Chapter 142: Bad News, Nightmare!

North of Western Niuhe Continent.
The Wilderness.
The Central Region.
The Great Wilderness, the territory of Taiping Mountain.
It was dusk.
The setting sun resembled blood.
A thick smell of blood drifted through the air.
The vast mountain range battlefield was in utter disarray.
Howls and screams of agony echoed continually from various parts of the mountain peaks.
A multitude of minor demons shuttled through the mountain forests, picking up scattered weapons, severed limbs, and broken arms, and hauling away the corpses of various monsters.
At this moment, a tall and robust wild boar demon with a black pig's head and exposed giant tusks walked through the forest, followed by several monsters bearing various animal heads. They arrived in front of a massive pile of corpses. Looking at a black-furred, feathered corpse buried within the pile, along with the exposed, thick, and sharp chicken-claw-like talons, the wild boar demon ordered, "Dig it out."
As the words fell, the demons behind him immediately stepped forward and rapidly cleared away the piled corpses one by one.
Soon, a large black-feathered monster was revealed.
Looking at the size of the monster's body before him, the wild boar demon felt a slight relief in his heart.
However, he still stepped forward, personally turned the corpse of the black-furred monster over, and after confirming the face of the deceased, he turned and walked toward the next location.
Behind him, the following demons immediately pointed at the cleared corpse pile and instructed the busy minor demons nearby, "Stack them up properly."
With that, several demons hurried forward to catch up with the wild boar demon.
At this moment.
A slender monster, over two meters tall, with the head of a ferret, hurried over from the northern forest with a few minor demons and stood before the wild boar demon, saying, "Third Brother, we couldn't find Second Brother!"
This ferret demon was naturally Huang Gui.
And the wild boar demon was Lu Wufei's sworn third brother, Red Skin.
Hearing Huang Gui's words, Red Skin was about to speak when he saw a massive giant snake, over ten meters in length, rapidly slithering toward them from the southern forest.
As it approached, the black-and-yellow giant snake quickly transformed into a half-human, half-snake form—a human head with a snake's body—and said to Red Skin, "Grand Commander, I couldn't find Chief Black."
Hearing this, Red Skin immediately knitted his brows.
Their eldest brother had been gone for less than two months, and yet they had encountered revenge-seeking sea tribes from the North Sea Dragon Palace.
Fortunately, Big Brother had made adequate and proper arrangements, and that lofty ancestor had stepped forward.
Otherwise, with Big Brother absent and Taiping Mountain standing alone and weak, they would have had to face those sea tribes unprepared.
However, the great battle had largely concluded and come to an end.
Though many of their other close comrades bore injuries, they had managed to survive.
Only Second Brother—up until now, there was still no trace of him.
Where on earth was he right now, and what was his condition?
It truly filled him with worry.
"Fourth Brother..."
After a moment of silence, Red Skin looked at Huang Gui and asked, "I remember you saying earlier that the last time you saw Second Brother was at noon?"
Hearing this, Huang Gui immediately nodded. "Yes. I remembered Big Brother's words and kept close to Second Brother during the battle. At that time, I was dealing with a shrimp demon, and Second Brother was dealing with a crab demon. But after I killed that shrimp demon, I discovered Second Brother was gone, and I never saw him again afterward."
Before Huang Gui could finish speaking, two figures suddenly flew down from the sky.
Bai Yunxiao, clad in shining silver armor, landed alongside a tall, robust, and dark-complexioned figure in black armor.
Seeing this, the surrounding demons immediately called out, "General..."
"General..."
Red Skin was no exception, stepping forward to bow and salute: "Greetings, two Generals."
At that moment, Bai Yunxiao glanced at the crowd of demons and asked, "Have you still not found Chief Black?"
Red Skin nodded. "Not yet. We are still looking!"
As the Commander-in-Chief of Taiping Mountain personally appointed by Lu Wufei, Bai Yunxiao had been extremely busy after uniting the four major forces of the Great Wilderness Mountain, Fire Glow Cave, and Eagle Cliff to defeat the sea tribes and win the great battle, representing Taiping Mountain in the public eye.
Yet, amidst his extremely tight schedule, he had still carved out the time to come here simply to show his concern.
Hearing Red Skin's reply, Bai Yunxiao nodded and said, "Search with all your might. You must find him!"
