The Demon Mountain, the most dangerous place in Zhuzhou, was also where demonic energy was most potent and demonic creatures most numerous.
Countless demons, in pursuit of its treasures, had thrown themselves into it, yet fewer than one in ten managed to emerge.
Li Mo, a minor demon living near the Demon Mountain, knew his cultivation was insufficient, so he never dared to enter. He only sold common demonic pills and elixirs near the entrance.
Recently, he had been restless, experiencing a daily sense of dread because he noticed something unusual about the Demon Mountain.
Normally, while more demons entered than exited, the numbers weren't drastically different.
But in the last few days, the situation had changed significantly. The number of demons entering remained the same, but the number of survivors emerging had sharply decreased.
He suspected an anomaly or the emergence of a powerful demon within the mountain, but being insignificant and without connections, he didn't know whom to inform.
Today, Li Mo once again arrived at the entrance of the Demon Mountain, anxiously gazing into its depths, his heart inexplicably beating faster.
The anomaly occurred at this very moment.
Rumble!
Li Mo was startled to his knees by the tremendous commotion, covering his head with his hands, looking at the Demon Mountain in terror.
From the deepest part of the Demon Mountain, a towering pillar of black light was conspicuously visible.
Countless streams of demonic energy churned around the pillar, seemingly drawn to it.
"This is..."
Li Mo stood frozen, speechless.
Beside him, a frenzied shout tore through the sky.
"Demonic treasure descends! Demonic treasure descends!"
Li Mo stiffly turned his head to look behind him and saw that all the nearby demons were staring at the Demon Mountain with fanatical expressions.
Some of the impatient ones had already stumbled to their feet and were heading towards the Demon Mountain.
The actions of those demons were like sparks igniting a fire.
The remaining demons were all stirred by this, rising one after another, like moths drawn to a flame.
Witnessing this scene, Li Mo's usually timid expression began to change imperceptibly.
Demons, unlike humans, absorbed demonic energy for cultivation, but they also had a more convenient method: nurturing ancient demonic treasures by integrating them into their own bodies.
By combining the treasure's demonic energy with their own, their demonic cultivation could rapidly ascend.
They feared no inner demons, nor did they face bottlenecks. If lucky, they could achieve immense power through this method.
At least three of the eighteen Demon Lords had become beings who crushed other demons in this way.
Now, with a new demonic treasure descending, and few demons aware of the news, it was an opportune moment to seize fortune.
Each of them exerted all their strength, eager to be the first to find the treasure.
Li Mo lowered his head, thinking that if all demons had a chance, why couldn't he?
His blood-red eyes gradually filled with greed and madness.
He let out a roar, discarding the demonic pills in his hand, and charged towards the Demon Mountain like an irrational beast.
From afar, the Demon Mountain resembled a colossal demonic beast, voraciously devouring demons.
...
Deep within the Demon Mountain.
"Sister Xu, you are truly amazing. Is there anything you can't do?"
Bai Shan could swear that this time he wasn't flattering Xu Yi, but speaking from the bottom of his heart.
Xiong Zhuangzhuang and Yu Xiaoyu nodded incessantly in agreement.
"I am merely a little skilled, a little skilled."
Xu Yi suppressed the urge to smile and tried her best to appear humble and low-key, but her bright, piercing eyes betrayed her true thoughts.
"How long can this pillar of light be maintained?"
Ji Buwang asked, looking at a circular magical artifact embedded in the rocks ahead.
Xu Yi thought for a moment. "At least half an hour."
This circular artifact was crafted by her using materials from her storage bag and refined with the Earth's Core Azure Flame.
It served no other purpose than to attract nearby demonic energy and emit a powerful beam of light.
While this light beam appeared formidable, it was actually useless.
As for the earth-shattering commotion just now...
Xu Yi looked at the deep pit not far away, a slight smile playing on her lips, implying everything was within her design.
This method was something they devised after learning some secrets of the demon race during this time.
Demons were cruel, impulsive, and easily provoked.
In Black City, they had only released a bit of news, and countless demons had fallen for it.
Now, with this even more realistic display, it was sure to ignite the demons' greed even further.
The Demon Mountain was already fraught with peril. With all the demons seeking treasures treating each other as potential rivals, even the slightest dispute would inevitably lead to bloodshed.
In a few days, this Demon Mountain would become a living hell for the demon race.
"Alright, the bait has been set. Now we can wait for the show to begin. Retreat."
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—
Seven figures vanished from their positions almost simultaneously.
At this moment, only the circular artifact continued to operate, emitting its thick beam of light.
...
The news of the demonic treasure appearing in the Demon Mountain quickly spread throughout Zhuzhou, even alarming the Demon Lords.
Domain City.
Yin Shan leaned on his throne, his eyes closed, seemingly still asleep.
Below him, a newly appointed female demon slave knelt respectfully on the ground, motionless.
After an unknown period, Yin Shan slowly spoke, "Is this matter confirmed to be true?"
"Reporting to the Demon Lord, many demons personally witnessed the sky-piercing demonic pillar rise from the ground, accompanied by tremors and shaking, just like previous instances of rare treasures descending."
Yin Shan nodded, his eyes still closed, but his mind was already stirring.
A month ago, if he had received news of a demonic treasure's appearance, he would have unhesitatingly led his forces to the Demon Mountain.
But perhaps due to the psychological trauma from being tricked last time, he found this matter highly suspicious.
Demonic treasures had not appeared for nearly three hundred years.
He had also heard other Demon Lords say that most of the ancient, lost demonic treasures had already reappeared, and perhaps no more would descend.
Yet, a demonic treasure had suddenly emerged, and it was in the most dangerous place, the Demon Mountain.
Yin Shan felt an unsettling unease.
But to do nothing and simply watch others contend for it also felt unsatisfactory.
After much deliberation, he finally decided to go.
However, he did not plan to enter the Demon Mountain but merely observe from the outside. If someone truly managed to seize the treasure, then it would not be too late to act.
Once his mind was made up, the restlessness within his body immediately subsided.
He opened his eyes and said to the female demon, "Prepare the palanquin. We are going to the Demon Mountain."
"Yes."
As Yin Shan prepared to head to the Demon Mountain, the Demon Lords closest to it also planned their journey.
The entire Zhuzhou was shaken by the appearance of the demonic treasure, and all eyes were focused on the Demon Mountain.
By this time, the Demon Mountain had already become the purgatory envisioned by the schemers.
The demonic flora and beasts within the Demon Mountain were one of the reasons for the heavy casualties among demons who ventured there.
But in the past few days, most of them had been eliminated due to the sheer number of demons flocking to the mountain.
However, more demons perished from mutual slaughter.
All the demons had gone mad for the demonic treasure.