The sound that erupted was magnificent, like the beat of drums or the tolling of a great bell, echoing like a thousand charging armies or the turbulent rush of a mountain stream. To an unfamiliar ear, it might have sounded like the performance of some master artist, yet none of the assembled demons present derived any pleasure from it, for this sound was the highest alarm of the Earth Alliance—the Celestial Alliance was attacking.

Indeed, the Celestial Alliance was attacking, their grand army descending upon them. This was an exceedingly rare occurrence within the Earth Alliance. Since the formation of the Heavens and the establishment of both the Celestial and Earth Alliances, over these thousands of years, there had been hundreds, if not thousands, of wars between them. However, almost invariably, it was the Earth Alliance that initiated the offense. After all, aggression was the inherent nature of demons, and the Celestial Alliance’s resources were undeniably richer, especially the Amethyst Stones, which held immense **power for demons. And then there were the women; which major demonic power did not possess one or two captured Celestial Maidens? These were the spoils of plunder for the demons.

But the Celestial Alliance? They possessed abundant resources, lacking nothing. Many Immortals were solely devoted to seeking the Dao, concerned only with cultivation, paying no mind to other matters. Except for the incident over a century ago when Celestial Lord Liang (Xiao Ke) ascended to the peak of the Zhou-level and led a contingent of the Celestial Alliance army to launch a proactive assault on the Earth Alliance, the Celestial Alliance had never once launched a surprise offensive against the Earth Alliance in all these years.

But now? Now the Celestial Alliance was attacking proactively? What in the world was happening? Had the Celestial Alliance suddenly developed an appetite for the Earth Alliance's mineral wealth? Or perhaps those aloof, high-ranking Immortals had taken an interest in the peculiar forms of the demonic females?

Ye Jingyu was equally bewildered. He and Liang Xiao Ke had certainly not discussed things this way. In their shared plan, stirring up conflict between the Celestial and Earth Alliances was indeed part of the strategy, but this timing was entirely wrong! Why was war breaking out so inexplicably now?

As the sound swelled, a dispatch runner rushed in, immediately dropping to one knee before Yuan on the dais.

“Reporting, My Lord, the Ten Celestial Lords of the Celestial Alliance are leading three million troops in a full-scale invasion. They have already exited the Celestial Savage Forest and are heading directly toward our Earthly Fiend City!” The runner cut straight to the point, detailing the situation at the front line.

Hearing this, the expressions of all the assembled demons shifted dramatically. The Ten Celestial Lords? All ten of the Celestial Alliance’s greatest commanders striking simultaneously? And leading three million Celestial Soldiers and Generals? What on earth was going on? Since when had the Celestial Alliance become so obsessed with what the Earth Alliance possessed that they would deploy such a formidable force?

Yuan was stunned, his expression frozen for a good quarter of an hour before he snapped back to attention. “Mu, return to Savage Heaven City immediately! Under no circumstances can we allow the Celestial Alliance army to set foot on our Earth Alliance territory!” Yuan roared, directing his command at Mu, and then rapidly issued a cascade of further orders, primarily instructing others to notify the lords of the other nine Great Cities.

The Ten Celestial Lords of the Celestial Alliance—these were the ten strongest combatants. Their deployment was utterly inconceivable!

Especially among the higher ranks of the demons, they were acutely aware that the Ten Celestial Lords and the Seven Fiends of the Earth Alliance were not as united as the legends suggested; they were divided into three major factions. Furthermore, the Blazing Celestial Lord, Yan Senxu, had been traveling abroad for years—when had he even returned to the Celestial Alliance?

While issuing his various commands, Yuan began summoning personnel, preparing to repel this inexplicable Celestial Alliance assault. The matter of Ye Jingyu killing the City Lord of Extinguishing Flame City, Miao, was naturally set aside for the moment. However, Ye Jingyu was also dispatched to the edge of the Savage Forest to help resist the Celestial Alliance invasion.

He had so many Zhou-level experts flanking him; it would be a terrible waste not to utilize such high-end combat power. More importantly, Ye Jingyu was, after all, a human. Though he had sworn allegiance, he still needed to be tested, did he not? Facing the Celestial Alliance assault provided the perfect proving ground.

Ye Jingyu accepted the assignment with unbridled joy, ensuring his face clearly broadcast his hatred for the Celestial Alliance. With his legion, exuding palpable killing intent, he rushed toward the Celestial Savage Forest.

In the northwestern region of the Celestial Savage Forest, near the borders of the Earth Alliance territory, a force numbering fully three hundred thousand troops advanced steadily toward the domain of the Earth Alliance. Above this army, seated on a massive tree branch, was Liang Xiao Ke, clad in a white robe, wearing a straw cowboy hat, holding a horsetail whisk in his right hand, and puffing on a cigar. Sitting before him was a handsome man with long, deep-blue hair, entirely encased in exquisite armor—this was the very same Ying Kong Shi of yesteryear. After several millennia, he and Liang Xiao Ke had long since become the most steadfast of allies.

“Any inside scoop?” Liang Xiao Ke casually pulled a cigar from his breast pocket and tossed it to Ying Kong Shi.

Ying Kong Shi caught the cigar between his lips. With a facile snap of his fingers, a cluster of blue phantom flames ignited, lighting the tobacco. As wisps of blue smoke curled upward, he took a deeply satisfying drag before speaking off-topic, “How in the world are these things made? Every time I smoke one, they feel incredibly potent.”

“Heh heh, this is made from Purple Snow Droplet Grass, Ghost Grass, Cold Nether Grass, Celestial Yin Grass, Blue Cloud Flower… seventy or eighty kinds of supreme Celestial Herbs. How good do you think it feels? And let me tell you, to dry these herbs, I didn't use any magical power at all. To dry them and fashion them into cigars, I found tens of thousands of young, untouched maidens and placed the herbs against their chests. Heh heh, smell them—don't you still detect the scent of maidenly fragrance?” Discussing the cigars, Liang Xiao Ke immediately became animated.

“Damn, I’ve seen extravagance, but never extravagance like this. Those ingredients are the finest celestial medicines. If you gave those to that girl Gongsun Xiangyi, you could refine countless wondrous elixirs and gain so many loyal subordinates. But you’re using them just for cigars? Extravagant, truly extravagant! And using the body heat of virgins to dry them—you actually went through with that? Damn it, I despise you…” Ying Kong Shi shot Liang Xiao Ke a look of utter scorn, then took a fierce pull from the cigar, concluding with, “But damn, it feels incredible. Prepare some more for me later; I want to take some with me…”

Liang Xiao Ke chuckled, not bothering to argue with the man. After thousands of years together, Ying Kong Shi had grown much more human. As for that tiny bit of past friction, it had been reduced to something utterly insignificant by the sedimentation of millennia…

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