The Witty Demon Chief

Dark Shadow Island was bustling with activity, while Cloud Star had regained its former tranquility.

Yet deep within the cosmos, countless demonic shadows now stirred as void rifts gaped open. A horde of demons stood in reverent silence, like devout servants.

Then, a terrifying shadow coalesced—prompting a thousand demons to step back and bow their heads!

The Demon Chief of Cloud Star trembled uncontrollably before dropping to his knees!

"Forgive this lowly one, Great Demon General!"

The shadow emitted no aura of power, yet the very cosmos seemed to freeze under its presence. The surrounding space swayed like willow branches, as if struggling to endure the weight of its manifestation!

Cold, indifferent eyes gazed down from the darkness, unmoved by either the horde of demons or the prostrated Cloud Star Demon Chief.

No one knew how long they knelt—no response came.

The Demon Chief’s sweat poured like rain, his body quivering like a lowly underling.

"Why did you fail?"

The question, devoid of any discernible emotion, sent a deathly silence through the demonic ranks!

Gulping, the Demon Chief hurriedly kowtowed and answered.

"Great General, hear my report!"

"This lowly one was tasked with guarding the Star Gate. All was proceeding smoothly until tens of thousands of cultivators suddenly invaded the Black Domain. Our kin suffered countless casualties, but I dared not disgrace our demonic honor! I fought alone for hundreds of rounds!"

"Alas, they outnumbered us. Even after exhausting all my strength, I could only achieve mutual destruction before retreating to the Star Gate."

"Then, at the critical moment of my recovery, a despicable Bald-headed Man appeared out of nowhere, taking advantage of my weakened state! A hundred of our finest warriors fought to the death to protect the Star Gate, refusing to retreat!"

"Finally, their sacrifice bought enough time for me to emerge and repel the invaders!"

Tears streamed down the Demon Chief’s face as he recounted his tale with fiery passion.

In truth, he had been utterly outmatched and beaten relentlessly—yet his retelling painted him as a demonic hero.

His words sparked murmurs among the demons.

After a tense pause, the shadow merely gazed down indifferently.

"Continue."

Not daring to hesitate, the Demon Chief pressed on with his rehearsed script.

"Great Demon General, you must understand!"

"After several bloody battles, I thought the crisis had passed. But then, a fleet of ships arrived from beyond the stars! Their four leaders wielded terrifying power, annihilating a thousand of our warriors with ease!"

"We fought desperately, but overwhelmed by numbers, we lost the Star Gate."

"We were prepared to fight to the last breath, to perish alongside the Star Gate! But then we realized—what if you remained unaware of Cloud Star’s plight? Our deaths would be meaningless if it jeopardized our greater cause!"

"So, we retreated—fighting as we fell back, until only three thousand of us remained. The rest were slaughtered by those humans!"

Here, the Demon Chief glanced at the towering shadow, then discreetly bit his tongue and spat out a mouthful of blood!

"Cough! Cough!"

"Now that the message is delivered, I accept punishment for losing the Star Gate. Great General, I beg for execution!"

With a face full of grief and indignation, he knelt and waited.

But no one knew the truth—his "three thousand remaining warriors" were simply those who had gotten lost fleeing through the void.

The bright blood drew attention, and murmurs spread among the demons.

Observing the scene, the Demon General in the shadows fell silent.

After a long pause, a cold voice finally echoed.

"Enough."

"The Ancient Corridor has been opened. Reinforcements from other stars were inevitable."

"Rise. A single Star Gate is no great loss—it can be rebuilt. Though it is surprising that a mere speck like Cloud Star could inflict such damage."

Only then did the Demon Chief dare to rise, trembling.

As he bowed in gratitude, he seized the moment to pledge his loyalty.

"Thank you, Great Demon General."

"But with the Star Gate destroyed and enemies pressing in, how shall we proceed? If there is any way I can serve our demonic kin, I will brave any danger!"

