Human Clan Defender-Chapter 558 - 285: Overwhelming Dominance (Seeking Monthly Votes)

At the tenth level of Divine Skills, the Banishing Evil Silent Obliteration Finger possessed a fifty percent suppression effect on Demon Evil. Even at the second level, it achieved a ten percent level of suppression against them. This ten percent suppression was not to be underestimated. For powerful beings, every increment of strength was colossal. With this advantage, Shen Changqing had been able to leverage his own strength to make Wang Mubai flee in disarray. This clearly demonstrated just how significant an extra ten percent of power suppression could be against Demon Evil.

The aura of the Great Demon before him was indeed strong, but it still fell short compared to Wang Mubai’s. Its Domain expanded, only to be instantly torn apart by the Banishing Evil Silent Obliteration Finger. The force of the Divine Skill bombarded it, causing its flesh and Scale Armor to shatter, forcing it to retreat uncontrollably. Shen Changqing took a step, deploying the Divine Skill, Dusk Cangwu. He disappeared from his original position and appeared behind the Great Demon, blasting out another Divine Skill.

Sensing a terrible premonition, the Great Demon didn’t hesitate to turn. Its six arms swung, unleashing Divine Skills that collided with the destructive Finger Gang. Ultimately, the void shattered. The destructive shockwave at close range caused its Divine Thunder Heavenly Gang to crumble. However, Shen Changqing had already moved, perfectly avoiding the corrosive aftermath before the force reached him. Under the impact, two of the Great Demon’s arms shattered, and it coughed up blood as it stumbled back.

Just then, another destructive force began to coalesce behind it. The young Great Demon’s face was a mask of horror; it could no longer care about losing face. "Quick, come to my aid!" As it cried out, its Domain rapidly contracted, shrinking to a three-foot radius around its body to form an absolute defense. The next instant, the destructive Finger Gang struck. Despite the Domain’s concentrated power forming this three-foot defense, it was still extremely fragile against such force. In less than a breath, the Domain crumbled. The young Great Demon’s Divine Soul suffered a severe shock. Enduring the discomfort, it turned and wielded Divine Skills to defend. BANG— Its body flew sideways. The newly regenerated arms shattered once more, and its powerful aura also diminished.

Then, another extremely tyrannical aura, no weaker than the young Great Demon’s, burst forth. Another Great Demon, this one with two heads—the Two-Headed Great Demon—strode through the air. Its hands coalesced the aura of Demon Evil into chains, which swept towards Shen Changqing. The chains, immensely long, ripped space apart instantly. Unafraid, Shen Changqing employed Dusk Cangwu, perfectly dodging the Two-Headed Great Demon’s offensive while simultaneously approaching the young Great Demon and throwing a direct punch. He did not use the Banishing Evil Silent Obliteration Finger again; its frequent use had already expended considerable energy. Crippling a Great Demon to this extent so quickly was a considerable feat. After all, Demon Evil at the Great Demon level were not easily slain.

Facing the attack, the young Great Demon, too weary to catch its breath, could only defend exhaustedly. Meanwhile, the Two-Headed Great Demon had completely closed in. Atop Zhou Pass, the two Great Demons joined forces, engaging Shen Changqing in a life-or-death struggle. No one could survive within the reach of their battle’s aftermath. The very walls of Zhou Pass were extensively damaged by the force of their battle.

In the Central Military Camp, Gu Xuanji’s expression was grave as he watched the distant battle intently. "Shen Changqing’s strength is far greater than I imagined!" he exclaimed. "He’s holding his own against two Great Demons, and earlier he severely injured one with lightning speed. Such strength is simply astounding."

Beside him, Dongfang Zhao, in disguise, also wore a serious expression. "His growth is faster than I anticipated. As it stands, two Great Demons may not be enough to handle him. If it were just one, it would likely have been slain on the spot by now." He paused, then continued, "However, what truly concerns me isn’t Shen Changqing’s strength, but the appearance of these two Great Demons."

Gu Xuanji fell silent, understanding Dongfang Zhao’s implication. In the past, Great Demons rarely ventured out; those that had entered Great Qin’s territory in over three hundred years could be counted on one hand. Ever since the Demon Saint had suffered a heavy blow in Great Qin, even fewer Great Demons had dared to cross its borders. This had created the illusion that Great Demons were rare powerhouses even within the Demon Evil Clan. Yet now, two Great Demons had appeared simultaneously. This was significant because the war had only just begun. While Zhou Pass was a gateway to Great Zhou, it wasn’t its lifeline. Like Great Qin, Great Zhou possessed several prefectures, and Zhou Pass was merely the entrance to one. Even if it fell, Great Zhou would still have the capacity to resist. Therefore, the appearance of two Great Demons during the assault on Zhou Pass alone strongly suggested the Demon Evil Clan’s intent to intervene, and it was unknown how many more Great Demons remained hidden.

After a long pause, Gu Xuanji said, "The emergence of Great Demons hasn’t caused a collapse in the morale of the Great Zhou Soldiers. We know the Human Clan naturally abhors Demon Evil. It wouldn’t be surprising if a small number of people submitted to them. Yet, among the millions of Great Zhou Soldiers, there hasn’t been the slightest disturbance. This is indeed interesting!"

