166: Chapter 166 The Demon Clan's Deadly Trap

A few of the more composed Yao soldiers scrambled to speak, their voices distorted by terror. "That person—the one in purple clothes—charged out alone! Commander Redscale and the other three rushed him, but in the blink of an eye, they were all—"

Their heads flew off! Their bodies exploded! Then several of our generals seemed possessed; they fell one after another—all hit in their vitals! Too... too fast! It was truly too fast!"

"Exactly! We—we didn't even have time to escape!"

"He's not human—he's terrifying!"

The dozen or so Yao soldiers chimed in one after another. Though their accounts were chaotic, their descriptions were shockingly consistent.

A human powerhouse in the Late Stage of the Bright Moon Realm, wearing purple clothing, had used unimaginable speed to crush and instantly kill every Bright Moon Realm Yao General who dared to challenge him.

The fury on the Evil-Eye Demon King's face gradually faded, replaced by an indescribable sense of—excitement and agitation.

Its goatee even twitched slightly.

"Just one? Speed as fast as lightning? Late Stage of the Bright Moon Realm? Yet able to insta-kill enemies of the same Rank several times his number?"

The Evil-Eye Demon King repeated these keywords, its eerie green pupils growing brighter. It suddenly burst into a low, grating laugh that sounded like the hooting of a night owl. "Hehehe—hahahahaha—Good! Good! Excellent!"

It actually said "good" three times in a row, its withered body trembling slightly with excitement, as if it had heard the greatest news imaginable.

"Come!" It stifled its laughter and commanded the dozen Yao soldiers slumped on the ground. "Draw that human's appearance for me! Right now, immediately! Every one of you must draw! It must be accurate!"

Though these Yao soldiers were still shaken, how could they dare disobey the order of a Marquis Level Demon King?

They hurriedly scrambled up, picking up bone shards from the ground or channeling their Demonic Qi to sketch on the floor, the walls, and even the backs of their companions.

Soon, seven or eight portraits of varying styles but highly consistent core features—a young male with a cold temperament, deep eyes, and wearing a purple human uniform—were presented before the Evil-Eye Demon King.

The Evil-Eye Demon King stepped closer, its eerie green gaze like a precision scanner, meticulously comparing every portrait.

It paid particular attention to the details depicting the eyes and temperament.

After a moment, it nodded with satisfaction.

"Yes, very good. It is him." The Evil-Eye Demon King's voice returned to its previous cold calm, even carrying a hint of eerie warmth.

The dozen or so shaken Yao soldiers, seeing their master's mood seemingly improve, couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief, thinking they had escaped death and passed the ordeal by luck.

However—

"In that case, you all—" the Evil-Eye Demon King's voice was flat and emotionless, "can rest in peace now. Knowing too much always invites disaster."

The relief on the faces of the seven or eight Yao soldiers instantly froze! An extremely cold sense of mortal crisis immediately overwhelmed their bodies and minds!

"Your Majesty, have mercy!!!"

The shrill pleas for mercy were cut off halfway—Buzz!

A darkness as deep as ink suddenly descended! It was as if all the light in the Hall of White Bones was instantly swallowed.

This darkness was not merely a lack of light; it was a bizarre Domain filled with suffocating Demonic Qi erosion, Soul freezing, and spatial distortion.

The darkness lasted for less than a breath.

When the black mist receded like a tide, only a dozen pools of slightly smoking, viscous, and twisted black sludge remained where they had stood.

Not even a fragment of bone was left behind.

The Evil-Eye Demon King didn't even lift an eyelid, as if it had merely cleared away a few eyesore ants.

In the vast, cold hall, only its withered figure and the few pools of terrifying, still-warm remains at its feet were left.

The Evil-Eye Demon King sat back down cross-legged, its eerie green gaze crossing through the rotating Interstellar Gate, as if it could pierce through the endless Void Realm barriers to land on the distant ruins of Nanzha County.

The corners of its mouth, which looked like withered tree bark, seemed to twitch upward into a silent smile, filled with a cruelty and anticipation akin to discovering a rare treasure.

"Heh—it seems this child is that Human Race Prodigy who has reached the Ninth Layer Perfection of the Nine Heavens Divine Body? Such a young monster—"

"Finding it by sheer luck after searching everywhere—"

It whispered in a voice only it could hear within the cold, empty hall.

Deep within its eerie green pupils, a glint of greed flashed with tangible intensity.

Behind it, the ink-colored Domain rippled slightly, like an abyss opening its silent, giant maw.

