Title "Demon God"

Many days passed, and now the army led by Chu Wu was very close to the capital. On the other hand, the enemy inside the fortress was also prepared.

Inside the imperial palace, a middle-aged man clad in imperial robes stood before the court officials. He was the current emperor of this kingdom, and he spoke with a voice filled with concern:

"The enemy forces have drawn very near. Do any of you, my dear ministers, have any strategies?"

The ministers began to discuss heatedly among themselves, feeling that the enemy's forces were too overwhelming and that it would be best not to engage in battle. One minister suggested:

"Your Majesty, I propose that we should flee. The forest will still have trees, why worry about the lack of firewood? As long as we escape, there will be a day when we can rebuild our kingdom."

The other ministers who were greedy for life and afraid of death also continuously nodded in agreement. After all, they have a lot of money, so it's not a problem to go somewhere else to live.

Though their words seemed reasonable and seemingly carried a spirit of vengeance, in truth, they were only looking for a way to escape. If they all scattered in panic, who would be left to rebuild the kingdom?

Of course, even if the emperor was quite folly, he could understand their insincerity. He shouted angrily:

"I asked you to think of a way to confront the situation, not to find a way to flee. Anyone who dares to flee, I shall show no mercy."

The ministers trembled upon hearing this, surprised by the emperor's usual lack of resolve but stern determination today. Perhaps they had misjudged the emperor all along.

But it wasn't that they had misjudged him, the emperor too wished to flee but couldn't bear to do so. Being an emperor, revered as the supreme ruler, his status was far above others. In his eyes, his subjects were no more than ants or slaves, existing only to satisfy his vain desires.

He did not want to leave, to lose his kingdom, to lose his supreme position that forced the world to bow, to lose his power, to become an ordinary person like everyone else. To him, how could the common folk compare to him, mere fireflies daring to contend with the sun and moon?

Fortunately, within the court, there were still some ministers who thought of the country and its people. One minister said:

"Your Majesty, this kingdom is the result of our ancestors' protection and preservation through generations. How could we easily give it up? We must fight to the death. I suggest that all ministers take the lead in commanding the battle."

However, the ministers who intended to flee turned pale with fear, inwardly cursing the ancestors of the minister who had made such a suggestion.

Some could no longer hold back and spoke up:

"Your Majesty, don't do that."

"Please reconsider, Your Majesty. If those of us in leadership positions all go to battle, it might endanger our lives."

Hearing this, the emperor found their argument reasonable, he too did not want to lead the charge and risk being easily killed. At that moment, a spark of cunning lit up in his mind, and he devised a way to avoid confrontation. He said:

"You're right, the leader cannot all go to battle."

The ministers, grasping onto this statement like a lifeline, quickly praised him:

"Your Majesty is wise."

"Your Majesty is wise."

"Your Majesty is wise."

But before they could revel in their relief, the emperor continued:

"Therefore, I will not go to battle, for I am the sole leader of this kingdom. You, as high-ranking officials, should obviously sacrifice yourselves for the country and its people. How can you think of fleeing? Do you think you're unworthy of your positions?"

The ministers who wanted to flee realized then that the emperor before them had not changed at all. He remained the selfish, life-preserving character he always was.

At this point, one minister decided to take a risk. He said:

"Your Majesty, I feel I am indeed unworthy of my office. I request permission to resign and retire to my hometown."

The other ministers internally scorned him for his shamelessness. But deep down, they also harbored a glimmer of hope that if he could successfully retire, then they might do the same.

The emperor's face darkened upon hearing this request. Being of the same ilk, how could he not understand the intentions of his ministers? He feigned calm and asked:

"Are you telling me that you are unworthy of your position?"

The minister, seeing the emperor's composed demeanor, thought he might actually succeed this time. So, he boldly affirmed:

"Yes, Your Majesty. I believe I am unworthy of my current position."

Hearing this affirmation, the emperor coldly said:

"You acknowledge you are unworthy of your office, yet you dared to hold it for so many years. Guards, take this man down and execute him."

The minister immediately fell to his knees and begged for mercy:

"Your Majesty, I have realized my mistake. Please show mercy and spare my life."

The emperor knew he had to make an example, otherwise, the rest would not fear him. They would think of more ways to abandon him, so he declared:

"Huh, by admitting this, you imply that you've been toying with me for years. This crime is against the emperor, deserving of death. Any other ministers wishing to retire and return home, prepare to join this criminal."

The other ministers hastily said: 

"Your Majesty, we are ready to sacrifice ourselves for the people and the country. How could we think of retiring at such a critical time?"

"Indeed, I am willing to lead our forces against the invaders."

"Me too, I am willing to lead our troops."

Hearing this, the selfish emperor was very pleased. With so many people willing to fight, he believed there was still a chance of victory. If they lost, he could still flee, either way, he would not be at a disadvantage.

Unfortunately for him, the person intending to capture him was not within human understanding. No matter his calculations, he could never have anticipated someone like Jun Wu Xiao coming for him.

"Good, everyone be prepared. In a few days, we will go to battle. We will fight to the death to protect our kingdom." The emperor declared with a grandeur that belied his usual incompetence. His acting skills were not to be underestimated.

The righteous ministers, moved by his words for the country and its people, chorused:

"We will fight to the death to protect our kingdom."

Even the ministers who wanted to flee joined in, albeit with much weaker voices. Afraid of death, these corpulent men who knew nothing of warfare or leadership would only serve as living targets for the enemy on the battlefield.

Elsewhere, Jun Wu Xiao was seeking out Chu Wu. Upon seeing him arrive, Chu Wu asked:

"Why are you here? Weren't you happily horseback riding these past few days?"

Jun Wu Xiao laughed, admitting he had been indulging in play since it had been a long while since he last had fun. He said:

"That was indeed enjoyable, but I've already learned to ride. I've come to tell you that I want to cultivate without too many knowing my identity. Do you have a way for me to act without revealing who I am?"

Chu Wu twitched at the corner of his mouth and retorted:

"Talk about not wanting to reveal your identity. Who else would charge alone into an army of a hundred thousand and cause utter chaos?"

Jun Wu Xiao, feeling a bit embarrassed, scratched his head. It couldn't be helped, he had been a bit reckless since he was inexperienced at that time.

"Let's not dwell on that. Do you have a solution?" Jun Wu Xiao asked.

Chu Wu rummaged around as if searching for something, then after a moment, he found a black mask shaped like a demon's face and tossed it to Jun Wu Xiao.

"I happened to find this before. It looked quite nice, so I took it. Now, it's yours to use." Chu Wu said.

Jun Wu Xiao looked at the demon mask and grimaced:

"Do I look that much like a demon? Wearing this, people might as well call me a demon."

Chu Wu teased:

"Who else if not you? If you don't like 'demon', add 'god' to it, making your title 'Demon God' when you act. How does that title sound?"

Jun Wu Xiao, liking the sound of the title, put on his mask and spoke: 

"Good, from now on, call me Demon God."