0099 Battlefield Dominance

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Accompanying this powerful, oppressive atmosphere was an even denser demonic aura.

Some soldiers who had previously been invaded by demonic energy were recuperating at a safe spot using incense burners to expel the demonic influence. The moment they came into contact with this new wave of demonic qi, they let out muffled groans, their expressions shifting slightly as they instinctively pressed closer to the incense burners.

The forest grew even dimmer, deathly silent. Ping Luanshan took a step back, lowering his voice to Jiang Feng: "Seems like something big is about to come out..."

Jiang Feng narrowed his eyes at the scene ahead, also keeping his voice low: "Maybe not just one..."

Teng Zhi said tersely: "Be careful!"

"Yeah!" The three of them responded in unison.

Moments later, a violent gale whipping up dead branches and withered leaves suddenly surged outward in all directions! Countless demons burst forth from within the gale, and the Guard Captain immediately shouted: "Everyone on alert — soldier-class demons!"

The ones that had appeared before were merely low-ranking miscellaneous fiends sent to test the waters. They barely possessed humanoid forms, were very weak in combat, and though they gathered in massive numbers, aside from being a nuisance in terms of sheer quantity, only their demonic energy invasion could truly harm anyone.

But what appeared now were soldier-class demons. This rank was equivalent to a human martial cultivator at the realm-entering stage. Only these could truly be called demons!

Moments later, a horde of demons let out shrill shrieks and charged out of the forest. The piercing cries rose and fell, hoarse and grating, their sound waves spreading in all directions, filling everyone's hearts with an inexplicable restlessness.

It was then that the Guard Captain let out an even more thunderous roar. The sound was akin to a tiger's bellow, shattering the anxiety in everyone's hearts in an instant. The Guard Captain shouted: "All troops, forward!"

The soldiers gripped their weapons tightly and advanced with great strides. The moment the two sides clashed, black demon blood mingled with human crimson blood, splashing into the air. From the very first instant of contact, the battle displayed a ferocity a hundred times more brutal than before!

Ping Luanshan and the others wore grim expressions and were about to advance when Jiang Feng called them back. Jiang Feng spoke in a low, solemn voice, instructing them: "Demons have incredibly strong regenerative abilities — far beyond what martial cultivators possess. You must focus on self-preservation. Whatever you do, don't trade wounds for wounds!"

The three acknowledged in unison and charged forward at the same time, with Jiang Feng following close behind. The rumbling of thunder spread across most of the forest.

……

……

The soldier-class demons were closer to them in capability, so killing them was nowhere near as easy as the chopping-vegetables style they'd had before.

In this battle, they reined in their earlier arrogance and grew serious.

Even though Jiang Feng had said what he said, as the battle wore on, their bodies inevitably accumulated wounds of one kind or another.

The Guard Captain's brow furrowed tighter and tighter. At last, his men officially began to suffer casualties.

These soldiers had all been trained by his own hands. Watching his comrades fall beside him, his heart felt as if it were being cut with a knife. The fury and hatred he felt toward the demons nearly overwhelmed his mind.

He let out a furious roar, sweeping his long chain in an arc. Five or six demons simultaneously snapped bones and collapsed to the ground. Then, a gust of wind swept past the demons — each one now bore a huge gash, their demon cores gouged out.

Ping Luanshan landed beside the Guard Captain, tossed him the demon cores, then blurred away and charged forward again.

His footwork was agile and his speed was impressive, but his attack power was comparatively weak. The martial arts that Hua Su and Jiang Feng had tailored specifically for him made full use of his strengths while avoiding his weaknesses.

The scallion-leaf longblade in his hand emitted a faint glow, each strike aimed at the demons' vital points and digging deep. After a few hits, a demon's armor would be pried open and its demon core gouged straight out.

He vividly remembered Hua Su's advice to him: "If your strength is weak, then your control must be precise! With your abilities, you're best suited to be an assassin. So avoid frontal combat, hide in the shadows, watch for vital points, and kill with a single strike!"

……

The battle raged on. The smile that had never left his face was now completely gone. Just as Hua Su had said, he began to learn to walk alongside the shadows. He always lurked in the dark, and whenever he spotted an opening, he would pounce immediately, strike at the vital point, and take the enemy's demon core.

He began to develop a fighting style uniquely his own, and his will was rapidly maturing in this life-and-death battle.

It wasn't just Ping Luanshan — Hong Cheng and Teng Zhi were also beginning to forge their own distinct methods of combat.

Hong Cheng had embedded nothing but power-enhancing origin cores. His meteor hammer struck with overwhelming force, yet its chain moved like a spirit serpent, darting back and forth with astonishing flexibility.

Whenever his meteor hammer swept out, several demons would be caught at once. Then, the demons' own bodies became his weapons. Everywhere he passed, a mountain of flesh would quickly pile up.

He advanced through the demons like a meat grinder. Unlike Ping Luanshan, the accumulated battle achievements and the thrill of combat ignited his confidence. A smile crept onto his honest, simple lips. Set against the blood on his face, it was a chilling sight!

Teng Zhi wielded a long saber and pressed forward like a man of iron. He was the strongest of the three — far surpassing the other two in both his raw luminance force and his control over it.

