"How many people from Kang Country are still under your command?" Gu Zheng asked, having regained his composure.

"There are still over thirty, scattered across Fengzhou."

Fu Changying replied respectfully, "They are mainly in the central, northern, and western regions."

"Keep them in line,"

Gu Zheng said thoughtfully. "You can kill Demon Fiends and enter Domains to acquire resources. But as for hunting down Jing Country’s geniuses, luring Demon Fiends to attack cities, or plunging regions into chaos—don’t do any of that."

"Yes!"

Fu Changying answered obediently.

In the Dragon Struggle, the Eight Great Vassal Kings all sent spies into each other’s territories to stir up trouble.

If it were just a struggle between the higher-ups, Gu Zheng couldn’t be bothered to interfere.

The problem was, these members of the Noble Families had no regard for the lives of the common people.

Gu Zheng couldn’t help everyone. Looking out for those close to him was already the most he could do.

Of course.

He could also order Fu Changying to return to Kang Country immediately and act as a pawn on the other side.

But while Fu Changying’s status was noble, his actual position was unremarkable.

If he returned to Kang Country and wasn’t given an important role, it would be a waste.

’Keeping him in Jing Country for now might prove useful later!’

...

Fu Changying left.

Gu Zheng resumed his search for Demon Fiends in Sanming County, slaying them to collect Demon Points.

He also asked Gao Liezhan for news about Blind Chen.

He didn’t find Blind Chen, but his Guerrilla General Token suddenly began to vibrate urgently. BUZZ BUZZ BUZZ.

Gu Zheng read the message. It was a distress call from the passage at Yan Gui Ridge in Longxi County.

A dozen or so Tier 2 Demon Fiends had charged out of the passage there.

The garrison commander, Luo Yi, was already severely wounded.

Reinforcements requested urgently!

Gu Zheng accepted the mission without hesitation, as did Xing Zhilong.

The two of them sped toward Yan Gui Ridge in Longxi County from different directions.

...

"ROAR~!"

WHOOM—

BANG! BANG! BANG!

At Yan Gui Ridge, roars, thunderous impacts, and explosive cracks, mingled with agonizing screams, echoed endlessly across the mountain peaks.

Century-old trees toppled and shattered as the ground split open and mountainsides collapsed.

The bodies of Demon Suppression Guards exploded in midair or were torn to pieces, spraying blood across the sky.

"ROAR!"

"ROAR~"

In the forest, a dozen towering figures roared as they charged back and forth on a murderous rampage.

In their wake, they left a trail of blood and mangled limbs.

"BOOM!"

With a tremendous crash, the armor on Luo Yi’s chest caved in. He flew backward uncontrollably, smashing through five trees before slamming into a hard cliff face. The impact carved a deep crater in the rock, sending cracks spiderwebbing outwards.

"Pfft—"

Wracked with excruciating pain and his Divine Wondrous energy depleted, Luo Yi coughed up a thick glob of clotted blood. His face was deathly pale, completely drained of color.

He stiffly turned his head to survey the scene. As far as he could see, not a single Demon Suppression Guard was left standing. They were either dead or lying on the ground, waiting for death.

"Henh... henh..." 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

With a weak, bitter chuckle, Luo Yi closed his eyes, refusing to look at the towering figure approaching him.

The figure was three meters tall and powerfully built. Ropy muscles coiled around its arms, and its dark skin had the color of rust. Long, unbound hair flowed down to its waist.

His savage, beast-like head resembled that of a lion, its mouth gaping to reveal rows of sharp fangs.

Black energy coiled around his thick thighs. He walked upright like a man, and in one claw, he gripped an enormous Bone Blade.

*HUFF...*

Panting heavily, the three-meter-tall Demon Fiend came to a stop before Luo Yi.

The Demon Fiend didn’t kill Luo Yi right away. Instead, it looked him up and down, a mocking glint in its beastly eyes. In surprisingly fluent human speech, it taunted, "Given up the fight?"

Luo Yi kept his eyes shut and his head bowed, remaining silent.

"Hahaha."

The Demon Fiend let out a hearty laugh. "Just a few days ago, weren’t you the one beating me so hard I had to flee back through the passage to my clan’s territory? How come you’ve given up so quickly today? Just waiting to die?"

"That’s not very human of you. Don’t you people always fight to the death, trying to take us down with you?"

WHOOSH—

It lashed out with a kick, catching Luo Yi in the side and sending him flying over ten meters. He tumbled across the ground three times before stopping.

"PFFT—WAAH!"

Luo Yi, lying motionless on his stomach, vomited more blood, his body wracked with tremors.

"Hahaha!"

The Demon Fiend roared with laughter. "What a shame, what a real shame. I wanted to play with you a little longer, but you’re already spent. This is no fun at all."

"Once you’re actually dead, the meat won’t be as tasty. Oh well, I guess I’ll just..."

SWISH!

A streak of light abruptly shot down from the sky.

"Who’s there!"

Alarmed, the Demon Fiend retreated at high speed to evade the attack.

SWISH SWISH SWISH!

But the descending light instantly split into more than a dozen streaks, transforming into a Sword Gang that swept outward.

The Demon Fiend dodged quickly, but not quickly enough.

As the Sword Gang swept past, it carved bloody lines across the Demon Fiend’s exposed dark skin, leaving gashes deep enough to reveal bone.

TCH-TCH-TCH!

Amidst the sound of slicing, another torrent of blade light descended from the sky.

"Get lost!"

The Demon Fiend roared, swinging the huge Bone Blade in its claw fiercely toward the sky.

CLANG CLANG—

"BANG!"

With a deafening crack, the massive Bone Blade shattered, its fragments flying in all directions.

SWOOSH—!

The remaining blade light engulfed the Demon Fiend.

The razor-sharp aura imbued within the attack pierced straight into the Demon Fiend’s mind, making it roar in terror, unable to dodge.

"ROAR..."

THWACK THWACK THWACK!

With a series of sickening squelches, the Demon Fiend’s massive body was diced into more than a dozen chunks of flesh that splattered onto the ground. SPLAT, SPLAT.

Spirit Capturing!

[Demon Points +26]

[Demon Points +23]

...

Bloodshed and Demon Essence, acquired!

Gu Zheng reached into his robes, pulled out a Healing Elixir he had acquired previously, and pushed it into Luo Yi’s mouth. "Lord Luo," he said, "hold on. Mr. Xing and I are here."

As soon as he finished speaking...

"Damn you, Iron Lion Race! Go to hell, all of you!"

BOOM BOOM BOOM!

A series of muffled rumbles, punctuated by explosions, rolled in from the right.