"Summon the monsters," the White Tiger Demon King commanded calmly.


    "Yes, Great White Tiger King," replied a monster leader, pulling out a horn from his waist. This horn was no ordinary item; it was a unique magical artifact.


    "Whooooo—"


    A deep and resonant sound erupted from the horn, amplified by demonic energy, swiftly spreading across the mountain peaks and throughout the vast expanse of Cangya Mountain.


    Cangya Mountain, the largest mountain in Guangling County, was home to a multitude of monsters, numbering over a thousand. As the horn''s sound echoed across the region, monsters from all corners—whether they were resting, feasting on human flesh, or toying with captive human women—stopped their actions and turned toward the source of the horn''s call.


    "The Water God commands us. When the horn sounds, we must gather to assist."


    "Let’s go."


    "Hurry up."


    The horn, wielded by the chief leader of Cangya Mountain, had the power to summon all its monsters.


    Some creatures leapt through the dense forests, others—avian demons—unfurled their wings and soared into the skies, and a select few burrowed underground, moving with astounding speed.


    In no time, the monsters from all the peaks and caves of Cangya Mountain employed their various means to converge at the source of the horn''s sound.


    At the Foot of Cangya Mountain.


    A large contingent of humans was marching steadily forward.


    "Hmm?" The governor of the county lifted the curtain of his carriage window, his ears catching the faint yet ominous sound of the horn.


    The low, reverberating notes of the horn sent shivers down the spines of those who heard it, raising goosebumps.


    "It’s the horn of Cangya Mountain," said Fang, the chief commander, with a grave expression. "When the horn is blown, all the monsters of Cangya Mountain are summoned to battle. It seems the fight has already begun."


    "The entire mountain''s worth of monsters..."


    The governor shook his head lightly.


    Wen Chong quickly interjected, "Commander Fang, is there any way we can help them?"


    "No," Fang replied decisively. "Our elite guard may be formidable on open ground, where we can form military formations and use crossbows to slaughter the monsters en masse. But once we step into the forest, where formations are impossible, the monsters would surround and slaughter us in moments. Our guard force would be annihilated before we could achieve anything."


    "Even the weakest monsters possess the strength of the tenth level of Qi Refinement," Fang sighed.


    The six hundred elite guards comprised mostly soldiers at the fifth or sixth level of Qi Refinement, with a few reaching the seventh or eighth levels. There were even several who had opened the gates to immortality.


    However, monsters—each comparable to cultivators at the peak of the tenth level of Qi Refinement—were a far greater threat. Even someone like Jia Huairen, who had trained longer and wielded magical artifacts, could barely hold his own against a few monsters.


    "Moreover, they number over a thousand. Some can burrow underground, others can fly, and some can turn invisible. Their array of abilities is vast," Fang shook his head. "Entering the forest is a death sentence. Only large-scale formations and heavy crossbow fire can handle them."


    "We can only wait," the governor said, gazing at the towering mountains before him, their peaks shrouded in clouds.


    Elsewhere，Misty Lake Canyon.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Qin Yun and Yi Xiao''s expressions turned grim as they heard the horn.


    Qin Yun quickly transmitted his thoughts, "That’s the horn of Cangya Mountain. Once it sounds, every monster in the mountain must gather. There could be over a thousand."


    "I’ve done my research," Yi Xiao said with a serious expression. "A single monster isn’t much, but we humans are physically weaker. Even an ordinary monster’s attack could be fatal. A hundred monsters are terrifying enough, and a thousand would be impossible to fend off if we were surrounded."


    "Though their numbers are daunting, they’ll take time to arrive. For now, the immediate threat is this Tiger Demon," Qin Yun said, his tone cautious. "This Tiger Demon is a powerful creature from Heifeng Ridge in Zhenshan County. He commands three thousand minions and possesses a magical artifact called the ''Wind Thunder Stones.'' He has nine of them, each deadly enough to crush even a seasoned cultivator instantly. Be on guard—he’ll likely use them against you soon."


    "Understood," Yi Xiao replied. She had only faced three of the Wind Thunder Stones earlier, and nine would significantly escalate the danger.


    "The Wind Thunder Stones are just one of his many tools," Qin Yun warned. "As the saying goes, ‘Dragons ride the clouds; tigers summon the wind.’ Every Tiger Demon excels in controlling the wind, and this White Tiger Demon King is no exception. With his mastery of wind, he can soar into the skies. Even in combat, his speed far surpasses that of most innate demons. To my knowledge, even the Water God is only half as fast as him. I’ll do my best to hold him off, but his speed makes it difficult. Stay alert."


