Sha Ya shivered for no apparent reason, secretly resolving that she would absolutely never be alone with that girl again. That sense of danger was too intense — even when facing Lord Wu Niu, Sha Ya had never felt anything like it.
After reporting back, Yang Kai immediately summoned all the shamans and the captains of each squad.
The Wu Niu tribe originally had twelve squads — ten regular squads, one guard squad, and one aerial cavalry squad. Now an additional cavalry squad had been added, with Ahu serving as its captain.
So at present, the Wu Niu tribe had a total of thirteen squads.
Yang Kai gave a brief overview of his arrangements, and all the shamans and thirteen captains grew visibly excited, rolling up their sleeves in anticipation.
Days of rest and recovery had brought the Wu Niu tribe to peak condition, and the victory in the previous great battle had doubled their confidence. Now they desperately needed another fight to maintain that momentum.
Moreover, this was the best way for the Barbarians to grow.
In the days since the great battle, many Barbarians had clearly felt themselves grow much stronger — especially the captains and vice-captains of each squad. They had already been among the best of the best, and the baptism of blood and injury had awakened their latent instincts, shattering many of the shackles that had previously constrained their body tempering. Even more Barbarian warriors had achieved tremendous growth.
So the Wu Niu tribe now craved war more than ever.
The recent peace had made them restless, and when Yang Kai suddenly ordered them to prepare for battle, everyone was naturally delighted.
After a round of assignments, the shamans and captains each confirmed their tasks and positions, then dispersed.
At noon the following day, an unwelcome group of visitors arrived outside the stone cave.
The group numbered roughly a thousand, their ranks a motley mix — much like the force Sha Ya had commanded before.
Reinforcements from a nearby Demon settlement had arrived.
Sha Ya's summons had been very effective. After all, she was a Demon King, while the strongest Demon in the nearest settlement was merely a Demon Commander. So upon receiving Sha Ya's order, he had rushed here without pause, eager to put on a good show before the Demon King and perhaps earn her special attention.
To that end, the Demon Commander had brought every last shred of his forces — a grand procession of over a thousand. But upon arriving, he suddenly felt that something was off.
The Demon King's message had said that outsiders were attacking and that she was occupied with cultivation and unable to respond. Yet from the Demon Commander's perspective, there were no traces of battle anywhere — the surroundings were unnervingly calm.
A wave of unease rose instinctively within him.
He did not advance rashly, instead halting about ten li from the stone cave. He summoned his subordinate Shadow Demons and Sand Demons and ordered them to scout ahead for intelligence.
But just then, a dark shadow suddenly flew toward them from the front.
Sensing the aura contained within that dark shadow, the Demon Commander's expression immediately turned solemn. He dismounted from his steed and stood respectfully in place, waiting for the shadow's arrival.
A moment later, Sha Ya materialized before the Demon Commander, her charm utterly devastating.
"Greetings, my lord!" The Demon Commander immediately bowed, his gaze lingering — deliberately or not — on the appealing parts of Sha Ya's figure. Though he was well aware of a Succubus's terrifying nature, he simply couldn't control his eyes.
The Demon King was truly beautiful! If only he could spend a night with her... He couldn't help swallowing hard, his breathing growing heavy.
"Have you brought all your people?" Sha Ya swept her gaze over the assembled forces below and asked.
"I have, my lord!" the Demon Commander replied respectfully, a trace of curiosity flickering across his face. "Didn't you send word that outsiders were attacking? Has the matter already been resolved?"
Come to think of it, since the Demon King had appeared in person, that meant she must have intervened herself. Once a Demon King took action, what chance of survival could those outsiders possibly have? This made the Demon Commander feel a twinge of regret — he had missed an opportunity to prove himself before the Demon King.
"Mm, it's resolved." Sha Ya smiled faintly, that smile blooming like a flower bud unfurling. It robbed the entire world of its luster. The Demon Commander gazed at her foolishly, seeing nothing but her. Sha Ya continued, "But since you've been so loyal, coming the moment I called, I should reward you."
The Demon Commander grew instantly excited. "I wouldn't dare, my lord!"
He said as much, but his expression was one of intense anticipation, as though he eagerly awaited whatever reward Sha Ya would bestow.
The answer came almost immediately. Sha Ya merely waved a delicate hand at him, and the Demon Commander suddenly felt his vision flip upside down. He blinked in confusion and saw a familiar figure standing before him — a body with a perfectly flat stump where the neck should be, crimson blood gushing forth in torrents.
How could this... it looked like his own body?
His head had been cut off? That final thought flickered through his mind before the Demon Commander's consciousness dissolved into nothingness.
In the instant Sha Ya struck, the Demons under the Demon Commander's command erupted into chaos. No one knew why the Demon King had slain their leader without a single word, but a Demon King was still a Demon King. Despite their panic and terror, these Demons remained rooted in place, staring at Sha Ya with desperate eyes, hoping she would offer some explanation.