443: Extreme Realm

After completing the mission, Black Abyss returned to the military camp with the Goblin Emperor's head.

"Marshal, the mission was completed to Perfection!" he said to Su Xiaobai with a hint of excitement.

This was, after all, his first battle after stepping into the First Realm, and this victory undoubtedly greatly increased his Dao Heart.

Su Xiaobai stood with his back to him, hands behind his back, his expression unreadable.

"Mm, very good. All participating soldiers will be rewarded with ten thousand Spirit Stones each. You will have a month's military pay docked."

With that, he flicked his sleeve and left.

Black Abyss: "???"

Why did everyone else get ten thousand Spirit Stones each, while he, who contributed the most, had a month's military pay docked?!

"Su Xiaobai, you actually tried to make things difficult for me! I'll remember this grudge. When I get back, I'll have a good talk with my sister!" he thought to himself, a vicious look in his eyes.

...

Yao Race, Demon Emperor City.

"Your Majesty the Demon Emperor, the Blood Pills you requested have been refined."

Rolling Pig Demon King stood before the stone chamber, speaking with a fawning expression towards the inside.

Before him, ten Blood Pills, radiating a strong bloody Qi, floated. They were condensed from tens of millions of Human Race commoners.

"Mm."

A heavy, majestic voice came from within.

A shadowy Demonic Qi hand pierced through the Void Realm and took the Blood Pills.

Rolling Pig Demon King thought for a moment and said, "Your Majesty, our use of the Human Race to condense Blood Pills seems to have provoked their anger. They have already begun attacking our Yao Race."

"It is said that the Gothic Forest on the border has already been captured by them, and the next step is to enter the Filthy Swamp."

"The Human Race has declared war on us," he said with a serious expression.

"Heh, I haven't declared war on them, yet they've declared war on us? How laughable!" the Demon Emperor's disdainful voice came from within.

"But Your Majesty..." Rolling Pig Demon King's face showed a conflicted expression, "Previously, when we attacked the Human Race, our Yao Race suffered heavy losses. Now, only four Great Demon Kings remain."

"The Human Race Marshal, Su Xiaobai, is said to be the youngest Second Realm Cultivator today, unrivaled among those of the same realm, and has even killed several Demon Kings by fighting above his level."

"While Your Majesty is still in seclusion, it will be difficult for us alone to be their match," he said with worry.

"You don't need to worry about this. I have my own strategy. If they dare to come, I'll make sure they never return."

"If there's nothing else, you may withdraw first."

The Demon Emperor began to dismiss him.

Rolling Pig Demon King immediately became anxious. Delivering the Blood Pills was secondary to his trip; the main reason was that the Demon Emperor had previously said he had a way to help him advance to the Second Realm Late Stage!

But looking at the current situation, the Demon Emperor clearly intended to go back on his word!

"Your... Your Majesty!" Rolling Pig Demon King's face was anxious: "Did... did you forget something?"

"Mm?"

"You... you said that if I successfully refined the Blood Pills for you, you would teach me the method to advance to the Second Realm Late Stage..." Rolling Pig Demon King said softly, a hint of grievance on his face.

"Oh, that. My apologies, I forgot."

"Come in. I will personally teach you the method of advancement."

The stone chamber door opened.

Rolling Pig Demon King was overjoyed and, without thinking much, trotted into the stone chamber.

Bang!!

But after he entered, the stone chamber door slammed shut.

"Ah!!"

"You! You are not His Majesty the Demon Emperor!"

"Who exactly are you?!"

"No... don't kill me, I'll do anything, don't kill me... Ah!!"

Rolling Pig Demon King's screams echoed within the stone chamber.

Three hours later.

The stone chamber door opened again.

Rolling Pig Demon King walked out from within, his head lowered, his movements stiff, looking like a corpse.

A moment later, a strange, inky black glint flickered in his pupils, and the corners of his mouth curved upwards slightly, revealing a chilling smile.

