Chapter 708

Below the demon's nest.

This is an extremely vast underground cavern complex, with pitch‑black stone pillars supporting a lofty stone dome, luminous vines twining around the massive pillars, countless poisonous small lizards happily darting through the vines, emitting a 'hiss' sound.

Hordes of bloody half‑dragon people clad in the standard armor of the Great Martial God Nation, just like all their close relatives, their faces gloomy like corpses, stood silently beneath the stone pillars.

"You're lucky to have escaped here," a hoarse voice echoed in the cavern, not loud but carrying a strange, heavy force that made the whole cavern hum.

About three meters tall, the blood‑colored half‑dragon person flicked out its long tongue and gave a 'hiss' laugh.

As the top‑ranked warlike tribe among the vassal clans of the Taotie clan, the bloody half‑dragon people, over the long ages, have learned to read faces and gauge their master's intentions.

From the tone of the adult who just spoke, they sensed intense malice, so their emerald eyes glowed with a sinister light; their malicious gaze, like a butcher eyeing a fat pig, swept over the thousands of men and women kneeling in the cavern.

The attire of the thousands of men and women was quite splendid, with many jade pendants at their waists flashing a faint spiritual light, clearly all valuable items.

They, from the surface world.

They, are the royal family of Great Martial.

The bloody half‑dragon people's tongues flicked out long and long; upon these healthy, handsome, either handsome or beautiful men and women, they sensed something impossible for subterranean beings: a flavor filled with sunlight's warmth and rain's fragrance.

Intoxicated, an intoxicating flavor.

These thousands of men and women, to these bloody half‑dragon people, are absolutely the ultimate delicacy.

If the esteemed adults permit, the several hundred thousand bloody half‑dragon people present will devour these men and women clean in just three breaths.

A 'drip‑drip' sound rang out; some younger, less patient bloody half‑dragon people drooled from the corners of their mouths, the saliva falling to the ground.

The kneeling Great Martial royal youths each curled up their bodies.

Before, they too had come to the demon's nest for rotational battles, but back then, as the Great Martial royal family, they were senior commanders on the battlefield, with millions of troops under them and countless expert guards.

These bloody half‑dragon people, even their masters, the fierce ones of the Taotie clan, were merely subterranean demons left to their slaughter.

But now.

They are stray dogs, their nation conquered, their homes invaded, everything taken from them by force.

Among the tens of millions of Great Martial royals, this branch counts as the direct line; heaven knows which genius suggested it, but they did not go to the resettlement point arranged by Wu Tie, instead sneaking away all the way to the demon's nest and actively entering the underground.

On the pitch‑black stone sat over a dozen Taotie clan members clad in armor.

The one who just spoke was a bald, burly, sturdy man. His face was covered with several centipede‑like ferocious scars; he chuckled, hands clasped before his chest, looking down at the thousands of kneeling Great Martial royals below.

"Tsk, you've come all this way with great difficulty, huh? You must have suffered a lot along the way."

The bald burly man finally spoke: "However, ladies, rest assured, you'll be safe here… Our Taotie clan lacks your surface silks and brocades, lacks your fine clothes and jade food… but we have plenty of sturdy men."

Over a dozen young Taotie clan members burst out laughing simultaneously, each with blood‑tinged eyes revealing a hint of feral cruelty, like a beast's savage glare.

"To be honest, your surface girls are all tender and juicy, making one's whole body feel like it's on fire, but in past years charging up, it was hard to snatch a few girls… I never expected you to come delivering yourselves to our door, and moreover, you're all royalty?"

The bald burly man slowly rose, grinning with bared teeth: "Hehe, well, I'll just try the taste of the Great Martial royal girls… oh, no, I mean the flavor of your Great Martial royal princesses."

He rubbed his hands together, the bald burly man shouted: "Hey, which of you ladies holds the highest title? Hehe, step forward yourself, and I'll guarantee you only need to serve me from now on."

"Step forward, and I'll guarantee you at least can eat your fill and stay warm, and you only need to serve me… otherwise, once word of your arrival spreads, who knows how many brothers will come rushing like their butts on fire, and then you… hehe."

A youth from the Wu family trembled as he rose, spreading his arms to block the bald burly man.

