Yet at that very moment, Tuli, the werewolf warrior standing behind Daji, looked gravely toward the south with a sudden flash of insight.
The Ape Elder, Tianmu, also experienced a slight shift in expression, glancing anxiously toward Tuli!
As the youngest of the Beastmen and one of the very few supreme Beastman commanders, Tuli possessed not only extraordinary wisdom but also formidable cultivation, especially in the realm of spiritual power, where his mastery was certainly no less than that of a human Spirit Pearl-level master. Coupled with the unique sensory abilities inherent to the Beastman wolf tribe, he could effortlessly detect the slightest disturbance in his surroundings!
Just then, he had vaguely sensed two exceptionally faint presences originating from the due south, but the moment he attempted to focus on them, they mysteriously vanished!
“Strange, could it be my imagination!” A wave of inexplicable irritation suddenly washed over Tuli, unsettling him greatly.
“It was not imagination,” Elder Tianmu stated slowly. “I felt it too.”
“What is it?” Dalong and Daji exchanged confused glances. “Is something amiss?”
“Indeed, Your Majesty,” Tuli said with solemnity. “A moment ago, an extraordinary fluctuation occurred to the south, but it dissipated almost instantly.”
“Dissipated?” Dalong’s rugged face likewise betrayed a flicker of grave concern.
“The south is precisely where Dabu is pursuing those humans who fled,” Daji offered. “Could it be that Dalong has already dispatched them?”
“It is not so!” Elder Tianmu spoke in a deep voice. “Dabu’s presence briefly intersected with theirs, but they quickly passed each other by.”
“As expected of Elder Tianmu.” Standing alongside Tuli were the other three young elite commanders of the Beastman race!
They were Tuman of the Werewolf tribe! Dawang of the Bearman tribe! Dajia of the Ape tribe! Together with Tuli, these four young Beastman commanders were known as the Four Divine Generals of the Beastmen! They commanded the Four Great Dragon Legions, newly integrated from the reorganized Beastman tribes! Though, at this moment, their grand armies had yet to march into the Holy Domain of Heaven.
“That careless oaf,” Daji stomped her foot in annoyance. “He must have been so focused on chasing the Thunder Eagles those humans flew on that he completely overlooked what was happening on the ground!”
Dabu was a name Daji had bestowed upon the Demonic Dragon Patriarch; naturally, only Daji dared to address the Patriarch in such a manner. Regarding the Demonic Dragon Patriarch, the Beastmen held nothing but worship and awe, never daring to be presumptuous in its presence!
However, as time passed, the Beastmen were astonished to discover that the Demonic Dragon Patriarch was nothing like the image passed down in legends! In fact, the reality was almost the complete opposite!
Legend held that the Demonic Dragon Patriarch was savage and tyrannical! Its greatest delight was slaughter and destruction! Treacherous, profound—even the accumulation of every negative descriptor conceivable was insufficient to convey its terrifying ferocity!
But the Patriarch they saw was nothing like that! Perhaps it was prone to violence, but it certainly wasn't cruel. As for being treacherous, profound, or cunningly ruthless, it didn't even come close! One might even say the creature was simply a greenhorn who hadn't fully developed his senses!
Of course, this might not have been a major issue, but when power sufficient to annihilate the entire world rests in the hands of such an inexperienced youth, what he might actually do, perhaps only the heavens knew!
Frankly, whether it was Dalong, Tuli, or any of the other Beastmen, they had all broken into a cold sweat when they first brought the Demonic Dragon Patriarch back, terrified that one wrong twitch of a nerve might lead it to wipe out the entire Beastman tribe!
Fortunately, there was Daji in this world!
No one knew what magic the small and fragile Daji employed to command this terrifying giant to be so utterly obedient and docile toward her. Even though the creature had become more manageable, it still presented plenty of problems! Acting without thinking and being scatterbrained were hardly new developments!
Although the current Demonic Dragon Patriarch completely overturned its legendary image, the Beastmen never dared to show it the slightest disrespect. If anything, they preferred the real Patriarch. Beyond worship and awe, there was even a sense of inexplicable closeness! At least the genuine Demonic Dragon Patriarch was far more endearing than the legendary one!
“Perhaps the True God merely wished to complete the Princess’s mission and disdained expending effort on these few individuals,” Dalong admitted with some awkwardness. Indeed, everyone present was long accustomed to the Demonic Dragon Patriarch’s easygoing manner of operation!
“It would be a relief if that were true.” Daji was certainly aware of the Patriarch’s flaws. However, she mused, to be able to evade the Demonic Dragon Patriarch’s notice meant that these individuals were surely no ordinary sort.
“Could it be another group entirely?” Tuman’s eyes lit up. “If we’re lucky, another Spirit Pearl might be on them.”
“That is highly probable,” Tuli agreed gravely. “Your Majesty, allow Tuli to investigate.”
“That is for the best,” Dalong nodded. “Remember to be cautious; humans are exceptionally cunning.”
