Schemes of Demons (1)

Looking at the 4 Saints' reaction, Wu Xing Wen's heart sank completely.

He's obviously the one that's in the right, both justice and the heart of the people were on his side, even if Bai Hua Fairy is angry, his Shifu should be able to defend him. Not to mention, being someone whose sight doesn't allow for evil, the Great Monk of Sorrow would have also been on his side.

At that point, he can keep up his appearance of justice and partiality in front of everyone, even Bai Hua Fairy and Shadow Sword Saint couldn't touch him in front of the 2 Saints. This would also damage Bai Hua sect's reputation, getting back for the humiliation they faced in the semester examination. From then on, Gu Qing Shan's reputation would also drop without stopping, there would be no more ridiculous title like Sword 15.

One strike, three dead!

But who could've known, when the 4 Saints arrived, not only did his Shifu not defend his actions, but even the Great Monk of Sorrow spoke up.

'Just why is that?'

Wu Xing Wen felt his mind was boggled, as if there was some sort of wall blocking him from the truth in his head.

"Qin Xiao Lou, you can go back to your original post. Gu Qing Shan, you come with me" Bai Hua Fairy waved her hands, lifting Gu Qing Shan up to the clouds, standing behind her.

"Yes, Shifu" Qin Xiao Lou very gladly returned, even glaring at Wu Xing Wen on his way back.

"This matter, shall stop here temporarily" Bai Hua Fairy held herself back and spoke after a long silence.

"That's right, there's something more important for us to do right now. The matter of your disciple, we all shall do him justice tonight" Xuanyuan Tianzun also softly soothed her anger.

Wu Xing Wen couldn't help but feel fear from hearing that. And there was nothing he could do to save the situation at this point.

The Great Monk of Sorrow looked around at the cultivators below, softly spoke: "Amitabha, to look for the traitor, this Saint has created a differentiating spell, everyone please leave your weapons, Inventory Bags and spirit beast bags outside, go into the General's tent as you're called, this Saint shall use the might of Buddha to fish out our traitors"

"After the traitors have been removed, we shall move out to the Demon Clouds River for our decisive battle with the demons!"

"Yes!"

All cultivators loudly agreed.

Since the Great Monk of Sorrow has a method to deal with the problem, there won't be any more problems. At this point, Bai Hua Fairy took Gu Qing Shan into the tent first, while Xuanyuan Tianzun looked at the army, first declaring: "The three Ding Yuan Generals shall enter first"

As Wu Xing Wen hears this, he was a bit hesitant and glanced towards the other two Ding Yuan Generals. Both Gong Sun Zhi and Ming Hui Monk had already started to walk into the tent behind Xuanyuan Tianzun. Wu Xing Wen was a bit confused with himself and laughed in deprecation.

'What's wrong with me? Why would I be afraid to go in?'

Wu Xing Wen shook his head and also entered the General's tent. Seeing Wu Xing Wen go inside, the Great Monk of Sorrow who has been silently watching him breathed out silently, almost seemed relieved.

"Can still be saved…"

He muttered with a voice so low no one other then Wang Li could hear, then entered the General's tent as well along side Wang Li.

A few moments later, the three Ding Yuan Generals left the tent. Very naturally, they greeted their subordinates and arranged the cultivators of each sect to enter the tent in an organized manner. One by one, the cultivators lined up and entered the tent. But the line was moving very quickly, too quickly, almost like it was only done for show.

Thus, the strange scene continued in the camp.

A cultivator would enter the tent without knowing anything, then quickly left. While the cultivators were lined up and waiting, a few of the smarter ones all arrived at the same conclusion, the 4 Saints are doing this for show. They're doing this on purpose in order to calm down everyone's nerves before the battle.

"How is it?"

"How did the Saints figure out how to find the traitor?"

"What kind of spell was it?"

A few cultivators who hasn't entered the tent yet grabbed the ones who just left and asked full of curiosity.

