Volume One: The Calamity of the Lich 162 Bai Ze’s Proposal, the Entire Demon Tribe Mobilizes

“Your Majesty, you must understand one thing: we and the Wu clan are fundamentally different! Judging from the information revealed by the Wu clan, it’s clear that they cannot sustain a large population. Yet, in our Demon Court, there is always a constant influx of new blood!”

Bai Ze continued confidently, “Furthermore, it appears the Wu clan has reached a bottleneck. Their strength has barely increased compared to before. But we are different. As long as we are given time, we will gradually surpass them! Now that the Dao Ancestor himself has imparted teachings, we have a clearer path for cultivation. Your Majesty, along with the other Demon Emperors, has already reached a higher realm. I firmly believe that it won’t be long before our demon clan experiences a period of rapid growth! By then, even the Wu clan will be nothing to fear.”

Observing Dijun’s current mood, Bai Ze offered his analysis and explanation.

Yet, after listening, Dijun voiced his concern, “But, strategist, have you considered whether the Wu clan will even give us this opportunity?”

Bai Ze pondered for a moment before replying, “Your Majesty, if all else fails, we can temporarily ally with the Celestial Court. I am certain that after this incident, they too will receive word of the Wu clan’s situation. I do not believe they would be so complacent as to ignore the Wu clan entirely.”

In the end, this was the suggestion Bai Ze could offer Dijun. He could see that since the demon clan had already come into conflict with the Wu clan, and given the long-standing grievances between them, it was impossible for either side to simply turn a blind eye. At least, the demon clan could not. Bai Ze did not know why none of the Wu clan’s ancestral leaders had appeared, but he did not believe they would remain hidden and indifferent forever. In his view, either the Wu clan had great ambitions, or they were weighed down by concerns—which, in turn, was an opening for the demon clan.

“Very well,” Dijun decided, gritting his teeth, “since you, strategist, have spoken so, we shall first rescue Iron Pyrite Sage. His strength is among the finest in our court, and grooming another like him would not be easy. Let all the Demon Emperors and Sages act together to ensure Iron Pyrite's rescue. As for the rest of the Demon Kings and warriors—save as many as you can.”

With that, Dijun made his decision.

“Your Majesty’s righteousness will surely inspire even greater loyalty among the warriors and Demon Kings,” Bai Ze said gratefully.

Before long, several figures appeared in the sky.

“Brother, everything is ready. We can depart at any moment!”

Taiyi appeared before Dijun, his expression icy cold.

At this moment, everyone knew—the Eastern Emperor was truly enraged with the Wu clan! Fuxi and Nüwa stood ready, weapons and treasures in hand, awaiting Dijun’s orders. The other Demon Kings and Sages had also assembled.

“Since everyone is here, let us depart! Let the Wu clan and the myriad races of the wilderness witness our true might!” With a sweeping gesture, Dijun gave the command.

Thus, countless armies, along with the many powerful beings who had recently joined the Demon Court—those at least at the Taiyi level—set off together, heading straight for the Jiufeng tribe.

At this time, in the vast wilderness, at the Jiufeng tribe—

The army led by Iron Pyrite was nearly wiped out, while the Wu warriors suffered almost no fatalities, save for a few with minor wounds. But with the Wu clan’s focus on physical cultivation, such injuries were little different from those suffered during ordinary training—no one paid them any heed. Each Wu warrior continued to pursue and slaughter the demon warriors with relentless force, some even chasing down Demon Kings.

Jiufeng herself was far from idle, keeping Iron Pyrite and several Demon Kings at bay, lightning striking them from time to time. Many Demon Kings had grown listless and demoralized, a shadow of their former selves—one might mistake them for beggars rather than Demon Kings!

Just then, dark clouds suddenly gathered overhead. Countless powerful figures appeared before the eyes of both the Wu clan and the battered demon warriors. Seeing this, Jiufeng’s gaze grew grave. She understood that the demon clan was now fighting with almost their full strength, all the major Demon Emperors present.

Though she could tell these newcomers were somewhat weaker than herself, their numbers gave them the advantage.

In an instant, the Eastern Emperor Taiyi produced the Eastern Emperor Bell, while another figure nearly identical to him appeared. Nüwa, Fuxi, and the others joined the fray.

Jiufeng showed no fear, standing alone against their tide of treasures and magical powers. As the battle began, countless bolts of her lightning crashed down upon her foes, yet their boundless magic and treasures shielded them. Jiufeng, on the other hand, was forced back several miles by their combined assault.

“What incredible physical strength!” Dijun exclaimed in shock.

Seeing this, Nüwa swiftly produced the Mountains and Rivers Map, drawing the remaining exhausted demon warriors and depleted Demon Kings into its inner world for safety. Only then did the others engage fiercely with the Wu warriors and Jiufeng.

Having rescued their warriors, the demon leaders had no intention of retreating. Instead, they seized the opportunity to fight the Wu clan head-on. After so grueling a struggle, the Wu warriors, though still formidable, were no longer at their peak. They began to falter, falling back under the renewed assault.

Witnessing this reversal, the Demon Kings regained their confidence, realizing that the Wu clan was not invincible after all.

As the battle wore on, more and more Jiufeng tribe warriors were seriously wounded—some even perished, despite Jiufeng’s desperate assistance. The tide of battle had turned completely; the Wu clan, who had so recently dominated, were now being pressed back relentlessly.

Many Wu warriors felt stifled by this turn of events, but none voiced a complaint. Instead, they fought with all their might to fend off the demon clan’s onslaught.

Watching the shifting battlefield, Dijun was suddenly seized by a bold idea: with the combined might of the demon clan, they could utterly annihilate the Jiufeng tribe.

But at that moment, several furious voices rang out from not far away.

“You demon brats, how dare you! So many of you bullying a single Wu tribe—pathetic! If you can’t handle it, why not hand over the Demon Court to someone more capable, instead of disgracing yourselves like this!”

“That’s right! Let us see just how strong you demon brats are. Do you really think the Wu clan is so easily bullied?”

As the voices faded, several figures landed beside Jiufeng. In an instant, more and more powerful figures appeared before the demon clan. One glance revealed that their strength rivaled that of the Demon Kings—some even concealed the aura of Demon Sages among them.

Moreover, the likes of Kuafu, Hou Yi, Wind Earl, and other great Wu leaders, who had arrived earlier, now stood ready for battle.