Here, there were no enlightened Demon Immortals, nor were there awakened Monster Saints. Here, there were only demons, Demon Monsters! Flower and Fruit Mountain, this mountain was known as the Ancestral Vein of the Ten Continents and the Origin of the Three Islands in the Jambudvīpa World. In this world, however, this mountain was an evil mountain, stretching for a thousand miles with endless strange peaks and unusual waters. Between the towering peaks, demonic clouds rolled; between the small streams and deep valleys, Evil Aura soared into the sky.
In this vast mountain, who knew how many Demon Monsters with accomplished Cultivation Bases were hidden, especially after the return of Sun Wukong, the King of Ten Thousand Monsters and the leader of the Thirteen Taibaos. The demons of Flower and Fruit Mountain raised a Great Banner, subtly creating a momentum of ten thousand demons coming to pay homage.
Throughout this mountain, everywhere one looked, there were Mutated Iron Pines and Peach Trees that required several people to embrace. Beneath the peach groves, countless Skull and Corpse Remains were piled up like Small Mountains.
Perhaps because they were soaked in too much blood water, the peaches growing on these Peach Trees were surprisingly bowl-sized Human-faced Peaches, each peach face filled with a painful Expression.
In various parts of the mountain forest, there were rotting human skin and flesh chunks everywhere. When the wind blew, strips of dried intestines were wrapped around and hung from the branches of the peach trees, swaying with the Human Skin in the wind. The thousand-mile Mountain Range was filled with a foul, Stinking Odor.
From time to time, Demon Monsters could be seen setting up Stoves in the forest to cook Meat Stew. Monkey Demons, who looked like Chimpanzees with protruding teeth and mouths, would throw the roughly boiled human flesh chunks onto the ground.
The surrounding Demon Monsters, who had been drooling for a long time, rushed forward one by one to snatch and tear at these flesh chunks and blood food.
Moving among these Demon Monsters, stepping on the sticky blood mud, even Kakuzu, who was skilled and bold, with over a dozen Invisibility Talismans pasted on his body and using Ninjutsu to erase all aura from his body, couldn't help but break out in cold sweat when he saw the Demon Monsters tearing at boiled human legs and human hands with large bites.
The reason Kakuzu was here, given his nature of not getting up early without profit, was naturally for the Demon Subduing Division's Bounty Mission.
Since the Heavenly Emperor Manifestation and Tang Emperor Li Shimin's Heaven Worship and subsequent Fengchan Ceremony on Mount Tai,
Over the years, the Heavenly Court's Earth God, City God, and other Deity networks were laid out throughout the entire Great Tang Dynasty. These Deities, cooperating with the Demon Subduing Division, increased the intensity of their cleanup of Demon Monsters within the Great Tang Dynasty.
Under the combined assault of the Earth God, City God, Day and Night Wandering God, Demon Subduing Division, Reincarnators, and the Great Tang Prefecture Army, countless Demon Monsters were reduced to hides and materials on the shelves.
Those who were lucky enough to survive fled the Great Tang Dynasty. For a time, the Great Tang Dynasty was clear and peaceful, free from the threat of Demon Monsters.
At the same time, under the Heavenly Emperor's grace, the Great Tang's fields achieved an astonishing four harvests a year. Official grain storage in various regions overflowed, and local governments had to build new granaries to store more grain.
With more grain, the brewing and livestock industries also developed rapidly within a few years.
To consume this grain, and also for the Tang Heavenly Emperor's Scheme, Tang Emperor Li Shimin began friendly negotiations with surrounding countries.
Whether it was Tubo, the Western Regions, or Goguryeo, they were welcome to join the Great Tang family.
Unwilling?!
After the Yuezhi vassal state in the Western Regions beheaded the Great Tang's envoy and tore up the Great Tang's national letter, the Great Tang's twenty thousand Prefecture Army appeared beneath the Yuezhi Royal Capital shortly after! Artillery + Flintlock Guns + Modao + twenty thousand armored Great Tang Prefecture Army, less than ten days after Yuezhi beheaded the Great Tang envoy, the Yuezhi country was destroyed.
Over three hundred thousand Yuezhi people, regardless of gender or age, all became Slaves, sent to the Great Tang Dynasty to build Imperial Roads, construct Heavenly Emperor Temples, and excavate Canals. The cavalry that Yuezhi was proud of was only slightly stronger than the wheat in the fields under the cross-era Firearms and the Modao military formations that shattered both men and horses.
The only thing that caused some trouble for the Great Tang Prefecture Army was some Demon Monsters within Yuezhi that had grown powerful.
However, these Demon Monsters were handled by the Exorcists and Reincarnators accompanying the Army.
