C22 Pitfall Mountain

Chen Ming returned to the Ten Thousand Swords Sect with the old Sect Master in tow and examined Zhuo Qingyao's injuries. Thankfully, Lee Changgeng had already administered medicine, and there were no serious issues. Chen Ming pondered Zhuo Qingyao's next steps, knowing he wouldn't be back for some time.

Zhuo Qingyao's two auras worked in tandem, enhancing each other. Despite the Fallen Cliff aura's modest rank, it was transformed by the aura of extremity, giving her an almost certain shot at that elusive 10% chance.

Chen Ming decided that Zhuo Qingyao should train at Cliff Mountain, a place true to its name with its abundance of sheer cliffs. The mountain's chief was merely a Great Demon who had recently advanced to the Dao Entering Stage. To prevent any mishaps, Chen Ming discreetly assigned Wang Meng to shadow Zhuo Qingyao.

Penning a letter, Chen Ming wrote: "My disciple, you have reached the Dao Enlightening Stage Level Seven. To grasp the essence of the Great Dao, you must undergo trials. I have left a trove of endless treasures within Cliff Mountain. If you desire them, seek them out."

One could only wonder if others might stumble upon this letter, potentially igniting an era of grand mountain banditry.

Chen Ming sent word to Wang Meng to covertly safeguard Zhuo Qingyao and, while at it, swiped a fire-attribute Spirit Sword from the sect for his use of the Fire Crow Spell. He collected choice dried meats from the Prince Regent Mansion and an ample supply of wine before heading to the Bull Demon General's lair. There, they reveled in each other's company, their camaraderie so strong they were nearly sworn brothers.

The Bull Demon General savored a piece of the jerky and gave Chen Ming an approving slap on the back.

Chen Ming eyed the remaining jerky in the Demon General's hand, a flicker of apprehension crossing his mind.

After taking another bite, the Bull Demon General exclaimed, "Hey, brother, what is this jerky? I've never had anything like it before. The flavor is indescribably good!"

Chen Ming couldn't help but smile and replied, "This is a special jerky made from a spotted deer I found by a mountain stream when I passed through Changbai Mountain."

A glint of the unspoken fascination sparkled in the Bull Demon General's eyes as he savored the flavor, "Deer meat is unexpectedly delicious..."

Chen Ming had no way of deciphering the Bull Demon General's thoughts. The General struggled with basic arithmetic within ten, let alone Chen Ming trying to read his mind—it was an impossible feat!

Once they were well-fed and satisfied, the Bull Demon General inquired, "Oh, what was our purpose for coming here again?"

The herd of formidable demons behind him chimed in, "We were tasked by a cultivator to annihilate the Ten Thousand Swords Sect."

The Bull Demon General dismissed it, "Ah, such a trivial task. Let's head back to Pitfall Mountain. The real event is this brother joining us—that's significant. By the way, what's your name?"

"Ding! You have resolved the crisis of the Ten Thousand Swords Sect. Task completion: Normal. You have earned 500 Spirit Sense points and 50 points of fame."

Chen Ming pondered for a moment, realizing this alias might serve as his future guise among the demon ranks. Naturally, the more inconspicuous, the better. "I go by Ya Wudao."

As Chen Ming followed the Bull Demon General deeper into the Hundred Thousand Mountains, he learned about the storied past of the Demon King of Pitfall Mountain. Its true form was that of an Azure Lion, hailed as the Lion King, with a millennium of cultivation and centuries of dominion over Pitfall Mountain.

Pitfall Mountain was no ordinary peak; it was suspended by four massive chains from the surrounding cliffs, a stone mountain perched above an abyss, devoid of trees, dotted with caves large and small.

Now, Chen Ming stood on the suspension bridge leading to Pitfall Mountain. His arrival drew the curious gazes of many great demons. A human-shaped demon among them surely indicated the presence of a Demon King.

