Chapter 868

Demons and monsters from all four directions have launched a surprise attack on Sui Du today.

To the west, there is an ancient venomous bird, this is the infamous Ten-Thousand Poison Crane Venerable of the Western Demon Nation, who once exhaled a deadly poisonous breath to the west, killing a million border troops of the Sui Dynasty, thereafter his fame shook the world.

Moreover, there is a huge pitch-black Peng, this is the Netherworld Peng Venerable of the Western Demon Nation, who wields power over life and death, a flap of its wings can enter the netherworld, coming without trace, leaving without trace, arrogant and unyielding in character, it has successively assassinated fifteen generations of Sui Dynasty divine emperors, severely wounding the divine emperor twenty-seven times, three of which almost directly killed him.

On the tail feather of the Netherworld Peng Venerable stands a terrifying-aura, entirely scarlet giant crocodile. This upright giant crocodile is the Dragon Vein Crocodile Venerable of the Western Demon Nation, its hide thick and flesh strong, its strength limitless to the extreme; it once took a direct blow from the Primordial Divine Bell and merely spat blood before fleeing.

In that strike, the Primordial Divine Bell was blown thirty thousand zhang into the air by a single punch from the Dragon Vein Crocodile Venerable, shocking the entire Sui Dynasty.

To the south, the utterly translucent and crystalline Relic Bone Venerable is the foremost giant of the Southern Ghost Nation; though a vengeful ghost, it cultivates Buddhist law, uniting righteousness and evil, its divine powers unfathomable. Like the Ten-Thousand Poison Crane Venerable, the Relic Bone Venerable also has the glorious feat of shattering an entire Sui Dynasty border legion with a single blow.

Standing upon that floating palace are the Three Yellow Springs Venerables of the Southern Ghost Nation. These three great ghost venerables are only slightly weaker than the Relic Bone Venerable, yet when they join forces they can suppress the Relic Bone Venerable; likewise they are the unsurpassed giant overlords of the Southern Ghost Nation.

To the east, six clusters of varying hues—gold, azure, white, crimson, yellow, and blue—drift indeterminately, faintly echoing with countless wailing spirits and mournful howls from within the light; this is the Six Desires Demon Venerable who occupies the ruling position of the Eastern Demon Nation.

The Six Desires Demon Venerable excels at bewitching hearts, stirring desires, and leading people into demonry.

In the Sui Dynasty's eastern frontier, the population is far sparser than in the south, north, and west frontiers, all because the Six Desires Demon Venerable's demonic arts are boundless, often luring innocent commoners into demonry, turning them into murderous fiends who have slaughtered countless.

Were it not for the disciples of the Red Lotus Temple, who specialize in countering demonic arts and have long suppressed the eastern frontier, the Six Desires Demon Venerable alone could throw the Sui Dynasty's eastern frontier into chaos, with neither fowl nor dog at peace and the populace dwindling.

To the north, a mountain tens of thousands of zhang high with a base spanning hundreds of li appeared at some unknown time, silently and abruptly erecting itself outside the north gate of Sui Du.

This mountain is majestic and towering; atop its summit stands an ancient-looking square stone stele inscribed with the five seal-script characters 'Taishan Shi Gan Dang'.

The pitch-black mountain stood firmly outside the north gate of Sui Du; the countless soldiers stationed there felt their bodies go stiff, unable to move a muscle or utter a word, as an inexplicable chill seeped into their pores, seeming to turn them into blocks of hard stone.

In the Northern Monster Nation, there are no normal living beings within; it is filled only with indescribable strange entities.

Just like this 'Taishan Shi Gan Dang', it is neither flesh and blood, nor demon body, vengeful ghost, nor great demon, but a strange entity beyond ordinary imagination.

He is the renowned Taishan Monster Venerable of the Northern Monster Nation, who once swept east to west with a single blow, pushing laterally eight thousand li, smashing two hundred border fortresses of the Sui Dynasty along the way; all soldiers within those fortresses were turned by monstrous strength into humanoid stone statues, which were then absorbed into the Taishan Monster Venerable's body.

A single Taishan Shi Gan Dang is enough to render countless soldiers north of Sui Du unable to speak or move.

A vast expanse of white specks of light sprayed from behind the Taishan Shi Gan Dang, slowly scattering in all directions.

