Swift reactions sprang into motion the moment they realized the truth. More and more details suddenly seemed incongruous as soon as they dwelled on analysis.

In particular, Lionheart and Grimhead’s behavior just before death was entirely uncharacteristic and far below their normal level.

“Someone interfered with their movement in that instant, that I’m sure of. That’s how they died!” Oakhead bellowed with fury.

Ironclad couldn’t yet ascertain the truth of Fei Yao’s death from Oakhead’s words, so he insisted, “Oakhead, as demons, we never let insults go unpunished, so answer me, did you kill Commander Fei Yao or not?”

“Bullshit, what Commander Fei Yao? That didn’t have anything to do with us!” The innocent Oakhead naturally didn’t want to be a scapegoat.

Had it truly been a ploy? Ironclad was still unwilling to let the matter go. “But that way of shattering the body and eat the heart, isn’t that a technique common to your tribe?”

“Idiot, imbecile!! Can’t techniques can be imitated?” Oakhead fumed. The monster demons had come baying for blood for this simple reason?? “If I’d killed that kind of small fry, do you think I would’ve left his corpse behind to give you such an obvious clue? Am I that stupid??” 

The light flickering in Ironclad’s eyes bore witness to his inner conflict.

Deep down, he’d already begun to realize he might’ve misunderstood the titan demons. Obviously, the latter had come to steal a part of Flora’s resources, but to kill a commander so publicly? Such an outrageous act was completely unnecessary!

In that case, what on earth was going on?

A ghastly scream nearby suddenly cut through his hesitation. Increasing numbers of demons in their vicinity started stumbling and staggering haphazardly.

All around them, a spontaneous golden tide crashed their way. The tide surged forward from every direction. Under the sun’s glare, it shone a magnificent golden, shedding brilliant and uncanny rays as it engulfed the area like a tsunami and submerged countless demons.

“Oh no, those are rats! It’s a horde of spirit beasts!” Oakhead shouted. His heart sank as he understood the nature of the phenomena.

The sight also chilled Ironclad’s heart. He saw countless golden rats converge into a golden ocean.

Hungry and insatiable, the rats unrelentingly swallowed his troops and tribe.

Demons were a very sturdy race, yet they were inexorably sliced and diced by the tide of Goldbiter Rats to end up as food in their stomachs.

They tried to resist, of course. They struggled for dear life.

But the difference in numbers was simply too great. The demons killed all rats coming within reach, and killed them again, but the unending swarm was too much to bear. The enemy kept surging forward, immediately filling the empty space created by their dead kin, rushing forward again and again in never-ending waves, as if there was a limitless supply of them.

Even the top demon heavyweights were chilled to the bone by the sight.

Oakhead stood ashen as he watched the rats harvest his tribesmen’s lives, their enormous frames dragged to the ground by tiny rats.

They became food as soon as they toppled over. Not even the bones were spared. Even a forefather like him felt his hairs stand on end at such a blood-curling scene.

“Stop fighting, children! Take to the air and flee into the sky. Don’t get bogged down on the ground!” he transmitted via consciousness to his beleaguered troops.

However, when besieged by Goldbiter Rats, to break away was easier said than done.

Everyone knew fleeing into the sky was the best solution. Unfortunately, the rats filled the entire surroundings, leaving no room for retreat. To break away was an uphill battle, and more importantly, some had already tried this method, but the rats’ perception was too keen. 

Before the demons could fully take to the sky, the rats would throw themselves into the air to cut off their foes’ path of escape.

“Damn it, what the hell is up with these rats? Did Flora raise so many of them?” A shiver ran down Ironclad’s spine.

Oakhead snorted coldly. Not lowering his guard for a single moment, he exclaimed, “You idiot, can you see now you’ve been toyed with?”

Ironclad had, in fact, long since understood this fact, but he merely hadn’t wanted to admit it aloud.

“Oakhead, if not for your tribe’s shameless intrusion, Flora would’ve already been ours! We could’ve used the sacred land to expand our forces. Instead, we’ve been mired here for so long, and now we’re being slaughtered by this bunch of stinking rats!” Ironclad complained bitterly.

“Hmph, isn’t it a little late to complain about that? Can’t you tell the enemy is trying to bury us alive?” Oakhead’s voice was a low, grim rumble.

“Who can it be? Who in Myriad Abyss Island can toy with you and me?” A name suddenly appeared in Ironclad’s mind. “There’s a new figure among the humans, a kid called Jiang Chen. They say he’s dealt great damage to the golden demons.”

Jiang Chen!

Like a curse, the two characters flashed across the forefathers’ minds.

Oakhead took a deep breath and suddenly howled at the sky, “Jiang Chen, this forefather knows you’re the hidden mastermind. If you’re truly a human genius, you should have the guts to come out and fight in the open. Skulking around, always using petty tricks, that’s the attitude of a coward!”

Gone were his doubts. He was now almost positive Jiang Chen was the mastermind.

The young lord’s serene laughter sounded from the sky. “Well now, Forefather Oakhead, aren’t you the quick-witted one? But it’s too late in any case.”

“Hmph, sure enough, it’s you.” Oakhead sneered. “Humans truly have no worthy successors. Is their pillar a kid still wet behind the ears? Jiang Chen, you should’ve quietly holed up in the human domain. Coming to Myriad Abyss Island will spell your own doom!”

Like the scorching sun, a golden ball of illumination dawned in the sky. Jiang Chen’s imposing figure emerged amongst the clouds.

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