Chapter Eleven: The Public Trial (Part I)

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The ancient trees lining both sides of the road towered incredibly high. Shi Jun estimated that each one was several hundred meters tall. Despite flapping his wings vigorously, he could only reach the height of the tree trunks’ midsections, which left him feeling quite disheartened. He thought to himself that if he could transform into an eagle or some other high-flying creature, perhaps he could soar above the Weeping Tree Forest and see what lay within.

After flying for about ten minutes, Shi Jun vaguely noticed a dazzling green light flickering on the canopy ahead. As he drew closer, he realized that in the heart of the forest lay a vast clearing encircled by a gigantic circular green barrier. The monsters approached the barrier but did not linger; instead, they strode in one after another, vanishing without a trace. From outside, it was impossible to see what was happening inside the barrier.

“General Huang, why can’t we transform into higher-level monsters?” Shi Jun could no longer hold back.

“No, we can’t. The creatures in the demon realm are quite sensitive. Since we don’t possess any demonic power, if we transform into too powerful a monster, they’ll notice right away. Only by becoming low-level minor beasts can we avoid detection,” Huang explained.

“I see,” Shi Jun suddenly understood.

“Ah Jun, once you’re inside, don’t act rashly. If our identities are exposed, there’s no way we’ll escape. Today, the demon realm is truly swarming with monsters!” Huang warned.

What a rare spectacle—how could Shi Jun miss it? Thinking this, he plunged headfirst through the green barrier.

Indeed, the barrier was a protective spell. In the center stood a massive tree trunk, astonishingly the size of a basketball court. Shi Jun wondered how many years it must have taken for a tree to grow so thick.

At the base of the trunk was a large, tightly closed door. The trunk was dotted with numerous circular holes resembling windows, and at the top was a vast platform where shadows flickered.

Looking around, the enclosure was filled with countless demons, all chattering and speculating about the purpose of the Lion Horn Tribe’s public trial gathering.

Frogs seemed to hold very low status and weak cultivation, so they were not allowed near the tree trunk. Shi Jun saw a small building pressed closely to the trunk and envied it. Secretly grumbling about the frogs, he greeted Huang Sha and, ignoring his soft protests, quietly descended to the ground. With his tail swaying left and right to support his body, he slid forward like a snake, planning to sneak ahead unnoticed and watch the commotion.

“Ah!” Suddenly, someone stepped heavily on his tail. Shi Jun winced in pain, gritted his teeth, and a gentle force swept him off his feet, tossing him backward.

A young man dressed in white lowered his head and grinned, “Little water beast, this isn’t your place. Go to the back.”

Shi Jun feigned obedience but secretly seethed. Thinking quickly, he slipped under a rhinoceros’s belly, hoping to sneak past unnoticed. Just as he felt smug, a cold tentacle grabbed him and flung him backward again. His head spun from the impact, and he couldn’t see who had attacked him.

Better to behave and watch from behind quietly. If anything happened, it would be easier to slip away, he comforted himself.

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“Ah Jun! Ah Jun!” Huang Sha’s voice suddenly came to his ear.

“What now?” Shi Jun felt a surge of irritation at the soft, alluring tone.

“Look!” Huang Sha had somehow squeezed beside him. Following her gaze, Shi Jun saw that at the top of the tall tree trunk, nine men and one woman had slowly gathered—a total of ten people. Each was striking in appearance and graceful in demeanor, likely the finest “monsters” of the Lion Horn Tribe.

Shi Jun paid special attention to a man in his forties standing among them. Beneath his crimson cloak, he wore black battle armor. Tall and broad-shouldered, his long gray hair fell to his waist. On both cheeks, embedded right in the center, were small, diamond-like glimmers. His nose was sharp, eyes deep-set, and his face deathly pale, devoid of blood color. His teeth were white, slender, and sharp, perfectly aligned. Occasionally, a flash in his eyes revealed a blade-like killing intent—cold and merciless. Shi Jun couldn’t help but think of a vampire duke from a foreign film.

“That one in the middle is Letu, the chief of the Lion Horn Tribe. He’s one of the outstanding monsters in the demon realm,” Huang Sha whispered.

“Is that considered outstanding? You’re way stronger than him!” Shi Jun joked but inwardly felt that Letu indeed seemed a formidable and hidden power.

