Chapter 50: The Mighty Demon Emperor

High in the firmament, Rushou, the heavenly deity of the West, stood alongside a retinue of subordinate deities, gazing intently at the Demon Emperor Wu Shisan.

A cold sneer crept across the face of Demon Emperor Wu Shisan. With a flick of his sharp claw, he severed Wuxian's limbs, and one of his dragon-like heads snapped wide open, swallowing Wuxian whole in a single gulp.

Soaring upward into the high heavens, Demon Emperor Wu Shisan cast a mocking gaze at Rushou, the western deity. "Well, well, I wondered who it might be. Turns out it's just my little shadow. Did you really have nothing better to do than deliver yourself to my doorstep to die?"

"Audacious! A mere creature of chaos dares to spout such wild arrogance!" Rushou rebuked him with a harsh, stern shout.

"Heh, a creature of chaos. In your eyes, I am a monster, but in mine, you are nothing more than a worthless stepping stone," Wu Shisan provoked.

"You're courting death!" Enraged, Rushou drew his divine weapon and immediately launched an attack upon the Demon Emperor.

"Come then! Did you truly think I kept dodging you because I was afraid? Today, I shall test whether Haotian's lapdog is nothing more than a spineless good-for-nothing!" Wu Shisan countered, raising his Sun-Shattering Demon Blade to meet the charge.

In the blink of an eye, the demon and the deity clashed dozens of times, their weapons striking against one another.

Explosions tore through the sky, the earth trembled beneath the shockwaves, and monstrous demonic aura clashed violently with boundless divine might.

Taking advantage of the moment when Demon Emperor Wu Shisan was pinned down by Rushou, Wuji, Wugu, Wuli, Wudi, Wuxie, and Wuluo scrambled painfully to their feet.

"While that fiend is being held by the heavenly deity Rushou, let us lead our clansmen and break through the demon encirclement!"

"But what of the Qiankun Jade, the supreme treasure of our Wu clan? Are we simply to abandon it?"

"Only Wuxian knew where the Qiankun Jade was kept, and we have no time left!"

"Agreed! We must each lead our people to fight our way out. As long as the green hills remain, there is no need to fear a lack of firewood; we can discuss the rest another day!"

"Besides, the Qiankun Jade was steeped in our vital blood. Whenever the jade is utilized in the future, we shall undoubtedly sense its location! If that fiend is defeated by Lord Rushou, we can always hunt for it slowly."

"Quite right! The Qiankun Jade has been temporarily concealed by Wuxian using a secret technique. If we waste any more time, none of us will escape alive!"

Having made up their minds, the remaining six shamans set off to rally the Wu clansmen and breach the demonic encirclement.

Up in the vault of heaven, Demon Emperor Wu Shisan and the western deity Rushou fought to a standstill before parting to stand on opposite sides of the sky.

"Relying on your subordinates behind you to set up a formation and funnel divine power into you just to fight me to a draw—how utterly useless. You have thoroughly disgraced the dignity of the gods," Wu Shisan sneered derisively.

Indeed, Rushou's subordinate deities had established a grand slaughter formation across the realm. Not only did it suppress the full extent of the Demon Emperor's combat prowess, but it also continuously channeled divine energy directly into Rushou.

"What on earth are you?" Rushou demanded, his expression grave. It was abundantly clear to him now that Wu Shisan had been holding back during their previous encounters.

"What am I? Ha-ha-ha..." Wu Shisan laughed aloud. "I am the Great Emperor of the Demon Race! Demon Emperor Wu Shisan!"

"Wu Shisan?"

"Precisely! I am a demon without a name, without a surname, without a father, without a mother, without an elder brother, without a younger brother, without an elder sister, without a younger sister, without a son, without a daughter, without a wife, and without a friend!"

"Hmph, a monster is indeed a monster. That makes only twelve 'cannots,' yet you call yourself Wu Shisan? You can't even count properly."

"That is because there is one final 'cannot' I have yet to mention."

"Oh? Trying to cover your tracks, are you? Come on, tell this divine lord, what is your final 'cannot'?"

"Invincible!"

