Getting Stronger By Fighting

This kid is extremely afraid of death. Even if he has to die for the Human Race, he'll surely hold on until the last moment. As long as he can breathe, he absolutely won't willingly accept death...

So, something must've gone wrong. Something must've gone wrong! There's danger on the battlefield, great danger on the battlefield! Where's the danger, where's the danger...

He looked around, scanning the surroundings, and his gaze immediately fell upon the Beast Nest trapped within the Four Symbols Formation. He fixated upon it intensely.

That's it! It must be this big guy! If it's this big guy, the Martial Emperors might survive, but a little shrimp like Wang Zhan would definitely be doomed...

Suddenly, he thought. Damn it, if even a little shrimp like Wang Zhan, who can slaughter Grandmasters, is doomed, wouldn't I, an Internal Energy Martial Artist who's purely a product of piled-up resources, be even more doomed?

Fortunately, the Beast Nest didn't pay any attention to an insignificant ant like him. Otherwise, with his suddenly changed complexion, his panicked gaze, and his trembling hands, one could immediately connect these signs to something more, no matter whether it was day or night.

GULP...

Su Tao swallowed hard.

Yang Qi gave him a strange look, puzzled, and said, "What's the matter with you, are you sick? You're shivering. Are you suffering from kidney deficiency? Let me tell you, if you really are, make sure to tell me. Don't just pee or poop from high up in the sky; that's very inconsiderate.

Even if the ground is filled with savage beasts, what if you accidentally hit a human? Can you take responsibility in a life-or-death situation?"

Su Tao gave him a look that was somewhere between laughter and tears.

Big brother, my dear big brother, do you really not use your brain at all?

That kid Wang Zhan always charges forward when there's profit to be made and quickly ducks out when there's none. Haven't you noticed anything... off about that?

But he didn't dare speak up, lest the Beast Nest hear him.

Although the life and death of the Martial Emperors were still far removed from him, what if he accidentally got himself into trouble too? So, he reluctantly feigned indifference and didn't argue.

"Well, we're too far away from Wang Zhan; we can't get a clear shot. Let's move a little closer, and I want to shoot from Wang Zhan's front. It would look much better that way..."

It wouldn't just be effective; if he really dared to send it out, he'd be a massive hit by tomorrow, guaranteed.

But that wasn't the main point. Standing in front of Wang Zhan meant being at the vanguard, in the direction of a potential retreat. Although Su Tao didn't have much personal experience with retreating, he was more than familiar with it from games.

A crafty rabbit has three burrows. If you don't want to die, you have to plan an escape route.

Yang Qi thought about it and agreed. Perhaps it could highlight Wang Zhan's heroic posture even more.

Even though he was certain that what Wang Zhan had fed him was not a Sky-grade Elixir, since he couldn't beat Wang Zhan, he had to go along with whatever Wang Zhan said.

Refute? Man, didn't you see what happened to the Tang Family's Second Master that night when he was cut down? He died so damn miserably.

Even now, Yang Qi felt a chill in his skull just thinking about it.

A... Sky-grade Elixir, that's all. Wang Zhan wouldn't do that to him, would he? He was Wang Zhan's bodyguard, after all.

「The battle raged on.」

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM...

The roaring sounds, impacts, and the clash of weapons gradually receded from the Central Battlefield.

Except for Wang Zhan, who was still rallying morale and shouting himself hoarse, everyone else had fallen into silence, mechanically slaughtering.

Too many, too numerous to count.

If it weren't for Wang Zhan standing firm like a Sea-Stabilizing Divine Needle here, these Grandmasters, and even other Grandmasters present, might all end up as waste products in the beasts' digestive tracts within a single engagement.

KILL!

KILL!

KILL!

In contrast to their silence, the beasts were continuously raging, incessantly roaring their intent to surround and kill Wang Zhan and his group.

Unfortunately, Wang Zhan and his group were too cunning. They were already exhausted, their energy depleted, and their numbers dwindling.

But as time passed, their coordination became even more seamless and steady. They formed a common Military Department formation and steadily pushed forward.

ROAR!

ROAR!

ROAR!...

The fierce roars of the beasts were met with the humans' orderly arrangement—the first rank falling back, the second rank filling in, the third rank slaying enemies, the fourth rank collecting corpses, and the fifth rank resting.

In the blink of an eye, the beasts' fierce roars quickly turned into whimpering cries, like pitiful creatures trodden on by their masters, before they were swiftly deprived of their lives, their beast cores, and their prime flesh. The humans paid this no mind, directly consuming the flesh to replenish some of their energy.

The prime flesh of a beast is where its energy is most concentrated. Though unrefined into an elixir, making consumption seem crude and bloody, this method of sustaining themselves through battle was a kind of alternative elixir.

DIE!

Wang Zhan roared, his voice hoarse. His fist was unstoppable, his clone by his side wielding the Liyun Blade, showing no mercy with each slash.

One punch, one slash, they served as the vanguard of the formation.

Wang Zhan, the young man who had forced the Federation to change its tournament rules, finally displayed his willingness to fight to the death before everyone.

At this moment, he was a warrior and a leader. He was a common soldier and a hero. Behind him, more than one hundred and eighty stalwarts trod the wilderness, unstoppable. The Human Race will prevail!

