Human Clan Defender

"It's almost time!"

In a little while, if I can enter the meditation chamber another eight or ten times, I should be able to form the second petal. Then, my Martial Dao True Intent will advance to twenty percent.

Shen Changqing examined the changes in his Sea of Consciousness and then his character panel, roughly gauging his progress.

Having a character panel is useful. Besides using Slaughter Value for improvements, accurately seeing changes in my martial arts is a good thing. After all, being able to see tangible progress prevents cultivation from becoming too tedious.

Six days of arduous cultivation.

Not only had it led to significant progress in his Martial Dao True Intent, but soaking his physical body in dense Spiritual Energy had also substantially refined his blood energy and True Qi.

Shen Changqing silently estimated. The impurities in my blood energy seem to have lessened slightly. With fewer impurities, its potency would naturally increase. However, this enhancement isn't significant, at most about one part in a thousand. Still, to purify my blood energy by even that much in just six days of seclusion is quite remarkable.

As for my True Qi, its total volume hasn't increased; in fact, it has slightly diminished. Yet, I can clearly feel that while the quantity of True Qi has decreased, its quality has significantly improved. Strictly speaking, my strength hasn't declined but has actually increased.

It's a pity that I've run out of Merit Points; otherwise, if I could continue to cultivate here, my progress in True Intent would be by leaps and bounds!

Shen Changqing quietly lamented for a moment, then walked out.

Outside the Martial Hall.

Zhong Ning wasn't lounging about as usual. He stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his typical carefree smile replaced by a somber expression.

"Elder Zhong."

Having left the Martial Hall, Shen Changqing greeted him.

Zhong Ning nodded slightly but did not answer, apparently deep in thought.

Seeing this, Shen Changqing couldn't help but ask, "Has something happened to trouble you so, Elder Zhong?"

"I have no troubles. It's Great Qin that's in trouble."

"Great Qin is in trouble?"

Shen Changqing's eyebrows rose, his confusion deepening.

What kind of trouble could Great Qin be in? My mind immediately went to the Great Wilderness Prefecture. Although the Barbarian Clan was formidable, they could at most threaten the Great Wilderness Prefecture. It was nearly impossible for them to pose a threat to the vast Great Qin empire. But if it wasn't the Barbarian Clan, who else could cause trouble for Great Qin? Could it be—the Eternal Alliance!

Zhong Ning's words stirred a multitude of thoughts in Shen Changqing's mind.

Logically speaking, this isn't something I should be overly concerned about. But, no matter what, I'm now tied to the Demon-Subduing Division, and the Division is closely linked to Great Qin. Now that Great Qin is in trouble, I can't just ignore it.

Hearing this, Zhong Ning shook his head and sighed, "Great Zhou recently launched a surprise attack on Luo'an Prefecture, causing several cities to fall and our army to suffer considerable casualties. Now, with the Barbarian Clan also rampaging in the Great Wilderness Prefecture, Great Qin is caught in a pincer attack from two sides and is in serious trouble."

"Great Zhou attacked Luo'an Prefecture!"

Shen Changqing was greatly shaken, standing rooted to the spot in shock.

Great Zhou! That was a power no weaker than Great Qin, another nation in this land. Yet, as far as I knew, Great Qin and Great Zhou had always minded their own business. For Great Zhou to seize this opportunity to attack Luo'an Prefecture, there had to be some underlying scheme; it simply didn't make sense otherwise.

Suddenly, Shen Changqing turned his attention to the Barbarian Clan.

"By attacking Luo'an Prefecture, could Great Zhou have allied with the Barbarian Clan?"

"Looking at the current situation, it certainly seems that way," Zhong Ning said with a sigh. "If it were only an alliance between Great Zhou and the Barbarian Clan, that would be somewhat manageable. The real concern is if Great Zhou also has ties to the Eternal Alliance. That would be the greatest trouble."

The Barbarian Clan was now allied with the Eternal Alliance, but whether Great Zhou had also joined them was still a question mark. If not, then the three forces wouldn't be completely united, leaving some room for maneuver. But if they truly banded together, then Great Qin would find itself attacked from both front and rear. At that point, even with Great Qin's formidable strength, whether it could break such a deadlock would be uncertain.

Zhong Ning's words clarified the situation for Shen Changqing. His concerns were valid, but I'm currently powerless to do anything. Whether it's the Barbarian Clan or Great Zhou, neither is an enemy I can presently contend with. Consider that I managed to slay Mairba while surrounded by tens of thousands of soldiers. But frankly, if I hadn't retreated then, I might have been worn down and killed by that army of tens of thousands. Therefore, although reaching the initial stage of the Physical System conferred great strength, it wasn't enough to completely disregard the advantage of numbers. Only those at the peak of the Spiritual System, as Di Qiu had mentioned, could perhaps truly stand as an army of one. However, to call that invincible is impossible. After all, the Hidden Heart Pavilion itself housed several peak practitioners of the Spiritual System, not to mention a powerful Defender Envoy. If experts of that realm were truly invincible, they could simply be dispatched to annihilate the Barbarian Clan and Great Zhou, eliminating the need for these prolonged and wasteful wars. Therefore, in my view, although masters of such realms are strong, they are not truly invincible.