For two full breaths, Rushou remained stunned, before throwing his head back in roaring laughter. "Ha-ha-ha... You'll be the death of me! A mere demon dare call himself invincible? This deity has never known defeat!"

Far from being angered, Demon Emperor Wu Shisan merely shot a cold, mocking look at Rushou. Yet his smile vanished almost as quickly as it appeared, for Wuji, Wugu, Wuli, Wudi, Wuxie, and Wuluo were each leading portions of the Wu clan in a desperate charge against the encirclement of four hundred thousand lesser demons, showing clear signs of breaking through.

Gripping his Sun-Shattering Demon Blade tightly, Wu Shisan resolved to unleash his full strength to shatter the ancient divine trapping array, swiftly defeat Rushou, and, by any means necessary, ensure that the six shamans—Wugu, Wuli, Wuluo, and the others—did not escape alive.

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News of Demon Emperor Wu Shisan's victory over Rushou spread rapidly across the heavens and the earth, leaving all living beings in profound shock!

Not only that, but following the complete annihilation of the Shamans of the Opening Six and Opening East by Wu Shisan and his hundred thousand lesser demons, the Lingshan branch of the Wu clan was likewise massacred by the demonic horde led by Wu Shisan, leaving barely a dozen survivors. Of the Ten Shamans of Lingshan, only Wugu, Wuli, and Wuluo managed to escape with their lives.

In the aftermath of the battle, Wu Shisan utilized soul-search techniques to locate the Wu clan's supreme treasure, the Qiankun Jade. From that day onward, the Heavenly Emperor Haotian of the Ziwei Enclosure could no longer trace the whereabouts of the Demon Emperor.

Seizing the opportunity, Wu Shisan forged the ultimate demonic treasure, the Banner of Summoning Demons, using it to command all demons across the realm and stabilize the destiny of the entire demon race.

Having defeated the western deity Rushou and slaughtered the Wu clan, Demon Emperor Wu Shisan showed no signs of resting.

A little over a month later, he defeated Xuanming, the heavenly deity of the North.

Ten days after that, he defeated the Qilin scion of the Qilin lineage.

Five days later, he defeated the Dragon Crown Prince of the True Dragon lineage.

Nine days later, he defeated the Phoenix Maiden of the Phoenix lineage.

Four days later, he defeated the new supreme sovereign of the Baize lineage.

Seven days later, he defeated Jimeng, the Rain God.

Three days later, he defeated Tianwu, the Water God.

Eight days later, he defeated Bingyi, the River God.

Within the span of a mere ninety days, the only name echoing across the heavens and the earth among all living beings was that of Demon Emperor Wu Shisan.

In those three short months, Wu Shisan triumphed over nine renowned powerhouses of the Hua Xia realm.

His name became household knowledge to all living beings throughout the cosmos.

The terrifying might of the Demon Emperor sank deep into the hearts of all creation.

Consequently, the demon race ascended to a force impossible for any of the myriad clans to ignore.

Because Wu Shisan had vanquished both Rushou of the West and Xuanming of the North, he had effectively slapped Heavenly Emperor Haotian across the face and trampled upon the prestige of the Ziwei Enclosure.

Determined to teach the Demon Emperor that the majesty of the heavenly sovereign could not be insulted, Haotian issued a decree commanding Zhurong, the heavenly deity of the South, to lead Jumang of the East, Rushou of the West, and Xuanming of the North in a joint campaign to encircle and annihilate the demon race across the realm.

For Rushou and Xuanming, this mission served as a chance to redeem themselves through meritorious service.

Meanwhile, while employing the Wu clan's supreme treasure, the Qiankun Jade, Demon Emperor Wu Shisan had discovered that Wugu, Wuli, and Wuluo were able to sense his usage of the artifact.

Determined to root out the grass and eliminate any future trouble, Wu Shisan used the Banner of Summoning Demons to order all major demons across the realm to make the assassination of Wugu, Wuli, and Wuluo their highest priority.

Wu Shisan himself personally led a squad of lesser demons to hunt down the trio.

And thus began a deadly game of hide-and-seek between Wugu, Wuli, Wuluo, and the demonic forces.