Human Clan Defender

In the black of night, within the confines of Minor Hillock Mountain.

A thick, rich scent of blood wafted through the air.

The ground was littered with severed limbs and broken bodies. The garrison defending Minor Hillock Mountain had been completely massacred.

Kong Ye's blood-stained head lay discarded on the ground, his face still twisted with rage, his eyes wide open, yet devoid of any life.

Additionally, bits of flesh and dark blood, which slowly corroded the earth, were scattered on the ground.

Within Minor Hillock Mountain, a cold, desolate street, flanked by rows of houses, had appeared at some point.

At the end of the street, a moderately sized courtyard sat as if forgotten by the world. Bright light projected from it, lending a semblance of life to the street.

A young Demonfolk walked slowly down the street.

His left hand had been cleanly severed at the base, leaving only the right hand intact.

Clearly, to kill Kong Ye, the Demon Evils had paid a hefty price.

The four-armed old crone and the Two-Faced Demon had both fallen.

Only the young Demonfolk remained alive.

Walking down the street, he looked around at the surrounding scene with deep wariness in his eyes.

Even with his own strength, he couldn't tell if anything about the scene before him was false.

This Calamity is truly extraordinary! he thought.

Even a Calamity in its nascent stage possesses such methods—

The young Demonfolk was somewhat shocked.

The Eternal Alliance had long been aware of the existence of the Calamity in Minor Hillock Mountain.

In an attempt to recruit the Calamity, they had previously sent people over, but for some unknown reason, those who were sent died inexplicably.

In light of this, the Demon Evils had made thorough preparations before coming to Minor Hillock Mountain once again.

What they hadn't anticipated, however, was that two Grandmasters were stationed in Minor Hillock Mountain, not just one, and both were formidable. Even with a three-on-two advantage, the Demon Evils had nearly lost the battle.

It's a pity the two Grandmasters consumed so much Essence Blood; there wasn't much left for me to absorb. Otherwise, my injuries could have fully healed, and I might even have advanced further from my current foundation.

Thinking of the Essence Blood consumed by the two Grandmasters, the young Demonfolk felt a sense of regret.

Although Grandmaster Flesh was a rich source of energy for them, the two Grandmasters had been severely depleted after such a fierce battle. He himself had nearly been killed by Kong Ye in the process.

Only after consuming their remaining flesh did he manage to cling to life, yet his injuries could not be completely healed.

At the very least, his severed arm lacked the strength to regenerate.

Soon, the young Demonfolk arrived at the courtyard gate, from where he could clearly hear chanting.

"There has never been one who is benevolent that has neglected their kin, there has never been one who is righteous that has betrayed their lord—"

Honestly, the young Demonfolk didn't quite understand what it meant.

Still, bearing in mind the purpose of his visit, he knocked on the courtyard door.

「The hall.」

Mo Zijin was holding a classic text, reciting by candlelight with rapt attention, when the sudden knocking interrupted his thoughts.

Immediately, his face took on a displeased expression.

"Who in the world is knocking at this late hour!" he grumbled, displeased.

As he grumbled, his face, illuminated by the candlelight, appeared somewhat sinister and ferocious.

At that moment, the knocking echoed again.

Mo Zijin reluctantly put down his scroll, stood up, and walked outside.

Opening the courtyard gate, he saw the young Demonfolk standing there.

Their eyes met. The young Demonfolk, seeing Mo Zijin's scholarly appearance, wasn't particularly surprised. He intended to bow but, realizing he was missing an arm, simply nodded in greeting.

"I am Zhou Qing from the Eternal Alliance, I've come to see—"

"Demon, Demon Evil!!"

As he began to speak, Mo Zijin's face instantly paled.

Demon Evil! It was a Demon Evil that had come in the dead of night.

Demon Evil? Looking at Mo Zijin's panicked expression, Zhou Qing found the situation absurd.

Good grief. Even if I am a Demon Evil, you're a Calamity. We're essentially the same sort of beings. What's there to fuss about?

Just as he was about to speak, the terrified Mo Zijin's expression twisted, and he began to mutter.

"Demon Evil! You're a Demon Evil! You've come to kill me, haven't you? Anyone who tries to kill me must die! Whether human or Demon Evil, die! You all must die!"

His hair fluttered wildly as an incredibly terrifying Yin Evil Aura erupted from Mo Zijin.

His emerald-green eyes flashed with cold, frenzied madness.

The next instant, his billowing black hair, like dark tentacles, lashed out at Zhou Qing.

"Sir—"

Attacked so suddenly, Zhou Qing's face filled with horror.

Although this was a nascent-stage Calamity, judging by its Calamity Domain, it was on the verge of a breakthrough.

If he had been at his peak, of course he wouldn't have feared such a Calamity.

