As the Zhongyuan Festival drew near, the number of demons gathered in Ji Tu Zhuang swelled to unprecedented heights. Normally, the settlement housed about 10,000 demons, but this gathering brought over 50,000!
The dense demon aura darkened the skies, leaving the sun and moon obscured. Even the gods of Heavenly Court and the Buddhas of Ling Mountain took notice.
Clairvoyant Eye and Keen-Eared Listener reported:
"Your Majesty, the Bull Demon King of Western Niu Hezhou has invited countless demons to celebrate his thousandth birthday feast."
"Western Niu Hezhou?"
The celestial gods collectively sighed in disinterest. To them, it was a savage, untamed land overrun with demons. Moreover, Ling Mountain maintained strict oversight, barring the Heavenly Court from interfering in its affairs.
"Your Majesty, such a large gathering of demons is a potential source of unrest. I've also heard that Ling Mountain has deployed forces to the underworld, leaving them shorthanded."
Lord Wen Chang stepped forward to speak.
The gods exchanged knowing glances.
"Wen Chang may oversee the arts, but he's a battle-hungry star lord. He firmly believes that under the heavens, all land belongs to the emperor."
"That philosophy works for mortal dynasties, but in the heavens…?"
Some deities smirked at the futility of such ambition.
If Heavenly Court sought total unification, wouldn't the Jade Emperor rise above even the Three Pure Ones and the Four Sovereigns? Where would the saints stand?
The Jade Emperor, however, nodded thoughtfully.
"Lord Wen Chang's concerns are valid. Such a gathering cannot go unchecked. Marshal Li Jing, are you here?"
Li Jing stepped forward, his tower in hand.
"This servant is present!"
The Jade Emperor commanded:
"Take 10,000 heavenly soldiers and monitor the situation in Mount Chiyang. If anything unusual arises…"
"Report to Ling Mountain and leave it to them."
The gods murmured approval.
The Jade Emperor understood—heavenly dominion could not rest on a single authority.
"Understood!"
Li Jing accepted the decree and departed.
At Mount Chiyang
The setting sun bathed the mountain in gold.
On the dueling platform, Monkey Brother and Lion Camel King were locked in fierce combat. Both were pure warriors, forgoing flashy techniques for a battle of strength and skill.
Their weapons clashed in a deafening cacophony of metal, sending sparks flying with each blow.
After 200 exchanges, Monkey Brother suddenly shook his body, activating the divine art Three Heads and Six Arms.
His Golden Cudgel multiplied into three, each smashing down with explosive force.
Boom!
The Lion Camel King, caught off guard, raised his Wolf Fang Club to defend.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The three cudgels overwhelmed him, driving him back several paces before he spat blood and collapsed.
"Lion Camel King has been defeated!"
The onlookers were stunned.
"One after another—first the Great King Yellow Wind, and now this Handsome Monkey King! They're equally astonishing!"
"Even the Jiao Demon King, whose divine art is only a prototype, is terrifyingly powerful. If fully developed, it's unimaginable!"
"I always thought the demon kings from other continents couldn't compare to Western Niu Hezhou. I was wrong!"
The Lion Camel King, a renowned demon of Western Niu Hezhou, was defeated by an upstart.
This realization left the demons both shocked and exhilarated.
"What's this monkey's background?"
The Lion Camel King, bloodied and shaken, stared at Monkey Brother in disbelief.
"Where do you think you're going?"
Monkey Brother grinned, pressing the attack.
"Stop!"
A piercing cry cut through the air.
Shhht!
A streak of black light tore across the battlefield, accompanied by a fierce wind. It carried the Lion Camel King to safety in an instant.
It was the Roc Demon King.
Monkey Brother stopped his pursuit, knowing the Bull Demon King wouldn't stand idle if he pushed further.
Calming himself, he retreated from the platform and returned to his companions.
"How was my performance?"
Monkey Brother asked smugly, grinning at the Great King Yellow Wind, Yu Monkey King, and Macaque King.
"Incredible!"
The Macaque King gave a thumbs up.
"Marvelous!"
The Yu Monkey King laughed.
The Great King Yellow Wind frowned.
"Not great. If you'd taken it seriously, you could have ended the fight in 100 moves."
Monkey Brother scratched his head, laughing sheepishly.
"I was just playing around!"
Strangely, he found himself cowed by Great King Yellow Wind's stern tone, much like when he faced Patriarch Bodhi.
"Congratulations on your victory!"
The Bull Demon King landed beside them, accompanied by the Roc Demon King and the Lion Camel King.
He offered a hearty laugh and congratulated Monkey Brother without a hint of displeasure.
The Lion Camel King, humbled, clasped his hands in respect.
"Your divine prowess is unmatched. I've learned my lesson!"
The Bull Demon King declared:
"Enough fighting for today. Let's celebrate together—this is a feast for brothers!"
Nightfall
Back at the Grand Strength Hall, wine flowed freely as the demon kings dined and bonded.
In his quarters, the Great King Yellow Wind sat cross-legged, focusing on fusing his newly acquired trait: [Turn Rivers and Overturn Seas (Gold)].
The room filled with cold mist as black energy seeped into his body, enveloping him in an ethereal glow. Water vapor condensed around him, forming a cloud-like aura.
Within his demon core, a black water sigil appeared, radiating divine power.
"Water is one of the five elements. With my initial gold sigil, I now have two of the five elemental roots. Only wood, fire, and earth remain."
"Many deities and immortals specialize in one element, while some dual-train. But mastering all five? That's a feat reserved for Taiyi Heavenly Immortals building their Great Luo Quintessence."
"With the Trait System, I can bypass the usual constraints of time, talent, and resources."
"Why settle for one path when I can have them all?"
The Next Day
The Bull Demon King organized another round of duels to foster camaraderie.
The Great King Yellow Wind took the stage and challenged the Macaque King, eyeing his [Turn of Fortune (Gold)] trait.
After 300 moves, the Great King Yellow Wind exploited the Macaque King's weakness, shattering his protective Black Wind with a single spear thrust.
[You have defeated the Macaque King. Randomly extracted the trait: Trifold Wind (Purple). Would you like to integrate it?]
[Trifold Wind (Purple): Gather the winds to form three essences—Wind of Inconstancy, Wind of Immateriality, and Wind of Extinction.]
"Ah, just purple this time."
As he scanned the crowd, his battle spirit reignited.
"Who's next?"
A streak of black light descended.
The Roc Demon King stepped forward, his sharp eyes gleaming as he brandished his Fang Tian Halberd.
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