After just a few breaths, the hair and clothing of countless northern soldiers sprouted large patches of white mushrooms; soon, throughout the Sui Du arena, beams, pillars, earth, and brick crevices were covered in luxuriant expanses of white mushrooms.

'White Mushroom Monster Venerable', one of the exalted powers of the Northern Monster Nation.

No one knows the true form of the White Mushroom Monster Venerable, nor its origin; the sole sign of its power is these vast expanses of white mushrooms.

These white mushrooms appear harmless to living beings; the Sui Dynasty once had death-row inmates consume them, and they seemed to cause no harm.

The only thing that infuriates people is that, after the white mushrooms run rampant, any armaments, weapons, talismans, spell disks, etc., within a hundred zhang of them—even elixirs sealed in medicinal bottles—lose all spiritual potency and become useless rust.

The White Mushroom Monster Venerable excels at turning the marvelous into decay; in the northern frontier, though it has never personally killed anyone, its annual losses to the Sui Dynasty's military supplies and logistics rival or exceed the combined total of the other three frontiers, and the number of soldiers who die in battle due to destroyed equipment is astonishing.

As the white mushrooms just began to spread within Sui Du, in barely a breath's time vast tracts of buildings seemed weathered by tens of thousands of years, with palace halls and pavilions collapsing in thunderous crashes, and all furnishings inside the houses turned dim and lifeless, becoming withered debris.

'Gulong, gulong', a strange sound echoed from within Sui Du.

Spring after spring, each about a zhang in diameter, appeared inexplicably throughout Sui Du; the water was clear to the bottom, giving off a faint coolness. Springs sprang up rapidly, and within a few breaths, tens of thousands of such zhang-wide springs had burst forth in Sui Du.

These springs appear harmless, yet if one drinks a mouthful or inhales a bit of vapor, in an instant any flesh-and-blood body will completely turn into clear water that flows everywhere.

For every living creature that dies from these springs, a tiny transparent, crystal-clear fish or shrimp appears in the nearby water.

These spring waters look harmless, but if one drinks a mouthful or inhales a bit of water vapor, in a moment, any flesh-and-blood body will entirely turn into clear spring water that flows everywhere.

Because of the Soft Spring Monster Venerable's existence, the Sui Dynasty's northern frontier border troops have nearly all developed hydrophobia; each year the Sui Dynasty spends great manpower and resources transporting large quantities of safe drinking water from elsewhere to the northern frontier.

With a booming roar, the earth shuddered violently.

Outside the north gate of Sui Du, countless soldiers collapsed together onto the ground, the earth cracking open with fissures of varying thickness, while the low, hoarse, extremely slow voice of the Taishan Monster Venerable shook all of Sui Du up and down.

"Everyone, react, not slow…… discuss, a, method…… Sui Dynasty, how, to handle…… do not, harm, harmony."

Outside the north gate of Sui Du, countless soldiers collapsed on the ground, the earth split open with cracks of varying thickness, and the low, hoarse, extremely slow voice of the Taishan Monster Sovereign shook the entire Sui Du up and down violently.

To the east, the Six Desires Demon Venerable flew up and down chaotically, countless bizarre and varied phantoms, countless strange voices that reach straight to the depths of human desire continually emanated.

"How to deal with them? Let us drain their souls and spirits, their bones and flesh, then you may dispose of them however you wish."

The Six Desires Demon Venerable's laughter was fleeting and enigmatic; human souls are a great tonic for them, they cannot wait to feast heartily.

"How absurd…… human souls are also an exceedingly precious resource for my Ghost Nation…… without humanity, how shall we Ghost Nation replenish fresh blood?" The Relic Bone Venerable said calmly: "The souls of the Sui Dynasty's people, my Ghost Nation, shall take half; their flesh and bones, my Ghost Nation, shall also take half."

The Ten-Thousand Poison Crane Venerable laughed wildly: "Yo, you all have such big mouths…… for no reason you want to take half the benefits? Your parents gave you such a big face—who gave you that face?"

The Netherworld Peng Venerable coldly shouted: "Humanity is the finest rations for my Demon Nation; therefore, no matter what, we must take half the benefits."

