Chapter 166: Virtual and Real

They felt that the intelligence would have little impact. For instance, the great migration was ordered to begin on the very day it was announced and might last for several months, so letting the demon race know a few hours in advance wouldn't make much difference. However, they forgot that the war between humans and demons is forged from countless small details, eventually leading to fundamental transformations that determine success or failure.

Of course, a very small number had already completely betrayed them.

"That's why Yuanchu Mountain issued a unified order," Fan Cheng said. "Even we didn't know about it beforehand."

Indeed. Very few gods and demons knew beforehand; Marquis Tianxing had only informed Zhang Yunhu and Meng Chuan. The great migration was initially known only to the highest echelons, then to some core members, and after that, to individuals like Meng Chuan and Zhang Yunhu. Most gods and demons were informed last.

"Master, these demon kings will be here soon," Liu Qiyue said, looking down. "Thirty-five demon kings can pass through in ten breaths and arrive in the human world."

"Let them in first, then kill them all," Marquis Tianxing said. Though he stood there, ordinary soldiers could not see him at all. This was the unique quality of the 'Dark Star Domain,' which is exclusive to human Dark Star realm gods and demons (Marquis Gods and Demons). It offers many uses, including concealment, disguise, domain control, self-protection, enemy slaying, and flight. Even the Fourth Heaven demon kings of the demon race, with all their various divine abilities, are slightly inferior to Marquis Gods and Demons, mainly due to the Dark Star Domain.

Marquis Tianxing stepped off the city wall, flew above the inner gate of Beihe Pass, and stood suspended in mid-air. He took down the divine bow from his back with one hand and coldly overlooked the stable world entrance below.

"Hmm?" Liu Qiyue frowned slightly and said, "Master, the Spider Demoness and the Ox Demon King who were here before are not among these thirty-five demon kings."

"Oh?" Marquis Tianxing's eyes grew colder. "A Marquis God and Demon is guarding this medium-sized pass. Has the news leaked, or are the demon race just being cautious?"

Soon after, thirty-five Third Heaven demon kings entered, including five elite demon kings. Roars, howls, and hisses filled the air. A large number of Second Heaven demon kings and a massive horde of demons furiously surged through the world entrance passage. They met almost no resistance and quickly poured through.

"No gods or demons are blocking us?" The thirty-five Third Heaven demon kings exchanged glances. "Charge to the city walls!" a fox demon king commanded. They had already known this attack was somewhat unusual. The thirty-five Third Heaven demon kings, nearly a hundred Second Heaven demon kings, and countless other demons all began their assault. Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, these demon kings rapidly climbed, using each other for leverage, quickly reaching the city walls.

"I thought there would be some bigger fish," Marquis Tianxing mused, watching from above. The Third Heaven demon kings could not see him because the Dark Star Domain blocks most detection methods and is invisible to the naked eye.

Marquis Tianxing's fingers drew the bowstring. There were no physical arrows, but as the bow was drawn into a semicircle, four flaming arrows naturally formed. Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh. He drew and shot, releasing four fiery projectiles. Marquis Tianxing stood coldly in the sky, drawing the bowstring again with such incredible speed that he appeared as a blur. In just one breath, he drew the bowstring ten times, unleashing forty flaming arrows. These arrows streaked across the sky with terrifying speed. The Third Heaven demon kings tried to dodge in panic, but the flaming arrows subtly changed direction, still hitting them. One arrow even killed two demon kings. With just forty flaming arrows, all thirty-five Third Heaven demon kings were slain. Eleven Second Heaven demon kings also perished.

"Run, run, run!" The remaining demon kings and other demons immediately began to flee back into the passage.

"Hmph." Marquis Tianxing stood high above, waving his hand downwards, unleashing Dark Star True Essence. Streaks of red light shot down, causing explosions across the battlefield below. More than half of the ordinary demons and Second Heaven demon kings were blown to pieces. However, due to their proximity to the passage, many demons and Second Heaven demon kings still managed to escape into it.

"This..." Fan Cheng, Liu Qiyue, and the other gods and demons watched in awe. With his power alone, he completely crushed and swept them away. No wonder a medium-sized pass became impregnable when a Marquis God and Demon was garrisoned there.

