“Great Horse King, Bird Centaur King speaks for everyone when he says that you always brag about your noble bloodline, but why aren’t you telling us what that is?”
“Impudent!”
Great Horse King stomped, rocking the cave.
Bird Centaur King turned glum, “Anyone in the fifth level can show at least this much!”
The bear demon stomped as well and the cave rocked.
“What do you want? Planning on rebelling?” Great Horse King roared.
“No, only to clarify something!” Bird Horse King voiced his doubts again.
When he narrated again the fight between the two strong humans, Great Horse King had a long face.
“One of the humans was Dongfang Cangye and the other Nangong Zhan, the one who lost his horse!”
Bird Horse King drove his point in, “Great Horse King, am I right?”
“How should I know? What’s it got to do with me?”
“Everything, because you are Nangong Zhan’s horse!”
“Rubbish!”
“Not at all. We’ll know with a test. Great Horse King, you earned our loyalty that time when you broke Demon Mountain with your stomping. We now ask of you that you show your power again.”
“Yeah, show us.”
“I approve.”
“I absolutely believe in Great Horse King’s power, but it seems that many among us do not. Please demonstrate to us your power, Great Horse King, and quell all objections.”
“Yeah, demonstrate!”
“Absolutely!”
Some lowly demons kicked up a storm as Great Horse King grew enraged. Yet no matter how angry he was, the other demons still wanted a demonstration.
Great Horse King shouted, “Bird Horse King, I know you’ve never truly accepted me. But this time we have an honored guest. You started to have other thoughts about the Inborn Physique and want her to purify your bloodline. That’s why you’re stirring up dissent!”
Bird Horse King eyed Yan Wenjing and nodded, “Great Horse King, I won’t deny it. That’s exactly what I want, but that is beside the point. What matters right now is proving yourself to us. Do it, and you’ll stay as our Great Horse King. We’ll obey your every word.
“Or not, and the Inborn Physique will belong to the strongest demon, me!” Bird Horse King didn’t hide his desire.
“Brothers, Inborn Physique is of great import to us demons. I, Bird Horse King, vow to not monopolize Inborn Physique and share it with you once I am done!”
Wa~
Many demons switched camps to Bird Horse King on the spot.
Yan Wenjing was close to tears, hugging Li Mo with all she had.
Great Horse King roared, “Bastard, they are my honored guests!”
“Great Horse King, haven’t all humans who showed some strength these past years became your honored guests? Your act can be taken as hospitable, but just as well as cowardly!”
Bird Horse King snorted, “In the last century you have not once fought. We demons respect power and if you do not prove yourself here and now, then sorry, but I’ll be the new king of Demon Mountain!”
Great Horse King roared, “Bird Horse King, we value bloodline the most and what are you? Just a halfbreed, a mixture of bird and horse. You dare come question me with that?”
Bird Horse King’s eyes flashed with savagery.
Bird Horse King’s bloodline had always been a topic of ridicule on Demon Mountain.
If not for the low confidence from his mixed blood, Bird Horse King would’ve fought Great Horse King that year for his position as king.
“It doesn’t matter. Once I get the Inborn Physique and rid myself of your bloodline, I will be a pure peacock. Great Horse King, even if you are of noble blood, I won’t be any lesser at that point!
“But for now, you have to prove yourself to all of us!
“Brothers, am I right?” Bird Horse King shouted.
“Yes!”
“Absolutely!”
“Show us!”
All demons echoed and Great Horse King panicked.
Only now Li Mo stood and cupped his hands, “Great Horse King, they only want you to exercise your power? Can’t you just do it?”
Bird Horse King said, “See, even your honored guest said it. What are you waiting for?”
Great Horse King’s face darkened, but it was plain to see he was at an impasse.
“Just do it.” Li Mo transmitted to him.
Great Horse King looked shocked at the nodding Li Mo.
“Fine, you bastards. Since you dare question your king’s might, I shall prove it to you. But this will be the last time. The next time I hear of this again, I’ll end you on the spot!”
Great Horse King roared and walked outside the cave.
The demons followed closely.
Bird Horse King snorted, “Honored guests, you don’t need to follow. This is a matter of our Demon Mountain.”
Li Mo lay down, “Ok.”
Bird Horse King left.
On Demon Mountain’s peak, Great Horse King was warming up with his nerves taut.
Li Mo’s words instilled some confidence in him, but not enough.
All that happened a century ago was sheer dumb luck. Bird Horse King was spot on with his guess. Demon Mountain broke that time from his stomping all because Dongfang Cangye and Nangong Zhan’s power bore into the ground and by sheer coincidence unleashed the hidden energy deep within.
With no Dongfang Cangye and Nangong Zhan around today, he was more than clear of what his stomping would do.
