Chapter 1073: Eight Zhang Cliff

Fortunately, these monsters had no need for roads; they simply flattened mountains and crossed valleys in their path.

King Siwen followed Granny Zhu, his small eyes continually darting towards the human perched on her forehead. No self-respecting monster would allow another creature to ride on its head as if it were a mere mount. King Siwen knew a little about Zhu Erniang's background and assumed Granny Zhu was also an ancient demon immortal of formidable power. He wondered how she could be so subservient to a human. What was so special about this "Island Lord"?

As he pondered this internally, He Lingchuan inquired about the conditions in the Demon Nest Swamp. The mention of the Demon Nest Swamp immediately brought a sense of grievance to King Siwen. It turned out that after the upheaval at the Heavenly Palace, Beijia quickly located Zhu Erniang's dwelling. Before long, the century-long peace of the Demon Nest Swamp was shattered by the invading Beijia army.

Naturally, Zhu Erniang had long since relocated with her descendants. However, the swamp monsters who refused to leave could not withstand more than a few rounds against the Beijia army's assault. The Northern Demon Kingdom showed no mercy toward these wild mountain monsters. By the time the Beijia army finally confirmed that these wild monsters genuinely had no knowledge of Zhu Erniang's whereabouts, over half of them were dead or wounded, and even King Siwen himself had sustained severe injuries. Demon armies possessing primal energy were truly their natural nemeses.

However, what truly compelled King Siwen to abandon the Demon Nest Swamp was Beijia's "Wilderness Decree," issued to all surrounding mountain and wild monsters. Previously, they lived freely, ruling their territories, and Beijia largely ignored them. Yet, following the incident at Lingxu City, for reasons unknown, the Demon Emperor issued the "Wilderness Decree," demanding that all mountain and wild monsters in Beijia's vicinity immediately surrender to the Northern Demon Kingdom and submit to local governance. Defiance meant death.

As soon as this decree was issued, the Beijia army began sweeping the region. Mountain and wild monsters died, fled, or surrendered, and the area surrounding Beijia remained in turmoil for an entire year, with remnants of resistance still uneradicated. The monsters' lives of peaceful coexistence were gone forever.

The more King Siwen dwelled on it, the angrier he became, grumbling directly at Zhu Erniang, "It's all because of you!" He still had a large scar on his backside, though it was hidden by his mud armor.

"You can't blame Erniang entirely," He Lingchuan said, stretching the truth. Of course, the blame lay with Zhu Erniang… and with him! It was they who had caused the Heavenly Palace to lose its divine artifact and Beijia to suffer a profound loss of face. Afterward, Beijia reflected deeply, concluding that their lax control over the mountain and wild monsters had invited the upheaval at the Heavenly Palace. Consequently, they resolved to eliminate such hidden dangers once and for all.

He asked the giant boar demon, "You know Beijia is currently at war with Mou Nation, don't you?"

King Siwen rolled his eyes. "Who doesn't know that?" Did He Lingchuan truly believe he was so out of touch?

"Beijia hasn't faced a true opponent in a long time. It won't feel secure until it cleanses its periphery of unstable elements like yourselves," He Lingchuan said sternly. "This isn't the first time Beijia has done this. In the past, it also consolidated control over surrounding mountain and wild monsters before preparing for major campaigns. This is preparation for a protracted war. Mou Nation and Bailie likely misjudge the situation if they believe Beijia will back down soon." Before engaging in large, difficult wars, one must first clear out any potential troubles in their immediate vicinity to prevent enemies from exploiting them later.

King Siwen grumbled, "So the Demon Nest Swamp is no longer habitable. What a shame." As a rogue demon, was it truly so difficult to live a comfortable and carefree life?

"No need to feel sorry," He Lingchuan chuckled. "This place is incredibly rich in resources, hundreds of times better than the Demon Nest Swamp."

King Siwen grunted twice but did not contradict him. He could see for himself and grew increasingly satisfied the further east they traveled. The vast mountainous region in eastern Panshi Island was covered in bamboo, parasol trees, and dense shrubs. Wild boars were experts at unearthing bamboo shoots, capable of rooting out the crispest, most tender tips even before they broke through the soil. It was now summer, and the shaded areas beneath trees and on the grass were teeming with colorful mushrooms. The wild boars grunted with delight at the sight; there were several varieties of red and green mushrooms that, when consumed, would induce a blissful state, keeping them happy all day long. Clusters of reddish-pink gooseberries and bluish-purple wild grapes hung heavy on their branches. He Lingchuan also casually plucked a few clusters of kiwifruit, which resembled small potatoes, and tossed them to the wild boars. Their taste was a perfect blend of sour and sweet, bursting with juice in a single bite.

Following the stream, they found several muddy wallows along its banks, ideal spots for wild boars to enjoy a mud bath. Weathered rock caves were abundant, offering ample shelter for their new inhabitants. After consuming hallucinogenic mushrooms and then enjoying a comfortable, day-long mud bath in a muddy wallow—what a life of pure bliss! King Siwen was utterly content internally, yet he still declared, "This place, hmph, it's merely adequate!"

Granny Zhu stopped abruptly, and He Lingchuan smiled, "Now, let's discuss terms." As the Island Lord, his domain was not open for unconditional settlement. Although King Siwen was a wild demon, he understood human customs and social nuances, particularly with the spider demon sisters standing one on each side of him.

