"With a Demon Source formed, a demon truly gains a heart." Moon Fairy's nine-tailed fox form sprinted through the vast, desolate, and gray chaotic mountains, spinning like a silvery moon.

𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

Yun Xiao had long mastered control of this beastly form.

In this world, he was the fox! But the heart he spoke of was not of flesh but a core—a center of combat prowess and raw energy.

This Demon Source was located right where the Divine Desolation Dao Heart was centered, wrapped in tribulation power. Ghastly gales howled and abyssal flames ravaged, sweeping through his entire being.

Each silver hair on his body twirled with wind and flames, growing ever more sinister and eerie.

RIP!

Above and below Moon Fairy's eyes, the eyes of the Nian and Yaksha Ancestor split open—slender and bloody, respectively, totaling six eyes that saw heaven, ahead, and behind, leaving almost no angle uncovered!

Segments of the Immortal Asylum forged into silver edges on his fangs, subtly permeated by the power of Heavenly Sins, presenting a deeper horror.

Inside two segments of the hollow Immortal Asylum, a vast amount of desolation was stored from the Soul Refining Cauldron—a level of power so heaven-defying that not even a demon in the Third Baptism Realm could withstand it.

At that moment, this desolation oil from the Immortal Asylum poured into Moon Fairy’s body.

Moon Fairy had just transcended the first of the Eight Extremes Celestial baptisms. As long as he had enough desolation, breaking through from the Early stage of the First Baptism Realm to the Establishment stage would be no issue at all!

He continued his journey toward the Ghost Cauldron, running and breaking through simultaneously!

His Divine Desolation Demon Source and Physique swallowed tribulation power and desolation, strengthening every moment.

“Hold up, little bro! Wait up!” Old Kapok had no choice but to transform into human form, scrambling and rolling to keep up, panting heavily over this short distance.

Finally, Moon Fairy halted, standing atop a mountain peak, the six eyes on that fox head scrutinizing Old Kapok from a lofty perch.

Old Kapok looked up to see the nine-tailed silver fox amidst the swirling clouds and gray mist, his scalp tingling with fright.

He couldn't help but ask, “Is this a cuddly fox species or a supreme demonic beast?”

Fortunately, his heart only quivered briefly before Moon Fairy softly told him, “Come up here.”

“Alright, alright, alright!” Exhausted, Old Kapok realized more than ever how old he had become. He turned into a tree, hanging onto Moon Fairy's back, urging, “Hurry, hurry, they have already assembled finally. If we’re late, the Colonel will have my tree bark.”

“Am I not in trouble?" Moon Fairy asked coolly.

“You’re fine, you’re her darling,” Old Kapok said enviously.

Moon Fairy knew well that if not for his tough fortune, his neck would have been twisted into dust by now.

BUZZ!

His six eyes surveyed ahead toward the Ghost Cauldron. The ghastly green flames of the Reincarnation Wick cast the sky in a most sinister light, resembling hell itself.

Clearly visible, the Ghost Cauldron was now surrounded by the endless ranks of the Desolation Corps, a tumultuous uproar shaking the very air.

The demon army lacked the strict discipline and solemnity of the human forces; each demon was wildly restless.

Correspondingly, their battle fervor was stronger, their fighting more ferocious.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Giant demons, their claws and bodies smashing mountain peaks, stirred up storms and wildfires, all converging towards the Ghost Cauldron.

Moon Fairy said nothing, accelerating to his greatest speed. Wrapped in wind and flames, his silvery form surpassed many of the larger and more ferocious demons.

The Ghost Cauldron drew ever closer! The nearer he got, the more immense and majestic it appeared.

It towered over all the mountains of the Beastly Peaks, its surface carved with innumerable beastly faces. Even the faces of sheep and rabbits were twisted into ferocious snarls, their eyes blood-red and terrifying.

These crimson eyes were like numerous red specks on the Ghost Cauldron, shimmering with dense, bloody light, like a scarlet starry galaxy.

“Truly a fine artifact...” Moon Fairy murmured appreciatively.

“Quick, over there,” Old Kapok called, having found the contingent led by the Black Brute Bear—a 1,000-strong force known as the Black Brute Battalion.

Clearly, the Colonel adorned with dragon scales commanded the forefront. Under its oppressive aura, over 1,000 fierce demons of the Desolation Corps lay prostrate on the ground, daring not to move.

Observing that formidable form, Moon Fairy could hardly believe how he had once frolicked with her, given the stark contrast between their true forms and human guises.

HUM!

Moon Fairy and Old Kapok landed at the back of the troop.

“Adjutants and sergeants ought to be at the front,” Old Kapok said sheepishly.

“Hmm.” Moon Fairy nodded, striding forward on his silver-furred limbs, passing the fierce demons of the Black Brute Battalion.

After the ferocious carnage at the Soul Refining Cauldron, most of these fierce demons now bowed their heads at his sight.

When the Colonel caught a whiff of him, she whirled around, her enormous bear eyes glaring at Moon Fairy as he drew closer.

"Am I late?" Moon Fairy addressed the massive bear head before him.

"Quite the progress," the Colonel observed, giving him a peculiar look.

"When will you test my demon talent?" Moon Fairy asked.

"After our distinguished guest has made their appearance!" the Colonel, Lin Daiyuan, replied, then turned her gaze solemnly towards the Ghost Cauldron.

Moon Fairy followed her gaze. There, amidst surging clouds and mist, stood a group of

people

.

These individuals, radiating a demonic aura even more formidable than that of Lin Daiyuan, were clearly generals of the 1,000,000-strong Desolation Corps.