"Though a bit old, it's barely adequate."

He raised his hand and clenched his fist, but the voice that came out was that of the Demon Emperor—or, to be precise, the Evil Buddha Demon Lord.

In the stone chamber.

The Evil Buddha Demon Lord was multitasking, controlling two bodies.

Originally, he didn't want to expend mental effort to control another physical body, but Rolling Pig Demon King, that fool, sought his own death and insisted on coming over.

Since that was the case, he couldn't be blamed for being ruthless.

He swiped his hand through the Void Realm in front of him, and instantly, a mirrored image appeared.

The image showed the Human Race's camp.

At this moment, a vast army was advancing towards the Filthy Swamp.

The image shifted again, this time focusing on a particular person.

That person had a tall and slender physique, clad in golden armor, standing like a pine tree. His face was extraordinarily handsome, and a hint of murderous Qi emanated from his brows.

Su Xiaobai!

"I never thought that a mere insect from back then would grow to this extent."

"If I gave you more time, you might truly become a major obstacle for my Demon Race in entering the Hunyuan Realm."

"But unfortunately..." A hint of disdain appeared at the corner of his mouth.

The image changed again.

This time, it landed on a vast, dim, and foul-smelling swamp.

Filthy Swamp!

He raised his hand, and an imperial seal appeared in his grasp—the Southern Demon Kingdom's Imperial Seal.

But it was not just an imperial seal; it also symbolized a nation's Luck.

He tightly gripped the imperial seal, and a wicked, terrifying power surged into it. From within the imperial seal came waves of pained Dragon roars.

"Behave yourself, or I'll crush you!!"

The Evil Buddha Demon Lord cursed, and the surging evil power intensified.

Finally, the Dragon roars within subsided, choosing to submit.

At the same time, above the Filthy Swamp, wisps of mysterious white mist emerged, engulfing it in a sea of fog.

"Heh, Su Xiaobai, I hope you like this first gift I'm sending you," the Evil Buddha Demon Lord sneered.

...

Human Race military camp.

Su Xiaobai, who was discussing the subsequent marching progress with Ji Xuan, suddenly frowned and looked up at the sky.

"What's wrong?" Ji Xuan asked.

..."I feel as if an invisible pair of eyes is peering at me," Su Xiaobai said after a moment of contemplation.

Ji Xuan's expression immediately turned serious, "It seems the Demon Emperor is already making a move against us."

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. What is there to fear?"

Su Xiaobai's expression remained unchanged. Since he had decided to go to war with the Yao Race, he was already prepared to face the Demon Emperor directly.

...

Two days later.

The army arrived at the Filthy Swamp.

Looking at the mist-shrouded swamp, Ji Xuan frowned deeply.

"Strange? I remember there was no mist here before, right?"

"It's probably the Demon Emperor's doing," Su Xiaobai said in a deep voice.

"There's a high chance this is a trap. What should we do?" Bing Ling asked.

Her question was also everyone's question, and they all looked towards Ji Xuan.

"No rush, let me cast a divination first."

Ji Xuan took out the divination tortoise shell and copper coins and began to divine.

He closed his eyes, continuously shaking the divination tortoise shell and the copper coins inside.

During the process, a wisp of his black hair visibly turned white.

Divining the Heavenly Mystery consumed lifespan, especially for such a major Karma related to marching and warfare; the lifespan consumed would be unimaginable.

"Open!"

Ji Xuan suddenly opened his eyes, and several copper coins dropped to the ground.

Su Xiaobai and the others quickly gathered around, glanced at them, then withdrew their gazes, unable to understand.

"Pavilion Master Ji, how is the divination?" Su Xiaobai asked honestly.

Each has their own specialization; this was not his Domain, so it was best to ask a professional.

Ji Xuan's brows were tightly furrowed, his expression terrifyingly solemn.

"An extreme situation. If it's good, there will be minor damage. If it's bad... the entire army will be annihilated..."