Huang Zhuo had only glanced at Fang Zheng a few times; the flight technique was nothing special and wasn't unique to the Huang family, so he didn't think much of it.
Fang Zheng watched the three of them leave and secretly breathed a sigh of relief, thankful that there hadn't been a "What are you staring at?" "What are you going to do about it?" kind of confrontation.
He steadied his emotions and was just about to leave when, suddenly, several sharp wind blades, carrying an intense chill, shot toward him like deadly darts.
Fang Zheng couldn't dodge in time. The wind blades grazed past him, cutting deep gashes into his skin, and excruciating pain shot through his body.
"Dammit!"
Fang Zheng cursed inwardly, feeling as if he was the unluckiest person alive. He couldn't help but mutter to himself if the writer of this damn novel was purposely messing with him.
Frustrated and helpless, he thought, if it weren't for the damned restrictions of this novel software, he would definitely hunt down the author and punch them a few times to vent.
Just as Fang Zheng was fuming, suddenly, the space ahead of him seemed to be distorted by an invisible hand, rippling with eerie waves. Immediately after, the distortion intensified.
In an instant, a massive wolf demon slowly emerged, materializing right in front of Fang Zheng.
This wolf demon was none other than the Shadow Disaster Wolf, towering at a height of ten meters, like a giant mountain. Its massive shadow completely engulfed Fang Zheng.
Its fur was as black as ink, with faint purple glows flickering through it. The individual hairs were thick, resembling steel needles. Its eyes were like two burning balls of bloodfire, radiating a cold and vicious light.
The intense demonic energy emanating from it was like a surging black tidal wave, constantly churning and howling. The overwhelming aura felt like an invisible, yet immensely heavy mountain pressing down on Fang Zheng, nearly suffocating him.
Before Fang Zheng could recover, a sharp, shrill whistle suddenly pierced the tense, oppressive air from behind him.
Turning around, Fang Zheng saw a nimble eagle demon rapidly diving toward him.
This eagle demon, called the Thunder Beak Eagle, had wings that spanned twenty meters, each feather crackling with bright blue lightning, resembling finely crafted metallic scales.
Its beak was like a sharp blade, radiating purple lightning, and its claws were thick and powerful, resembling five sharp sickles. The lightning danced at the tips of its claws, scorching the air, leaving a pungent burning scent wherever it passed.
At the same time, a massive bear demon was rapidly approaching from another direction.
This bear demon was called the Vajra Mountain Bear. Its body was as large as a mountain, covered in a thick layer of brown fur. Beneath the fur, its skin shone with a dark golden hue.
The auras of the Thunder Beak Eagle and the Vajra Mountain Bear were just as imposing as the Shadow Disaster Wolf's, creating an inescapable trap around Fang Zheng.
Fang Zheng's face turned pale, and he hastily raised his hands, trembling slightly as he shouted, "Big Brother, we're on the same side, don't do this!"
The Shadow Disaster Wolf, the Thunder Beak Eagle, and the Vajra Mountain Bear were all top-tier demons. They ruled their territories, and with a stomp of their feet, the entire forest would tremble. They were terrifying demon kings that countless cultivators and mortals feared.
"Big Brother, this human's eyes are so strange... like an onion ring," the Vajra Mountain Bear said in a low, rumbling voice, scratching its fuzzy head with one of its enormous paws.
It stared at Fang Zheng's eyes, a look of curiosity on its face. After a moment, it leaned closer, convinced that Fang Zheng's eyes resembled an onion ring.
Fang Zheng cursed internally, wondering what kind of nonsense this was. With the murderous gaze of the beasts around him, his mind raced.
"Big Brother, wait! Don't look at me like I'm human. Deep down, I really want to become a demon beast. Those people are my enemies, but you guys are my family!"
Fang Zheng shouted in an emotional, tearful manner as he quickly wrapped his arms around the Vajra Mountain Bear's thick leg. His posture suggested that the entire world was about to collapse, and he needed this bear to save him.
He thought to himself that he had no choice but to take this gamble. The bear looked so dumb that maybe he could get away with it.
At worst, he'd die and then reincarnate in another world. This time, he'd stay low and focus on quietly building up his strength.
"Really? You have great vision, brother. Humans are too treacherous and wicked. I've also heard of something called labor dispatch, but we demons should stick together," the Vajra Mountain Bear said, its tone filled with agreement as if it had found a long-lost comrade.
Just as it was about to raise its enormous paw, the size of Fang Zheng's entire body, to pat Fang Zheng on the shoulder in approval, it glanced down at Fang Zheng's small form and quickly withdrew its paw.
"Big Brother, just kill him."
The Thunder Beak Eagle flapped its wings, its feathers standing on end, its eyes filled with blatant murderous intent. Its sharp voice cut through the heavy air.
In its mind, all humans were evil, unworthy of sympathy, and should be erased from this world. It recalled the time when it was weak and helpless, relentlessly hunted by humans. Those greedy humans sought to harvest its beak to make weapons.
The days it spent fleeing were dark and terrifying, and if it hadn't encountered the Shadow Disaster Wolf, it would have long since died.
"No need," the Shadow Disaster Wolf's deep voice resonated, carrying an unspoken authority. It slowly turned its head, its dark green eyes sizing up Fang Zheng, still bound in place.
"He wants to join the demon race, right? Then prove your determination to me."
The Shadow Disaster Wolf, as the leader of the three demons, was at the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm, holding absolute authority in this area.
It exuded the natural aura of a ruler, and after rescuing the Thunder Beak Eagle, the two had been traveling together. Later, they met the Vajra Mountain Bear, and the three of them quickly became allies. Not long after, in a secluded bamboo forest, they swore an oath of blood and became sworn brothers.
From that moment on, they referred to each other as brothers, supporting each other in this brutal world of the strong preying on the weak.
Hearing the Shadow Disaster Wolf's words, the Thunder Beak Eagle, though reluctant, retracted its attacking stance, glaring at Fang Zheng as if saying, "You're lucky, kid."
The Shadow Disaster Wolf slightly tilted its head, exhaling a thick, black mist. The mist swirled like a living thing, slowly drifting into Fang Zheng's body.
"This is my demonic energy. With it, other demon beasts will no longer attack you. Now, show me your determination."
The Shadow Disaster Wolf finished speaking and glanced toward the city under siege by the beast tide. Thick smoke rose into the air, and faint cries of battle could be heard.
Once Fang Zheng was freed from his restraints, he moved his limbs a bit and raised an eyebrow.
As for the "determination," he thought it was simple: killing people.
He wasn't the one dying, and it would also help him progress.
He secretly plotted in his mind, a faint, barely perceptible smile curling on his lips.
He took a step toward the chaotic, bloody city, ready to use human blood to prove his "loyalty" to the demon race.