So it turns out I'm the demon!

As the Grand Elder activated his magic, the fishing lines that were spying on fortune became even thicker and more solid.

At the end, thousands of golden hooks simultaneously emitted a buzzing sound.

The seal script on the hook was activated one by one, releasing an even stronger force of theft that poured towards Jiang Mu's location.

The fishing line was enveloped in sharp sword energy.

The Grand Elder stroked his beard and smiled:

"Those who fish for good fortune do not steal or rob. There are opportunities in the world like fish swimming in water. The other method is merely to cast a thread of cause and effect into the water and wait for the fortune to come naturally."

This is my opportunity; how can you try to steal it?

Inside the secret realm.

The fishing line, sharp as a knife, sliced ​​the runic giant hand into pieces.

Wenren Guhong exclaimed in surprise, muttering, "Such familiar sword energy... Is it the Myriad Swords Sect? Hmph, even if it were your Myriad Swords Sect, you wouldn't be qualified to compete with me for this body!"

"Sever the cause and cut off the effect!"

With a jerk of his arms, he mobilized all the remaining rune figures.

The little golden figures scattered again, disappearing into the void in unison, tracing the causal threads of the fishing lines back to their source.

He wanted to engage the spellcaster in close combat, using offense as a form of defense.

Use cause and effect to eliminate cause and effect!

On the other side, the Grand Elder felt a force of causal backflow surging along the fishing line, and was quite shocked.

"Who on earth is it!?"

This time, he was certain that Jiang Mu had a powerful figure by her side.

The fact that the other party was able to find him by following the cause-and-effect relationship shows that their cultivation level is no less than his.

Even above him.

"You beast!"

The elder was so angry that he started cursing.

Two experts from the Ten Thousand Swords Sect were sacrificed, and they were prepared to have their sons die, but in the end, it was all for naught.

But right now, there really isn't any other way.

The other party is indeed more accomplished in understanding cause and effect than him. If he were to continue this struggle, he would suffer a backlash.

Seeing that the opponent's natal rune was about to penetrate, the Grand Elder had no choice but to make a decisive move and cut all the remaining fishing lines. But in the last moment before cutting, a ruthless glint flashed in his eyes.

"Even if I admit defeat, I will make sure you can't win!"

"Geng Metal Sword Demon!"

With a flick of his sleeve, he attached a wisp of sword energy nurtured in his life force to the last half of the fishing line and threw it into the whirlpool!

Within the secret realm.

Seeing the vortex in the sky collapse and the fishing line break, Wenren Guhong couldn't help but laugh, "In the end, you were scared after all. You're quite sensible, saving me the trouble of doing anything more."

However, before the laughter subsided, the half-finished fishing line that had been falling exploded directly on Jiang Mu's head.

"boom!"

The raging Geng metal sword aura scattered like countless tiny golden needles.

Such a sharp object, specifically designed to destroy the soul, is undoubtedly a deadly poison for Wenren Guhong, who is currently reshaping his soul and body.

"ah!!"

The sword pierced through, and Wenren Guhong let out a miserable scream.

The rune figures covering Jiang Mu's body instantly festered and rotted as if they had been doused with boiling oil.

It peeled off as a foul-smelling black liquid.

Taking advantage of the sudden decrease in suppressive force, Jiang Mu's eyes sharpened, his Adam's apple bobbed, and he forcefully spat out the "Remains Bone Bead." As soon as the bone bead left his body, the last bit of connection between Wenren Guhong and this physical body was completely severed.

"you……!"

Wenren Guhong was greatly alarmed.

Jiang Mu didn't give him a chance to catch his breath.

With a flick of his wrist, the bronze Buddhist lamp appeared in his grasp. With a flick of his fingertip, a drop of golden lamp oil fell onto the festering, black liquid of runes on the ground. "Splash!"

Golden Buddhist karmic fire rose up, burning wildly along the remaining runes towards Wenren Guhong's illusory soul.

