Luo Zhen cut through the sky, the familiar silhouette of Flying Sand City rising to meet him. He'd been gone a long time, lost in the depths of the ant nest, and had no idea what he'd be coming back to. He made a beeline for his territory: Golden Snake Street.
Or, what used to be Golden Snake Street. When he landed, he found the signs had been torn down, replaced with crude new ones that read "Black Wolf Street."
It didn't take long to get the story. Some upstart calling himself the Black Wolf Demon General had rolled into town and simply taken over while he was away.
Rage, cold and sharp, flooded Luo Zhen. He stormed toward the central mansion, the heart of the street, and planted his feet before the massive gate.
"Black Wolf!" he roared, his voice booming across the street. "Get your ass out of here, now!"
The sound echoed. After a tense moment, the gates creaked open, revealing a hulking figure, half-man, half-wolf. The creature was powerful—late-stage Demon Core, at least—and gripped a massive, spiked mace forged from black iron.
"And what's this? A little green snake, trying to make trouble on my turf?" the Black Wolf sneered, his eyes glinting with malice.
"Your turf?" Luo Zhen shot back, his voice dripping with venom. "This street is mine. I'm giving you one chance. Get lost." He let the threat hang in the air. "Or you're not leaving at all."
The Black Wolf let out a rough, barking laugh. "You've got guts, kid. An early-stage nobody challenging me? Hilarious." He hefted his mace. "You want me to leave? You'll have to get through my club first!"
With another laugh, he swung. The mace exploded in size mid-air, swelling like a monstrous balloon until it was as large as a house. It screamed through the air as it plummeted toward Luo Zhen, promising to turn him into nothing more than a red paste on the cobblestones.
A collective gasp rippled through the crowd of onlookers. This was overkill.
But Luo Zhen didn't flinch. He didn't even move to dodge. He simply lifted a hand, and a wisp of ethereal blue flame flickered to life at his fingertips. Since breaking through to the Demon Core realm, he no longer needed to spew his Beast Fire; he could command it at will.
The lightning flame shot from his finger, a blur of azure light streaking toward the Black Wolf.
The wolf demon could have dodged. He saw it coming. But he was arrogant, confident that a tiny spark like that was no threat. He casually threw up a shimmering shield of demonic energy, not even bothering to brace himself.
It was the last mistake he ever made.
The next sound was a sickening, piercing shriek. The onlookers stared in horror as a gaping, bowl-sized hole appeared in the Black Wolf's chest, right through his shield and his body. Blood fountained out, and with a final, ragged gasp, his head lolled to the side. He was dead before he hit the ground.
Deprived of its master's energy, the colossal mace instantly deflated, shrinking back to its original size as it fell. Luo Zhen snatched it out of the air and, without a second thought, had the System recycle it for parts.
He drew the lightning flame back into his palm and surveyed the stunned crowd.
"The Black Wolf is dead," he announced, his voice ringing with authority. "This street is back under my management. And from now on, it's called Green Snake Street again."
No one argued. On these streets, power was the only law, and they had just witnessed a brutal, undeniable demonstration of it.
Luo Zhen turned, the snake-like lower half of his body carrying him smoothly into the mansion he had just reclaimed.
After two days of rest, he started planning his next steps. The climb through the Demon Core realm was steep. Just getting from the early to the middle stage required a million experience points—a staggering figure that would mean devouring an insane amount of spirit stones. It was a daunting task, even with his commercial street generating income.
And that was with his unique ability to absorb energy directly. For any other demon beast, the process was a nightmare of gathering resources and then spending decades, even centuries, in seclusion to slowly refine them. Most would hit bottlenecks they could never surpass. Luo Zhen, at least, didn't have to worry about that.
Host, there is another problem you have yet to address, the System's voice chimed in his mind.
"Oh?" Luo Zhen arched an eyebrow. "What's that?"
Your weapon. Or rather, your lack of one, the System stated. Have you not noticed? Every Demon General you have faced possessed a magical artifact. You are a General now. It is time you forged your own.
The words hit home. "A magical artifact... you're right. I don't have one."
A Demon General's power came from three places. The first was the body itself; many demons focused on physical conditioning, becoming living weapons. The second was their skills—elemental magic, poison arts, and the like. Exceptionally powerful skills were known as divine abilities, like his own Beast Fire.
But for most demons, who lacked a truly overwhelming physique or a rare divine ability, their greatest strength was their artifact. It was their primary tool for channeling power and their strongest form of attack.
Even with his powerful Green Jade Spirit Body and his Beast Fire, Luo Zhen knew he couldn't be complacent. No one ever complained about being too strong. The enemies he would face would only get more dangerous, and he needed every advantage he could get. What if he ran into someone who could counter his fire or withstand his physical attacks? A custom weapon would be another ace up his sleeve.
"System," he asked, "doesn't the shop sell artifacts?"
Negative, the System replied. The shop contains Magical Treasures, a tier far beyond artifacts. Not only do you lack the points, but you lack the power to wield one. You would need to be at the Demon King realm at a minimum. So, no.