"Taotie Nie, considering our past friendship…"

The bald burly man Taotie Nie punched the Wu family youth in the face, knocking him heavily to the ground, then raised his foot high and stomped repeatedly on his head and chest; bone cracks echoed, the youth spat mouthfuls of blood, and within moments Taotie Nie had severely injured him.

The surrounding bloody half‑dragon people became excited, hysterical roars erupting, shouting loudly: "Kill him, kill him… I want a leg… give me that arm!"

Many bloody half‑dragon people, panting, took a few steps toward Taotie Nie.

If not for the fearsome reputation of the Taotie clan intimidating them, these bloody half‑dragon people would have already rushed in and completely devoured this Wu family youth.

The warm, sun‑fragrant blood flowing from this youth's body simply seeped into the black soil—what a waste, utterly wasteful.

"Friendship? Do we even have any?"

Taotie Nie bellowed: "If we had friendship, each time we attack the surface, when I trade with you, you gladly cut the price…… damn it, for a thousand lively Wu family girls you give me just this tiny vial of star‑force essence?"

Taotie Nie snorted coldly, drew a peculiarly shaped ghost‑head axe, and with one blow chopped off the Wu family youth's left arm at the shoulder.

Grabbing the severed arm, amid the Wu family youth's hysterical wails, Taotie Nie flung it far away.

From afar immediately came the sound of a brawl, as masses of bloody half‑dragon people fought over that arm.

Taotie Nie shook his head, grinning at the twitching Wu family youth on the ground: "Come, Wu?, tell me, among the many girls you brought, which has the highest status? Come on, speak up, or I'll chop off your four limbs and feed you to ants."

Wu?'s face twisted as he looked at Taotie Nie, then instinctively turned his head toward a gorgeous girl in a pale gold robe among the crowd.

Taotie Nie's eyes suddenly lit up; he dropped the ghost‑head axe and strode toward that girl.

The Taotie clan youths seated on the black rocks behind simultaneously moved, each exerting full force to rush toward the girl, ultimately colliding heavily with one another.

Taotie is one of the Primordial Four Fiends; the Taotie clan's bloodline mixes a terrifying violent factor.

Taotie Nie, without a word, elbowed one of his own brothers until he vomited blood and collapsed; then five other Taotie clan youths struck him simultaneously, heavy blows that likewise made Taotie Nie vomit blood.

Over a dozen Taotie clan members tasked with commanding the army and guarding the demon's nest exit were here brawling; each was physically robust, savage and crude, striking straight at vital spots with no intention of holding back.

In just the time it takes to finish a cup of tea, Taotie Nie remained as their leader, the strongest and most ruthless.

Spitting blood mouthful after mouthful, Taotie Nie had knocked down all his brothers, staggered over to the lovely girl, and reached out to grab her soft, slender neck: "Hehe, girl, I have a huge cavern behind me with a big, comfortable beast‑skin bed… you can pick a few sisters to join you and have a good time with me."

"Hehe, hurry—if you serve me well… I haven't properly taken a wife yet; I'll tell the old folks in the clan, and you'll become my principal wife."

"Great Martial God Nation's princess, are you a princess? Do you have a title as princess?" Taotie Nie asked the lovely girl while spitting blood, "Hehe, a Great Martial God Nation princess—I'll take you first and report later; you qualify to be my principal wife."

The lovely girl took a deep breath, retreated smoothly a few steps, evading Taotie Nie's big hand.

Over a dozen Great Martial youths rose, forming a line to block Taotie Nie.

The surrounding bloody half‑dragon people simultaneously drew their weapons, let out a low shout in unison, and stepped forward three steps in perfect order; they panted, staring at the Great Martial youths daring to defy Taotie Nie, waiting only for his command to rush forth and chop them into mincemeat.

Real mincemeat…… not just a metaphor.

"Do you want to die?" Taotie Nie smirked at those Great Martial youths whose bodies trembled slightly, chuckling "hehehe": "Do you want to die?"

"Your Highness Princess Fenglan of the Great Martial God Nation, I request an audience with the Taotie clan elders…" the lovely girl shouted sternly: "Our Great Martial upheaval, the Taotie clan—don't you want to seize this opportunity to act?" Princess Fenglan gathered her magical power, projecting her voice far away; the clear, melodious tone rippled through the cavern, carrying far.

