Cannon Fodder Camp

Twelve years passed as the seasons turned.

"Buzz—!"

Within Red Stone City, the Laws of the World descended upon Linley's residence. His Death Element Divine Avatar broke through to the Mid-level God realm a step later.

In high spirits, Linley decided to relax. When his Spiritual Sense swept across the residence, he saw Diana and the four maids in the courtyard, discussing him.

Linley pushed open the door and walked out. The women turned around at the sound of his footsteps and said with beaming smiles, "Congratulations, my lord."

Diana and the others were both envious and impressed.

The gap in talent between people was even greater than that between humans and dogs.

They were still suffering bitterly at the Saint Domain Limit, while Linley had become a god and broken through one realm after another over the years.

Linley smiled and instructed one of the blue-haired maids, "Liko, go inform Thomas and the others. Tell them we're having a gathering at Moon Mountain Residence. We'll head there first."

The maid Liko's beautiful eyes lit up. She nodded with a smile. "Yes, my lord. I'll go inform them right away!"

Linley led Diana and the others along the broad, bustling streets. They chatted and laughed casually the entire way. Surrounded by beautiful women, Linley's bearing as a powerhouse drew the envious and jealous gazes of quite a few passersby.

"Make way, make way! Don't block the road!"

A commotion arose ahead.

Linley and the others followed the noise and looked over curiously. They saw more than a dozen imposing guards charging into a restaurant with a blue sign, a few hundred meters from Demon Castle.

The sign clearly bore three characters: Moon Mountain Residence.

It was a venerable high-end restaurant that only received demons or those escorted by demons. Even its cheapest dish cost several hundred Ink Stones. It was an elite gathering place for the upper class.

Linley had visited several times before. It offered a wide variety of dishes, and the chefs' skills were impeccable.

Amid the crashing and shouting, a handsome young man with green hair and dressed in sky-blue brocade robes was roughly dragged out by the guards, as if he were a dead dog.

Roy cursed and shouted, "Bastards, do you know who I am?! Lord Alantai, the Seven-star Demon elder of the Azure Dragon Family, is my grandfather!"

The answer he received was a savage beating.

An old man with snow-white hair and ragged clothes chased out of the restaurant, shouting, "Wait!"

Frodo spoke to the guards in a half-threatening, half-pleading tone. "You'd better think carefully about the consequences of offending a Seven-star Demon and the Azure Dragon Family. Why not turn this into a minor matter? Lord Roy is willing to pay compensation and apologize!"

The guard captain leading the group stopped and looked back at Frodo, his eyes filled with disdain.

"Get lost!"

The guard captain sneered. "The great Overgod has decreed that no one is allowed to engage in private fights within the city. Violators will be sentenced to death. If you dare obstruct the guards in the execution of their duties, we'll arrest you as well!"

"Still, he's lucky. The City Lord's Manor recently received a new order: anyone who causes trouble in the city will be forcibly assigned to the Blood Peak Army's cannon-fodder camp for ten thousand years!"

Roy ground his teeth and said, "Damn it, this is all because of that bastard from the Reynalds Family! Frodo, hurry and inform my grandfather!"

The guards escorted him away. Wherever they passed, pedestrians on the streets hurriedly moved aside and whispered while pointing behind their backs.

"The Azure Dragon Family and the Reynalds Family are fighting again."

"I heard they're fighting over a woman."

Not everyone exchanged information discreetly. There were always god-level powerhouses who were bold and eager to share gossip.

Linley happened to hear these unverified details as well.

However, when he saw Mariana walk out of Moon Mountain Residence with a handsome, devilishly charming blue-haired young man beside her, he immediately felt that the possibility was quite high.

Even with Linley's discerning taste, he had to admit that Mariana's bearing was extremely alluring.

She was elegant and icy, like a thorn-covered black rose. She wasn't like Julie, whose beauty could only be appreciated by a particular group of people.

Her charm appealed to almost everyone, and it easily stirred a desire to conquer.

"Linley!"

Mariana noticed Linley. Her calm, elegant face instantly darkened, her pearly teeth lightly biting down as her beautiful eyes filled with resentment—and, even more so, a deep sense of powerlessness.

The blue-haired young man was initially surprised, but soon smiled. "Mr. Linley, I've long heard of you. Allow me to introduce myself: Simon Reynalds."

Linley nodded and asked indifferently, "What's your relationship with this woman?"

Simon said frankly, "You could say I'm her pursuer. I fell in love with Mariana at first sight."

Linley smiled playfully. "Then you should thank me."

Simon froze, unable to understand what he meant for a moment.

Linley looked at Mariana with a half-smile. "Because I killed her husband, Claude. Otherwise, how would you have had this opportunity?"

Simon's expression turned awkward, and he said nothing.

Mariana glared at Linley and snorted before quickening her pace and leaving.

People had already begun gathering to watch the spectacle. She had no intention of becoming the subject of drunken gossip.

Simon hurried after her and sent a voice transmission. "Mariana, don't be anxious. When I get the chance, I'll definitely help you avenge yourself."

Yet he had no such intention in his heart.

He had already investigated Linley thoroughly. Although Linley was only a One-star Demon, he possessed the strength of a Six-star Demon.

Regardless of whether Linley possessed some special method, was an Upper God concealing his soul aura, or was even a Mid-level God, he was not someone Simon—a Five-star Demon—dared to provoke lightly.

The Reynalds Family was no Overgod family. Simon wasn't foolish enough to create such a mysterious enemy for no reason.

He only wanted to sweet-talk Mariana into falling for him, or find a way to leave the city and use force directly!

Mariana sent a voice transmission. "As long as you can kill him—even one of his Divine Avatars will do—I'm willing to marry you."

Simon sneered at her naivety inwardly, but deceived her through his voice transmission. "I'll find a way."

Inside a private room at Moon Mountain Residence.

After ordering the food, Linley pondered what had just happened.

Mariana's aura belonged to an Upper God!

She had previously been left with only a Sanctuary True Body. It was impossible for her to cultivate so quickly by becoming a god on her own.

Most likely, she had refined a godhead.

Of course, it was also possible that after cultivating another Divine Avatar, her Sanctuary True Body had refined a godhead.

However, what truly concerned Linley was not Mariana, but what the guard had said.

Private fighting in the city would no longer result in people being surrounded and killed. Instead, the offenders would be assigned to the Blood Peak Army's cannon-fodder camp. Anyone could tell from the name alone what kind of unit it was.

Linley calculated inwardly, How long has it been, and they're already short of manpower...? Just how fiercely is the Faith War in the Material Plane being fought...? Will they start forcibly conscripting people in the future?

After a short while, the maid Liko arrived at Moon Mountain Residence with Thomas and the others, along with several female companions who accompanied them.

After asking the waiter, they were led into the private room. Everyone ate and drank to their heart's content, and the atmosphere was extremely harmonious.

Jess's face was flushed from drinking. He said, "Oh, right, Linley. There's something I happen to need to report to you."

Linley nodded as he ate, indicating that he was listening.

When Jess brought up serious business, his expression turned solemn. "The Halkejinia Plane has been invaded by an Angel Legion from the Light God Plane!"