After some negotiation, both parties agreed that King Siwen and his descendants could establish their lair in the eastern part of the island, an area comprising roughly one-fifth of Panshi Island's total size. Should conflicts arise among the demon tribes on the island, He Lingchuan would serve as mediator. In return for the Island Lord's generosity, the wild boar demon pledged to defend the homeland and cooperate in combat. Mutual assistance and vigilance among all island demons went without saying. After all, it was a case of "one for all, and all for one." King Siwen had traveled thousands of miles by water to reach this place, having grown noticeably thinner from hunger, all in pursuit of safety. Furthermore, if He Lingchuan engaged in war with external forces, the wild boar demon and its descendants were obligated to participate in the fight. This obligation applied to all demons on the island. King Siwen initially had reservations, but upon learning that Granny Zhu and Zhu Erniang were also bound by it, he reconsidered and agreed. After all, few large animals were more prolific than wild boars. Other specific details were not elaborated upon.

He Lingchuan was in high spirits when he departed Panshi Island. The more powerful demons who settled on the island, the safer the spider demon sisters would be, and the stronger the high-tier combat capabilities of the Yangshan Archipelago would become. In a one-on-one fight, King Siwen was inferior to the ancient spider demons. However, a large herd of enormous wild boars encased in mud armor, if deployed effectively on the battlefield, could be incredibly destructive.

When Lu Feiyan, the daughter of Lu Laoliu, came to find He Lingchuan, she was informed that Island Lord He was inspecting the new recruit trials.

"What are these new recruit trials? Are they selection tests?" she asked. Bailie's army didn't simply conscript indiscriminately; they also conducted selection tests, screening soldiers based on height, weight, and combat experience.

"You've arrived early," Renie, who was attending to her, said. "The Guard's combat exercises won't be held until this afternoon. A test is one thing, but a trial is another. New recruits must pass this specific trial to join the Yangshan Archipelago Guard."

Lu Feiyan had specifically arrived early, and hearing this, she became curious. "Could you take me to see it?"

The Island Lord had already given instructions, so Renie immediately nodded. "Please follow me; we'll take a boat to Xiaoxu Island."

Xiaoxu Island was very small, not considered one of the forty-two official islands of the archipelago. It was designated a restricted area, permitting only the Guard to be stationed there, and even permanent residents of the Yangshan Archipelago were forbidden from landing. Occasionally, Shadow Vipers surfaced in the sea, but they were sluggish and non-aggressive, merely glancing at the people on the boat before swimming alongside it for a considerable distance.

Lu Feiyan was very curious, as she had never before witnessed Shadow Vipers coexisting peacefully with humans. "How exactly did Island Lord He manage to tame them?"

"Miss Lu, you jest. How can creatures like these possibly be tamed?" Renie chuckled. "It's already a significant achievement just to find a way to coexist peacefully with them."

Lu Feiyan tilted her head. "When I returned to Qucheng, I heard that these Shadow Vipers had even taught the Maritime Affairs Office a lesson." Naturally, she had heard more than just that.

"Blade Harbor and the Maritime Affairs Office have been taught lessons by the Shadow Vipers on more than one occasion," Renie sighed softly. "Several months ago, Shadow Vipers attacked Suoding Island. My father and I were at the supply station there at the time; we heard strange noises and hid in the cellar, not daring to emerge until the next morning."

As the two women conversed, the boat arrived at Xiaoxu Island before they realized it. As they neared Xiaoxu Island, Lu Feiyan understood why it remained uninhabited: The coastline was entirely composed of reefs and towering cliffs, with only a single sandy beach suitable for landing. The island's peaks rose straight and sharp, facing each other. Renie explained that this landscape resembled the open mouth of a baleen whale, which is why it was named Xiaoxu Island. She led Lu Feiyan up and down slopes, traversing over half the mountain, before pointing ahead and saying: "We're here; they're just ahead!"

Ahead lay a large open space, or more precisely, an outwardly protruding platform suspended over the sea. On the platform now stood over three hundred men, queuing up to... Jump off a cliff?

Renie explained at the opportune moment: "This place is called Eight-Zhang Cliff. The drop from the cliff to the sea surface is exactly eight zhang [approximately 24 meters]. Successfully jumping from here and safely swimming back means passing the new recruit trial, after which one can legitimately receive military provisions." The Yangshan Guard offered substantial salaries and excellent, free provisions—a common feature of high-risk professions. Consequently, all able-bodied laborers working on the island aspired to join. Since they were already there, why not try? At the very least, it meant more benefits for themselves and more earnings for their families. However, He Lingchuan had his own selection methods, and as the Guard's numbers increased, the standards were progressively raised. After all, standards were inherently designed to filter candidates.

Lu Feiyan couldn't help but exclaim, "Your Island Lord certainly knows how to make things interesting!" She had never heard of such a new recruit test! Yet, upon reflection, courage and bravery were indeed the most valued qualities in soldiers by any commander. A lack of strength could be trained, insubordination could be disciplined, and inexperience could be honed. However, a fundamental lack of courage made one entirely unsuitable for a life in the military. Some individuals were naturally timid; in critical moments, what manifested was not courage, but overwhelming fear.

"These new recruits have already passed other tests, such as endurance, speed, and reaction. This final stage at Eight-Zhang Cliff is to test their courage."

Lu Feiyan asked, "Have you ever jumped?"

Renie shook her head, confessing honestly, "I wouldn't dare." She was administrative staff; there was no need for her to risk her life like that.

He Lingchuan approached from the crowd, smiling genially. "Miss Lu, you've arrived early. Have you had your meal yet?"

"I ate on Suoding Island," Lu Feiyan replied. She observed the new recruits; their physiques were impressive, with at least a good deal of muscle in their arms. It seemed He Lingchuan's recruitment standards were quite high.