Chapter 134: Overwhelming Force

As they charged toward the demon clan once more, the three human warriors were steeped in silence.

The other side had saved them, yet they had been prepared to watch him die without lifting a finger.

The man was a skilled sniper, not necessarily a powerhouse in melee combat. Without a warrior to guard his flank, three elite commander-level demons would have been enough to kill him. Of course, it was highly likely he had a protector nearby. Moreover, a sniper would naturally choose to reposition after firing. These were the basics of the craft.

But none of that masked the fact that they had remained indifferent to his plight.

"Why did it come to this?" the three wondered silently.

Unconsciously, they turned their gaze toward their captain. It seemed that ever since this war began, he had changed significantly. He was impatient—or rather, desperate to obtain the Essence. Was it because he was on the verge of reaching the high-level commander rank? Once he attained that, only two minor stages would remain before the threshold of the God-General rank. It was indeed time to prepare.

The demon force had originally numbered thirteen. Fang Qingyun had instantly eliminated six, and three more had pursued him, leaving only four. Four against four—the human warriors finally held the upper hand.

The demons, however, were not anxious. As long as their companions finished off that sniper and returned to reinforce them, victory would be theirs. This line of reasoning only changed once they were slaughtered.

Why? Why hadn't those demons come to support them?

"Hoo... hoo..." The four human warriors gasped for air.

Ultimately, realizing no reinforcements were coming, the demons had launched a desperate, suicidal attack, leaving the humans wounded. One of the warriors spoke with difficulty: "Captain, we should go and support that sniper!"

"Rest first!" The captain’s face darkened. "Your condition is terrible. At a time like this, you want to help others? Just worry about yourself!"

"This..." The three looked at each other. One whispered, "Captain, brother, haven't you been a bit too desperate lately?"

"What is that supposed to mean?" The captain’s expression shifted, and he said coldly, "Isn't everything I do for the sake of our brothers? Which of my decisions has been wrong? Are you saying you want me to put our brothers in danger for the sake of some irrelevant person?"

The three fell silent again. Just as the captain seemed poised to speak further, a voice cut in.

"Excuse me, but as an 'irrelevant person' who happened to save you, may I ask a few questions?"

"Who's there?" The group whipped their heads around.

On a nearby dirt mound, Fang Qingyun stood quietly. At his feet lay several corpses—the very ones that had just been pursuing him.

Dead? Already?

The captain and his men were stunned. They hadn't felt a single vibration of combat, yet the battle had ended in total silence. What kind of strength was this?

"A human?" After a moment of hesitation, the captain’s face filled with feigned joy. "I didn't expect it to be one of our own. Greetings, sir, we are—"

"I have no interest in knowing," Fang Qingyun interrupted with a wave of his hand, his tone flat. "May I ask a few questions?"

He flicked his rifle slightly, the muzzle unconsciously pointing toward the captain and his men. The group stiffened and nodded immediately. "Of course, sir. Please, ask away!"

Having assassinated a peak commander-level demon and then wiped out three more with such terrifying speed, this man’s power far exceeded their own. The captain and his men weren't fools; they had no intention of clashing with him.

"Why did you come here?"

"Huh?" The four were bewildered. What kind of question was that? Why were they here? Obviously, to...

The captain suddenly realized the implication and said, "Sir, did you... wander into this place by accident?"

Fang Qingyun smiled, watching the captain. "Are you asking me, or am I asking you?"

"You ask me!" The captain lowered his head humbly. "We came here, naturally, to obtain the Essence."

Essence? Fang Qingyun stared at the captain in silence, waiting.

The captain continued, "Every once in a while, Essence is born in the Azure Moon World, appearing on various continents. This time, it was the Storm Continent's turn, so the powerhouses of the three great races all rushed here to compete for it."

"What is Essence?"

"It is the source of heaven and earth. It is said that it even has effects on Sovereigns. Obtaining one piece can allow a commander to become a God-General, or serve as a strategic weapon of the same level."

"Why haven't any God-Generals stepped in?"

"Because three Sovereigns have set up a barrier, preventing God-Generals from entering. Only those below that rank can participate."

Fang Qingyun grew thoughtful. This explained why the Snake King had sent him here. As a high-ranking member of the human race, it was normal for him to receive such intelligence in advance. As for why the demons had deployed troops and then pulled them back, it was likely due to the border. The humans and demons had amassed significant military strength at the frontier; the demons felt the pressure and had to withdraw, leading to a standoff.

