The horse hooves crushed the forest floor as the carved oak carriage sped along.
The interior was lined with soft velvet carpets, but they could not dispel the unease in Bai Li’s heart.
Outside the window, the trees receded at a rapid pace.
His mind was a mess, tangled with countless thoughts that he could not unravel.
He was calculating his every move; once he reached the Blood Tribe camp, how should he use reason and emotion to persuade Baining to withdraw her troops?
On the battlefield, there were flashes of swords, shadows of blades, and the destruction of lives; usually, such things were irreversible.
However, he was far away in the Dream Demon Kingdom and knew nothing of the situation at the front.
To what extent had the confrontation between humans and the Demon Race reached?
How many casualties had the Blood Tribe soldiers under Baining’s command suffered?
Everything was an unknown, and this lingering worry weighed heavily on his heart like a massive stone.
In the silence that was almost suffocating, Ziya, who was sitting beside him, furrowed her brow.
After hesitating repeatedly, she timidly broke the silence and spoke softly, “Father… I suddenly remembered something, but I don’t know if I should say it.”
Bai Li slowly retracted his gaze from the window and turned to look at his well-behaved daughter.
The anxiety in his eyes faded slightly, replaced by a touch of gentleness.
He asked quietly, “What is it? If you have something to say, just say it.”
“We are heading straight for the Blood Tribe, but Sister is already in the middle of a war. Should I also organize my soldiers to lend her a hand?”
Ziya blinked her clear eyes, her tone carrying a bit of naive seriousness, completely unaware of the cruelty and danger of war.
Hearing this, Bai Li gently shook his head.
His tone was firm yet tender as he reached out to rub the top of Ziya’s head.
“That is why I insisted on coming alone. My greatest wish is to bring this meaningless war to an end and restore peace and prosperity to the world. We must not remain obstinate and cause more casualties.”
“The Demon Race is naturally gifted, and the combat power of the Blood Tribe is far superior to that of ordinary humans. If Baining is willing to lay down her arms, this war will naturally subside in an instant, preventing countless lives from being displaced or destroyed.”
Ziya bit her lower lip and lowered her small head slightly.
“That may be true… but I always feel that the war is already deeply rooted. It certainly won’t be easy to turn the tide with just a few words. It’s probably quite difficult to persuade Sister Baining since she’s so set on her ways, right?”
“Mm…”
Bai Li responded heavily, saying no more.
How could he not know that every word Ziya said was reasonable?
As the former Chief Magic Instructor who had once dominated the Human Continent, and now finding himself in the middle of a dispute in his capacity as a father to the Demon Race, he was accustomed to the gore and stench of the battlefield.
He had insight into the intrigue of power struggles and knew better than anyone how terrifying the momentum of war could be.
To want one side to take the initiative to withdraw was no different from an idiotic dream; it was more difficult than climbing to the heavens.
But even if the road ahead was full of thorns and hope was slim, he was unwilling to sit idly by.
He had to take a chance and do his best.
He could never understand why the Demon Race and humans could not set aside their past grievances and coexist in peace.
Both possessed intelligence, both experienced joy and sorrow, and both had people and homes they wanted to protect.
This world was vast and boundless, with majestic mountains and rivers; there were still countless undiscovered secret realms, resources, and fertile lands for survival.
They could each fulfill their duties, work together, and develop steadily.
Why did they have to face each other with weapons, kill one another, and fight until both sides were ruined and bloodied?
It was just like the modern society he had once lived in.
Even if there were differences and frictions between nations, they mostly used economic exchanges and diplomatic mediation to resolve conflicts, doing their utmost to avoid armed clashes and protect the overall peace.
Why did the creatures of this Other World have to be trapped in the dead end of ‘friend or foe,’ repeatedly acting out the tragedy of war?
An indescribable sense of powerlessness welled up in his heart, as if this continent was controlled by an invisible hand, governed by the unbreakable Laws of Fate: humans and the Demon Race were born to be opposites, and the Fate of the Hero dictated that he must defeat the Demon King.
It was a cycle that repeated endlessly, and no one could escape it.
Bai Li shook his head helplessly in his heart, mocking himself for being too naive and unrealistic.
But even if there was only a one in 10,000 chance, he had to rush to the front and try to pull Baining back.
This was both his responsibility as a father and the final obsession with peace in his heart.
—
The carriage continued to travel as fast as the wind, carrying a load of expectations and resolve as it sped toward the smoke-filled Blood Tribe without stopping for a moment.
Meanwhile, thousands of miles away on the Blood Tribe’s battle lines, the situation had already fallen into a stalemate.
As the front line continued to stretch, supplies became increasingly difficult.
