116: Chapter 116 Demon Invasion, Ascension to Immortality
[Night, the moonlight was like water.]
[Chu Sheng lay on the couch, with Zhou Wantang, who had just volunteered herself, by his side.]
["Master, let me go with you."]
[She lay on his chest, her face flushed.]
[Chu Sheng looked down at her with a half-smile.]
["You? Aren't you a Hidden Demon? Are you going to help or cause trouble? What if you can't hold back and expose yourself on the battlefield..."]
[Zhou Wantang raised her head and looked at him seriously.]
["It is precisely because I am a Hidden Demon that I understand the Demon Race better. Their aura, their weaknesses, their style of doing things... I know them much better than those Righteous Path Cultivators."]
[Chu Sheng fell silent.]
[That was indeed the truth.]
["Moreover,"]
[Zhou Wantang paused, "Master possesses the Heavenly Demon Body. Strictly speaking, you are more like a demon than I am."]
[Chu Sheng laughed.]
["Alright, you have a point."]
["But before we leave, I have to collect some interest first."]
[Zhou Wantang's face turned red, but she didn't dodge.]
[An hour later, Chu Sheng walked out of the room feeling refreshed.]
[Zhou Wantang followed behind him, her legs a bit weak.]
["Master, you really are..."]
[Chu Sheng chuckled.]
["What?"]
[Zhou Wantang blushed and said nothing.]
[Before leaving, Chu Sheng called the Blazing Lion and the White Ape before him.]
[The two great demons squatted in front of him, looking simple and honest.]
["You two, stay behind."]
[The Blazing Lion froze, even forgetting to wag its tail.]
[The White Ape held the black iron staff, looking dazed.]
["Master, we're not going?"]
[The Blazing Lion asked in a muffled voice.]
[Chu Sheng patted its head.]
["You stay and protect the mother and son. In case I don't come back, at least..."]
[He didn't finish.]
[The Blazing Lion suddenly roared, interrupting him.]
["Master, don't say such unlucky things! You will definitely come back!"]
[The White Ape also nodded, thumping the black iron staff onto the ground, making it shake three times.]
[Chu Sheng looked at these two simpletons, his heart warming.]
["Alright, then I'll try my best to come back alive."]
[He patted the demon refining pot at his waist.]
["Black Tortoise, you come with me."]
[The Black Tortoise crawled out from a corner and slowly followed behind him.]
[The Blazing Lion and the White Ape watched him eagerly, like two abandoned big dogs.]
[Chu Sheng waved his hand without looking back.]
["Watch the house."]
Watching this scene, Chu Sheng's eyes grew a bit moist.
"This feeling is a bit familiar. Am I making my final arrangements? Leaving all the muscle behind and only taking a tortoise—isn't this just asking for trouble?"
He wiped the corners of his eyes.
"But the Blazing Lion and the White Ape are indeed adorably simple. Who wouldn't want such loyal subordinates?"
He looked toward the scene.
[Fengxian Prefecture, Drill Grounds.]
[An army of several thousand Cultivators had assembled, forming a dense, dark mass.]
[Chu Sheng stood in the ranks, looking at these unfamiliar faces, silently estimating in his heart.]
[Over twenty experts at the True Firmament level and above.]
[Five in True Transformation Realm. Iron Blood, Madam Feng, Stone Breaks Heaven, Cold River Moon, plus himself.]
[One at Spirit Lake, a massive gap in power. Xia Nihuang.]
["This lineup..."]
[He murmured, "Should be strong enough, right?"]
[The Old Grandfather's voice rang out leisurely.]
["Strong enough? Is it even enough to fill the gaps between the Demon Race's teeth?"]
[Chu Sheng's mouth twitched.]
["Can't you say something nice?"]
[The Old Grandfather chuckled.]
["Just the truth. Against the Demon Race, this lineup of yours is only enough to be a vanguard."]
[Chu Sheng fell silent.]
[Just then, several figures walked toward him.]
[The first was a silent man covered in scars, his aura as deep as an abyss.]
[Iron Blood, Late Stage True Transformation Realm, the number one general under Xia Nihuang.]
[He glanced at Chu Sheng, nodded, said nothing, and left.]
