Increasing numbers of golden demons gathered around the Immortal Sacred Land. Collectively, they numbered forty to fifty thousand, or even more.
Other than one forefather away near the Desolate Wildlands, the remaining three divine forefathers had all gathered in Immortal over the past few days.
The tribe had turned out in force for this occasion.
The venerated forefather, named Goldenhowl, was an existence close to advanced divine realm. He was a much more fearsome existence than Silveredge.
The other two were called Silverhammer and Cloudrumble. Both around Silveredge’s level in cultivation.
Silverhammer, in particular, was the former’s equal, while Cloudrumble was a little worse by just a slight margin.
As for Goldenhowl, he was known as one of the three strongest demons. Rumoredly, even the other golden demon forefathers put together weren’t his match.
His presence indicated the importance he attached to this operation.
The three forefathers met outside the sacred land and studied its defenses.
A moment later, Goldenhowl shook his head. “Such pathetic defenses, and they dare call themselves a sacred land? This Myriad Abyss Island truly seems a far cry from the ancient human domain.”
“Heh, fellow daoist, you know as well as me that they descend from deserters who fled the ancient battlefield to avoid us. They have an ingrained fear of us. Against this Immortal Sacred Land, I alone will suffice. I just need three thousand boys from our clan!” Cloudrumble smiled leisurely. “This sacred land’s divine realm forefather is apparently fighting offworld. Myriad Abyss is simply a joke.”
It was a little disappointing to see Immortal amount to this little. They’d expected the ten sacred lands to be a far tougher bone to chew, but they were nothing but lumps of fatty meat waiting to be swallowed whole.
“Fellow daoist, why don’t we go all out? I hear the wood demons have already seized Abyssal Sacred Land, while the t.i.tan demons and monster demons are besieging Flora Sacred Land. We can’t be left behind. The wood demons have s.n.a.t.c.hed the top rank in merit, so we have to speed things up,” Silverhammer proposed eagerly.
Goldenhowl muttered, “As you say, capturing the Immortal Sacred land is child’s play. But have the two of you considered Daoist Silveredge’s fate? His whereabouts are unknown, his survival yet uncertain.”
“Isn’t that the shadow demons’ fault? They were the ones heading the mission. They’re nothing but armchair strategists who stumble as soon as reality hits them, it seems.”
“That’s right, what’s hard about the Rejuvenation Isles? I heard it’s just a third-rate faction. It was surely a plot from the human domain instead, given its proximity. More than likely, it was that Jiang Chen’s doing.”
Goldenhowl nodded. “That Jiang Chen is the real tough bone. He’s my target, not this sacred land. My sights are set on Winterdraw and the human domain!”
“Ah? Forefather, what’s your plan?” The two other forefathers p.r.i.c.ked their ears.
“We golden demons are the best fighters of our race, so just how strong is Winterdraw to have defeated Silveredge?” This was Goldenhowl’s main preoccupation.
“Fellow daoist, we’ll find out after we conquer Immortal. Nothing can resist a charge from our tribe, not even Winterdraw!”
“That’s right. Capturing that island will be a ma.s.sive contribution. No amount of sacred lands can compare in to its strategic importance.”
Demons had in fact a clearly defined policy: to attack the human domain using Myriad Abyss as their base.
Winterdraw was crucial to that strategy.
According to the information available to them, Winterdraw was the key to traveling between the human domain and Myriad Abyss. Seizing it would ram wide open the gates to the human domain.
An intense glint flashed in Goldenhowl’s eyes. The golden demons had once been celebrated for their part in the ancient war. Now that their race had risen once again, he naturally had no desire to be eclipsed by the other tribes.
The offensive on Winterdraw had preoccupied his thoughts these past few days. He wouldn’t have hesitated at all, if not for Silveredge’s failure. He was a little more cautious now.
But no matter his misgivings, the human domain didn’t seem strong enough to withstand an offensive from his tribe.
He’d gathered intelligence reports far and wide and knew about a young man called Jiang Chen at the helm of the human domain. This human hadn’t been reached the divine realm yet as of twenty years ago, but there were a few divine sacred beasts at his side, as well as some initial divine realm cultivators.
It was little to write home about!
Perhaps the human domain as a whole had grown somewhat in twenty years, but how much could they have achieved in such a short time frame?
If they had been genuinely strong, would they have been this concerned about the Great Formation of Heavenly Soul Confinement?
In his final a.n.a.lysis, the forefather felt that Silveredge’s failure must have been caused by a lack of coordination between the three tribes.
Nothing else could account for the utter rout of three demon forefathers and the army they’d commanded.
There was no denying humans had won that battle, but they must have invested all their forces into the fray.
Now that he’d taken personal charge and gathered all the elites of his tribe, the troops at his disposal was incomparably stronger.
His army possessed at least five times the combat prowess, while he alone could have crushed Silveredge and the two others forefathers.
He couldn’t help but be tempted to roll the dice.
It was his best opportunity to play a decisive part in the war. Once he conquered Wintedraw and made the strategic stronghold his, he could point his forces directly at the human domain. By then, the golden demons’ status among the ten tribes would be unquestioned.
“Cloudrumble, this seat gives you one day to take down Immortal. Are you confident enough to do so?” Forefather Goldenhowl’s eyes glinted keenly.
“Haha, be at ease. I will not fail my orders.” Cloudrumble cackled and summoned the troops in preparation for a.s.sailing the sacred land.
Immortal’s defenses were decent enough, but the strength of the golden demons meant all defenses were nonexistent before them. All would fall beneath their edge!