The veteran Generals under the Blood Tribe’s command repeatedly simulated the battle situation and analyzed the pros and cons, submitting one detailed military report after another.
The final conclusion was always the same: with the current troop strength and supplies, it was a fantasy to expect a swift and overwhelming conquest of human territory.
Inside the strategic display hall of the Blood Tribe camp, candles flickered.
A massive sand table of the territory sat in the center, filled with flags representing the state of the battle.
The atmosphere was so heavy it was suffocating.
Baining paced back and forth in the hall with her hands behind her back, her eyes full of irritation and conflict.
What made her even more distracted and overwhelmed was not the stalemate at the front, but a secret report that an intelligence officer had just delivered via fast horse.
Within the borders of the Dream Demon Kingdom, a prominent noble carriage had quietly departed.
It bypassed all checkpoints and was racing toward the Blood Tribe camp without pause. Almost without thinking, Baining guessed the identity of the visitor.
Her head immediately began to ache, and she could not help but support her forehead with a light sigh.
She did not even need to think to know it must be that little girl, Ziya.
With her loose tongue, she couldn’t keep a secret.
She must have accidentally leaked news of the war, letting Father learn the truth, which caused him to rush over in a hurry, hoping to painstakingly persuade her to withdraw and stop the war.
“What a headache…”
Baining rubbed her temples, a helpless, bitter smile appearing on her face.
She had to admit that in raising an army to attack the humans this time, she had indeed acted too hastily.
But she hadn’t acted out of impulse or a temporary whim; it was a decision made after careful consideration and out of necessity.
The Laws of Fate favored humans over the Demon Race; once the Hero descended, it would be a disaster for them.
When the Hero arrived with the mission to slay demons and eliminate evil, they would definitely be slaughtered without mercy.
During the last time a Hero brought chaos to the world, if Father had not unexpectedly protected the Royal Bloodline of the Dragon Race and the Blood Tribe, the Demon Race would have lost its inheritance long ago.
They would have been devastated and unable to recuperate and make a comeback in a mere ten years.
But luck would not strike every time.
The power of a new Hero was always stronger than the last.
If they waited for the other side to take the initiative and attack, the Demon Race would likely be wiped out in one fell swoop.
Even if they managed to survive by some fluke, it would take hundreds of years of recuperation to regain their vitality.
For the survival and continuation of the entire Demon Race, and for the sake of the daughters who had now become part of the Demon Race and were truly connected to her by blood, she had no choice.
She had to strike first, cutting off the human threat before the new Hero had fully matured to secure long-term peace and stability for the Demon Race.
Thinking of this, Baining felt both angry and annoyed.
She couldn’t help but secretly complain about the Demon Dragon King, Longjiu.
“That dead Longjiu had slain the current Hero, causing a massive mess, yet she still wanted to keep Father all to herself… “
Now, the two of them were at odds, maintaining only a facade of harmony.
Baining couldn’t bring herself to lower her pride and ask for help, but the war had hit a stalemate, leaving her in a dilemma.
With Father insisting on coming to stop her, she was truly besieged on all sides and caught in a difficult position.
Just as she was weighed down by her sorrows, a flash of inspiration suddenly struck her mind!
A plan formed, and a bold and brilliant idea emerged. It seemed she had found the key to breaking the deadlock, one that could perfectly resolve the current predicament.
“However… if this strategy was to be implemented, she feared it would wrong her gentle and kind old father.”
A hint of craftiness and guilt flashed in Baining’s eyes, but she did not hesitate for a second.
She immediately strode to the sandalwood desk and spread out a piece of yellowed parchment.
Picking up a quill, her nib moved swiftly as she wrote down a secret letter in a flowing script.
After finishing, she did not choose a common messenger pigeon for fear of news leaking or complications.
Instead, she took a deep breath and channeled the surging Blood Tribe Magic Power within her.
Ignoring the immense consumption, she activated High-level Teleportation Magic, wrapping the parchment in a light purple glow of magic power.
It traveled 1,000 miles in an instant, being sent out silently.
At the bottom of the letter was the name she had signed personally.
In the recipient column, three characters were clearly written — Sister Longjiu.
The candlelight flickered gently, reflecting Baining’s determined and slightly mischievous face.
By now, she had made up her mind.
Even though she knew her old father was traveling 1,000 miles to painstakingly persuade her, she would not easily give up on the plan she had been plotting for so long.
She still intended to go her own way and continue to deal with the humans to the end.
Only this time, she would no longer be fighting alone.
She had pulled in that Dragon Queen, who also doted on Father and held a grudge against her, to together set a warm yet hilarious chess game centered around Bai Li.