In just five years, the countries of the Western Regions were all annihilated, and the Protectorate of the Western Regions of the Great Tang was established. At the same time, Heavenly Court Missionaries began to Evangelize and assimilate the people of various ethnic groups in the Protectorate of the Western Regions with Faith. The Heavenly Emperor Faith spread west of the Jade Gate, following the ancient Silk Road towards the Arab World and the Ancient European Regions. Under the deterrence of Flintlock Guns, even the most warlike Turks and Uyghurs became capable of singing and dancing.
Many Tribes voluntarily Submitted to the Great Tang and voluntarily moved inland.
Especially after the wolf hide of the Northwest Wolf King was peeled off, the various grassland tribes who believed in Tengri all begged the Heavenly Khan for surrender! Among these surrounding countries, only the Tubo people, relying on the Highland Terrain and the Strength of Tibetan Buddhism, resisted the Military Edge of the Great Tang Army.
However, beneath the booming prosperity of the Great Tang, like raging fire cooking oil and flourishing flowers, countless undercurrents were surging in the dark.
Under the Surveillance of the Monitoring Satellite Network and the Day and Night Wandering God and Earth God in various places, the Heads in charge of the Demon Subduing Division affairs vaguely sensed that a Force was secretly active within the Great Tang Dynasty.
This Force secretly contacted Demon Monsters in various places. The Demon Subduing Division's multiple encirclement and suppression operations repeatedly saw Demon Monsters Escape, and their Invisible Shadow was behind it all.
This Force even helped those Demon Monsters evade the Demon Subduing Division's pursuit and helped these Demon Monsters smuggle out of the Great Tang territory. To thoroughly investigate this Force hidden in the dark,
The Demon Subduing Division's Tiqi Guard spread out, simultaneously offering a high reward and sending out hundreds of Exorcists to search for leads.
Kakuzu was secretly following a man-eating Tiger Demon named General Yin and came to this mountain of Demon Monsters.
He concealed his Qi and stealthily followed behind General Yin, traveling through the mountain forest filled with Demon Monsters. Suddenly, he saw faint Black Energy and demonic clouds permeating ahead. After crossing a mountain ridge and walking another ten li,
Kakuzu saw a City in the distance. However, the City looked somewhat gloomy and sinister from afar. The wind blew from the direction of the City, and the loud whooshing sound was like malevolent ghosts wailing. The Stinking Odor within it was no less intense than in the mountain forest.
Kakuzu mustered his courage and followed behind the Tiger Demon into the City. Along the way, there were no living persons to be seen; it was densely packed with Demon Monsters. Even the guards at the City gates were Wolf Spirits and Bear Monsters. Kakuzu's heart jumped at a glance; there were at least over a hundred thousand Demon Monsters of all sizes in this City.
While quietly following behind the Tiger Demon, the recorder on his chest filmed the Demon Monsters of all sizes he saw along the way.
What startled Kakuzu was that the closer he got to the City center, the stronger the Strength of the Demon Monsters he saw. The aura of some Demon Monsters even far surpassed his own.
Kakuzu lightened his steps while activating all his Invisibility Talismans and Magic Tool Equipment. If those Demon Monsters discovered his tracks, let alone his four hearts, even forty hearts wouldn't be enough.
He came here to earn Contribution Points, not to deliver himself as meat.
Perhaps because the City was located in the hinterland, the inspections within the City were not strict. Kakuzu followed behind the Tiger Demon into a Palace without incident.
Throughout the Palace, there were Demon Monsters wearing helmets and armor as guards, their gazes like knives, keeping alert everywhere.
As General Yin reached the entrance of the hundred-zhang tall Great Hall, the Demon Monsters drinking and feasting inside all looked towards him in unison.
A series of disdainful cold laughs came from The Void, and a Voice echoed from afar: "General Yin, I invited you last time, and you were reluctant in every way. Why are you willing to grace Flower and Fruit Mountain with your presence now? However, a Guest is a guest, hehehe, welcome, welcome!"
General Yin's tiger face was very unsightly, but he suppressed his temper and walked into the Hall. Kakuzu stood at the entrance, smelling the bloody scent inside, which was more than ten times stronger than outside, and hesitated for a moment. He remembered the generous reward and gritted his teeth.
He took out a treasured Jade Talisman, pasted it on his body, and followed inside.
As soon as he entered the Hall, Kakuzu heard a burst of song.
In the spacious Great Hall, nearly a hundred Attendants, born as beautiful as flowers and exceptionally lovely, were clad only in Light Gauze, their large areas of fair skin exposed, dancing barefoot on the cold ground to the Jean Grey Sound from the side.
Dozens of bluestone tables were placed on both sides of the Great Hall, laden with fine wine and delicacies, rare treasures and exotic fruits. The fragrance assailed the nostrils, making one's mouth water. Beautiful women, fine wine, delicious food, and spiritual fruits – truly a life only immortals could enjoy.
