Chapter 649 505: It Has Begun: You Devil, Spare Me

The various races each governed themselves.

However, when the Blood Marshal fell, it still triggered a war among the Strongest, because a single Strongest was simply too important.

And now, the one who had fallen was one of humanity's Strongest.

It was easy to imagine just how serious this was.

Even Shen Ning'Er was stunned for a full five seconds after hearing the news before she gradually recovered from her shock.

"How did Sword Elder fall?! Speak!" Shen Ning'Er demanded.

"It was that sword of the Beast Race... the Beast Race Sword Saint!" Chen Bai had also been extremely shocked when he heard the urgent report, so he had already learned the gist of what happened before coming.

"The Beast Race... Sword Saint?"

"Yes. The pressure on the Eastern District Fortress was simply too great. The Celestial Race's Six-winged Great Angels and the Beast Race Sword Saint were all gathered there... We couldn't hold them back at all. But the Supreme Council's order was to never retreat, so in the end, they could only rely on the Strongest to hold the line... Then, the Sword Saint proposed a duel. He said that if anyone could defeat him in a sword fight, he would withdraw his army."

"..." Shen Ning'Er asked no more questions.

She had already guessed the outcome of the duel.

The Beast Race Sword Saint, one of the first Strongest to enter Earth, was known as the 'Number One Sword Under Heaven.' Even among the other races, he had no equal.

With such power, how could Sword Elder possibly have stood a chance alone?

But when it came to swordsmanship within the Human Alliance, no one surpassed Sword Elder.

Thus, the result was a foregone conclusion.

"Sword Elder has fallen, and his body has been hung from a flagpole in front of the Beast Race's main tent. The Eastern District Fortress is in chaos. Elder Li has sworn to retrieve Sword Elder's body, and the Strongest from the West and South Districts are also rushing to the Eastern District after hearing the news. If I'm not mistaken, a great battle is about to break out at the Eastern District Fortress," Chen Bai said urgently.

"No... It's not just the Eastern District Fortress. Originally, only the Eastern District Fortress was under pressure. Now that the Strongest from the West and South Districts are gathering in the Eastern District, the West and South Districts might also be..."

"If that's the case, doesn't that mean our entire line is about to collapse?!" Upon hearing this, Chen Bai suddenly broke out in a cold sweat.

"That's impossible! The Supreme Council isn't foolish. Sword Elder's death is a major event, but they can't be unaware of the consequences of an all-out battle right now... Although Elder Li was close to Sword Elder, he was also once the Military War God. He can't possibly be this reckless..."

"Commander, you mean... the intelligence from Vice Commander Shen is false?" Chen Bai's eyes widened.

"No. My grandfather's intelligence would never be false, but there's definitely something wrong here... I just can't figure out what it is yet." Shen Ning'Er shook her head.

"Then... what do we do now? Do we rush back to the Eastern District Fortress, or do we stay here?" Chen Bai was at a loss.

"Did Grandfather ask me to return to the Eastern District Fortress?"

"He did not. Vice Commander Shen only sent the news of Sword Elder's death. As for the rest, like Elder Li going to retrieve Sword Elder's body, that wasn't in the intel. But the rumors are all over the Military Department now, so I guess they must be true." Chen Bai shook his head, then nodded.

"Hmm..." Shen Ning'Er bit her lip slightly, her gaze turning to the frozen landscape to the north. "Chen Bai, starting now, you will hold the North District Fortress in my stead. I will go to the Eastern District Fortress alone. But remember... you must not reveal that I am gone!"

"Commander, I..."

"That's an order!"

"But what should I do?"

"It's business as usual. Except, in everyone else's eyes, I will no longer leave my command tent. You will relay my orders for me, until... Gao Neng returns!" Shen Ning'Er declared.

"Yes..." Chen Bai wanted to say more, but after seeing the determined expression on Shen Ning'Er's face, he swallowed his words.

He knew very well that once Shen Ning'Er made a decision, no one could change it.

'Perhaps there was one person...'

'But that person wasn't here right now.'

...

...

「Snow Demon City.」

「Within the Forbidden Land.」

Fang Tangtang finally let out a long breath. She was drenched in sweat, as if she had just been pulled from the water.

Gao Xiaomeng, sitting across from her, was in much better shape. Although she also had fine beads of sweat on her skin, she was very clean.

"Huh? Gao Neng, what are you doing here? Ah... where are my clothes? Gao Neng, why did you take my clothes off?!" Fang Tangtang spotted Gao Neng the moment she opened her eyes.

"I'd have to be sick in the head to take your clothes off," Gao Neng retorted, then glanced at Gao Xiaomeng, marveling inwardly.

'As expected, cats are naturally clean creatures.'

Just as he was thinking this, he saw Gao Xiaomeng stick out her tongue and begin licking herself, bit by bit, cleaning all the sweaty spots.

Gao Neng was speechless.

'Even though Gao Xiaomeng is a cat, she's in human form right now. And what's more, she's even starting to develop a more mature figure. A quick glance is fine. Staring... is bad for your health.'

"Rank Eight?" Gao Neng asked, looking at Fang Tangtang.

"Yeah... that's right! I, Death God Fang Tangtang, am Rank Eight now, too! My cultivation speed is as fast as a rocket! One day... one day I'll surpass you again!" Fang Tangtang said, stunned for a moment before her voice filled with delighted surprise.

In the past few months, she had been hanging around Gao Neng constantly, so she was completely oblivious to things like being seen by him.