"Then what do I do?"
You will have to forge one yourself.
Luo Zhen was taken aback. "By myself? But I don't have the materials or the knowledge!"
I can provide the knowledge, the System explained. The shop does not sell finished artifacts, but it does offer refining techniques and, most importantly, blueprints. You will need to earn more points to purchase them. As for the materials... those you must find in the real world.
Luo Zhen got to work. He liquidated the Black Wolf's entire hoard, converting it all—spirit stones, herbs, rare metals—into a respectable sum of shop points. With his balance topped up, he opened the shop interface.
Artifacts are graded: low, medium, high, and top-tier, the System advised. They also come in different types: offensive, defensive, support... What are your requirements?
"Top-tier, of course," Luo Zhen said without hesitation. "And I'm all about offense. Defense is for people who plan on losing. Make it an attack type."
Top-tier, offensive. Understood. Any preference for the form?
"A blade," Luo Zhen said instantly. "I've always favored a blade."
A selection of blueprint materialized in his vision.
These are all top-tier long blade designs, the System continued. However, they are aligned with different elements: fire, wind, lightning... Given that you are a lightning snake, your greatest power lies in your lightning-based demonic energy. I recommend a weapon that complements that strength.
It highlighted a specific blueprint. This is the Thundercloud Blade. It is the most powerful lightning-attribute design available.
"Done," Luo Zhen said, purchasing it immediately.
The blueprint dissolved into a torrent of pure information, flooding directly into his mind. In an instant, he knew everything. The Thundercloud Blade was a monster, capable of unleashing devastating arcs of blade energy infused with raw lightning. It was the perfect fit for him.
But the materials were another story. The core component was something called Thunderstone—a rare, precious mineral crackling with contained lightning energy. On top of that, it required a half-dozen other exotic auxiliary metals. The knowledge of how to forge it was now ingrained in his mind, but that was useless without the raw ingredients.
"So, the only thing stopping me is a shopping list," Luo Zhen muttered.
Flying Sand City is a major hub, the System noted. You should be able to find what you need here if you search diligently.
Luo Zhen tidied himself up and hit the streets. He spent the day wandering through the city's countless merchant stalls and workshops. He found everything he needed—every last auxiliary material was available, for a price. He even found a single, beautiful piece of Thunderstone locked away in a high-end jeweler's case.
But he returned to his mansion empty-handed. He was completely broke.
"Money makes the man, and no money makes it tough," he sighed, slumping into a chair. "I thought I left this problem behind in my past life, but here I am, a powerful Demon General, still struggling with an empty wallet."
Host, I have a solution that could provide you with immense wealth instantly. The System offered.
Luo Zhen sat up straight. "What is it?"
Seek out Bai Susu. She is now a Demon Empress ruling a vast territory. Her fortune is unimaginable. Given your... relationship, she would certainly help you if you asked. You would have more money than you could ever spend.
Luo Zhen recoiled. "You want me to go be her kept man? Live off her fortune? Absolutely not. No way."
He refused flatly, but then another idea sparked in his mind.
"Wait a minute," he said, his eyes lighting up. "Back in the ant nest, I swallowed several chunks of Iron Essence! You said that stuff was incredibly valuable, that even Demon Kings would kill for it. What if I sell that?"
I would strongly advise against it, the System cautioned.
"Why not?"
Precisely because it is so valuable. First, you are not yet desperate. Second, what happens in the future when you need to forge a true Magical Treasure and require that very Iron Essence? You will have sold it for a fraction of its ultimate worth.
Luo Zhen scowled. "He's got a point. But I need cash now."
There is another option, the System said. The deserts surrounding Flying Sand City are infested with bandits. They've formed countless crews, preying on merchant caravans for years. They've amassed considerable fortunes, and their leaders are weak. With your current strength, you could wipe them out with ease.
A slow, predatory grin spread across Luo Zhen's face.
"Alright," he said. "That's a plan I can get behind. Give me the location of the nearest crew."
Minutes later, Luo Zhen was gliding over the dunes outside the city. In the distance, he spotted a crude stockade nestled between two large rock formations. Huge, brutish demon beasts lumbered in and out. Two guards, barely at the Earth Profound realm, stood at the gate. The strongest presence he could sense inside was a mid-stage Demon Core General—a complete lightweight.
Luo Zhen didn't bother with stealth. He swaggered straight toward the gate.
"Halt!" one of the guards yelled, his voice trembling as he recognized the aura of a Demon General. "Who are you? What business do you have at the Yellow Sand Stockade?"
Luo Zhen didn't answer. He flicked his wrist, and two crackling bolts of lightning shot out, striking the guards down before they could even scream.
Panic erupted within the stockade.
"We're under attack!"
"A demon's broken in!"
"Get the chief! A Demon General is here to tear the place down!"
Luo Zhen just smiled, a thick bolt of lightning crackling in his hand as he walked deeper into the chaos.
Five minutes later, it was over.
He left the smoking ruins of the stockade behind him, his pockets now significantly heavier, and set his sights on the next target on his list.