Human Clan Defender-Chapter 461 - 208: Upcoming Promotion (Seeking Monthly Votes)

Chapter 461: Chapter 208: Upcoming Promotion (Seeking Monthly Votes)

After sending off the people from Great Liang, Shen Changqing specifically instructed Mu Qing. For the next few days, he would see no one. However, if anyone from Dayue came calling, they were to be informed directly that the method for breaking through to the Great Grandmaster Realm was indeed available for trade, at the same price as offered to Great Liang—five high-ranked Demon Evils.

Having said this, Shen Changqing returned to his residence, fully immersing himself in transcribing Martial Arts.

Mountain-Breaking City was now a convergence of powerful experts, not only from the various Jianghu factions within Great Qin but also numerous powerful individuals from other nations. Among them were representatives of the Imperial Court and those purely from Jianghu forces. He could almost foresee that this auction would be truly unprecedented. As to whether it would be the last of its kind, that was hard to say.

In light of this, Shen Changqing felt that the few Martial Arts he had initially prepared for the auction were insufficient. Though it’s said that scarcity creates value, the extent of this value primarily depends on the number of bidders. If the bidders were solely from Great Qin, then the Martial Arts he had ready would certainly suffice. But if bidders from other nations were included, the situation would be different. Moreover, he suspected that Great Zhou and the Barbarian Clan might secretly join the bidding as well.

Great Grandmaster Martial Arts were something everyone coveted.

Therefore, to reap a substantial amount of benefits at once, Shen Changqing decided to go big. After all, he recalled a considerable number of high-grade Martial Arts.

A quick calculation revealed that he had mastered a dozen or so top-tier Grandmaster Martial Arts alone. General Great Grandmaster Martial Arts and top-tier Great Grandmaster Martial Arts, when combined, also numbered over a dozen, although slightly fewer. If all were to be auctioned off, the price would be substantial.

It seems this time, it’s my turn to make a fortune! A smile touched Shen Changqing’s lips.

The fusion of Martial Arts not only enhanced his own strength but also earned him money—a true double harvest. This was a perpetual motion machine. As long as nothing went wrong, he essentially had a remarkably stable channel for acquiring Slaughter Value and Divine Ability Value.

Shaking his head, Shen Changqing dispelled the distracting thoughts and refocused on the task before him. Transcribing Martial Arts was also a rather mentally taxing task. Fortunately, Martial Arts up to the Grandmaster level could still be recorded in writing. However, recording Divine Skills was not so simple.

Divine Skills are extremely profound methods. Although classified alongside ordinary Martial Arts, the entirety of a Divine Skill could not be captured merely by words. It was a form of comprehension, an insight that resonated with Heaven and Earth.

Until now, Shen Changqing had not found a way to record Divine Skills. He had a premonition that if he were to master even more powerful Divine Skills, his current ones would become obsolete and could be auctioned off. Then, he would be able to harvest another significant wave of resources.

The moment Jiang Zuo stepped into Mountain-Breaking City, he sensed an unusual tension in the air. So many more powerful experts in Mountain-Breaking City!

While Mountain-Breaking City had always hosted its share of powerful experts, their numbers had never been this high. He had been focused on exterminating Demon Evils in the wilds recently, paying little heed to news from the city, so he was unaware why so many powerful experts had suddenly gathered in Mountain-Breaking City. However, despite the multitude of powerful experts, there were evidently no signs of trouble. Jiang Zuo let out a slight sigh of relief.

Never mind, now is not the time to concern myself with this; I should head back to the Demon-Subduing Division first!

Clutching the jade box nestled against his chest, a sharp glint flashed in his eyes. That jade box contained the life-saving measure Shen Changqing had entrusted to him at the very beginning. About this, Jiang Zuo had always been somewhat puzzled. He found it hard to conceive how an item within a mere jade box could counter such formidable Demon Evils.

Only when he finally opened the jade box did Jiang Zuo truly comprehend the immense power of what it contained. This occurred during an operation to purge Demon Evils, where he unexpectedly encountered two Fiend Level Strange Monsters. With no other choice, Jiang Zuo opened the jade box, deciding to give it a try. Consequently, the Essence Blood incarnation within erupted with thunderous might, forcibly suppressing and annihilating one Fiend Level Strange Monster. The other Fiend Level Strange Monster had no avenue of escape. At that moment, he hadn’t even had the chance to make a move himself.

Recalling the rumors he had heard, Jiang Zuo took another deep breath.

Who would have thought that in just a few months, Brother Shen has already become a Great Grandmaster! The gap between us is growing ever larger!

Standing at the entrance of the Demon-Subduing Division, he was filled with complex emotions. Going out to slay Demon Evils had caused his Spiritual Power to grow considerably, yet he still hadn’t officially reached the stage of True Intent Manifestation. It could be said that currently, within the Grandmaster Realm, he couldn’t even be considered mid-stage; he was merely treading water at the initial stage. In stark contrast, Shen Changqing had leaped from the Grandmaster Realm directly to the Great Grandmaster Realm in a mere matter of months. When Jiang Zuo first received this news, he had been stunned for a considerable time.

