Chapter 8: One-on-One Showdown
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“Great King, Second Great King hasn’t come out of Cold Wind Cave since he went in… We’ve been beaten up by the guys from Cold Wind Cave.”
A bunch of bruised and battered little demons trembled as they knelt before the Tiger Demon, worried that if he got too mad, they would be pummeled to a pulp.
The Tiger Demon was already fuming because the Wolf Demon hadn’t returned, and after hearing the little demons’ report, his face turned as black as storm clouds, his anger boiling over.
He abruptly stood up, throttling one of the little demons by the neck, “What are you useless bunch good for?! Even your master runs off to save his backside while you’re here playing dead!”
He flung the little demon, who then smashed headfirst into the stone wall nearby, splattering bl**d everywhere like a burst watermelon.
The remaining little demons didn’t dare to breathe, prostrating themselves on the ground and shaking like leaves in the wind.
“Let’s go! If we don’t rescue Second Bro today, how am I supposed to show my face around here as the older brother?!”
The Tiger Demon picked up the halberd stuck in the throne beside him and roared, “You lot, follow me to save Second Great King!”
“Understood!”
This time, the Tiger Wolf Cave practically emptied out.
Over three hundred little demons swarmed closely behind the Tiger Demon, making the birds and critters along the way fall silent, realizing they were staring at what could only be described as a rather sizeable demon army.
The Tiger Demon charged ahead, though regret gnawed at his insides.
The Wolf Demon had been too soft-hearted. If they had charged in together earlier, Cold Wind Cave would probably be their territory by now.
Given Second Bro’s skills, that Cold Wind Old Demon surely couldn’t match up. Someone must’ve tricked him, that’s why Second Bro was stuck there, with no clue if he was alive or dead.
If Cold Wind Cave dared to lay a finger on his brother, he’d flatten it and leave not a single survivor.
Striding with an imposing air, the Tiger Demon and his entourage soon arrived at the outskirts of the stronghold.
Previously, even when some little demons mentioned Cold Wind Cave building a stronghold, the Tiger Demon thought it was just a bunch of ramshackle wooden shacks. But now that he saw it, he was taken aback; he never expected Cold Wind Cave would be so grand. The scale of the stronghold rivaled that of a small human town!
Suppressing his shock, the Tiger Demon took a deep breath.
He could not lose face at this moment; they were here to save Second Great King, and their momentum could not wane.
“Hey! You Cold Wind Old Demon! Hurry up and hand over my Second Brother, or I swear I’ll flatten Cold Wind Cave and take my revenge!”
His roar echoed powerfully, so much so that a few little demons stationed atop the stronghold nearly fell over in fright, too scared to even get back up.
Old Drill Wind, who was on duty, crouched down in terror, hoping that the Tiger Demon wouldn’t spot him.
A few bolder little demons on the wall immediately beat the alert drums with all their might. The sound of “dong ding ding” reverberated all across the stronghold. The little demons, following protocol, quickly donned their armor and weapons, surging toward the battlements.
Old Drill Wind had been in Cold Wind Cave for quite some time and knew a bit about the Tiger Wolf Cave’s background. The Tiger and Wolf Demons were indeed powerful fighters, and the Tiger Demon was even mightier.
Now that the Wolf Demon was captured by their Second Great King’s scheme, and the Tiger Demon was here seeking revenge, what could they do?
In the past, even the Cold Wind Old Demon had to tread lightly around these two. Now, although their Great King was formidable, he really couldn’t gauge the outcome against the Tiger Demon.
Could it be… that things were about to change in Cold Wind Cave again?
Old Drill Wind cautiously peered over the wall at the imposing figure of the Tiger Demon but then frowned. That guy was too ugly! Having been spoiled by the Great King’s beauty and allure, he had developed higher standards. There was no way he could lower himself to fawn over a creature like the Tiger Demon.
Just when the little demons stood ready at the walls, a black figure floated silently over their heads, gracefully landing like a black butterfly in front of the moats.
The Great King?
What’s she doing here all alone!
What if that Tiger Demon got enraged? Wouldn’t she be in deep trouble?
Not just Old Drill Wind, but all the little demons were utterly shocked.
They clung to the edges of the wall, watching in awe as the Great King’s captivating silhouette stood firm.
In recent days, the Great King’s unprecedented actions had transformed the previously stagnant atmosphere of Cold Wind Cave. They had never imagined that with their own hands, they could establish their very own stronghold.
Though the Great King didn’t engage much with them, she had gradually become their true leader. The former Cold Wind Old Demon was nothing but a mere chieftain, only focusing on exploiting and swaggering about, never paying attention to how the little demons felt.
But the Great King had done just that.
It seemed that, in her eyes, the little demons were not merely subordinates; at times, they felt more like siblings facing hardships together.
