Volume One: The Cataclysm of Sorcerers and Demons Chapter 161: The First Battle Between Sorcerers and Demons, With Heavy Losses for the Demon Clan

After receiving Pyrite’s signal, the countless demon armies were able to move swiftly.

Before long, innumerable battle formations—devised by Fuxi through Emperor Jun’s River Diagram and Luo Book—appeared, formations perfectly suited for the demon race.

They emerged quickly, but in the blink of an eye, the demon soldiers diminished by several ranks.

Watching his fallen subordinates, Pyrite’s eyes blazed with rage.

Seeing Pyrite’s expression, Nine Phoenix immediately mocked him.

“So you can’t take it, huh! If you want to blame someone, blame your demon race for provoking us. Did you really think our witch tribe is so easy to bully? We didn’t stoop to your level, and yet you keep fanning your own arrogance!”

As Nine Phoenix finished speaking, the warriors of her tribe appeared in force.

“Brothers, let these demon cubs see for themselves. We witches may be few in number, but we are not to be trampled by them.

They really think we’re one of those weak races, to be toyed with and forced under their banner!”

After all the warriors of the Nine Phoenix tribe emerged, their numbers were barely over ten thousand.

Yet despite the disparity, not a single witch warrior faltered or shrank back; all stood tall, relentlessly slaughtering the demons around them.

No matter how many demon warriors there were, facing the witches was like charging into a meat grinder—they were pushed forward only to be torn apart.

“Oh, so your witch tribe really is so few! Is it because you’re weak?”

“Hahaha, what a joke, thinking so few can resist so many of us. How naive!”

Seeing the witches’ numbers, countless demon kings laughed in derision.

Yet, hearing their subordinates mock, Pyrite felt his face flush with heat.

“Shut up, all of you! If you have time to laugh, go up and kill the enemy! Look at how many we’ve lost!”

The group of demon kings, hearing Pyrite’s command, fell silent. One by one, they grabbed their weapons and magical treasures, quickly joining the fray with the witches.

But as they engaged, they realized how laughable their previous confidence had been.

They thought the witches’ small numbers meant no threat, but once battle was joined, the error of their thinking was brutally clear.

Even the demon kings could only fight to a draw against some of the less formidable witch warriors.

And this was without Nine Phoenix and her strongest warriors joining the fight!

“Lord Demon Saint, it’s not working! The enemy is too strong. We may have numbers, but if this keeps up, we’ll be lost!”

Looking around at their subordinates, torn apart and reduced to pools of blood and flesh on the earth, the demon kings finally felt the crisis. They quickly turned to Pyrite for help.

What they didn’t realize was that Pyrite himself was deeply troubled.

He thought, “Do you think I haven’t tried? Who could have guessed the witches would be so strong? The gap is just too wide.”

None of them had expected that the witches, not only physically powerful, but with spirit and soul to match, had yet to use any supernatural abilities or spells.

They fought the demons relying solely on their bodies.

Meanwhile, Nine Phoenix was far from idle, slaughtering the stronger demon warriors while calling out to Pyrite.

“You brat, weren’t you so cocky before? Why are you hiding from me now? Where’s your bravado from earlier?”

Pyrite, hearing Nine Phoenix’s taunts, muttered inwardly,

“You really think I’m a fool? We’re not even on the same level. If I don’t avoid you, I’m just courting disaster!”

As for the demon kings being hunted by Nine Phoenix, they were slippery and cunning.

She would nearly catch them, only for them to escape by some supernatural skill.

Still, Nine Phoenix was undeterred. With so many demon kings on the battlefield, she was determined—once she caught them, their arrogance would end.

These demon kings, having cultivated to such a degree, were hardly fools.

Each had a host of life-saving abilities and tricks.

Meanwhile, in the Heavenly Court—

“Your Majesty, terrible news!”

Emperor Jun was plotting how to subdue more races and sweep the Eastern Sea’s Purple Mansion Continent, when suddenly someone rushed in, panic-stricken.

“Speak! Why are you so flustered? What’s happened to make you lose control?”

Emperor Jun composed his angry expression before asking.

“Your Majesty, it’s Pyrite. Something grave has happened!”

“Oh? What could possibly have happened to make you so alarmed? If I recall, didn’t he go to wipe out a witch tribe? He had plenty of men. What could possibly go wrong?”

Emperor Jun responded with a blank face.

“No, Your Majesty. The witches are too strong! Though Demon Saint Pyrite faced only a small tribe, in the short time since the battle began, our demon army has suffered terrible losses! If we don’t act soon, Demon Saint Pyrite himself may not make it out alive!”

“What!”

Emperor Jun was so shocked he sprang from his throne, his gaze severe as he stared at the messenger.

“Is what you say true?”

At that moment, White Zephyr strode in, seeing Emperor Jun speaking with the messenger, and quickly moved to answer.

“Your Majesty, he speaks true. I’ve checked with the Celestial Mirror; our army has indeed suffered catastrophic losses.

And the enemy numbers barely exceed ten thousand! Most terrifying, they hardly use weapons at all; relying solely on their bodies, they stand against our army with almost no casualties!”

White Zephyr himself was deeply shaken.

They knew the witches were formidable, and had taken them seriously, sending Pyrite with a massive force to attack just a small tribe.

At first, it seemed excessive, but now they realized they had still underestimated the witches.

How laughable, that with such overwhelming numerical advantage, they were beaten so thoroughly.

For a moment, Emperor Jun and White Zephyr both felt the road ahead was fraught with peril.

Now, Emperor Jun looked at White Zephyr.

“Advisor, what should we do now? Demon Saint Pyrite, should we…”

Emperor Jun did not finish his thought, but White Zephyr understood instantly.

“Your Majesty, we must not! The Heavenly Court and the demon race are at a critical moment. If we abandon Demon Saint Pyrite, it will chill the hearts of many demons and the powerful beings who have just joined us!”

White Zephyr quickly stopped Emperor Jun, who looked at him with deep worry.

“But Advisor, this is only one tribe! As I understand it, the witches have many such tribes. Can the Heavenly Court really oppose them?”

White Zephyr saw clearly that Emperor Jun had lost much of his confidence.