Chapter Twenty: Brother Niu

A little demon responded to the call, carrying a large platter before the Horse Demon King. Without even glancing at it, the Horse Demon King reached out, seized a handful, and began to devour it. Yet the more he chewed, the more something seemed amiss. Blinking his drunken eyes open, he discovered in horror that what he was gnawing on was nothing more than a lump of foul mud!

Furious, the Horse Demon King struck the little demon to the ground with a single blow, spat out the mud, and roared, “You little wolf whelp! How dare you try to deceive me with filth! Are you tired of living?”

The wolf spirit trembled in terror, just as baffled as anyone—how had that fragrant human flesh suddenly become a slab of muck? Seeing the Horse Demon King’s rage, he pleaded desperately, “Mercy, my lord! Spare me, my lord! My eyes must be failing—I must have brought the wrong dish…”

The Horse Demon King swayed drunkenly, eyes blazing with anger. “The wrong dish? You can’t even tell the difference between human flesh and mud? This was no mistake—this was deliberate!”

The wolf spirit groveled, begging for his life. The Tiger Demon King, seeing his brother’s wrath, reached out to steady him and said, “Brother, there’s no need to lose your temper. These lowly demons are lazy gluttons—not worth your concern. Let me slay this one to vent your anger.”

In the Tiger Demon King’s eyes, his underlings were nothing; the Horse Demon King was his true ally. He would never dampen the Horse Demon King’s spirits over a trivial demon’s fate.

The wolf spirit was terrified, prostrating himself and weeping, “Spare me, my lord! For the sake of the centuries I have served you, grant me mercy just this once!”

The Tiger Demon King sneered, waving a hand. “Take him away.”

“Yes, my lord!” From the shadows of the cave, a hulking Ox Demon soldier emerged. He seized the wolf soldier with a single motion and dragged him off. The Tiger Demon King lifted his cup, urging the still-fuming Horse Demon King, “Brother, the little demon is dead now; there’s no need to be angry over a mere wild wolf. Come, let’s drink more.”

Only then did the Horse Demon King’s fury subside, and he raised his cup to drink with the Tiger Demon King. Meanwhile, the Monkey Demon King, who had been quietly observing, flashed a sharp look and gazed thoughtfully in the direction the Ox Demon had gone.

The Ox Demon dragged the wolf spirit far from the cave, ensuring no one was around, then suddenly burst out laughing. The wolf soldier grew even more afraid—had this Ox gone mad? Why the laughter? Was he planning to eat him alive after killing him?

Seeing the wolf spirit tremble, the Ox Demon grinned, revealing his teeth. “Little wolf, have you decided how you want to die? You even dared trick the king—such courage!”

‘How was I to know that the cooked human flesh would turn to mud in the Horse Demon King’s hands?’ the wolf spirit thought mournfully. He said aloud, “Brother Ox, just give me a quick death. Even in the underworld, I’ll remember your mercy.”

The Ox Demon burst out laughing. “Who said I was going to kill you?”

The wolf spirit stared in shock and suspicion. “But the king ordered my death. If you don’t kill me, won’t he take your life too? You’d best make it quick and spare us both.”

The Ox Demon secretly admired him, surprised by this little demon’s sense of loyalty. He released his grip and said, “Even if the king wants me dead, I’ll let you go. You’ve served him faithfully for centuries, and now he’d kill you for a small mistake? What sort of king is that?”

The wolf spirit nodded in agreement, eyes brimming with emotion. “You’re right, brother Ox. The king was reasonable centuries ago, but lately he’s grown more and more excessive. Just days ago, he flew a thousand miles to abduct mortals—killing the men for drink, defiling most of the women. If the immortals of Kunlun Mountain learn of this, none of us will survive! We’ve tried to persuade him, but he refuses to listen. Pighead was beaten with three hundred flaming staves for speaking out and still lies in the dungeon! I fear the king will execute him in a few days.” As he spoke, his sorrow was plain.

The Ox Demon’s eyes gleamed. He slung an arm around the wolf spirit’s shoulder. “Little wolf, why don’t we rebel with Pighead? We’ll die sooner or later anyway—better to flee Spirit Beast Mountain while we can.”

The wolf spirit was tempted, but then hesitated. “Brother Ox, you know the king’s power. We’re like ants to him—how could we resist? And even if we escape, where would we go? We’ve known nothing but Spirit Beast Mountain all our lives.”

The Ox Demon replied, “Isn’t there a new master on Spirit Beast Mountain? We can seek his protection.”

The wolf spirit’s eyes lit up. “You’re right, brother Ox. The Kunlun immortals are more powerful—if they’ll shelter us, it’s better than waiting to die here!”

Seeing his companion’s resolve, the Ox Demon laughed. “Then what are we waiting for? Let’s rescue Pighead from the dungeon and head for Jade Pure Peak.”

By now, the wolf spirit was ready to risk all. Moved by the Ox Demon’s willingness to risk himself, he vowed inwardly, ‘If I ever succeed, I’ll repay brother Ox’s kindness a thousandfold!’

The Ox Demon, unaware of the wolf spirit’s thoughts, was simply making use of the situation. If he could find a few rebels in the Tiger Demon King’s lair, so much the better. This Ox Demon was, in fact, Yang Nan in disguise. Having mastered the Thirty-Six Transformations of Grand Evolution, he had come, after consulting with Chi Yang, to infiltrate the lair and gather information. Knocking out a minor demon and assuming his form, he hadn’t expected to witness the Horse Demon King devouring human flesh and ranting about rebellion. Displeased, Yang Nan had swapped the human meat for mud, stuffing the Horse Demon’s mouth with filth.

