Amid the army of demon beasts, a massive carriage was pulled by four wild boars as large as carts. Inside sat a man in a black robe embroidered with python patterns. Black scales covered his cheeks, his expression was cold and sinister, and his long hair was coiled beneath his crown. The chill in his eyes struck fear into the heart.
"So many delicious scents."
The black-robed man murmured to himself, licking his lips as he spoke.
Prostrate at his feet was a Red-Haired Rabbit. It stared up at him and asked, "My king, are we really going to offend Old Lord Qiyang?"
"What is Old Lord Qiyang, anyway? Among the Demon Kings, he's one of the weak ones. He just has a bit of backing, that's all."
The black-robed man gave a contemptuous laugh, not taking Old Lord Qiyang seriously at all.
Before long, the army of demon beasts halted at the edge of Xiwan City. Ahead stood a cluster of skyscrapers, like a forest of steel.
The people at the city's edge stared in terror. They wanted to flee, but their sense of responsibility forced them to stay.
"I am the Black Scale King. Who is the city lord? Come out and meet me!"
The black-robed man's voice suddenly rang through Xiwan City, turning countless faces pale.
Another Demon King!
The terror of the apocalypse had descended once more.
"I'll give you the time it takes an incense stick to burn. If the city lord doesn't come out to meet me, I'll slaughter everyone in this city!"
The Black Scale King's voice rang out again. He knew the people in the Strange City were all ordinary mortals, and it would take them time to get out of the city.
Atop a mountain peak.
Su Yi gazed at the horizon, his brow furrowing.
"What powerful demonic aura... It's even stronger than Old Lord Qiyang's!"
The Red Blood Snake King was even weaker than the Black Scale King by comparison. Even Su Yi felt a trace of danger.
Whirring--
Before long, a helicopter rose from the city.
For nearly half a month, Xiwan City had not been attacked by monsters. The citizens had reunited, and electricity and communications had been restored, though they could only communicate within Xiwan City.
Mayor Tan Quanming sat inside the helicopter, his face grim. The four bodyguards accompanying him wore the same expression.
Over the past half month, people had begun cultivating, and the differences in their aptitude had become apparent. The Luoshui Sect had already taken two batches of new disciples, but they were few compared to Xiwan City's overall population. Most of the highly gifted people remained in the city, and some powerful figures had begun to stand out.
Tan Quanming's four bodyguards were among those with strong talents. Their strength had already reached roughly five times that of an ordinary person, which was astonishing.
They had grown so strong because they'd eaten a mysterious purple fruit. Their strength had surged the instant they swallowed it.
They weren't the only ones. Many people had discovered the unusual effects of those strange fruits. But after someone was poisoned and died, the citizens no longer dared to take such risks.
Alongside cultivating, the citizens were also searching for the ten treasures Xuanyuan Human Emperor had mentioned. So far, they had found only one: the Dragon Cry Blade. A martial arts enthusiast named Zhu Tienan had claimed it, and with the blade in hand, his combat strength had soared. Dozens of people couldn't even take him down.
"Mayor, should we look for that Half-Demon and ask for help?"
One of the bodyguards couldn't help asking. The Luoshui Sect had left just two days ago and wouldn't return for several more days. They had no chance of stopping the Black Scale King on their own.
The Half-Demon!
Tan Quanming frowned. The Half-Demon's legend had spread throughout Xiwan City. After all, he was a terrifying being who could kill a Demon King with one punch.
"Do you know where he is? What if he's the one who colluded with the Black Scale King?"
Another bodyguard spoke up, raising a sharp question that left everyone silent.
"Let's deal with the Black Scale King first!"
Tan Quanming said gravely. He felt a headache coming on. With the responsibility of the entire city on his shoulders, he had to make decisions about countless matters, leaving him no time to cultivate.
If the Black Scale King slaughtered Xiwan City, the sin would weigh even heavier on him.
Soon, the helicopter reached the air above the northern edge of the city.
"Is that a magical treasure? Why doesn't it have any spiritual energy?"
The Black Scale King stared at the helicopter and murmured curiously. The Red-Haired Rabbit beside him also watched it with fascination.
Looking down at the vast, densely packed army of demon beasts, Tan Quanming and the others felt their scalps go numb.
"I am the city lord. What do you want?"
Tan Quanming leaned out and called down.
Hundreds of thousands of monsters looked up at him in unison. Their savage, bloodthirsty gazes made him tremble all over, and he nearly fell, but someone behind him caught him in time.
From inside the carriage, the Black Scale King said, "Submit to me and send me a hundred people every day for food. Then I won't slaughter the city!"
At his words, Tan Quanming's face changed dramatically.
The soldiers at the city's edge were even more enraged. Did the Black Scale King mean to pen them up like livestock and enslave them?
The Black Scale King deliberately raised his voice so everyone in the city could hear. In an instant, fear descended like nightfall, shrouding the entire city.
Inside an apartment building.
Nan Xiaopao, Zhang Manting, and the other two were also badly frightened.
"It's over... Another Demon King is attacking the city..."
Zhang Manting's father clutched his head in despair. His cultivation aptitude was poor, even worse than his wife's and daughter's, and it had changed his temperament. He often locked himself in his room.
"It's okay. We'll get through this."
Nan Xiaopao comforted him, unable to stop herself from thinking of Su Yi and hoping he was safe.
Elsewhere, Tan Quanming was trapped in a dilemma.
If he refused, Xiwan City would be doomed. If he agreed, he would become a sinner and condemn Xiwan City to an even darker fate.
"Why is this happening..."
Tan Quanming thought in despair. At that moment, he wished more than anything that he weren't the mayor, so he wouldn't have to face such an impossible choice.
The Black Scale King's voice rang out again. "I'm giving you a way to live. Isn't that better than having the whole city die? Besides me, many other Demon Kings have already set their sights on you!"
His words pierced into everyone's hearts like a sharp blade.
Had Xuanyuan Human Emperor thrown them into the Land of Monsters?
"Black Scale King, aren't you being a little too disrespectful to me?"
Just then, Old Lord Qiyang's voice rang out, brimming with anger. This was his territory, after all!
Whoosh--
Old Lord Qiyang bounded out from among the mountains, riding a Demon Cloud, his robes snapping in the wind. He soon reached the outskirts of the city and looked down at the hundreds of thousands of demon beasts, his whole body trembling.
"You brought that many troops..."
Old Lord Qiyang furrowed his brow, his face turning terribly grim.
"Qiyang, I advise you to mind your own business!"
The Black Scale King snorted. Even though Old Lord Qiyang had arrived, he showed no intention of leaving his carriage, as if he had Old Lord Qiyang exactly where he wanted him.
The two Demon Kings' standoff made everyone in the city tense.
"Do you know who stands behind me?"
Old Lord Qiyang gritted his teeth. Even if he gathered every monster in the Qiling Land, they would still be no match for the Black Scale King. He could only threaten him.
At that moment, the Black Scale King suddenly sent a voice transmission to Old Lord Qiyang, one only the two of them could hear.
Old Lord Qiyang's expression changed drastically. He clenched his fists, then flew off to the side, his face dark.
The Demon King of the Qiling Land had backed down!
Tan Quanming's face grew even grimmer.
"City lord of the Strange City, I'll give you the time it takes two incense sticks to burn to decide. Will you submit to me, or will you die alongside the people of this city?"
The Black Scale King's voice rang out once again, letting everyone in the city know that their fate rested in Tan Quanming's hands.
Before you continue