“Oh, you’re so bad!” Huang Sha laughed softly, nearly dropping the frog hanging from her neck. “Ah Jun, do you really think so?”

Immediately regretting his words, Shi Jun stammered, “Um… by the way, who is that woman?”

Huang Sha, still caught up in excitement, looked carefully for a moment before replying, “I don’t know. She seems to be the leader of one of the great clans; otherwise, she wouldn’t be allowed up there. Look, all those standing with Letu are chiefs of the major tribes in the demon realm.”

“Is that so?” Curious, Shi Jun examined the woman closely. Her skin was whiter than snow, her beauty captivating. Her large, watery eyes were enchanting, and her radiant red hair complemented her black long dress, highlighting her graceful figure. Around her neck was a fluffy white fur collar. She smiled gently—though not as naturally alluring as Mei Jue, she was still immensely charming and enchanting. Shi Jun glanced once and was almost certain she was a fox spirit in disguise.

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Letu, seeing that most of the demons around the tree trunk had gathered, whispered briefly to the woman beside him. Then he strode forward with a faintly sinister smile on his pale face. Calmly, he said, “Thank you all for coming from afar. Our Lion Horn Tribe has encountered two major events, which is why we sent the signal to convene this council. Some of you may have already heard about the first—” At this point, a dark shadow crossed Letu’s face. “The treasure of the Weeping Tree’s crying witch Nisu is about to be reopened!”

Though Letu’s voice was not loud, it sounded as if made of metal, sharp and piercing, causing Shi Jun great discomfort as he listened.

“Heavens! The Nisu treasure!” The demons exchanged glances and murmured excitedly.

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A surge of excitement, greed, and fear rippled through the crowd. Standing beside Shi Jun was a giant gray-white mustached serpent demon who let out an exclamation. Its blood-red tongue quivered, and its two ringed eyes darted about, appearing peculiarly strange.

Shi Jun wrinkled his brow at the serpent’s indescribable fishy, pungent odor and poked Huang Sha with his wing, asking, “What’s going on?”

Huang Sha looked as puzzled as he did. “Nisu? That name sounds familiar, but I can’t recall. Ah Jun, don’t rush me—let me think carefully before I tell you.”

“Treasure, treasure…” The monsters whispered everywhere, the word “treasure” echoing all around. Shi Jun stretched his neck, eager to hear what the nearby demons were discussing, when Letu’s voice rang out from above. Though soft and low, it clearly drowned out all other sounds within the barrier.

“You all know that once the Weeping Tree sheds tears, Nisu’s treasure will be unlocked. The problem is, what follows will undoubtedly be a great cataclysm in our demon realm. In this calamity, countless lives will perish, and no one knows who will be fortunate enough to obtain Nisu’s treasure and finally put an end to this curse that has lasted for thousands of years.”

Letu spoke slowly but with an unchanging expression and steady tone. The demons either nodded thoughtfully or whispered among themselves, their faces tinged with excitement.

“Um… Lord Jigua, what exactly is this treasure? Where is it?” Shi Jun noticed Jigua sitting dumbfounded on Huang Sha’s neck, panting heavily. His belly swelled and contracted, his round eyes blinking rapidly, saliva dripping as if he were starving and longing for mosquitoes and flies. Shi Jun hesitated to disturb him but finally whispered the question.

Unexpectedly, Jigua muttered off-topic, “Treasure… heh heh, if I could get the treasure—no, if I could obtain Nisu’s soul, wouldn’t the demon realm be mine?”

“Hmph, what a pipe dream!” A huge, gleaming white crystal beside Huang Sha said in a muffled voice. “You? Don’t make me laugh!”

“Am I that bad?” Jigua retorted indignantly, leaping down from Huang Sha’s neck, puffing out his chest and belly. “I’ve cultivated for over two hundred years. Besides, this kind of thing depends on luck. Maybe I’m lucky!”

Behind him, a sturdy-looking elk spoke gently, “It’s not just luck but also strength. Though those here are leaders in the demon realm, their cultivation can’t compare to the great demons or demon spirits. With them around, our chances are slim, so don’t get your hopes up!”

“Hmph, Sang’er doesn’t think so.” A snow-white, stout squirrel sitting on the elk shook its head. “Brother, if we each mobilize our clans and search together, maybe there really is something?”

The more Shi Jun listened, the more curious he became, barely noticing the speakers on the high platform. Instead, he studied the little demons around him with growing interest.