"Buddhist karmic fire?!"

Wenren Guhong's mentality completely collapsed.

He was originally a remnant soul, and after being repeatedly weakened by cross-realm battles and severely injured by the Gengjin Sword Fiend, his soul immediately became unstable and showed signs of dissipation when burned by this extremely yang and strong karmic fire.

He panicked instantly.

With his grand plan on the verge of collapse, in desperation, he suddenly turned to look at Granny Feng, who was still kneeling on the ground not far away.

Wenren Guhong stretched out his illusory ghost hand and grabbed Granny Feng's crown.

With a piercing scream, Granny Feng's flesh and soul were drained, leaving her as shriveled ashes.

With this life force, Wenren Guhong managed to suppress the dissipation of his soul.

"Get out!"

Enraged, Wenren Guhong dared not be arrogant any longer. He activated the final repulsion law of the secret realm, tearing a spatial rift beneath Jiang Mu's feet and forcibly expelling this plague from the realm.

But in the last moment before being sucked into the rift, Jiang Mu caught a glimpse of the core of the array, the one used to create those rune figures. It was a strange stone toad, about the size of a palm, with three legs growing from its back.

"Since we're already here, we can't leave empty-handed."

Jiang Mu sneered, and with lightning speed, sucked the toad into his palm, pulling it along with the half-fallen fishing line into the spatial rift. "You dare, you brat!!!"

Within the secret realm, the furious roar of Wenren Guhong echoed.

Jiang Mu staggered out of the void, her feet landing once again on the ruins of Fazhou.

The rubble beneath their feet still retained the warmth of the fierce battle in the sword domain.

He took a breath, the nausea still lingering in his chest from when the bone beads were forced out.

Looking back, if it weren't for that old monster Wenren Guhong suddenly appearing and taking the bullet for him, he would probably have had his luck completely plundered by that cunning old fox from the Ten Thousand Swords Sect today.

Two big shots were vying for power remotely, while he was caught in the middle, trying to profit from the chaos.

In the end, he actually managed to sneak out.

"Little Jiang!"

A graceful figure in light blue swept over.

The next moment, Jiang Mu felt herself sinking into a soft, fragrant embrace.

Fortunately, everyone around had dispersed during the battle, and with the dust and smoke, no one saw what happened here.

"Xiao Jiang, are you alright?"

Shui Miaozheng cupped the man's face in her soft, trembling hands, examining him carefully from all sides, and then checking Jiang Mu's body, as if afraid that he was missing some part.

"It's alright, Aunt Shui, don't worry."

Jiang Mu grasped her still trembling wrist and gently patted the back of her hand.

The woman breathed a sigh of relief after confirming that Jiang Mu had no obvious injuries.

Before she could finish exhaling, tears welled up in her eyes, swirling around before she forced them back, scolding, "You child, why are you so reckless?"

"I'm just worried about Aunt Shui," Jiang Mu chuckled.

Shui Miaozheng blushed, wanting to say something, but then she noticed many figures hurrying towards them in the distance, so she took two steps back.

Jiang Mu felt somewhat helpless seeing the woman's actions.

She's already agreed to be his woman, but she's still afraid of being seen by others.

With a flick of his wrist, he stored the piece of causal fishing line and the rune toad together in his companion storage space.

As Jiang Mu's gaze swept over the corpses of Pang Dasha and Zhang Weiyuan, a thought stirred within him. He summoned the Fifth Demon Shadow, attempting to reactivate the "Star Proof" ability and demote these two experts from the Myriad Swords Sect.

However, it was discovered that the two star positions in the starry sea were gone.

"Shouldn't there be a cooling-off period? They were caught by witnesses so quickly?"

Jiang Mu felt puzzled.

Helpless, they had no choice but to put away the demonic shadow.

He composed himself and looked at Shui Miaozheng seriously, asking, "Aunt Shui, is there a hall master named Yang Renxu in your Demon Slaying Division?" Shui Miaozheng was taken aback, then nodded firmly, "Yes."

