Both Zi Jing and Yu Zhen walked forward, leaving the fortress and kneeling in front of the tree.


    "We humbly greet the spirit of the Nuwa n!"


    Cupping their fists, they both spoke out to the n. Following them, the soldiers of the fortress knelt down on one knee and repeated the greeting.


    Both Ming Yue and Xuan Yin walked up as well, cupping their fists and bowing.


    "Please, there is no need to bow. you can all stand up."


    The spirit replied with a kindly voice before taking on a darker tone.


    "I''m afraid that this is all the help that we can provide. While the Nuwa n can help stave them off, it is only temporary.. We do not have the capability of destroying them, not until the tree blooms. And that will time and energy, not even your ring will hasten your process by much", she said.


    Themanders lowered their heads once more.


    "This is already enough, soon reinforcements wille", they replied.


    "No that will not be enough, the Hundun n cannot be destroyed through ordinary means. But now that both sides are here, this ce will soon be a battlefield of untold magnitude. Please prepare well."


    "Of course!"


    They then turned back and sent out orders to everyone.


    "Fully stock on all resources! Medicine and equipment! I don''t want to hear anything about low stocks!"


    "We need patrols around the Nuwa n! If they need anything, do it!"


    "Tower crews should switch every twelve hours! No matter what, keep watch of that mountain and those clouds! Any strange movement is to be reported to me directly! Got it!"


    "Yes,manders!"


    Everyone saluted before running off to their posts.


    This was just the first taste of what was toe. Days passed as the Cerulean Fortress continued its bustling. Ships soon arrived with supplies and soldiers from the other bases, adding to the fortress''s manpower.


    The atmosphere was heavy and no one was in the mood to crack jokes.


    What did crack was the ck and white lightninging from the Hundun n, striking at the fortress. It was like a clock, ticking away, a reminder that they were still there, waiting to strike back. But with the Nuwa n, the spirit of the tree kept them at bay and the barriers stood strong against it.


    This brief but erratic peace soon ended as an army approached from the east. An army of demons, led by Shi Hou.


    They marched through thend, heading straight for the Hundun n''s mountain. Some rode on beasts while most walked. Among them was arge white coffin that several demons carried over their shoulders.


    Shi Hou walked with his broken horns and his single arm, heading straight for the Hundun n.


    Those at the towers of the Cerulean Fortress spotted them quite easily, informing bothmanders as quickly as possible. They quickly climbed the main tower, watching from afar.


    "Are they joining together to attack us?" Yu Zhen muttered.


    "They''re already in an alliance so something else is happening. But that coffin, that must contain Kong Zhi''s body. Du Xiu couldn''t kill him but perhaps he sumbed to his injuries."


    Zi Jing took a closer look at the marching force, finding this a bit strange.


    "Why are they bringing him around? Rather, why are they bringing Kong Zhi to the Hundun n?"


    Neither of them knew the reason nor would they have guessed it in the slightest. But while they kept their eyes on Shi Hou and the others, this army of demons soon reached the base of the mountains.


    Stopping at the front, the Roaring King knelt down and lowered his head, ced his arm over his chest.


    "Shi Hou greets the Hundun n."


    Once he spoke, the air hummed with power as several balls of lightning descended down, floating in front of him.


    "Speak, what do you and your armies want?"


    Unlike before, their voices were not as distorted, calmer, and more controlled. At the same time, their tone was harsh and unfriendly. After all, their own ns had been impeded by the Nuwa. Joyful would be thest thing they''d be.


    Still, no one thought ill of their tone.


    This n was a force to be reckoned with, powerful enough to destroy the continent if the opportunity arises.


    Shi Hou looked up before standing to face these little sprites. Through the bright sparks, he could make out their silhouette, small bodies that were thin and the opposite of the fairies.


    "We have learned about the loss of your Idol of Chaos and believed it to be best to help you", he said.


    "Help? We of the Hundun do not ept help from such lower beings! Are you ridiculing us? Are you ridiculing the Idol of Chaos?!"


    Their voices rose up sharply, a trace of anger could be heard in their words. Shi Hou was not deterred nor did he grow scared from their sudden tone.


    "No, of course not. But you''re without your Idol of Chaos, would you be able to take down those humans? The ones who dared to take the Idol away from you?" he replied.


    "Then what are you doing here, demon?" they asked.


    "We came to offer something."


    "An offering? How intriguing? What sort of offering are you making to the Idol of Chaos?"


    Shi Hou then turned towards the coffin that carried his master. Looking at it, he felt all of the hesitation wash over him.


    "This is... the..."


    The Roaring King struggled to say it, to call Kong Zhi an offering, a sacrifice. His voice trembled as he tried to speak but he couldn''t bear to do it. Even though he had epted Shiji Wu''s proposal, even if he knew that this would be the right choice, it was difficult to go through with it.


    "This is what we offer to you, a new body to hold the Idol of Chaos."


    Seeing the hesitation, Shiji Wu stepped forward to say it. And once he said it, Shi Hou''s body rxed, revealing a somewhat somber and defeated aura. His shoulders were slumped over as he looked down at the ground, unable to look at Kong Zhi''s coffin.


    "It is here in this coffin, the former body of our leader, Kong Zhi. Perhaps he will be more appropriate to host the Idol of Chaos."


    The Shiji n leader continued to speak with a friendly tone, even smiling as he did so. Inwardly, he knew that his n wasing along smoothly. All that he needed was for the Hundun n to ept it.


    "An offering? This?"


    The balls of lightning flew towards the coffin, knocking the lid off to reveal Kong Zhi, dressed and asleep. But even as his chest rose up and down, he was motionless.


    Shi Hou watched as it urred, he looked as they examined the body of his lord. Everyone waited in anticipation, wanting to know what their reaction would be.


    "Hmm, this..."


    The Hundun n was quiet, buzzing about around Kong Zhi''s body.


    "This offering of yours... we will ept it. It will be the Idol of Chaos, the host of our Primordial Energy. It will be stronger!"


    With those words, the little balls of lightning flew down and grabbed Kong Zhi''s body, lifting the demon out of the coffin.


    "We thank you for this offering! We will destroy the humans soon enough!"


    Just like that, Kong Zhi was taken into the mountains as everyone watched it happen.


    Shi Hou looked for just a moment before looking away. His remaining hand turned to a closed fist as he knew that it was done. He could not do a thing to stop it. Shiji Wu turned to him and put a hand on his shoulder.


    "For Kong Zhi, this was the right thing to do", he said, trying tofort Shi Hou.


    The demon looked at him and sighed.


    "For the lord."