Chapter 127: The Tug-of-War Begins

"Give what? Give whom?"

Xiang Tian arched a brow and sneered, "Since we've laid it all out on the table, let's be blunt: that kid, Fang Qingyun, I want him!"

The Snake King scoffed, "You think you're that important? You want him, so you get him? Why don't you just fly up to the heavens while you're at it!"

"My face really is that big!" Xiang Tian replied coldly. "The victory at Beacon Fortress was entirely your credit. Can't I at least have one person?"

"No!" The Snake King's reply was sharp and absolute. Credit could be shared, but the person was off-limits.

"You..." Xiang Tian took a deep breath. "Liu Hen, that kid already has a grudge against you. He might not perform well under your command. It would be better to let him come to me. We are all serving the human race—what is the point of this?"

"Heh!" The Snake King responded only with a cold, dismissive laugh. A grudge? He had plenty of ways to resolve that. If he couldn't handle a fresh graduate, he might as well retire.

"Stop spouting nonsense!"

"You're the one who should stop!" Xiang Tian's face darkened. "You already have the upper hand at Beacon Fortress. I'm different; I have to head to other places, other fortresses. Can't you do me a favor and send him my way?"

The Snake King glanced at him coldly. "The Northwest Military Academy has plenty of military talent and many powerhouses. Tell me how many you want, and I'll give them to you!"

"I only want that kid!"

"Heh!"

"Heh your grandfather!" Xiang Tian was fuming. He had already decided to leave, which was why he entrusted the final battle to the Snake King. He had fought with everything he had, hoping to help the Snake King one last time. Because of that, their relationship had subtly shifted. What was once an underlying rivalry had become a true bond of comradeship. Without conflicts of interest, and with the potential need for future favors, it was only natural to keep things friendly. Yet, Fang Qingyun had once again driven a wedge between them.

"Hahaha, what is going on here?"

As they argued, a loud laugh rang out. The Snake King and Xiang Tian both twitched, a sense of foreboding rising in their hearts. The newcomer was a scholar—slender, handsome, refined, and carrying the faint scent of books.

"Why are you here, Wen Zhi?" The Snake King and Xiang Tian both looked displeased. Although this man was not a God-General, he had grasped a portion of a God-General's power and was undeniably a top-tier powerhouse. If he had intervened when the great beast hung its gaze over Beacon Fortress, the situation would have been much better.

"Do not be angry, both of you. My presence here is a coincidence!" Wen Zhi cupped his hands and smiled. "I was on a mission nearby and received orders from the Headmaster that all personnel from the Black Tooth Military Academy near Beacon Fortress were to reinforce it. I rushed over immediately, but who would have thought I’d still be too late?"

The expressions of the two softened slightly. They did not doubt his word. Despite his scholarly appearance, he was a formidable warrior with rich combat experience who never shied away from a fight. Moreover, he was the First Vice-Headmaster of the Black Tooth Military Academy, second only to the Headmaster. His personality was aggressive; if he encountered the demon or spirit races, he would fight, no questions asked. Even Hu Shisong, who had caused quite a stir at the Northwest Military Academy not long ago, wouldn't dare make a sound in front of him. He was known to actually strike people; he might not kill them, but a beating was guaranteed.

"So, what were you two discussing? I believe I heard something interesting."

Xiang Tian immediately replied, "The affairs of Beacon Fortress have nothing to do with the Black Tooth Military Academy."

"That is not quite right!" Wen Zhi rolled his eyes. "You, Xiang Tian, are no longer considered a person of Beacon Fortress, are you? Didn't your reassignment orders come through? If you count, then do I? I also came under orders to reinforce the fortress. I traveled three thousand miles to get here; surely that counts for something?"

Both men grimaced. There was no way to counter that.

The Snake King sighed. "Let's be direct. Fang Qingyun belongs to my Northwest Military Academy. There is absolutely no way you are taking him."

"Snake King, don't speak so definitively!" Wen Zhi produced a folding fan with a snap and began to fan himself, smiling. "Some people you cannot keep. Why not do me a favor? Consider it a gift to me, how about that?"

