Rat in Yellow Wind Ridge, rising from plundering entries

Chapter 23 Gathering Beasts, Recruiting Followers, and Gaining a Haul of Entries!

Heavenly Gang and Earthly Fiend Transformations… they became entries? And they could be fused with corresponding entries?

That means I can hunt demons with matching entries and plunder them!

Yellow Wind King was thrilled. The outside world was not like Mount Fangcun. There, spiritual energy was abundant, the mountains and rivers radiated Daoist charm, and the Bodhi Patriarch himself preached the Dao. Cultivation was rapid. But after leaving, Yellow Wind King clearly felt his progress slow down.

______

A day later, some demons silently retreated—they were used to living alone and did not wish to follow orders. Others remained watching from a distance, hesitant to draw near. Then, a horde of rat demons appeared.

“That’s the rat tribe from Thousand Cavern Mountain in the southeast.”

“Their leader is a Demon General—calls himself ‘Rat Marshal’.”

The spectating demons whispered among themselves, recognizing them. Fifteen rat demons, all fully transformed, knelt ten zhang away, led by the Rat Marshal.

“We hail from Thousand Cavern Mountain! Upon hearing that a fellow rat demon has ascended, we have come to pledge allegiance. We humbly ask the Great King to accept us!”

“We beseech the Great King to accept us!”

Yellow Wind King sniffed the air, catching an unpleasant stench.

“Wash yourselves first, then we’ll talk.”

The rat demons were overjoyed and rushed to the lake to bathe.

______

In the distant mountains, a large tiger with striped fur could no longer hold back. It leaped down the cliffs, stopping thirty zhang away, and knelt in submission.

[Species: Demon – Scarlet Tiger (5%)].

[Realm: Qi Transformation – Human Form].

[Entries: Scarlet Fire (Red), Vengeful Spirits (Blue), Wind Control (Blue), Swallow (Blue), Tiger Might (White), Minor Fortune (White)].

Soon, an old fox also arrived, introducing itself as hailing from Hundred Fox Mountain to the west.

[Species: Demon – Black Fox].

[Realm: Spirit Formation – Dao Seeking].

[Entries: Knowledgeable and Studious (Purple), Ingenious Mind (Red), Righteous Aura (Red), Master Calligrapher (Red), Talented Painter (Red), Cunning (Blue), Expert Swordsmanship (Blue), Chess Master (Blue), Formation Beginner (White), Alchemy Beginner (White)].

Yellow Wind King studied the old fox carefully. He had heard of this fox before. A thousand-year-old demon, famous throughout Yellow Wind Ridge.

Rumor had it that it once traveled East to study, later serving as the National Advisor of Flowing Sand Kingdom.  A scholar among demons. Seeing these demons approach safely, the other demons in the mountains poured out in droves—All pledging loyalty to the Great King!

_____

At the foot of Enlightenment Mountain, demons gathered—wolves, insects, tigers, leopards… numbering five hundred strong. Among them—Ten Demon Generals, Thirty to Forty Greater Demons and the rest were minor demons and untransformed spirits

Yellow Wind King knew that strength required numbers, and great warriors needed allies. But he could not accept just anyone. He stood up, gazing at the assembled demons, and spoke with authority.

“Listen well! Cultivation is not easy! If you serve under me, you must abide by three laws!”

No bullying the weak or wanton slaughter!

No deceit or betrayal!

No senseless troublemaking!

“Those who accept, stay. Those who do not—leave now! Should any return with ill intent, I will not spare them!”

Some demon generals frowned.

One stepped forward, cupping his hands.

“Great King, it is not that we do not respect you… but we are used to freedom and dislike restrictions.”

He turned and left. Several other demon generals and greater demons also bowed, then departed in a swirl of demon wind. Yellow Wind King swept his gaze over the crowd.

“I’ll give you half a day to think. If you wish to leave—go now. I will not stop you.”

Then, he sat down and closed his eyes to cultivate. Seeing that he truly didn’t stop them, many fearful demons sighed in relief and quickly fled.

______

By sunset, three hundred demons remained. Yellow Wind King accepted them all and assigned the old black fox to register names and numbers.

Half a day later, the old black fox returned.

“Great King, the registry is complete.”

Though it was a black fox, it stood upright, dressed in a Confucian robe, with a scholar’s sword at its side. A refined, erudite demeanor. Yellow Wind King flipped through the records.

Total Demons: 314

Species: Rats, foxes, tigers, deer, snakes, wolves, rhinoceroses, lions, elephants, bears…

Key Ranks Appointed.

Left Prime Minister: Old Black Fox

Right General: Rat Marshal

Commanders (Duwu): Five Demon Generals (Flower Deer Mistress, Silver Wolf General, Iron-Eating Bear, Six-Tusked Elephant, Golden Lion)

Captains: Twenty Greater Demons (Each leading ten minor demons)

______

Flags were made.

Camps were set up.

Weapons and armor were forged for the troops.

Even demons needed uniforms!

A disciplined army now stood in Yellow Wind Ridge.

Morning: Lectures on Daoism and Cultivation

Noon: Lessons in Speech and Manners

Afternoon: Combat Drills and Battle Formations

Evening: Literacy and Scholarly Studies

With Old Black Fox managing, Yellow Wind King focused on cultivation.

Practicing Heavenly Gang and Earthly Fiend Transformations

Absorbing thunder energy on stormy nights

Training lightning techniques and refining his demonic core

Secretly studying Maoshan’s Five Thunder Techniques

_____

During sparring with his generals, Yellow Wind King acquired seven new entries.

[Earth Burrow (Red)] — from Rat Marshal

[Talented Painter (Red)] — from Old Black Fox

[Fortune (Blue)] — from Flower Deer Mistress

[Moon Howl (Blue)] — from Silver Wolf General

[Sharp Fangs (Blue)] — from Iron-Eating Bear

[Titanic Strength (Purple)] — from Six-Tusked Elephant

[Wind Calling (Red)] — from Golden Lion

_____

Yellow Wind King merged multiple entries.

[Fortune (Blue)] + [Minor Fortune (White)] → [Auspicious Luck (Blue)].

[Wind Calling (Red)] boosted his Heavenly Gang Transformation

[Earth Burrow (Red)] boosted his Earthly Fiend Transformation

Both transformations leveled up to Blue (10% insight boost)!

The most powerful was [Titanic Strength (Purple)].

It resonated with.

[Moon Hunter (Purple)].

[Molten Gold Body (Purple)].

[Bronze Skin, Iron Bones (Purple)].

Fusion Upgrade Prompt Appeared!

“So that’s how I reach Gold Rank!”

He now understood.

Two Blue → One Red

Three Red → One Purple

Four Purple → One Gold!

Five Gold → ??? Divine??

The higher the entry rank, the more it transformed physique, perception, and talent.

No hesitation.

Upgrade!