No. Fang Qingyun’s expression flickered. If it were him, he wouldn't just hold a standoff. He would attack. The birth of the Essence was an opportunity for the demons, but it was also an opening for the other races. The humans and demons could use this chance to deal a heavy blow to the demon clan.

*Forget it, that has nothing to do with me.*

Fang Qingyun turned his attention back to the four humans. "Anything else?"

"No!" the captain said. "All three great races have sent their most outstanding members to fight within this barrier. As for the Essence, whoever finds it, keeps it."

"Is there no way to pinpoint the location of the Essence?" Fang Qingyun frowned.

"Certainly not!" The captain gave a bitter smile. "Perhaps the people from the great clans have a way, but we commoners certainly don't!"

Fang Qingyun glanced at the captain and gave a cold smirk. "Do you want me to go find those people from the great clans? Are you trying to provide me with an opportunity, or are you looking for revenge because I pressured you?"

Cold sweat broke out on the captain's forehead. "How could that be? Sir, I am telling the truth!"

"Hmph!" Fang Qingyun snorted, though he didn't dwell on it. Ever since these people failed to step forward to save him, he had felt a certain distance from them. Still, he only wanted answers; he didn't care about anything else.

After asking a few more questions, Fang Qingyun turned and left.

"Whew!" Only when Fang Qingyun was far away did the captain finally let out a long breath. He was a powerhouse in his own right, a peak sixth-stage commander with sharp senses. He had felt that Fang Qingyun kept a thread of killing intent locked onto him the entire time. If he had shown even the slightest abnormality, the other would have unleashed a tempest of violence. As for the outcome of such a clash... there was no need to wonder.

"Let's go. We're heading that way!" The captain walked in the opposite direction of Fang Qingyun.

"That way?" one of them asked in surprise. "Sir, didn't you just say that direction might have the Essence?"

"With that man around, do you think there will be anything left for us?" The captain’s face was filled with rage as he muttered, "These damn nobles. I've worked through hell and back, yet I still can't compare to the lingering influence left by their ancestors. Just wait. Sooner or later, I will stand above everyone else."

"I will make you all kneel before me!"

"To be honest, you can't."

A voice sounded right beside the captain. The captain’s body went rigid. He hadn't realized when a young figure had appeared behind him, looking with him in the direction Fang Qingyun had departed.

"You... you..." The captain’s speech was stuttered. He hadn't sensed even a shred of aura, even with the person standing right in front of him. The other three immediately assumed an attacking stance.

"Who are you?" the captain finally managed to choke out.

"One of the nobles you speak of."

It was a man in his twenties with a smile on his face, though his eyes were chillingly cold. He pointed in the direction Fang Qingyun had gone. "That man’s power is formidable. Honestly, a guy like you—even if you became a God-General, you probably wouldn't be his match, let alone me. So, the idea of stepping on my head is quite unlikely."

The captain’s lips twitched, his eyes filled with malice, but under the youth’s indifferent gaze, he lowered his head and whispered, "You are right."

The youth shook his head. "How boring."

"Poor talent, lack of resources—these things are innate, so complaining about them is fine. But your character and spirit... forget it, why am I even talking to you? That person was much more interesting."

He set off in pursuit of Fang Qingyun. The captain kept his head bowed, not daring to lift it long after the young man had disappeared. His three companions looked at each other, and the silence in the area was absolute.

***

Another encounter. This time, Fang Qingyun ran into a group of demons. The leader was a commander-level demon, while the others were warrior-level. Fang Qingyun hadn't taken them seriously, expecting to wipe them out with a flick of his wrist, but they gave him a surprise: a spirit energy formation.

They were able to coordinate to set up a formation so powerful that even a peak commander would have to dodge its edge! Fortunately, Fang Qingyun’s power was sufficient; he used brute force to shatter it.

This incident made Fang Qingyun realize his power was slightly lacking. His physical body was strong, but his spirit energy was too weak. This imbalance wasn't a good thing. Ultimately, the physical body could not compare to spirit energy. While the body might have its advantages in a brawl, spirit energy improved faster and held greater potential. As for his body, Fang Qingyun had no reference point. He used Essence Points to enhance his body—it was fast, but he was unfamiliar with it, and he lacked any formal cultivation methods or combat techniques.

