Chapter 1422: Inviting The Enemy Into The Trap

The Ancient Corridor.

Thousands of streams of light surged into the corridor, materializing the true forms of various cultivators. Some stood in groups of three or five, while others gathered in dozens, quietly waiting on the starlit path, exuding an unprecedented fighting spirit.

Even though they were all human cultivators, they were clearly divided into different factions based on personal relationships and origins. They had gathered here for the great cause of exterminating demons, and everyone wore solemn expressions, demonstrating extraordinary righteousness.

After a few moments of silence, ripples in the void spread out.

Long Tian, holding a long sword, stepped out steadily, surveying the crowd before speaking in a deep voice.

"Everyone."

"Thank you for coming to assist. Today, we will start from the nearest stronghold and completely eradicate these hateful and brutal alien races. To protect the peace of the entire galaxy, we are willing to pay any price!"

"Later, I will lead you to attack the nearest stronghold on the Water-Cold Star..."

After a series of formal speeches, the entire crowd raised their arms and cheered.

Most cultivators did not know the truth. They had only recently heard of the Star Lord's might and already held some respect for him. Now, hearing that they were about to attack the demon race, their blood boiled with excitement and reverence.

In the middle of the crowd.

The group from Shadow Island also played along with the atmosphere, occasionally shouting a few words, their acting skills quite commendable.

They already knew the truth, so they were not overly invested, nor did they care about Long Tian's words and actions. At most, they were just putting on a show, taking advantage of the moment to privately communicate through mental transmissions.

Among them, Xiong Fen and his son were particularly skilled actors.

Their faces showed a resolute expression of heroic sacrifice, but their mental transmissions were filled with laughter.

"Tsk tsk, this demon kid, his little speech is quite good. He's really like an old sow wearing a bra, one set after another."

"Well, he does have some leadership potential, but he's still a bit green."

"Father, you're absolutely right. He's just spouting nonsense and hasn't fully mobilized everyone's emotions. He clearly doesn't understand the art of internal competition. Compared to us white-hatted folks, he still has some distance to cover!"

"Haha, he's actually not bad. But the people from Shadow Island are not something the outside world can compare to!"

Their mental transmissions spread within a radius of a few meters, and the Shadow Island group maintained calm smiles.

Listening to the various remarks and feeling the passionate shouts echoing in the Ancient Corridor, Jiang Yuan and others couldn't help but feel emotional, a hint of nostalgia flashing in their eyes.

In the past few days.

They had fully recovered their cultivation. This time, they had come not only to complete their mission but also to fulfill their own desire to exterminate demons.

After resting on Shadow Island for several days, these old seniors had undergone tremendous changes in both body and mind, as well as in their understanding.

They quietly communicated through mental transmissions, their expressions calm.

"Indeed, everything is as Manager Xiong said."

"Yes, even if the esteemed masters from Shadow Island do not intervene, as long as Long Tian proceeds steadily, destroying the demon strongholds one by one will be a piece of cake."

"Of course, with Master Lu and the others backing us up, there shouldn't be any major problems. Let that demon kid enjoy his moment of glory for a few seconds. We just need to play our part well."

"We must do our best and contribute to the best of our abilities!"

The old men spoke with increasing composure, their attitudes becoming very humble, no longer as arrogant as before.

Jiang Yuan was even more low-key and humble, nodding repeatedly as he transmitted his thoughts.

"Fellow Daoists, you are absolutely right."

"Only today have I realized how shallow we were before. If not for experiencing it firsthand, it would be hard to imagine that the demon race is just a pawn in the grand scheme."

"Shadow Island is truly a supreme place, profound and unfathomable. With our level of cultivation, we can only come to assist and contribute a little."

Just as everyone was feeling emotional.

Long Tian's passionate motivational speech had also come to an end. With a wave of his hand, he exuded an air of dominance!

"Everyone!"

"Later, we will proceed according to my plan. We will set off immediately and catch the demons off guard! Exterminating the demons is imperative!"

With that, Long Tian proudly waved his sleeve and led the group into the void.

