Arriving at the North City Wall, Li Qingxian and the others dismounted and ascended the ramparts.
The sounds of shouting and killing from outside the city grew louder. The clash of blades and spears was sharp and clear, and the stench of blood suddenly thickened.
Li Qingxian bowed first and said, "Your nephew, Li Qingxian, pays his respects to Uncle Songg and Uncle Zhou."
Songg Yunjing nodded with a smile. "Chunfeng told me all about what you’ve done. Good, you have a bright future!"
Zhou Chunfeng sized up Li Qingxian and smiled. "How did it feel getting hit by Deceit this time?"
"I don’t want to feel it again," Li Qingxian said.
Everyone smiled faintly.
After the pleasantries, they all turned to face north, beyond the city walls.
Under the clear twilight sky, the Demon Race’s encampments stretched out in an unbroken line, trampling crops and covering the grain fields.
Between the city walls and the demon encampment, members of the Demon Race howled as they assaulted the city.
On the wide city walls, Heavy Crossbows and Archers fired methodically. Behind the walls, Catapults continuously launched large stones.
In the middle, Literature Cultivators, Daoist Cultivators, and Puppet Cultivators fought cooperatively, while Martial Cultivators and non-Cultivators held the front line.
Boulders, rolling logs, and flaming oil rained down on the Demon Race in turn.
Li Qingxian took out the Great Scholar’s Fragment and handed it to Zhou Chunfeng. "Uncle Zhou, your book."
Zhou Chunfeng took it.
The Demon Race’s assault wasn’t fierce at the moment, so the group stood on the wall, discussing the battle, analyzing the situation, and debating tactics.
A commanding officer of Beichen City’s garrison complained that other issues were manageable, but the lack of supplies was critical. Even Songg Yunjing and Zhou Chunfeng could only have a bowl of thin gruel for each meal. The only reason they hadn’t starved was by sating their hunger with demon flesh.
Cultivators could manage eating demon flesh, but ordinary people couldn’t stomach too much of it.
Xiong Zhenghao laughed heartily and pointed at Li Qingxian. "Before we came here, Li Qingxian mentioned he had a Qiankun Bracelet, so we requisitioned some supplies at Northern Garrison Pass. That Qiankun Bracelet is terrifyingly large—it holds an entire warehouse worth of grain and fodder, enough for all of you to eat for a long time."
"Really?" The soldiers and generals of Beichen City were overjoyed.
Li Qingxian waved his hand, and a large sack of coarse rice fell to the ground. He waved again, and the sack vanished.
"Good! Good! Good! The Qilin Child of the Li Family!" Songg Yunjing praised repeatedly.
"This is a great service! Even if it’s not the primary contribution, it will certainly be recognized as a major one!" Zhou Chunfeng said.
A garrison commander said, "Provisions are always a top priority for the army. With a warehouse of food, holding out for another month won’t be difficult."
Li Qingxian looked at Songg Baige and gave a slight smile.
Songg Baige couldn’t help but ask, "Uncle Zhou, I’ve fought hard for many days. Can I get a major contribution for that?"
But Songg Yunjing said, "You’re still a little short."
Songg Baige sighed.
Zhou Chunfeng said to a general beside him, "General Liu, take Li Qingxian to the granary to unload the provisions."
"This general obeys!"
Li Qingxian followed General Liu and left. Several large granaries were soon filled, and the officers and soldiers couldn’t stop smiling.
After unloading the provisions, Li Qingxian returned to the city wall. Before he could even reach Zhou Chunfeng, he heard a commotion. The sky ahead suddenly churned with roiling clouds, which coalesced into a massive black cloud mass hanging over the Demon Race’s encampment.
"It’s the sign of a Demon King’s arrival!" someone shouted.
Everyone held their breath and fell silent, staring ahead.
Zhou Chunfeng and Songg Yunjing’s expressions turned grim.
General Liu said, "The main reason we’ve been able to hold Beichen City is that the demons here are a scattered mob from all over, Fourth or Fifth Grade at best. They aren’t unified and are like a tray of loose sand. Often, when one group attacks the city, another just watches for entertainment. If a Demon King arrives and unites the whole army, the pressure on us will likely increase tenfold."
"Thirtyfold," Songg Yunjing corrected.
Zhou Chunfeng nodded in agreement.
"Blood Scholar, we meet again! Today, you’ll give me back the ear you owe me!" a strange, singsong voice called out from the front.