The Green Lion Demon King sat upon a throne adorned with bones, flanked by three of his Demon Generals.

The glow of the bonfire danced across the cave walls, casting light throughout. Among the demons, only the Green Lion Demon King had achieved a complete human transformation.

Draped in a green mantle, with wild, lion-like hair and a face chiseled as if by blade, the Green Lion Demon King exuded an aura of natural authority. His robust hands toyed with a skull as smooth as white jade. He pondered, "What do you think—where should Ya Wudao be seated here in Pitfall Mountain?"

Among the four Demon Generals, besides the Bull Demon General who accompanied Chen Ming, there were the White Wolf Demon General who oversaw the nations of Pitfall Mountain, the Ape Demon General, and the Deer Demon General.

As for the Bull Demon General, the Green Lion Demon King had sent him on a tour of the various territories, stirring up chaos throughout the lands of Pitfall Mountain. Eventually, with a reluctant resolve, the Green Lion Demon King stationed him by his side as a personal guard.

The White Wolf Demon General reported, "According to the Bull Demon General, Ya Wudao may only be at the fourth level of the Dao Entering Stage, but he has successfully transformed. This indicates he has condensed the Dao Seed. With the Dao Seed formed, it won't take him more than thirty years to potentially rise as another Demon King."

The Green Lion Demon King gave a slight nod. I'm aware of all this, so what exactly are you trying to say?

The White Wolf Demon General continued, "Such a significant matter is for Demon Kings to address. It's not our place to intervene. We must defer to the Demon King's judgment on this."

The Green Lion Demon King mused, What's the point of calling you here?

He then declared, "First, let's have an audience with Ya Wudao."

All that discussion, and still no resolution.

Chen Ming entered the cave, surveying everyone. The aura of authority emanating from the Green Lion Demon King was palpable, his danger index soaring past 500.

Among the other Demon Generals, the White Wolf Demon General ranked highest with a danger index of 270, followed by the Ape Demon General at 260, and the Deer Demon General at 240.

To Chen Ming, the Green Lion Demon King was the most formidable being he had encountered thus far.

"Ding! You've successfully infiltrated Pitfall Mountain undetected, initiating the undercover mission. Phase one: successfully join Pitfall Mountain. Reward: 300 Spirit Sense points, 30 reputation points."

Hmm, just 300 Spirit Sense points, but even a mosquito's contribution is valuable. It's equivalent to defeating ten cultivators at Level Three of the Dao Entering Stage, and joining Pitfall Mountain is indeed my goal.

Chen Ming turned his fiery gaze toward the Green Lion Demon King, "Demon King, it's an honor to finally meet you. I've searched far and wide for you. Once, I was merely a crow, and a great serpent sought to devour me. It was your intervention, Lord Green Lion Demon King, that saved my life. Seeing you again, you remain as majestic and powerful as ever!"

The Green Lion Demon King mused to himself, having lived for centuries and slain countless serpents, the memory of saving a mere crow was unlikely to have lingered. Yet, he wasn't foolish. If a snake was mentioned, then surely it existed. "My dear brother, on that day, it was nothing more than a trivial effort on my part. No need to dwell on it!"

Chen Ming, however, firmly shook his head. "That won't do. I must repay the debt of life you saved!"

After much contemplation, the Green Lion Demon King proposed a solution. "Let's do this, my dear brother. You shall temporarily rule over Flying Eagle Ridge and command the Feather Clan of Pitfall Mountain. Once you've ascended to the status of Demon King, we'll tackle the weightier issues together."

Granting him real authority was out of the question. Flying Eagle Ridge was a territory that barely felt like his own, so letting Chen Ming take over and stir the pot was inconsequential. Even if Chen Ming achieved the rank of Demon King, he would be but a figurehead without any Demon Generals to command, inevitably reliant on him.

"Ding! You've completed the first phase of the undercover mission. Reward: 300 points of Spirit Sense and 30 points of Reputation."