Night fell quietly over the land.
Outside the Demon Exorcism Pass, deep within demon territory, flames suddenly rose into the sky. The demon camp's granaries burned fiercely, firelight dyeing the darkness a blazing red.
Bai Lingxuan and Qu Wu moved like shadows, perfectly coordinated. Their target was the eastern granary.
The other two teams handled the remaining depots—
Yun Xianglu with Cong Xuan to the west,
Lan Tingnan with Yu Yan to the north.
The six split into three pairs, each carrying out their task with ruthless efficiency.
Once the granaries were set ablaze, Bai Lingxuan and Qu Wu exchanged a brief glance. Without hesitation, they concealed their auras and retreated silently into the darkness.
Half an hour later, the entire team regrouped ten kilometers away from the demon camp.
"So fast,"
Qu Wu brushed dust from her clothes, her voice calm.
"This will delay the demon army's advance on Exorcism Pass by quite a bit."
That was precisely their goal.
The Demon Clan's autumn offensive was only a month or two away. Destroying the food supply would cripple the demon army's logistics, buying precious time for the defenders at Exorcism Pass—and saving countless human lives.
"Yes," Yu Yan said evenly.
"We'll buy as much time as possible for the garrison."
The chill in his eyes faded. That sharp killing intent was reserved for enemies alone. In front of his teammates, his expression softened.
"Amazing!"
Cong Xuan grinned.
"With their granaries burned, many demons won't even make it to the battlefield. That means fewer casualties for our people."
This plan had been conceived on the spot—but it was a meaningful contribution nonetheless.
Human interests were shared. Every small victory mattered.
"We'll rest for half an hour," Lan Tingnan said, her blue eyes reflecting the distant flames.
"Eat something, then move out."
Hatred toward the demon race was etched into their bones.
Six thousand years of war had left scars too deep to fade. Even now, despite recent advantages, humanity was still at a disadvantage.
The reason was simple.
For demons of the Sun, Moon, and Star bloodlines, what humans called a lifetime goal was merely their starting point.
The gap was cruel.
"Alright."
Bai Lingxuan took out fresh meat and clean water from her spatial ring.
The six gathered around a small campfire. Flames crackled softly as Bai Lingxuan began grilling.
Among them all, she was unquestionably the best cook.
Ten minutes later, the aroma of roasted meat filled the air.
Everyone's eyes lit up.
"Lingxuan, you're incredible," Qu Wu said honestly.
"Your cooking just keeps getting better."
Lan Tingnan sighed with heartfelt admiration.
"I wonder which lucky man will marry you in the future. Eating meat you grill feels like life is complete."
Bai Lingxuan smiled shyly.
"It's just simple grilling. You're exaggerating."
"I can teach you if you want."
They burst into laughter.
"No need," Qu Wu said, twirling her dagger lightly.
"These hands are only good for killing demons."
Her eyes shone with fierce resolve.
"But they protect the human race."
"Hehe."
Bai Lingxuan smiled gently.
"You charge ahead. I'll handle everything behind you, so you don't have to worry."
"That's perfect!"
Yun Xianglu laughed, teasing,
"Sister Lingxuan is so considerate. Whoever marries you will be incredibly lucky."
Bai Lingxuan's cheeks flushed faintly.
---
Far away, deep within the Demon Emperor's Palace, Feng Xiu slowly opened his eyes.
A trace of crimson flickered within his black pupils.
For several days now, he had been plagued by dreams.
In those dreams, there was a woman whose face he could not see—only a vague silhouette. Yet every time, his heart ached unbearably.
He wanted to see her.
That longing unsettled him.
The higher one's cultivation, the more sensitive one became to fate, dreams, and premonitions. Feng Xiu could not dismiss this as mere fantasy.
"Why would I… dream of such things?"
The Demon God Emperor frowned.
He had dreamed of her repeatedly.
And in those dreams, he was completely out of control.
That disturbed him.
Two massive black dragons lay coiled beneath his dark-gold throne. Their crimson eyes slowly opened, scanning the hall with cold vigilance.
Feng Xiu reached out, resting a hand on one dragon's head. His eyes shifted to a deep, icy blue.
He had never seen her face.
But in his dreams, he always called her name with unmistakable affection.
"…Lingxuan."
The name was utterly unfamiliar.
Yet it lingered in his heart.
"This is too strange."
Feng Xiu lowered his gaze.
He disliked that version of himself—the one who could be shaken by something unseen.
---
Meanwhile, Bai Lingxuan's team traveled for an entire day and night before arriving at Centaur Territory, within the province controlled by the Centaur Demon Race.
They disguised themselves as half-human, half-demon and infiltrated Grand Centaur City.
All six concealed themselves beneath cloaks. Using special potions, they transformed their auras to match those of demons, ensuring they wouldn't be detected.
To avoid suspicion, they kept to narrow streets and shadowed corners.
Centaurs were demons with the upper bodies of humans and the lower bodies of horses—fast, aggressive, and commonly used as patrol troops and city guards.
"Proceed carefully,"
Yu Yan murmured, his senses fully alert.
Qu Wu acknowledged softly.
Bai Lingxuan stayed close to the assassin, protected on all sides. Among them, the priest had the weakest combat survivability.
Even with healing magic, priests were still fragile on the battlefield.
"I'm watching her," Yun Xianglu said quietly.
Suddenly—
More than a dozen Centaurs appeared on the wide street ahead, black spears in hand. Their eyes gleamed with murderous intent.
"Search!"
The leading Centaur barked, his voice echoing through the street.
The air instantly grew tense.
---
(End of Chapter 5)