He Yuzhu returns in Siheyuan

Chapter 880, Team 3

"Let them go." Wang Ran waved his hand, his tone carrying an unquestionable command, his fingertips turning white from the force. "Remember, whether they live or die... they must bring out the Dragon Pearl."

Zhang Lei bowed in agreement and turned to relay the order. Wang Ran gazed into the depths of the Misty Forest, where the white fog was as thick as ink. A ruthless smile curled at the corner of his lips—once the Dragon Clan was destroyed and the Demon Clan was wiped out, this immense achievement would ultimately be his. At that time, he wouldn't just want a small squad leader position; half of the cultivation world should belong to him.

Zhang Lei watched as the golden-red flames formed by the communication talisman exploded in the sky and quickly dissipated into the twilight, the aftershocks of excitement still churning within him. He clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white—he truly hadn't expected Wang Ran to entrust him with the task of infiltrating the Misty Forest to investigate the movements of the demon race. He knew that more than half of his cultivators had been lost, and he was already considered a "defeated force" by many. This assignment was not only an acknowledgment of his remaining strength but also a veiled gesture of goodwill. Perhaps, he still had a chance to shed this "stray dog" status, regain his footing under Wang Ran's command, and even reclaim his former glory.

He took a deep breath of the evening breeze, carrying the fresh scent of grass and trees, forcing himself to suppress the turmoil in his heart. The burning heat in his eyes faded, replaced by a layer of cold frost—this was not the time to indulge in emotions. Wang Ran's plan was meticulously crafted, allowing no room for error. He turned and leaped into the dense forest, his figure darting through the shadows like a cat, his target the core area occupied by the demon race.

Meanwhile, deep within a mountain cave in the dense forest, the stench of blood and demonic energy mingled and permeated the air. A tiger demon lay dozing on a narrow, ten-foot-wide bluestone bed, its glossy black stripes appearing and disappearing in the dim light, its heavy breathing rising and falling like bellows. Hearing rustling footsteps at the cave entrance, it abruptly opened its large, bell-like eyes, a fierce glint flashing in its amber pupils, and glared at the monkey demon who had entered. It demanded in a gruff voice, "Why are you back? Didn't I tell you to take your men and retreat to the ridge ten miles away? How dare you disobey orders?"

A hint of embarrassment flashed across the monkey demon's face. He scratched the back of his head with his furry paws and chuckled dryly, "Brother Tiger, I'm just worried. Those human cultivators don't look like good guys. They all have shrewd eyes. Why would they be so kind as to let us retreat peacefully? I'm thinking they might be up to something."

It took two steps closer and lowered its voice: "I was afraid they would take the opportunity to send spies to investigate the secrets of our demon race. If they were to reveal the secret realm deep in the forest... that is the foundation that we have protected for generations! So I pretended to lead my brothers away, but actually secretly took a detour and followed them for three miles. When I saw that they were not coming this way, I hurried back to report the news. It's really that simple."

This monkey demon, always the most cunning among the demons, knew best the importance of the forbidden area in the center of the Misty Forest—not only did it harbor thousand-year-old spiritual roots, but it also concealed the inheritance stone tablet left by the ancient demon race, which absolutely could not be allowed to be explored by humans. His retreat just now was merely a delaying tactic; his true purpose was to ascertain the enemy's movements.

The tiger demon stared at the monkey demon's darting eyes with a scrutinizing look. It swept its thick tail across the ground and said in a deep voice, "Stop beating around the bush. What exactly do those humans want? They want to pass through this forest for no reason, saying they're here to cause trouble for the dragons. I don't think it's that simple."

The monkey demon's playful smile vanished instantly, replaced by a solemn expression as if a stone were pressing down on it: "Brother Tiger, haven't you figured it out yet? The humans didn't come here just for the dragons. They've got a very shrewd plan in mind! Apart from that sleeping ancient dragon, they've probably been eyeing our Misty Forest for a long time."

It counted on its claws, saying, "Think about it, the dragons have dragon scales and blood to forge magical artifacts, the hundred-year-old spiritual plants in our forest can be used to refine pills, the black iron in the mines can be used to forge swords, and the inner cores of us demons... Which of these isn't a treasure they covet? In the end, not only will the dragons suffer, but our Misty Forest will probably be turned upside down by them, leaving not even a blade of grass behind!"

Upon hearing this, the tiger demon abruptly stood up from the bluestone. Its towering body stirred up a gust of wind, and its demonic aura surged like ink, causing several pieces of rock to fall from the cave ceiling. It grinned, revealing its gleaming white fangs: "So, they intend to wipe out both our demon and dragon races in one fell swoop?"

The monkey demon nodded emphatically, a resolute glint in his eyes: "Most likely! I just saw from afar that there were faint fluctuations of spiritual energy on the mountaintops outside the forest, flashing red and purple incessantly. That's a 'Spirit Locking Array' set up by human cultivators! They've probably already completely surrounded this Misty Forest, making it impossible for anyone to escape."

The tiger demon remained silent for a moment, its thick claws carving deep gashes into the hard stone ground, sending stone chips flying. It took a deep breath and said in a muffled voice, "So, we only have one thing to do now—put aside our old grudges with the dragons and join forces to fight the enemy."

The dragon race has always been arrogant, considering themselves the "king of all spirits," and has often fought with the demon race for territory. But this is clearly not the time to dwell on such things.

The monkey demon slapped his thigh: "That's right! The humans have surrounded the forest like an iron barrel. This is both a crisis and our only chance. The dragons may be arrogant, but they also understand the principle of mutual dependence. If we don't join forces with the dragons and fight our own battles, we will only be defeated one by one by the humans, leaving not even bone fragments. Only by uniting as one can we have a sliver of hope!"

The tiger demon stared at the swaying shadows of the trees outside the cave entrance. The shadows twisted in the wind, resembling the狰狞 (zhengning - ferocious/hideous) faces of human cultivators. It let out a low growl, causing the cave to hum: "Fine! We'll do as you say. I'll go and inform the bear tribe and the snake queen deep in the forest to bring their best warriors. You go and contact the dragon tribe, tell them that the human race's blade is already at our throats. If we keep putting on airs, we'll all die!"

"Alright!" the monkey demon replied, turning to walk out. But he stopped at the cave entrance and turned back, saying, "By the way, have all the little ones in the clan hide in the cave behind the mountain and seal the entrance with illusion magic. This battle is going to be tough, so don't let the kids suffer."

The tiger demon grunted in agreement. The monkey demon's figure quickly disappeared into the dense forest, and the cave returned to silence, with only the wind outside growing stronger and stronger, howling and wailing, as if playing a mournful prelude to an impending bloody battle.

These days, with one strange thing after another happening, He Yuzhu didn't think too deeply about it. He only knew that he couldn't sleep well at night. As soon as his head touched the pillow, it was like falling into turbulent waves, and he was sure to be plunged into that bizarre dream.