Demonic lightning, lightning from the demonic realm, carried far greater power than mortal lightning. Typically, powerful demons of the demonic realm would not use it for oaths.
Therefore, after the vine spirit spoke, the monster leader chose to believe. "Fine, you may leave!"
"Tomorrow night, I will lure her here."
"You had better be prepared. If I don't see her arrive, we will come for you."
The vine spirit acknowledged with a hum, "Indeed." and flew away.
After the vine spirit departed, Monster Number One stood up. "Boss, do you think we should trust him?"
"This is the last time."
"But you said 'last time' last time as well. That guy wasn't as weak as he claimed! And Shen Xian has killed so many of our brothers. Boss," Monster Number One endured the pain in his back, "I also witnessed it just now, Mu An Xiao had the Soul Sword in her hand. If Gu An had also faced us with the Soul Sword in the past, she wouldn't have died."
The monster leader said, "Don't mention Gu An to me."
"I advise you... not to be blindly confident anymore."
Six months ago, the vine spirit played a trick and helped them. Since then, the vine spirit had taught them how to form alliances.
As Monster Number One had said, from that day onwards, they began to gradually become blindly confident.
And from a certain point, the monster leader started to believe that his subordinates were all more formidable than the last. Every time before encountering Shen Xian, he would tell the monsters, "You are stronger than him."
Because of this statement, many monsters developed arrogance, and the final outcome was predictably tragic.
Even so, the monster leader still did not learn his lesson and continued to stubbornly follow the vine spirit's words.
Before being spared by Mu An Xiao, Monster Number One also used to disregard demons. However, after this incident, he realized... things were not as simple as he thought.
Therefore, to avoid a tragic end, he had to do this. As for what he had said to the vine spirit just now, it was all part of the monster leader's plan.
Now, these were his true thoughts.
Subsequently, the monster leader asked, "Are you afraid?"
"I am afraid, Boss," Monster Number One replied. "You would be sad if our brothers died, wouldn't you?"
"Of course, I would be sad. But if we don't take the initiative, we will be the ones to die. Do you want to go back to the past, to a time when we were bullied by all sorts of demons?"
In the past, monsters acted individually. As soon as a demon encountered them, their fate was sealed. It was for this reason that their inner cores became currency for demons.
The monster leader did not want to return to that dark existence.
The monsters did not want to return either.
Monster Number One most certainly did not want to return, but thinking of Mu An Xiao's cruel and merciless methods, he was terrified.
"You are right, but..."
"But what? If we don't do this, we will continue to be their prey."
"Prey?"
"Don't you remember, those demons would come hunting every night? We," the monster leader shed red tears, "we were their prey."
Monster Number One: "..."
The monster leader: "Now, we are about to turn the tables. Are you..."
Monster Number One: "But they don't think so. We are still prey."
The monster leader: "..."
Monster Number One: "But we can resist now."
"Yes, we can resist. Next, I will gather enough brothers to have a good fight with those demons. By then, this demonic realm will be our territory."
Listening to the monster leader's wild fantasies, Monster Number One thought of the demons' insidious tactics and said, "They are demons. A large half of them endured various hardships to get here. They have no hearts. Moreover, they outnumber us. If we think of going to war with them, what is that if not death!"
"..."
"If you ask me, let's just go back to our former place and let them forget about us. Let's mind our own business. What do you think?"
The demonic realm was vast. In one corner was their territory, a place unknown to the demons.
In the past, due to their laziness, the monsters had eaten all the food there. So, for the sake of food, they left that place and came under the notice of the demons to forage.
Initially, the demons paid them no mind. But as time passed, the demons became displeased.
One day, a demon, in a fit of rage, killed a monster. Then, the demon saw the monster's inner core.
From then on, the demon considered monster inner cores to be treasures. From that point onwards, they began to hunt monsters of all kinds.
Over time, under the pursuit of the demons, the monsters learned many new skills, including farming.
It was with this foundation that Monster Number One dared to speak as he did.
Conversely, the monster leader did not see it that way. "Have you been scared silly by that Mu An Xiao?"
Monster Number One: "..."
"If you want to..."
"No, I think the vine spirit is not a good thing. I feel..." Monster Number One pondered for a moment and said, "He is using us."
Monster Number One had witnessed the vine spirit's skill in sweet-talking firsthand.
In the past, Monster Number One would have gone along with the crowd and believed the vine spirit. But this time, he had no intention of believing him.
"He wouldn't dare."
"Boss!"
"Alright, if you don't want to follow us, then leave. Don't let me see you again."
"....."
"Are you leaving or not?"
After so many years, Monster Number One had never left the monster leader's side. Although he had many ideas now, since they didn't believe him, there was nothing he could do.
Therefore, he could only compromise. "I'm not leaving."
"If you're not leaving, then stop the nonsense," the monster leader said, looking at his brothers. "Everyone prepare yourselves. Tomorrow, it's best if no brothers die."
"Yes." They responded in unison.
Monster Number One cast a cautious glance at the monster leader, his eyes darkening.
The mansion.
After finishing his meal, Mu An Xiao sat at the table, propping his chin with one hand, and looked at Shen Xian, who was reading in a high-backed chair. "Hey, is it convenient for you to tell me about your love story with your wife?"
Shen Xian: "..."
Mu An Xiao furrowed his brow and switched the hand propping his chin. "Why aren't you talking to me?"
"Why are you curious about this?"
"Well, I'm bored and looking for some entertainment."
"Entertainment?" Shen Xian repeated. He put down the book in his hand and looked up at Mu An Xiao. "My past with Gu An has become your entertainment, Mu An Xiao. Are you seeking death?"
"If you kill me, I'll still have to reincarnate. You must remember," Mu An Xiao smiled, "I am the closest to Gu An. Going further down for you would be quite troublesome."