The crimson moon hung heavy in the sky, casting its silent gaze upon the desolate Tianxi Wasteland.

Here, the children of the wild slept an eternal sleep.

Powerful bounty hunters, indifferent to the cycle of day and night, viewed treacherous landscapes as mere thoroughfares. They ventured into the Hundred Thousand Mountains for bounty, whether hunting prey or seeking treasures, never emerging until their tasks were complete. Teams of such caliber moved with impunity, typically returning directly to the city upon task completion, with no need for communal encampment.

Only those bounty teams in dire need of rest, or lesser demons lacking sufficient strength, would seek refuge for the night in the camps nestled at the mountain’s foot. There were three such camps scattered across the nearby terrain, each strategically built to utilize the natural landscape and incorporate simple defensive measures. After all, the Tianxi Wasteland was far from a safe haven, particularly after dusk, when savage creatures like the wasteland wolves roamed with notorious ferocity.

Yet, the demon race, being the paramount race of this world, needed not fear anything when gathered in numbers.

Chai A Si arrived at the nearest camp, a hollow nestled in the mountain’s embrace, intending to await the dawn before continuing his journey back to Mo Yun City with his basket of herbs. The so-called bounty camp was no formalized structure. It was simply a spontaneous gathering point established by bounty hunters who eked out a living in the Hundred Thousand Mountains, seeking refuge in safe spots at the mountain’s base.

The facilities were rudimentary indeed. Scattered fire pits were dug, alongside a few rudimentary earthen walls, some fences, and scattered pit traps. Their protective capabilities were minimal. The true safety of the place stemmed from the sheer number of bounty hunters gathered there; even the most savage beasts understood who held dominion in this domain.

Chai A Si, with his usual amiable smile, entered the camp. Without greeting anyone, he found a fire pit on the periphery, scraped away the cold ashes, built a fire, and then, tightly clutching his medicine basket to his chest, settled down to feign deep sleep.

Sleep, of course, was far from his mind; his heart brimmed with anticipation for a future he had never dared to dream of. But feigning sleep allowed him to avoid interaction with other low-level demons. While few truly disdained him, there were plenty who indulged in idle chatter and boasting. Normally, he would have been willing to offer a few words of flattery, but having just pilfered an ancient god mirror from the belongings of Quan Xi Zai’s entourage, he could not afford to engage too closely with others.

Shrouding himself in his tattered robe, he curled up motionlessly by the fire pit, his ears pricked, listening to the casual conversations of the lesser demons in the bounty camp.

This night in the Hundred Thousand Mountains was far from peaceful.

First, a large contingent of troops arrived from the direction of Mo Yun City, all private soldiers of the main Quan clan branch there. Word had it that the human and demon races were engaged in a full-scale war in Nan Tian City, with several Sky Demons participating, and the military forces of the surrounding major cities were on high alert. For such a large force to enter the mountains under these circumstances, something significant must have occurred.

Chai A Si couldn’t help but wonder if something had befallen Quan Xi Zai, one of the three outstanding figures of Mo Yun City. He had entertained a similar thought upon seeing the two corpses in the forest earlier, but having found no other bodies nearby, and knowing Quan Xi Zai’s extraordinary strength, his two powerful innate divine abilities, and his great prestige, he had assumed Quan Xi Zai had perhaps escaped. But now, it seemed, something ominous might indeed have occurred?

In the latter half of the night, more demons descended from the mountain sporadically. A significant number were directly driven down by demon soldiers, bringing with them increasingly detailed news.

Quan Xi Zai had indeed met with misfortune! Not only him, but of the more than a hundred warriors he had led into the Hundred Thousand Mountains, only ten had survived. These were the ones who had not received Quan Xi Zai’s call to gather in time, and thus had not been close enough to him. The catastrophe, with Quan Xi Zai at its center, had spread across a wide area.

