Fantasy: After transmigrating, I effortlessly became a god.

Chapter 446 The Demon Clan's Trap

The night was as black as ink, deep and cold. A howling wind swept across the mountain ridge, as if the air itself had solidified into sharp blades, slicing through every inch of exposed skin. In this desolate land, a group of warriors—the Yuren, the Flame Leopards, and the Shadow Serpents—moved silently, their goal aligned: to transport vital supplies to the Star Chess Fortress in preparation for the impending battle.

At the very front of the procession stood Lie Yi, the leader of the Flame Leopard Clan, like a walking flame. His eyes gleamed with a fiery light, as if they could see through all the secrets of the darkness. He wore a fiery red armor engraved with intricate runes, which seemed to come alive with each step he took, emitting a faint warmth to ward off the night's chill.

Beside him, a thin, pale-faced human youth followed tremblingly. He was a disciple of the Demon Radiance Sect named Zhang Yi.

Zhang Yi was filled with fear and unease. He knew he was on a path of no return, but in order to survive and to rise above others in the Demon Radiance Sect, he had no choice but to betray his race and collude with the demon race.

The Demon Radiance Sect's influence in the Fifty Kingdoms was squeezed and suppressed by the Southern Region forces, ultimately forcing them to withdraw. Furthermore, the sect leader, Night Owl's, two sons were killed by Zheng Qian, a grudge neither the sect leader nor the entire sect forgot. This is why Night Owl sent his personal disciple to collude with Lie Yi, spreading rumors of transporting supplies, waiting for the Iron Blood Conquest Alliance to take the bait.

Night Owl had established numerous forces within the Ghost Wind Rift, thus gaining full knowledge of Zheng Qian's every move. Tonight, a chasm had been dug for Zheng Qian and the other geniuses of the Southern Region, intended to bury them all within the Ghost Wind Rift.

Night Owl could relinquish control of fifty kingdoms, but he would also slaughter the prodigies of the five major powers in the Southern Region, avenging his two sons while also taking their lives with him.

Zhang Yi was Night Owl's last disciple, a truly closed-door disciple, so no one in the entire Southern Region, except for members of the Demon Radiance Sect, knew Zhang Yi. Night Owl had placed a restriction in Zhang Yi's mind; if Zhang Yi dared to utter even half a word about the Demon Radiance Sect, he would self-destruct. Sending Zhang Yi out, even if it failed, would not result in any loss.

Even losing a disciple wouldn't cause Night Owl a second's pain in order to avenge his two sons.

"Sir, are we really going to deliver these provisions to the designated location?" Zhang Yi's voice trembled slightly as he tried to distract himself from his fear by asking the question.

Working with the demon race meant he could be killed at any moment, and it was also a grave crime of betraying the human race. How could he not be terrified?

Lie Yi glanced at him sideways, a disdainful smile playing on his lips: "What? Scared? Hmph, since you've chosen this path, there's no turning back. Remember, your life is now in my hands. Behave yourself, and you might live a few more days."

Zhang Yi lowered his head, not daring to look Lie Yi in the eye. He secretly regretted accepting the mission to collude with the demon race, only to find that he was nothing more than a pawn being used. But it was too late now, so he could only grit his teeth and continue on.

“My lord, I heard that Zheng Qian and the people of the Iron-Blooded Conquest Alliance all have third-grade magic weapons. Could it be that they…” Zhang Yi was interrupted by Lie Yi before he could finish speaking.

"Hmph, those ants, I've already laid a trap for them. This time, I'll make sure they never leave alive!" A ruthless glint flashed in Lie Yi's eyes. He wasn't afraid of the Iron Blood Conquest Alliance intercepting their supplies; he was afraid they wouldn't come. Therefore, they had already laid numerous ambushes, just waiting for them to take the bait.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yi was even more shocked. He knew the strength of Zheng Qian and the Iron-Blooded Conquest Alliance. They were among the best in the Southern Region. If what Lie Yi said was true, wouldn't he also be drawn into this terrifying massacre?

“My lord, I…I can…” Zhang Yi’s words were interrupted by Lie Yi again, this time with impatience in his tone.

"No? You have no choice but to follow me. If you dare to have any thoughts of betrayal, I guarantee you will suffer more than death." Lie Yi's voice was deep and powerful, each word striking Zhang Yi's heart like a heavy hammer.

Zhang Yi sighed helplessly. He knew he was now in a bind and had no choice but to grit his teeth and continue forward. He silently prayed that Zheng Qian and the Iron-Blooded Conquest Alliance wouldn't actually show up, or at least leave him a way out.

The Demon Radiance Sect is ruthless, and Zhang Yi walks on thin ice within its walls. He carefully considered accepting the mission to collude with the demon race, hoping to gain the sect leader, Night Owl's, approval and obtain more cultivation resources. However, after connecting with Lie Yi, he discovered a harsh reality: Lie Yi looked down on him, given his mere Liquid Aperture Realm cultivation; he could become Lie Yi's food at any moment.

Zhang Yi was filled with regret.

