Chapter Eleven: Contest of Will and Valor

After the demon tribe and their companions withdrew, Wu Shu stepped back a certain distance from Ying Meier, and the restraints binding her vanished accordingly.

Freed from her bonds, Ying Meier spoke coldly, “Human, you’re quite something. Ying Meier will remember you.”

Wu Shu shrugged indifferently and said, “If you weren’t clever, I wouldn’t believe you stayed silent all this time.”

Hearing this, Ying Meier was unfazed. From the display Wu Shu had just shown, it was clear he possessed formidable skill in the art of rune formations. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have subdued her so easily.

The intricate use of runes and exquisite control over their power was no feat for an ordinary rune master. Cultivating formation arts tested one’s spirit and resolve above all. Losing to Wu Shu, Ying Meier acknowledged her own carelessness but also felt a deep wariness toward him. Men like Wu Shu were the bane of the Shadow Demon Clan.

With a scoff, Ying Meier probed, “Boy, your strength truly surprised me. What’s your name?”

Hearing Ying Meier’s haughty tone, Wu Shu bristled with dislike. He raised his hand to signal, “Little demoness, if you want to speak to me, you’d better understand your current situation. Before me, you are but a defeated foe. Isn’t there a saying among the demon tribes? To the victor, the weak are nothing but trash.”

Ying Meier’s teeth itched with anger. “You… I…”

Wu Shu was merciless. “What ‘you,’ what ‘I’? Don’t think your demon tribe’s affairs are mysterious to me. Before me, your so-called secrets are trivial matters. If I recall correctly, there’s another saying among your kind: Faith knows no race or status; before the Demon God’s belief, all are equal. And as demons, especially noble ones, you should revere faith and be accountable for your words and deeds.”

“If you betray your faith or vows, it’s as if you have defied the great Demon God’s divine light.”

He emphasized sharply, “Little demoness, faith transcends race, and vows surpass eternity. You understand this, don’t you?”

Though Li Jianfeng, standing nearby, didn’t fully grasp Wu Shu’s words, Ying Meier’s expression shifted wildly—from a flush of embarrassment to sweating profusely, then finally trembling.

She understood Wu Shu’s intent perfectly. By speaking so much about the demon tribe’s Demon God, he was reminding her of the vow she made upon facing him: “If I don’t destroy you today, I am no true member of the Shadow Demon Clan.”

Such a vow was impossible to fulfill today. At least judging by Wu Shu’s demonstrated prowess in rune formations, Ying Meier was no match in direct confrontation.

Seeing her reaction, Wu Shu silently pleased himself, “The rules the demon tribe abides by on the Thick Earth Continent seem not so different from those of the Forgotten Continent. Good, good. The defeated admit defeat and agree to the victor’s demands.”

Though Wu Shu could not defeat her by force alone, his words struck Ying Meier deeply. When Wu Shu spoke of faith in the Demon God, she had intended to retort that they were not true demons and that the tribe’s faith and vows held no sway over them. But Wu Shu’s statement—that faith transcends race and vows surpass eternity—sealed her mouth.

Never had she imagined that a moment’s lapse would allow a human to outwit her.

Ying Meier said bluntly, “Since you know so much about our demon tribe, I want to know what you want me to do next.”

Wu Shu scratched his head in frustration. When a demon tribe member breaks a vow, undoing it often requires either sacrificing one’s own blood to uphold it or submitting to the victor. While surrender and servitude are different, they carry fundamental distinctions.

The demon tribe’s vow dictates that the defeated must comply with one or more demands from the victor.

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Of course, the Giant Elephant Mountain Range lay within the borders of Kun Kingdom, and since Wu Shu was a citizen of Kun, even if he knew the demon tribe’s rules, he did not intend to make unreasonable demands of Ying Meier.

Seeing Wu Shu deep in thought, Ying Meier warned coldly, “Boy, remember my name: Ying Meier. If you dare use the demon tribe’s rules to make excessive demands, beware—my family will one day marshal all their forces to annihilate Kun Kingdom.”

Locking eyes with her, Wu Shu smiled and shook his head. “Don’t worry, I have no interest in the demons’ cultivation path. As for master-servant relationships, you’re too weak to interest me. Hmm… I’m troubled; I don’t know what to decide for now.”