Chai A Si even gleaned the identity of the powerful individual who had crossed the Tianxi Wasteland and entered the Hundred Thousand Mountains before nightfall, from the idle chatter of the bounty hunters. That esteemed individual… was not, as he had guessed, the patriarch of the main Quan clan branch in Mo Yun City, but rather Quan Xi Zai’s lineage’s old ancestor, the True Demon Quan Ying Yang, who resided in secluded cultivation tens of thousands of miles away at Zhao Yun Peak! Even a powerful figure like Quan Ying Yang had arrived, and had mobilized so many troops for the search, yet the reason for Quan Xi Zai’s misfortune remained undiscovered. Not even a corpse had been found!

The bounty hunters discussed various possibilities with a mix of anxiety and tension.

Curled up by the fire pit, Chai A Si’s heart grew colder and colder. Could it be… related to that ancient god? But he had clearly seen the two corpses with his own eyes. Why did they say no corpse was found? What had happened after he left?

Chai A Si realized that he was perhaps embroiled in a very significant trouble. Very significant indeed. For a moment, he impulsively thought of handing over the ancient god mirror to completely absolve himself of any involvement. But then he would think… think of his grandfather’s corpse being run over by a carriage, think of his own unremarkable half-life, think of the brilliant future promised by that ancient god of Chi Yun Mountain, think of that “Heaven’s Absolute Earthly Immortal Secret Sword Technique.”

In the end, only silence remained. Especially since he knew the character of those nobles very well; even if he truly had nothing to do with Quan Xi Zai’s life and death, those lords could kill him on a whim, without even needing to consider their mood.

It should have no relation, right? The being residing in the mirror, after all, was an ancient god spirit capable of traversing the river of fate. Its opponent should at least be on the level of Tian Zhu Niang Niang… how could it act against a mere Quan Xi Zai?

Chai A Si, of course, did not know that the being within the mirror, which claimed to have fallen into slumber, had also been awaiting his reaction. But he simply closed his eyes and endured the entire night.

Dawn would bring solace. When dawn arrived, he would go home. Whatever had transpired in the Hundred Thousand Mountains, it would have nothing to do with him. Chai A Si thought thus…

At dawn, a large contingent of soldiers from the main Quan clan branch of Mo Yun City completely surrounded the bounty camp. Listening to the uniform sound of long knives being drawn, Chai A Si’s hairs stood on end!

“All demons, line up for inspection! Those who disobey will be killed without pardon!” The soldiers galloping on horseback outside the bounty camp roared. Their ice-cold gazes and drawn swords indicated that they were absolutely not open to negotiation at this moment.

Leading the team was a female demon general with an excellent figure, a long sword at her waist, and an extremely heavy killing intent radiating from her. Her eyes were remarkably bright, as if she could see into a person’s heart, likely possessing some form of divine ability. She personally sat at the entrance of the camp, observing every demon who passed before her—the inspection method was as simple as that.

“You! Come here!”

Chai A Si, still trying to feign sleep, was already hauled up by a fully armored soldier. Sleeping on the periphery of the camp, he had the distinction of being among the first to be inspected. The hand that gripped his collar had an extremely cold touch, as if frosted!

At this moment, Chai A Si was filled with deep regret, regretting why he had taken those few Dao Yuan stones, those dozens of Wu Zhu imperial coins, and that utterly useless hemostatic powder and antidote powder! Now, explaining himself was impossible! Leaving aside whether he could escape from so many soldiers, where could he possibly escape? A wanted order from a True Demon Lord meant there was nowhere in heaven or earth to hide. Even if he wished to flee to the human race’s side, he would need to possess some value; otherwise, he would likely be imprisoned and used to make Opening Pulse Pills.

Chai A Si, clutching his medicine basket and tattered robe, slowly walked outward, his heart pounding, muttering, “Upper Venerable! Upper Venerable! Ancient God Your Honor? Ancient God Grandfather!” hoping that the mysterious ancient god spirit would help him resolve the current predicament. But the ancient god mirror in his arms showed not the slightest reaction. He even doubted whether his experience of the previous day had been nothing but a dream.