Red Skin nodded. "I will. Thank you for your concern, General!"
Bai Yunxiao shook his head, reached out to pat Red Skin on the shoulder, and then turned to fly back up into mid-air.
The black-armored general nearby quickly followed, soaring rapidly into the sky.
Clad in black armor with a dark complexion, the young general quickly caught up with Bai Yunxiao and asked, "He is merely a chieftain; is he really worth General Bai making a special trip?"
Bai Yunxiao shook his head, looked at the young general beside him, and said, "Heiyan, he is the sworn brother of the Great King. And that ferret demon over there, as well as the crow demon you are searching for—they are all the Great King's sworn brothers..."
"So that's how it is!"
Upon hearing General Bai's explanation, the young general named Heiyan immediately understood. No wonder General Bai had made a special trip at this time.
Bai Yunxiao continued, "They swore brotherhood with the Great King long ago, back when the Great King was still very weak..."
As Bai Yunxiao spoke, he recalled the time he first met his sworn brother—when Lu Wufei had offended Big Bear and asked him for help at a banquet.
In the blink of an eye, how many years had passed?
All the changes and the bizarre twists of fate were simply too immense.
Big Bear had ultimately died on the very day he became a demon marshal and general.
And his sworn brother had leaped to become a prominent demon king.
Whenever he recalled that day ten years ago, when his sworn brother had single-handedly slain three demon kings of Great Wilderness Mountain, and when he remembered that towering, majestic white wolf true form that resembled a mountain range, it filled him with awe and heartfelt submission.
Back then, he had only been moved to look after him because the other party belonged to his own clan.
Now it seemed that single thought had marked the turning point of his own destiny.
Today, his sworn brother had placed him in the position of Commander-in-Chief of Taiping Mountain, entrusting him with the management of all affairs of Taiping Mountain in his absence.
Such a high status, such immense power...
He could not be said to value him lightly.
However, if that black-furred crow demon were to die in this battle under his command, even if the Great King's temperament meant he might not necessarily blame him, he himself would certainly find it hard to forgive.
Since the incident happened under his leadership, he naturally bore unshirkable responsibility.
"The Great King is one who cherishes old ties..."
Bai Yunxiao continued, "Heiyan, you are clever and quick-witted, bearing a resemblance to the Great King in his early days. As long as you perform your duties diligently, the Great King will certainly value you."
Hearing General Bai's evaluation, Heiyan immediately shook his head and smiled, "I dare not accept such praise from General Bai. Heiyan cannot compare to the Great King..."
"However, when it comes to getting things done, Heiyan considers himself quite conscientious."
Hearing this, Bai Yunxiao nodded.
This black wolf demon, Heiyan, was a newly advanced demon marshal of the past two years.
Because he appreciated the other's character and conduct, and because they both belonged to the wolf clan, Bai Yunxiao had looked upon Heiyan with favor.
Heiyan was equally clever; realizing he had caught General Bai's eye, he had quickly drawn close to the Great King's foremost general.
That was why Bai Yunxiao was willing to bring him along, just as he was doing now.
To add a side note: during the daytime, among the various demon marshals and generals, when Lu Wufei was being cornered and pressured by the three forces of Great Wilderness Mountain, Fire Glow Cave, and Eagle Cliff, Heiyan was one of those who had boldly stood up to defy Fire Glow Cave and Eagle Cliff.
Without saying anything further, Bai Yunxiao took Heiyan and flew with a mind full of concerns toward a noisy, bustling mountain peak. As they landed, several demon generals who had been waiting anxiously immediately swarmed forward. "General Bai, this is the allocated share our three sides have agreed upon. Have a look..."
"If there are no issues, the corpses, armor, and weapons of those sea tribes will be divided according to this."
Over on another mountain peak.
Watching General Bai depart, Red Skin turned to Huang Gui, the snake demon leader Lisi, and two other demon generals beside him, saying in a deep voice, "Pass down the order. Have all the minor demons in the vicinity stop what they are doing and scatter to search!"
"Even if we have to search every inch of the Great Wilderness Mountain beneath our feet!"
"We must find Chief Black!"
At this, Red Skin's expression turned stern, and he shouted loudly, "We want to see his body if he lives, and his corpse if he dies!"
"Yes!"
"Yes!"
Several demon generals immediately acknowledged the order and turned to leave.
