It was utterly absurd. He had even gone to the Earth Rakshasa race to warn the Earth Rakshasa Crown Prince.
The Rakshasa King could overlook all of this and regard it as his son being too clever for his own good.
But what the Rakshasa King could not accept was that the Rakshasa Crown Prince intended to deploy the Crown Prince’s personal forces along the Earth Rakshasa defensive line.
Not only that, he had even summoned the Wolfman Tribe and the Seventeen Demon Clans, intending to form a mercenary army to defend the Earth Rakshasa defensive line.
When the Rakshasa King heard this, he was both shocked and furious.
Even he, the Rakshasa King, could not command the Wolfman Tribe and the Seventeen Demon Clans. Yet for the sake of the Little Rakshasa King, they were willing to deploy half of their entire military strength.
Although the Little Rakshasa King was still only the Crown Prince, the army directly under his command was an extremely powerful force.
Ten thousand Dragonhawk Riders, three thousand Ghost Ray Riders, five hundred Black Blood Aerial Riders, along with various infantry forces, amounted to more than several hundred thousand troops.
The allied army provided by the Wolfman Tribe and the Seventeen Demon Clans according to their agreement numbered more than two hundred thousand!
Most of these two hundred thousand demon troops were aerial forces, along with ten thousand Wolfman cavalry.
What an elite force this was.
The aerial forces deployed by the Demon Alliance along the Rakshasa border numbered only a little over three hundred thousand.
Yet with a single stroke of his pen, the Rakshasa Crown Prince intended to deploy two hundred thousand aerial troops and ten thousand Wolfman cavalry to the completely useless Earth Rakshasa defensive line?
What an enormous force this was, a force capable of changing the course of the war. Why not deploy it along the Rakshasa border? Why not use it to defend the Rakshasa race?
The Rakshasa King really admired, and even envied, his son’s charisma. He could command even the demon and Wolfman races, not to mention that he had recruited Lan Ling, meaning he could naturally command those thirty thousand Centaur troops as well.
This son of his really was remarkable, truly outstanding.
But deploying such a huge military force along the Earth Rakshasa defensive line was not openly opposing his father? Was it not opposing the entire Demon Alliance?
At best, it could be called contempt for the Rakshasa King. At worst, it could even be interpreted as an attempt at rebellion.
The Rakshasa King’s gaze fell upon Elder Mo Kan, then shifted to the face of his absolute confidant, Priest Xi Ting.
Xi Ting was perhaps the most mysterious person in the entire Rakshasa race. He held no official position, and even the title of priest was merely something others casually called him.
He had only one identity, the Rakshasa King’s trusted military adviser.
Very few people had ever seen him. He almost never appeared in public, and no one even knew which race he belonged to.
Because he did not belong to any race.
He was human.
“Military Adviser, is the information accurate?” the Rakshasa King asked.
Military Adviser Xi Ting bowed and said, “Your Majesty, the information is true. The aerial forces directly under the Crown Prince have already begun gathering. The Seventeen Demon Clans and the Wolfman army are also gathering towards Rakshasa City. They will complete their assembly the day after tomorrow and then march towards the Earth Rakshasa defensive line.”
“Rebellious son, rebellious son, rebellious son…” the Rakshasa King roared furiously. “Send someone on a Ghost Ray back to Rakshasa City and warn that rebellious son. Tell him to immediately use this force to defend Rakshasa City. If he dares to send this army to the Earth Rakshasa defensive line, I will strip him of…”
At this point, Elder Mo Kan’s eyes lit up.
But the Rakshasa King ultimately did not finish the sentence. Even in his fury, he retained some reason.
“No. Xi Ting, you go personally!” the Rakshasa King said. “Tell that rebellious son that if he dares to send this army to the Earth Rakshasa defensive line, he will bear the consequences himself!”
“Yes!” Military Adviser Xi Ting bowed, then withdrew. He mounted a Ghost Ray and flew towards Rakshasa City to deliver the Rakshasa King’s decree.
The Rakshasa King said, “Have we received any news from Ying Jun?”
Ying Jun was the Rakshasa King’s personal maid. Although she had never been formally given the title of Queen Consort, her status was no different from that of one. She basically served beside the Rakshasa King at all times.
Two days earlier, he had sent Ying Jun to Rakshasa City to ask Princess Sha Yan whether she was willing to divorce Lan Ling.
“The Lady Ying Jun has not returned yet,” Elder Mo Kan said. “There is something I do not know how to tell Your Majesty.”
The Rakshasa King’s eyes narrowed.
“Speak.”
Elder Mo Kan said, “We have just received news that last night, Gu Tu fought Lan Ling in a duel over Princess Sha Yan!”
The Rakshasa King’s expression changed.
“What was the result?”
Elder Mo Kan said, “Lan Ling was completely defeated and died at Gu Tu’s hands.”
“What? Lan Ling is dead?”