“Hurry up! What are you dawdling for!” The impatient soldier kicked him and turned to urge the other lesser demons.

Chai A Si stumbled and desperately rushed out of the camp, only to see the enchanting profile of the female demon general—she, the general, strode past him, drawing her sword and pointing it at a sturdy demon within the camp who was angrily resisting, loudly scolding: “Kneel!”

Chai A Si shivered, his knees immediately buckling, only to realize upon looking back that the sword was pointed at another demon. He looked around in panic, but was pushed by the warrior beside him impatiently: “Checked, hurry and get out!”

This is… checked?

Chai A Si dared not say more, tightened his grip on his medicine basket, and then hurriedly walked outward. He kept his head down as he walked, and after he had walked out of the demon soldiers’ line of sight, he subconsciously quickened his pace. He walked faster and faster, until he had been walking in the Tianxi Wasteland for a long time, and was finally jolted by the biting wind and snow, only then realizing that his back was already soaked with cold sweat.

From yesterday until now, the ancient god mirror hidden in his arms had shown no further reaction. That ancient god had fallen into slumber. Did that mean, throwing away the mirror also didn’t matter? Did that mean, he could just discard this mirror, bring that “Heaven’s Absolute Earthly Immortal Secret Sword Technique” back to the city, and thereafter cultivate diligently, striving to become a powerful demon soldier?

Dao path, divine path, river of fate… these words flickered through his mind. Merely a demon soldier… since it was a dream, he shouldn’t be so timid. At the very least, he should become a demon general, bringing glory to his family!

Chai A Si didn’t know why, in the bounty camp, a place where the weak gathered, there would be demons foolishly resisting inspection. He also didn’t know why he had hidden the item taken from the corpse but hadn’t been discovered. He only felt that everything was going incredibly smoothly for him.

There was a saying, wasn’t there… when fortune smiles, heaven and earth lend their aid; when luck runs out, even heroes are helpless! Wasn’t this great fortune upon him?!

Chai A Si tightened his collar, hid the ancient god mirror even deeper, and continued walking forward in the wind and snow. This time, his waist was straighter, his spine more upright. At a certain moment, he lifted his head and looked into the distance. On the vast wasteland, there was nothing in the far distance… just like his original future.

The Tianxi Wasteland had a harsh and changeable climate, with hot mornings and snowy evenings, hail on the east side and rain on the west. Fierce beasts roamed freely, truly not a place suitable for living. The demon race had only casually built a city here, naming it “Tianxi,” and for a long time, it was the only city. Only after the human race invaded the Tianyu World and gained a foothold was the Tianxi Wasteland extensively developed. Cities like Nan Tian, Ji Lei, Mo Yun, Bi Bo, Shi Tuo… were only slowly built thereafter.

The war that had erupted at the so-called “Demon Race’s Nan Tian Gate,” its flames were slowly extinguishing. Large contingents of human warriors slowly retreated back to the Five Evils Basin. Demon warriors, under the leadership of several True Demons, also retreated deeper into the Tianxi Wasteland. Yuan Xian Ting was unwilling to relocate the city again; he couldn’t afford to lose face. It was Qi Guan Ying who personally took action, moving Nan Tian City, which blocked the exit of Frost Wind Valley, back by thirty-one li.

For the vast majority of the demon race’s military and civilian population, this war was, of course, a great victory for the demon race. How preposterous that Jiang Meng Xiong was reckless, Zuo Xiao was foolish, and Qin Chang Sheng was stubborn. Rashly initiating a great war, leading an unrighteous army, claiming they would trample Nan Tian City before sunset. They had mobilized the human race’s grand army of a million, ten thousand flying boats, dozens of True Persons, countless war chariots… rushing over like a flood. What was the outcome? Were they not still beaten back head-on, retreating in disgrace? If they hadn’t fled quickly, Grandfather Yuan would have lifted his battle halberd and charged into the Five Evils Basin!