"Back in Huzhou City, the prefect's nephew confessed to save his own life," Jiang Mu said succinctly. "He's a spy for the Red Umbrella Sect." "It really was him!"

A flash of anger crossed Shui Miaozheng's phoenix eyes.

She immediately summoned two hall masters and led men to arrest Yang Renxu.

After the woman had arranged all this, Jiang Mu said again:

"Also, take me to see your garrison commander. There are some things I need to ask him in person."

"Alright, I'll take you to the underground palace now."

Without hesitation, Shui Miaozheng immediately led the way.

The two sped side by side toward the city.

Upon arriving at the entrance of the underground palace, Shui Miaozheng transmitted her voice inside, waiting for the guardian to open the protective barrier surrounding the underground palace.

While waiting, the woman looked at Jiang Mu beside her, who was travel-worn and weary, his brows still bearing the marks of battle. A wave of tenderness and sorrow washed over her. The beautiful woman took out a fragrant silk handkerchief from her sleeve and gently wiped the dust and bloodstains from Jiang Mu's cheeks.

"Xiao Jiang, you really mustn't be so clumsy in the future..."

Shui Miaozheng's eyes were filled with tears, and her tone was a mixture of heartache and reproach.

"I know you're worried about Aunt's safety. But Aunt is protected by a powerful formation here, so we're not in dire straits yet. You should have come with Commander Ran's main force; that way, you could at least have someone to look after you."

"If something really happens to you while you're alone deep behind enemy lines, what will your aunt do...?"

Jiang Mu looked at the mature and beautiful woman so close to him, her breath sweet and fragrant, the scent of her mature body lingering around his nose.

He smirked and suddenly reached out and slapped the woman's pert, full buttocks.

"oops……"

Shui Miaozheng gasped in surprise, her body went limp, and she was pulled into the other person's arms.

"If I really did take my time and follow the main group..."

Jiang Mu leaned close to her ear and teased, "Aunt Shui, you probably have some thoughts about this, don't you? Do you think I don't care about you enough?"

"You're talking nonsense..."

A blush crept onto Shui Miaozheng's pretty face, even her earlobes turned bright red.

She gave him a reproachful look, "How could your aunt possibly have such shallow thoughts..."

"Whether you have any ideas or not, we'll find out tonight."

Jiang Mu wrapped his arm around her slender waist and gave her a meaningful caress at her waist.

Upon hearing these suggestive words, Shui Miaozheng's heart skipped a beat.

The scene from a few days ago in the carriage flashed through my mind.

She subconsciously pressed her two long legs together tightly, rubbed them slightly, and her eyes welled up with tears.

"A bad apple..."

Shui Miaozheng bit her rosy lower lip and spat softly.

Her body, however, seemed boneless, clinging even more tightly to Jiang Mu's body.

Upon arriving at the underground palace, Jiang Mu met Tian Wenyuan, the garrison commander of Fazhou City.

Although he and Tian Wenjing are brothers, they are quite different in appearance and temperament.

Tian Wenyuan had a darker complexion and a more robust physique.

Although he was over fifty years old, his blood and energy were as fiery as if they were in a furnace, and he had an extra fierce aura.

"This humble official, Jiang Mu, greets Your Excellency the Garrison Commander."

Jiang Mu cupped his hands in greeting.

Shui Miaozheng, standing beside him, had a cold, beautiful face.

Clearly, the beautiful woman was still angry.

If Jiang Mu hadn't fought his way out, this garrison commander would have been determined to let him die.

Sensing Shui Miaozheng's coldness, Tian Wenyuan didn't take it to heart.

He gazed at Jiang Mu and spoke softly:

"My brother has mentioned you to me many times in his letters, saying that you are the greatest prodigy in the Daqing Demon Slayer Division, a talent that appears only once in a century. Tell me the truth, are you or aren't you?"