“Tuli has studied human wisdom and strategy alongside the Princess since childhood!” the proud werewolf commander declared confidently. “He won't be so easily deceived.”
“Still, be careful,” Dalong added thoughtfully, perhaps recalling something else. “If you encounter that group, waste no words. Kill them outright and seize whatever they possess!”
“Yes,” Tuli accepted the command! He then brought forth his assigned contingent! It was a squad of twenty Demonic Dragon Warriors drawn from the ranks of the neatly aligned Demonic Dragon Legions standing behind them!
Since the Demonic Dragon Patriarch arrived in the Woma Forest, it had used its extraordinary demonic power to transform the brave and battle-hardened Beastmen warriors. Those sent into the Holy Domain of Heaven were the strongest among these transformed warriors. Though numbering only a little over two hundred, every single one possessed strength comparable to a human Heavenly Demon Warrior of the first tier. Even more frightening was that these Beastmen had been modified not just physically, but mentally as well!
They lacked fear, lacked pain, lacked even independent thought—possessing only the instinct for slaughter and the ability to receive orders from the Demonic Dragon Patriarch or high-ranking Beastmen like Dalong and Daji!
Among the Beastmen, they were known as the Demonic Dragon Deathsworn! They were, in essence, undead warriors created solely for combat!
As for Tuli himself, his cultivation was staggeringly high. The two strongest humans encountered previously had fled in disarray after being severely wounded by the Demonic Dragon Patriarch, while Tuli himself had personally slain the majority of the rest on the spot! This illustrated the astonishing extent of Tuli’s might!
Furthermore, Tuli was personally stable, composed, and cautious—a rare general among the Beastmen who excelled in both martial and civil arts! He was, after all, the foremost talent of the younger generation among the Beastmen, and the most highly regarded among the young Four Divine Generals!
Since Dalong ascended to the throne, he had placed great emphasis on the cultural education of the Beastman race, even going so far as to record that story he once heard into teaching material!
The Beastmen were simple-minded, lacking the petty intricacies of human thought! However, this was not an absolute rule! There were always a small segment of Beastmen whose comprehension and learning abilities significantly surpassed the others! These Beastmen became the focus of Dalong’s intensive cultivation!
The Fox Spirit version of Romance of the Three Kingdoms and Investiture of the Gods, after being embellished by Xingchen, was memorized word-for-word by Dalong! The most direct consequence was the complete ignition of Dalong’s desire for wisdom—even to the point of becoming ruthless!
The human mentors captured by the Beastmen, after Dalong recited these two monumental epics repeatedly, were forced to meticulously categorize and explain the embedded knowledge concerning governance, warfare, logistics, and more just to survive! They then combined this with famous historical combinations from Mafa history to create analytical battle case studies, infusing them into the young Beastman elite in narrative form!
This marked the most impactful period of historical transformation in Beastman history! Later historians would tentatively label it the Dalong Reforms!
And Dalong, through this profoundly significant reform, became the most renowned Beast Emperor in Beastman history! History had repeatedly proven that only reformers who dared to innovate and were unrestrained by stagnant thinking could achieve monumental success!
Strictly speaking, the Beastman race was not inherently an enterprising or progressive people; their thinking was too simplistic, with everything adhering strictly to the Beast Emperor’s command! The Beast Emperor’s command represented the will of the entire Beastman race! This was inconceivable in human society, yet in the Beastman world, it was an undeniable truth! Absolute imperial authority, respect for the strong—this was the deeply ingrained philosophy that had remained unchanged for millennia in the Beastman race!
Yet, it was precisely this simple obedience that allowed Dalong’s reforms to achieve unprecedented success! Every directive was implemented resolutely, whether right or wrong! Establishing schools, categorizing knowledge, cultivating specialized talents! Building an entirely new military structure! All of this was executed step-by-step according to the blueprint drawn up by those few human mentors!
Although the Beastman race suffered from a congenital disadvantage in intellectual development, there were always exceptions. The Fox Clan within the Beastman race possessed intelligence inherently equal to that of humans!
But for thousands of years, previous Beast Emperors, who prioritized martial prowess, completely disregarded these weaker races! The perpetually threatened Foxkin tribes faced existential crises daily, needing to fend off not only the terrifyingly fierce beasts of the Woma Forest but also guard against annihilation or absorption by other Beastman tribes! The most severe Foxkin crisis in history even forced the Fox Clan to flee Woma to fend for themselves!
Fortunately, Dalong was not simple-minded like previous Beast Emperors, acting solely on personal preference! Eager to revitalize the Beastman race, Dalong clearly recognized that the Fox Clan was an absolutely indispensable force for the Beastman race, leading to the great endeavor of supporting the Foxkin!
Of course, this was also heavily influenced by Xingchen’s legends concerning fox spirits! This strengthened Dalong’s resolve to break convention and embrace radical change! It was, in truth, a necessary choice born of desperation! Dalong searched the entire Mafa Continent but couldn't locate the legendary Fox Spirit race, so he tried his luck with a substitute—at least they had some association with foxes!