As the Star Lord, it was only natural that he was the first to step into the void. His steady, forward-moving figure exuded the aura of a true leader, and from a distance, many cultivators felt even more respect for him.

For a moment, the starry sea echoed with the high-pitched cries of battle!

"Exterminating the demons is imperative!"

However.

The high-spirited demeanor Long Tian displayed now seemed somewhat ridiculous and naive to the Shadow Island group in the crowd. He was like a child who had been elevated beyond his station, blindly confident and unaware of the true stakes.

Fortunately, this guy was finally leading the charge into demon territory, and the grand trap was about to close. Everyone played along with the atmosphere, shouting a few words before stepping into the void one by one.

This operation was as swift as lightning, catching the demon strongholds completely off guard.

With the strong support of Shadow Island mixed in, the places they passed were naturally devastated. Not only did Long Tian watch with fervent eyes, but even the uninformed cultivators from Cloud Star couldn't help but gasp in awe.

In less than a day.

More than ten demon strongholds, large and small, had been destroyed, and tens of thousands of demons had been slaughtered!

Such casualties were unprecedented.

Soon.

The terrifying news of the battle reached the Demon Capital. In the Black Tower Demon Hall, demons gathered, whispering among themselves.

After a few moments of silence, the Demon Lord, seated high above, couldn't help but praise repeatedly.

"Good, very good."

"Long Tian is truly skilled. He managed to rally so many human experts to take action. The fact that he could do this shows that he has completely gained the trust of the humans. Now, he is truly the Star Lord of Cloud Star!"

"If my predictions are correct, the cultivator army that has taken action this time must be the strongest force the humans have. As long as we turn their plan against them and wipe out these human cultivators in one fell swoop, the entire galaxy will no longer have the strength to resist."

"Success is within our grasp!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the demons stepped forward one after another, bowing respectfully, and the sound of flattery filled the hall!

"Your Excellency is wise!"

"Who would have thought that the humans still had some decent combat power hidden away? Looking back now, Young Master Long Tian's grand plan was indeed necessary. If not for his enduring humiliation to gain the trust of the humans, we might not have been able to wipe them out so easily."

"Yes, who would have thought that Cloud Star still had some tricks up its sleeve! If we had attacked without knowing, there might have been significant casualties. Young Master Long Tian is truly far-sighted!"

"Young Master Long Tian's wisdom is truly beyond our reach. It's all thanks to Your Excellency's guidance!"

"Indeed, Your Excellency's wisdom is unparalleled throughout the ages. Not only are we far from matching it, but even Young Master Long Tian pales in comparison. Every step of the plan is within Your Excellency's expectations!"

"With Your Excellency leading us and a rising star like Young Master Long Tian, our domination of the universe is within reach!"

The demons were so excited that they bowed repeatedly, their eyes filled with admiration!

The Demon Lord, seated high above, received unprecedented respect. The dark contours of his face even showed a rare hint of satisfaction.

Hearing the thunderous cheers in the hall, he couldn't help but savor the faint joy of impending victory.

After a few moments.

The Demon Lord slowly raised his hand, signaling for silence, and then spoke in a deep voice.

"Everyone, there's no need for such formalities."

"Long Tian has performed well this time, and the cooperation of the various clans has been extremely skillful. I will not forget the merits of each of you."

"Now is the critical stage. Everyone must not let their guard down. Later, you will dispatch the elites of your respective clans to wait for those ignorant humans to arrive. We must wipe them out in one fell swoop. As for the Demon Capital's vicinity, there is no need to deploy heavy defenses today. We will simply wait for Long Tian to lead them into our trap!"

"This is a strategy often used by humans: inviting the enemy into the trap. Today, we will use their own tactics against them!"

"In the upcoming battle, our elite forces will lie in wait. Whether in terms of strength or numbers, we far surpass the mere humans. We already hold an absolute advantage. Our rule over this galaxy begins today!"

The demons bowed in unison, their eyes filled with confidence!

"Your Excellency is wise!"

At this moment.