Jiang Mu was slightly taken aback, then smiled nonchalantly and said:

"I think I am. But I can't control what others think. Perhaps in the eyes of the garrison commander, I was just a reckless man who almost died outside the city, nothing at all."

Tian Wenyuan snorted coldly, withdrawing his extremely imposing gaze: "Speak, what did you come all this way to ask me?"

Jiang Mu stopped smiling and said seriously:

"I just got some intelligence from the demon army's camp outside the city, but I don't know if it's true or not. I heard that the one who led the demons to besiege Fazhou City this time was not a Great Sage of the Demon Clan, but an eleventh-level demon cultivator named 'Wen Tianque'."

"Moreover, this person was once a member of the Demon Slayer Division and has a personal grudge against you, Commander..."

"You killed his wife."

Upon hearing this, Shui Miaozheng, who was standing next to her, turned her head in astonishment, her face full of shock.

Clearly, this was the first time she had heard such a secret.

Tian Wenyuan simply smiled:

"Throughout my cultivation journey, from the border army to the Demon Slayer Division, I have killed countless demons and slain countless monsters."

Among these demons, some are other men's wives, some are their husbands, some are their children, and some are their parents.

Which of them doesn't have an irreconcilable blood feud with the original master? Your question is completely meaningless.

"Given that Wen Tianque is a demonic cultivator of considerable skill, the Garrison Commander shouldn't be as forgetful as some other nobody."

Jiang Mu was not intimidated by his imposing aura, and looked directly at the man on the high seat.

"An eleventh-level demonic cultivator—such a person would have been considered a prodigy even in the Demon Slaying Division in the past. It would be unreasonable for the Garrison Commander to say he doesn't remember him."

Tian Wenyuan squinted his eyes:

"So what if I admit to killing his wife?"

"Your Excellency, there is no need for you to be so sensitive."

Jiang Mu said in a deep voice,

"I just want to learn as much as possible about Wen Tianque through you. His cultivation methods, his personality, his style of doing things, what weaknesses or obsessions he has."

Knowing yourself and your enemy can at least give you a better chance of success in the subsequent city defense deployment.

Tian Wenyuan fell silent.

After a long while, he slowly leaned back in his chair, his voice tinged with weariness:

"He's a madman."

"madman?"

Jiang Mu frowned.

"You may not be able to wait for reinforcements to arrive."

Tian Wenyuan said, "I advise you, Yunzhou City will definitely be breached. I am not entirely confident that I can defeat Wen Tianque. If you two want to stay together for a little longer, take advantage of the time you can still leave and get out of here as soon as possible."

Upon hearing this, Shui Miaozheng's delicate body trembled, and she could hardly believe her ears.

If these words had come from the mouth of an ordinary official who was afraid of death, it would have been one thing, but they actually came from the mouth of the garrison commander, who was the city's strongest warrior and who was willing to live and die with the city!

What is a garrison commander?

They are the last backbone of the city!

"Lord Tian!"

Shui Miaozheng stepped forward, indignantly saying...

"The city's defensive formation has not yet been breached. At most, it can hold out for another three or four days before Commander Ran's army and the General's reinforcements arrive."

Even if the great formation breaks, with our Demon Slayers and you, the Garrison Commander, we can hold off the demon army for a day or two. Besides, Wen Tianque is at the eleventh rank just like you, and with the blessing of an entire city's incense offerings, you might not be at a disadvantage against him!

Why would you say such discouraging things?

Shui Miaozheng became more and more excited as she spoke.

She thought of Yuan Qianfan from Yancheng, who was now just a wisp of a soul but still stubbornly guarded the city.

As fellow garrison commanders, Tian Wenyuan's cowardly attitude before even engaging in battle filled her with deep contempt.

Tian Wenyuan, however, ignored her.

He closed his eyes, his tone returning to its previous coldness, "Go. I've given you my words; further words are pointless. Take care of yourself."

