My Misfortune Crushed Instances

Arrow Spear Village is the name of this place, home to nearly a thousand members of the Demon Race. There are many similar settlements across the Mire Marsh, most of which are exclusive, but this place is relatively more approachable.

".....Chairman Hu took some people from Group 09 and left, along with some Extraordinary ones from chaotic lands."

After Yu Xin explained the general situation, Li Rui also understood it.

The Demon Race nearby initially didn’t allow outsiders to approach. Then a group of people spent several days, trying to persuade them with kind words, helping treat the sick among the Demon Race, and even clearing nearby predators, until they finally got temporarily accepted by the outsiders.

Now, to further gain favor, Hu Neng promised to clear out a location infested with the Undead, which might be a small source of loot, but the main goal was to make Arrow Spear Village more amiable.

Li Rui asked, "Why do we have to deal with these fellows? If enticing doesn’t work, can’t we intimidate?"

Yu Xin snorted, "No way, most of the loot is in the marshlands behind. We bypassed that place, and it’s all full of miasma and highly adhesive swamps. One careless step and you’ll get swallowed."

"According to them, only the locals know safe routes, so if we want to collect more loot, we need to increase our favorability and make them act as guides."

Li Rui thought that this situation was indeed difficult to handle.

"What are the main types of enemies?"

"The Undead, I suppose."

Li Rui pondered for a while, "So, the terrain factors don’t affect the Undead, right?"

"It shouldn’t affect them."

Li Rui had an idea and asked, "I heard there’s an Inch of Glowing Stone here, did you guys receive any information about it?"

Yu Xin was forthcoming: "A small demon, who’s somewhat familiar with us, secretly told us that deep in the marsh used to be the territory of the Demon Race."

"There were once some Holy Artifacts there. Based on their description, we concluded they were some equipment or enhancement materials, one of which was the Inch of Glowing Stone. But they won’t take us there, and there isn’t more information."

Li Rui curled his lip, "They themselves can’t handle the Undead in the marsh, right?"

"How do you know?"

"If they could handle it, would they let the Undead occupy their homeland?"

Li Rui said, "Anyway, right now, our goal is to increase favorability and seek out the Undead, right?"

"Yes."

"Go contact the village elder here; I want to talk to him," Li Rui said.

Knowing Li Rui’s prowess, Yu Xin didn’t argue and promptly went to make contact, but returned shortly with an ashen face.

"He won’t see us. I’m so mad, if not for Chairman Hu telling me not to, I’d tear down his house and see if he still refuses to see us."

Honestly, Li Rui had the same idea, but he knew that Hu Neng, being the top of Group 09 and the highest-ranking person below the command level, and also an old veteran, didn’t want to offend him.

"Perhaps we should wait for them to return and figure out a way," Yu Xin said. "Chairman Hu worked hard to get this opportunity. They will definitely accomplish it. Once these Demon Race members see their abilities, they’ll naturally become friendly."

Li Rui remained noncommittal, rubbing his chin in contemplation, then said, "You mentioned earlier there was a small demon who was rather friendly towards us, right?"

.....

Ba Yan was a young member of the Demon Race who grew up in Arrow Spear Village, with the talent of a Demon Cultivator, caught in an awkward phase.

In terms of age and skill, he wasn’t yet at the level to go out and fight enemies with adult members of the Demon Race, but his premature maturity left him uninterested in playing with the snotty-nosed kids in the village.

As a young demon, he wasn’t particularly xenophobic and didn’t understand why the elders were so wary of interacting with outsiders. On the contrary, he admired those recent outsiders who came to the village.

Both he and other Demon Race members were well aware of the strong power of those calling themselves the Human Race. He could even tell that some uncles and elders thought that given their friendliness, they should leverage their strength to reclaim their former territory.

It’s just that in the village, and indeed among all the Demon Race settlements near the Mire Marsh, the elders’ words held sway, so even if some wanted harmonious relations with the outsiders, they didn’t dare express it.

Swoosh!

The spear sliced through the air.

He could only practice the family-inherited Demon Cultivation Technique over and over again.

But after just a few movements with the weapon, he dejectedly stabbed it into the ground.

"Without experiencing real combat, what can training achieve?"

He plopped down on a nearby stone, reminiscing about the outsider he saw in the afternoon and the move that shattered the earth.

As the image in his mind gradually overlapped with reality, his heart clenched sharply. In the not-too-distant distance, a figure had appeared, and he couldn’t even pinpoint when it happened.

It’s him!

Ba Yan felt a mix of excitement and fear.

He never expected to see the other person in the middle of the village, where outsiders were not allowed.

"You don’t seem very happy."

Li Rui spoke, having shared the Demon Race’s language system of the Mire Marsh with Yu Xin.

"I, I..."

Looking at his face, Ba Yan unexpectedly felt a twinge of fear within his heart. He could scream and attract the nearby clansmen, but for some reason, he didn’t.

"You want to participate in real combat, right?"

Li Rui smiled and said, "You think we outsiders possess great strength, something you desire."

Ba Yan remained silent. Of course, he wanted it, but he didn’t know if he should be honest.

Li Rui said, "If, and I do mean if you could act as my guide, I could let you personally fight against those Undead."

Ba Yan’s head shot up, "Are you serious?"

"Of course, and I’ll ensure your safety," Li Rui said.

The young Demon Race member wasn’t concerned about safety; he just wanted genuine combat.

Li Rui, on the other hand, was unconcerned, as he could indeed ensure his safety.

"I... I know a path leading to the marsh, but..."

"You just need to answer whether you are willing or not; I won’t force you."

Li Rui looked at him quietly and waited for an answer.

A quarter of an hour later, Ba Yan was hoisted by Li Rui along a small path around Arrow Spear Village, reaching the outskirts of the settlement.

Ba Yan didn’t even realize how it happened, only feeling an incredible speed and utter silence, as the two of them went unseen by others during their journey.

He didn’t have time to reflect on what had just happened because he was completely captivated by the sight of those ghostly soldiers, entwined with Evil Qi and deathly aura, before him.

These ghostly troops were orderly and disciplined, leaving an impression of being formidable. He had seen similar scenes in the largest tribe nearby, and perhaps these ghostly soldiers were even more powerful.

Yet the little Monkey Demon beneath their feet looked somewhat out of place.

Li Rui instructed him to stay put, then approached and asked, "Where is the Giant Warrior?"

Yuan Erliang howled a few times, and a massive shadow emerged from behind, with Yu Xin already on his shoulder.

Li Rui said, "We have a guide now. Get ready to set off, mount up."

Swoosh——

All the Undead under Ju Ye summoned their warhorses from the void and mounted almost simultaneously.

Li Rui hoisted the captivated Ba Yan onto the back basket of the Giant Warrior, bypassing Arrow Spear Village, and charged into the mist.