"A gift?" The Snake King was stunned, then alarmed. "You've broken through?"

Wen Zhi smiled, making no effort to hide it. A spiritual energy crystal within his body suddenly radiated a blinding light. Spiritual energy crystallized! A God-General!

"Hah!" Xiang Tian and the Snake King exchanged a glance, both seeing regret in the other's eyes. They were not surprised that Wen Zhi had become a God-General; he had long since grasped a portion of that power, and it was only a matter of accumulation. That was why he dared to speak to them as equals. They regretted only that if he had arrived sooner, the three of them could have joined forces and surely dealt a heavy blow to Blood Mane. Now that Blood Mane was already injured, no matter how they provoked it, it was unlikely to leave the gaze of the great beast to fight them.

"Forget about Fang Qingyun. I have already assigned him to other missions," the Snake King said, his tone indifferent.

"Heh!" Wen Zhi smiled faintly. "It seems the Snake King is reluctant. In that case, forgive me for being offensive."

"What are you planning?" The Snake King’s expression was grim.

"Now that I have become a God-General, I am sure the official appointment will follow soon!" Wen Zhi sighed. "As a newly ascended God-General, my strength is still weak. Surely there is no problem in requesting some reinforcements from above?"

"What a joke!" The Snake King sneered. "Have I not just taken over Beacon Fortress? This is a major fortress; I need reinforcements even more."

Wen Zhi shook his head. "Snake King, why be like this? You should understand that you cannot keep a child like Fang Qingyun."

This was the harsh truth. The higher-ups might leave established powerhouses like them alone, but they were far more eager for someone like Fang Qingyun. Young people were malleable. With the human territory so vast and no further fighting expected at Beacon Fortress for the time being, why keep such a young talent locked away here? If someone like Wen Zhi requested Fang Qingyun's help for a while, the authorities would be more than happy to oblige. Why? Because once he was "helping," the future arrangements would be decided by them. In short, once Fang Qingyun left the Snake King's control, he wouldn't be coming back. If the higher-ups wanted someone, they had plenty of ways to take them.

The Snake King's face was as dark as ink. He had miscalculated! If he had known this, he would never have let Fang Qingyun participate in the battle for Beacon Fortress. But who could have foreseen his strength? The battle at the supply station, the defense of the Northwest Military Academy—these two battles hadn't even pushed him to his limit. This time, he had caused an even greater commotion. Of course, the thought of keeping him out of the fight was just a passing fancy; it was impossible to take seriously. With Fang Qingyun, they had truly terrified the great beast, even if the losses were immense. Without him, who knew how many more people would have died at Beacon Fortress? The Snake King didn't care about his reputation when trading with the Black Tooth Military Academy or Duke Song, but he felt a debt to those who had perished. He wanted to protect those who were still alive.

"Sigh," the Snake King sighed softly. "Wen Zhi, why must you get involved? That kid belongs to my Northwest Military Academy. He is in competition with your Black Tooth Military Academy, and surely you must know about what happened this time."

Wen Zhi might not have known the details while on a mission, but once he received the order to reinforce the fortress, he would certainly have learned of the deal between the Snake King and the Black Tooth Military Academy.

Wen Zhi blinked and shrugged innocently. "What does that have to do with me? The affairs of the Black Tooth Military Academy will soon have nothing to do with me, right?"

The Snake King was speechless. He had forgotten that once this man became a God-General, the higher-ups would inevitably assign him new tasks and a new position. One God-General was enough for the Black Tooth Military Academy; it wasn't the front line, and having too many was a waste. How many God-level beings did the entire human race have now? Each one was worked to the bone.

"Fine, fine!" The Snake King sighed. "The two of you, let's discuss this."

"That's more like it!" Xiang Tian and Wen Zhi smiled in unison. With three God-Generals working together, keeping someone was undoubtedly much easier. In the end, no one knew what the three decided, but when they left, the Snake King's expression had finally improved.

"By the way," Xiang Tian frowned, "you sent that kid to the Storm Continent. Aren't you worried something might happen to him? That event... it seems there is still some time."

The Snake King replied calmly, "If he can't even survive that long, then he has no business participating in that battle."

