Chapter 54: Lujiao Mountain
Chapter 54: Chapter 54: Lujiao Mountain
This time, Langlang Mountain joined forces with Cyan Snake Mountain and Wild Boar Mountain. The three factions besieged Black Crow Mountain together.
The attack was naturally unstoppable, a foregone conclusion.
However, an incident occurred during the final siege of Black Crow Mountain’s main peak.
The Black Crow King of Black Crow Mountain, through some unknown channel, managed to contact Lujiao Mountain.
He was willing to give up his core interests and become a vassal of Lujiao Mountain.
When the great battle began, envoys from Lujiao Mountain were already on Black Crow Mountain.
They came forward to mediate on Black Crow Mountain’s behalf!
Lujiao Mountain was a behemoth among the surrounding mountain factions.
It was a second-tier power in the Red Cloud Mountain Range, possessing seven Foundation Establishment Great Demons.
Among them, the Antler King of Lujiao Mountain was a Veteran Great Demon at Mid-stage Foundation Establishment!
With such a foundation, Lujiao Mountain naturally had the confidence to step in and mediate.
The ones who rushed to Black Crow Mountain to mediate were two of Lujiao Mountain’s Foundation Establishment Great Demons.
One was at Early-stage Foundation Establishment Minor Achievement, and the other at Early-stage Foundation Establishment Great Success.
The three factions of Langlang Mountain, Cyan Snake Mountain, and Wild Boar Mountain had attacked all the way to Black Crow Mountain’s Mountain Gate.
They never expected to encounter such a situation.
Ordinarily, since Lujiao Mountain had stepped in to mediate, the matter should have ended there.
Black Crow Mountain would compensate the three factions with some resources, allowing both sides to take a step back and save face.
But who would have known that, at Lujiao Mountain’s behest, Black Crow Mountain would stubbornly refuse to offer any compensation.
And so...
The situation grew complicated.
Lujiao Mountain had never imagined that Langlang Mountain’s Jin Yuanba would be so ferocious as to flip the table entirely.
It’s unknown how he convinced Cyan Snake Mountain and Wild Boar Mountain, but the three factions ignored Lujiao Mountain’s mediation and brazenly attacked.
In the chaotic battle that followed, countless members of the Demon Army were killed or wounded.
Lujiao Mountain had only sent two Foundation Establishment Great Demons and hadn’t brought a large Demon Army with them.
Ultimately, the alliance of three factions was more powerful.
They directly conquered Black Crow Mountain!
During the battle, Lujiao Mountain’s two Foundation Establishment Great Demons even clashed with the three-faction alliance.
Jin Yuanba unleashed his might and, with the help of the Cyan Snake King and the Wild Boar King, forcefully slew the Black Crow King and repelled the two demons from Lujiao Mountain.
This time, they had truly poked the hornet’s nest.
Lujiao Mountain had seven Foundation Establishment cultivators. How could a temporary alliance of three mountain factions possibly stand against them?
Lujiao Mountain announced a formal declaration of war against Langlang Mountain.
If Cyan Snake Mountain and Wild Boar Mountain withdrew from the alliance, Lujiao Mountain would let bygones be bygones!
"What a brilliant move. Focus on the big fish and let the small ones go.
Face only one enemy at a time!"
Xu Chang’an couldn’t help but sigh in admiration.
’The wisdom of the Demon Race is not to be underestimated.’
Although Lujiao Mountain was powerful, if they pushed too hard, the three-faction alliance might, out of desperation, fight to the death.
But now, with a single promise to let bygones be bygones...
...they could create a rift within the three-faction alliance.
The three mountain factions were, after all, only a temporary alliance.
If the battle turned against them, it would easily fall apart.
Just so, under Lujiao Mountain’s aggressive pressure, Wild Boar Mountain and Cyan Snake Mountain announced their withdrawal from the temporary alliance.
Without the support of the other two factions, how could Langlang Mountain possibly be Lujiao Mountain’s opponent?
The hard-won Black Crow Mountain was handed over to Lujiao Mountain on a silver platter.
Under the siege of Lujiao Mountain’s demons, Langlang Mountain’s forces completely collapsed.
The Young Mistress, Jin Ling’Er, had led the wounded demons back to Langlang Mountain on the eve of the alliance’s collapse.
The rest of the Demon Army, however, missed the golden opportunity to retreat.
Now, with Lujiao Mountain’s immense power, Langlang Mountain could not stand alone.