Without pausing for too long, he entered the Demon-Subduing Division, heading straight for the courtyard where Shen Changqing resided. It wasn’t long before Jiang Zuo stood before the courtyard gate. He intended to knock, only to find that the gate yielded easily to his touch. Momentarily stunned, he then stepped inside.

「Quarter of an hour later.」

Jiang Zuo left with his tail between his legs. Recalling the recent scene, his expression darkened several shades.

That Fierce Beast... so powerful?

The instant he stepped into the courtyard, Tiankui had attacked him. Regarding Tiankui, Jiang Zuo was no stranger; similarly, he had believed that with his own strength, subduing a mere Fierce Beast would not be an issue. However, it was only when they truly clashed that Jiang Zuo was shocked to discover something. The Fierce Beast he had assumed he could easily subdue had actually reached the Grandmaster Realm. Furthermore, it was considerably stronger than him. After the battle, he had been forced to retreat in defeat.

About this, Jiang Zuo couldn’t help but question himself, wondering if he was truly so incompetent as to be unable to handle even a single Fierce Beast. Recalling the power Tiankui had displayed, he was both shocked and consumed by profound self-doubt.

I’ve become too complacent, unable to even deal with a Fierce Beast! How can I even speak of defending the Human Clan or the Demon-Subduing Division in the future? Jiang Zuo’s expression shifted unpredictably.

Ever since breaking through to the Grandmaster Realm, he had seldom experienced the elation typically associated with being a Grandmaster. The adversaries he encountered were invariably stronger than him. At times, Jiang Zuo couldn’t help but wonder if the Demon Evil Clan had targeted him, or if fate itself was deliberately conspiring against him. On numerous occasions, he had narrowly escaped death’s grasp. This time, though his life had not been in danger, he had suffered a bitter defeat at Tiankui’s hands.

This battle served as a rude awakening for Jiang Zuo, making him realize a stark truth: he was far too weak.

The Grandmaster Realm is just another beginning; Great Grandmaster lies beyond. I cannot afford to be arrogant or complacent. From now on, I must fully dedicate myself to increasing my strength! Jiang Zuo silently made his decision.

Once one possessed sufficient strength, no problem remained a problem.

Immediately, he first proceeded to the Demon Slaying Hall and submitted all the missions he had undertaken. Subsequently, he exchanged his merits for a batch of resources and promptly departed from Mountain-Breaking City. If one wished to enhance their strength, merely staying within the Demon-Subduing Division was insufficient. Genuine opportunities were always scattered throughout the lands, not confined within the Demon-Subduing Division.

「Several days later.」

Shen Changqing had not stepped out of his room, adopting a stance of refusal towards all visitors and matters. And his method of refusal was very simple. With Tiankui guarding the premises, no one else could get within a single step. Within the Demon-Subduing Division, there were currently few experts capable of suppressing Tiankui. As such, even those who wished to report something or desired an audience had no means to do so.

Inside the room, Shen Changqing put down the brush, twisted his neck, then stretched his body. A series of CRACKS and POPS resounded as the air vibrated with a low RUMBLE. When his movements ceased, all commotion subsided into silence.

Phew, that’s finally done!

Gazing at the stacks of martial manuals before him, Shen Changqing nodded in satisfaction. It hadn’t been easy. He had transcribed nearly every Martial Art he could currently offer for sale in one go. After comparing them and confirming that his transcriptions were complete and without omission, Shen Changqing rose and departed the room.

The courtyard was in disarray. Pits and indentations clearly marked the traces of recent combat. Seeing this scene, Shen Changqing’s expression remained unchanged. He had sensed the commotion when Tiankui engaged someone earlier, but since he detected no killing intent, he had not intervened. Presumably, those who had clashed with Tiankui were members of the Demon-Subduing Division. They had likely come seeking him but were intercepted by Tiankui.

Long ago, Shen Changqing had given Tiankui specific instructions: within the Demon-Subduing Division, unless the opponent showed lethal intent, Tiankui was not to kill. Therefore, he wasn’t overly concerned about casualties arising from Tiankui’s clashes with others.

"Your strength has improved again. Are you about to enter maturity?"

Compared to a few days ago, Tiankui’s physique had grown slightly larger, and the two protuberances on its back bulged as if ready to burst at any moment.

As he finished speaking, a halting voice echoed in Shen Changqing’s mind.

"Soon... very soon... Blood... need blood..."

Hearing the voice and seeing Tiankui sprawled on the ground, gazing at him intently, he instantly grasped its meaning.

"How much fresh blood do you need to break through to maturity?"

"One drop... Essence... Blood!"

The voice was intermittent. After fully processing the message, Shen Changqing raised an eyebrow.

One drop of Essence Blood! He hadn’t anticipated Tiankui’s appetite would be so immense. If it were ordinary fresh blood, he would have provided it without hesitation. However, parting with a drop of Essence Blood warranted careful consideration. Once Essence Blood was expended, replenishing it would necessitate advancing his Divine Heaven Golden Body.

After some thought, Shen Changqing still decided to let it advance. A mature Tiankui would experience a comprehensive boost in all aspects of its power, which would undoubtedly be beneficial.