At that exact moment—
"Third Uncle!"
An urgent voice echoed from afar.
Hearing this, Red Skin and Huang Gui immediately turned their heads.
They saw a slender tiger with a white brow and hanging eyes surging forward like a whirlwind, galloping from the distance.
As it drew close, the tiger instantly transformed into a tall, slender figure in leather armor with a tiger's head—none other than Wandashan. Panting, Wandashan stopped and hurriedly said, "Third Uncle, the minor demons under my command said they seemed to have spotted Second Uncle!"
Hearing this, Red Skin's expression changed, and he immediately asked, "Where?"
Wandashan pointed to the west: "Right over there. It's a bit far. I had the minor demon go ahead first while I came to notify Third and Fourth Uncles!"
"Let's go!"
Hearing this, Red Skin nodded immediately. "Wandashan, lead the way!"
"Follow me!"
Wandashan did not dawdle. Black mist naturally generated beneath his feet, and he immediately flew toward the west.
Red Skin rolled up billows of black wind to follow closely behind.
Huang Gui trailed right after them.
The other demon generals also took flight immediately, tailing them closely.
At this moment, Red Skin's cultivation had reached the late stage of a demon marshal, just a hair's breadth away from the realm of a demon general commander—though in this world's terminology, his strength was far superior to Wandashan, who was in the mid-stage of a demon marshal.
Seeing that Wandashan's flying speed was too slow, Red Skin, burning with anxiety, immediately stepped forward, grabbed Wandashan, and said, "You just guide the way!"
Soon, Red Skin led the group of demon generals flying swiftly toward the western mountain peak.
A short while later, guided by a sparrow demon, Red Skin, Huang Gui, Wandashan, and a flock of other monsters arrived at a mountain valley.
From afar, they saw that by a mountain stream ahead, the massive figure of a black bird lay half-reclining by the water's edge, completely motionless.
Looking at that solitary, massive black figure lying by the water, Red Skin's eyes widened instantly. His heart skipped a beat, and his footsteps came to an abrupt halt in place. Then, he sprinted forward, roaring at the top of his lungs: "Second Brother!"
"Second Brother!"
When Huang Gui leaped down from the dark cloud and clearly recognized the familiar, massive black figure lying by the mountain stream in the distance, he too froze on the spot. Recovering his senses, he let out a great roar and sprinted forward.
"Second Uncle!"
When Wandashan arrived and saw the massive black figure by the water, he cried out involuntarily.
As for the few demon generals who had just landed and caught up behind, looking at the scene ahead, they likewise froze in their tracks.
When Red Skin and Huang Gui rushed to the edge of the mountain stream first, arriving before the massive black figure, they saw that the gigantic black crow's body—measuring seven or eight meters in length—belonged unmistakably to their Second Brother, who in daily life was always playful, boisterous, yet deeply affectionate.
Only, at this moment, their Second Brother's eyes were tightly closed, blood trickled from his long beak, and he had fallen into an utterly quiet slumber.
On his chest, a bowl-sized hollow was constantly spilling fresh blood, which flowed into the mountain stream and drifted quietly away into the distance.
"Second Brother!"
Seeing his Second Brother's condition, grief welled up instantly in Huang Gui's heart. His eyes turned completely bloodshot, and tears burst from his eyes. He dropped heavily to his knees on the ground, weeping bitterly: "Second Brother!"
Wandashan finally caught up at that moment.
"Second Uncle..."
Looking at the scene before him, looking at the Second Uncle who, though usually mischievous, had cherished him the most, lying so lonely and cold by the water's edge, tears instantly blurred his vision.
"Second Brother..."
Even Red Skin, who was usually the calmest and most steady of them all, looked at the crow monster who had fallen into an eternal sleep. Memories of all the years spent together with his Second Brother flashed instantly through his mind, leaving a hollow void in his heart.
At this moment, how he wished his Second Brother would suddenly sit up just like before, play a prank, laugh loudly, and say, "Did I scare you guys?" before bursting into hearty laughter...
However, it would never happen again.
The corners of his eyes grew increasingly sore. Red Skin closed his eyes, tilted his head back, and without a word, churned with emotion inwardly: "Second Brother, have a safe journey..."
The Thirty-Sixth Heaven of Daluo.