"It's a Buddhistic Secret, you'll know when you go inside"

All the cultivators who left all answered vaguely, being secretive. It was when every cultivator had gone in and out of the tent once that the Saints once again came out. Seeing their faces, even they looked a bit tired. But very strangely, not even a single person has been singled out as a traitor yet. Yet the Great Monk of Sorrow didn't speak a single word about it. The entire army was silent, not even a single person opened their mouth to ask who the traitor was and ruin the solemnity of this scene.

In absolute silence, the 4 Saints started talking.

"We're moving out?" Xuanyuan Tianzun asked.

"Obviously." Wang Li exclaimed

"We're moving out, whether we win or lose all depends on this" Bai Hua Fairy answered.

"Amitabha, may the bodhisattva bless us humanity" the Great Monk of Sorrow exclaimed.

Demon Clouds River.

This was an endless river just outside the Demon Palace. The original name of this place was Clouds River, but when demons descended from the outer realms, its name was changed to be Demon Clouds River.

The legends say that many years ago, when the Demon Palace came to this world, to not let any beings of this world notice, demons from the outer realm had casted a secret ritual on this river to quarantine it.

Thin clouds and mist that never dissipate fills the air above the river, birds cannot fly there, and fishes cannot live. There were only a few mountains filled with greenery in the river, almost like it was some sort of heavenly place. If you didn't know, you'd never think this was a place that demons have invaded to live. Behind this Demon Clouds River is the Demon Palace.

It's called that, but in reality, it looks more like a temple. This temple was forged from solid durable black metal, there's not even a gap in the giant construct, only a single large gate that opens outward. From afar, when looking inside, you'll see a slender feminine figure on the altar. Due to the constraint of eyesight, all anyone could see is the thin Hagoromo coat she wore, but not her face or expression.

No one knows for sure just who the person being worshipped on the altar was. And there hasn't been anyone that can actually enter the altar to find out. Before, when Gong Sun Zhi and Ning Yue Xi returned from Shen Wu world, it was because they wanted to investigate it that they were found out and pursued by the demons.

On one side of Demon Clouds River.

All sorts of strange and weird demons were lined up in army formations. They were screaming, screeching, impatiently waiting for their orders, already itching to enter humanity's frontline and start the massacre. Standing not very far from where they were came the human army. Almost a hundred thousand cultivators just stood there in silence and glared at the demons.

Within every group was a giant defensive formation and an attack formation ready to be deployed, all the cultivators had already held their weapons. They were also waiting for their order. It was as if the heaven and earth itself knows about this day, because the sun refused to show. High in the sky were thick, black clouds that covered the entire battlefield, leaving the ground chilly despite the heat of battle.

As the two armies faced off, the war drums were about to sound. Suddenly, 13 figures appeared from the middle of Demon Clouds River, slowly rose up with overwhelming pressure between the two armies. A tall old man wearing a large white robe stood out.

His hair and beard was white, tied into a Daoist knot, wearing a large white coat, even his skin was sickly white. Deep crack-like wrinkles protruded from the sides of his eyes, as he smiled, the fierce and cruel vertical white irises also showed itself.

This was one who inherited the Divine Beast White Tiger's bloodline, having reached the realm of Saints over hundreds of years ago, the strongest of the Beast Saints, Venerable Xin. Venerable Xin clasped his hands behind his back, laughing loudly: "This old man is already here, why haven't the 4 Saints showed up yet?"

When he started to speak, the 12 other figures finally descended behind him in silence, respectfully stood there. Even in the demon army, as the demons heard his voice, they all stood still and went silent, stifled any and every sound they could make. A cloud flew up from humanity's camp, slowly flew up and ascended across where Venerable Xin stood.

The 4 Saints of humanity has arrived. The white-robed Venerable Xin evaluated the four Saints, silently thinking about their scheme.

This scheme has been brewing for such a long time, at least a few dozens years before even the Demon Lord descended. But right now, the Demon Lord had already left for another world, making him take over the battle in this world. All the outer realm demons had already gone with the Demon Lord to some other world to enjoy their spoils of victory. Yet they didn't allow him and his people here to come with and share even the tiniest bit.