However, those sitting behind the bluestone tables were not immortals. These guests had bear heads, tiger heads, some were Leopard Spirits with coin markings, Fox Spirits with several fox tails, and Elephant Spirits with large heads, big ears, and long trunks. The Hall was filled with a group of Demon Monsters drinking and feasting.
The Demon Monster sitting at the head seat had golden fur and an Ape face. He was tall and large, reaching sixteen feet even while sitting on the large chair. He wore black iron tight armor and a silver light heart-protecting mirror. To his left and right, below him, sat over a dozen Demon Monsters, each with an immortal-like demeanor, no different from Humans.
Sitting at the head seat on the left was a withered Old Monk wearing a kasaya and holding prayer beads. Among the group of Demon Monsters, the presence of this monk seemed somewhat strange.
"Greetings, Second Taibao!"
The Tiger Demon General Yin walked up to the Hall and, under the bloodthirsty gazes of the Demon Monsters, cupped his fists in a salute towards the Monkey.
"Hehe, General Yin, you are too polite. By reason, we are all Demon Monsters, one family. However, I heard that General Yin is living a carefree life in Two Realms Mountain. We of the Myriad Monsters Alliance have invited you several times but failed to bring you here. Why do you have time to come today?"
The Golden-furred Monkey chuckled strangely. His large, fan-sized, furry hand picked up a Green Jade Bowl and drank the blood-colored liquid inside, which was either blood water or alcohol, in one gulp. A Fox Spirit serving the banquet nearby quickly came up and carefully refilled it with a Golden Scoop Wine Pot.
"Don't laugh at me, Second Taibao, but those Humans are bullying demons too much! After they occupied the Western Regions, they sealed a Mountain God in Two Realms Mountain! They killed two of my Brothers and snatched my territory and blood food! I can only shamelessly come to Flower and Fruit Mountain for refuge now!"
General Yin's tiger face was full of Bad Luck, and he spoke frankly to the Golden-furred Monkey without any reservation.
"Oh? Those Humans actually occupied Two Realms Mountain!" Golden light flickered in the Golden-furred Monkey's eyes. "General Yin, don't worry. You can stay in Flower and Fruit Mountain for now. We will counterattack the Human Race's Territory soon. By then, not only will Two Realms Mountain be entirely your territory, but there will also be plenty of blood food!"
Perhaps hearing what the Golden-furred Monkey said about counterattacking Human Territory, a dancer wearing thin gauze stumbled in panic, lost her balance, and fell directly onto the cold ground.
All the Demon Monsters turned their chilling gazes towards her. Under the cold and deep gazes of these tiger and wolf Demon Monsters, the dancer could no longer bear it and began to tremble and cry.
Malice surged in the Golden-furred Monkey's eyes. With his furry arm, he playfully reached out and grabbed the dancer in the air, throwing her towards General Yin.
"General Yin! Since you haven't enjoyed blood food in Two Realms Mountain for a long time, now that you're here, eat to your heart's content! Flower and Fruit Mountain has plenty of blood food!"
General Yin caught the dancer thrown by the Golden-furred Monkey. Drooling with desire, he opened his large mouth, a tiger mouth that opened up to two feet wide. With a 'crunch', he bit off the dancer's right leg.
After chewing a few times with a 'gnash, gnash', he swallowed it into his stomach.
The dancer's shrill Scream echoed throughout the Great Hall, "Ah!"
Seeing the Tiger Demon eating a person, the dancers could no longer suppress the fear in their hearts and screamed, scattering and fleeing.
But in this Demon Monster City, where could these weak women escape to? The Demon Monsters who had been staring intently at these dancers, almost drooling, each used their Demonic Wind to sweep up the dancers... For a time, screams and chewing sounds echoed in the Great Hall.
At this moment, a group of little demons also brought up various dishes and alcohol. The Demon Monsters ate blood food and drank blood wine heartily, celebrating that another Demon Monster Brother had joined their Myriad Monsters Alliance.
Kakuzu stood in the corner of the Great Hall, his face pale, witnessing this scene of Demon Monsters eating humans! His fist was clenched, his blue veins bulging, yet he didn't dare to move a single bit. Ironically, the withered Old Monk sitting below the Golden-furred Monkey lowered his head, seemingly unable to bear the sight, twirling the prayer beads in his hand and chanting Amitabha Buddha.
"Second Taibao! This Monk is also your Guest. What is he muttering about? It's annoying me. Why not give him to me as blood food!"
General Yin devoured the poor dancer in a few bites. Licking his tongue covered in fleshy barbs, he scanned the Great Hall with a hint of dissatisfaction. However, at this moment, the Demon Monsters in the Great Hall were all feasting heartily, having already swept away all the blood food. General Yin's tiger eyes swept around and fixed on the Old Monk sitting below the Golden-furred Monkey. He saw clearly that this Old Monk was not their kindred; he was also a human.