As for the wolf spirit, he was merely caught up in Yang Nan’s plan.

Yang Nan followed the wolf spirit into the cave, which wound darkly in endless turns. Torches lined the walls every ten steps, barely lighting the surroundings. The demon sentries were lax compared to human soldiers; recognizing Yang Nan’s Ox Demon guise and the wolf as familiar faces, the little demons sprawled about barely even glanced at them, letting them pass unchallenged.

Yang Nan inwardly sighed at the coarseness of these demons. They were far inferior to mortal soldiers, let alone the disciplined cultivators of the great sects. No wonder only the seven great Demon Kings plotted rebellion; the lesser demons were all docile.

Led by the wolf, Yang Nan entered the dungeon unhindered. The guards, bribed with savory beef and jars of wine, simply waved them in. Who would dare storm the dungeon in the Tiger Demon King’s territory? Besides, apart from mortal prisoners, only Pighead was locked away—who’d bother to rescue him?

Noting the lax discipline, Yang Nan shook his head. In the darkness, a burly man in yellow robes lay groaning on a crude bed. Hearing the wolf’s voice at the door, he stopped his groaning and shouted, “Who’s there?”

The wolf replied urgently, “Pighead, it’s me—Little Wolf!”

The man in yellow rose and stepped into the torchlight. Yang Nan saw he was powerfully built, with a broad yellow face, straight nose, wide mouth, and eyes burning with defiance. Though covered in wounds, he radiated a stern aura—truly a worthy leader among the demon soldiers!

“It’s you? Little Wolf, what are you doing here?” Pighead was clearly surprised, his face full of doubt.

The wolf whispered the day’s events, concluding, “Pighead, the king’s getting worse—arrogant and cruel, devouring humans with abandon. Following him is certain death. Brother Ox has saved me; we can’t stay. Let’s escape together!”

Pighead, apparently acquainted with the old Ox, frowned at Yang Nan. “Old Ox? Since when were you so bold?”

Yang Nan chuckled, producing wine and meat from his robe and laying them out. “Old Pig, have some food and drink—regain your strength, and we’ll flee together.”

Pighead nodded. The old Ox seemed bolder than before, but otherwise unchanged. As he ate, he sighed, “The king’s path leads only to ruin. Human cultivators are far stronger than us demons. Since he wants me dead, I’d rather flee far away.”

Little Wolf exclaimed with delight, “Pighead, will you escape with us?”

Pighead nodded. The Tiger Demon King had betrayed him—what loyalty did he owe in return? If he didn’t flee now, he’d soon be executed.

The greater demons, backed by their formidable powers, had little to fear. But the lesser demons—barely a few centuries in cultivation—well knew the might of human cultivators. Even before breaking the heavenly laws, they were slaughtered like chickens and dogs; to provoke the Kunlun Daoists was certain death.

Pighead had been a spirit for over eight hundred years and understood these truths well: in the end, demons cannot triumph over human Daoists.

Little Wolf fetched a blade, broke open the cell, and set Pighead free. Despite his battered body, Pighead didn’t utter a sound in pain. Yang Nan sighed inwardly—there were true heroes even among demons. Judging by Pighead’s conduct, he was indeed a man of iron.

As the three emerged from the dungeon, a band of little demons with weapons blocked their way. The lead Dog Demon barked, “Little Wolf, it was one thing to visit, but you actually freed Pighead! If the king finds out, he’ll have our heads! You’re going to get us all killed!”

Timid by nature, the Dog Demon was both shocked and frightened by Little Wolf’s audacity in storming the dungeon.

Pighead stepped forward and sighed, “Brothers, you’ve followed me for centuries. The king wants me dead—I can’t just wait for the axe to fall. If you wish to kill me, I won’t resist.”

He threw open his cloak, revealing a body covered in horrific wounds—raw flesh and bruises everywhere. The sight was terrifying.

The demon soldiers exchanged uneasy glances, then retreated a few steps. The Dog Demon, seeing Pighead’s pitiful state, sighed, “Pighead, we know the king has wronged you. Since you’re so loyal, how could we bear to harm you? If you’re escaping, take us with you! If we let you go, we won’t survive here anyway!”

The Dog Demon was shrewd enough to realize that if he killed Pighead, his own men would turn against him; if he didn’t, the king would execute them all. So, better to seize the chance and flee.

Pighead’s eyes filled with tears. Choking up, he vowed, “Brothers, as long as I draw breath, I will never let you down!”

Yang Nan was astonished to witness such loyalty among demons. He stepped forward solemnly. “Fear not—come with me to Jade Pure Peak. You’ll be welcomed there!”

Cultivation was hard for these demons, and the weaker ones lived in constant peril. By taking them in, Yang Nan was both strengthening his own forces and offering them a way out.

The Dog Demon and the other soldiers helped Pighead to his feet. Though gravely wounded and his powers in disarray, he could barely stand, yet his prestige among the demons was plain to see—otherwise, the little demons would not have turned so decisively.

Yang Nan pointed with a finger, and a dragon of blue light flew from his hand, radiating a gentle azure glow. Cool streams of water poured forth, bathing Pighead’s wounds and slowly healing them.