"I..."
Clan Leader Liu was momentarily speechless, pointing at Wan Lei, but Wan Lei interrupted again.
"Liu Qi, you're merely a Mahayana cultivator. What right do you have to speak here? Since you've acknowledged a master, you should have the awareness of a dog.
Have Qiong Ku or your father come out to speak with me.
You,
are unworthy."
Clan Leader Liu's eyes widened at his words, his face turning a mottled green and white. He was, after all, the respected clan leader of the Liu Clan, someone revered wherever he went. Yet here he was, being told by a junior that he was unworthy to speak with him!
When had this junior, who he could have easily crushed like an ant, grown to a point where he could contend with him?
Now, after a relatively short time apart, the opponent's strength and the forces he had built were already something he had to look up to.
This gave Clan Leader Liu a fleeting sense of the world changing and people becoming strangers.
Indeed, Wan Lei was correct. He was now the Hall Master of the Thunder Emperor Hall, and the Thunder Emperor Hall was a force on par with the Nine Great Powers. As its supreme leader, he was comparable to existences like Liu Naiweng. A mere clan leader like himself truly had no right to speak with Wan Lei.
"Wan Lei."
Qiong Ku Demon Commander flew forward several zhang. Seeing his "master" arrive, Clan Leader Liu snorted coldly and retreated.
"You're called Wan Lei, aren't you? I've spent considerable time gathering intelligence on you."
In Wan Lei's opinion, Qiong Shen was likely stronger and more intelligent than Qiong Ku.
Although Qiong Shen was Qiong Ku's elder brother, Qiong Shen was merely a squad leader under that unit, while Qiong Ku was the chief of staff for that unit. In terms of rank, he was superior to Qiong Shen.
"The honor is all mine."
Wan Lei sneered.
Qiong Ku Demon Commander paid no mind to his dismissive attitude, instead stating solemnly,
"I am Qiong Ku, and I am also the temporary commander of this demon army. Due to your destruction, our subsequent forces were unable to advance. Here, in terms of rank, I am the highest, which is why I have become the supreme leader of this demon army.
"You still talk too much, as always."
Wan Lei's mockery was unsparing.
"I have observed your journey. In just ten short years, you have risen from an unknown junior to a position where you can wield immense power, not an exaggeration to call you the Son of the Plane.
You still don't know what the Son of the Plane means, do you?
We demons have invaded countless prime planes and minor worlds. While this is akin to bullying novices for us, for your minor worlds, it is undoubtedly a disaster of extinction, a calamity of overthrow.
And when a world faces a life-or-death crisis, there occasionally appear individuals endowed with great fortune and opportunities, who can prop up a collapsing edifice and turn the tide from the brink of defeat. They rise with incredible speed and become the strongest beings in that world.
These individuals who arise in times of cosmic crisis, carrying the destiny of the entire universe, we call them the Sons of the Plane, because it is proof that the destiny of the entire plane is concentrated upon them.
And you, Wan Lei, having reviewed your life, combined with the recent events of your Thunder Emperor Hall reopening its sect, the imperial crown forming in the sky, the descent of the will of heaven, and the manifestation of heavenly aura, further confirms that you are the Son of the Plane of this era in the Lei Feng Realm.
For people like you, we demons have only two principles.
The first is recruitment. Individuals like you, born with the great destiny of a plane, have immeasurable future achievements. Do not be constrained by this small Lei Feng Realm.
Our negative planes' initial universe is equivalent to your prime planes' origin plane, both being super-planes that gather all the origins of the entire great universe. There, you can obtain more resources and a better position.
If you surrender to us now and help us obtain the Heart of the Universe, with this merit, I guarantee you a status in the demon race no less than that of a Demon Lord, and we will cultivate you as core talent.
If you perform even better there and catch the eye of a Demon Venerable, it's even possible to be taken as a disciple."
"After all that talk, you just want to recruit me. You mentioned two principles earlier, what's the other one?"
Wan Lei grinned, already knowing the other principle.
"The other is that if you refuse to surrender, we will pursue and eliminate you, eradicating you while you are still weak, denying you the opportunity to grow with your great destiny."
"Oh, I understand."
Wan Lei nodded.
"So, what is your choice?"
Qiong Ku Demon Commander looked at Wan Lei intently, awaiting his decision.
Wan Lei remained silent. Instead, he raised his head, and two torrents of violent lightning erupted from his eyes.
These two bolts of lightning transformed into two massive hands, which with lightning speed, grabbed towards an ordinary resentful demon in the enemy ranks.
This resentful demon was truly ordinary, its name unknown. It was snatched by Wan Lei's lightning hands and brought into mid-air.
The two lightning hands gripped the resentful demon's head and feet and twisted them forcefully. The resentful demon was twisted into a pretzel like a fragile noodle, and green blood splashed onto the ground.
"Is this your choice?"
Killing intent flared in Qiong Ku Demon Commander's eyes. If this ungrateful fellow had refused, he wouldn't have been so angry. After all, the matter of recruiting a Son of the Plane like this had never been successfully accomplished before the battle began.
Moreover, in the planes that the demon race had successfully invaded, most Sons of the Plane fought to the death. Those who surrendered typically did so only when they were utterly defeated, and such individuals were few.
Yet this fellow before him had actually killed his own man right in front of him to express his refusal, truly a supreme insult.
Suddenly, at this moment, a great green formation arose from beneath the feet of the demon allied forces, enshrouding them all.
This sudden change caused panic among the allied forces. Qiong Ku Demon Commander, adept at formations, found this formation extremely familiar. After two seconds, his expression drastically changed.
"Demon Blood Slaughtering Heaven Formation?! How could your minor plane possess the Immortal Realm's Demon Blood Slaughtering Heaven Formation?!"
Qiong Ku Demon Commander had long been dealing with the armies of prime planes and naturally knew many formations specifically designed by the prime planes to deal with them. The Demon Blood Slaughtering Heaven Formation was one of the most potent among them.
Using demonic blood as a guide, and demonic blood as its power, to slay demons!
"There's much you don't know."
Wan Lei extended a hand, and from the dark clouds in the sky, the Hammer of the Thunder God flew directly into his grasp.
The dark clouds that had formed the imperial crown naturally dissipated, and the aura of the Heavenly Dao vanished.
"Fake?! The will of heaven and earth is fake, created by you deliberately to lure us here.
That imperial crown was a lure, and this grand formation is a trap!
Wan Lei, you truly have a devious scheme."