They were usually in their demonic forms and their transformation into human forms today indicated that their distinguished guest was not a demon.

Moon Fairy glanced over to Lin Daiyuan's side.

Thousands of Desolation Corps officers like her, each leading their contingent of 1,000 demons, had amassed 1,000,000 fierce and giant demons, all arrayed before the Ghost Cauldron.

As far as the eye could see, demons rampaged, with demonic miasma filling the sky.

"The Desolation Marshal has arrived!"

Just then, a thunderous proclamation echoed across the entire Beastly Peaks.

"Is the Desolation Marshal the supreme commander of this 1,000,000-strong Desolation Corps? I wonder who's stronger, the Desolation Marshal or that Diva of the Harmony Divine Palace?" Moon Fairy pondered, looking upward.

BOOM!

At that moment, the 1,000,000-strong horde of demons, no matter how bizarre or unusual, even a tree, all bowed and bent their knees in a military salute towards that direction.

"The Desolation Marshal is mighty!"

The 1,000,000-strong horde roared. Though the chant was somewhat crude, the aura was truly terrifying.

Under the watchful eyes of the Desolation Corps, what descended amidst the black demonic mist was not a giant beast but another demon in human form!

As soon as it appeared, Moon Fairy could feel an overwhelming oppressive force that seemed to engulf everything and devour the sky.

It was clear that this demon's ability to command the 1,000,000-strong army was key to its strength.

Moon Fairy’s six eyes saw even clearer!

The first thing that caught his eye was a suit of pitch-black scale armor, complete with a cape, battle boots, and a beastly breastplate, exuding an aura of divine martial prowess and dominance.

But just the sight of the black scale armor made Moon Fairy pause again.

"A woman?"

It wasn't that he underestimated women, but the brutal nature of the demons of the Beastly Peaks... made one instinctively assume their leader would be even more ferocious.

From her first appearance, the Desolation Marshal bore a certain resemblance to Empress Zhao, embodying a dignity and nobility of sorts.

Yet, compared to Empress Zhao, she radiated more dominance and valor, exuding the lofty aura of a female sovereign.

"The Extreme Yin Celestial Realm is mostly women, so I get it. But why are all the bigshots of the Six Paths of Reincarnation women too…?" Moon Fairy mused somewhat incredulously.

He was in the midst of his grumbling… when next he glimpsed her face upon the black scale armor.

"Cough, well, so what if she's a woman?"

She was stunning!

"I'd expect nothing less of a Category 3 Celestial Realm!"

Whether it was the snow-haired, pink-eyed Diva of the Harmony Divine Palace or this Desolation Marshal before him, both were beauties beyond compare, celestial in their allure.

The former was pure as driven snow; the latter dignified, with a spirited look in her eyes, outstanding and full of life.

The most striking feature of the Desolation Marshal was her multicolored hair.

Against her black scale armor, it flowed like a rainbow waterfall, creating a striking contrast that enhanced her ascetic, cool oval face.

One could only imagine, beneath that sealed black armor, her figure must be equally breathtaking.

Most notably, upon first sight of the Desolation Marshal, Moon Fairy felt that Lin Daiyuan, the muscular and sultry beauty beside him, suddenly seemed utterly bland.

Clearly, though, the Desolation Marshal was of an extraordinarily high rank. Moon Fairy sensed she might be a highborn mythical beast, imparting a sense of nobility and might, rather than the brute ferocity typical of other Desolation Corps demons.

So, Moon Fairy discreetly retreated back to Old Kapok's side, asking softly, "Hey, what's the Desolation Marshal's true form?"

"A pinnacle beast of the Six Paths of Reincarnation—the Five-Colored Kirin," Old Kapok replied with immense reverence and admiration.

Indeed, a creature of good fortune; no wonder she carried such an air of grandeur.

"To command such an army, she must be an extraordinary woman," Moon Fairy remarked.

"Indeed!" Old Kapok agreed, deeply moved.

As they conversed, the 1,000,000-strong horde continued to revel in the Desolation Marshal's presence.

And there, the Five-Colored Qilin, alongside the other transformed generals of the Desolation Corps, approached the front of the army.

The entire army stood at attention!

The Desolation Corps' generals, numbering in the hundreds, included ranks known as Generals of Heaven and Earth and Generals of Xuan and Huang, all superior to a Colonel.

Moon Fairy estimated that these were akin to the Valkyries and Valkyrie Princesses of the Harmony Divine Palace—pillars in the world's hierarchy!

Hardly needing to speak, the Desolation Marshal's mere presence calmed the restless spirits of 1,000,000 demons, and true silence fell across the beastly mountain range.

"A distinguished guest has arrived."

Following the announcement, from the clouds in the west, came the sound of deep, labored breaths.

BUZZ!

Massive figures with the heads of bulls and horses, dragging crimson chains, sliced through the sky to descend.

Behind those chains, they pulled a chariot of crimson hues.

"Lucky omen or a curse?"

At first glance of this celestial palanquin, Moon Fairy's pupils shrank. The curtain of the palanquin bore the imprint of kapok flowers!

Moon Fairy was all too familiar with it. That woman had kidnapped Pale Revenant and the Great Mother, and he still harbored a deep grudge for this blood feud!

"Hmm?" However, as the palanquin drew closer, Moon Fairy realized it was not the same one from before, as this one was larger, more solemn, and more impressive, and the creatures pulling it were far more numerous than before.

"The Royal Family of Yanfu!" Old Kapok, upon seeing the palanquin, immediately trembled all over and quickly hid behind Moon Fairy.

JustLivingJL's Thoughts