In his view, the Great Zhou Soldiers fought fiercely, without fear of death. As long as their wounds weren’t fatal, they would struggle back to their feet to continue fighting. Such willpower was clearly not something an ordinary army possessed. Great Qin had mobilized elites from its various prefectures and had only managed to assemble an army a few million strong, and even that number included many who weren’t truly elite. Comparatively, Gu Xuanji found it utterly unbelievable that the several million soldiers defending Zhou Pass could all be such fearless elites.

After observing for a long time, he turned to Dongfang Zhao. "Have there been any reports from the Heavenly Inspection Guard who infiltrated Great Zhou?"

"None..." Dongfang Zhao shook his head, his expression solemn. "It has been days since the Heavenly Inspection Guard units that entered Great Zhou last sent any word. Some unforeseen calamity must have befallen them. Your Majesty, something is unusual about Great Zhou this time. We must be careful."

The Heavenly Inspection Guard had operatives in every nation. For this assault on Great Zhou, for instance, the Demon-Subduing Division had long ago instructed the Heavenly Inspection Guard to gather all available intelligence on them. But for days, there had been no word. With Dongfang Zhao’s acute intuition, he had already sensed something was amiss. Now, with the appearance of two Great Demons, the problem was clearly far more serious.

Gu Xuanji nodded slightly. "No word from the Heavenly Inspection Guard indeed suggests a problem. For now, let’s observe the situation. We’ll reassess after Zhou Pass falls. Great Qin cannot reveal all its trump cards yet, so you mustn’t act rashly either. Wait for my decree."

"This minister understands." Dongfang Zhao nodded, his gaze still fixed on the battle atop the walls of Zhou Pass.

The two Great Demons fighting Shen Changqing were powerful, but they were still no match for him. If I were to intervene and cooperate with Shen Changqing, killing those two wouldn’t be difficult. However, I’m certain the Demon Evil Clan has more than just these two Great Demons. The current battle at Zhou Pass is merely the beginning in the grand scheme of things. The moment I make a move, other Great Demons from the Demon Evil Clan will surely appear. Then, apart from exposing myself, there would be no other benefit. Rather than reveal myself unnecessarily, it’s better to remain concealed and deliver a fatal blow to the Demon Evil Clan at the opportune moment.

BOOM! BOOM!

Over other gates of Zhou Pass, towering Yin Evil Auras erupted. Immediately, other dominating auras swept across the sky.

"Audacious Demon Evil! Daring to reveal yourselves before me? You seek death!" Ran An shouted as he stepped into the air. His black hair fluttered, and his purple robe gave him the appearance of a reincarnated Demon God. He thrust out a palm, and the void instantly caved in, shattering the next moment. A Great Demon exuding a terrifying aura shook the void as it charged directly at him.

Simultaneously, Pei Feng also erupted with formidable strength, engaging another Demon Evil of the Great Demon Realm.

Chaos! Utter chaos!

The war had begun only a short while ago, and already four Great Demons had appeared. A heavy weight settled on the minds of many Great Qin generals.

"Four Great Demons! Haha, the Demon Evil Clan has truly gone all out," Gu Xuanji laughed, though his smile was icy. "I’m eager to see just how valuable Great Zhou is to them, to warrant such an investment of power."

Four Great Demons. He felt no fear. If he dared to lead the imperial army personally, it was because he had sufficient confidence. Even without Ran An and Pei Feng, Great Qin could still contend with those two additional Great Demons that had just appeared; it would merely come at a certain cost. Now, with Ran An and Pei Feng present, Great Qin wouldn’t need to resort to those measures.

As he watched the battle at the main gate, a fighting spirit surged in Gu Xuanji’s eyes. "It has been a hundred years since I last took action. I’ll entrust command here to you, Dongfang Zhao. I’m going to join the fray and will return shortly!"

"Understood!" Dongfang Zhao’s eyes firmed with resolve, and he did not object.

The moment Gu Xuanji finished speaking, he rose into the air. Golden True Qi swirled around him like an imperial True Dragon, and his terrifying aura instantly swept across the battlefield.

Although it was night, the darkness was dispelled by a majestic and vast aura, as if a Great Sun had risen. Many powerful experts instinctively looked up, just in time to witness Gu Xuanji personally taking action.

As he brought one palm down, the golden True Qi around his arm coiled like numerous True Dragons, transforming in its descent into a massive Seal.

"Not good!" The young Great Demon clashing with Shen Changqing sensed the power, suffused with immense righteous energy. It turned to look, its face instantly contorting in alarm. Enduring the discomfort in its Divine Soul, it once again expanded its Domain, attempting to withstand the palm’s assault.

But as the Great Seal descended, the Domain dissolved like smoke, dissipating bit by bit. The force struck the young Great Demon directly, causing its Scale Armor to char and crack, its flesh mangled beyond recognition.

"AAARGH—" 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

The sudden turn of events left Shen Changqing momentarily stunned. Just then, a majestic voice reached his ears: "Defender Shen, join me in banishing evil!"

Hearing this, Shen Changqing instantly snapped back to reality. He took a step, unleashed the Divine Skill Dusk Cangwu to evade the Two-Headed Great Demon’s attack, and sent a Banishing Evil Silent Obliteration Finger striking directly at the young Great Demon.