However, fate seemed unwilling to let him off so easily. Just as he was praying in his heart, figures emerged from the darkness, none other than the members of the Iron-Blooded Conquest Alliance led by Li Ming.

"Haha, they've finally arrived!" Lie Yi laughed inwardly, but outwardly he appeared extremely terrified and shouted, "You actually knew our route and schedule for transporting supplies? Who told you that?"

Li Ming frowned, not answering Lie Yi. He looked at Zhang Yi and asked coldly, "This fellow Daoist looks very familiar?"

Zhang Yi's face was gloomy, and his voice was icy: "I grew up in the territory of the demon race since I was a child, so how can you say I look familiar?"

Lie Yi immediately confirmed the connection: "Li Ming, this Zhang Yi didn't grow up in the demon race's territory. He came to Xingqi Fortress two days ago and told me a lot of information, including information about the Southern Region."

Li Ming made no attempt to conceal his killing intent, and his voice seemed to come from the depths of hell: "No matter who you are, if you betray the human race, I, Li Ming, will kill you."

Zhang Yi was filled with fear; Li Ming was truly the number one young talent in the Southern Domain. However, to bolster his courage, he still laughed loudly: "Haha, with the warriors of the three clans here, you think you can take me on?"

However, at that moment, something unexpected happened. Lie Yi suddenly attacked, biting Zhang Yi's neck and lifting him up.

"You traitor to your race, you are not worthy to be my companion!" Lie Yi's voice echoed in the night sky, his eyes filled with anger and disgust.

The Flame Leopard Clan is a resolute and united race. There is no infighting or betrayal within their clan. Therefore, after using Zhang Yi, Lie Yi killed him.

Zhang Yi's eyes widened; he couldn't believe what he was seeing. He tried to struggle, but Lie Yi's sharp teeth were already deeply embedded in his carotid artery, and blood gushed out, staining his clothes red.

"No...no..." Zhang Yi uttered a weak cry, but his voice quickly faded. In the end, Zhang Yi's body slumped down, becoming an insignificant sacrifice in this battle.

Li Ming's face darkened further. When Zhang Yi struggled earlier, demonic energy flashed across his body; it was the "Netherworld Technique," one of the three pseudo-divine-level techniques of the Demon Radiance Sect. In other words, Zhang Yi was a member of the Demon Radiance Sect.

"Heh heh." Lie Yi sneered and asked, "Li Ming, tonight your Iron Blood Conquest Alliance will become our food, just like Zhang Yi."

Without wasting any words, Li Ming drew the fire spear from his back and hurled it with a whoosh.

"Lie Yi, die."

……

Pan Jiu's promise to protect Yun Youzi finally relieved Zheng Qian's anxiety.

"Zheng Qian, why are you here all alone?" Zhao Mingxiu's voice suddenly rang out. Surrounded by a group of people, he arrived at the city wall.

Zheng Qian smiled slightly, his eyes gleaming with wisdom: "The night is indeed enchanting. I came here specifically to enjoy the breeze and the tranquility and beauty." His words revealed a calm and unhurried attitude. Since Zhao Mingxiu knew nothing about the battle of the pseudo-god realm tonight, he naturally wouldn't say anything more to avoid causing any trouble.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Mingxiu took a deep breath, and the Light Soul Technique within his body seemed to be activated, instantly enveloping his entire body in a thin layer of mist. As the aroma of strong liquor dissipated in the air, his intoxication gradually dissipated, and his mind returned to clarity.

"I just heard some news, are you interested in hearing it?" Zhao Mingxiu's eyes held a hint of cunning, as if he wanted to test Zheng Qian's reaction. He deliberately winked and made faces, trying to create an atmosphere of mystery.

However, Zheng Qian remained unmoved, his eyes still calm as still water: "Oh? What news could make Brother Mingxiu so excited? But since you are willing to share, I am naturally all ears."

Zhao Mingxiu chuckled and whispered, "I heard that a batch of grain is being transported to Xingqi Fortress, and this batch of grain came from Tianwu Cliff, and the route goes through Meila Mountain. Although I don't know the specific details yet, I can say for sure that tonight is destined to be an extraordinary night."

Mount Mela is a steep mountain range in the Wind Rift Valley, where the winds are biting cold. Neither the human nor the demon race has stationed troops there. It is a mountain range that both sides have contested, but neither has been able to capture and defend it because the supply lines are too inconvenient. The supplies for Star Chess Fortress are indeed transferred from Tianwu Cliff, and Mount Mela is indeed a necessary route.

The three races' supplies were repeatedly intercepted by the humans here. Later, they resorted to using spatial rings, with pseudo-god level experts transporting the supplies. There were also prodigies below the pseudo-god level transporting supplies to hone their skills. However, absolute secrecy was maintained, making it very difficult for the humans to obtain information.

Just as Zhao Mingxiu said, tonight is an extraordinary night. The Pseudo-God Realm experts are all fighting in the starry sky, making it a perfect opportunity for the demon race to transport supplies.

However, Zheng Qian's first thought wasn't to seize supplies and gain military merit. His immediate reaction was that this was a trap.