The Taishan Monster Venerable muttered lowly: "All want, half, benefits…… where could there be this much?"

The earth shuddered violently, the Taishan Monster Venerable leapt up three chi, then came down heavily upon the ground. Instantly, within tens of thousands of li, the land quaked and mountains shook; countless city walls collapsed and buildings were utterly destroyed.

With a cold snort, the Taishan Monster Venerable murmured: "Humanity, offerings, we also need…… the quantity must be sufficient to satisfy me……"

The Dragon Vein Crocodile Venerable rolled its strange eyes, pointed at the Taishan Monster Venerable and sneered: "Big stone lump, if you won't let me satisfy you, what can you do to me? Heh, in the east, south, west, and north, the four nations of demons, monsters, ghosts, and strange beings—just you northerners, always full of yin-yang oddities, acting in antiquated, peculiar ways, speaking……"

As the Dragon Vein Crocodile Venerable was grumbling, a huge white mushroom suddenly sprouted from its mouth; then 'puff puff puff', the white mushrooms, like a mushroom ring on a grassland after rain, 'crackle crackle' erupted all over the Dragon Vein Crocodile Venerable's body, directly submerging the hundred-zhang-tall creature in a heap of large mushrooms.

The Dragon Vein Crocodile Venerable, enraged, let out an 'ao wu' cry; its bloody demonic aura surged violently, and the thick pile of white mushrooms exploded with a boom.

Eyes blazing, the Dragon Vein Crocodile Venerable stared at the countless white mushrooms within Sui Du and roared hoarsely: "White mushroom, are you seeking death?"

Throughout Sui Du, amidst the countless white mushrooms came intermittent, wavering voices: "I really want to die…… you, can you find me and kill me? I truly, really want to die……"

The Dragon Vein Crocodile Venerable closed its mouth.

Among the major monster venerables of the Northern Monster Nation, aside from the Taishan Monster Venerable's huge form that draws countless gazes wherever it goes, the other great monster venerables—heaven knows what their true forms are or where they reside.

We are all old acquaintances after years of mingling; aside from the Taishan Monster Venerable, the exalted giants of the other three nations actually still do not know what form, origin, or lineage those exalted figures of the Northern Monster Nation truly possess.

"Or perhaps we should settle this with fists." The Netherworld Peng Venerable coldly said: "Those with big fists take the big head; those with small fists, scram back to nurse."

The Ten-Thousand Poison Crane Venerable shouted sternly: "Dead pigheads, dead monkeys, what are you still hiding in the human army camp for? Come out and lend a hand! Humph, thinking you can get benefits for free—it's not that simple!"

Between heaven and earth, there was a long silence.

The Ten-Thousand Poison Crane Venerable stared blankly, then, flustered and exasperated, turned its head and exhaled a bright, sparkling seven-colored poisonous breath toward Wu Tie's great camp.

Two terrifying demonic auras shot straight into the void, entwining that seven-colored poisonous breath and directly hurling it into the utmost heights of the sky.

The Myriad Poisons Poison Venerable stood dazed, then, in a fit of rage, turned his head and spat a bright, sparkling seven‑colored poisonous breath toward Wu Tie's main camp.

Two streaks of terrifying demonic qi shot straight into the void, swept up that seven‑colored poisonous breath, and directly sent it into extremely high altitude.

Zhu Ganglie and the Golden-Eyed Demon Venerable trod on flowing clouds, slowly rising from Wu Tie's main camp.

"What's the rush? What's the rush? Do you even know what tactics are? Do you know tactics?" Zhu Ganglie, shouldering an iron nail rake, rose into the air while naggingly shouting: "We're hiding here to catch them off guard, to strike them from behind with a blunt stick—do you understand?"

"Look, look, Old Pig, I had such a great plan, such a good scheme, and you two stupid birds ruined it."

Zhu Ganglie and the Golden-Eyed Demon Venerable flew to the same height as the Myriad Poisons Venerable and the Netherworld Peng Venerable, then looked around, focusing on Wu Tie, Xiahou Wuming, Feng Bian, and others above the western gate of Sui Du.

He sighed, Zhu Ganglie shook his head: "Fellow old brothers, your reactions are pretty quick…… Is this, is this, is this them coming to kill us?"