His words earned impressed glances from the demons, many nodding in approval.

Though weak and disgraced by defeat, his willingness to redeem himself proved his worth as a demon!

Amidst their admiration, the Demon General spoke again, his tone slightly softer.

"I have pressing matters and cannot spare attention for a minor star like Cloud Star."

"However, your loyalty is commendable. I entrust this task to you."

"Return to Cloud Star. I will dispatch elite reinforcements—you may command them as you see fit."

"Your mission: sow chaos among the humans before my arrival."

The Demon Chief’s eyes gleamed with excitement.

Against all odds, his wild tale had not only saved his life but earned him elite subordinates! With them, reclaiming Cloud Star would be child’s play.

A few more achievements, and his disgrace would be wiped clean!

Perhaps even the Demon General’s favor!

His heart raced as he prepared to kowtow in thanks—

But then, memories flashed through his mind.

That terrifying Bald-headed Man.

The even more horrifying Man with a Great Machete.

And the Woman with Heavenly Weapons…

None of them were pushovers.

Hesitating, he bowed again.

"This lowly one obeys."

"But… may I ask which elites you will send?"

Realizing his question might sound presumptuous, he quickly added gravity to his tone.

"Of course! My life is worthless—death for our kin is the highest honor! But if we fail again and jeopardize our cause, no punishment would suffice!"

The Demon General pondered briefly.

"A fair point."

"Very well. I shall send the Illusion Demons first, followed by the Barbarian Tribe. Other elites will be deployed as needed."

The Demon Chief’s eyes widened in shock—then brimmed with confidence.

This was beyond his wildest hopes!

The Illusion Demons were among the strongest branches of their kind, masters of mind-bending illusions that could kill without a trace. The Barbarians were even more fearsome—unmatched in raw combat power, though simple-minded. Perfect as killing machines.

With these two forces, Cloud Star was as good as his!

Beaming, the Demon Chief knelt and proclaimed,

"I swear to fulfill this mission, worthy of your trust!!!"

With a nod, the Demon General in the darkness raised a finger.

Instantly, a nearly imperceptible spatial rift split open near Cloud Star, shimmering with the dark radiance demons adored.

From afar, it resembled a miniature Star Gate.

Witnessing such divine power, the Demon Chief’s confidence soared.

"Good, remember—this mission's primary objective is to dismantle humanity from within. All actions must be conducted in secrecy. Never expose yourselves. Once you re-enter Cloudstar, find a remote corner and wait for reinforcements to arrive." The demon general in the shadows solemnly reiterated.

"Understood!"

"This humble one shall depart for Cloudstar at once!"

With a deep bow, the demon swiftly vanished into Cloudstar.

Speeding through the stars, the demon leader's excitement surged.

He could already foresee it—when the elite demon forces assembled, it would be his moment to rise to glory. What a heaven-sent opportunity!

Who would have thought?

A fate that should have been sealed by certain death, overturned with just a few words! Not only spared, but now bestowed with powerful subordinates, destined for greatness!

How many years of bloodshed would it have taken to seize such a chance otherwise?

This—this was what they called vision and wit.

Without these skills, how could he have survived till today?

What good was brute strength? A sharp mind was the mark of a true powerhouse!

The more he dwelled on it, the more smug he grew.

The demon leader's confidence swelled, marveling at his own cunning.

Yet he hadn’t forgotten the demon general’s orders: find a secluded spot to await reinforcements and avoid drawing attention.

From what he knew, Cloudstar was surrounded by numerous small, low-tier realms.

These lesser realms rarely saw powerful figures and drew little notice—perfect for their rendezvous.

Once assembled, they could turn it into a stronghold, then disperse their forces into Cloudstar to sow chaos.

"Heh. A flawless plan."

With a sinister chuckle, the demon leader tore through space, slipping into one such insignificant realm.

There, he concealed himself by a lakeside, lying in wait.