He was a bit old, but for General Yin, who had been hungry for a long time, he wasn't picky.
"Elder Jinchi, don't be afraid. We are our own people. We still need you to contact the temples and monks within the Great Tang Dynasty. Don't worry, no one here dares to touch you!"
The Golden-furred Monkey waved his large furry hand towards General Yin: "General Yin, don't be rude. This Master Jinchi is a guest of our Great King. If you dare to have any wicked thoughts towards Master Jinchi, then perfect, our Great King still lacks a tiger skin rug, and I think your tiger hide is just the right size!"
Upon hearing this, General Yin looked up and saw the Golden-furred Monkey's cold expression that didn't look like a joke. He couldn't help but shiver and lowered his head, though a trace of resentment flashed in his tiger eyes.
The Golden-furred Monkey didn't care about General Yin's attitude at all. He waved his hand towards a little demon nearby: "It seems General Yin isn't full. Bring up some more blood food. Don't let people think our Flower and Fruit Mountain is stingy!"
The Golden-furred Monkey laughed. When the demons below heard there was more blood food to enjoy, they also echoed with laughter.
The little demons quickly escorted up another batch of mortals, and screams echoed in the Great Hall once more. After a long while, the Demon Monsters were tipsy from drinking. A woman with a charming and beautiful face, chewing on a human hand, her gaze fell upon the Golden-furred Monkey.
"Second Taibao, we have been in Flower and Fruit Mountain for a long time. We heard that the Great King has been out of trouble for quite some time, but why haven't we seen him?"
The woman was a Spider Demoness from Silk Strand Ridge. The eight hundred li of Silk Strand Ridge was all her territory. She and six other Spider Demonesses were entrenched there, waiting with their webs. Any passing merchants were all swallowed into their stomachs, becoming their blood food.
Silk Strand Ridge was not within the Great Tang Dynasty. The reason the Spider Demoness came here was also out of fear of Sun Wukong's reputation as the King of Ten Thousand Monsters.
But she had been in Flower and Fruit Mountain for over a year and had never seen the King of Ten Thousand Monsters, which made her feel uneasy.
Not just the Spider Demoness, many of the Demon Monsters present at the banquet, those who could sit here, were Great Demons occupying an area. Hearing the Spider Demoness's words, they also exchanged glances, their eyes that seemed hazy with drunkenness all staring at the Golden-furred Monkey.
"My Great King naturally has important matters to handle. To be honest, the Great King is cultivating a Great Divine Ability. When he succeeds, that will be the day we flatten the Great Tang Territory and fully enjoy blood food!"
The Golden-furred Monkey raised his blood wine and laughed loudly, drinking continuously. The Demon Monsters also echoed with laughter.
"Second Taibao! Although those Exorcists are trouble, we are not pushovers either. I think with just a few of us here, flattening the mere Human Territory is not a problem!" A drunken Bull Demon patted his chest and said! "What are Exorcists? Let alone my Great King, we never cared about them!" A cold light flashed in the Golden-furred Monkey's eyes: "But don't forget, there is also that Heavenly Emperor!"
"Gasp!"
As soon as the Golden-furred Monkey said this, the Demon Monsters in the entire Great Hall immediately looked at each other. A few years ago, the scene of the Heavenly Emperor bestowing grace upon all things had truly scared them quite a bit.
"Second Taibao, is the Great King cultivating his technique to deal with that Heavenly Emperor?" the Spider Demoness asked.
"Hehe, sort of, sort of not. In another half a year, when the Mortal Fortune wanes, even with the Heavenly Emperor's protection, those humans will just be some Two-legged Sheep!"
The Second Taibao's eyes flickered, and his words were a bit vague, but he still revealed a bit of information.
Half a year! The Demon Monsters in their hearts were surprised and secretly started calculating.
Kakuzu, hiding in the corner of the Great Hall, was recording the conversation of these Demon Monsters... While drinking and feasting, after three rounds of drinks, a Leopard Spirit with a red face provocatively looked towards General Yin: "I say, General Yin, you came to Flower and Fruit Mountain for refuge, but you came empty-handed. You didn't even bring any gifts for the Great King! We all brought generous gifts!"
General Yin was extremely embarrassed by the Leopard Spirit. He got up and cupped his fists towards the Golden-furred Monkey, saying: "I was really chased urgently by those Exorcists. I will definitely make up the gifts for the Great King!"
"Gifts! General Yin, haven't you already brought the gifts!" The Golden-furred Monkey grinned and looked towards the corner of the Great Hall. Behind him, a massive long-armed Giant Ape's Primordial Spirit Projection faintly appeared.
(end of chapter)