No demands? No master-servant relationship? This did not sit well with Ying Meier. Was it her looks or figure that didn’t meet his standards? Or was she simply unworthy? She mused bitterly that men are lecherous—do they only care if a woman can fight? If so, are they really seeking a woman, or just a bodyguard?

Her mind flooded with these thoughts in an instant.

With these feelings swirling, she glanced at Wu Shu again. He was quite handsome, and this sudden flutter in her heart made her muse, “What’s wrong with me? Why do I feel drawn to a human boy? Is it just because he’s good-looking?”

Wu Shu himself had no immediate plan worthy of asking her to do anything. He said, “How about this? You stay by my side for now. If, by the time we leave the great formation, I still can’t think of anything for you to do, then we’ll call it even. If fate allows us to meet again, we can settle it then. How’s that?”

Ying Meier found this acceptable.

After all, Wu Shu had made no demands in the Giant Elephant Mountains; the chance they might meet again was slim indeed.

She nodded in agreement.

After they reached this mutual understanding, the demons who had left earlier returned.

Their leader bowed to Ying Meier. “Young Mistress Meier, we’ve just received news of a medicinal field within the illusion formation. It contains many peerless divine herbs. Lord Feiyu has already dispatched personnel to gather them.”

Ying Meier showed no joy about the medicinal field. She said calmly, “I understand. The matter of the medicinal field can wait; it surely has unique formations guarding it.”

The leader agreed, “Understood.”

He added, “Also, we have detected several treasure sites within the ultimate formation, including some human rare materials and treasures.”

Ying Meier paid no heed to the human treasures—they were largely suited to humans. She asked directly, “What is Feiyu doing now?”

Also a member of the Shadow Demon Clan, Feiyu’s family was roughly equal in strength to the Youying family, and he held high status within it.

Compared to Ying Meier, Feiyu’s nature was colder and his methods more ruthless.

The small demon commander replied, “Young Mistress, Lord Feiyu is currently at Lone Stake Peak, about a hundred miles away. Many human prodigies have gathered there. The peak seals away several peerless weapons. To prevent the humans from obtaining these treasures, Lord Feiyu is leading his clan in a standoff against the human prodigies.”

Feiyu at Lone Stake Peak?

Feiyu’s choice was sound. To achieve their goals, every increase in human strength could alter the course of events. Among them, the most unpredictable figures might be...

Thinking that he alone might find it hard to restrain Wu Shu, and that Feiyu had a formation expert nearby, Ying Meier had a sudden idea: if someone could neutralize Wu Shu’s threat in formation arts, then perhaps she still had a chance to turn the tables.

Concerned Wu Shu might not go to Lone Stake Peak, Ying Meier feigned indifference and said, “Feiyu is at Lone Stake Peak and is quite strong. With him there, Kun Kingdom will have few rivals. Let’s go look elsewhere.”

Her words were clearly meant for Wu Shu and Li Jianfeng, who responded, “So, those defeated juniors from Kun Kingdom are also at Lone Stake Peak?”

Hearing this from Li Jianfeng surprised Ying Meier.

It sounded as if Li Jianfeng was thinking of poaching people from Feiyu—those who were now Feiyu’s demon servants.

Ying Meier shot Li Jianfeng a sharp look. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you. Feiyu is not only powerful, but he also has a formation master by his side. In the great formation, it will be hard for anyone of our generation to match them.”

Wu Shu feigned a yawn. “Enough, Young Mistress Meier, stop with the sarcastic attitude. Let’s head to Lone Stake Peak.”

He saw through Ying Meier’s provocation. His decision was deliberate: firstly, there were peerless weapons at Lone Stake Peak he wanted to check out for his own use. Secondly, though he had plenty of spirit stones, they were still limited. To enhance his power through spirit stone formations, he needed more stones.

Having already taken Ying Meier’s spirit stones, why not try to snatch some from Feiyu? As for that so-called formation master, Wu Shu didn’t care at all. He was confident that within the Nine Turns Illusionary Ultimate Formation, he was the absolute presence.

Wu Shu’s decision to go to Lone Stake Peak meant Ying Meier’s plan had succeeded.

As for Wu Shu’s mockery of her acting, Ying Meier ignored it. After all, in this world, the victor prevails. If she had to pay the price for a moment’s bravado, so would Wu Shu if he blindly marched toward Lone Stake Peak.

In Ying Meier’s eyes, that might become a lifelong regret for him.