Chapter 692: All-out Preparations for War, Demons in an Uproar

Caught in a pincer attack from Song Changsheng and Niu Dazhuang, the lone Blue-eyed Demon Butterfly was quickly slain.

Before the two could even catch their breath, a series of imposing auras rapidly approached from behind.

“Damn it, these bastards just don’t quit,” Niu Dazhuang cursed under his breath, spitting out a thick glob of bloody phlegm.

“Enough complaining. We need to move, now.”

The high-intensity battle had all but drained Song Changsheng of his stamina, and Niu Dazhuang was heavily injured as well. If they were caught, death was the only possible outcome.

The two fled the battlefield at top speed, with several Great Demons in relentless pursuit.

Fortunately, the more powerful Demon Beasts in the outer regions had answered the summons of the Demon King, the Six-winged Dragon Snake, and were away from their territories. As a result, the path ahead for Song Changsheng and Niu Dazhuang was clear.

They fled for their lives, running for days and nights with barely a moment’s rest. Fortunately, neither of them was an ordinary man. Though they were chased all over creation, Song Changsheng and Niu Dazhuang managed to make a clean escape.

「Several days later」

Looking at the churning waters of the Canglan River, a surprising sense of comfort welled up within them. Once they crossed it, they would be back in Tuo Province, back in the territory of the Human Race. Only then would they be safe.

Crossing this river would take them less than an ancient hour.

SCREEE—

Just then, a shrill cry echoed from the sky. Song Changsheng’s face fell. Looking up, he saw a streak of golden light flash through the hazy gray Gang Qi Layer.

“It’s that Red-tailed Golden Eagle. Damn it, it’s been waiting for us here.” Niu Dazhuang’s expression turned incredibly grim.

Song Changsheng’s face was grim. “It’s always been said that the Red-tailed Golden Eagle is extremely vindictive. I’d never had the misfortune of witnessing it myself, but I guess there’s a first time for everything.”

It had been nearly half a month since they had crossed the river, and this Red-tailed Golden Eagle still hadn’t given up.

“What do we do? Detour?” Niu Dazhuang asked, his words rushed as he glanced at the swarm of Demon Birds flocking in from behind.

They were truly caught between a rock and a hard place, with no way forward or back.

Song Changsheng’s mind raced. He glanced at the raging river, gritted his teeth, and said, “We’ll go by water!”

“By water?” Niu Dazhuang was taken aback. ‘The number of Water Demons lurking in the Canglan River is anything but small.’

“There’s no other choice.”

Without another word, Song Changsheng leaped into the air and plunged like an arrow into the icy water.

Seeing this, Niu Dazhuang gritted his teeth and followed suit.

Two huge splashes bloomed on the surface for a fleeting moment before the two men were swallowed by the rushing river.

The Red-tailed Golden Eagle saw this and let out a sharp, ear-piercing shriek. It wanted to continue the pursuit, but a flicker of hesitation showed in its eyes as it stared at the murky green water.

Beneath the surface was the domain of the Water Demons.

Meanwhile, the flock of Demon Birds led by the surviving Blue-eyed Demon Butterfly, which had been chasing Song Changsheng and Niu Dazhuang, also found themselves in a bind. Though they were all of the Demon Race, the sky and water demons had always kept to their own domains. The consequences of trespassing were unpredictable.

The Green-Eyed Red-Maned Griffin in the lead snorted a jet of milky-white air and said in a cold voice, “Let’s go. We will report back to the Demon King.”

“But… what if the Demon King holds us responsible?” the Blue-eyed Demon Butterfly asked fearfully.

It and the Giant-winged Celestial Eagle had been the first to pursue the two humans. Not only had they failed their mission, but they had also lost the Giant-winged Celestial Eagle—the one the Six-winged Dragon Snake valued most. They were already on thin ice; if they returned empty-handed now, their fate would be uncertain.

“Are you questioning me?” the Green-Eyed Red-Maned Griffin asked, turning to look at the butterfly. Its piercing green eyes glinted with a cold light.

The Blue-eyed Demon Butterfly jumped in fright. The Green-Eyed Red-Maned Griffin was one of the mightiest generals under the Six-winged Dragon Snake; its status and power were far beyond the butterfly’s. It hastily bowed its head. “This lowly one would never dare.”

“Hmph!”

The Green-Eyed Red-Maned Griffin gave a cold snort, then beat its wings and flew deeper into the Demon Realm.

The other Great Demons who had accompanied it followed suit.

Meanwhile, Song Changsheng and Niu Dazhuang had already concealed their auras and hidden themselves in the depths of the Canglan River.

The river was unfathomably deep and eerily silent. Water Demons occasionally swam past them, but none detected their presence.

They moved cautiously through the water. After more than an ancient hour, they finally set foot on soft earth, shaken but unharmed.

The moment he was on shore, Niu Dazhuang threw decorum to the wind and plopped right down on the ground. He then spread his arms wide, lay back, and said contentedly, “Damn, finally back on land. That whole trip had me scared shitless.”

Their river crossing had been nothing short of perilous, but their luck was through the roof. They hadn’t encountered a single Tier Three Water Demon, and what few Tier Two Water Demons they did see gave them a wide berth.

With even a little less luck, they never would have made it to shore in one piece.

Song Changsheng leaned against the thick trunk of a larch, closing his eyes to slowly recover his strength. He hadn’t rested for days.

After about a quarter of an hour, they had both recovered some of their strength. Song Changsheng walked over and nudged Niu Dazhuang. “Time to go. We have to report what we saw in the Demon Realm to Master as soon as possible.”

“Right.” Niu Dazhuang kipped up to his feet. The two then rushed to Five Elements Peak at top speed and took the Space Transmission Array back to Luoxia City.

Upon learning of their return, Zhan Tianxia immediately granted them an audience.