"Third Prince, I've brought them all back."
Xue Ji smiled sweetly, pointing at the half-dead captives on the ground.
The Demonic Jiao Prince glanced at Pei Shao and the others, nodding in satisfaction. "Injured but not too badly. You handled it just right, Xue Ji. Well done."
The burly Hei Xiong[1] laughed loudly. "With Xue Ji's near-perfect Nine-Tailed Fox bloodline, our northern demon tribe will surely gain another demon ruler expert in the future!"
Xue Ji smiled faintly. "Third Prince, judging by these prisoners' actions, the Northwestern Army has sent more people into Zuowang Valley."
"Hehe, perfect timing with the Wuji Cave Heaven about to open. These humans will make excellent cannon fodder!" The Demonic Jiao Prince grinned coldly. "The stronger, the better! The more, the better!"
Originally, Elder Xuan Snake was supposed to protect them, but they had been intercepted by Wei Wuyan, an expert from the sacred lands. Unlike ordinary Human Emperors, Wei Wuyan wasn't so easy to deal with. They had only managed to reach Zuowang Valley because the elder had lured Wei Wuyan away.
Thankfully, Ling Feng had insisted on selecting Spiritual Element Realm elites. Otherwise, these humans wouldn't even qualify as cannon fodder—they'd have been wiped out instantly.
"Haha, perfect timing! Last time, we ran into Human Emperors and couldn't even get involved. Now, we finally get to stretch our limbs!"
Hei Xiong clenched his massive fists, eager for action.
"Hei Xiong, you never learn patience. Let's gather intel first—no need to trip over our own feet."
The Demonic Jiao Prince shot him a glare.
"Hehe..." Hei Xiong scratched his head awkwardly and stepped back.
The prince grabbed Pei Shao by the collar, his icy gaze making the man break out in cold sweat.
That single look sent a wave of terror through Pei Shao—it felt like death itself was staring at him.
"Answer me. How many of you came? What are your strengths? And why are you in Zuowang Valley?"
Pei Shao trembled but forced himself to stay calm. "I... I can tell you, but—"
"A prisoner has no right to bargain."
The prince cut him off coldly, then turned to a demon with an abnormally large head—almost as big as his entire upper body.
This was a member of the Dream Devourer Clan, one of the rarest breeds among the northern demons. Fewer than ten existed, but each was a born genius.
Their massive heads housed equally massive brains, granting them an overpowered ability:
They could invade minds, steal memories, and—if strong enough—even take over a person's soul and body.
"Nightmare, you handle the questioning," the prince ordered.
Nightmare stepped forward, his eyes swirling with strange, rippling light.
Pei Shao met his gaze for only a second before his expression went blank.
Already severely injured by Xue Ji, his soul was too weak to resist the Dream Devourer's mental invasion.
"What's your name? Where are you from?"
Nightmare's voice was emotionless but carried an undeniable force.
"Pei Shao. Vice-General of the Shenwu Battalion."
"How many of you entered? What are your strengths, and where are the others?"
Pei Shao answered mechanically, "Ten total. Two are stronger than me—Cao Meng and Ling Feng. Cao Meng is a king-tier expert at the Spiritual Sea Realm. They took the other two paths into Zuowang Valley."
Once Nightmare finished, Pei Shao snapped back to awareness, horrified...
Having guarded the northwestern border for over a decade, he knew of the Dream Devourers. He had just been mentally controlled!
His heart pounded. Now that he was useless, what awaited him?
"Split into two groups, huh?"
The Demonic Jiao Prince narrowed his eyes. "Xue Ji, Hei Xiong—take the left path. Nightmare, come with me to the right to capture that king-tier Cao Meng. Du Lang, stay here with the rest. If you see that brat from the sacred lands, kill him on sight!"
"Yes!" The demon geniuses nodded in unison.
"Nightmare, it's up to you now. A king-tier expert won't be easy to capture alive."
The prince smirked, exchanging a meaningful glance with Nightmare.
Nightmare grinned—his oversized brain wasn't for show. His eyes flashed, and Pei Shao's body stiffened before twisting into an eerie smile.
"Third Prince, we can move out now!"
Nightmare and Pei Shao spoke simultaneously. Pei Shao was now fully under Nightmare's control.
Demonic Jiao Prince sneered. Soon, he'd have a king-tier puppet. Luck was truly on his side this time!
Meanwhile, Ling Feng and three Northwestern Army elites had scoured the left path of Zuowang Valley but found nothing.
"General, we've searched over two hundred miles. Doesn't seem like we'll find anything."
"Guess the entrance isn't this way."
Ling Feng sighed, rubbing his nose. "Let's go check if General Cao had better luck."
Even he was starting to doubt himself.
Does Zuowang really refer to Zuowang Valley?
Or is there another place near Luohe City with a similar name?
The three soldiers shook their heads. This general was too stubborn. Zuowang Valley was just an ordinary, barren wasteland—not even a single herb grew here. How could there be a secret realm gate?
Just as they turned back, Ling Feng's expression suddenly hardened.
"Be careful. Trouble's coming."
With his Boundless Vision, nothing within a thirty-li radius escaped his sight.
Since unlocking this ability, its range had expanded from a hundred zhang to thirty li as his cultivation grew.
Admittedly, it was incredibly useful—no enemy could ambush him unless they had skills like The Shadow's Light-Fleeting Shadow Technique.
"Two powerful demon experts!" Ling Feng's eyes gleamed—not with fear, but excitement.
His guess had been right. Zuowang Valley truly holds secrets!
The three soldiers drew their weapons, alarmed. "General, where's the trouble? I don't see anything!"
"If you could see them, it'd already be too late."
Ling Feng smirked. These were real experts. By the time ordinary soldiers noticed them, they'd already be dead.
1. 黑熊 (Hēixióng) direct translate = black bear ☜