If I could reach the peak of both systems, or break through their limits, then I would truly have nothing to fear! he thought.

However, Shen Changqing was merely musing. Reaching the peak of both systems is far from easy. Never mind that the Spiritual System can't be improved with Slaughter Value; even if it could, amassing the required amount would be incredibly difficult.

"Well, let's not dwell on it. Anyway, you don't need to worry so much right now, kid. Before long, the Imperial Court should be issuing orders to the Demon-Subduing Division. It's about time these old bones of mine got moving."

Zhong Ning waved his hand, indicating no desire to discuss the matter further.

His words startled Shen Changqing. "The Imperial Court issuing orders?"

"Nonsense. With Great Zhou attacking Luo'an Prefecture, how could the Imperial Court turn a blind eye? When the army marches, it naturally requires powerful experts to accompany it. Currently, ninety percent of the Capital City's experts reside within the Demon-Subduing Division. However, most of the powerful Demon Hunters from the Demon-Subduing Division are currently out on missions, suppressing Demon Evils across the lands. Only the Hidden Heart Pavilion still has a contingent of members available. Although we can usually stay here peacefully and cultivate in seclusion, when the day comes that the Imperial Court needs us, how could we refuse?"

Zhong Ning scoffed. He had been preparing to deploy ever since news of Great Zhou's attack on Luo'an Prefecture arrived.

In any case, the army always needs to be accompanied by powerful experts. Otherwise, if an enemy faction sends over their top experts, wouldn't they achieve a kill with every strike? Decapitation operations are applicable everywhere. More importantly, having powerful experts embedded within the army provides a significant advantage when battle commences.

After a moment, Zhong Ning added, "There's an exchange meeting in the Martial Hall tomorrow. Are you interested in attending? Some Grandmasters will be sharing their cultivation insights; it might be beneficial for you."

"Is participation mandatory?"

"The exchange meeting isn't compulsory. Attend if you wish, don't if you don't. However, it would be good for you to go if you have time. Besides, meeting other Grandmasters is a good way to get acquainted. Should any issues arise later, it will be easier to communicate."

Zhong Ning spoke rather casually.

Hearing this, Shen Changqing nodded. "If I have time, I'll go. Where is the exchange meeting being held?"

"The third floor of the Martial Hall."

"Alright."

「 」

After leaving the Martial Hall, Shen Changqing returned to his residence.

Six days in the meditation chamber passed in what felt like the blink of an eye.

His original plan was to cultivate in seclusion within the Martial Hall for six months to a year. He intended to wait until his True Intent broke through to the second stage before going out on missions again to hunt Demon Evils and accumulate more Slaughter Value.

But now—a sense of urgency had risen in Shen Changqing's heart. The sole reason for this newfound urgency was the recent developments in Luo'an Prefecture.

Great Qin's national strength has been waning for years, a decline inextricably linked to the aging Emperor. Furthermore, Demon Evils rampage endlessly across Great Qin, constantly draining the nation's vital strength. Many experts from the Demon-Subduing Division have perished at the hands of these Demon Evils. Now, with Great Zhou and the Barbarian Clan allied against Great Qin, and the ever-present threat of the Eternal Alliance, the Imperial Court is in a precarious situation. One misstep could lead to the collapse of the state and the ruin of homes.

And—the nations in this land aren't limited to just Great Qin and Great Zhou.

Shen Changqing's expression was grave.

Great Qin, though powerful, is merely one among many strong nations. The alliance of Great Zhou and the Barbarian Clan is undoubtedly formidable; whether Great Qin can withstand them is a serious question. That being so, if other nations were to intervene, Great Qin could shatter in an instant.

An age of chaos is upon us! It would be best if Great Qin can stabilize the situation. If not, its territories will fragment, and the Demon-Subduing Division itself will be hard-pressed to survive!

If the Demon-Subduing Division falls, my greatest backing will be gone. At that point, I'll have no one to rely on but myself. I've already destroyed two Eternal Alliance strongholds, killed many of their Demonfolk, and even slayed a Barbarian Clan General. It's obvious I'm on the kill lists of both the Eternal Alliance and the Barbarian Clan. With the Demon-Subduing Division as my shield, there are no immediate problems. But if that protection vanishes, the consequences will be severe. Once it comes to that, only absolute power can ensure my safety. My current initial stage in the Physical System is equivalent to a late-stage Grandmaster in the Jianghu. That strength isn't considered weak. But against the Barbarian Clan and Demon Evils, a late-stage Grandmaster is completely outmatched. After all, even within the Demon-Subduing Division, a late-stage Grandmaster isn't considered a top-tier expert, merely somewhat presentable. The disparity is all too clear.