Human Clan Defender

Leaving the Council Hall, Shen Changqing returned to the Martial Hall. Having decided to go to South Nether Prefecture tomorrow, he needed to make some last-minute preparations. His intention was simple: to add to his knowledge reserve.

The third floor of the Martial Hall. Since all its members had been called to Luo'an Prefecture and those who were out had not yet returned, the third floor rarely saw visitors. Shen Changqing himself seldom visited the third floor on ordinary days. His most frequented place was the secret chamber on the first floor. It had to be said, the Spirit Vein there was incredibly beneficial.

Gazing around the third floor, Shen Changqing stopped before a cabinet. The label read: Ancient Legends! These scrolls detailed such accounts. Moreover, he noticed signs that they had been moved recently. Clearly, someone had been to the third floor of the Martial Hall before him and had browsed these scrolls. Instantly, Shen Changqing thought of Yi Ning.

If Yi Ning came to the Martial Hall to consult scrolls, then these likely contain information about the Ancient Ruins— he mused. Even as he pondered, he quickly pulled out a thick scroll. Finding an empty spot, Shen Changqing spread it open and began to examine its contents.

"Legend has it that thousands of years ago, during Ancient Times, a heaven-shaking catastrophe occurred. This event caused the Ancestral Vein to sever. Since then, nature's spiritual energy has declined, preventing all martial artists in the world from ever breaking through the Grandmaster's Limit."

"All the powerful experts of Ancient Times also perished in that catastrophe. However, these fallen powerhouses left behind numerous cave abodes and inheritances, which came to be collectively known as the Ancient Ruins!"

"According to legend, practice in Ancient Times was predominantly centered on the Spiritual System, with very few individuals delving into the Physical System. Consequently, most of the Ancient Ruins discovered to date are primarily related to the Spiritual System; those connected to the Physical System are exceedingly rare."

Seated, Shen Changqing meticulously read the scroll's contents. The records indicated that while the Ancient Times were thousands of years in the past, making many details obscure, the emergence of Ancient Ruins proved their existence. Furthermore, it was undoubtedly an era of powerful experts. As he continued reading, Shen Changqing became deeply focused.

"To date, everyone who has entered the Ancient Ruins, provided they didn't perish there, has experienced a substantial increase in strength upon returning. However, those who emerged shared one characteristic: regardless of their initial strength, they could only advance to the Grandmaster Peak within the ruins. No one has ever broken past this peak."

"It seemed as though an invisible force was limiting everyone from breaking this boundary. This limitation might be due to the severance of the Ancestral Vein, as recorded in ancient texts. Beyond that, there was one more possibility—"

"That possibility was that even in Ancient Times, no experts had broken through the limit; their ultimate achievement was still the Grandmaster Peak. Therefore, the relics left in these ruins could only help a martial artist reach that stage."

The scroll contained not only records passed down from the Ancient Ruins but also the compiler's own analysis. As Shen Changqing reviewed the content, he began to form his own ideas.

It seems Yi Ning was correct, he thought. Everyone who enters the Ancient Ruins sees a significant increase in strength upon exiting. However, to this day, no one in the Jianghu has been able to break the limit. If beings who broke the limit truly existed in Ancient Times, then corresponding records should have been left in the ruins.

He hadn't actually entered any Ancient Ruins, so he couldn't be certain about many things. However, if the chance arose later, Shen Changqing wanted to see the Ancient Ruins for himself. If nothing else, obtaining something there that could directly elevate his Spiritual System to a peak Realm would save him a considerable amount of time. But not now.

According to the scroll, although the Ancient Ruins were legacies of powerful experts, they also harbored numerous dangers. After thousands of years, no one knew what changes might have occurred within them. Many who entered the Ancient Ruins never returned. Considering this, Shen Changqing wouldn't risk it lightly.

After all, the claim by that peerless genius from over two hundred years ago—that reaching the peak in both the Spiritual and Physical Systems was a method to break the limit—was merely a conjecture, lacking concrete evidence. Besides, with his panel, even if his Spiritual System saw no progress, his strength could steadily rise by relying on Slaughter Value to continuously improve his Outer Techniques and Inner Strength. With such an advantage, Shen Changqing wasn't foolish enough to seek trouble in the Ancient Ruins.

After returning the scroll, he searched the cabinets for other records. He only had a day, so there was a limit to what he could do. As a member of the Martial Hall, he felt somewhat ashamed to admit he had rarely perused its scrolls for study. Now that he had the time, he might as well read more; there was certainly no harm in it.

