Martial Ascent to Divinity

Zhou Leng stood amidst the Demon horde, as though he was in a realm untouched by others.

In the eyes of both Demons and humans, Zhou Leng seemed to be the most ferocious Demon present.

Every palm strike hit the target, and every hit was lethal.

Some Demons, upon seeing Zhou Leng, even fled continuously.

But waiting for them was often a palm strike to the back.

The first round of a thousand-man team nearly withdrew completely, as the second round stepped in and Zhou Leng kept fighting.

When the third round of a thousand-man team replaced them, only Zhou Leng and Mountain River Oak remained from the first round.

Long after, the fourth round team arrived, composed of old comrades from the first round.

Mountain River Oak panted heavily and spoke in broken Chinese: "Zhou Leng, I'm tired."

A few people nearby shook their heads helplessly, amazed to see the tireless giant exhausted.

"Alright, rest." Only then did Zhou Leng swiftly retreat and walk towards the aperture with Mountain River Oak.

Everyone watched the tall and short duo, suddenly having the illusion that Zhou Leng was the more towering figure.

When Zhou Leng approached, the crowd realized that his skin was spotless.

But his camouflage uniform had been corroded beyond recognition by Demon blood.

Through the hole in his clothing at his abdomen, clearly visible were the blocks of abdominal muscles.

Even his shoes were gone, leaving him barefoot.

"Zhou Leng!" An Huangui proactively took out a set of camouflage uniform and shoes from the Magic Spirit Bag, handing them over.

Their heights were about the same.

"Thank you." Zhou Leng accepted them and found a place with shelter to change clothes.

Chang Luan walked over to Tian Chengchang and said, "Zhou Leng is getting stronger; at this rate, he'll soon be refining body and life force, and then even Brother Hu won't be able to handle him."

Tian Chengchang glanced at Chang Luan and remained silent.

Chang Luan sighed and said, "Now, An Huangui and you, in direct combat, are no match for him."

Tian Chengchang looked ahead, as the thousand-man team continued to battle Demons.

Without the presence of that exceptionally brave figure, the light of united strength dimmed and disappeared.

Chang Luan added, "If you need help, feel free to find me."

After speaking, Chang Luan turned and left.

Tian Chengchang's eyes were filled with confusion.

When he was young, every time his father Tian Wenbao and uncle Tian Wenhua, among the Five Tigers of Shuizhou, drank, they always talked about how heroic the pioneers once were, how they slaughtered Demons.

Adults made children remember the hatred towards Demons because their relatives in their hometown all died by Demon hands.

Their hometown was Shuizhou, this land beneath their feet.

Many years passed, Tian Chengchang still remembered this hatred, but his father practiced Demon Skill and might even be allied with the Demon Worship Sect.

Meanwhile, his father's enemy stood on this land, fighting bloodily and slaughtering Demons.

Tian Chengchang turned and walked away silently.

Zhou Leng changed into his clothes, rested and adjusted his breaths, then stood up to practice boxing and cultivation on the spot.

During the practical battle with Demons, Zhou Leng's combat experience constantly increased.

His understanding of the killing move Thousand Tides Pouring into the Sea deepened continuously.

Zhou Leng felt that at this rate, within a few days, he could reduce Thousand Tides Pouring into the Sea from four strikes to three or even two.

Only by reaching a single killing move can it be fully formed.

After adjusting his breaths, Zhou Leng and Mountain River Oak rejoined the battle.

Zhou Leng endured another three rounds before retreating to the aperture.

Zhou Leng recalled the two battles and found that besides the original receding tide feature, the Sea Suppression Map had even further improvements.

Originally, True Qi replenished only after exhaustion, but now, Sea Suppressing True Qi could slowly recover even during use.

Equivalent to an overall increase of True Qi by thirty percent.

"Never heard of such True Qi. The Sea Suppression Map is indeed the highest reward of the Celestial Ladder, and it's just a small part, potentially involving extremely strong high-level techniques like the East Monarch's Stone Wall."

"Wonder to what extent it would reach with deep cultivation."

Thus, Zhou Leng continued to fight, rest, and train.

Sometimes, getting too engrossed in cultivation, often delaying combat.

Even so, Zhou Leng's war merits didn't significantly fall behind.

As a day passed, everyone gradually killed over ten thousand Demons.

But, the Demons showed no sign of decreasing.

The next day, while Zhou Leng pondered how to refine the killing move Thousand Tides Pouring into the Sea, he heard pleas for help rising and falling nearby.

Soon, heard the voice of Molten Hammer, followed by the amplified voices of Demon Spirit Masters using Demon Spirit Technique.

Zhou Leng looked over, the whole area was filled with light beams, no less than five hundred, and the total number exceeded three thousand.

It seemed like the main force from the Land of Extreme Cold arrived here.

But, the Demons surrounding them numbered over ten times that.

More Demons were continuously coming from afar.

Zhou Leng quickly went forward and found eighteen senior brothers discussing whether to go all out in rescuing them.

After a vote, not reaching two-thirds.

"We're not refusing to save them; we're afraid of being trapped if we go out."

"The number of Demons isn't as simple as ten thousand or twenty thousand, it's already over fifty or sixty thousand."

"It's not that we're heartless; we just don't want to die."

"No one is foolish. If there's no danger or less danger, wouldn't we save them? It's several thousand people after all."

"But we're unlikely to break through the thick army of Demons."

"Losing to an enemy ten or even dozens of times more powerful isn't disgraceful, it's entirely normal."

These days, although everyone fought with momentum, many were injured, breeding a sentiment of war-weariness.