The longer he fought, the more fluid his movements became. With a single sweep of his blade, whether soldier-class or miscellaneous fiend, at least one demon would be torn apart beneath his strikes. And he never swung just one blow at a time.

He advanced with great strides, leaving behind him a corridor of flesh and blood.

These three youths, facing such a savage battle for the very first time, were not broken by it. Instead, they grew even stronger, becoming veritable gods of death and nemeses of the demon race!

The quietest — and yet the most astonishing — was the youngest of the four youths.

The rumbling thunder gradually faded until it was utterly silent.

Jiang Feng moved among the demons, his footwork and strikes entirely soundless, yet as smooth as flowing clouds and water, even carrying a touch of distinctive elegance.

If anyone had had the leisure to observe his battle, they would have noticed how remarkably ingenious his movements were. Every step, every punch — not a single one was wasted.

Every punch he threw landed on a demon, and every punch struck a demon's vital point. His luminance force passed through his ring, transformed into electric current, and surged into the demon's body, directly shattering its demon core. He never missed.

Several times, he punched at empty air — yet a demon would inevitably lunge forward, delivering its own vital point into his fist!

The longer the battle went on, the more pronounced this trait became.

In this small patch of forest, his figure could be seen everywhere. He coordinated with everyone.

Whenever anyone was in danger, he would unfailingly arrive at their side in advance, fighting alongside them to clear away the small patch of demons before them.

And wherever an opening appeared, it was as if he could sense it beforehand, filling the gap and wiping out a whole cluster of demons at once.

The Guard Captain finally took notice of him, and a look of shock spread across his face.

As he watched, a feeling grew within him — this entire battlefield was within this youth's control!

He was the one orchestrating this battle!

The practical result was that human soldier casualties grew fewer and fewer, while the number of demons killed grew greater and greater.

A large force of soldier-class demons had suddenly appeared, and their section of the area had originally been somewhat pressed. But the longer they fought, the easier it became — they even returned to the same state they'd been in when dealing with miscellaneous fiends!

All four of these youths were incredibly strong! Especially this one named Jiang Feng!

They all seemed born for the battlefield, able to unleash combat power several times — even ten times — beyond their usual level!

……

……

The battle continued without end. Jiang Feng gradually figured out the pattern of the demons' appearances.

They were the exact opposite of humans — they appeared more frequently at night, and their power was stronger then as well.

At noon, when humans were at their strongest, the demons actually came out less often, which conveniently gave the soldiers a chance to catch their breath.

Jiang Feng and the others had been there for three days already. Three days of continuous combat, and their performance had been witnessed by everyone, instantly earning them the respect and enthusiasm of all the soldiers. The moment they sat down, they would immediately be surrounded, with countless people coming over to greet them and strike up conversation.

Jiang Feng in particular was now treated no less favorably than the Guard Captain. The way the soldiers looked at him could even be described as reverence.

The life-and-death struggle had made the youths mature rapidly. Their features had grown sharper, their expressions more resolute, their movements more forceful.

When Hua Su arrived, this was exactly the scene he saw.

He raised an eyebrow, a hint of a smile curling at the corner of his mouth as he strode over: "So, how's life treating you?"

The Guard Captain stood up warily and asked: "You are..."

But the four youths had already risen simultaneously and bowed, saying in unison: "Master Hua!" "Teacher!"

The Guard Captain asked in astonishment: "You... you're their teacher?"

He sized up Hua Su in disbelief. How had this disheveled, down-and-out man managed to train four such outstanding disciples?

A moment later, his gaze landed on Hua Su's right arm, and his eyes suddenly blazed with excitement.

On Hua Su's upper right arm was worn an insignia — a spear and a lance crossed, with faint traces of bloodstains upon them. The Guard Captain asked excitedly: "You... you come from the Demon-Subduing Army?"

That was indeed the emblem of the Demon-Subduing Army!

Hua Su gave a faint smile: "I was, before. I've retired now."

The Guard Captain suddenly understood: "No wonder! Only a lord of the Demon-Subduing Army could train disciples like these!"

Hua Su raised an eyebrow: "So these four boys have done well?"

The Guard Captain praised them lavishly: "Done well? They've been absolutely incredible! If they were to join the city defense forces, I'd probably have to hand over my captain's position to them!"

He gave a brief account of the four youths' performance, emphasizing Jiang Feng in particular. The performances of Ping Luanshan and the other two were still within the range of what he'd expect from disciples of a Demon-Subduing Army soldier — but Jiang Feng still struck him as utterly beyond belief.

Hua Su smiled: "Yes, the child has some talent."

The Guard Captain sighed in admiration: "Talent? He's a heaven-sent prodigy!"

It was only then that realization dawned on him. He stepped aside and said: "Master Hua has come with matters to discuss, I presume? Please, go ahead!"

Hua Su nodded to him and led Jiang Feng and the other three off to one side.

He narrowed his eyes and glanced into the depths of the forest, then asked: "I take it you've all gained some working knowledge of demons by now?"

There was no more direct way to understand one's enemy than through personal combat.

The four nodded in unison. Hua Su nodded approvingly: "Good! Turn that knowledge into instinct, let it sink deep into your bones. And prepare yourselves —"

"This time, the format of the prefectural examination will be completely transformed because of this demon invasion!"