Shui Miaozheng wanted to say something, but Jiang Mu tugged at her sleeve.

The woman turned around and saw the man shaking his head at her.

She bit her lower lip, finally swallowing the anger that was stuck in her throat, then turned away angrily with a flick of her sleeve.

Stepping out of the underground palace, Shui Miaozheng was still furious and coldly snorted:

"In all my years in the Demon Slayer Division, I have never seen a garrison commander advise people to abandon the defense of the city before a battle."

Even when Lord Yuan of Yancheng was completely destroyed and only a wisp of his soul remained, he never uttered a single word of retreat.

He, Tian Wenyuan, is a veteran of countless battles, how come he's getting worse with age!

Jiang Mu said thoughtfully:

"It is precisely because he said such things that it speaks volumes."

For a veteran who's fought half his life to be this timid before the battle even begins can only mean he knows Wen Tianque far too well. So well that even with the blessings of a city's incense offerings, he wouldn't dare claim victory. He's not belittling us; he's afraid.

Shui Miaozheng frowned, pondered for a moment, and asked in confusion:

"But that's strange. In all my years in the Demon Slayer Division, I've never heard of anyone named Wen Tianque."

A demonic cultivator capable of reaching the eleventh level must have been quite a figure in the Demon Slaying Division back then; they would have been at least a hall master or higher. If such a person had truly defected, the headquarters would surely have a record of it.

"Perhaps, Wen Tianque is just the name he changed after he defected and became a demon."

Jiang Mu guessed.

Shui Miaozheng still found it very strange.

Jiang Mu changed the subject and said, "By the way, Aunt Shui, I didn't come alone this time. I also brought Lingzhu, Duanmu Li and the others with me."

Shui Miaozheng was taken aback, then immediately tensed up: "Where are they?"

There are tens of thousands of demon soldiers outside. If a few women were to encounter danger, it would be disastrous.

"Don't worry, they are safe."

Jiang Mu smiled.

Before entering the city, he also handed over the [Black-awning Treasure Ship] to Chu Lingzhu.

Jiang Mu then asked, "By the way, do you know where Chu Lingzhu's father is staying in Fazhou City, since he arrived early?"

Upon hearing the man mention this, a slight smile appeared on Shui Miaozheng's face:

"Upon receiving your letter, I immediately had arrangements made. Chu Dahai's herbal medicine shop and residence are both located in the south of the city, in a good location. Once the situation stabilizes, they can open for business."

As for your three old subordinates, Zhang Dachi and the others, I've also arranged for them to join the Demon Slayer Division, temporarily placing them under the Third Hall.

As for you…”

At this point, Shui Miaozheng's beautiful eyes flickered, her tone carrying a hint of probing.

"Little Jiang, with your current cultivation level, you're more than capable of being a hall master, let alone a supervisor. How about I speak to the head commander and have you become the supervisor of Yunzhou City? I'll be your deputy and assist you?"

"No, stop."

Jiang Mu waved his hands repeatedly, "I'm used to being carefree, and I hate sitting in that position worrying about a pile of official documents. The Hall Master is fine; when there's trouble, he rushes to the front to slay demons, and when there's nothing to do, he goes back to sleep. But the Upper..."

As he spoke, he deliberately moved closer, his gaze fixed intently on the beautiful woman's dignified and radiant face, and teased her with a double entendre.

"And... I also quite like it when Aunt Shui is on top of me."

"Pah! Never serious!"

Upon hearing such lewd words, Shui Miaozheng's pretty face flushed slightly, the blush spreading from her ears all the way to her neck.

She glared at the man, but her eyes held more reproach than anger.

"What time is it and you still can't behave yourself? But you still have to take on the role of deputy commander, right?"

Otherwise, how could there be talk of letting an eighth-realm expert be relegated to the position of hall master? If word got out, people would think that I, Shui Miaozheng, was deliberately suppressing you and preventing you from getting ahead. It's settled then. I'll send a formal document to the headquarters later."

