Deng Jiu'e's Errand, Three Great Demons Attack!

It was now the latter part of the third month.

The spring planting had concluded, and Four Seas Village had cleared quite a bit of new, fertile land, all of which had been sown with rice.

The appearance of a large number of martial artists meant they were the best labor force in the village.

They were experts at building houses.

They were equally adept at planting crops.

"Temple Keeper."

"There are currently one thousand nine hundred and ninety-two villagers, with one hundred and six children under the age of five."

"Among them, there is one second-tier intermediate martial master, eight first-tier peak martial artists, and sixty-eight first-tier intermediate martial artists."

Li Deyang stood behind Li Youming and spoke.

"Go and fetch Deng Jiu'e, and also find ten women from among the first-tier intermediate martial artists to come here."

Li Youming instructed.

His gaze rested on the spiritual fields ahead, which were suffused with spiritual energy; even though it was already the second day, his mood remained somewhat stirred.

After all—

This was a spiritual field.

Even Cangmu Town did not have one.

The county seat only had one and a half mu.

Now that their Four Seas Village possessed one, they naturally had to cultivate it with the utmost care and ensure no one could damage it.

Not long after.

Deng Jiu'e, who looked to be only twenty-one or twenty-two years old, thin and small, ran over and bowed in salute:

"Temple Keeper, did you summon me?"

She had a pair of large eyes, and the hair that had appeared withered yesterday had become glossy and smooth after she became a first-tier peak martial artist; her skin had also plumped up, and her face even had a bit of baby fat.

Behind her, ten first-tier intermediate female martial artists also ran over one after another.

Among them were middle-aged women as well as young girls.

The ten of them also bowed in salute toward Li Youming, their eyes filled with reverence.

Having received the blessing of Lord Zhangyue and become martial artists—

Their status in the village was no longer the same.

Even those who were once farm wives serving the men in their homes had now become the pillars of their households, with the men serving them instead.

They had to serve; there was no other choice.

The disparity in martial strength was simply too great.

Moreover, they had the backing of the Temple Keeper, the village chief, and others.

"Deng Jiu'e, from this day forward, you shall be responsible for this mu of spiritual field."

"Planting, pest control, weeding, protection... you will lead these ten people to complete all of these tasks."

"I have only one requirement."

"That is, the spiritual field must not suffer the slightest damage, and the harvest must be guaranteed."

Li Youming turned to look at Deng Jiu'e and said in a deep voice.

"Ah?"

"Me?"

Deng Jiu'e looked at the spiritual field ahead and was immediately flustered, waving her hands in a hurry:

"Temple Keeper, I cannot do it."

"I have no experience, and I am afraid I will not do it well."

Before coming to Four Seas Village, she was just an ordinary villager in the Land of Demons.

Back then, she was terrified of when she might be eaten by demons.

She also feared how the demons would handle her when they ate her, and whether it would be painful.

How could someone like her do such an important job?

This spiritual field was a divine object bestowed by Lord Zhangyue.

She was very afraid that if she failed, she would waste the divine object bestowed by Lord Zhangyue, and she was also afraid of failing the expectations of the Temple Keeper.

"I say you can, so you can."

"You are someone who has received two divine gifts from Lord Zhangyue; you must have confidence."

Li Youming patted Deng Jiu'e on the shoulder, his tone brooking no argument.

Following that—

He turned his gaze toward the ten female martial artists:

"You are to follow all of Deng Jiu'e's arrangements. If there is any instance of feigning compliance while acting in opposition, do not blame me."

"Our Four Seas Village has no precedent for casting out villagers."

"Do not become the first."

Though his voice was not harsh, it made the hearts of the ten female martial artists tremble, and they hurriedly replied:

"Rest assured, Temple Keeper, we will certainly follow Lord Deng's arrangements!"

They were not joking—

If they were cast out of the village by the Temple Keeper, what face would they have to see their families?

Furthermore, being cast out of the village meant losing the protection of Lord Zhangyue.

In this world filled with demons and evil spirits, how long could they survive?

"These are 'White Jade Spirit Rice' seeds; you must cultivate them with great care."

"These 'White Jade Spirit Rice' seeds were also bestowed by Lord Zhangyue and are extremely precious."

Li Youming took out the bag of 'White Jade Spirit Rice' seeds with great solemnity and handed it to Deng Jiu'e, his expression grave.

Deng Jiu'e took them, stunned.

Not only was she deeply favored by the divine, but she was also trusted so completely by the Temple Keeper?

Both divine items had been entrusted to her...

Her expression firmed, and she nodded heavily:

"Rest assured, Temple Keeper, I will not let you down!"

Li Youming nodded with a smile.

Half a month later.

Late at night.

Li Youming was immersed in his cultivation.

Suddenly, three earth-shattering beast roars came from afar, shaking the mountains!

"Demons?"

He immediately snapped awake, walked out of his room, and looked toward the direction of the sound.

Even in the dead of night, under the faint starlight, he could still see three massive demons standing atop a mountain peak, roaring toward their Four Seas Village!

"It is the three demon leaders from the Land of Demons!"

Li Youming's gaze turned cold.

The Land of Demons was home to many demons, though most were of low cultivation—merely second-rank lower tier, with a small number at second-rank middle or upper tier.

However, among them were three demon leaders who had reached the second-rank limit, no weaker than the wolf demon of Thousand Wolf Mountain.

And above these three demon leaders, there was an even greater demon!

He knew.

These three demon leaders had come looking for him, surely related to the seven demons he had slain in the Land of Demons and the large number of people he had brought back.

Yet, he was not worried in the slightest.

What place was this?

This was Four Seas Village!

This was the territory of Lord Zhangyue!

He still remembered the shocking scene back at Thousand Wolf Mountain, where Lord Zhangyue manifested divine might, wielding the thunder of heaven and earth to slay the wolf demon in a single strike.

What were these three demon leaders in the face of Lord Zhangyue?

They were merely here to throw their lives away.

At this moment—

People emerged from every household in Four Seas Village.

Many families had martial artists among them, all possessing excellent eyesight; they looked up at the three demons on the distant mountain peak, their faces devoid of any fear.

In a land protected by Lord Zhangyue, did demons dare to come and act with such insolence?

On the distant mountain peak.

A bear demon over three zhang tall had scarlet eyes, its black fur standing up like steel needles. It looked down at Four Seas Village, where more and more lights were flickering on, and roared:

"Who entered the Land of Demons and slaughtered my subordinates!"

"Get out here and face your death!"

Beside it.

The other was a dog demon standing on its hind legs, towering even taller than the bear demon at nearly forty feet, licking its lips as it gazed down at Four Seas Village, saliva dripping incessantly.

This was a village that could be devoured at will!

It was going to eat a hundred people today!

And it would pick the tender-skinned ones to feast upon!

As for the third demon, it was a giant snow-white horse, holding its head high with an arrogant air, as if it disdained to speak.

"This is a land under the protection of an Orthodox God; how dare you wicked creatures act so wantonly!"

Li Youming stood before the Land God Temple and shouted at the three demon leaders.

His voice rolled out across the night sky, carrying clearly to the ears of the three demon leaders even from five or six miles away.

"Hahaha--!"

"What Orthodox God!"

"There are no gods in this world!"

"Let me see what kind of fraud is masquerading as the Orthodox God of your Four Seas Village!"

"I'm going to eat your god today!"

The bear demon let out a cold, mocking laugh, then its massive body leaped directly from the mountain peak, charging toward Four Seas Village!

The dog demon and the giant white horse followed suit, charging out as well.

A moment later--

They had already breached the perimeter of Four Seas Village.