Human Clan Defender-Chapter 530 - 267: Do You Really Intend to Fight to the Death with Me? (Thanks to Alliance Hierarch "Die But Not Save" for the reward)

Chapter 530: Chapter 267: Do You Really Intend to Fight to the Death with Me? (Thanks to Alliance Hierarch "Die But Not Save" for the reward)

Great Wilderness Prefecture.

Within the Yecheng Demon-Subduing Division.

Shi Kaitai stared at a shifting black dot and a red dot on the Star Plate, his expression incredibly complex. He had already received news that these moving points were the Great Demon and his companion, being pursued by Shen Changqing.

"According to the message, the black dot is the Great Demon King Mu Bai, and the red dot is Tan Tianji, the former Elder of the Internal Affairs Hall who betrayed the Demon-Subduing Division. Judging from the Star Plate, Tan Tianji’s strength is comparable to that of a typical Defender Envoy. If Shen Changqing weren’t herding them, their arrival in our Great Wilderness Prefecture would undoubtedly unleash a bloodbath." Shi Kaitai’s voice was filled with emotion.

"Even a Fiend-Level Strange Monster can wreak havoc in a city, potentially annihilating its entire population. An incident involving Demonfolk at the level of a Defender Envoy is akin to facing a Demon Evil. They are a terrifying disaster wherever they appear. And that’s not even mentioning the top-tier Great Demon involved here." If Shen Changqing weren’t driving them away, I would have to seriously consider how to minimize our losses, Shi Kaitai thought.

Beside him, Yang Qian also wore a complicated expression. "What should we do now? Are we really going to ignore it completely?" He found it strange that a Great Demon could intrude without the Demon-Subduing Division taking any action.

Shi Kaitai shook his head. "Whether you or I make a move, neither of us stands a chance against Wang Mubai. Sending others to intercept would only lead to unnecessary casualties. Defender Shen understands this clearly, which is why he instructed us not to interfere. When a Great Demon goes berserk, fields of corpses are considered a light toll. The events in Guangyuan Prefecture over two hundred years ago serve as a stark reminder."

The power of a Great Demon was deeply ingrained in people’s minds. Every character written in the archival records concerning Great Demons represented countless lives lost.

Shi Kaitai looked at the Star Plate again. If the Star Plate hadn’t emerged, we would have remained ignorant of such a powerful Demon Evil lurking within Great Qin. But with its appearance, no Demon Evil can hide. After this upcoming purge, Great Qin will truly enter a phase of stability. Any Demon Evil attempting to enter Great Qin will have no chance of escape.

He was keenly aware of the profound changes the Star Plate would bring to Great Qin. Any Demon Evil entering its territory would be detected instantly. Furthermore, Demon Evils naturally formed by Heaven and Earth would be suppressed by the Demon-Subduing Division the moment they emerged.

After a pause, Shi Kaitai continued, "If I’m not mistaken, the Demon-Subduing Division itself is about to undergo significant changes."

"Significant changes?" Yang Qian looked puzzled, unsure what kind of changes Shi Kaitai was referring to.

Shi Kaitai pointed at the Star Plate and said gravely, "Now that Star Plates are established in every branch of the Demon-Subduing Division, all of Great Qin is under their coverage. Any Demon Evil entering Great Qin territory will be detected immediately. In your opinion, how should we best utilize the Star Plate’s capabilities?"

Yang Qian fell silent at these words. Before he could answer, Shi Kaitai continued, "It’s quite simple. With the Star Plate active, we can station most of the Demon-Subduing Division’s forces at the borders. Any Demon Evil attempting to cross into Great Qin can be eliminated instantly, preventing them from penetrating deeper into our territory. As for the Demon Evils naturally formed by Heaven and Earth, most aren’t very powerful and won’t cause significant trouble in the short term. Thus, a small contingent stationed within Great Qin would be sufficient to maintain security."

In my opinion, he thought, after the Star Plate’s emergence, the most effective way to keep Demon Evils out of Great Qin is to fortify the borders. The majority of our forces should be concentrated along the frontiers of the Great Qin Nation. This way, Demon Evils will have no opportunity to infiltrate. The recurring heavy casualties Great Qin suffers from calamities caused by Demon Evils could also be significantly mitigated.

"Moreover," Shi Kaitai added, "when all our forces are concentrated at the borders of the Great Qin Nation, our collective strength will be far greater than when it’s dispersed across various prefectures. After all, several of Great Qin’s nine prefectures are located in the core region. If we truly commit to defending the borders, it would mean reallocating forces from these core prefectures to strategically important border prefectures. This would undoubtedly result in an overall increase in our defensive capabilities, not a decrease."

Upon hearing this explanation, realization dawned on Yang Qian. So that’s the reasoning! he thought. Shi Kaitai’s speculation isn’t just possible; it’s highly probable.

Both men immediately refocused their attention on the Star Plate. By now, Wang Mubai and Tan Tianji’s indicators were about to leave the jurisdiction of Yecheng.

---

SWOOSH!

An afterimage vanished.

Wang Mubai carried Tan Tianji in one hand. Each step he took seemed unhurried, yet he left a trail of fleeting afterimages. Behind him, Shen Changqing followed with his hands clasped behind his back, strolling as if through a tranquil garden.

The technique Shrinking Earth into Inches consumed a significant amount of energy, but Shen Changqing’s profound reserves allowed him to maintain the pursuit. Moreover, during their passage through several prefectures, he had deliberately stopped at local Demon-Subduing Division branches to acquire Elixirs for replenishing his energy. This enabled him to consistently maintain his speed and stay close behind them.

