Chapter 494

Chapter 494: For the Queen

"You wouldn’t believe me even if I told you," Fang Lie chuckled. "I want to use them as Dao soldiers!"

"No way!" Mi Qing gasped. "Others use high-combat-strength demons as Dao soldiers. Why choose such weaklings? Don’t you already have the Green Fox Clan?"

"Heh, I’ve got my reasons." Fang Lie then laid out his plan.

Finally understanding, Mi Qing nodded. "So that’s why you picked these creatures. But you’ve already gathered a hundred million. Isn’t that enough? Why aim for over ten billion?"

Fang Lie sighed. "Time isn’t on my side. Our Sect Leader started with a few million wolf demons and took a millennium to reach his current scale—trillions of wolves, countless demon states. Gold-Eating Rat Demons have worse growth rates. I need at least Sixth-rank Rat Kings as qualified Dao soldiers—only they can forge high-grade cannon shells."

"I need a million qualified Dao soldiers minimum," Fang Lie explained bitterly. "But Rat Kings are one in a million. Even with spirit pills, their advancement rate stays low. A million multiplied by a million gives a trillion—I need at least a hundred billion rats to meet the bare minimum!"

"This seems impossible," Mi Qing frowned. "Current catches only seem high because nearby tribes were easy targets. After this raid, no rat tribes remain within hundreds of thousands of miles. Others must venture farther, risking danger. And Gold-Eating Rats aren’t endless in the Demon Domain—reaching a hundred billion is doubtful."

"True," Fang Lie agreed. "Catching them requires killing a third first to force surrender. Even then, we might fall short."

"Still, gather as many as possible," Fang Lie urged. "A larger base speeds future growth. My Central World can hold endless rats—I fear scarcity, not numbers. Even low-tier rats can mine ores. Profit’s guaranteed."

"Understood. I’ll keep acquiring them," Mi Qing promised.

Over the next three months, Mi Qing relentlessly purchased Gold-Eating Rat Demons. Each time she amassed a hundred million, she discreetly transferred them to Mo Qianxun’s disciples during "shopping trips." The disciples handled relocation and material transport.

As predicted, rat numbers plummeted. The first month yielded two billion, the second just one billion, and the third a mere three to five hundred million. Within a million-mile radius, Gold-Eating Rats vanished entirely—and other demons suffered collateral damage.

Greedy Cultivators, having invested in hunting gear but finding few rats, turned to other demons listed on Mo Sect’s procurement forms. Entire tribes were exterminated for single body parts.

The Demon Domain, already unstable, erupted into chaos. Though humans held fortified cities, they hadn’t fully dominated the region. Enraged by the slaughter, long-feuding demon factions united against their common foe.

Initially, organized human forces crushed several major tribes, looting ancestral lands. But as distant demons swarmed in, forming massive armies, human numbers proved insufficient. Retreat followed.

Confident in their Formations—which even Thunder Tribulation Immortals couldn’t breach—humans dismissed the threat. The Central World’s limit of Seventh-rank Demon Kings and past failed sieges (where billions died without breaching walls) bred complacency. City Lords ignored approaching armies, refusing to request aid.

Their arrogance would cost them dearly.

None of this concerned Fang Lie. He remained hidden in his Flying Boat, savoring his tranquil life.

But on that day, just over half a year after Fang Lie’s arrival, his peaceful life shattered as the endless demon army finally arrived.

Hundreds of demon species surrounded the city completely. From the city walls, the horde stretched beyond sight across hundreds of miles. More kept pouring in from all directions, swelling their numbers. Even the flying demon beasts stayed hidden in distant forests instead of gathering near the city walls.

Though capable of swift surprise attacks, the human cultivators remained unworried. Countless historical victories had convinced them the demons couldn’t breach the city’s perfect protective array.

When the demon forces fully assembled, a Seventh-rank Emperor of Gold-Eating Rats appeared south of the city – the only one of his rank in the entire Demon Domain’s Gold-Eating Rat tribe.

Transformed into a shabby old man wearing imperial yellow armor, he stood flanked by dozens of Gold-Eating Rat kings and thousands of elites. "Return my people and surrender the alchemist!" he roared. "Or I’ll flatten this city!"

Three figures materialized on the walls – City Lord Immortal Qingning, Deputy City Lord Immortal Wulian, and Deputy City Lord Flower Sword.

Immortal Qingning sneered, "A mere rat dares threaten us?"

"One sword strike’s all I need to end you," Flower Sword added coldly. The East Kunlun sword cultivator’s combat power matched a Fire Tribulation Immortal’s. Against the non-combat-oriented Rat Emperor, victory would be instant.

Confident in their advantage, the leaders mocked their foe. Flower Sword even considered capturing the emperor alive to trade with Mi Qing for Seventh-rank spirit pills.

Enraged, the Rat Emperor pointed trembling claws at them. "After we break through, not even chickens or dogs will survive!"

"Delusions," Immortal Qingning scoffed. "You think you can breach our defenses?"

"Easily!" The emperor channeled magic into his thunderous shout: "ATTACK NOW!"

His voice shook the city. Then catastrophe struck – hundreds of fanatical cultivators emerged at key Formation points, ranging from Purple Palace realm to Wind Tribulation Immortals.

"For the Queen!" they screamed before detonating themselves through secret methods, destroying bodies, life-bound treasures, and souls in catastrophic Self-Detonations.