Even better news was that the human race’s contemporary foremost heavenly pride, Qi Guo’s youngest military merit marquis, a fellow named Jiang Wang, had already perished in Frost Wind Valley. The demon race had won now, and they had won the future!

Of course, war inevitably brought sacrifice, and Nan Tian City had also suffered some damage. But the sacrificed warriors would all receive compensation, and the damaged city walls could also be quickly repaired. Nan Tian City’s retreat of thirty-one li, compared to the human race’s retreat by even more li, was the demon race’s courtesy, a gesture of the grand heavenly court treating guests with politeness.

Thereafter, the “Nan Tian Wu An” battlefield was designated as a medium-scale racial battlefield. The peak powerhouses of both sides tacitly agreed not to appear here again. A storm, thus, dissipated into nothingness. Sky Demons Yuan Xian Ting, Qi Guan Ying, Zhu Yi, Shi An Xuan, were of great merit to the demon race indeed!

Standing in the high sky, gazing at Nan Tian City which had already retreated thirty-one li, Zuo Xiao’s gaze was slightly melancholic. Not long after, Jiang Meng Xiong, who had personally moved Wu An City back by thirty li, stepped forward to his side. Qin Chang Sheng had already returned to Town Sui Ming; only the two True Monarchs remained here.

Zuo Xiao said faintly: “Jiang Wang’s misfortune this time was related to the demon race, but the main culprit was still the human race’s betrayal. Above, violating the human race’s common agreement; below, contravening Qi Guo’s laws, disregarding human principles. I have made the demon race bear their responsibility; should not this so-called behind-the-scenes hand also bear responsibility?”

Jiang Meng Xiong said seriously: “No matter which person or which force is behind this matter, they must pay a bloody price!”

“Then I shall wait and see.” Zuo Xiao said only this sentence, then turned and left.

Inciting a vigorous great war, forcing Nan Tian City to retreat thirty-one li, Zuo Xiao’s intention was of course to leave a space for Jiang Wang to escape—if Jiang Wang was still alive, if Jiang Wang still remembered to return along the original path. He left a sliver of life here, a glimmer of hope, a lingering thought. Although he knew this was unrealistic. But this was already all he could do.

He had originally intended to kill a Zhu Yi, he had originally intended to dye the Tianxi Wasteland red with demon blood, wanting to thoroughly search everything. But he could no longer. Even as a Great Chu State Duke, even standing at the peak of the Super Extraordinary realm, there were too many regrets, too many times of powerlessness. Four years ago in the River Valley Battle, the Chu country had suffered a great defeat, and he had been guarding in the outer heavens. Even wanting to act impulsively once, it was fundamentally too late.

Upon his return to the mortal world, as a State Duke, he had to focus again on resolving the turmoil after the defeat, to stabilize the Great Chu’s thousand-year state and nation. On the battlefield, life and death were, by nature, not to be recorded with private enmity. But he still disregarded the criticism and personally sought out that Li Yi several times afterwards, but all to no avail… When he heard news of that person again, it was already at the Yellow River Meeting, where Jing Guo formally announced Li Yi’s identity as True Person Tai Yu of Da Luo Mountain. The youngest True Person in recorded history, what that meant to Jing Guo, everyone was clear.

The hatred for Chang Sun’s death, was it to hate Qin? Or to hate Jing? Even he, Zuo Xiao, could not eliminate this hatred and enmity. Even with the might of the Chu country, he could not achieve it. Moreover, Great Chu was not the Great Chu of Zuo Xiao alone. Even he, Zuo Xiao, was not the Zuo Xiao of that year; the Zuo clan was not at its peak…

The helplessness of life, how could it be limited to just these? In the end, only a streak of red clouds traversed the blue sky.

Return, come back!