The wind howled through the mountains, sharp with demonic intent. For days, the Shadow Mountain range had been peaceful, but now, the air had turned heavy—thick with killing intent. The birds had fled. Even the trees seemed to bow low in warning.
In the garden, giggles echoed.
"Catch me if you can!" Xiou Xue laughed, her pigtails bouncing as she ran. Beside her, little Yue Mei's fox ears twitched as she tried to keep up.
"I'm fast too! Look!" Yue Mei shouted, her tiny feet scampering across the stones.
Their joy was interrupted by a deafening boom.
A demonic aura blanketed the entire mountain.
High above, dark clouds twisted unnaturally as a thunderous roar pierced the skies.
"I am the Demonic Sect Leader of the Tiger Clan! Today, we've come to claim this mountain and bury all of you beneath it!"
More than 200 demonic cultivators stood behind him. Ten elders in Core Formation Realm 5 or higher floated menacingly, and the sect leader himself exuded Nascent Soul Realm Level 10 power. His body pulsed with crimson aura, like a heart overflowing with rage and bloodlust.
Below, Mu Chen and Hei Mo felt the shift.
Inside the garden, both girls stopped running. Yue Mei stumbled, sensing the vile energy.
Xiou Xue whispered, "Brother...?"
The Tiger Demonic Sect Leader's eyes landed on the girls.
"Hehehe... what do we have here? Two fresh playthings. One looks five... the other maybe three? Fox clan again? Lucky day!"
A nearby demonic cultivator licked his lips, drawing his sword.
"Last time, the fox girls screamed so nicely before dying. Let's have fun again!"
He lunged.
Before his blade could even reach them, a poison mist flashed, and his head flew clean off his body.
Mu Chen appeared, eyes cold. "Touch them, and you die."
Xiou Xue and Yue Mei screamed in fear, hugging each other.
Xuan Long arrived with a thunderous step. His face was cold as frost.
"Shadow Soldiers! Lock them in the inner hall. Do not let them out. Guard them with your lives."
Five Foundation Realm soldiers appeared and escorted the crying girls away.
"Brother! Please! Don't go!" Yue Mei cried, reaching out.
Yue Li stood silently, her eyes burning with vengeance.
"Stay," Xuan Long ordered her.
"No," she said coldly. "They killed my family. I will not hide."
"But—"
"I will not be caged while the enemy breathes."
He didn't stop her. Instead, he gave her a silent nod.
In the skies, the Tiger Demonic Sect Leader sneered at Hei Mo.
"You traitor. You were born demonic and now stand with righteous scum. You dare raise arms against your own blood?"
Hei Mo raised his hand. Dozens of puppet masters appeared. 50 demonic cultivators stood at her back—all her loyal army. Her personal puppet, two Nascent Soul-level puppet, hissed into the sky.
The enemy gasped.
"What!? They have their own demonic army!?"
Then Xuan Long gave a soft whistle.
From the shadows, over 150 cultivators emerged. They radiated various auras: poison, illusion, elemental techniques. Mu Chen led his division. Two demi-humans stood at the vanguard, snarling in silence.
"None of them are below Foundation Realm!"
The Tiger Clan disciples trembled.
"ATTACK!" Xuan Long roared.
Chaos erupted.
Mu Chen engaged a Core Formation Level 8 elder, his poison turning the air green. His opponent screamed as his veins blackened.
The demi-humans struck like beasts, breaking bones and tearing qi barriers with mental force. Their opponents clawed at their own eyes under the illusion attacks.
Hei Mo's puppets swarmed the battlefield. Five elders fell in moments.
"Impossible!" the Sect Leader roared. "You dare defy the Tiger Clan!?"
He flew toward Hei Mo.
But Xuan Long blocked his path.
Their fists clashed, causing a shockwave. The Sect Leader smirked.
"Your techniques are demonic. They can't hurt me. I have the Invincible Demonic Body. Demonic skills under two realms above mine can't affect me."
Xuan Long narrowed his eyes. They rose above the battlefield.
"I will sacrifice all of you!" the Sect Leader screamed, plunging a black flag into the sky.
Dark tendrils emerged from the flag, wrapping around everyone.
Xuan Long didn't hesitate. He rushed into the flag's core.
"No! Master!" Mu Chen shouted.
"Lord Xuan!" Yue Li cried.
As the attacks fell on Xuan Long… nothing happened. The demonic energy vanished like water into sand.
The Sect Leader stared, trembling. "What... how?"
Xuan Long stood within the flag's core, untouched. His expression was calm.
"You don't deserve sacrifice."
He absorbed the entire ritual.
Then—he released it.
Waves of deathly force shot toward the Sect Leader, but he stood firm. "See? I told you. Nothing can hurt me."
Then he slapped Yue Li aside as she tried to punch him.
She coughed blood and hit the ground.
"Little fox whore!" he laughed. "You ran away, so let me tell you what happened after. We killed all the fox men. We played with the girls until they screamed... and then they died. It was delightful."
Yue Li's hands trembled.
"Your little sister is next. That five-year-old? Maybe Lin Qian too."
Xuan Long's eyes turned black.
"You... will regret breathing."
He appeared before the Sect Leader and activated his **Heavenly Devour Mirror**.
He placed a hand on his skull.
"NO—!"
Flesh, blood, organs—everything was devoured. The Sect Leader screamed for two full hours, his voice echoing across mountains. When it finally stopped, only a husk remained.
Even Hei Mo turned away.
Mu Chen covered his mouth. "That was too brutal..."
The rest of the demonic army tried to run. Xuan Long raised his hand.
"You are all guilty."
He devoured them. One by one.
Only silence remained.
Yue Mei and Xiou Xue sat in the sealed room, hugging each other, sobbing.
"Sister... will brother come back?"
Xiou Xue whispered, "He will. He always comes back."