If Ye Jingyu’s offering of a football-sized piece of Amethyst Stone had elicited some stirrings of desire from Mu earlier, then the moment Ye Jingyu produced this Amethyst Stone, even the wise Mu completely lost his composure.

It was no longer a single piece of Amethyst Stone; it was a pile—a veritable mountain of them. There were over a hundred stones the size of a football, not to mention the countless stones the size of a human fist.

With so much Amethyst Stone, it would be more than enough not just to bestow gifts, but to raise an army—nay, to establish an entire city.

Kuang, Yan, Wu, Yue, and even Mu himself suddenly felt a fierce impulse: should he just eliminate this fellow and see just how many treasures he truly possessed?

This was Amethyst Stone, not the common Blood Crystal Stone scattered everywhere. Where on earth did he acquire so much? Mu only recalled that Lord Yuan had granted him ten million kilograms of Blood Crystal Stone.

Mu felt his heart pounding relentlessly, his very blood boiling, as if it might burst forth at any moment.

As the City Lord of Tianman City, his annual tribute was merely one fist-sized Amethyst Stone. Even with occasional minor embezzlement, he could never amass two such stones. Yet, this man was offering him so much now? This represented the savings of several hundred, perhaps even a thousand years!

The most crucial point: why did he do this in front of so many people? With so many witnesses, how could he possibly accept it? If Lord Yuan discovered he possessed this massive quantity of Amethyst Stone, how would he view him?

Mu wanted to refuse, but gazing at those stones shimmering with purple light, the word "No" caught in his throat, refusing to be uttered.

“Brother Mu, you have helped me so immensely. This is the least I can do. Moreover, you can select a portion to present to Lord Yuan!” Seemingly discerning Mu’s worry, Ye Jingyu spoke again.

Right! How could I be so dense? How could I possibly consume all this Amethyst Stone myself? He clearly intended for me to present it to Lord Yuan through my channels. But why wasn't this fellow more direct in the first place?

However, Mu clearly did not wish to delve into that question. Feeling the tens of thousands of demonic eyes fixed upon him with envy, he swept his sleeves and instantly gathered the entire pile of Amethyst Stones into his robes.

Nonsense. Although he was the Lord of Tianman City and possessed the cultivation level of the Zhou Rank, there were four Zhou-level demons present, not to mention one hundred thousand demons ranging from the Tian Rank down to the Hong Rank. Stimulated by so much Amethyst Stone, it was impossible to guarantee they wouldn't lose themselves to greed.

“Brother Jing, rest assured. From this day forward, you are my closest brother, Mu. If you require anything, just give the word!” After securing the pile of Amethyst Stones, Mu felt his chest swell, his waist straighten, and his back relax. He seemed utterly filled with confidence.

“Haha, naturally so! I will certainly rely on Big Brother Mu in the future!” Ye Jingyu laughed heartily, though a cold sneer played in his heart: Closest brother? Require anything? If I asked you to kill Yuan, would you dare?

“Indeed, I will handle everything. It is getting late; I should return to report. Brother, take care!” The astute Mu had completely lost his bearings. Having so much Amethyst Stone on him was akin to carrying billions in assets, fearing robbery at every turn. Returning soon was the best course.

“Take care, Big Brother Mu!” Ye Jingyu bowed with a smile. Mu said no more, turned with his personal guard, and hurried back toward Disha City.

Watching Mu disappear into the distance, a cold smile touched the corner of Ye Jingyu’s lips. So what if it was just a heap of Amethyst Stone? To them, it was rare, but to him, wasn't it something he could summon as needed? These Amethyst Stones were native to the demons. For the cultivators of the Immortal Path, they were merely ordinary Qi refinement materials. Due to geographical constraints, the Earth Alliance possessed very few of them. But in the Tian Alliance territory, while not common, they were certainly not as precious. Before leaving, Liang Xiaoke had prepared a great many for Ye Jingyu to help him gain a firm foothold quickly in the Tian Alliance.

Observing the demons’ envious, gleaming eyes, Ye Jingyu let out a faint smile. Was this not precisely the result he desired by bestowing the stones in front of so many witnesses?

He glanced at the covetous demons and spoke calmly, “I have more Amethyst Stone here. You have two ways to obtain it. The first is to kill me and seize what I carry. But I warn you: if you fail to kill me, I will show you what it means to wish for death. The second way is to obey my commands diligently. If you perform well, I definitely will not be stingy!” As Ye Jingyu spoke, he exuded confidence. The Ba Yuan Jue circulated within him, releasing an immense aura of dominance that swept outward. Not a single demon, including Kuang, Yan, Yue, and Wu—the four Zhou-level demons—dared to step forward to challenge his imposing presence.

Though the prize was tempting, one needed to be alive to enjoy it. Since he had stated that good performance yielded Amethyst Stone, why risk life and limb? Instantly, another portion of the demons settled down. Following his orders—what was so difficult when he was so powerful and offered such rewards?

Of course, a segment of demons remained with bloodshot eyes. They were unwilling to take orders from a human. Besides, there were so many of them; surely they couldn't be defeated by a single human?

However, seeing that their respective Legion Commanders made no move, they suppressed the fiery agitation in their hearts.

Noticing the restless demons, Ye Jingyu offered a faint smile. Suddenly, he stomped his foot onto the ground. Immediately, the onlookers felt the earth tremble, and a fissure cracked open beneath his foot. A piercing sound suddenly erupted from his mouth…

Netherworld Howl…

A single, piercing cry echoed across the heavens…

In an instant, countless spectral souls surged forth, their piercing sound waves rushing toward the one hundred thousand demons. Terrifying ripples erupted continuously. The four demons, Kuang, Yan, Yue, and Wu, strained to resist the attack. The squad leaders they had selected could barely hold on, but the Desolate-level minor captains and Tian-level soldiers were all violently thrown backward by the force…

Every one of them sprayed blood, all one hundred thousand demons knocked back! Furthermore, the already fractured fissure spread outward like a spiderweb, causing the surrounding city walls and barracks to shatter as well…