Outside Nanzha County, flames licked at the broken walls and debris, and the pungent smell of char mixed with the scent of blood drifted in the cold night wind.

The smoke had not yet dissipated, and the air held the lingering fluctuations of intense energy collisions.

After Li Wen killed the last fleeing Yao soldier, he did not leave immediately.

His gaze swept solemnly over the messy battlefield, quickly landing on several fallen Human Race Garrison God-Fiends.

Bending down to investigate, he found that two Bright Moon Realm Late Stage God-Fiends still had faint breaths, their chests rising and falling with great difficulty.

Li Wen did not hesitate, immediately taking out top-tier healing Medicinal Pills from his person and carefully prying open their jaws to feed them.

The pills melted upon entry, turning into a stream of pure and gentle life energy to protect their nearly exhausted heart meridians.

Only after doing this did he stand up and truly see the wounds inflicted upon Nanzha County.

According to the temporary access to the garrison's internal network, the defense force stationed here consisted of six Bright Moon Realm God-Fiends—one Peak Stage captain and five Late Stage members—as well as twenty Flying Star Rank God-Fiends.

Now, the captain and three other Late Stage members were dead, leaving only these two members whose lives he had sustained with the pills.

As for the twenty Flying Star Realm God-Fiends, none had survived; all had sacrificed their lives.

His gaze moved past the edge of the battlefield toward the residential area of the outer city, more than half of which had collapsed.

It had once been a place of bustling life, but now it was a scene from Hell.

The collapsed buildings stood like massive tombstones, steel and concrete twisted out of shape, with torn furniture and shredded clothing scattered everywhere, and shocking patches of blood soaking into the ground.

Occasionally, the suppressed sobs of survivors and the helpless cries of children could be heard, sounding exceptionally piercing in the deathly silence of the ruins.

An Aura of despair, like a cold giant stone, weighed heavily on everyone's heart.

This scene, akin to the apocalypse, was the third Li Wen had witnessed in person since Interstellar Gates had begun appearing more frequently near towns and cities recently.

The peace and tranquility of small counties had completely become a thing of the past.

Li Wen stood silently in place for about ten minutes, quietly recovering his consumed True Yuan and Mental Energy while also guarding the two companions whose breath had stabilized slightly after taking the pills but who remained in deep comas.

Until the low roar of engines echoed from the horizon, a large multi-functional aircraft bearing the insignia of the Huaxia military arrived at the scene. Several teams of well-trained medics and aftermath personnel quickly took over.

After a brief information exchange and confirming the wounded would receive more professional help, Li Wen boarded his faster personal aircraft.

The engines spat out deep blue tail flames, cutting a trail of light through the dark night as he returned to his usual station in Qingshi County.

That same night, tens of thousands of kilometers away from Nanzha County.

Kindling University, behind Wudao Peak.

The night wind brushed past the simple, ancient pavilion. The white-haired Chancellor stood alone by the pavilion, a 3D virtual screen made of soft light floating before him.

The screen silently scrolled through the tragic battle footage that had just ended in Nanzha County, along with the shocking casualty statistics report.

On the screen, every name on that long list of the fallen, stained with blood and fire, had once been a vibrant life.

"More and more small and medium-sized Interstellar Gates are starting to appear around ordinary counties," the Chancellor's voice was low, carrying a heavy sense of fatigue.

He looked at the visual data of the victims, especially several of the young faces, his fingers unconsciously tightening slightly.

"If this continues, our Foundation will suffer unbearable attrition."

He turned his head slightly and spoke toward the empty pavilion: "Number 2."

"Chancellor, I am here," a gentle but emotionless synthesized electronic voice rang out directly within the pavilion space.

"Summon the heads of the major member nations of the Blue Star Alliance. An emergency online meeting in one hour, highest security level."

"Instruction received. Initiating highest-level communication protocols and sending encrypted meeting invitations to the leaders of each member nation. The meeting will convene in 59 minutes in the 'Dome Meeting Room' of the virtual reality."

The intelligent AI assistant, "Number 2," responded quickly and accurately.

Meanwhile, in the distant Monster Realm, deep within the massive lair of the Evil-Eye Demon King.

Unlike the small and medium-sized Interstellar Gate areas corresponding to Qingshi County or Nanzha County, the territory occupied by the Evil-Eye Demon King had surging energy tides and thicker Demonic Qi in the air.