Whether it was the scheming clan leaders or the sinister high priests, all were completely convinced by the Demon Lord's profound wisdom. As they solemnly prepared for battle, their hearts began to envision the glorious future of ruling the universe.

As for the mere cultivators of Cloud Star, they were nothing but a group of ants walking into a trap.

Before the battle had even begun, the demons were already confident of victory!

As the Demon Lord's orders were issued, the entire Demon Capital began to bustle with activity. Deep within the darkness, various auras concealed themselves, creating a calm that was like the stillness before a storm.

Meanwhile.

In the outer space of a subsidiary star, the cultivators had achieved another great victory. As they surveyed the battlefield, hearty laughter echoed through the starry sky filled with floating flesh and blood.

Among the crowd, the Shadow Island group remained completely calm, skillfully and silently collecting demon corpses. They were already accustomed to such scenes.

Occasionally, to play along with the atmosphere, they would exclaim in amazement, their acting skills becoming more and more polished.

Not far away.

Long Tian stood with his hands behind his back, overlooking the battlefield. Although his expression showed little emotion, his heart was already boiling with excitement, and he couldn't help but marvel inwardly.

So strong.

His current subordinates were unexpectedly powerful.

In one swift move, they had swept through nearly twenty demon strongholds. With such formidable combat power, even if they faced the elite forces of the demon race, they might still have a chance of winning.

Perhaps they could even attack the Demon Capital!

The more he thought about it, the more excited he became. Long Tian was already itching to take action. After a series of great victories, his confidence had begun to swell.

Behind him, the Star God Guards had been accompanying him the entire time. Naturally, they noticed the subtle changes in his expression. In terms of cultivation, they might not be the strongest, but when it came to reading people, these old-timers were top-notch.

Long Tian's little glances clearly showed that he was getting carried away.

They exchanged knowing looks and promptly stepped forward to bow.

"So far, the army has not suffered a single defeat, all thanks to Your Excellency's leadership!"

"With Your Excellency's strategic planning, exterminating the demons will be a piece of cake!"

"It is our honor to follow Your Excellency in this lifetime!"

After a few such remarks, Long Tian couldn't help but smile, his face turning slightly red.

"Not at all, not at all."

"Everyone has fought bravely. How can all the credit go to me alone?"

Although he spoke modestly, his face was already flushed with pride.

Seeing many cultivators turn their attention to him, Long Tian felt even more elated. He straightened his back and issued a commanding order in a deep, domineering voice!

"Everyone!"

"Today, our fighting spirit is at its peak. Let us press our advantage and strike straight at the Demon Capital! I will lead you in a surprise attack, and the demons will be caught off guard. Victory is within our grasp!"

With that, Long Tian decisively opened a void.

The excited cultivators, as if injected with adrenaline, roared through the starry sea. Everyone had already been driven to a frenzy by the bloodshed and followed without hesitation, charging into the void!

When the cultivator army emerged from the void.

They were faced with a chaotic, dark place. A hundred-foot-high black walled city came into view, shrouded in cold, dark clouds with no trace of sunlight. The scene was hazy and eerie, exuding an indescribable sense of gloom.

Faced with such a sight, even the most battle-hardened cultivators were momentarily stunned, their expressions turning hesitant.

Only Long Tian stood with his hands behind his back, gazing into the distance with an even fiercer fighting spirit in his eyes.

The Demon Capital.

I, Long Tian, have returned!

Today, I will lead my forces to cleanse this land of evil with the blood of the entire demon race, quelling the anger in my heart and seizing this opportunity to ascend to the pinnacle of glory!

Just as he clenched his fist, preparing to issue a grand command.

Suddenly!

Master Lu and others, who had been hiding in the crowd, stepped forward steadily, preempting him with a smile as they clasped their fists and spoke.

"Thank you, Star Lord, for leading the way."

"From now on, leave everything to us. You may step back!"

The soft words struck Long Tian like a thunderbolt.

As he pondered the deeper meaning behind the words and turned to see Master Lu's faint smile, he didn't even have time to feel embarrassed about being upstaged. A sense of foreboding surged in his heart, and his expression changed slightly.

"You..."

"What do you mean by this!"