Even with my profound reserves, I occasionally need to resupply at the Demon-Subduing Division, Shen Changqing mused. Wang Mubai, fleeing relentlessly while carrying someone, must be severely drained. By now, he’s likely a spent force.

A severely depleted Great Demon... it might not be impossible to slay him. However, this isn’t the right place for a confrontation. I’ll wait a while longer, Shen Changqing thought, his eyes flickering.

Initially, he hadn’t considered killing Wang Mubai, believing it beyond his capabilities. But now, during this prolonged chase, Shen Changqing suddenly realized that Wang Mubai’s energy consumption seemed even more severe than his own. Fleeing across several prefectures while carrying another person—it would be a lie to say his energy isn’t heavily depleted.

At his peak, Wang Mubai and I were evenly matched. But a spent and exhausted Wang Mubai? That’s a different story entirely.

By comparison, thanks to the replenishments from the Demon-Subduing Division, I still have forty to fifty percent of my strength remaining. If Wang Mubai has managed to retain even thirty percent, it would speak volumes about the depth of his reserves.

With this realization, Shen Changqing sensed an opportunity to slay the Great Demon. However, we’re still within the Great Wilderness Prefecture, so fighting here isn’t ideal. Once we leave its borders, if a genuine opportunity presents itself, I’ll eliminate him. Slaying a Great Demon would undoubtedly allow my Divine Soul to advance.

His resolve firming, he continued his pursuit without pause. About an hour later, Shen Changqing sensed Wang Mubai had stopped. He quickly caught up, and the familiar outline of a city appeared in his vision.

It was—Jincheng!

The sight of the city brought back vivid memories after only a moment’s reflection. The last time I left Jincheng was when the Barbarian Clan breached its walls. Now, looking at it again, large contingents of troops are stationed there. But the attire and complexion of the people on the city walls clearly identify them not as Qin People, but as members of the Barbarian Clan.

Tan Tianji was nowhere in sight. Wang Mubai stood alone before Jincheng.

"Not running anymore?" Shen Changqing asked with a faint smile, his hands clasped behind his back.

Wang Mubai’s face was impassive, his voice ice-cold. "Your only goal was for me to leave Great Qin. Now that I am outside Great Qin’s territory, you can depart."

As he spoke, a suffocating frustration welled up within him. This is the first time I’ve been chased across several prefectures like a beaten dog! If I ever get the chance, I will wash away this humiliation! Killing intent surged in his heart, yet Wang Mubai refrained from attacking. He knew he couldn’t kill Shen Changqing, and a prolonged battle would likely end in his own demise.

Shen Changqing shook his head. "You haven’t left Great Qin yet. This is Jincheng, part of the Great Wilderness Prefecture, which is Great Qin territory. You now have two choices: be slain by me, this official, here before Jincheng, or leave willingly."

I have no reservations now, Shen Changqing thought. Although Jincheng is technically within the Great Wilderness Prefecture, it has already been seized by the Barbarian Clan. The ones garrisoned inside are all Barbarians. Even if a major battle erupts here, any casualties will be among the Barbarian Clan. I feel no psychological burden about that.

"Jincheng has been conquered by our Barbarian Clan! Since when is it Great Qin territory?" a Barbarian Clan commander on the city wall bellowed.

The moment his voice fell, Shen Changqing’s eyes turned cold. His Divine Soul Power erupted, and the commander’s head instantly exploded. The headless corpse teetered for a moment before plummeting from the wall.

This sudden, brutal event caused the faces of the other Barbarians on the wall to pale drastically. Shen Changqing said coldly, "When this official is speaking, what right do you Barbarians have to interrupt?"

If Wang Mubai weren’t here, I would have already slaughtered all the Barbarians in Jincheng. They’re just Barbarians, after all. I wouldn’t hesitate no matter how many I killed.

Wang Mubai’s expression darkened further. "Do you truly intend for this to be a fight to the death?"

"You’re welcome to try," Shen Changqing replied, his tone light and unconcerned, clearly not taking Wang Mubai seriously. "If I’m not mistaken, powerful experts from the Barbarian Clan should be arriving soon, shouldn’t they? Why don’t you call them all out? Let’s see if they can handle me together."

In fact, they had entered territory occupied by the Barbarian Clan some time ago. However, Wang Mubai hadn’t stopped anywhere until he reached Jincheng. From this, Shen Changqing could deduce a few things.

News of me pursuing a Great Demon has already spread throughout the prefectures of Great Qin. The Barbarian Clan couldn’t possibly be unaware. As allies, or perhaps even puppets, of the Demon Evil Clan, how could they not react to the news that a Great Demon is being hunted?

I’m certain Wang Mubai stopped before Jincheng for a specific reason. The most likely explanation is that his reinforcements are about to arrive. That must be the source of his confidence to stop and confront me directly.

"You are very smart and very confident," Wang Mubai said, his eyes glinting with a sinister light. "But too much confidence becomes arrogance!"

His usual refined and scholarly demeanor was only a facade, displayed when he felt everything was under his control. In reality, the Demon Evil Clan was inherently savage and brutal. Wang Mubai wouldn’t easily reveal this side of himself, but under Shen Changqing’s repeated goading, he was finding it increasingly difficult to maintain his composure.

Just then—

BOOM!

BOOM!!

Several terrifying auras erupted from within Jincheng.