"Whatever you say, I'm fine with anything."

Jiang Mu did not refuse again.

Anyway, the deputy director is just holding a nominal title; he still does his job.

He steered the conversation back to the main topic.

"Aunt Shui, Yang Renxu is just one of the moles. That young master Zhao said there's at least another big fish hiding deep in the city. We must investigate thoroughly..."

"Report"

Just then, a demon slayer rushed over from a distance, knelt on one knee, and shouted:

"My lord, the demon army has begun its attack again!"

Jiang Mu and Shui Miaozheng exchanged a glance, and without saying a word, they rushed towards the city wall.

Upon reaching the top of the city wall, Jiang Mu saw a dark, surging tide of demons seemingly rolling in from the horizon.

It was overwhelming, stretching as far as the eye could see.

Behind the black torrent stood several demon kings, their demonic aura soaring to the heavens.

Each one possessed an aura no less than that of the eighth rank.

"These demon kings actually went to the battlefield in person to oversee the battle ahead of schedule."

Shui Miaozheng looked on in surprise.

According to the usual practice of powerful demons attacking cities, these high-ranking demon kings would hide at the very back.

They will only start harvesting the demons once the demons have exhausted most of the array's spiritual energy.

Jiang Mu gripped the battlements with both hands and let out a cold laugh:

"Now I understand. The Red Umbrella Sect deliberately let me into the city so they could trap me like a turtle in a jar. After all, it would be incredibly difficult for them to catch me outside. Now that all these demon kings have come up here, it's clearly to lock down the outer space and prevent me or anyone else from escaping."

but……"

Jiang Mu turned to look at Shui Miaozheng.

"This also indirectly confirms Tian Wenyuan's words. The city's protective formation is being consumed far faster than expected. I'm afraid it really won't be able to wait for Commander Ran and the others to arrive before the formation breaks."

Upon hearing this, Shui Miaozheng's heart clenched.

She turned her head and looked at Jiang Mu's profile, which was sharply defined by the firelight from the city wall, and whispered with a hint of pleading,

"Little Jiang, how about you..."

"Shut up."

Jiang Mu coldly interrupted her, "You want me to escape alone? I can't leave unless you're willing to come with me." "But I'm the one in charge here..."

Shui Miaozheng said anxiously.

"Then there's nothing more to say."

Looking at the beautiful woman's noticeably thinner face, Jiang Mu softened his tone, "Besides, given the current situation, there's no way to leave even if we wanted to; we can only fight to the end."

Shui Miaozheng's eyes were slightly warm.

What woman in this world could resist a man who would stay by her side in a life-or-death situation?

Jiang Mu didn't say anything more, gazing at the demonic tide below, pondering whether or not to release the five hundred zombies.

But after thinking it over, I decided against it.

If we were to release a zombie legion of 500 fourth-realm bronze-armored zombies now, it could indeed resolve the immediate crisis.

However, in this kind of siege warfare that resembles a monster's meat grinder, releasing the zombies from the four realms wouldn't be very effective; it would be a waste of this trump card. Good steel must be used where it's needed most.

It can only be released when the city is truly breached and a chaotic battle takes place, so as to exert its greatest value.

Just as he was making his calculations, he suddenly felt a cool touch on his fingertips.

I looked down.

Shui Miaozheng's hand quietly reached out without anyone noticing.

Her slender, pale hand, hidden beneath her sleeve, gently hooked her little finger around his.

"Little Jiang..."

The beautiful woman's voice murmured, as if it could be blown away by the wind at any moment.

"Whether this city holds out in the end or not, Auntie will always be by your side. Auntie will always protect you."

Jiang Mu remained silent.

He simply hooked his hand around her little finger and gently shook it.

A thunderous bugle call ripped through the sky.

The demon army's all-out offensive has begun.