"Poison!" Fang Qingyun muttered. "I need poison!"

With enough poison, he could gain vast amounts of Essence to enhance his spirit energy.

[Host: Fang Qingyun]
[Profession: Warrior]
[Level: 8th Stage]
[Strength: 47 (+)]
[Speed: 47 (+)]
[Constitution: 47 (+)]
[Spirit: 52 (+)]
[Spirit Energy: 700 (+)]
[Marksmanship: Advanced]
[Blade Arts: Beginner (+)]
[Sword Arts: Advanced]
[Traps: Intermediate (+)]
[Spirit Energy Control: Intermediate (+)]
[Technique: Slaughter Resolution (29th Turn) (+)]
[Summoned Beast: Dragon King Lion]
[Essence: 9856]

These were his current stats. No matter how one looked at it, he was incredibly powerful, nearing the level of a God-General. However, the effects of the poison beads were completely exhausted and no longer worked on him. It was currently difficult for him to increase his Essence—unless he pushed the *Slaughter Resolution* to its limits. The massive power of the technique would ravage his body, which would also yield Essence. But the consequence would be a long recovery period.

That was a last resort. Besides, on a battlefield, running the *Slaughter Resolution* at full power would easily expose him to enemies. Poison was better—it allowed for quiet, unobtrusive growth.

"Right!" Fang Qingyun suddenly remembered that this was supposed to be the core continent of the demon clan. With such a vast area, there had to be cities.

Cities...

After a brief silence, a sharp glint flashed in Fang Qingyun’s eyes, and he strode toward the distance. He wanted the continent’s Essence, but he didn't know how to find it. Since that was the case, he would focus on improving himself. If he happened upon the Essence, that would be a bonus; if not, so be it.

The battlefield was massive, and the people gathered by the three races were truly insignificant within it. The demons had the highest numbers, and since this was their territory, even though their elite warriors were sent to the front lines, there were still plenty of commoners. Even demon commoners possessed a certain degree of combat capability. Right now, these commoners had all gone mad, leaving their cities to hunt for the Essence.

The three major races all had strict hierarchies. The demon clan was the most brutal of all; upper-tier demons could kill lower-tier demons at any time, even treating them as food. Now, with a chance to change their fate, the demons naturally didn't want to let it slip away.

"A human?" Not long after moving forward, Fang Qingyun encountered a few demons. They roared and charged at him like madmen.

"Why seek death?" Fang Qingyun frowned. Killing these low-level demons brought him no joy. But since they threw themselves at him, he had no choice but to oblige.

"Bang!"

Fang Qingyun stomped hard on the ground. Countless shards of rock flew upward, piercing through the demon commoners. They were like ants.

He continued his journey.

"ROAR!"

Suddenly, a shrill, piercing shriek rang out.

"Hmm?" Fang Qingyun frowned and looked up. A giant, monstrous creature was hunting down a group of demons.

"That is..." Fang Qingyun froze. How could a thing like this exist in demon territory? Was it a demon? It didn't look like one.

He unslung his sniper rifle, took aim, and fired!

"Bang!"

The monster was hit in the head, but to his surprise, it didn't die. Instead, it was enraged, pursuing the demons with even greater ferocity. The demons included a commander-level and several high-level warriors, but they were powerless against the beast; their spirit energy formations were shattered by a single swipe of its claw.

Fang Qingyun’s eyes widened in surprise. What on earth was this?

"Run that way!"

Though Fang Qingyun’s shot hadn't killed the beast, it gave away his position to the demons. The commander-level demon at their head led the group, rushing toward Fang Qingyun’s position.

Fang Qingyun thought for a moment and shifted his aim to the monster's neck.

"Bang!" "Bang! Bang!"

He fired repeatedly, every shot hitting the beast's neck. Each round blasted a hole in its flesh. Finally, its neck was severed by the sheer force of the fire. The headless monster finally stopped, crashing heavily to the ground. Its twenty-meter-long body kicked up a massive cloud of dust.

"This..." The demons were dumbstruck.

The commander-level demon muttered, "That kind of monster... killed by a sniper rifle? Who is it?"

"Not someone from your demon clan!" Fang Qingyun appeared before the demons, his sniper rifle leveled at them, his tone icy. "Answer a few questions, and I'll give you a quick death. Otherwise, I'll make your existence a living hell."

"A human?" the demons whispered, staring coldly at Fang Qingyun.