Chapter 1928 - 1927: The Chessboard Revealed

Chapter 1928: Chapter 1927: The Chessboard Revealed

Li Feng felt the malevolent gaze, watching Emperor Yue and his group quickly disappear into the underground cave. Li Feng took out a rope ladder from his storage ring.

Compared to Emperor Yue, who resumed his massive original form, carrying three or even more people was effortless. Li Feng could not replicate such a feat.

Although Li Feng could release the Vermilion Bird True Body, instantly transforming into a giant Vermilion Bird, this form was made of flames and could not be ridden. Bi Fang was similarly weakened and looked like a mere sparrow now.

Li Feng grabbed one end of the rope ladder, activated the Vermilion Bird Wings, and soared upwards: "Hold tight to the rope ladder, I’ll carry you up."

This vertical cave was at least tens of thousands of meters high. Descending required nothing more than a simple parachute to drop from the sky, but ascending was far from easy.

"Camp Master."

"No more talking, we don’t have time to waste."

Hearing this, Lei Ba and others gritted their teeth and grasped the rope ladder. Despite being seven or eight people, Li Feng felt slightly strained. Previously, he might not have been able to carry them all, but now his dantian was overflowing with energy, akin to a warship with nuclear power instead of heavy oil engines.

Li Feng flapped his immense wings, lifting the rope ladder and rising into the air. Sikong Yu grabbed Ouyang Qiuhai and followed closely, both heading towards the opening above.

"Careful."

Just after ascending a few thousand meters, stones started raining down from above, causing Sikong Yu to shout.

"Qiuhai, head to Li Feng’s side first."

After speaking, Sikong Yu tossed Ouyang Qiuhai towards the rope ladder’s direction, raising his long spear and charging upwards.

Sikong Yu shattered the falling stones, his long spear swirling and dispelling them, shielding Li Feng. Though these stones posed little threat, they were extremely irritating.

"Damned Demon Clan, even fleeing isn’t peaceful. Someday I swear I’ll tear them limb from limb."

Ouyang Qiuhai cursed through gritted teeth.

Emperor Yue, who went ahead, relentlessly exhaled, damaging the surrounding rock walls, recouping some interest for the punches received from Li Feng earlier.

Tens of thousands of meters, completed in just a few breaths, emerged from this straight-up cave. Meanwhile, the entire Molten Lava Cave trembled violently, with constant falling stalactites above.

After moving through the passage, Emperor Yue and his group destroyed it as they advanced. Arriving at the magma lake within the volcano, known as Zhu Rong’s path, the place was chaotic. Countless fire element spiritual beasts inhabiting the magma lake scattered, clearly sensing the volcano’s threat.

Without hesitation, Emperor Yue revealed his true form again, lifting Feng Feifei and others into flight before turning back to unleash a dragon breath towards the erupting magma lake. This powerful energy stirred the volcanic magma like a stick in muddy water.

The magma lake surged up and poured into the cave entrance. Having completed all this, Emperor Yue soared towards the volcano’s mouth, flying in the direction of the Demon Country.

As Emperor Yue’s group flew out tens of kilometers, the restless Molten Lava Volcano could no longer hold back, erupting with a pillar of crimson light that pierced the skies, swirling the heavens and instantly enveloping the sky in a gray vortex, expanding continuously.

Moments later.

The sky began to snow grayly, accompanied by volcanic debris that resembled meteors. The scene was evident not only to trusted aides stationed at Half Border Mountain but also from thousands of miles away at First Line Pass.

At the ramparts of First Line Pass, Ouyang Tianshu stood on the citadel, gazing towards the southern horizon’s end, where a column of light pierced the sky. The entire horizon was cloaked in gray, an apocalyptic scene.

"The storm is brewing."

Ouyang Tianshu withdrew his gaze from afar and looked down at the outside of First Line Pass, which was no longer empty. Campgrounds spread endlessly, with rough fortresses rising.

It seemed that overnight, war had arrived.

"General, are you concerned about Junior Sister Qiuhai?"

A deputy general approached Ouyang Tianshu, who was now not only the Patrol Envoy sent by Ancestor Dragon City but officially appointed as the commander of the southern border, overseeing military affairs at First Line Pass.

"That girl has her own fate. After all, the fledgling must learn to fly. If she doesn’t return, that was her destiny."

"Alright, no need to talk about that girl. What’s the intelligence on the front lines of the Demon Clan?"

Ouyang Tianshu focused his gaze on the Demon Clan campgrounds stretching out thousands of miles away. The deputy general straightened, replied: "General, after investigation over the past two days, and extracting information from captured prisoners, it’s currently only slave tribes from the Southern Demon Country, likely the advance troops."

"The main force of the Southern Demon Country, the Eight Tribes, has yet to appear. The present Demon Clan troops, aside from constructing campgrounds, scatter scouts over the surrounding dozens of miles merely seem to be defensive. With just these tribes, even without reinforcements from Ancestor Dragon City, with just three thousand from our First Line Pass, we can crush them."

The deputy general smirked with disdain at the Demon Clan campgrounds.

Ouyang Tianshu showed no emotion, noting the constant expansion of the Demon Clan campgrounds and remarked: "It’s been over half a month since the Ten Demon Hall revealed intrigue, yet they have disappeared as if in thin air."

"Meanwhile, the Demon Clan only sent these servant tribes to build the campgrounds, and none of the primary Eight Tribes have even been seen."

"It’s likely the Demon Clan is playing a grand strategic game."

Ouyang Tianshu took a deep breath. Since the great war over two hundred years ago nearly destroyed Ancestor Dragon City, humanity realized the Demon Clan were not simple-minded beasts.

The Demon Clan were a sophisticated intelligent species, some possessed exceptional cunning within the clan capable of directing entire Demon Clan alliances.

Yet, Ancestor Dragon City still hasn’t uncovered who orchestrates from within the Demon Clan. Some families of the Ten Demon Hall were indeed traitors, while others were planted by Ancestor Dragon City to probe the Demon Clan’s secrets.

No one could anticipate the Demon Clan’s deep-rooted mistrust for humanity, even those who defected remained untrusted. Although superficial intelligence could be gleaned, the top-tier intelligence of the Demon Clan remains elusive.

Just like now, the Demon Clan seem to have started making moves, while Ancestor Dragon City is left to passively await their intentions.

This feeling of passivity is unpleasant, but Ouyang Tianshu understands this battle continues from the previous one. If defeated, Ancestor Dragon would face the brink of annihilation.