Ian Song called Lana Blue and Rex Steele, the two Fusion-stage demon cultivators, aside to ask about the situation in the Second Tier of the Demon Prison.
The female demon cultivator was Lana Blue, a native blue-eagle demon who had been imprisoned in the Demon Prison for over two thousand years. The elderly demon was Rex Steele, a mutant rhinoceros whose time in the Demon Prison stretched over four thousand years—his lifespan was nearing ten thousand, and he had only a few years left to live.
According to their description, the Second Tier of the Demon Prison is divided into nine major regions. The largest is occupied by a powerful demon cultivator known as Leon the Lion King, who has reached late Fusion stage and is the undisputed ruler of the Second Tier.
The other eight regional chiefs all have to pay tribute to him, so Leon the Lion King lives quite comfortably—at least compared to the other beings trapped in the Demon Prison.
Of the eight remaining region leaders, five are demon cultivators and only three are human.
One of those chiefs has already been killed by Ian Song—that was Bruno the Bear King, the burly demon cultivator from earlier, whose true form was a black bear.
The eight chiefs have an agreement to take turns guarding the passage, rotating every three years. So, whenever cultivators from the First Tier enter the Second Tier, they end up in the hands of these eight leaders—and their fate is usually grim, becoming blood food as the chiefs call it.
The environment in the Second Tier is much better than the First—you can see grasslands, scattered vegetation, and small groves, though there’s still no ambient spiritual qi.
The Bear King had six early Fusion-stage subordinates. Lana Blue and Rex Steele had come with him to guard the passage, while the other four demon cultivators stayed behind at his lair.
"Let’s go to the Bear King’s lair!" Ian Song waved his hand, signaling Lana Blue and Rex Steele to lead the way.
"Master, moving with so many people is a bit high-profile. If the other chiefs’ people spot us, it could cause trouble!" Lana Blue said worriedly.
"No problem!"
Ian Song waved it off—he had his five Array Flags, so even a late Fusion-stage opponent wouldn’t faze him.
So, the group of more than eighty people sped toward the Bear King’s territory.
"Hey, aren’t those Lana Blue and Rex Steele, the Bear King’s subordinates? Why do they have so much blood food with them? Did the Bear King just catch a whole batch of fresh meat from the First Tier?"
In a mountain hollow, a jet-black mouse no bigger than a palm fixed its cold eyes on the fast-moving group hundreds of meters away.
"The Bear King’s luck is unreal—he actually nabbed more than eighty late Soul-Split blood food at once. I have to report this to Ricky the Rat King and get a share of the spoils."
With that thought, the jet-black mouse dove into a smooth tunnel in the mountain hollow and vanished.
After half an hour of marching, Ian Song led his group to the Bear King’s territory.
Calling it a territory was generous—it was really just a cluster of crude buildings.
Whoosh!
A dark blur flashed by—a thin, sharp-featured, yellow-robed middle-aged man with a pointed, monkey-like face and a thin mustache appeared in front of the group. His greedy gaze swept over Ian Song and the others, then he said to Lana Blue and Rex Steele, "Are these all blood food you caught? Heh heh, excellent! I haven’t had my fill in ages!"
As he spoke, his green-glowing eyes slowly swept across Ian Song’s group, making even Black Widow and the others shiver from the chill.
"Master, this guy’s true form is a yellow weasel—he’s cunning, greedy for advantage, and a total coward!"
Lana Blue introduced him to Ian Song.
Hearing Lana Blue call Ian Song ‘Master,’ Yellowhide stared suspiciously at Ian. He was clearly just an early Soul-Split kid—why would Lana Blue call him Master?
"Lana Blue, what’s the meaning of this? Where’s the Bear King?" Yellowhide grew more wary.
"The Bear King has already been slain by Master. Rex Steele and I have both submitted. Yellowhide, why aren’t you kneeling to greet Master yet?" Lana Blue shouted sternly.
Yellowhide froze, then blurted out in disbelief, "Impossible! That kid’s only early Soul-Split—how could he possibly kill the Bear King?"
"Insolent! Yellowhide, how dare you disrespect Master!"
Lana Blue’s eyes turned cold—she lunged straight at Yellowhide.
"Lana Blue, you crazy hag—what are you doing? Stop right now!" Yellowhide yelled as he tried to fend her off.
"Master, should I go help?" Rex Steele asked Ian Song quietly. His lifespan was nearly up, and every bit of cultivation used shortened it further, so he didn’t dare expend energy as recklessly as Lana Blue.
"No need." Ian Song lifted his hand slightly. From the looks of it, Lana Blue had the upper hand.
Suddenly, three figures flashed onto the scene—three more of the Bear King’s subordinates.
Rex Steele quickly introduced them: "Master, the one on the left is Whitney White, true form a white snake. In the middle is Leo Hunter, a leopard. On the right is Gavin Black, a black pig!"
"Lana Blue, Yellowhide—what are you doing? Stop it, both of you!" Leo Hunter barked sharply.
"Boss Leo, this crazy woman won’t let go—it’s not that I don’t want to stop, she just keeps biting at me!" Yellowhide wailed.
Leo Hunter frowned slightly and said in a deep voice, "Whitney White, Gavin Black—go separate them!"
"Lana Blue, stand down!" Ian Song suddenly called out.
"Yes, Master!"
Ian Song struck out with a palm, and Yellowhide took the chance to dodge and retreat to Ian Song’s side.
Seeing this, Leo Hunter and the other two demons stared suspiciously at Ian Song.
Leo Hunter spoke up, "Rex Steele, what’s going on here?"
"The Bear King is dead. Lana Blue and I have both pledged ourselves to Master." Rex Steele pointed respectfully at Ian Song.
Gavin Black burst out laughing, "Lana Blue, Rex Steele—you two have really gone backwards! Bowing to some early Soul-Split brat? You’ve disgraced us demon cultivators!" His laughter was full of scorn and mockery.
"Gavin Black, you’re begging for death!" Lana Blue roared and was about to charge, but Ian Song pressed her shoulder. "Hold your temper!"
The next moment, Ian Song stepped forward, his gaze sweeping over the four Fusion-stage demon cultivators. "You have ten breaths to decide—submit, or die. The choice is yours!"
Gavin Black sneered, "Kid, are you dreaming? What makes you think you’re qualified to have us submit?" His greedy eyes locked onto Ian Song. "With your tender skin, you’d taste delicious."
"Master, I am willing to submit!"
At that moment, Yellowhide stepped forward and knelt before Ian Song.
"Yellowhide, what do you think you’re doing?" Gavin Black roared at the sight.
"You’ve made a wise choice!"
Ian Song smiled at Yellowhide. "Now, open your soul!"
"Yes!" Yellowhide immediately relaxed his soul, allowing Ian Song to imprint a strand of Puppet Mastery Divine Art onto his primordial spirit. With no resistance, Yellowhide was instantly enslaved by the art, and his gaze toward Ian Song grew even more respectful.