How deplorable!

The war has already reached the stage where he's at the end of his rope, having no other choice but to risk it all. The red-faced Daoist is Xuanyuan Tianzun, as long as he's fooled, his plan is already half-done. Bai Hua Fairy's strength is formidable, but she's normally very lazy and doesn't bother with scheming too much. Shadow Sword Saint is Bai Hua Fairy's disciple and thus would follow her. And the Great Monk of Sorrow is even easier, as long as the other 3 Saints agree on something, the Great Monk of Sorrow will always silently accept and help out.

Because of that, the most important part of this plan is to convince Xuanyuan Tianzun. He must succeed with the next step of the plan, otherwise, when the Demon Lord comes back, his life is as good as forfeit. After thinking that much, all of Venerable Xin's hesitation was swept away.

"Amitabha, fellow Dao seeker Xin, long time no see" the Great Monk of Sorrow greeted him first.

Venerable Xin responded: "No need for small talk, I just want to ask, do you want to fight this battle for real?"

"Which time was it not real?" Bai Hua Fairy scoffed.

Venerable Xin looked at her and smiled: "Xie Dao Ling, no need to be so serious"

Wang Li also stared at him, saying: "If you lot aren't willing to be serious, then get your tails off this world, go and find the next world with those outer realm demons"

Venerable Xin sighed: "Now if it only that simple. We all must ensure the safety of our home first before being able to move on with our paths"

"Then we have nothing to talk about, a battle will have to happen regardless" as soon as Xuanyuan Tianzun finished speaking, he was already holding a talisman in his hand.

The talisman let out a glowing light, seeming to only need Xuanyuan Tianzun to swing his hand to activate the powerful spell within.

"Don't be hasty" Venerable Xin raised his hand and stopped him.

"What, do you want to surrender?" Xuanyuan Tianzun asked without any expectations.

"Our side have over a dozen, your side only have three, if there's ever a surrender, it will be you" a Beast Saint couldn't endure and berated.

"How you forgotten who I am Beast?" Wang Li said pointing at his own shadow.

Venerable Xin glared back at him, shutting up that Beast Saint.

Venerable Xin spoke: "If we were to fight seriously, whether it's us or you, someone will have to die here"

"Both you and I know the monumental amount of hardship and effort we had to go through in order to reach this realm of Saints, no one would really want to risk all that in a battle, do they?"

His tone was calm and sincere, making everyone couldn't help but empathize with him.

"Not to mention" seeing no one spoke up, Venerable Xin was deeply satisfied and continued: "Just like how you don't want human cultivators to die meaninglessly, I also don't want our demon beast subordinates to die on this battlefield"

"Then what do you want?" Wang Li asked.

"How about we make a bet, we won't risk our lives, we'll only use the results to determine win and loss" Venerable Xin smiled and said.

"What happens if we win? And what happens if we lose?" Xuanyuan Tianzun asked.

"If you win, we will immediately surrender, swearing on our demon hearts to be your servants from now on" Venerable Xin said.

"That's fair, then what if we lose?" Xuanyuan Tianzun asked further.

"Then the four Saints must leave this world, giving up this land to us" Venerable Xin smiled.

Xie Dao Ling suddenly spoke: "Before the outer realm demons came here, both humans and beasts were able to coexist for over thousands of years, why is it that we can't stand each other anymore?"

Venerable Xin thought about the old days, then sighed: "Different wants create different paths"

"That's not it" Xie Dao Ling watched him closely and declared: "There must be something in it for you, something so valuable that you can't refuse, that you'd be willing to become dogs for the outer realm demons to get"

"For example, an opportunity to increase your strength." Wang Li added

"Then how about this" Venerable Xin thought about it and answered: "If you win, we won't just swear to become your servants, we'll also tell you that secret"

The four Saints exchanged looks and fell into silence. They were obviously using inner sight to discuss how to deal with this. Seeing that, Venerable Xin didn't rush them and patiently waited.