Most of the day passed with Shen Changqing on the third floor, engrossed in the scrolls. He didn't focus on martial arts techniques, as there was no need. I have the panel, he thought. All I need to do is continue slaying Demon Evils; I shouldn't waste too much time on other things. Therefore, what Shen Changqing truly lacked was broader knowledge and experience.

The sky darkened, but the third floor of the Martial Hall remained unchanged. The Martial Hall itself was an enclosed, light-proof environment, so it was always the same, day or night. Luminous Pearl-like objects embedded in the walls provided illumination. Open flames were forbidden to prevent accidental damage to the important scrolls stored here.

In truth, lighting tools made little difference. Anyone who could enter the Martial Hall was at least a Grandmaster Level expert. Martial artists typically gained the ability to see in the dark around the Pulse Condensation Realm. By the Grandmaster Realm, there was no difference between night and day. Even in pitch darkness, a Grandmaster's eyesight was sharp enough to read the scrolls without the slightest difficulty.

At this moment, Shen Changqing sat before a desk, a scroll open in front of him. It contained information about Demon Evils. After reading for an unknown period, he closed the scroll and shut his eyes briefly, reviewing what he had just learned.

According to the scroll, Demon Evils, strictly speaking, could be subdivided into three kinds. In the thirty-first year of the Great Qin, a falling star—an omen of the descent of Demon Evils—was observed. These descended Demon Evils likely originated from Outer Heaven. The author of the scroll classified this type as the first kind of Demon Evil.

The second kind of Demon Evil appeared naturally from Heaven and Earth. While these Demon Evils were no different from those born from Outer Heaven, strictly speaking, they did not originate from the same place as the first kind. The third kind were Natural Calamities.

At that thought, Shen Changqing's gaze returned to the scroll, but his mind drifted. The idea that Demon Evils are born from Outer Heaven is a very bold conjecture. If it's true, doesn't that mean even more Demon Evils might exist beyond Heaven and Earth?

This conjecture wasn't impossible. However, the scroll's author had only presented it as a hypothesis, without definitive confirmation.

The second kind of Demon Evil is somewhat similar to Natural Calamities, as they are born from Heaven and Earth, Shen Changqing mused, tapping his fingers lightly, his expression calm. However, they differ greatly from the immortal and indestructible nature of Natural Calamities. From the information I've gathered, the Demon Evil Clan has never been a monolith. If all Demon Evils don't originate from the same place, then it's normal for them not to be a united front. In that case, the scroll's records are indeed well-founded.

The existence of Natural Calamities proved that Demon Evils could manifest through certain means. The scroll writer's speculations, therefore, had a substantial basis. This also explained another puzzle: why Demon Evils would suddenly appear in some places and engage in mass slaughter for no apparent reason, while other Demon Evils were organized, disciplined, and capable of adapting.

Consider the battle some time ago when Demon Evils assaulted the Capital City. The Demon Evils that appeared were not in a state of chaos; they had a premeditated plan. The calamity erupted at precisely the right moment, and they collaborated with other Demon Evils to divert the Demon-Subduing Division's attention, allowing others an opportunity to open the Demon Sealing Tower and rescue Wang Mubai. Yet, at other times, Demon Evils would appear abruptly, kill indiscriminately, and ultimately be exterminated on the spot when experts from the Demon-Subduing Division arrived.

If all Demon Evils possessed wisdom comparable to those that attacked the Capital City, they certainly wouldn't act so recklessly. Even if they did massacre an area, they would leave cleanly afterward, not linger and wait for the Demon-Subduing Division to arrive.

After pondering for a long time, Shen Changqing pinched the bridge of his nose with two fingers, slightly easing his fatigue. Reading through the scrolls and absorbing their contents was mentally taxing, sometimes even more so than cultivation. Standing up, he returned the scroll to its original place.

It was only when he left the Martial Hall that Shen Changqing realized it was already deep into the night. It's this late already! he thought, taken aback. He had lost all track of time while engrossed in the scrolls. It had been around noon when he arrived at the Martial Hall, but now, night had clearly fallen.

At that moment, the faint sound of a night watchman's clapper could be heard from outside.

CLACK! CLACK!

The sound struck twice.

The second watch of the night already! Shen Changqing realized. He locked the Martial Hall's main door and returned to his residence. There was still some time before dawn; he could still meditate for a while.