A boundless mountain range stood, peaks piercing the sky, mountains majestic and imposing.
It was night, a bright moon hung in the sky, casting a blood-red radiance upon the land. All things were bathed in a crimson glow, lending an eerie, chilling atmosphere.
This was the Demon Realm, vastly different from the Xuanling Realm. Even the moon here was red.
In the distance, colossal demon wolves howled at the moon, while vast black shadows flitted across the sky.
Deep within the darkness, glowing green lights flickered everywhere, the eyes of unknown demonic beasts shining.
Atop a high mountain peak, a teleportation gate, dormant for over ten thousand years, once again bloomed with ethereal light.
Then, a human emerged from within.
Nearby demonic beasts sensed this, their eyes instantly lighting up, saliva dripping from their jaws.
"Demon God above.
Is this the dinner bestowed upon us, knowing we are hungry?"
They growled, charging forward, vying for this heaven-sent prey.
Moments later, these demonic beasts, terrified, turned and fled, scrambling away in panic.
This was because behind the human, a dense, black horde of powerful demonic beasts, numbering tens of thousands, surged out like a flowing river.
If they didn't escape now, they themselves would become dinner.
"Is this the Demon Realm? How can I stop the demon race from invading the Xuanling Realm?"
The human looked around curiously, murmuring to himself.
This person was none other than Ji Hanhan.
Ji Mo scratched his head, unable to think of a good plan for the moment. He didn't believe that tens of thousands of demon beasts alone could guard the demon gate and prevent the demon army from entering the Xuanling Realm.
He had to find other solutions.
"Know yourself and know your enemy, and you can win a hundred battles. I know nothing of the Demon Realm, so I'll first try to understand its situation before making any plans."
Ji Mo made up his mind and led the demon beast horde away swiftly.
The teleportation gate's brilliant light and significant commotion would surely attract demons to investigate. To avoid any unforeseen circumstances, it was best to leave the area first.
Not long after, the proprietress and the Primordial Soul Devouring Toad also appeared.
"Finally home."
The proprietress stretched her graceful figure, gazing at the red moon in the sky with a sigh.
Having been away for ten thousand years, she wondered how her father, the Emperor, was doing now, and if he missed her.
Simultaneously, the proprietress shed her disguise, reverting to her true form.
Her skin was even whiter, crystal clear like fine white jade. Her pupils dilated, the whites of her eyes diminishing, and her irises shone like black pearls.
Symmetrical demonic patterns appeared on her smooth cheeks, and her entire being exuded the noble aura of royal blood.
Compared to before, her former charming demeanor was considerably restrained, replaced by a cool, ethereal beauty that was even more captivating.
The proprietress whispered, "Before Mr. Ji goes on a killing spree, we must rush back to the palace and try to arrange a peace talk between His Majesty and Mr. Ji."
The Primordial Soul Devouring Toad, returning to its homeland, showed no joy, its expression deeply somber.
It opened its mouth, as if to speak but hesitated.
This was because it had inadvertently overheard from the Dark Night Priest that a great upheaval had occurred in the Demon Realm, and the regime might have changed.
Although the Dark Night Priest was also trapped in the Xuanling Realm, he was proficient in the art of the先天八卦 (Xiantian Bagua), and his words were unlikely to be baseless; he must have divined something.
"Princess, you must be mentally prepared. Ten thousand years have passed, and perhaps... many unexpected things have happened."
The Primordial Soul Devouring Toad finally spoke, reminding the proprietress.
While in the Xuanling Realm, it had kept this from her, fearing she would worry.
The proprietress, with her keen intellect, immediately sensed something was amiss, her expression changing drastically. "Did something happen to my father?"
Her heart filled with anxiety. She transformed into a streak of light and flew into the distance, eager to ascertain the truth of the matter as quickly as possible.
A little while later.
The Dark Night Priest, legs trembling, walked in a splayed stance, also sneaking out of the teleportation gate.
Its face was extremely grim, as it still felt pain in its crotch while moving. The backlash from having previously cursed Ji Mo with a voodoo doll had not subsided, and no amount of medicine could alleviate it.
Every step it took was a great torment.
Its resentment towards Ji Mo had reached an unbearable level. Gritting its teeth, it snarled, "You surnamed Ji, you've arrived in the Demon Realm, and you think I can't do anything to you? Just wait, I'll find people and kill you, you bastard."
The Dark Night Priest also fled the scene quickly, intending to gather allies to surround and eliminate Ji Mo, seeking revenge.
Ji Mo, leading the demon beast horde, continued forward, planning to find a place to settle down and then make further plans.
The demonic energy in the air surged, converging towards him.
The Heavenly Demon Mark on his collarbone began to warm, generating a mysterious power that slightly altered Ji Mo's demeanor.
His features became more defined, his eyes sparkled like stars, and a faint demonic pattern appeared on his brow.
Ji Mo's appearance had undergone a noticeable change, taking on a demonic aura.
The Iron Eater watched this scene curiously, its eyes filled with confusion.
The aura of a Demon God?
No, this cook still possessed human characteristics, with no connection to demons whatsoever.
It was truly strange, how could a human body bear the Heavenly Demon Mark?
In the end, the Iron Eater gave up thinking about it. Human or not, as long as he didn't forget to roast meat for it in the future.
It directly hugged Ji Mo's trouser leg again, whining.
In the Iron Eater's eyes, Ji Mo was its reliable source of food.
As long as it had food and drink, it would follow him.
If it wasn't given meat, then it didn't care who it was.
"What do you want to eat? Go catch it yourself, and I'll roast it for you."
Ji Mo, unable to do anything about this little glutton, stopped in a valley, telling the Iron Eater to hunt and letting the demon beasts forage nearby.
The Iron Eater had been waiting for these words and immediately rushed into the distant wilderness.
Soon, the area was in chaos, like a pot had exploded, with various demonic beasts and raptors fleeing in panic.
Ji Mo stroked his chin, his eyes lighting up.
The demonic beast resources here were incredibly abundant. Could he perhaps raise a demon beast army?
If he had a million, or even tens of millions, of demon beasts, could he sweep through everything?
But then, he dismissed the idea.
Demonic beasts had astonishing appetites, and he couldn't possibly feed so many. Even the tens of thousands of demon beasts with him now had devoured almost everything they encountered along the way.
If the numbers were greater, feeding them would be an insurmountable problem. If these demon beasts weren't fed enough, they might even start fighting amongst themselves in their hunger.
Ji Mo sighed, "I am ultimately too poor."
If there was a way to solve the supply issue, he might truly be able to stir up a storm in the Demon Realm.
However, there was also good news.
He could finally achieve barbecue freedom. Everywhere he looked was wild game, as much as he wanted.
Not long after, the Iron Eater dragged back several massive demonic beasts.
There were pheasants with vibrant feathers, crowned heads, and nine tail feathers, as well as black pythons as thick as buckets, with scales larger than a palm...
The most powerful demonic beasts in that wild mountain forest had been wiped out in one go.
"Damn it, who dares to kill my demon pets!"
Thousands of miles away, a deafening roar erupted from a cave dwelling, the sound waves immense, causing several nearby mountain peaks to explode.
A terrifying existence awoke from its seclusion.