It would be extremely difficult for the rest of the Demon Army to break through the encirclement!
Searching through the ranks of the returned demons, Xu Chang’an couldn’t find any sign of Xiong Da.
This caused a ripple in his Mental Realm, which had been calm for a long time.
...
After returning to Langlang Mountain, Young Mistress Jin Ling’Er immediately organized the demons to strengthen Langlang Mountain’s defenses.
She decisively abandoned some non-essential territories, consolidating the remaining demons to protect the core areas.
Elder Peak, Hundred Arts Peak, the Spirit Plant Garden, Wave Valley, Pinglang Valley...
No one could have imagined that when they set out, morale was high as they conquered mountains and seized territory.
But upon their return, they would be facing annihilation.
Including Jin Ling’Er, there were only two Late-stage Qi Refining Elders left on Langlang Mountain.
Many demons had suffered significant injuries, requiring time to recuperate, and were unable to stand guard duty.
Furthermore, neither the king, Jin Yuanba, nor any of the Sequence Elders had returned.
The demons of Langlang Mountain were in a panic, their hearts filled with fear and confusion.
At this moment, Jin Ling’Er stepped forward.
She personally inspected all areas, checking the nodes of the arrays to ensure Langlang Mountain’s safety.
Ten days passed like this.
The Demon Army at the front lines still had not returned.
The few Little Demons sent out to gather information never came back.
"Elder, no news is the best news.
It means the king must be safe."
Xu Chang’an was inspecting the Array in the Spirit Plant Garden with Jin Ling’Er.
Seeing the worried look on her face, he offered some words of comfort.
As a Standard-Bearer of Langlang Mountain, Xu Chang’an was considered a respectable figure among the remaining demons.
Currently, the demons on the mountain were on edge.
Moreover, since the Spirit Plant Garden was considered an appendage of Hundred Arts Peak, it was part of his duty to patrol it.
Among the core areas they had held onto, the Spirit Plant Garden was the most remote.
So, after inspecting this place, they could head back.
Jin Ling’Er’s face was pale; her previous injuries had not yet fully healed.
When she had left, the three-faction alliance and Lujiao Mountain were in a standoff.
Afterward, the alliance fell apart.
With the departure of the other two factions, Langlang Mountain was surrounded by Lujiao Mountain.
"Standard-Bearer Grey Rat is right. No news is the best news.
Otherwise, Lujiao Mountain would have already attacked with great fanfare."
Though she said this, Jin Ling’Er couldn’t help but worry.
’In a situation like this, I’m afraid Jin Yuanba and the other Elders can’t hold out for much longer.’
’When that time comes, Lujiao Mountain will launch a full-scale invasion.’
’How will Langlang Mountain survive!’
’And how am I supposed to handle it!’
For the first time, Jin Ling’Er felt the immense weight of the burden on her shoulders!
Even at the Qi Refining Seventh Layer, she was almost useless in a situation like this!
A sense of powerlessness washed over her.
Hm!?
Xu Chang’an’s senses suddenly sharpened.
A moment later, the sound of something tearing through the air rang out.
A streak of rainbow light shot toward them from the sky.
The color drained from Jin Ling’Er’s face.
"Quick, activate the Spirit Plant Garden’s Array!"
’Coming at such a speed, and with such aggression... this is an enemy, not a friend!’
"Right."
Xu Chang’an responded and prepared to take control of the Spirit Plant Garden’s Array.
Jin Ling’Er, at his side, also reacted quickly.
However, the streak of light was faster than they had anticipated.
Before the Array was fully activated, the light landed inside the Spirit Plant Garden.
It revealed a tall figure.
It was a demon with the head of a black crow and the body of a man, standing over ten feet tall.
"Hei Wu!"
Seeing the newcomer, Jin Ling’Er’s already pale face turned even paler.
’How could it be him!’
The Second Elder of Black Crow Mountain, Hei Wu.
Qi Refining Ninth Layer!
"Haha, so it’s the Young Mistress of Langlang Mountain.
What a pleasant surprise to find right after arriving!"
Hei Wu clearly recognized Jin Ling’Er, and seeing her here, he let out a wild laugh.
"You didn’t expect this, did you? That I, Hei Wu, would be here.
Langlang Mountain destroyed my Black Crow Mountain. My king and Grand Elder are both dead.
If I don’t avenge this, my heart will know no peace."