The Rakshasa King was greatly shocked and stared fixedly at Mo Kan.
These people’s revenge had come so quickly. Lan Ling and the Little Rakshasa King had only just joined forces to kill the He Leng Crown Prince, and they had immediately killed Lan Ling in return.
Even the Rakshasa King could not help taking a sharp breath.
“Mo Kan, this matter ends here. Do not involve the Crown Prince any further,” the Rakshasa King warned coldly.
“Yes, Your Majesty!” Elder Mo Kan replied.
Then Elder Mo Kan continued, “Princess Sha Yan and Gu Tu grew up together and have loved each other since childhood. They were naturally a perfect match. If Gu Tu had not spent so many years cultivating under Venerable Chong Lou, perhaps Na Shu would never have had a chance. Now we can simply correct the previous mistake and have the two of them marry. Would that not be appropriate?”
The Rakshasa King closed his eyes.
The methods of that illegitimate son of his were truly ruthless. One move followed another, and every move struck directly at the Crown Prince’s weakness.
Sha Yan and the Little Rakshasa King shared the same father and mother. If even she turned towards the Netherworld Prince, how damaging would that be to the Little Rakshasa King’s reputation?
Previously, the Rakshasa King would never have agreed to this marriage.
But the Rakshasa Crown Prince had just crossed his bottom line. He had completely disregarded his authority as both father and Rakshasa King, secretly sending troops to the Earth Rakshasa defensive line. This was a direct violation of the King’s command and open opposition to him.
For a country, one of the most dangerous things was having two different voices. There had to be an absolutely unified supreme will.
Moreover, with the great war imminent and the Heavenly Demon Banner so powerful, this battle would rely heavily on the Heavenly Demon family’s Demon Leopard Legion and Ghost Ray Legion. If he rejected this marriage, the Rakshasa King would find himself in an impossible position.
“Let Lan Ling’s death be the end of it. Arrange for Sha Yan to marry Gu Tu. Let the two families become even closer through marriage,” the Rakshasa King said.
Elder Mo Kan said, “Yes. Then this old servant will be the matchmaker. I shall go and give this good news to the Heavenly Demon Lord.”
As it happened, the Heavenly Demon Banner Lord had been staying at the Demon Alliance headquarters these past few days. Because of the coming war, he would serve as a leading general and needed to participate in the overall war preparations.
Not only the Heavenly Demon Lord, but the six great demon races of the Demon Alliance, dozens of demon generals, and banner lords were all in the Yun’e Clan, carrying out the final preparations for war.
A few days later, the supreme headquarters of the Demon Alliance would move to the Rakshasa border, where it would directly command the great war.
After bidding farewell to the Rakshasa King, Elder Mo Kan immediately went to the Yuntian Pavilion. In front of dozens of banner lords and hundreds of demon generals, he smiled at the Heavenly Demon Lord and said, “Congratulations, Heavenly Demon Lord. Your son, Young Lord Gu Tu, is finally going to marry Princess Sha Yan.”
The Heavenly Demon Lord was pleasantly surprised.
“Really?”
Elder Mo Kan said, “Of course. The Rakshasa King has given his personal word.”
The Netherworld Prince laughed loudly.
“After all these twists and turns, lovers have finally become a couple. My sister Sha Yan has gone through so much, and she will finally be happily united with Brother Gu Tu. This deserves a great celebration!”
Immediately, the dozens of Demon Banner Lords and hundreds of demon generals present congratulated the Heavenly Demon Lord.
The atmosphere was extremely lively!
……
After flying for an entire day, Princess Sha Yan finally landed in Yun’e City on a Ghost Ray.
Her beautiful face was covered in exhaustion and dust. She rushed before the Rakshasa King and knelt down.
“Father, please seek justice for your daughter!”
The Rakshasa King was stunned.
“Xiao Yan, you… why have you come all the way here?”
Princess Sha Yan said, “Your daughter has suffered a great injustice. Father, please obtain justice for me.”
“Haha…” The Rakshasa King stroked his daughter’s head and spoke in a rare gentle tone. “I already know everything. It was all because your Crown Prince brother foolishly arranged the wrong marriage and married you to Lan Ling, causing you to suffer humiliation. But everything is fine now. Lan Ling is dead, so I can arrange for you to marry your cousin Gu Tu. You two grew up together, and this will strengthen the bond between our families. Are you satisfied now?”
Princess Sha Yan bowed her head to the ground.
“Father, the people I have come to accuse are precisely Gu Tu and my wet nurse, Black Veil.”
The Rakshasa King’s expression changed slightly.
“What?”
Princess Sha Yan bowed her head and said, “Father, my husband Lan Ling and I love each other deeply and have a very good relationship. Black Veil and her son Gu Tu tried to separate us in order to undermine my Crown Prince brother. Not only that, they acted without conscience. My wet nurse, Lady Black Veil, used my trust in her to drug me and tried to let Gu Tu take advantage of me. My husband Lan Ling nearly died while protecting me from Gu Tu.”