「Elsewhere.」

What's that? What's that sound?

Yuan Mengru and her group turned their heads. They thought they heard a clamor from the distant battlefield, like an illusion.

Immediately, their complexions changed as they sensed something was amiss.

Is the battlefield pushing outward? Can the Human Race not hold them back?

One should know, this time, ninety percent of Jing State's mid-tier forces had been deployed, and its high-tier forces had poured out in full strength. If even this wasn't enough, just how ferocious had the Beast Clan become?

Could it be that nearly twenty Martial Emperors, hundreds of Grandmasters, and thousands of Grandmasters were all unable to withstand the onslaught of the Beast Clan?

Yuan Mengru halted, her expression solemn as she gazed in that direction, then looked at the people beside her.

"We need to go back!"

"Go back for what? If they've lost, we definitely can't win. Why not focus on surviving first?"

Said the brat from the Royal Martial Arts Academy.

However, Yuan Mengru couldn't be bothered with him and looked towards Hanqing, Chu Yuming, and Lin Xiaoyin; these three were the real key.

Lin Xiaoyin was silent for a moment, then, after some thought, she shook her head.

"Cousin, I've experienced a Beast Tide. If they really can't hold on, going there with our current abilities would be suicide. We wouldn't be any help at all; instead, we'd just be a burden!"

Having survived a Beast Tide before, she naturally knew the dangers involved.

Hanqing and Chu Yuming were also silent. Chu Yuming looked up, a hint of guilt in his voice as he said, "I'm sorry, I can't take the risk..."

A reason? There was no need for one. His simple "I can't" clearly conveyed his stance.

Hanqing was the same. "The Dean taught me that if you can't win, run. There's no shame in it. Besides, I have faith in them. Even if they are to lose, it won't happen this quickly."

"You all!"

Yuan Mengru's brow furrowed deeply as she stared intently at the three Federation geniuses before her, all of whom, without exception, had chosen to retreat.

They all chose to retreat without a fight! Is there any hope left for a Federation like this?

Now, she seemed to finally understand a little of what Yun Tianyi had said during the Team Extra Time Competition: one must possess the will to fight, to fight to the death!

And it seemed that Yun Tianyi had only said that because of Wang Zhan's emergence...

Lin Xiaoyin looked a bit ashamed, wanting to speak but hesitating.

"Cousin... it's not that we don't dare to fight to the death; it's truly unnecessary right now! It's not our time to step up yet. The only thing we can do is preserve ourselves and wait for the right moment..."

Yuan Mengru did not speak, nor did she mock; she just nodded lightly.

"Very well. Since our paths diverge, let's not try to walk them together. From this moment on, I'm leaving the team. Farewell, everyone!"

"Cousin..." Lin Xiaoyin cried out in alarm.

Yuan Mengru did not turn back; she only waved her hand.

"I'm fine. I won't try to persuade you. Truthfully, I have my own selfish reasons for going back this time. So, don't follow me; I won't appreciate it."

This was the first time she's been so resolute... Lin Xiaoyin's expression froze, a dazed look on her face.

Ultimately, they didn't follow. Instead, they chose to continue waiting for the right opportunity. Besides, Yuan Mengru had her selfish reasons; they were different. Their only desire was to grow stronger for the sake of the Human Race.

Yuan Mengru also understood this clearly.

There's no right or wrong between us. But when that 'right time' finally comes, will you still dare to fight?

The fighting spirit of Human Race warriors has always been forged on the battlefield. If one behaves like a rat, hiding and scurrying, they might eventually forget they were once an upright human being.

Sigh... Hopefully, that day will never come.

「Some time later.」

In fact, twenty minutes had passed by the time Yuan Mengru found the part of the Beast Tide where Wang Zhan was fighting.

By then, forty minutes had elapsed since Wang Zhan began to maneuver away from the Central Battlefield. More than a hundred warriors around him had perished, leaving only about one hundred and fifty.

"Wang Zhan?"

Seeing Wang Zhan was a shock to her. She simply couldn't comprehend how the person carving a path through the Beast Tide, advancing with great strides, could be Wang Zhan.

When Wang Zhan saw her, his brow twitched sharply.

Why is this woman here? Is she tired of living?

Indeed, it wasn't just Wang Zhan; even the Human Race warriors within the Beast Tide grew anxious. They had already spotted a beast appearing behind Yuan Mengru.

WATCH OUT!...

Wang Zhan wasted no words; his clone shot out like lightning. FATAL---ONE SLASH!

Yuan Mengru was Yun Tianyi's disciple, after all. If Yun Tianyi found out that he had watched her die without helping, their bond of friendship would surely be greatly diminished.

Thus, the clone, in its energy form, seemed to float lightly as it moved with astonishing speed, skimming over the heads of numerous beasts.

DIE!

BOOM!

First, a small boom, then a massive one.

The former was like the buzz of mosquitoes and flies; the latter, like the heavens rending or the earth splitting.

At this moment, every living being in the wilderness, whether human or beast, felt a terrifying shiver run through them.

Wang Zhan's earth-shattering roar struck directly into the hearts of all stunned and trembling beings. His eyes seemed ready to split as he yelled, "RUN!"

The Beast Nest... it really exploded!