No one expected that this accidental stroke of luck would change the destiny of the entire Beastman race! Freed from the harsh and burdensome struggle for survival, the Fox Clan fully unleashed their inherent intellectual advantages! Like high-speed computers, under Dalong’s patronage, they coordinated and integrated the entire operation of the Beastman race!
There is a classic saying in modern Japan: "A glass of milk strengthens a nation!" But among the Beastmen, a saying circulated: "One Foxman strengthens a tribe! Ten Foxmen strengthen a nation!" Even the usually arrogant Elder Night Wolf had to sigh: "He who controls the Foxmen controls the world!" This shows the crucial role the Fox Clan played in this transformation!
Thus, after twenty years of exploration and development, the Beastman race underwent a shocking and earth-shattering transformation! Now, not only were the Foxmen actively pursuing culture and wisdom, but even the Wolfmen, Apemen, Bearmen, and other Beastmen historically known only for their martial ferocity were selecting the more perceptive among the next generation of their tribes and sending them to academies for cultural education!
These were the young Beastman elites like Tuli, Tuman, Dawang, and Dajia! In the words of Elder Tianmu of the Ape tribe: “The older generation’s thinking is too simple; the focus must be on educating the next generation! Ten years to grow trees, a hundred years to cultivate people!” As long as the seeds of wisdom are sown, they will eventually flower and bear fruit!
This simple yet profound philosophy held deep meaning! This was the most revolutionary upheaval in Beastman history! The civil system and development model that human history had taken tens of thousands of years to summarize and establish was transplanted wholesale into the governance of the Beastman race by Dalong in just over two decades!
Naturally, the process was not entirely smooth sailing! But once the younger generation of Beastman elites, including Daji, Tuli, Dawang, and Tuman, matured! they quickly provided Dalong, who was beginning to feel overwhelmed, with capable assistants! They ultimately completed this momentous historical transformation!
Now, the Beastman race possessed the incomparably powerful Demonic Dragon Patriarch as their most solid military backing, a super-intelligence core centered around Daji and the Foxkin, and the fearless, battle-hardened Demonic Dragon Legions! This was the most prosperous period the Beastmen had enjoyed in centuries! Dalong was confident that he could reincorporate the Woma Continent into the Beastman domain, reviving the glorious age of his ancestors!
However, prior to that, the greatest military threat must be eliminated! All the Beastmen subconsciously looked in the direction Tuli had departed.
The surroundings were dense with jungle! Better yet, they discovered an inconspicuous small cave! With slight preparation, it would serve as an excellent hiding spot!
But at that precise moment, another strong wave of presence suddenly surged through!
“Hide quickly,” I urged anxiously. “Something else is closing in on us.”
Xingye and Xingzhan had already darted into the cave, holding their breath! Through the thick foliage at the cave entrance, the three of us cautiously observed the movements outside! The appearance of the Demonic Dragon Patriarch had already made us extremely jumpy, and the source of this new presence was precisely the direction from which the Patriarch had flown earlier! This further heightened our apprehension!
Outside the cave entrance, the area remained perfectly still, with no apparent anomalies. Yet, the approaching presence grew stronger and stronger, and it was aimed directly toward our location!
“What in the world is happening?” Xingye worried. “Could our auras have been exposed?”
“Whoever it is,” I said gravely, “it certainly isn't Jidu and his group.”
“Mmm,” Xingzhan also sensed the unusual nature of these auras. “There is one presence that is extremely strong, perhaps even surpassing the level of a Sky Soaring Spirit Pearl master. Could it be one of Youquan or Fengxiao?”
As he spoke, more than twenty indistinct figures flashed across the barren wilderness.
However, one powerful and familiar silhouette almost made me believe I was mistaken.
“Ah! They aren't human!” Xingye and Xingzhan exclaimed softly.
“They are the Demonic Dragon Warriors from the Demonic Dragon World,” I muttered, unable to fathom why these creatures, which should have been confined to the Demonic Dragon World, were present here. Still, considering the Demonic Dragon Patriarch we had just witnessed, perhaps nothing should be surprising after all!
What truly shocked me was that these Demonic Dragon Warriors each possessed astonishing combat strength; based on their auras alone, I could discern that their power was comparable to Heavenly Demon Warriors! This was beyond my wildest imagination!
And the other thing that deeply confused me was… there was one figure among them that was utterly incongruous. Though distant, I could make out that it should be a werewolf from the Beastman race! Compared to the twenty Demonic Dragon Warriors, it appeared shorter, yet I sensed a power emanating from it that was no less formidable than Ice Pool’s! Moreover, it seemed to be the leader of this detachment of Demonic Dragon Warriors!
The Demonic Dragon Warriors in memory were all inherently savage! They would instinctively attack any non-Demonic Dragon entity around them. Yet, this squad before us, despite radiating that violent aura, stood as quiet as cold machines!
What was going on here!
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