Its heart-palpitating compound eyes, like vortex abysses, stared fixedly at the portraits brought back by several Flying Star Rank demon soldiers who had fled back.

There was only one figure at the core of the portrait: Li Wen.

Having confirmed the accuracy of the intelligence, the Evil-Eye Demon King did not fly into a rage; instead, a low, twisted, and greedy hiss emanated from deep within its throat.

A Prodigy of the Ninth Heaven of the Nine Heavens Divine Body! On the merit list issued by the Demon Emperors, this value far exceeded that of an ordinary Marquis Level human God-Fiend!

It had been stuck at the Peak of the Marquis Level for too long. It was just one step away from the dream-like King-rank realm, yet it felt like a natural chasm.

In the Demon Emperor's treasury, the rare treasure 'Soul-Eroding Demon Lotus' that could help it break through the Bottleneck required a staggering amount of merit, leaving it in despair.

But if it could obtain the corpse of this human named Li Wen—the cold compound eyes of the Evil-Eye Demon King ignited with a blazing light of desire.

"Summon all Bright Moon Realm subordinates!" The Evil-Eye Demon King's voice vibrated through Demonic Qi, carrying an unquestionable majesty.

Soon, dozens of figures emitting powerful Demonic Qi fluctuations gathered in the dark hall.

They were of various forms: ferocious wolf demons, fierce eagle demons, but the most striking was a demonically beautiful, slender fox demon with two fluffy fiery-red long tails trailing behind her.

She stood near the front. Although her Aura was strong, it faintly revealed a sense of stagnation, as if she were at a certain Bottleneck.

The Evil-Eye Demon King's gaze fell precisely on that two-tailed fox demon.

"Chi Ling," the Demon King spoke, his voice raspy, directly calling out the fox demon's name. "Stuck at the Peak of the Second Transformation (Peak Bright Moon Realm) for ten years? The taste must be unpleasant, right?"

The fox demon named Chi Ling trembled slightly and looked up. Her eyes, full of charm yet hidden with wildness, looked toward the Demon King with a hint of hope and awe: "Reporting to the Great King, it has been ten full years, and it is difficult to make any progress."

Her voice was soft and melodious, but it carried an undetectable trace of anxiety.

"Very good." A Demon Core, circulating with tri-colored brilliance and emitting an alluring fragrance, slowly rose from the Evil-Eye Demon King's massive claws. "This is a Three-Tailed Heavenly Fox Demon Core. It contains essence that can help you break through the barriers and reach the Realm of a Third Transformation Great Demon (Great Sun Realm)."

Chi Ling's breathing instantly became rapid as she stared fixedly at the floating Demon Core, seeing nothing else.

"However—" The Evil-Eye Demon King's tone shifted, and his claws slightly retracted with the Demon Core. "If you want it, you must perform a very important and extremely dangerous task for this King."

Chi Ling did not hesitate at all. She knelt on both knees and lowered her head deeply: "I await your orders, Great King. Even if it means going through mountains of blades or seas of fire, Chi Ling will not shrink back!"

"The mission target, I will tell you in detail later." The Evil-Eye Demon King's compound eyes flickered with the light of a conspiracy. "The Interstellar Gate passage has many restrictions. Your Rank is too high; forcing your way through will inevitably lead to your rejection and annihilation by spatial forces. However, I remember your Bloodline talent 'Spirit Tail Breath Concealment' can briefly retract your demon tails and lower your cultivation Realm?"

"The Great King is wise," Chi Ling immediately responded. "The talent 'Spirit Tail Breath Concealment' indeed has such a wonderful use. Under full concealment, I can disguise and suppress my Demonic Qi fluctuations to the intensity of the Late Stage of the Second Transformation (Late Stage Bright Moon Realm). As long as I release it immediately after passing—"

"Exactly!" The Evil-Eye Demon King's voice carried a hint of cold calculation.

He did not say the subsequent words in public but switched to voice transmission.

Soon, his voice rang in Chi Ling's mind: "Your mission this time is to suppress your cultivation, sneak through, and kill a Late Stage Bright Moon Realm human for me. Once you pass through the Interstellar Gate, immediately restore your Second Transformation Peak power and swallow this Three-Tailed Demon Core! Break through to the Third Transformation!

That human's combat power is terrifyingly strong, but he is ultimately a being of flesh and blood, and his Physical Body Realm is still at the Bright Moon Realm! With your fox tribe's naturally powerful mental charm ability, after breaking through to the Third Transformation Great Demon Realm, trigger your strongest mental impact—ambush his mental core when he is off guard!"