This attack was even more ferocious than before, with countless low-level demons charging madly towards the city's protective light barrier like livestock that had been whipped.

No tactics or formations are needed.

The monsters in the front row crashed to their deaths on the light barrier, while those in the back row continued to charge, stepping on the corpses of their companions.

Several massive siege beasts slowly advanced through the demonic tide.

Every step made the city walls tremble.

The demon kings stood with their hands behind their backs in various parts of the void, their powerful auras weaving into a large net that pressed down on the sky above Yunzhou City.

Under immense psychological pressure, the demon slayers within the city moved between the various array points, filling them with boxes upon boxes of spirit stones and materials in an attempt to maintain the operation of the great array.

Shui Miaozheng then gathered some able-bodied young people who still had strength, and together with the officials from the yamen, they set up simple defensive fortifications along the city wall. They either set up crossbows and catapults soaked in kerosene on the crenellations.

Alternatively, they piled up bundles of barricades strung together on the inside of the city wall.

Some carried out buckets of hot oil soaked in demon blood.

Once the city falls, water will be poured down from the crenellations.

These arrangements might only tickle the thick-skinned, powerful demons, but they can inflict significant and effective damage on lower-level demons.

If the great formation is unfortunately broken, at least there is still a city wall to rely on.

If we can hold out for another half day, reinforcements might arrive.

Even if it's just for the time it takes to burn one more incense stick, it gives us a glimmer of hope.

The demon army's frenzied offensive naturally caused widespread panic within the city.

Fortunately, Jiang Mu's presence gave everyone a sense of confidence.

After all, his deeds have already spread far and wide.

It's even more like a stabilizing force than the garrison commander.

As long as that pillar of strength still stands there, everyone still holds a glimmer of hope.

This top talent of Daqing did not disappoint them.

Jiang Mu fully embodied the true nature of the sixth brother.

He would occasionally teleport outside the light barrier and circle around the area where the demon tide was most concentrated.

The blade energy around him raged wildly, slashing and killing.

Within a radius of several feet, the demons fell in large swaths like cut straw, as if they had unleashed an unparalleled power.

When the demon kings rushed over, Jiang Mu teleported back to the city wall.

Several times, the two hot-tempered demon kings were so enraged by his guerrilla tactics that they were furious.

He was outside the formation, hurling insults and profanities.

For a time, the originally tense and brutal city defense battle was dragged into a strange state of stalemate due to Jiang Mu's psychological warfare tactics. This gave the others immense confidence in defending the city.

Just as Jiang Mu was about to use his teleportation ability to "buy some goods" from the demon army camp again, a vast and abyss-like pressure suddenly descended from the sky.

This oppressive force instantly locked down the spatial energy within a radius of several miles.

Jiang Mu's heart trembled violently, and the hairs on his body stood on end. In a flash, he teleported back into the light barrier of the city's protective array.

Even so, the aftershocks of that oppressive aura still seeped through the light barrier.

It made his chest feel slightly tight.

Jiang Mu raised her head and looked up at the sky in surprise and doubt.

Amidst the churning demonic energy, a crack appeared in the void.

A tall, slender figure dressed in a plain white robe and wearing half a silver mask appeared out of thin air in the high heavens, like a banished immortal emerging from the netherworld, standing with his hands behind his back.

There was not a trace of demonic aura about him.

But just standing there was as if it had collapsed half the sky, making it difficult for the people on the city wall to breathe.

Even the demon kings concealed their auras at this moment.

"Wen Tianque!"

The name immediately popped into Jiang Mu's mind.

No introduction is needed; the sheer aura that commands the submission of tens of thousands of demon soldiers is enough to identify the newcomer.

Wen Tianque slowly extended a slender hand.

The void behind him began to tremble.

A huge black compass appeared out of thin air.

The compass spun rapidly, instantly condensing into several jet-black sword energies.

Each one is as thick as a palace pillar.