"I am more concerned with whether he is qualified to join that battle," Xiang Tian said pointedly. "I mean, has he already surpassed the limit?"

"Hard to say," the Snake King sighed. "Fang Qingyun's cultivation has taken an unusual path. He must have had some miraculous encounter, so his main focus is his physical body."

"When the time comes, it will be dominated by spiritual energy."

"Let's see," Xiang Tian laughed. "You know, I am incredibly expectant. If the kid really can pass the qualification trials and intervene in that matter, with his strength, he will absolutely make the demons and spirits regret everything!"

"Let us hope so!"

...

Storm Continent!

Fang Qingyun and Zhao Junhong were running for their lives. Far behind them, a squadron of the spirit race was in hot pursuit. They had been discovered by the spirits the moment they entered the Storm Continent. The spirit race had operated their two main strongholds for thousands of years; every inch of this land was deeply imprinted with their presence. There was only one way for humans to survive here: slavery. Thus, when two heavily armed humans appeared, the spirit race erupted in a frenzy. The Storm Continent had not seen war for many years, and the spirit race’s combat skills had grown rusty. But! The spirit race was the spirit race; they were born to fight, a trait no one could match. Within moments, they had chased Fang Qingyun and Zhao Junhong like rabbits, forcing them to flee in panic.

"Damn that Snake King!" Zhao Junhong shrieked. "Sending us to the Storm Continent—isn't he just trying to get us killed?"

"Shut up!" Fang Qingyun grabbed Zhao Junhong, pushed off the ground, and surged forward. In the blink of an eye, he left the pursuing spirits far behind.

"Phew, let's rest," Fang Qingyun and Zhao Junhong exhaled as they finally shook off the pursuers.

"This is no way to live!" Zhao Junhong said, exasperated. "It’s been a month. We keep running and running. When does it end?"

"We wait for the Snake King's next order."

"You trust him?"

"If I don't, do you have another choice?"

Fang Qingyun opened a map. It depicted the distribution of the entire Azure Moon World. After scanning the Storm Continent, his gaze drifted elsewhere. There were the continents held by the spirits: Storm, Thunder, Flame, Cold Cave... The three continents held by humans: Ming, Yue, and Yun. Finally, there were the two continents occupied by the demons, the largest and most resource-rich in the current Azure Moon World: Ghost Moon and Rising Sun!

He shook his head gently. They couldn't go to any of those. The only slightly better option was the human-held Yun Continent. The humans had just conquered it, and the interior was still in chaos. It would take at least a decade to establish a stable government. If they went there, they could stay for a few decades. But hiding and skulking was not Fang Qingyun's style. Hiding was fine, but while hiding, he wanted to develop his own power. How long could he just take a beating?

Therefore... Fang Qingyun turned his gaze to the final area. The Azure Moon World originally had thirteen continents. That one shattered continent... It was said that the shattered continent once birthed a supreme treasure, and the powerhouses of the three races had fought so violently over it that they destroyed the entire continent. Now, it was less a continent and more a collection of islands floating in the void. The spiritual energy there was highly unstable. One had to constantly deal with creatures from the void. Resources were scarce. Thus, none of the three races were interested in it. Over time, it had become a paradise for criminals. The Land of Corruption! Compared to the Land of Corruption, the City of Chaos was nothing. There were many powerhouses in the Land of Corruption now, and the three races could not reoccupy it even if they wanted to. The strongest there were rumored to be very close to the peak of the three races... the King level! There were several quasi-King-level powerhouses there. With these figures, the inhabitants finally had a measure of freedom.

Fang Qingyun touched the Land of Corruption on the map, his eyes flickering. With the strength he and Zhao Junhong had now, could they enter, occupy a piece of land, and develop in silence?

"The Land of Corruption?" Zhao Junhong followed his finger and discovered his target. He nodded slightly. "Only this place is suitable for us."

"Us?" Fang Qingyun stared at Zhao Junhong. "Are you still going to follow me? If you return to human territory now, you are guaranteed a bright future. Don't talk about being a coward—it's the same everywhere. Once you are strong, you can naturally settle the score."