Chapter 2754 - 2753: The Heavenly Campaign (Part 2)

Chapter 2754: Chapter 2753: The Heavenly Campaign (Part 2)

Pagoda-Holding Heavenly King Li looked over at Bright King Peacock, thinking to himself that there were still smart ones among the Demon Clan.

The Jade Emperor was personally appointed by the Ancestral Master; whoever dared to shake the Jade Emperor’s position would be opposing the Jade Emperor himself.

Heaven’s Mandate does not change—no one can shake the Jade Emperor’s seat.

Zhen Yuanzi followed up, saying, "What Bright King says is entirely correct. For this grand campaign to strike at Heaven, we must have a proper banner. We still need to regard the Jade Emperor as supreme, purge the traitorous ministers around him to rectify what has overstepped the norm. If anyone harbors thoughts of coveting that seat, I will be the first to refuse!"

His eyes swept coldly over the Great Demons, which counted as a warning to them.

The Great Demons looked at one another; seeing that Bright King Peacock and Zhen Yuanzi had both spoken, they each temporarily suppressed that impulse.

From the bottom of their hearts they looked down on the Jade Emperor, and had always clung to the goal of rebuilding a Demon Heavenly Court.

The Witch Tribe were "holding the Son of Heaven to command the lords," while they wanted to directly replace the Son of Heaven.

Yet the Golden Crow Demon Emperor was absent now; they lacked that central pillar, and for the time being went along with Zhen Yuanzi and Bright King Peacock.

Bai Ze spoke for them with a loud laugh. "Since the two of you have spoken, how could we have any opinion? Everyone was just joking earlier, nothing to take seriously. The Jade Emperor is Heaven’s Mandate’s chosen son; everyone understands that in their hearts. Once we fight our way up to the Heavenly Court, we will absolutely honor the Jade Emperor as supreme, without a word of dissent."

Li Jing glared at them darkly and said, "Words alone are no proof. We must swear alliance with blood and stake our oaths with curses."

Gui Che exploded with fury when he heard that. "Li Jing, don’t you refuse a face when it’s given to you. What the hell are you? Just some weakling with meager Mana, relying on a single Buddhist Sect Magical Weapon and a pagoda to prop yourself up. Your Cultivation Level is merely that of a small Superior Immortal, not even as good as your own son’s; what face do you have to be barking orders here!"

Li Jing’s face flushed red as he said, "Simply because I am the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King personally appointed by the Jade Emperor, and because under my command are a Hundred Thousand Heavenly Soldiers and Generals. If you’re not convinced, we can withdraw from the alliance with your Demon Clan right now, and I, Li Jing, will lead the brothers to strike at Heaven alone!"

"You, all by yourself?"

The other members of the Demon Clan joined the shouting, and it looked about ready to descend into chaos again.

Bright King Peacock barked, "Have you shouted enough yet? Did everyone come here to quarrel, or to deliberate? Without rules, nothing can be accomplished. Since both sides want to cooperate, then we must show some sincerity in that cooperation. Heavenly King Li’s words are not unreasonable. To set the Human Race at ease, our Demon Clan can swear alliance with blood, and stake our oaths with curses."

The Great Demons held their breath, glared at Li Jing, and each gave a cold snort.

Within the Demon Clan, Bright King Peacock and the Ancient Demon Clan had their differences.

This was also the current divide between the Demon Clan and the Ancient Demon Clan: the present Demon Clan had already grown used to the Jade Emperor’s rule, while the Ancient Demon Clan were set on reestablishing a Demon Heavenly Court.

Once Bright King Peacock agreed with Li Jing’s proposal, a whole group of Ancient Demon Clan members all turned their gaze to Bai Ze and Incompatible.

Since they had entered, Incompatible had not spoken a word.

He was now the central pillar of the Ancient Demon Clan, and it was he who had strongly advocated cooperating with Bright King Peacock and the others.

Incompatible stayed silent for a while, then finally spoke. "The Heavenly Emperor’s seat has a destined number; it’s not whoever wants it who can take it. Back then the Monkey also wreaked havoc in the Heavenly Palace and said, ’Emperors rule by turns; this year it’s my family’s turn.’ But what came of it? The Western Buddha Ancestor pressed him under the Five Elements Mountain for five hundred years."

Sunx Wukong drank his wine, suddenly depressed. "You four-phase freak, if you’re going to talk, just talk—what’re you dragging your Grandpa Sun into it for!"

"I’m just giving an example!"

