Chapter 215 - 180: Conflict

The arrival of these people breathed new life into this land that had been gradually forgotten.

But for those who had lived here for many years, the arrival of these people brought only disaster.

Many had forgotten the past glory, and in their memories, the Demon Capital had always been in this state of ruin.

They were born here, accustomed to the ruins and the neglected way of life, but overnight, Heaven and Earth seemed to undergo a great change.

This increasingly forgotten city welcomed the dawn, and the news of the Demon Emperor’s resurgence spread far and wide.

There were those with ulterior motives, those who speculated for profit, and those who fearlessly chased their ideals.

The title of Demon Emperor was like a great banner; when it fluttered over the land of Luzhou in the North, it naturally attracted great turmoil.

But to the common masses, these upheavals were unstoppable disasters; they were powerless to change anything or to stop it, they could only silently meet their fate, whether it was good or bad.

Lin Fang held Feng Jiu’s hand, lamenting that the little girl seemed to have grown a bit more, as he slowly stepped into this city once known as the Demon Capital.

What met their eyes was a scene of utter disarray; the great war had destroyed the city, leaving ruins everywhere.

Although the Scavengers’ relentless efforts over the years had given it a semblance of a city, it still looked like a refugee camp.

The monsters, in tattered clothes, lay sprawled on the ground, their eyes dull and lifeless, presenting a scene of utter desolation.

However, these monsters continually pouring into the city were different from the desolation around them.

Some were dressed extravagantly, some exuded a profound presence, others had shrewd eyes, and some looked at the abandoned city with a nostalgic expression on their faces.

The hustle and bustle contrasted starkly with the numb destruction, as if it were a famous world painting.

Lin Fang stood at the beginning of this canvas, feeling the tide of the era, a prophecy borne from the soul.

For every being who practiced cultivation up to the stage of "Refining the spirit to revert to the void," such premonitions were akin to sudden inspirations; those adept at calculation could even use it to deduce their fate, uncover conspiracies, and sever destinies.

This required a certain mastery over the laws of the great Dao, only those who could step into Heaven-Man Induction truly possessed this trait, hence such immortals were called the mighty.

Lin Fang had also acquired this trait not long before; even without relics, his fate could not be easily deduced by others, he inherently possessed the ability to muddle the divine secrets.

And at this moment, Lin Fang foresaw something for the first time—it was the tide of the era, indicating that this place would be at the center of a great calamity in the future.

"It seems the steps of the Demon Emperor’s return cannot be stopped," Lin Fang muttered to himself.

Perhaps that was why the Jade Emperor was so impatient to besiege and block him; once the Demon Emperor was set on the right path, the fate of his resurgence would be irreversible, unless the most powerful beings between Heaven and Earth took action.

However, through a conversation with the Great Chun King, Lin Fang understood that these beings were now in a very peculiar state, their relationship with this realm was ambiguous, and they generally would not interfere with the matters of the Three Realms.

Burying these thoughts deep in his heart, Lin Fang began to wander through what used to be the most dazzling city in Luzhou in the North.

Through the collapsed walls and ruins, Lin Fang could still vaguely make out the splendid Demon Court.

Perhaps in those days, this city was also home to a large number of monsters who were the envy of the Demon Clan—perhaps countless monsters had gone to great lengths just for the chance to reside within the Demon Capital.

But now everything was just walls and ruins, with only the occasional relic unearthed that faintly hinted at former lives.

"So this is the Demon Capital, it’s not that great!" a flippant voice exclaimed, instantly drawing the attention of the crowd.

The speaker was a man dressed in luxurious clothes, showing no discernible traits of the Demon Clan, nor was it clear from which race he belonged.

He was followed by a retinue of guards, each armed with sharp weapons, clad in armor, robust and powerful, and having a fierce air about them—ones used to licking blood off their blades.

"Whose young master is this, putting on quite a show!" whispered some monsters secretly.

After all, in such a chaotic continent, flaunting wealth like this without substantial strength meant one could be stripped to their underwear in no time upon leaving the house.

However, the look of the prosperous young master suggested that his guards were no simple folk.

"Hey! Aren’t these guys the Iron-blooded Thirteen Eagles, when did they become guards?" someone exclaimed in surprise.

The Iron-blooded Thirteen Eagles were a notorious gang of robbers in Luzhou in the North; all were Demonic Eagles, each with exceptional strength. United as one, they thrived on robbery in the west and gradually established their reputation in Luzhou in the North.

Later, when they vanished without a trace, everyone thought they had been obliterated by the Heavenly Court—turning into the personal guards of this young master was a shock to many.

Those fellows were not the well-behaved type, and managing them required considerable strength.

"Look at the jade pendant on the young master, it is definitely one from Western Sea Dragon Palace," someone recognized the high-born’s jade pendant.

"So he’s a relative of the Dragon Palace, no wonder he’s so bold, with the support of the Western Sea Dragon Palace he’s rich enough to rival a country," the crowd nodded privately, knowing well that those associated with the Dragon Palace in Luzhou in the North were all enormously wealthy.

Since many businesses in Luzhou in the North were controlled by them, after all, without the approval of the Celestial River Naval Forces, it was impossible to conduct trade in and out of Luzhou in the North.

"Hmph, just a lapdog of the Heavenly Court, and yet he dares to strut around here," a disdainful voice came from the crowd.

It instantly infuriated the fashionably dressed young master who then angrily shouted, "Who is spouting nonsense over there?"

"It’s your grandpa, what’s up—you want to fight?" a hearty voice rang out as a young man dressed in ragged leather armor stepped forward from the crowd. He had thick white fur and a purple crescent moon on his forehead that shimmered with a dim light.

He slowly approached the noble young master, his face displaying a hint of arrogance as he said, "Does it feel good to be a dog for the Heavenly Court? Didn’t your folks tell you not to come to the Demon Capital to seek death?"

His words were filled with disdain, causing the normally proud young master’s eyes to bulge furiously, the rage in his gaze almost taking tangible form.

"Good, good, good, no one has ever dared to speak to our family like this. If you can walk out of here alive today, I’ll write my own name backwards," the young master gritted his teeth and declared.