Three months later.
It was midsummer, and daylight shone bright.
The radiant, resplendent light of the Great Sun bathed the land, and the wind blew the wild breath of the primordial wilderness into the hearts of all living beings.
Zhou Mountain stood at the center of a vast plain, a sweep of lush green as far as the eye could see.
Thousands upon thousands of the Demon Race stood on this immense plain, grouped by tribe. The overwhelming majority had beast heads and human bodies, and wore simple, rough clothing.
Yet their eyes were exceptionally bright, holding an undercurrent of excitement.
On the plain.
An enormous altar had been built from nothing.
White jade formed its foundation, metal and stone its walls. Ring after ring of broad steps rose from the earth all the way to the altar's surface.
Images of every people of the Eastern Wasteland's Demon Race were carved into the altar's outer walls.
At this moment.
The broad rings of steps were packed with the Demon Race's powerful figures.
Among them were avian demons, terrestrial demons, and scaled and armored demons.
These powerful demons were either the chiefs of their peoples or mighty figures who roamed freely between heaven and earth.
At this moment, they had all assumed fully human forms and stood respectfully in their appointed places.
Farther up stood row upon row of Royal Court guards, clad in golden armor and holding long weapons.
Higher still, on the step just below the altar, more than a dozen Demon Race ministers stood in two columns.
They were the strongest in the Demon Race today beneath Jiang Yang.
Peng, Baize, Bifang, Chongming Bird, Divine Elephant, Star Leopard, Golden-Winged Great Peng Bird, Golden Eagle, Heavenly Dog, and the other supreme figures of the Demon Race stood solemnly.
Jiang