32: Troll City, Trolls

Zhang Sheng sat upright on the back of a snow-white Pegasus, a faint Immortal Qi swirling around the reins.

This Immortal Emperor-rank Pegasus unfurled its three pairs of radiant wings, carving a dazzling white rainbow across the firmament of the Demon Realm.

With every flap of its wings, the Pegasus left behind specks of starlight on the pitch-black sky, looking like a falling meteor.

On the land of the Demon Realm below, members of the Demon Race with low cultivation bases looked up one after another.

They only saw a blinding white light streak across the horizon; some Demon Cultivators with shallow cultivation even had their eyes burned by the radiance, clutching their eye sockets in pain as they knelt on the ground.

Only the Supreme Devil Emperors of the Demon Realm could truly see the true form of this white light: it was a top-tier Pegasus from the Immortal Realm.

The Pegasus was incredibly fast, crossing tens of millions of miles in the blink of an eye.

Suddenly, a towering giant city appeared before Zhang Sheng's eyes. This city was pitch black throughout, floating amidst the clouds, surrounded by blood-colored Devilish Qi.

The city walls were thousands of feet high, their surfaces covered in hideous Demonic Beast reliefs.

The most eye-catching feature was the massive stone statue in front of the city gate, depicting a hideous giant demon; carved into the statue's base were four crimson characters: "Giant Demon City."

Zhang Sheng lightly patted the Pegasus's neck, signaling it to land at the city gate. The Pegasus elegantly folded its wings, its four hooves stepping onto the gate area paved with white bones.

Just as Zhang Sheng was preparing to enter the city, a squad of Demon Race Soldiers clad in black armor surrounded him.

A hint of greed flashed in the eyes of the leading captain: "Your Excellency is not from our Demon Realm, are you? This aura... is the power of the Immortal Realm?"

Zhang Sheng smiled slightly. As an Immortal Lord, if he wanted to conceal his Immortal Qi and switch to demonic power, these few demon soldiers—who were at most at the True Immortal level—wouldn't be able to tell at all.

However, this trip concerned negotiations between the Immortal and Demon Realms; he was an envoy representing the Immortal Realm, so naturally, there was no need to hide his identity. Moreover, even if he deliberately disguised himself, he couldn't hide from the eyes of a Devil Emperor.

"Correct," Zhang Sheng replied indifferently. "And then?"

The captain narrowed his eyes: "According to the rules, entering or leaving Giant Demon City requires a fee of one hundred top-grade demon spirit stones."

Zhang Sheng frowned. He clearly remembered that including the Immortal Martial City in the Immortal Realm, the passage fee for such cities was at most one hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones, let alone other cities; this demon captain was clearly making things difficult.

"I remember the price is one hundred Low Grade demon spirit stones." Zhang Sheng's voice remained calm, but the Pegasus seemed to sense its master's displeasure, restlessly stomping its hooves.

The captain sneered and suddenly waved his hand: "I said one hundred top-grade demon spirit stones, so it's one hundred top-grade demon spirit stones." Over a dozen demon soldiers immediately drew their weapons, surrounding Zhang Sheng.

Looking at these demon soldiers whose cultivation was at most at the True Immortal level, Zhang Sheng couldn't help but find it amusing.

He casually tossed out one hundred Low Grade demon spirit stones.

"Take them and get lost." Zhang Sheng's tone turned cold. The Pegasus suddenly raised its head and neighed loudly, a powerful pressure sweeping out, causing the surrounding demon soldiers to stumble back.

Before they could steady themselves, the Pegasus had already turned into a streak of white light and rushed into the city, vanishing at the end of the street in an instant.

The color drained from the captain's face as he tremblingly took out a transmission talisman: "My Lord. A person from the Immortal Realm riding a Pegasus has broken in. This subordinate... this subordinate couldn't even see his figure clearly; he is at least at the Grand Unity Golden Immortal level."

A raspy voice came from the transmission talisman: "Understood. You don't need to worry about this matter anymore."

The demon soldier captain said, "Yes."

Beneath the firmament, dark clouds rolled. Zhang Sheng rode the Pegasus, shining brilliantly amidst the swirling Devilish Qi like a meteor piercing the darkness.

A murderous aura rushed toward him as thousands of Demon Race Soldiers surged from all directions like a tide, surrounding Zhang Sheng.

Leading them was a Demon General clad in blood-colored battle armor with two horns on his head, his eyes flashing with a cold light.

"Those who enter Giant Demon City must pay one hundred demon spirit stones. And you, you dare to barge in?" The Demon General's voice was raspy, carrying an unquestionable command. A cold sneer curled at the corner of his mouth; he was clearly making things difficult on purpose.

Zhang Sheng knew the general was framing him, and the Demon General also knew he was framing Zhang Sheng.