The Netherworld Peng Venerable glared fiercely at Zhu Ganglie: "Dead pig! What are you up to again? Why did you advance early, hiding in the human army camp?"

Zhu Ganglie raised his head, a patch of black hair on the back of his neck standing up like steel needles, he laughed loudly: "Old Pig plans strategies within the tent, wins victories thousands of miles away; long ago, Old Pig judged…… the fire‑inheritance grand formation is likely unstable, so……"

"Full of nonsense, you're trying to fool ghosts?" The Myriad Poisons Venerable cut off Zhu Ganglie's words.

"Old bird, with this dead pig head, can he fool us?" The Relic Bone Venerable snorted coldly: "Fooling ghosts? You, perhaps, have some objections to us great venerables of the Ghost Nation?"

The Six Desires Devil Venerable laughed loudly beside them: "Bone Venerable, I can't bear it, I can't bear it—this old bird looks down on you…… beat him, thrash him, kill him, exterminate his whole clan…… what's there to fear? Charge forward!"

The Six Desires Devil Venerable laughed: "Bone Venerable, you throw the first punch, we'll help you—first destroy the Western Demon Nation, then swallow the Sui Dynasty…… heh, the Sui Dynasty's self‑destruction of the Great Wall already makes it food in our mouths, impossible to escape."

Mount Tai Strange Venerable leapt up three feet again, shaking the surrounding tens of thousands of li until the earth trembled and mountains swayed.

"Everyone, the Demon Nation, strange…… they might, perhaps, collude, with humanity……" Mount Tai Strange Venerable emitted a vast black light from his whole body, he lowly roared: "The three families, join forces, first destroy the Demon Nation……"

The Strange Venerable, the Devil Venerable, and the Ghost Venerable let out a long, unified howl.

The four nations of demons, devils, ghosts, and strange beings—the Strange Nation is weird beyond compare, the Devil Nation is brutal and cruel, the Ghost Nation is sinister and inscrutable—but due to various reasons, their total populations are all rather sparse.

Especially the northern Strange Nation, the birth of the "strange" is extremely eerie and unfathomable; the Strange Nation's population can be called the sparsest among the four nations.

But the Western Demon Nation is different.

The Demon Nation possesses countless species with terrifying reproductive power; given enough blood food, it could at any time increase its populace tenfold, a hundredfold, a thousandfold……

If the Demon Nation obtains a large number of Sui Dynasty citizens and extensively raises humans as blood food……

With human strength plus the Demon Nation's reproductive power…… heh, in the future the four nations of demons, devils, ghosts, and strange beings will likely be dominated solely by the Demon Nation.

In that case, destroying the Demon Nation first wouldn't be bad.

Especially, Zhu Ganglie and the Golden-Eyed Demon Venerable charged straight out of Wu Tie's main camp, showing that their Demon Nation truly has suspicion of colluding with the Sui Dynasty's humans.

"Mount Tai Old Second is right, first destroy…… the Demon Nation." Inside Sui Du city, tens of thousands of springs simultaneously issued a pattering sound: "Heh, hehehe, hehehe…… Crocodile Venerable, come here, take a bath? Heh, I'll surely serve you comfortably."

The Dragon Vein Crocodile Venerable's eyes flashed with a fierce light, warily gazing at the myriad springs within Sui Du territory that suddenly burst forth with large ripples of light.

The Six Desires Devil Venerable suddenly lunged forward, the Relic Bone Venerable and the Three Yellow Springs Venerables simultaneously pressed toward Zhu Ganglie and company, while Mount Tai Strange Venerable's massive body slowly turned, aligning the five large characters "Mount Tai Stone Guard" toward Zhu Ganglie's group.

Zhu Ganglie, the Golden-Eyed Demon Venerable, the Netherworld Peng Venerable, the Myriad Poisons Venerable, and the Dragon Vein Crocodile Venerable each drew a deep breath, their bodies surging with towering demonic aura.

Then Zhu Ganglie roared: "Wind tight, pull the call, as long as the green mountains remain we need not worry about lack of firewood…… brothers, flee!"

As Zhu Ganglie's words fell, Xiahou Wuming burst out with a heaven‑shaking, earth‑rattling mad laugh.

"You all, indeed have walked into the trap of your own accord, come to deliver yourselves to death!"