“What?”
The Rakshasa King’s expression changed completely.
His heart was deeply shaken.
First, Lan Ling was not dead.
Second, Lady Black Veil and Gu Tu had dared to show such contempt for him, the Rakshasa King, that they had even attempted to harm his daughter, Princess Sha Yan.
“Lan Ling is not dead?” the Rakshasa King asked tremblingly.
Princess Sha Yan said, “My husband did not die, but he came extremely close. Father, please give me justice and severely punish Gu Tu.”
The Rakshasa King trembled with rage.
Audacious. They were far too audacious!
Most importantly, only a short while earlier, Elder Mo Kan had told him that Gu Tu had fought Lan Ling in a duel and killed him.
The Rakshasa King had wanted to discipline the Crown Prince and win over the Heavenly Demon Banner. He had also believed that Sha Yan and Lan Ling had a terrible relationship, almost like enemies. Therefore, he had arranged for Princess Sha Yan to marry Gu Tu.
Once a king gave his word, it was extremely difficult to take it back.
Yet now, his daughter Princess Sha Yan had come to tell him that she and Lan Ling loved each other deeply, and that Gu Tu had tried to harm her, while Lan Ling had nearly died protecting her.
Lan Ling was not dead, yet the Rakshasa King had already announced that Sha Yan would marry Gu Tu.
Mo Kan, Black Demon Lord, Gu Tu and Black Veil had been incredibly bold.
This was deception of the King.
Princess Sha Yan desperately bowed her head to the ground.
“Father, please obtain justice for me and for my husband. Punish Black Veil. Punish Gu Tu!”
The Rakshasa King’s expression became icy.
“Guards, summon Black Veil and Gu Tu immediately!”
……
At the same time, Rakshasa City!
Military Adviser Xi Ting met with the Little Rakshasa King and delivered the Rakshasa King’s decree.
“The Crown Prince is forbidden from sending any army to the Earth Rakshasa defensive line. Otherwise, he will bear the consequences himself!”
The Little Rakshasa King said, “Is this Father’s entire decree?”
Military Adviser Xi Ting said, “Yes. His Majesty even said that if you disobeyed his command, he would strip you of your position as Crown Prince. However, he withdrew those words halfway through.”
The Little Rakshasa King remained silent for a long time.
Military Adviser Xi Ting bowed.
“Your Highness, please think carefully!”
The Little Rakshasa King said, “Military Adviser, your wisdom and strategic ability are unmatched. What do you think? Who will be the first target of the Heavenly Rakshasa King and Princess Di Nie’s conquest?”
Xi Ting hesitated for a moment before saying, “My view is the same as Your Highness’s.”
“Then why do you not say it?” the Little Rakshasa King asked.
Military Adviser Xi Ting said, “As a human, what right do I have to speak?”
The Little Rakshasa King said, “Then please tell Father this. The forces I am sending are my personal troops. The demon allied army and the Wolfman army do not belong to the Rakshasa military. I have every right to send them wherever I choose. If Father intends to strip me of my position as Crown Prince because of this… I cannot simply sit by and watch the crisis unfold. If he wishes to strip me of my position, then let him do so!”
……
Flame Demon City!
Lan Ling thought to himself, “Mirror, is there anything in this world that you do not know? Why did you not tell me everything at once?”
The Mirror Demon King said, “Please forgive me, Master.”
Lan Ling said, “Then tell me. Does the million Imperial Guards of the Ghost King Empire still exist? Have they found the Immortality Curse?”
The Mirror Demon King said, “My great master, I truly do not know about this. The chances are genuinely fifty-fifty.”
Lan Ling said, “Then where is the Sea of Hell?”
The Mirror Demon King said, “At the far end of the southeastern sea region, at the edge of the world. According to legend, no one who has gone to the Sea of Hell has ever returned, regardless of which demon race they belonged to.”
Immediately afterwards, a map appeared in the depths of Lan Ling’s mind.
The Sea of Hell, the legendary edge of the world, was approximately thirty-nine thousand li from the Flame Demon Banner.
At full speed, the three-headed chimera beast could reach it in two days.
With the army currently at his disposal, Lan Ling could not completely destroy the Heavenly Demon Banner, nor could he wipe out the Heavenly Demon family.
The surviving million-strong Immortal Army of the Ghost King Empire was Lan Ling’s greatest hope.
As long as he obtained this army, Lan Ling could sweep through the entire Heavenly Demon Banner and even greatly strengthen the military power of the Flame Demon Banner.
Therefore, it seemed that Lan Ling had no other choice.
At dawn.
Lan Ling took Gou Li with him, mounted the three-headed chimera beast, and flew out to sea towards the southeast, heading for the Sea of Hell in search of the legendary million-strong Immortal Army of the Ghost King Empire.