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In the city of Huomu.
The arrival of Shendu caused the ground to tremble with every step he took, drawing the eyes of every nearby human.
As they laid eyes on the towering figure—part demon, part divine dragon—their minds briefly filled with awe and fantasy. But that wonder was quickly crushed.
Because for countless years, demons had shown up with only one goal: to take human slaves and force them to build palaces.
Now, seeing another enormous demon arrive, the people couldn't help but dread what was coming. More broken families, more suffering.
A heavy wave of hopelessness swept through the hearts of the people.
BOOM! BOOM!…
Each of Shendu's steps boomed like thunder, shaking the heavens and earth, as he steadily approached the central palace of Huomu.
"How big is this city?" Shendu muttered.
Even with a small amount of his magic, he couldn't see the edges—it felt like a vast, endless continent.
"My lord," one of the demons accompanying him replied, "Huomu City's full size is impossible to measure. But based on what we've heard from the human slaves, our territory spans about four million square kilometers."
"Still, compared to the other cities on this continent, we're probably the smallest."
"There are seven more cities like this, maybe even bigger!"
"And the palace up ahead? That's just a command center used for high-level coordination. Right now, the demon elites here are meeting with Lord Huoyuan to discuss the emergence of the Eight Demon Monarchs."
"They're debating whether or not to submit to their rule."
These two demons showed no concern sharing such high-level intel with Shendu, who was clearly a foreign demon.
To them, the news of the Eight Demon Monarchs—beings born from dark energy—wasn't something that mattered much to low-level demons like themselves. So what if Shendu found out?
"Oh, is that so?" Shendu replied flatly.
By now, they had reached the luxurious, grand palace.
Even with Shendu's massive body, he still looked tiny compared to the palace towering before him.
As they stepped closer, hundreds of demon guards appeared at the palace gates, instantly blocking their way.
One of them, clearly the leader—surrounded by thick black mist and radiating power—spoke up coldly:"Aber, Ato—why aren't you two guarding the gate? How dare you bring an outsider into Huomu City? What punishment do you think you deserve?!"
The moment he spoke, a wave of oppressive demon energy crashed down on Aber and Ato, making them tremble uncontrollably.
It was clear—these palace guards were way stronger than the two lowly gatekeepers.
"Please, my lord, save us!""Help us, my lord!"
Shaking violently, their wings stopped flapping and they crashed to the ground like rocks.
But then they remembered—they had someone powerful at their side. Without hesitation, they cried out to Shendu.
"Hmph. Traitors to Lord Huoyuan."
"The lords are discussing how to respond to the Eight Demon Monarchs' return, and you two have the nerve to bring in a foreign demon? You're nothing more than offerings to help us grow stronger!"
The palace commander sneered as he mocked their cowardice.
In the demon world, all demons were born of dark energy, and devouring one another was a common way to grow stronger.
This was especially true for weaker demons—and nearly everyone here fit that bill.
As soon as the commander finished talking, the hungry stares of the hundreds of demons behind him locked onto Aber and Ato like a pack of wolves.
As for Shendu, who stood right in front of them?
They couldn't have cared less.
After all, plenty of foreign demons had tried to cause trouble in Huomu City before—and every single one had been handled by Lord Huoyuan.
This massive, dragon-headed, black-mist-covered demon in front of them? Probably no different.
Years of arrogance had shaped how these demons saw the world.
Feeling those dismissive eyes on him, and hearing his two followers pleading for help, Shendu raised an eyebrow.
In the next instant, Aber and Ato—who'd just been trembling on the ground—shot up like they'd never been touched, as if some invisible force had lifted them through a mountain range.
"Thank you, my lord! From this day on, we brothers will follow you through fire and water, no matter what!"
Aber and Ato had lived for many years, and they knew full well what those greedy eyes meant. Their only hope now was to pledge loyalty to this colossal being.
And truth be told, even during their short time with Shendu, they'd felt he was much easier to talk to than other demons.
"Two bugs like you? Not even worth sending through fire and water for me," Shendu said casually. "But… sure, why not."
He stepped forward, heading straight for the palace doors.
Blocking his path were the commander and the hundreds of demon guards.
Watching the giant demon approach, the commander didn't flinch. He even raised his voice to warn,"Foreign demon, leave now! Or don't blame us for what happens next."
Shendu just glanced at him—didn't say a word—and kept walking.
He was the Lord of Flame. He didn't need to declare his identity—just the swirling black energy around him spoke volumes.
One day, he would rule not just this city, but the entire continent. He had no need for minions who couldn't recognize their future king.
If they stepped aside peacefully, all would be well. But if they chose to fight? He'd make sure not a single piece of them remained.
"Everyone! Now's our chance to shine!"
"Take down this arrogant outsider, and the lords will definitely reward us!"
Seeing that Shendu ignored his warning, the demon commander gripped the long spear formed from black mist and roared in fury.
Then he charged straight at Shendu.
The others flared their wings, black mist swirling around them as their eyes turned blood-red, and they all launched themselves into the air to strike.
Seeing them all charge at once, Shendu curled his lip with disdain.
"Don't know what's good for you. Float."
With just a slight raise of his dragon claw, the gravity around them shifted.
All those attacking demons—every last one—froze in midair.
Then, with a flick of Shendu's claw, they were all flung skyward like cannonballs.
"Feel the power of burning divinity."
As the demons flew uncontrollably into the sky, their eyes widened in disbelief.
And then, a deep voice echoed in their ears.
A massive, blazing beam of light burst from the heavens, engulfing them all in a flash—reducing them to ash.
Down below, Shendu casually exhaled, the flames on his right hand fading out.
"Foolish bugs. Not as smart as these two, at least."
He turned and said, "Let's go. What are you two standing there for? Want me to invite you?"
The two demons were still reeling from what they'd just witnessed—Shendu destroying all those demons without even trying.
When his voice snapped them out of it, they hurried to follow him, scared to fall behind for even a second.
Only now did they realize—they had just hitched a ride with a true god.
"....."