Lv Yuanhao, senior brother from He Yin Martial Arts Academy, said loudly: "I'm a blunt person, unlike others with brains here. But my instincts tell me we should save them. We can fail, but if we don't, we'll have no face to meet humanity or ourselves."

Zhou Leng said, "I support Lv Yuanhao. I believe, regardless of success or failure, we should try with all our might."

"Attempt with all our might? Who will save those who die for the rescue?"

Zhou Leng said, "I don't know what others think, but since we're fighting in Demon City, we've already made half the death preparations. The other half was completed when the Celestial Ladder appeared."

Zhou Leng paused and scanned the senior brothers all around.

"I've seen many stories since childhood: holding ground alone, perishing together, sacrificing for justice. I've always asked myself, if it were me, could I do it? Even now, there's no answer."

"I'm afraid of dying too; I also want to walk out of the Celestial Ladder alive."

"But after Ruda chose me as the temporary senior brother, I've gradually understood something: I need to find a way out for all of us."

"For everyone."

"Next, I have to choose the path that has the highest chance of survival."

"I can't calculate the future, nor see through the past."

"But I know that when those thousands of people join us, our path will be wider."

"And also, if those thousands die, our path will narrow."

"What's most frightening is that once we abandon those people, our hearts will disperse, and so will the path."

"Looking back at history, every disaster was often not because those people truly failed, nor that there wasn't a path, but that they lost the courage to walk the path."

"No matter what you all think, I, Zhou Leng, must walk the path of survival, for everyone and for the long road behind my life."

"I sought a way out in my childhood, and I'm still searching now."

Zhou Leng raised his voice and said loudly, "Those who don't wish to fight can stay. It's fine because you might find another way out. Those who wish to fight, who believe that our path is right beneath our feet, come with me. Let us join hands and try that path to see whether it is a dead end or a path of survival!"

After speaking, Zhou Leng turned around and walked towards the human troops outside the aperture.

"He Yin Martial Arts Academy, those who have the guts and are human, follow Zhou Leng!" Lv Yuanhao yelled.

"Zheshui Martial Arts Academy, don't be afraid, just do it!"

"Our Wujiang Martial Arts Academy ranks higher than Ruda, how can we falter at this time!"

"I, how can I bow my head to the demon!"

"Go!"

"Kill the demon!"

"Kill the demon!"

Students from various schools joined in, even some aliens and foreigners joined in.

As Zhou Leng stepped out of the aperture, he slowly started running.

The crowd behind him formed an arrow formation, gradually accelerating.

The demons surrounding the human troops ahead all turned around, looking at the humans getting closer and closer.

A gentle sound whisked by, like the wind brushing past.

On everyone, a brilliant scale armor of united strength emerged.

The men hadn't fought, but the spirit rose first.

In silence, Tian Chengchang followed the group, looking ahead, looking at the demon.

At least, on the land where ancestors grew, the Tian family cannot retreat.

"Kill!"

"Kill!"

Zhou Leng and Mountain River Oak crashed into the demons at the forefront.

This time, Zhou Leng changed his approach.

Using Rushing Tide as the main technique, focusing on close-range elbow strikes and collisions, continuously killing one demon after another, continuously crashing through one enemy after another, continuously pushing forward, pushing forward.

Man becomes a sharp sword, breaking through ten thousand armies.

Only ten seconds later, a sharp claw reached for Zhou Leng's left shoulder.

Zhou Leng could avoid it, but by dodging, he would be blocked by the demon in front.

In his eyes, six phantom images appeared, each one dodging the claw and then attacking.

Zhou Leng did not evade, instead, he struck straight out with a palm, choosing a palm technique aside from those six options.

A choice beyond instinct.

Sca...

His left shoulder was slashed with a half-foot-long wound, deep enough to reveal the bone.

Zhou Leng's True Qi moved, sealing the wound as he moved forward.

Along the way, Zhou Leng constantly rejected the Heart and Mind Shadow, continuously exchanging wounds for progress.

More and more demons pressed forward, but Zhou Leng resembled a human-shaped boulder.

Opening a path with his body, advancing without retreating.

Suddenly, a Scorpion Demon Poison Tail struck out, hidden precisely behind another demon.

Zhou Leng was utterly unprepared.

"Get out!" Rao Mingxian shouted as he propelled himself forward, extending a finger.

With a crunch, he shattered the poison tail, resolving Zhou Leng's danger.

"Thanks!" Zhou Leng said.

"No need to thank, next time you save me, I won't thank you either." Rao Mingxian laughed.

Zhou Leng smiled faintly; years of classmates, plus many times of living and dying together as comrades, their friendship indeed did not require the same courtesy as it once did.

Those who knew Rao Mingxian nearby felt touched, realizing that real combat truly hones a person.

Rao Mingxian had, over these days, stimulated years of cherished pills, progressing rapidly, now already in the late stage of Blood Transport.

He appeared average before, but now, he can actually assist Zhou Leng.

Not only Rao Mingxian, many Pill Students have significantly improved their powers through real combat.

Under Zhou Leng's leadership, the rescue team of over five thousand people progressed without any pauses.

Like a spearhead, deeply piercing into the demon army.

Forward, forward, forward.

Those inside the aperture at the rear observed the scene, deeply moved.

One classmate after another cried out, rushing into the rescue army.

"Our Martial Arts may not be as strong as Dragon Country, but our courage should not lose to Dragon Country."

Foreign pioneers, hesitant at first, were also inspired by the rescue army, charging forward with the crowd.