“Brother Mingxiu, tonight is your day to receive the Glory Certificate and achieve merit, so you should celebrate properly. As for the matter of the demon race's food supplies, don't worry about it. After tonight, we will have plenty of time to make achievements.” Zheng Qian did not want to cause any more trouble, so he would not agree to anyone from the Iron Blood Conquest Alliance cutting off the food supplies.

Zhao Mingxiu took out the Glory Medal from his pocket, breathed on it, wiped it clean, and smiled with delight, saying, "Zheng Qian, can you show me your Glory Medal?"

The Certificate of Glory and the Certificate of Radiance differ by only one character, but they represent a whole level of honor. The Certificate of Glory is the highest honor, with the words "Guardian God of War" and Zheng Qian's name engraved on the back. Zhao Mingxiu's, on the other hand, has the Certificate of Radiance, which only contains the four characters "Certificate of Radiance."

Although the Medal of Radiance is also one of the highest honor levels, it is a level lower in significance compared to the Medal of Glorious Glory.

Zhao Mingxiu looked at Zheng Qian's Glory Medal very carefully. Then he turned it over to the back, where the words "Guardian God of War Zheng Qian" were engraved, his eyes filled with hope.

"I came to the Wind Rift to return your greatsword and elixirs; that was my primary purpose in coming here. My father is here to inspect our work; he has a month to spare." Zhao Mingxiu, holding the Glory of the Proof medal, continued, his eyes bright, "I also want to fight on the battlefield, but the Zhao family has its rules, and I cannot go to the battlefield to make a name for myself yet. So the day my father returns will be the day I bid farewell to the Ironblood Conquest Alliance and part ways with you all."

Zheng Qian understood. Zhao Mingxiu had limited time, but he was so eager to prove himself that he wouldn't give up any opportunity to earn military merit. However, Zheng Qian wouldn't agree tonight.

“Brother Mingxiu, just as you said, tonight is destined to be an extraordinary night. If you acknowledge me as your leader, then get a good night’s sleep, do nothing, and wait to greet the dawn tomorrow.” Zheng Qian looked at Zhao Mingxiu sincerely, a calm smile on his face.

Returning the radiant certificate to Zheng Qian, Zhao Mingxiu tilted his head and said, "Zheng Qian, aren't we good brothers?"

"Yes, we are good brothers who went to the battlefield together and could entrust our backs to each other."

"Since we're good brothers, don't blame me for taking the initiative, okay?"

A chill ran down Zheng Qian's spine. He suppressed his anger and asked, "Have the members of the Iron-Blooded Conquest Alliance already set off for Mount Mela to cut off the demon race's supplies?"

Zhao Mingxiu scratched his head, looking embarrassed, and said, "Yes, I accepted this mission and have already sent them ahead of time. I came to you to tell you this good news: they will be back before dawn."

Zheng Qian was barely able to contain his anger. He looked at Zhao Minghang, who was not far away, and asked, "Lord Zhao, who are the people who participated in this operation to intercept the grain supplies?"

"Alliance Leader Zheng, Minister Zhao is in charge of coordinating this mission with me, so the only personnel participating in this mission are from the Iron-Blooded Conquest Alliance." Zhao Minghang said with a smile. These two people in front of him both had powerful backgrounds, and he didn't want to provoke them, so he could only tell the truth.

Zheng Qian felt like the sky was about to fall. He was certain that this mission was a trap set for the human race. He just hadn't expected that all the members of the Iron-Blooded Conquest Alliance would fall into it.

“Lord Zhao, go and tell everyone in the Radiant Legion and the Strategic Alliance to prevent the demon race from launching a surprise attack.” Zheng Qian walked to Zhao Minghang’s side, and the space rippled as he spoke in a voice that only the two of them could hear: “Tonight, pseudo-god realm experts are fighting in the void. Please do your best to protect Zhao Mingxiu.”

Zhao Minghang understood instantly; tonight was indeed an extraordinary night, a night with a million possibilities. He looked at Zheng Qian's serious expression and nodded silently.

"Zheng Qian, it's just a level 5 mission, why are you in such a hurry?" Zhao Mingxiu didn't understand what Zheng Qian was so anxious about.

"It's nothing. I'm going out for a stroll. I'll leave Lord Zhao with you for a while. Excuse me." After saying this, Zheng Qian's feet shimmered with starlight, and he sped off towards Mount Meila.

"Lord Zhao, what's Zheng Qian doing here?" Zhao Mingxiu looked at Zhao Minghang, very puzzled. What were the two of them up to?

"This mission might be dangerous, so Zheng Qian went to support the Iron-Blooded Conquest Alliance." Zhao Minghang didn't hide anything, and Zheng Qian hadn't asked him to hide this news either, so there was no need for him to hide it.

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go too." Zhao Mingxiu looked up but couldn't see Zheng Qian anymore.

"Okay." Zhao Minghang replied with just one word and then led Zhao Mingxiu to provide support.

Zhao Minghang was too eager to advance his career; he needed military merit to enter the Divine Court. Therefore, believing he could protect Zhao Mingxiu, he was willing to indulge Zhao Mingxiu's antics.