Guided by the compass, the sword energy intertwined and swirled, eventually coalescing into a hundred-zhang-long black dragon.

The dragon's head is raised high, and its claws are poised to strike.

Its scales were formed from sword energy, and each scale emitted a sharp sword cry.

Wen Tianque flicked his finger lightly.

The black dragon roared out and crashed into the city's protective formation.

The people on the city wall were all stunned, their faces drained of color.

Logically speaking, the enemy's supreme commander would not launch a direct attack while the city's defensive formation is still at its peak during a siege.

Forcibly bombarding a state's grand formation would inevitably result in a backlash from the formation.

Is this guy really that crazy?

A royal flush right from the start?

Just as the black dragon was about to collide with the light barrier, a burst of golden light exploded outside the array's barrier.

At first, the golden light was only as small as a candle flame.

It exploded in an instant, bathing half of the city wall in a layer of Buddhist light.

The next moment, a towering ancient god statue, hundreds of feet tall and seemingly cast in gold, rose from the direction of the underground palace.

The image is that of a Buddha with wide, angry eyes.

It took a step forward, its form piercing through the barrier.

Half of his body was inside the formation, and the other half was outside.

On the fingertips of the Buddha's image, clasped in prayer, stood Tian Wenyuan, clad in heavy armor, proudly, like a true god.

The Buddha's image features hands outstretched, with five fingers like mountains.

A golden "己" character mudra rotates in each palm.

"BOOM!!"

The enormous golden Buddha hand stopped the roaring black dragon from charging in.

The shockwave from the explosion sent all the monsters within a radius of hundreds of feet flying.

"I thought you were a coward who wouldn't dare to show yourself."

Wen Tianque's robes fluttered as he gazed at Tian Wenyuan on the fingertips of the Buddha's image, his voice gentle and refined, yet tinged with sarcasm.

Tian Wenyuan's eyes were complicated, and he remained silent for a long time before speaking:

"The Way has no perfect merit, and Heaven has no complete cover. Imperfection is precisely how the Way operates. Hearing of imperfection and embracing it, one walks alongside the Way. Hearing of imperfection and trying to mend it, one strays from the Way. Ah, Xu Chen. It seems you have finally grasped its meaning."

Upon hearing the name "Xu Chen," Jiang Mu, standing atop the city wall, felt her mind explode and froze on the spot.

Xu Chen!

The powerful demon cultivator who commands all demons before us is actually Xu Fu's own brother?!

Jiang Mu was completely dumbfounded.

Damn it, wasn't this guy dead?

He was transferred from Hailing Prefecture twelve years ago, and died fighting a demon on his way there.

How come not only did he not die, but he also transformed into a top-tier eleventh-level demonic cultivator and came here to attack the city?

Thinking back to the information he had gathered, Jiang Mu felt a cold sweat break out on his back.

He immediately realized that Xu Chen's so-called "collusion with the demoness case" twelve years ago probably concealed a shocking secret.

In mid-air, Tian Wenyuan's gaze turned cold and sharp as he pointed at Xu Chen and said sternly:

"Xu Chen, you were once a prodigy of my Daqing Demon Slaying Division, receiving a salary from the imperial court and protecting the people of this region."

Now you've degenerated to the point of associating with these bloodthirsty beasts, slaughtering your former comrades. How can you, such a treacherous and ungrateful wretch, have the face to live on in this world?!

Faced with the other party's accusations, Xu Chen laughed:

"Trying to intimidate me with righteous indignation? Tian Wenyuan, your hypocritical face hasn't changed at all."

When I risked my life for the court, covered in wounds, why didn't you spare my wife out of consideration for my desperate efforts? Although she is a demon, she has never harmed a single person.

Where was your sense of righteousness when you beheaded her?

"Humans and demons are destined to be apart; this is an outrage against nature!"

Tian Wenyuan remained expressionless, his voice as cold as ice.

"As long as she is a demon, her very existence is a sin. I kill her to uphold justice."