[The second was a glamorous woman, every frown and smile carrying a hook.]
[Madam Feng, Early Stage True Transformation Realm, commander of the scouts.]
[She walked up to Chu Sheng, sized him up, and then licked her lips.]
["Little brother, you're quite good-looking."]
[Chu Sheng gave a dry laugh.]
["You flatter me, Sister."]
[Madam Feng took a step closer and lowered her voice.]
["On the battlefield, follow Sister, and I'll make sure you're fine."]
[She winked, turned, and left, leaving behind a trail of silver-bell-like laughter.]
[Chu Sheng wiped away cold sweat.]
["Old Grandfather, this woman... is very dangerous."]
[The Old Grandfather said leisurely.]
["Dangerous? That's because you haven't seen anyone truly dangerous yet."]
[The third was a brute of a man, with a back like a tiger and a waist like a bear, his footsteps shaking the ground.]
[Stone Breaks Heaven, Peak True Transformation Realm, the vanguard general.]
[He walked up to Chu Sheng, sized him up, and then grinned.]
["You're the beast tamer?"]
[Chu Sheng nodded.]
[Stone Breaks Heaven suddenly threw a punch!]
[Chu Sheng reacted extremely quickly, dodging it narrowly by sidestepping.]
["Nice reaction!"]
[Stone Breaks Heaven laughed heartily, "Come, spar with me!"]
[Chu Sheng quickly waved his hands.]
["General, I'm no match for you."]
[Stone Breaks Heaven froze for a moment, then laughed even harder.]
["You kid, you're honest! I like you!"]
[He slapped Chu Sheng's shoulder with such force it almost knocked him down.]
["On the battlefield, follow me, and I'll make sure you're fine!"]
[Chu Sheng rubbed his shoulder, complaining in his heart.]
["One after another, they all want to protect me. Am I here to fight a war or to be the group mascot?"]
[The fourth was a middle-aged man dressed as a scholar, his eyes sharp as lightning.]
[Cold River Moon, Late Stage True Transformation Realm, a strategist-type figure.]
[He looked at Chu Sheng with scrutiny in his eyes.]
["Commandant Nie, I have heard much about you."]
[Chu Sheng quickly bowed.]
["Mr. Han is too kind."]
[Cold River Moon nodded and said no more, turning to leave.]
[But that single look made Chu Sheng feel uneasy.]
["Old Grandfather, is he suspicious of me?"]
[The Old Grandfather pondered for a moment.]
["Possibly. Strategists like him see everyone as a potential problem."]
[The fifth was a thin, small figure who appeared silently behind Chu Sheng.]
[Gui Yingzi, Middle Stage True Transformation Realm, a scout.]
[He grinned, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth.]
["Commandant Nie, the Commandery Princess asked me to follow you and protect you."]
[Chu Sheng looked at his shifty, rat-like face and sneered in his heart.]
[Protect? It was clearly surveillance.]
[But he remained calm on the surface.]
["Thank you, Brother Gui."]
[Gui Yingzi nodded, his figure flickering as he disappeared into the crowd.]
[The army set out, heading all the way north.]
[Three days later, the vanguard units suddenly encountered a small, scattered group of the Demon Race.]
[Chu Sheng saw real members of the Demon Race for the first time.]
[Green-faced with long fangs, surrounded by Devilish Qi, eyes blood-red, their aura was approximately at the Essence Gathering Realm stage.]
["This is the Demon Race?"]
[He murmured.]
[The Old Grandfather's voice rang out.]
["What? Disappointed?"]
[Chu Sheng shook his head.]
["Not disappointed, just..."]
[He paused, "A bit ugly."]
[The Old Grandfather laughed heartily.]
["Ugly? The Demon Race probably thinks you're ugly too!"]
[The skirmish broke out quickly and ended just as fast.]
[Madam Feng led the scout team and made short work of that group of demons.]
[Chu Sheng stood at a distance, watching, privately clicking his tongue in amazement.]
[Those demons, though only at the Essence Gathering Realm stage, were fearless and their combat strength was a notch higher than humans of the same level.]
["Old Grandfather."]
[He suddenly asked, "These are just stragglers?"]
[The Old Grandfather nodded.]
["Yes. The real Demon Race army is still behind."]