Incompatible continued, speaking to the Ancient Demon Clan. "I know what’s in all you brothers’ hearts, but I have to clearly remind everyone of this. Right now Heaven’s fortune does not rest with the Demon Clan. Even though the Demon Clan has Saint Nuwa sitting in town, she will not permit us to reestablish a Heavenly Emperor for the Demon Clan. So, as Heavenly King Li said: we fight our way up to the Heavenly Court, purge the traitorous ministers and drive out the Witch Tribe, and reset Qian and Kun. If we can’t become Jade Emperor, then holding some Divine Position in the Heavenly Court still accords with Heaven’s fortune. So there’s nothing wrong with making this oath."

The Ancient Demon Clan all gave a muffled snort; in their hearts they were still somewhat unwilling, but they did not oppose it.

With things said to this point, everyone had more or less unified their view.

Zhen Yuanzi immediately had someone set out the Incense Burner, fetched a large bowl, and poured fine wine into it for the blood-oath alliance.

On the Human Race’s side, only Li Jing and Zhen Yuanzi served as representatives; on the Demon Clan’s side, Bright King Peacock, Incompatible, and Bai Ze were the representatives.

Both sides burned incense and staked their curses, resolved to honor the Jade Emperor as supreme.

Whoever went back on the agreement would be struck by thunder from Heaven, sink into Hell, and never attain rebirth through all eternity.

After the grand plan to strike at Heaven was set at Wuzhuang Temple, both sides further deliberated on the particulars of attacking the Heavenly Court.

The Heavenly Court’s Thirty-Three Heavens currently had Witch Tribe deployments at the checkpoint of each Heaven.

If they wanted to fully take the Heavenly Court, they had to attack it one Heaven at a time.

To be safe, both sides decided to first expand their armies and prepare for war, and only once grain and troops were plentiful would they launch a single decisive campaign to strike at Heaven.

To put it plainly, they needed to find more cannon fodder.

Charging onto the battlefield and killing the enemy meant blood and sacrifice.

They couldn’t just let their own old brothers face sacrifice head-on; they needed some people in front to take the hits.

After a full day of discussion, the next day a recruitment order was issued.

The Human Race broadly recruited Loose Cultivators, while the Demon Clan recruited those masterless Great Demons.

Once this order was issued, it immediately spread across the great continents.

Emerald Cloud Mountain’s Plantain Cave, adjacent to Wuzhuang Temple, was the first to receive the demon-recruitment order.

Princess Iron Fan was so anxious that she was rushing about everywhere, and after sending people searching for half a day, only then did she find the Bull Demon King in the Cave of Silver Web.

She was so frantic she’d already drawn her Longsword, cursing the Bull Demon King, "You damned dead bull, calamity’s at the door and you’re still here indulging yourself!"

The Bull Demon King soothed Princess Iron Fan with kind words for a while, then took up the demon-recruitment order for a look. He tore the thing up in one go and cursed, "These Demon Clan folk are truly insane—of all things they could do, they choose to strike at Heaven. Your Old Bull has a wife, child, and a warm bed at home; how could I possibly throw in with these desperadoes?"

Princess Iron Fan cried out in alarm, "Did you look carefully at this recruitment order? It clearly states that once the order reaches someone’s hand, there is no principle of alteration. Whoever dares to disobey orders and fail to show respect will be executed on sight."

The Bull Demon King shouted dismissively, "To hell with them! Your Grandpa Bull also commands a hundred thousand troops and countless brothers. If they want war, let them come and fight. Last time they relied on a sneak attack; this time your Old Bull is going to rub the edge off their arrogance!"

This bull had no grand ambitions.

He’d finally found six sisters to take as concubines and hadn’t yet had his fill of pleasure—how could he go risk his neck against the Witch Tribe?

He discussed it gently with Princess Iron Fan, suggesting that the six sisters follow them back to Emerald Cloud Mountain as well.

After all, one more person meant one more bit of strength.

The six sisters possessed formidable Mana; when the fighting started, they could serve as helpers.

Princess Iron Fan had soft ears; thinking that with the great enemy at hand she couldn’t afford to attend to one thing and lose another, she decided that driving off the enemy came first.

These six Spider Spirits were an internal conflict; that could be slowly reconciled later.

After the Bull Demon King returned, he immediately sent letters to his brothers under his command.

His son Hong Hai’er, far away at Hao Mountain Dry Pine Gully Fire Cloud Cave; his own sworn brother, Ruyi True Immortal of Gathering Immortals Hermitage on Jieyang Mountain in Women’s Country; and the brothers who had once sworn brotherhood with Sunx Wukong: Azure Dragon Demon King, Roc Demon King, Lion Camel King, Macaque King, and Macaque Demon King.

These Demon Kings now each ruled their own territory.

Since they held lands as kings, naturally they did not wish to be used as someone else’s spears.

When the Bull Demon King sent his letters to them, they had also received the recruitment order and were fretting over how to deal with this matter.