Refuse to trample on the pride of heaven

"This is..." The moment Shi Yubai stepped into the deep cave, his voice choked in his throat.

Several huge and twisted shadows almost filled the depths of the cave. The eerie demonic power pressed down like a substance, causing his mind to tighten suddenly and his breath to stagnate.

Several pairs of inhuman eyes—some as red as blood, some as dark green as will-o'-the-wisp, and some as cold as inorganic gems—turned to him simultaneously. Their invisible gazes were like icy tentacles wrapping around his soul, sending chills down his spine.

He didn't even immediately notice the largest existence.

It was not until the light in front of his eyes suddenly dimmed that he realized with horror that the huge "fluorite" on the side of the rock wall, which was emitting a faint glow, was actually a slowly rotating eyeball!

Its owner, with a body as big as a hill, was crouched in the shadows, his dark scales almost blending into the rocks. Only the faint airflow from his breathing and the teeth-grinding sound of scales rubbing against each other revealed what a terrifying creature this was.

Shi Yubai subconsciously took two steps back, his fingertips feeling cold.

"Min Xiao, did you bring some snacks for us?" The huge monster - Li Mo spoke in a muffled voice, and the sound was like a huge rock rolling in a valley, making people's eardrums buzz.

Foul-smelling saliva dripped from the corners of its mouth, corroding small pits on the ground. "How thoughtful!"

Min Xiao's eyebrows twitched fiercely, and his tone was filled with undisguised annoyance: "Shut up! This is Shi Yubai, Demon! You idiots, have you been in the abyss for so long that even your noses are covered with filth?! You can't even tell the difference between superiors and inferiors!"

Demon child? The demon's mountain-like head lifted slightly, its only remaining giant eye narrowed, carefully examining the human youth in front of him who looked excessively "slender" and even a little pale in the demonic aura. He almost flicked it away as if it were a speck of dirt stuck in the corner of his eye.

At this moment, a dark shadow spread silently to Shi Yubai's side like a ghost.

The Shadow Demon's tall but blurry figure brought a biting chill. It was not a change in temperature, but a dead air that corroded life. It stimulated Shi Yubai's exposed skin so much that a layer of fine bumps instantly appeared.

"After lurking in the world of cultivation for so long, how come... your cultivation level is still this low?" The Shadow Demon's voice was erratic, like a cold wind blowing through a crack, with a hint of elusive sarcasm. When he saw the face clearly, Shi Yubai could feel a sticky and cold gaze looking at him.

"Heh," two clusters of leaping black and purple sparks spurted out of the Flame Demon's nostrils, carrying a scorching breath that could burn everything. "What does it matter how high his cultivation level is? As long as it's not so low as to be unsightly, it's enough." There was a kind of nonchalant indifference in its words.

"That's true." Several demon lords exchanged a knowing look, and low laughter echoed in the cave, full of cruel and playful meaning.

They had no intention of explaining the key points to Shi Yubai - perhaps his fate had already been determined the moment he set foot here, and he was just a specific chess piece in this big game.

Shi Yubai lowered his eyes, the expression in his eyes flickered rapidly, and his fingertips dug deeply into his palms.

Seeing these demon lords' undisguised exploitation and contempt for him, he managed a cold smile. At this point, were they too lazy to even pretend? Killing intent and hatred surged in equal measure.

"The world of cultivation has long since transformed. Those troublesome old monsters of the past are no longer able to protect themselves. Aside from the leaders of several major sects, that immortal old man from the Wenxian Sect, and the woman in charge of the precepts, the rest... are nothing to be feared." A demon lord concluded in a gruff voice, then turned to Min Xiao, "Deceitful Demon Lord, what do you think?"

Min Xiao stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze seemingly piercing the rock face, gazing upon the vastness of the human world. "The essence of human nature lies in cowardice. Even if a few scattered glimmers of light shone amidst the endless darkness, they would be like fireflies against the bright moon, ultimately being swallowed up. The ultimate outcome... ultimately lies with my demon clan." He spoke in a stern tone, with unquestionable confidence.

The image of Lu Wensheng flashed through his mind, but he immediately dispelled the thought.

In a game of this magnitude, how much of a stir could a mere young prodigy, no matter how brilliant and talented, stir up? Unless he could ascend to heaven in one leap, directly elevating his cultivation to a level comparable to theirs—but such an absurd idea was nothing more than a fool's dream.

Because of this, the Demon Lords hadn't asked about it, and Min Xiao didn't think it necessary to mention it. Naturally, if they met on the battlefield, both sides would tacitly prioritize eliminating those younger members of the other side who possessed astonishing potential—this was simply the norm in war, not a variable that needed to be emphasized.

"It's those evil creatures in the demon world who eat raw meat and drink blood and are uncivilized, who actually dare to wade into this muddy water and become our enemies this time. I'm afraid it will cause us more trouble..." The Shadow Demon Lord hissed in a hoarse voice, with a dark aura lingering around him, his tone full of disdain for the demon clan and a barely perceptible solemnity.

However, if you really say that they eat raw meat and drink blood and are uneducated, I'm afraid that the demons and monsters are just as bad as them, and their level is comparable.

Several demon lords discussed how to contain the top human forces at that time, all of them with a secretive air of confidence, glancing at the matter vaguely, as if it wasn't something to worry about, but a long-planned move...

Shi Yubai watched coldly, his intuition moved slightly, he felt that it was shrouded in thick fog and many key points were deliberately concealed.

This situation of being excluded from the core secrets is like walking on thin ice and is extremely disadvantageous for him.

So he feigned confusion, frowning and speaking worriedly, "The Demon Lords are all incredibly powerful, and have certainly planned everything. However... if the human race's Supreme Elders forcibly intervene, how will we respond? Do we need to take precautions?"

"We have our own considerations on this matter, and it is not something you need to worry about right now." As expected, he received an extremely cold and perfunctory answer, as if dismissing an ignorant child.

Shi Yubai sneered inwardly, but his face remained filled with worry and confusion. He stubbornly pressed the issue again, keeping a very humble attitude: "It's not that I'm overthinking, junior. It's actually the cunning nature of the human race, and their true nature is unknown. Are we being... careless? If they're secretly plotting something, pulling out some hidden ancient secret or inherited sacred artifact, and suddenly attacking us, wouldn't that be..."

Unexpectedly, when these words were spoken, the demon lords fell silent at first, and then, as if they had heard some ridiculous joke, the cave erupted in laughter.

The laughter was filled with unspeakable mockery and arrogance. Even Min Xiao, who pretended to be calm, had an undisguised look of joy and sarcasm on his lips, as if he had heard a frog in a well discussing the vastness of the sky.