Zhen Yuanzi, accompanied by Qingfeng, Mingyue, and Lu Wufei's third disciple, stepped out of the Western Heaven Gate.
They flew straight downward.
This time, however, Zhen Yuanzi did not move as fast as he had on the way up; instead, he descended layer by layer toward the mortal world.
Although his speed remained incomparably swift, Lu Wufei, Qingfeng, and Mingyue could clearly see how they were descending through the Heavenly Court.
Before long, as Zhen Yuanzi led his three disciples rapidly through the lowermost layer of fierce wind and caught sight of their own Longevity Mountain in the distance—
Standing behind his teacher, Lu Wufei, whose mood had originally been pleasant, suddenly felt a sense of melancholy and irritation rise out of nowhere in his heart, making his mood thoroughly uncomfortable.
Instantly, all desire to speak vanished.
Lu Wufei forced down the displeasure in his heart, compelling himself to stand quietly.
The four figures flew rapidly downward toward the towering Longevity Mountain below.
Not long after, Lu Wufei and his two senior fellow apprentices returned to the grotto-heaven of Five Zhuang Temple, standing on the white jade plaza where they usually performed their morning lessons.
"Respectfully seeing off Teacher..."
Just as they finished bidding farewell to Teacher—
"Junior Brother, what is wrong with you?"
Mingyue suddenly spoke up. "Your complexion looks somewhat poor. Is something the matter?"
"Did you notice?"
Lu Wufei managed a forced smile.
Mingyue immediately nodded. "Of course. Not just me; Senior Brother and Teacher must have noticed as well."
Qingfeng then took over, saying, "If Junior Brother has anything on your mind, feel free to speak of it. With Teacher and us here, you don't need to worry..."
There was nothing really to hide from his two senior brothers, so Lu Wufei nodded and said, "It's nothing much, really. It's just that a moment ago, I inexplicably felt palpitations and irritation, feeling very uncomfortable..."
Hearing this, Qingfeng remarked, "When the heart stirs with a premonition, it is never without cause. Perhaps there is some matter you overlooked or delayed. Junior Brother might want to think carefully..."
"Mm."
Lu Wufei nodded. "Thank you for your guidance, Senior Brother. I will head back first..."
With that, Lu Wufei turned and strode toward his quarters.
Before long, Lu Wufei stood before the door of his room.
Opening and closing the door, Lu Wufei walked over to the eight-immortals table in the hall and sat down.
A wine gourd immediately appeared in his hand, and he raised it to take a large gulp.
"Squeak—"
Seeming to sense that his master was in a bad mood, little Bai stood upon the table, continuously rubbing his tiny head against his master's arm.
Lu Wufei stroked little Bai's head,
continuing to ponder quietly.
On his way back just now, he had turned things over in his mind.
Just as Senior Brother Qingfeng had said, when the heart experiences premonitions, it is never without reason.
Lu Wufei was well aware that given his level of cultivation, once matters of great importance to him occurred, he would inevitably sense them.
After reflection,
he guessed that if something was amiss, it must be that trouble had broken out in his territory at Taiping Mountain, far away in the extreme north of Western Niuhe Continent.
However, he had entrusted Taiping Mountain to the demon ancestor Huyue.
Given the price he had paid, if trouble befell Taiping Mountain, she should not simply stand by and watch.
Lu Wufei still possessed that much ability to judge character.
Besides,
back when he slaughtered the three demon kings of Great Wilderness Mountain, Huyue had swallowed her anger; why would she act to his detriment at a time like this?
After a bout of calm reflection,
the turmoil in his heart settled down somewhat.
Drinking the rest of the gourd of wine in one breath,
Lu Wufei stood up and walked toward the bedroom.
Having lost all inclination to check his personal statistics after consuming the flat peach,
Lu Wufei assumed a meditative posture.
With every breath, he rapidly entered a state of deep meditation.
Flecks of bright radiance began to rise and encircle Lu Wufei's body.
Not long after entering meditation,
Lu Wufei suddenly saw a horrifying figure—tattered and disheveled, crying bloody tears, with a gaping hole in its chest constantly overflowing with blood—appear right before him.
"Big Brother... I am leaving... You must avenge me..."
The intensely familiar voice vanished along with that terrifying figure.
Lu Wufei jolted awake from his meditation, his eyes as cold as frost: "Something has happened to Second Brother!"
(End of this chapter)