A one-eared giant elephant emerged from the Demon Race camp, swinging its trunk. Though they were still a great distance apart, the sight of the colossal elephant—taller than the city walls, with black skin and gilded patterns—made everyone’s gaze tremble slightly.
It strode forward, and the ground cracked, dust billowed, and a rumbling sound echoed.
The gold-patterned black elephant flapped its single ear gently, its two jade-white tusks raised high.
Its enormous eyes were webbed with blood-red veins, glinting with a savage light.
Zhou Henn said in astonishment, "That Bai Ya actually broke through to the Third Grade?"
Zhou Chunfeng channeled Literary Qi into his throat and boomed, "Perfect. Today, I’ll cut off your other ear to go with my wine and chop off your two tusks to use as decorations."
"Blood Scholar, you’re not leaving today!" Another strange, singsong voice sounded.
A giant serpent, as thick as two people embracing, slithered out of the encampment. It was over ten zhang long, moving across the ground like a longship.
Black pores split open along its back, spewing a green, poisonous mist that shrouded its entire body.
"Demon King Hei Wen, also Third Grade."
Everyone on the wall was stunned. How could two Third-Grade Demon Kings appear so suddenly?
The sky over Beichen City darkened.
Before the crowd could even process the news of two Demon Kings, another voice drifted from the Demon Race’s camp.
"Blood Scholar, back when you ran rampant along the Great River, this king was still young and did not face you directly. Today, this king will test your mettle."
The new demon walked between the two Demon Kings.
Its lower body was like that of a deer, with yellow fur and white spots. Atop the deer’s neck stood a humanoid torso covered in deerskin. Its eight-pack abs were clearly visible and its chest was thick, but it had no arms.
A deer’s head sat on the humanoid shoulders. Above the head, antlers glowing with a faint white light branched out, dense and intricate like the crown of a tree.
This deer-centaur stood three zhang tall in total, its antlers alone accounting for one zhang.
Within the eyes of this giant deer-like being, golden pupils radiated an otherworldly light.
Li Qingxian’s heart leaped.
The Demon Race has two types of humanoid demons.
’One type is a mix of human and demon, a Half-Demon. They generally have a human face and body with some demonic features, and their height isn’t much different from a human’s.’
’The other type has parts of its body in Human Race form, but its head is always that of a demon. They have golden pupils and large bodies. This kind of demon is an Emperor Demon.’
’Only a blood descendant within five generations of a Super-Grade Demon Saint can grow to look like this, like royalty among the Demon Race.’
’Every single Emperor Demon possesses abilities that exceed its own Grade Level.’
"It’s King Shujiao," Zhou Chunfeng said in a low voice.
An Emperor Demon, and a titled king at that. Even as a Third Grade, it would have the strength to rival an ordinary Second Grade.
The expressions on everyone’s faces changed. Even Zhou Henn furrowed his brow tightly.
"How strong is this King Shujiao?" Li Qingxian asked quietly.
Songg Baige sighed. "Three months ago, as a Third Grade, King Shujiao fought for a hundred moves against Heavenly King Chen, a Second-Grade Great General of the River Guard Army, without being defeated, and escaped with minor injuries. Of course, Heavenly King Chen was severely wounded at the time. If he hadn’t been, King Shujiao wouldn’t have lasted ten moves."
"Heavenly King Chen..."
To be called a Heavenly King in the Human Race, one must have participated in the killing of a First-Grade Demon King. Generally, only First-Grade experts can be called Heavenly Kings.
"Send for reinforcements," Songg Yunjing said.
Zhou Chunfeng nodded, took out a Communication Talisman Disc, and sent a distress signal.
"The River Guard Army is currently facing a full-scale attack from the Demon Race. If any Upper Three Grades experts try to leave, they will certainly be intercepted, so don’t get your hopes up. As for the Upper Three Grades experts from the rear, it will take them at least two hours to assemble, confer, and prepare to come here. We... we have to hold out for two hours, or more..."
Everyone fell silent.
Everyone understood the words Zhou Chunfeng had left unspoken.
’What if the Imperial Court abandons Beichen City?’
The Elephant Demon Bai Ya swung its trunk and laughed loudly. "Zhou Chunfeng, ever since I learned you were in Beichen City, I began making preparations. I even invited King Shujiao. Today, you and I will have another good, satisfying battle! If you dare to run, I’ll slaughter every city in my path! Beat the drums! Sound the horns!"
DONG... DONG...
WOO... WOO...
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