‘I’m finished…’
Great Horse King paced nervously.
“Great Horse King, what are you thinking? What’s taking you so long?”
“Yeah, Great Horse King, go on! It’s just a stomp!”
“The Great Horse King can’t even do this?”
“Come on, we saw Great Horse King’s power a hundred years ago. That stomp was the culmination of a demon king’s power!”
“Great Horse King, do it!”
The lowly demons egged him on, but only made Great Horse King sweat.
Bird Horse King flew over, “Great Horse King, are you perhaps stalling?”
“What stalling? I’m only worried my stomp will ruin my cave.”
“If it does get destroyed, I, Bird Horse King, will help you repair it.”
“Good, then I can rest easy!”
Great Horse King gnashed his teeth and lifted his front hooves.
“Stomp!”
“Stomp!”
“I will!”
Great Horse King stomped.
Hum~
Earth rumbled for a second, then stilled.
The demons waited nervously for a minute, but Demon Mountain didn’t crumble…
Bird Horse King laughed, “See that, brothers? Nothing happened. Anyone in the fifth level can do the same thing he did!”
“This guy is just a plain ol’ horse, an old tamed horse in fact. Having him as king is a disgrace!”
“Great Horse King lied to us!”
“He dared to cheat us!”
“Great Horse King i-isn’t real?”
“How? Does that mean Great Horse King is a cheat? I won’t believe it!”
“No, this can’t be real!?”
The lowly demons were in chaos.
Great Horse King shuddered from fear. He was going to bolt but a huge boom came from under his hoof.
Boom~
The earth quaked and cracks spread from where his hoof landed as the earth split apart.
The hundreds of mile wide Demon Mountain, from peak to its roots, cracked like an egg, revealing a dark abyss.
The whole of Demon Mountain split in two to reveal a bottomless hundred meter wide crevice.
The demons were shocked and awed, with Bird Horse King opening his beak wider than ever.
Great Horse King was scared as well, looking from the sucking abyss to the dazed demons at the side. Clearing his throat to resume his demeanor, he said, “Forgive me brothers, it seems Bird Horse King’s words got to me and I got too serious for a moment there.”
“No, this can’t be happening! There’s no way you can have such power. My suspicion is correct. You’re just a mount for Nangong Zhan. Y-you…”
“Grab him!”
At Great Horse King’s beget, all demons stormed Bird Horse King and tied him up.
Great Horse King roared, “Brothers, we demons value pure bloodlines the most. Now do you understand my blood?”
“We do!”
“Those of mixed blood have vile hearts!”
“Bird Horse King is too wicked!”
“Ahhh~, why did I have to doubt Great Horse King’s power? God, I hate myself!”
“Great Horse King’s blood is purer than gold while Bird Horse King’s heart is filthy as mud!”
“Kill!”
“Kill!”
“Kill!”
The demons were incensed.
Great Horse King didn’t get to say anything as the lowly demons tore Bird Horse King limb from limb.
“We should never have doubted you, Great Horse King.”
“Yeah.”
“But it’s too late for apologies. With Demon Mountain in twain, the spiritual qi is scattered…”
“This is all our fault.”
The lowly demons were vexed.
Crack~
In the middle of their regret, the abyss slowly mended. Great Horse King was scared at first but soon relaxed. He closed his eyes and raised a hoof, worthy of a selfie.
The abyss was soon closed and Demon Mountain was restored.
Great Horse King shouted, “Brothers, as I can split Demon Mountain, so can I restore it. Do not worry, Demon Mountain is back to normal!”
“Great Horse King’s power is limitless!”
“Great Horse King’s blood is godlike!”
“This is the legendary royal bloodline. I will be the first to kill any who dares doubt Great Horse King ever again!”
The demons were in high spirits, no longer doubtful of Great Horse King’s power.
Great Horse King eased a breath.
Only he knew his strength the best.
But he rejoiced, knowing Bird Horse King was dead and gone.
With all problems solved, he could sleep like a baby.
“Hear me, brothers, let’s go home and most importantly entertain our honorable guests!”
“We obey, lord!”
When Great Horse King and his renewed followers returned to his cave, Li Mo and Yan Wenjing were still sitting around the table.
“Let the feast resume!” Great Horse King shouted.
Great Horse King slid next to Li Mo, his eyes ever grateful.
He didn’t know what Li Mo did, but was clear on something. It was this man who split and restored the mountain.
“Honorable guest, a toast to you.
Great Horse King used his front hooves to clang glasses with Li Mo.
Li Mo downed it in one gulp.
Great Horse King did the same, then he sprawled on the table, drunk as a skunk.
He had no tolerance, downed in one cup.
The merrymaking continued regardless, as did the dancing…
