Chapter 563: Another Recruitment, the Great Army Marches

The two sides met without their usual killing intent. The three old patriarchs brought no attendants, ensuring their sincerity was clear.

Although the Demon Race arrived in greater numbers, they too restrained their temperaments. It was clear that both sides now stood on the same line against the Demon Race.

By mutual agreement, both sides set up a top-secret grand Array to ensure the contents of their discussion would not be leaked.

The stars shifted and the constellations turned. Three full days passed before the great Array was finally taken down.

It was impossible to tell from their grim expressions whether the talks had gone well or not. However, upon returning to their respective territories, both sides began to summon their key personnel, marshaling their forces into great armies to march against the Demon Race.

The three sects of the Human Race mobilized nearly eighty percent of their Golden Core Stage cultivators, ninety percent of their Nascent Soul Stage cultivators, and their only three Divinity Transformation Stage patriarchs. This force of nearly a million, proclaimed as the “Million-Man Army,” gathered at Mo Palace’s Demon Capturing City and Heart Slaying Hall’s Demon Suppression City.

Meanwhile, on the Demon Race’s side, more than three hundred different clans—some numbering in the thousands, others in the hundreds of thousands—amassed. An army of nearly five million Demon Race members at the Golden Core Stage and above marched toward Immortal Fox City.

Times had changed. Lu Kun of the Tiger Race was long gone, leaving only Xi Hongkai of the Rhino Race. He did not dare to stand in the way of the numerous Demon Race clans.

And so, in the great hall of Immortal Fox City, under the watchful eyes of the assembled demons, the Grand Elder of the Rhino Race, Xi Hongkai, was forced to kneel, his power suppressed.

They had only passed through the Rhino Race’s territory by chance. It was a simple matter to deal with a creature who would sell out his own kind to the other Demon Race.

Xi Hongkai knelt in the hall, looking up at the numerous Demon Kings, High Priests, and Elders of various Demon Race clans. His gaze fell particularly on Yun Mengshang and Yun Misha, who stood on the dais above.

“I, this Old Rhino, was just momentarily confused! I beg you, spare me! The Rhino Race is willing to serve as your vanguard. We will fight and die on the very front lines slaughtering the other Demon Race, and we will not shrink from our duty! I beg you, give me a chance to atone for my crimes!”

Xuehou glanced at Yun Mengshang. The creature before them had offended the Fox Demon Race, so his punishment would depend on their wishes.

Yun Mengshang smiled faintly. “Very well. In any case, numerous Demon Race clans are here to bear witness to Xi Hongkai’s willingness to make such an oath. We were just worrying about not having enough manpower. If the Rhino Race dares to deceive us, we can simply slaughter them from the rear.”

Xi Hongkai nodded hastily. This was a chance for him to live—not just for him, but for the entire Rhino Race.

“I-I swear on my Demon Pill! I swear that all warriors of the Rhino Race at the Golden Core Stage and above are willing to fight and die for the Demon Alliance, and we swear to slaughter the Demon Race!”

A spiritual resonance bloomed and shot toward the heavens. This was a Celestial Dao Oath sworn upon a Demon Pill.

Xuehou shook his head helplessly. “Fine. Take him away. But do not release the seals on him. He may look simple and honest, but he’s as slippery as they come. Have the Rhino Race’s Demon King return and immediately bring back all of their Golden Core Stage Demon Cultivators.”

Two Divinity Transformation Stage Demon Cultivators from the Demon Alliance stepped forward, grabbed Xi Hongkai, and dragged him away.

They weren’t afraid that the Rhino Race’s Demon King would disobey. Over ninety percent of the Demon Kings in the Floating Shadow Realm were gathered here. Unless the Rhino Race wanted to be annihilated, they had no choice but to bring their clan to join the cause.

After dealing with Xi Hongkai, Xuehou looked at Yun Mengshang and asked, “Now that the clans of the Demon Race are gathered—we’ll ignore the Rhino Race for now—could the Fox Demon King please tell us about the situation with the other Demon Race?”

Yun Mengshang and Yun Misha exchanged a glance.

Yun Misha stepped forward and spoke. “Throughout the Northern Territory of the Demon Race, for eight thousand li to the west, not a single member of the other Demon Race has been sighted. Even their usual patrolling Demon Soldiers are gone. According to intelligence from our clan’s spies, the other Demon Race has already consolidated its forces and gathered at North Demon City.”

Xuehou nodded. The mobilization of the Demon Race had been anything but subtle; it was only natural that the other Demon Race had received news of it.

North Demon City was the largest city of the other Demon Race in the north. All the Demon Kings present knew that it was a magnificent city built upon an extremely rare Tier Six Spirit Vein, and its Prefecture City Array was not to be underestimated.

Hearing this, many of the Demon Kings began to whisper amongst themselves. ‘The other Demon Race is fortifying their city. What should we do now?’

Xuehou coughed lightly, and the hall fell silent. Then, the leader of the Demon Alliance unleashed his domineering aura. No longer resembling an old man from the southern mountains, he spoke with wild arrogance, “What should we do? We march west and take North Demon City by force, of course!”

“Back then, the other Demon Race took advantage when our Demon Race and the Human Race were severely wounded from fighting each other! They seized territory all the way to our Northern Border Pass! Now, it’s time to return the favor!”

The Demon Kings roared in unison, “Yes, Alliance Leader!”

As the Demon Kings departed one by one to lead their respective clans…

Xuehou, who had stayed behind, spoke to Yun Mengshang with some apology in his voice. “Fox Demon King, please don’t hold any ill will toward my Demon Alliance. Your Fox Demon Race has never joined us, so when the other Demon Race invaded, we were helpless to come to your aid. Why not take this opportunity for the Fox Demon Race to join the Demon Alliance? Wouldn’t it be wonderful to unite the strength of the entire Demon Race, to be almost completely unified! Besides, my cultivation path is unorthodox, and my lifespan is short. Among all the Demon Kings, your strength is unmatched, and the power of the Fox Demon Race is immense. When I pass away, I will pass the position of Demon Alliance leader to you.”

Yun Mengshang smiled. “The reason we never joined the Demon Alliance in the first place was because we seek different things. Now that we are all allied, there is no rush. Let us speak of this matter again after the war.”

Xuehou reverted to his lazy, old-man posture.

“Fine, fine! This Demon Alliance… only your Fox Demon Race can truly keep them in line. Otherwise, one day…”

Xuehou left his sentence unfinished as he ambled away step by step.

Hearing his words, Yun Mengshang also fell into deep thought.

A few days later, the entire grand army of the Demon Race marched majestically out of the Northern Border Pass. They traveled continuously for over eight thousand li before making camp outside North Demon City.