The problem was, he was now in a semi-crippled state.

If he faced a frenzied Calamity in this condition, Zhou Qing felt he might very well be ignominiously defeated.

With that thought, he immediately tried to withdraw.

However, though Zhou Qing retreated quickly, Mo Zijin's attack was even faster. Sharp nails grew from Mo Zijin's pale hands, effortlessly slicing through Zhou Qing's Scale Armor.

"Damn it!"

The searing pain made Zhou Qing's expression even uglier.

BOOM! BOOM!!

Within the silent Minor Hillock Mountain, a tremendous commotion erupted, accompanied by furious roars.

But due to the earlier battles, the birds and beasts of Minor Hillock Mountain had long since fled.

Now, no matter how the roars shook the heavens, they failed to attract any attention.

Soon, Zhou Qing, drenched in blood, broke free from the binding black hair. He burst out of the courtyard and ran frantically down the silent street.

Escape! Flee quickly! This was the only thought in his mind.

That Calamity was too terrifying. Especially since he was within its Domain and under some suppression, engaging in combat was completely impossible.

In a short time, far from inflicting any damage on the Calamity, Zhou Qing felt a significant amount of his Essence Blood being drained.

Unbeatable! To preserve my life, I can only try to leave for now.

The Calamity can't leave its Domain. As long as I get out of here, it can't do anything to me!

The street wasn't long, a hundred yards at most. With the explosive speed of a Grandmaster-level expert, one could rush out in a breath or two.

Just as his foot was about to leave the street, a sweeping tide of black hair surged from behind.

SWISH!!

The black hair, like living tentacles, swept up and hooked Zhou Qing's right foot before he could take another step. A fierce pull dragged him backward, and his airborne left foot failed to land outside the street.

The Yin Evil Aura burst forth.

Zhou Qing struggled to break free from the black hair, but as soon as some strands snapped, more swarmed to entwine him.

Within moments, his entire body was tightly cocooned in black hair, leaving only his head exposed.

"AARGH—!" Zhou Qing let out an unwilling, shrill howl, his eyes filled with despair.

Soon, his head too was covered by the black hair.

The black strands writhed as if swallowing something. Screams burst from within but did not last long before silence fell.

Then, the black hair receded, revealing Mo Zijin.

His face still bore the lingering fear of someone who had just survived a catastrophe.

Thank goodness! That Demon Evil was killed by the righteous energy I cultivated. Otherwise, I would have lost my life to it today. Truly, there are rewards for diligently reading the sages' books!

Immediately after, Mo Zijin felt something was amiss with his state and quickly composed himself.

How can we scholars fear Demon Evils!

In his memory, he had just fought the Demon Evil fearlessly, battling it with righteous energy for three hundred rounds before finally managing to slay it.

"Books contain seas of grain; books contain rooms of gold!"

Chanting these lines with a shake of his head, Mo Zijin's spirits lifted considerably, and his earlier panic at encountering the Demon Evil faded.

Afterward, he looked toward the houses lining the street with a hint of regret.

What a shame. The villagers are all asleep and didn't witness my valiant fight against the Demon Evil. Otherwise, how could they still say studying is useless!

Forget it, I'll go back to my books. The texts say that once righteous energy is cultivated, one can at least become a successful candidate in the imperial examinations. Next year, I'll try for a title. Perhaps one day I can bring honor to my ancestors.

With a faint smile, Mo Zijin returned to the courtyard. The sound of recitation, silent for some time, once again drifted out.

But the street remained dark and lifeless.

「The next day.」

As the sky began to brighten, a group of people arrived.

The leader appeared to be an older man, followed by several youths whose attire bore the distinct markings of the Saber Blade Sect.

"Such a commotion last night," the leader, Sun Guan, mused, sniffing the air. "I wonder what happened at Minor Hillock Mountain."

Minor Hillock Mountain was considered within the Saber Blade Sect's territory, and they had a station in a nearby village.

The sounds of battle from the previous night had carried for several miles.

The Saber Blade Sect had received news immediately.

However, wary of Minor Hillock Mountain's peculiarities and the authority of the Demon-Subduing Division, the Saber Blade Sect had feigned ignorance, only sending people to investigate the following day.

"Elder Sun, the scent of blood here is so strong!" one of the young disciples exclaimed, his face pale with fright.

The overpowering scent of blood was unnerving.

Sun Guan remained composed. "Let's go investigate," he said calmly.

Without much effort, they arrived at the outskirts of Minor Hillock Mountain.

Severed limbs and mangled corpses were strewn everywhere. Dried blood left chilling, dark stains on the ground.

While the Saber Blade Sect disciples reeled in shock, Sun Guan's gaze fixed on a particular spot.

There, a head with furiously bulging eyes lay discarded on the ground.