    Yi Xiao nodded, her face tense.


    The White Tiger Demon King stood tall, retrieving the nine Wind Thunder Stones with a wave of his hand.


    As the horn fell silent, he issued his command, "Kill the fleeing man and beast first. As for these two soft-skinned humans, I’ll deal with them myself."


    "Yes, Great White Tiger King!"


    "Kill them!"


    "Kill the two escapees!"


    The monsters howled and roared, scattering to hunt down Jia Huairen and his old servant, Qian Shu.


    In another part of the canyon, Qin Yun and Yi Xiao faced a single opponent—an enemy far more fearsome than the hundred monsters chasing Jia Huairen.


    The White Tiger Demon King sneered, his voice rumbling like thunder, "A sword practitioner of the Sword Immortal lineage, and a Five Elements Lightning Technique user. Both of you are disciples of your human race’s top sects. What a delightful surprise to encounter such esteemed opponents here in this backwater mountain! Killing you two will be a grand achievement."


    He grinned maliciously. "Are you ready to die?"


    His form began to shift, growing larger and more fearsome.


    His clothes tore apart as he transformed into a monstrous figure over two zhang tall, covered in white fur. His head was that of a tiger, his limbs bulging with muscles, thicker than the columns of a grand temple. His legs were so massive that a human couldn’t wrap their arms around them, and the walls of nearby buildings barely reached his knees. A whirlwind of black wind swirled around him, an aura of raw power and menace.


    Stretching out his massive arms, two gigantic axes flew into his hands, carried by a gust of wind. Each axe was a zhang long, and in his enormous hands, they seemed perfectly proportioned.


    The White Tiger Demon King’s golden eyes gleamed with killing intent as he locked onto Qin Yun and Yi Xiao. "Disciples of top human sects? Killing you will be a joy!"


    At that moment, he cast aside all thoughts of the spiritual fruit.


    The White Tiger Great Demon only wanted to kill these elite disciples of humanity''s top sects!


    He took a step forward.


    Boom!


    The air was torn apart!


    His figure moved like a meteor streaking through the sky.


    "Clouds follow the dragon, wind follows the tiger!" The White Tiger Great Demon charged forward, with black winds howling. With just one step, he leaped dozens of meters, and in merely three steps, he had closed the distance to Qin Yun and Yi Xiao. His speed surpassed Qin Yun''s "Swift Movement Talisman" by two or three times. While the distant demons were still rushing toward Jia Huairen and his servant, the White Tiger Great Demon had already arrived in front of Qin Yun and Yi Xiao.


    "Too fast!" Yi Xiao''s usually calm face revealed a trace of astonishment. This speed was terrifying. She barely managed to evade and reflexively unleashed her Five Elements Divine Lightning in retaliation.


    Qin Yun, however, remained rooted to his spot.


    He had anticipated the White Tiger Great Demon''s speed, but experiencing it firsthand still sent a chill down his spine. It was overwhelming! At this speed, escaping was impossible—he simply couldn''t outrun him. If the White Tiger Great Demon chose, he could even take to the skies, making it even easier to pursue him. Thus, there was no choice but to confront him head-on.


    Boom!


    The Five Elements Divine Lightning struck the White Tiger Great Demon. While many of his white hairs turned charred and blackened, he paid no heed to the attack. Instead, his face twisted into an even more ferocious grin, his golden eyes radiating murderous intent.


    Qin Yun''s left hand gripped the hilt of his sword while his right hand rested on the scabbard. His legs shifted slightly, adopting a combat stance with one foot forward and the other back.


    Yi Xiao, retreating quickly, was shocked at his stance and sent him a mental message: "You can''t face him head-on!"


    But Qin Yun stood motionless, calmly awaiting the moment.


    "Die!" The White Tiger Great Demon charged forward. His massive body, like a small mountain, bore down upon them. The gigantic axe in his hand, larger than an average house, descended in a ferocious slash.


    Qin Yun raised his head, watching the descending axe. His eyes remained unblinking, meticulously tracking every movement and trajectory of the weapon.


    Clang!


    In an instant, Qin Yun surged forward. He drew his sword, and a flash of dazzling swordlight lit up the scene!