"If we allow the ignorant children of the clan to insult this palace, is the Obstruction Clan willing to voluntarily give up this rare, powerful opportunity that comes once in ten thousand ages?" Princess Fenglan mustered her magical power and projected her voice far away. The clear, melodious voice echoed in waves throughout the cavern, swiftly carrying far.

"Ignorant brats?" Chunwu Bei hoarsely shouted: "Little girl, you say I'm an ignorant brat?"

Chunwu Bei's eyes instantly bloodshot, he loudly roared: "I will stay alive..."

An increasingly burly figure appeared out of thin air beside Chunwu Bei, a heavy iron punch slammed into his soft ribs, with a thunderclap, Chunwu Bei spat blood mouthful after mouthful, blown far away by the punch, he crashed headfirst into a black stone pillar a hundred zhang away, half his body sinking into the pillar.

"You idiot, you're truly just an ignorant brat." The burly figure who had punched Chunwu Bei stood firmly before Princess Feng Luan, he said coldly: "Unless you can perfectly control your own Chunwu bloodline, otherwise, you little brats... really can't expect to be of any use."

This was an old man over two zhang tall, with a mighty aura, his whole body reeking of bloody killing intent as substantial as substance.

The old man's hairstyle was extremely bizarre: his head was shaved smooth, except for a palm-sized patch of hair near the crown, which he had carefully braided into three small braids hanging from the back of his head down to his heels.

The three thin braids each ended with a thumb-sized black bell; as a wind blew from the cave, the braids swayed and the black bells rang "ding-ding", emitting an eerie, soul‑shaking sound.

"What a handsome little lady." The old man's eyes gleamed as he stared at Princess Feng Luan: "I am Chunwu Cuan, and that Chunwu Bei is my insignificant descendant from a hundred generations down... a worthless brat, miss, don't bother with him."

"Well, my wife couldn't withstand the divine calamity years ago and died; I'm lacking a sensible young lady to warm my bed." Chunwu Cuan laughed loudly: "Little lady, I think your lively self suits my heart. What do you say?"

Princess Feng Luan's face suddenly stiffened.

Having made the decision, she fled the surface of Wuguo, sought refuge with the underground demons, and used their power to take revenge on Wu Tie... all of this was accomplished under Princess Feng Luan's leadership.

But Princess Feng Luan had never dealt with the underground natives.

She had heard of the underground natives' terror and cruelty, but she never imagined Chunwu Cuan would have the cheek to say such things.

"Senior..." Princess Feng Luan felt a bit uneasy.

"Call me husband." Chunwu Cuan grinned at Princess Feng Luan: "I am handsome and vigorous, though not young, my energy is abundant—I can satisfy ten women in a night. Princess, rest assured, I will serve you most comfortably and satisfactorily."

"Well, from now on, my Chunwu clan and your Great Wu royal family will be one, after all, Princess, you've married me, right?"

"Since we're one family, you who fled the Great Wu must have brought plenty of treasures, right? Well, Princess, you're delicate and precious, of such noble status—marrying me, your dowry is too little; aren't you ashamed?"

Chunwu Cuan slapped his palms together and laughed loudly: "Come, come, come, children, behave a little and hand over all your gold, silver, jewels, spirit pills and elixirs, yuan energy crystals, and divine weapons!"

"Boom, boom"—two loud bangs, two even more burly figures fell heavily from above, smashing two large pits into the ground.

One of them knocked down two Wu family youths with a single punch, then strode toward the pale‑faced Princess Feng Luan.

"What's all this nonsense? Robbery! Understood? Robbery!"

"Rob wealth, also rob color… men stand left, women stand right… the useless old coot stands in the middle."

"Men will be reduced to slaves, women will accompany us old guys for pleasurable sleep, and the worthless old coot will be chopped up to feed the war beasts."

"After the robbery, keep your wits about you… don't resist, or you'll die!"

Princess Feng Luan tried to resist, but a heavy punch slammed into her abdomen, causing her to curl up like a lobster, involuntarily collapsing and spasming on the ground.

"Little lady, you need a lesson… but no matter, a few more times and you'll behave."

"Hey, bring someone with spirit, let us old guys hear clearly what's going on up above… if you explain it clearly, you may live; if not, you'll be chopped up to feed the war beasts."

"Keep your wits about you—you are now slaves of my Chunwu clan."

"You Great Wu are also accustomed to keeping slaves; you ought to know what slaves should do."

In the cave, wailing cries rose up.