"They are truly cautious, with only five elite demon kings," Marquis Tianxing said, shaking his head slightly as he looked down. "If there were thirty-five elite demon kings cooperating, even I would have had to exert some effort. In that scenario, Fan Cheng, Liu Qiyue, and other gods and demons would have had to fend off the Second Heaven demon kings and ordinary demons. But the attacking force was simply too weak."

On the other side of the world entrance passage, in the Demon World, an ancient turtle demon, leaning on a cane, stood. He was surrounded by a large group of elite demon kings, including the Spider Demoness, with over ten possessing unique demonic abilities.

The Second Heaven demon kings and other demons who had retreated in defeat knelt down in terror. "It was flaming arrows," they reported. "Countless flaming arrows shot down, and the Third Heaven demon kings were wiped out in the blink of an eye. The attacks came from high above, and we couldn't see which god or demon it was. If we had been any slower, we would all have died." The Second Heaven demon kings who had narrowly escaped were all extremely terrified.

"Uncle Yun, the attacks came from high above, and we couldn't see any gods or demons. It must have been a Marquis God and Demon who acted," said a Nine-Headed Lion Demon. The Spider Demoness and other demon kings remained standing further back.

"The great population migration isn't giving us a chance," the ancient turtle demon said with a smile, leaning on his cane. "Then we will continue to wait. When the Marquis God and Demon leaves, you will enter the human world in batches." "Yes," the Nine-Headed Lion Demon and the other demon kings respectfully replied.

The demon race had long suspected that with humans migrating their population, they were likely abandoning medium and small-sized passes. Although they did not want to see humanity retreat, since humans had done so, the demon race would naturally dispatch large armies to invade the human world. The human world is highly dangerous; would demons willingly enter in sufficient numbers? Unlikely. Therefore, the major demon sage factions took the lead in dispatching some of their own descendants, and the smaller factions naturally had no choice but to send their respective forces. They would enter the human world in large numbers, in batches. The demon race hoped to win as soon as possible, fearing that prolonged delays would bring more complications.

In Jiangzhou City, inside an ordinary wealthy merchant's residence, Meng Chuan, Zhang Junfeng, and Yang Fang—the three strongest gods and demons in Jiangzhou City—were poring over intelligence reports.

"On February 27th, all medium and small-sized passes across the land underwent large-scale population migration," the white-haired Zhang Junfeng said, looking at the dossier. "Every medium and small-sized pass was attacked by the demon race. The demon attacks weren't strong, but they forced out Marquis Gods and Demons, or, in some medium-sized passes without Marquis Gods and Demons, forced out their guardian treasures." "Then the demon race must have confirmed that nearly all Marquis Gods and Demons in the world are guarding passes," Meng Chuan said softly. "They must now know that the various state capitals and prefecture cities are unprecedentedly vulnerable." "Indeed," Zhang Junfeng and Yang Fang responded gravely.

Although the number of gods and demons had increased in the various states and prefectures, their overall defensive strength was indeed weaker.

"According to Yuanchu Mountain's estimation, the demon race will soon finalize a plan to attack the various states and prefectures," Zhang Junfeng said. "However, in our human world, the demon race's power is still too weak. They mainly consist of ordinary demons and Second Heaven demon kings. Third Heaven demon kings are very few. Their high-level power primarily relies on the Celestial Demon Gate."

"Fortunately, the Fourth Heaven Celestial Demons are significantly weaker than Marquis Gods and Demons," Meng Chuan said. He had now received detailed intelligence on the Celestial Demon Gate from Yuanchu Mountain. The Celestial Demon Gate has two Fifth Heaven Celestial Demons and eleven Fourth Heaven Celestial Demons. According to their assessment, the Fifth Heaven Celestial Demons are extremely protective of their lives and are more collaborators with the demon race; they will not easily risk their lives. Under the strong demands of the demon race, the Celestial Demon Gate is likely to dispatch Fourth Heaven Celestial Demons. Meng Chuan had reviewed the detailed intelligence on all eleven Fourth Heaven Celestial Demons; their strength was generally weaker than Fourth Heaven demon kings, and even weaker than Marquis Gods and Demons.

"We need to be careful. The demon race and the Celestial Demon Gate could attack the state capitals at any time," Zhang Junfeng said. "Jiangzhou City is a large city with seven million people; the demon race cannot possibly ignore it." "Indeed," Meng Chuan and Yang Fang nodded slightly. Although there were some contingency plans, as Jiangzhou City's highest military power, the three gods and demons felt considerable pressure.