Zhang Sheng sat on his horse, motionless. He had long since seen through the other's trick and sneered, "I will only say this once: move aside, or die."

As soon as these words were spoken, the surrounding demon soldiers broke into an uproar. The Demon General laughed in extreme anger: "Arrogant! Never mind that you're just a Grand Unity Golden Immortal; even if an Immortal Emperor were here in person, they would have to follow the rules."

Suddenly, a vast, sea-like pressure erupted from Zhang Sheng's body.

It was the terrifying aura that only the Immortal Lord realm possessed, sweeping across the field like Mount Tai pressing down.

Thousands of demon soldiers instantly knelt on the ground, their knees hitting the hard stone slabs with a series of thuds. The leading Demon General trembled all over, and blood began to seep from his seven orifices.

"Immortal... Immortal Lord?" The Demon General was terrified, his voice changing pitch. "Spare... spare my life. If you kill me, you won't be able to leave this Giant Demon City either."

"Seeking death." Zhang Sheng's gaze turned cold. The heavenly staff in his left hand shone with golden light as he pushed out a palm strike with his right hand.

In an instant, a palm force powerful enough to shatter mountains and cleave peaks whistled forth, tearing cracks into the space itself.

At this critical moment, a strange wind suddenly arrived, actually managing to blow away that world-destroying palm strike.

In the distance, a dark figure walked over slowly. Every step he took seemed to land on the pulse of heaven and earth, making the entire city tremble.

"Devil Emperor." Zhang Sheng's eyes narrowed slightly, yet he remained seated on his horse without the slightest hint of fear.

The newcomer was none other than the Vice City Lord of Giant Demon City, Shen Long. He was clad in a black robe, his expression sinister, and the Devilish Qi around him was as solid as substance.

"All of you, withdraw," he spoke flatly. His voice wasn't loud, yet it made all the demon soldiers feel as if they had been granted a great amnesty as they fled in panic.

"I am Shen Long, the Vice City Lord of Giant Demon City." The Devil Emperor introduced himself, his gaze scanning Zhang Sheng like a blade.

"Can I leave now?" Zhang Sheng asked directly, his tone as calm as if he were discussing the weather.

A flash of anger crossed Shen Long's eyes. As a dignified Devil Emperor, when had he ever been so slighted? But thinking of this man's battle record—killing a Devil Emperor and severely wounding a powerhouse with five heavenly mandates, while he himself only had three... Shen Tianlong suppressed his anger: "No. The City Lord has ordered that you return to the Immortal Realm. You won't make it to the Ten Thousand Demon Continent."

"No need for you to worry." Zhang Sheng tapped the heavenly staff lightly against the Void Realm, and a golden light spread out like ripples. "Final warning: move aside, or die."

The air instantly froze. Cold sweat broke out on Shen Long's forehead; he knew he was definitely not a match, yet he couldn't back down. Just as the tension reached a breaking point, a voice came from the sky: "Shen Long, let him go."

"As you command, City Lord." Shen Long felt as if a heavy burden had been lifted and stepped aside to clear the path.

Zhang Sheng rode away, the Pegasus neighing as it turned into a streak of light and vanished into the horizon. Shortly after he left, a mountain-like figure descended beside Shen Tianlong.

"City Lord, why let him go? You are a great expert with nine heavenly mandates," Shen Long asked unwillingly.

The Giant Demon City Lord had a stalwart build, with two curved demon horns on his head pointing straight to the sky. He looked toward the direction where Zhang Sheng had departed and said deeply, "He is but a passing traveler."

"But if we kill him, we will surely gain the appreciation of the Demon Ancestor. Perhaps you could then condense a tenth Supreme Heavenly Mandate," Shen Long said.

"Foolish!" The Giant Demon gave a sharp shout that made the entire city tremble. "First, I am not certain I can kill him; second, if he is killed, the Immortal Realm will not let the matter rest; third..."

He turned to stare at Shen Long, his eyes flashing with the light of wisdom: "Even if the Demon Ancestor grants me an Opportunity to condense a tenth or eleventh mandate, it could never compensate for the flaw in the first mandate. To become an Immortal Emperor, one needs the mark of the Heavenly Dao. If the first mandate is not a Supreme Heavenly Mandate, one is destined to never have a Supreme Heavenly Mandate in this life. Even if the first is a Supreme Heavenly Mandate, the second might not necessarily be one..."

Shen Long felt as if he had been struck by lightning, standing there dazed. Only then did he understand why the City Lord could sit firmly in Giant Demon City for tens of thousands of years without falling. This vision and perspective were far beyond what he could reach.

The Giant Demon looked toward the horizon, where Zhang Sheng's figure was long gone. He murmured to himself, "This person... perhaps he really can reach the Ten Thousand Demon Continent."