When they were still in Songyun County, Fang Yuan had already sensed the presence of the Chongwu Guard around him, and their names were all invariably [Chongwu Guard].
But the person following him was different.
The Zhènfù Sī (Local Pacification Department) is an organization founded by the first emperor of the Yan Kingdom, known as the emperor's personal army.
A personal guard of an emperor infiltrated beside the Chongwu Marquis?
What is going on here? Is this like Mission: Impossible?!
Fang Yuan thought for a moment but gave up on pursuing the answer. He wasn't interested in the intrigue. After all, the person's name was green, symbolizing friendliness.
As long as he knew there was no ill intent, that was enough.
"Things have changed. The demon extermination mission ends here!" Yan Nan spoke again, his tone urgent.
At this, the three of them were somewhat confused.
The demon extermination mission was progressing smoothly, so why was it suddenly called off?
Seeing the puzzled expressions of the three, Yan Nan waved his hand:
"Don't ask. Just follow orders and head back to Songyun County immediately!"
"Boom!!!"
However, just as he finished speaking, everyone suddenly heard a massive explosion from afar!
The ground they were standing on began to tremble, and it felt like the entire Henglin Mountain Range was affected.
Fang Yuan frowned, then lightly jumped onto a tree branch. From a great distance, he saw a large cloud of smoke shooting straight into the sky!
The power of it!
Fang Yuan's pupils constricted. He remembered what the rat demon had said earlier—that there was a terrifying demon lord to the southwest!
Before he could react, Fang Yuan heard another strange buzzing sound coming from that direction!!!
It sounded like some kind of demon's roar, shaking the soul.
Fang Yuan squinted his eyes, and along with the roar, the entire Henglin Mountain Range seemed to be boiling!
Countless roars of wild beasts and demons rose one after another, as if responding to the buzzing sound.
The trees in the forest kept shaking, kicking up dust, and countless dark figures were darting through the area.
Above, the blue sky was filled with black dots approaching from the distance!
At this moment, in the Henglin Mountain Range, both wild beasts and demons seemed to have gone mad, swarming in groups, charging out of the mountains!
"My God!!!"
Lin Jing jumped to Fang Yuan's side, unable to stop muttering. They were on the edge of Henglin Mountain, and the spectacle of countless beasts stampeding was truly overwhelming!
"My God!"
Fang Yuan exclaimed with the same feeling as Lin Jing, but while Lin Jing's eyes were filled with shock and anxiety, his gaze was filled with extreme excitement!
He never expected that something this big was coming!
Initially, he had to go looking for those demons one by one, but now, he could skip that process, and the merits would come to him directly!
...
Deep in the Henglin Mountain Range, before a vast swamp forest that seemed endless, an old man stood holding a heavy iron halberd, staring expressionlessly ahead.
The old man had white hair and beard, wearing the same flying fish attire as Yin Shisan and Yan Nan. However, unlike their outfits, he wore a majestic red cloak on his back, fluttering in the wind.
"Old Croc, you've been a bit restless lately!"
The old man spoke calmly. Though his voice was soft, it seemed to echo throughout the entire swamp.
With his words, the central part of the swamp suddenly erupted with large waves, and a head as long as five zhang (a traditional Chinese measurement) emerged from the water.
The enormous head was flattened and covered with iron-like scales, with dark vertical pupils on each side, staring intently at the old man.
"What restlessness do you speak of, my lord?" The Old Croc grinned, revealing sharp, cold teeth.
"What do you think?" The old man spoke slowly. "Why are so many demons suddenly emerging in this Henglin Mountain Range?"
Old Croc sneered: "So what? Those small demons and monsters are just restless, what's that to do with me? I've kept my promise and never stepped outside this Henglin Mountain Range."
"Heh, to step outside, you'd need legs first!" The old man sneered and retorted directly.
"In this Henglin Mountain Range, there are no less than a thousand types of demons, some of them mortal enemies, and others who have nothing to do with each other."
"Tell me, why are they all gathering together at the same time and coming out of the Henglin Mountain Range to hunt humans?"
Humans can hardly unite, let alone mere demons!
It was like how the rat demon would flee if it encountered a snake demon, and the snake demon would directly kill and eat the rat demon—these two species are naturally opposites.
But now, these demons had learned to cooperate for mutual benefit?!
Impossible!
And the old man knew that this crocodile possessed a supernatural ability that could briefly control demons weaker than itself!
This iron-clad truth was right before him, yet the other still dared to argue!
"I think this beast is itching for a fight!"
The old man gripped his halberd tighter, his voice growing colder.
"Fifty years ago, Lord Chongwu cut off your limbs and turned you into a croc stick. Now, you don't even want your head anymore?"
Under his icy gaze, Old Croc grinned again:
"Haha, thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river. Don't bully me when I'm down!!!"
In the next moment, it suddenly surged out of the swamp like a whale leaping from the sea, crashing down on the old man like a mountain!
The old man's expression finally faltered, for he saw that Old Croc's limbs had fully regrown!
Boom!!!
The massive body slammed into the ground, kicking up dust, and the earth trembled!
The old man's figure, however, appeared on the other side. He immediately took out a sound-transmitting talisman from his chest and shouted:
"Old Croc is rebelling, the plan is terminated!"