The sudden declaration from Hei Mingba stunned Yu Xuetian, Augustine, and even Chris Mande. What was up with this guy? Was he actually planning to concede? Yet, even if he meant to surrender, his tone felt all wrong.

"Hei Mingba, even at this juncture, you remain so arrogant. Do you truly believe we dare not strike?" Chris Mande, who held a direct grudge against Hei Mingba, let out a cold snort. They had already been engaged in this standoff in the Purple Flame Demon Region for seven full days and nights, yet no actual fighting had commenced.

Seven days and seven nights—a mere blink in the vast expanse of a Demon King's lifespan.

Seeing Chris Mande’s expression, Hei Mingba sighed and shook his head, then slowly spoke, "You all assume this time will end in your absolute victory. Let me tell you this: Yan Senxu has already ascended to the rank of Demon King, and beside me stands a human even more terrifying than him. Even if you gather over forty Ninth-Rank Demon Lords, do you honestly believe they stand a chance of winning?" Witnessing the three Demon Kings’ utter unawareness of what was about to unfold, Hei Mingba laid bare the reality of the situation.

His original plan was to seize this opportunity to severely weaken the major Royal Clans. He never anticipated that the long-hidden Asura would suddenly move toward the Far East Territory.

What the Far East Territory entailed, other Demon Kings might not know, but he understood perfectly: that was the place where the Abyssal Demons were sealed. The Asura Clan was not like the Wu Clan, nor like the Werewolves or the Blood Clan—those demonic races tainted with human bloodlines. They were the sole, purest lineage of Abyssal Demons.

If any among the great Royal Clans harbored a desire to see the Abyssal Demons return, it could only be the Asura Clan.

However, these three before him knew nothing of this critical news. All they registered was Hei Mingba stating that the Flame Demon Clan had unexpectedly gained another Demon King. Shock washed over them. Neither Augustine nor Yu Xuetian was aware that Ying Kongshi was also a master at the Demon King realm. Hearing that the Purple Flame Demon Clan now possessed two experts at the Demon King level immediately changed their expressions.

Never mind that they held a crushing numerical advantage with their Ninth-Rank Demon Lords; in the face of a Demon King, even a peak Ninth-Rank Demon Lord was inconsequential. If there had been only one Demon King, perhaps the Blue Feather Clan’s seven Demon Lords, along with the five Ninth-Rank Demon Lords from the Nightmare Clan who were infinitely close to the Demon King realm, might have managed to cope. But with two Demon Kings, their advantage would vanish entirely, leaving them in an absolute disadvantage.

How could this not shock them?

"Hmph, so what if that’s the case? As long as we join forces and eliminate you, we can then proceed to kill them. In the end, won't we still be the victors?" After only a moment, the three Demon Kings recovered simultaneously, with Chris Mande letting out another cold scoff.

If the opponent possessed two Demon Kings, then letting Hei Mingba return alive was out of the question; otherwise, they would never again be a match for the Purple Flame Demon Clan. Their only recourse now was to annihilate Hei Mingba right here and then figure out a way to dispatch the other two.

"Do any of you know of the Abyssal Demons?" Seeing that the three showed no signs of heeding his warning, Hei Mingba sighed faintly.

"Hm?" The three Demon Kings paused, their eyes clouded with confusion. They certainly knew of the Abyssal Demons, but they couldn't fathom why Hei Mingba was bringing them up at this moment.

"I don't have time to elaborate now. What I wish to convey is this: if you wish to remain Demon Kings, this battle ends here. Otherwise, by the time those demons infiltrate the Demon Realm, you might not even qualify as cannon fodder!" Hei Mingba stated calmly.

"Hei Mingba, stop peddling fear-mongering nonsense! If we won't even be cannon fodder, I refuse to believe that we, the venerable Demon Kings, could sink so low! Besides, the Abyssal Demons are things of legend. I could just as well claim to be an Abyssal Demon!" Augustine was overtly dismissive, clearly refusing to believe Hei Mingba’s words. Yu Xuetian and Chris Mande shared the same sentiment.

Observing the indifference etched on their faces, Hei Mingba shook his head in resignation. He knew further words would be useless. In that case, he would simply destroy them.

"Yu Luosha, whoever you wish to engage, proceed as you see fit!" Hei Mingba spoke softly toward the void.

The three Demon Kings froze, then saw a figure cloaked in white materialize within the emptiness. His face was gaunt; it was Yu Luosha, returned from the human world—a man who had poured all his vital energy into pursuing ultimate power.

Yu Luosha said nothing. His gaze settled on Yu Xuetian, the strongest among the three. His intent was perfectly clear: him.

Seeing that Yu Luosha had chosen to confront Yu Xuetian, a wry smile touched Hei Mingba’s lips. This fellow was truly a battle maniac, always picking the toughest nut to crack. But so be it. With his strength, even if he couldn't defeat Yu Xuetian immediately, Yu Xuetian would have trouble laying a hand on him either. This would buy Hei Mingba ample time to deal with the other two. His only hope was that that fellow, Long Zhantian, could hold back Asura long enough for him to ride to the rescue.

The realization that a human of their own rank had been concealed beside Hei Mingba for the entire seven days and nights made the faces of the three Demon Kings shift dramatically. That they hadn't detected him meant his skill in concealment surpassed even their own—at least in that aspect.

Yet, upon seeing Yu Luosha fix his gaze upon him, Yu Xuetian actually laughed rather than growing angry. Even if this newcomer was slightly weaker than him, taking him on alone would not be easy. Very well, let the battle commence. Once Augustine and Chris Mande defeated Hei Mingba, they would have plenty of time to assist him. Besides, was his true strength really that obvious?

With this thought, a snap sounded behind Yu Xuetian, and a pair of enormous blue wings unfurled. His massive aura erupted completely. Sensing Yu Xuetian’s surging power, Augustine and Chris Mande’s expressions changed. Although they were Demon Kings, they had been stalled at the initial stage for years. They hadn't expected Yu Xuetian to have already reached the Intermediate Demon King realm. This guy had hidden his depths well; perhaps after dealing with Hei Mingba, they should turn their attention to him.

However, as Yu Luosha felt the sheer might radiating from Yu Xuetian, a thrill ignited in his eyes…

Note to Readers: Uploaded at 10:43. One thousand golden bricks achieved, with an additional two thousand added. I will post an extra chapter today. I am still typing, and it will be uploaded as soon as it’s finished!