C30 Swordsman!

In the stillness of the night, Chen Ming gazed across at the barely recognizable, faintly breathing Deer Demon General. The first to fall was the Deer Demon General, and he knew he could very well be next.

Trapped in this dungeon with his spiritual power completely sealed, he wondered if he would have to resort to using this ring to dig a tunnel for eighteen years. But considering this was the abyss beneath Pitfall Mountain, digging out with just a ring might take ten thousand years.

Chen Ming's eyes then fell upon the hefty lock securing the prison. He recalled the myriad of eccentric individuals at the prince's mansion, including a master thief skilled in lockpicking. Chen Ming had once witnessed him using a strand of hair to pick a lock and had attempted to learn the technique himself. He had committed the lockpicking secrets to memory, yet mastery eluded him.

Struck by a bold thought, Chen Ming decided, “I'll grasp the essence of lockpicking.”

“Ding! The Teacher's Virtue needed to grasp the essence of lockpicking is minimal. Rounding up, it will consume one point of Teacher's Virtue. Would you like to proceed?” the system inquired.

“Proceed. Grasp it immediately.”

After a moment's contemplation, Chen Ming plucked a hair and tried his hand at the lock. As he had suspected, knowing the secrets of lockpicking made a world of difference—the lock wouldn't budge. The idea of using a hair to pick a lock was absurd!

Chen Ming finally understood how that fellow had managed to pick locks with his hair—he must have reinforced it with the inner strength common in the martial arts world. How else could it be done?

Scouring the ground, Chen Ming found a porcupine quill and inserted it into the keyhole, intuitively jiggling it three times.

"Click!"

The lock clattered to the floor.

Who's the fool now? I've got built-in lockpicking skills!

Chen Ming swung the door open, immediately sensing the absence of any restraint on his spiritual power. Transforming into a crow, he brought the Dao Scripture to the forefront and, with a few beats of his wings, vanished into the vast night.

At White Fox Mountain, the five Demon Kings held dominion in their respective territories, with only the Demon King's throne remaining vacant. The White Fox Demon King, clad in a white robe that barely concealed her intimate areas and with three fox tails gently swaying behind her, exuded an air of seduction. She addressed the others, "The battle at the front lines is growing increasingly fierce. Do any of you have suggestions?"

The Black Tiger Demon King, with his imposing stature and broad shoulders, vibrated the black iron staff in his grasp. "What other choice do we have? The Green Lion Demon King outmatches us by far. If we go into battle and one of us is unfortunate enough to be captured and devoured by him, he might well take on all four of us single-handedly! We cannot afford to engage him directly; we must first leverage our Great Demons to secure an advantage. Only then might we stand a chance at overcoming the Green Lion!"

The Demon King of Old Turtle Lake was indeed an ancient turtle, having lived for a millennium, his hair and whiskers now pure white. "Any word from Ya Wudao?" he inquired.

"No news yet," replied the White Fox Demon King.

Out of nowhere, a crow descended upon the sixth Demon King's seat, surveying the other five Demon Kings within the hall. Their danger ratings ranged merely from 300 to 400 points, explaining their current predicament—incapable of challenging the Green Lion Demon King, whether individually or even in pairs.

Chen Ming reverted to his true form and took his place among them, simultaneously bringing the Fire Crow Spell's Dao Palace to the forefront.

The presence of a new Demon King-level aura, coupled with the arrival of an additional figure in the hall, drew the collective gaze of the five Demon Kings to Chen Ming.

"This must be Demon King Ya Wudao, correct?" ventured the White Fox Demon King.

The old turtle remarked, "Such an ability to infiltrate undetected is impressive. It's no wonder you navigate Pitfall Mountain with such ease."

Chen Ming nodded in affirmation. "My cover's been blown. The Green Lion Demon King is aware of my identity."

"What of the Deer Demon General? Did he not flee with you?" the White Fox Demon King pressed.

A wave of frustration washed over Chen Ming. So, the Deer Demon General's identity was common knowledge, suggesting that everyone—save for the Deer Demon General himself, Pitfall Mountain, and the five Demon Kings—had pegged him as a traitor?

The Deer Demon General must be quite the talent to have reached such a level.

Chen Ming, with a wave of his hand, slapped the armrest of his chair in anger. "The Deer Demon General has been tortured beyond recognition, yet he hasn't uttered a single word."

And what could he say? He was utterly clueless!

The five Demon Kings collectively sighed, lamenting, "The Deer Demon General is truly a paragon of loyalty. Now in the clutches of the Green Lion Demon King, his prospects seem grim."

"The Deer Demon General's loyalty is beyond question."

"It's truly a shame that Ya Wudao has managed to secure such a steadfast ally."

"If only we could rescue the Deer Demon General. A hero of his caliber shouldn't meet such an untimely end."

…

Chen Ming, his forehead creased with frustration, gestured for the five Demon Kings to halt, "I have the layout of Pitfall Mountain right here. You need to devise a strategy quickly to strike a significant blow against them. At the very least, we must even out the battlefield!"

The Black Tiger Demon King spoke up, "That would be ideal. We Demon Kings cannot easily take action. When we strike, it must be decisive. First and foremost, we must stabilize the combat situation among the Demon Generals!"

Chen Ming turned to the Black Tiger Demon King with a frosty gaze, "Black Tiger Demon King, there are Pitfall Mountain spies among your ranks. Had it not been for your subordinates' betrayal, I wouldn't have been compromised, nor would the Deer Demon General have been implicated!"

The Black Tiger Demon King's eyes bulged with fury, "What! A traitor in my midst? Someone who has put my brother in such a dishonorable position and endangered a hero like the Deer Demon General? I swear I'll root him out and flay him alive to quell the rage in my heart!"

"Ding! Escape from Pitfall Mountain complete. Reward: 800 Spirit Sense, 80 reputation points."

"Ding! Faction Mission triggered: Identify the traitor within the Six Kings Alliance. Reward: 1000 Spirit Sense, 100 reputation points."

Chen Ming proposed, "Given these circumstances, I have a tactic in mind. Let's spread rumors that I've discovered a way to defeat the Green Lion Demon King. This traitor won't be able to stay put. He'll do whatever it takes to inform the Green Lion Demon King. Any move he makes will give us the opportunity to catch him!"

Chen Ming retrieved the strategic map from his Storage Ring and laid it out on the central table of the hall, "Black Tiger Demon King, you and I will hunt down this traitor. The rest of you, using this map, must swiftly formulate an attack plan on Pitfall Mountain."

The five Demon Kings nodded together, showing no dissent towards Chen Ming's directives.

The four Demon Kings swiftly deployed their forces, acting on the strategic map Chen Ming had provided. Meanwhile, Chen Ming, clad in a black feathered robe, was in high spirits as he conversed with the Black Tiger Demon King. The creatures within the Six Kings Alliance quickly realized that Ya Wudao, the enigmatic Demon King of Pitfall Mountain, was actually one of their own—the elusive sixth Demon King who had yet to reveal himself within the alliance.

Word of Ya Wudao's return spread like wildfire throughout the Six Kings Alliance.

Chen Ming, unabashedly proclaiming his comeback, leaned in to whisper to the Black Tiger Demon King, "Only a Demon General in your ranks could have uncovered my true identity. Why not host a grand feast for your generals? During the banquet, declare that I've discovered the Green Lion Demon King's Achilles' heel and possess the means to defeat him. That will surely draw the enemy out into the open."

The Black Tiger Demon King gave a nod of approval. "I'm of the same mind. Everything has been arranged. Come, let us meet with my Demon Generals."