They hadn’t forgotten the gap between them and the Great King, but deep down, she’d carved out a place in their hearts. If she needed them, they would happily risk their lives because she treated them as living beings, not just tools.
Now, seeing their Great King standing alone against the Tiger Demon made the little demons want to rush down and lend their support, but then she turned and looked at them, her expression as flat as a pancake, “No one is allowed to step down without my command.”
“Second Great King, what are you talking about?! The Great King is all by herself…”
The little demons rushed to Cold Moon’s side, crying out, “Second Great King, let us fight!”
Cold Moon stood at the parapet, gazing at the slender black figure from afar, shaking her head, “Listen to the Great King, stay calm.”
The little demons had no choice but to lower their heads, recognizing that both of their leaders had dismissed their pleas.
Seeing their anxious expressions as genuine, Cold Moon felt a wave of admiration wash over her.
She finally understood the Great King’s intentions over the past few days.
At first, she couldn’t comprehend why the Great King suddenly cared about the little demons’ living conditions. To her, these underdeveloped little demons were weak—some couldn’t even stand up to ordinary humans and were mere cannon fodder in the war between humans and demons.
Instead of worrying about these little demons, wouldn’t it make more sense to focus on her own strength?
To establish herself among the demon race, she needed adequate power. As for those little demons, even if they perished, the vast forest would continuously give rise to new demons. The demon race never lacked cannon fodder.
But today, she saw something different in the eyes of these little demons.
The desire and commitment to fight for the Great King, the spirit of battle erupting to protect their home—it was entirely unlike any little demons she had encountered before in various caves.
It was as if the Great King had cast a magical spell on them; in just about a month, Cold Wind Cave was no longer the place she once knew.
She couldn’t tell what the Great King and the Tiger Demon discussed, but suddenly, the little demons’ shouts grew deafening, pulling Cold Moon back to reality.
Regaining her focus, she leaned over to look down.
Yet, the Tiger Wolf Cave’s little demons hadn’t charged in; instead, they took a step back, leaving a sizable space around the Tiger Demon and the Great King.
Could it be… were they going for a one-on-one showdown?
The Tiger Demon twirled his hefty halberd as if it were a toy and slammed it onto the ground with a resonant thud.
“If I win, not only do you let my Second Brother go but you also pledge your loyalty to me?”
Lin Nan didn’t bother to say a word, merely nodding slightly.
The Tiger Demon squinted at the black-veiled woman in front of him.
Strangely enough, she emitted no demon energy at all. While a top-level demon could completely mask their presence, it was unlikely one would appear in a remote place like Cold Wind Cave.
Perhaps this demoness had some special method.
He had some doubts about her being the Cave Master, but upon seeing the anxious expressions of the little demons atop the stronghold, he realized she really was the new Cave Master.
Fine, if she wanted to bite the b*llet, he’d grant her the pleasure.
“Wah ya ya ya!”
The Tiger Demon swung his halberd fiercely, rushing toward Lin Nan like a gust of wind.
Lin Nan still held her regular longsword, employing the “Flowing Wind” technique to leap and dart continuously outside the halberd’s extensive reach.
He was too strong.
This Tiger Demon was indeed a hundred times stronger than the little demons she faced yesterday.
Just his presence alone bore down on her with tremendous pressure.
If it weren’t for her extraordinary agility, she would have already been flattened into a meaty paste, bidding farewell to this world.
Despite his massive size, the Tiger Demon moved remarkably nimbly.
The force of the halberd alone placed an intimidating burden on Lin Nan, making her hesitate to engage head-on.
In such dire circumstances, should she really give up using her Black Snow skill?
Lin Nan gritted her teeth, dodging frantically, her mind in turmoil.
But then she shook off that hesitation completely. After all, her opponent was just a Tiger Demon. If she gave up so easily, what would happen when her future opponents grew stronger? Would she be too afraid to confront strong foes with ordinary swordplay?
As she dodged, Lin Nan began devising a counterattack plan.
True killing swordplay is all about simplicity and directness; identifying the flaws in the enemy reveals the core breakthrough points of swordplay.
All this needed not only powerful observation but also instant wrist strength.
After slicing through various kinds of radish strands these days, she had honed her wrist strength to a fine art. As for that keen power of observation, it had to be sharpened in real combat.
Despite the Tiger Demon’s fierce assault, he hadn’t managed to graze even a corner of Lin Nan’s clothing. Although he hadn’t counterattacked either, he perceived as though she were deliberately toying with him.
“Come on! If you have the guts, stop hiding! What kind of hero hides away?!” the Tiger Demon bellowed.
After that, Lin Nan’s movements really did start to slow down a bit.
The Tiger Demon couldn’t help but feel a surge of joy; as if swept away by a gale, the halberd swept horizontally toward her midsection.