The Demon King's voice was full of seduction and certainty: "As long as you can succeed in the ambush, no matter how fast he reacts, as long as his core is pierced for a moment by that extreme mental charm—

A Bright Moon Realm Physical Body could never withstand the full-force strike of a Third Transformation Great Demon in such an out-of-control state! Taking his life will be as easy as turning over a hand! Bring the corpse back, and this King will reward you greatly!"

Chi Ling looked up, her charming eyes filled only with ruthlessness and determination: "Rest assured, Great King! Chi Ling will not fail your trust and will surely present that person's head before your throne!"

Seeing the ambition burning in Chi Ling's eyes and her extreme desire for the Demon Core, the Evil-Eye Demon King satisfactorily threw the Three-Tailed Demon Core out.

It seemed to already see the merit in hand, the Soul-Eroding Demon Lotus in its grasp, and the future scene of itself entering the King-rank realm.

A long-premeditated sure-kill trap targeting a top human Prodigy had been quietly set in the Monster Realm.

Night of July 21, Year 231 of the galactic calendar.

Qingshi County Underground City, courtyard quiet room.

Li Wen sat cross-legged, surrounded by strands of deep purple electric arcs. The medicinal power of a red Medicinal Pill was being slowly refined and absorbed by him.

The gap in experience points required for his Scholar Rank narrowed once again.

He had just finished a major cycle of the Nine Heavens Divine Body · Ninth Heaven Perfection Chapter Cultivation Technique, and the Lightning Patterns on his body flickered.

Just then—

"Woo—woo—woo!" A shrill and piercing alarm tore through the silence of the late night without warning, and red light instantly filled the entire quiet room.

Almost by reflex, the surging lightning-attribute energy within Li Wen's body suddenly calmed down. His eyes snapped open, his deep gaze sweeping toward the alarm screen.

[Highest-level Red Alert! Source: Nanzha County Interstellar Gate Fortress!

Repeat!

Highest-level Red Alert! Source: Nanzha County Interstellar Gate Fortress!]

"Nanzha County again?" Seeing the information on the screen, Li Wen frowned slightly. He had just provided support there three days ago; for it to be in an emergency again so soon was unusual.

The doubt in his heart was fleeting.

He did not hesitate at all; rescue was urgent.

With a flicker of his figure, a deep purple lightning rainbow had already disappeared from the entrance of the quiet room.

The exclusive aircraft at the docking platform had automatically completed remote startup and preheating as the alarm sounded, and the hatch slid open silently.

Li Wen stepped inside. The streamlined aircraft's engine tail spewed out ghostly blue light flames, and in the next second, it turned into a streak of light.

Tearing through the atmosphere at dozens of Mach, it shot toward Nanzha County, the roaring sonic boom rolling through the underground city passages.

On the ground, Qingshi County's defense captain Wang Zhen and several Bright Moon Realm God-Fiend team members were alerted. They stepped out of their residences and looked up at the sky where only a faint trail remained.

"Only three days... Nanzha County is under attack again?" Wang Zhen's brow furrowed, his voice heavy with solemnity.

The scene of Li Wen turning the tide last time was still fresh in his memory.

"This frequency... is too abnormal." A veteran team member whispered, his face written with worry. "According to past patterns, after a Demon King's elite suffered such a heavy blow three days ago, there's no reason to regroup and attack again so quickly. They also need time to lick their wounds and assess risks."

"Indeed," another person chimed in. "The Monster Realm follows strict territorial divisions. One Interstellar Gate corresponds to one Demon King's territory. That unit was almost wiped out by Captain Li three days ago. Where would they get the strength to assemble another army so quickly? There must be a reason for such an anomaly."

"I hope Nanzha County can hold out until Brother Li arrives," Wang Zhen sighed deeply, his gaze following the direction of the light that had long since disappeared. "And I also hope that this time... there won't be too many casualties."

Everyone was silent, silently praying for their comrades far away.

Meanwhile, at the Nanzha County Interstellar Gate outpost.

The air was filled with suffocating tension and a thick smell of blood.

Some of it was from the lingering traces of the battle three days ago, but more came from the massive Demonic Qi approaching at this moment.

The new garrison captain, a lean Peak Bright Moon Realm God-Fiend named Lin Yue, looked toward the distant sky with a grim expression.

Dark demon clouds were surging from the direction of the slowly expanding Interstellar Gate. Their number and Aura were even more startling than the wave Li Wen

had dealt with three days ago.