Chapter 279 - 278: 1 Man Guards the Pass

At the Dream Demon’s call, the tens of thousands of Kunlun Demon Clan members encircling the area erupted with terrifying auras, intent on forcefully annihilating the remaining Martial Artists of Gao Yuan City.

Only three Grandmasters were still holding their ground near the Martial Arts Building. One was Lin Yu, whose Spirit Charm was completely depleted. He had been forced to withdraw from the battlefield and was essentially powerless. Another, the Vice Dean of the Soldier Cultivation Academy from Northwest Martial University in the provincial capital of Yongjiang City, was also heavily injured and could barely fend off the attacks of several Demon Marshals. The third, a pillar of support from another city, was in equally terrible condition.

Meanwhile, the Kunlun Demon Clan had nine surviving Demon Marshals. More than half of them were still in peak fighting condition, confident they could crush the remaining Martial Artists.

To say nothing of the Demon Generals and Ancestral Great Demons, who already outnumbered Gao Yuan City’s Martial Artists by more than three to one. All of them were in prime condition, full of energy and thirsting for battle.

The Dream Demon was confident he could resolve this before Emperor [Chen] dealt with Luo Beixing. But just as he waved his hand to send the sky-blotting swarm of Great Demons forward, Jiang Qiu’s figure descended between the battle lines of the two opposing races. He stood alone, a single man against an army. The Chuyuan spear in his right hand traced a full circle as smoothly as a feather cutting through water. "If you want to destroy Gao Yuan City," he declared, "you’ll have to get past my spear first."

HUMMM—

The Vast Water Spirit Charm, flowing from the edge of his spear, sliced vertically through the Rain Tribulation like a fine thread. Half of the dark clouds gathered overhead instantly scattered, and heavenly light poured down upon the side of the city where Jiang Qiu stood. An absolute dividing line appeared between the human and Demon Races.

One side was pitch-black, the other, bathed in light.

One side was lashed by a downpour, the other, clear and calm.

If the nine Demon Marshals wanted to advance on the Martial Arts Building, they would have no choice but to go through Jiang Qiu, who stood guard at the demarcation line.

Several of the Demon Marshals frowned at this development.

’Their Emperor’s Rain Tribulation was just sliced apart by that water-based attack? That entire large-scale buff just vanished?’

’Can a Dragon Race bloodline really do that...?’

"Everyone! Even without the buff from the Rain Tribulation, the advantage is still ours! Kill!"

At that very moment, the Dream Demon showed no hesitation. He waved his hand again, urging the demons forward, his eyes glinting with a sharp, arrogant light.

’After a year of special training under Emperor [Chen], he understood the Emperor far better than most Demon Marshals. The Rain Tribulation was a Talent Secret Technique that consumed an enormous amount of Dragon Race bloodline and Mental Power, but it had almost no effect on members of their own kind.’

’In other words, the Rain Tribulation was a Talent Secret Technique inherent to the Dragon Race. Any normally developed dragon could master it. It was like a fish in water—how could a fish drown?’

’So, it was no surprise that Jiang Qiu, with his own Dragon Race bloodline, could disrupt the Rain Tribulation. Besides, Emperor [Chen] was currently focused on Luo Beixing, whose own Realm had increased substantially.’

’But Jiang Qiu was, in the end, only at the Peeping Dao Realm. No matter how close to Perfection he was, as long as he hadn’t completed the foundation of the Great Dao and stepped into the Dao Entry Realm, the gap between them was as vast as heaven and earth.’

’So just kill him.’

’Excluding himself, that was eight Demon Marshals against two heavily injured Grandmasters and a sub-Dao Entry Realm Jiang Qiu. What was there to fear?’

With this in mind, the corners of the Dream Demon’s mouth curled upward. He could already picture the magnificent spectacle: a rain of blood, cries of agony filling the air, and the collapse of the Martial Arts Building as the perfect curtain call. ’Millions of corpses carried away by the floodwaters... how glorious!’

SWOOSH—

Suddenly, an arc of Dragon Roar Spear Intent swept out like a half-moon. It shot over his head, just grazing his hair. The Dream Demon’s green pupils shrank, revealing faint, ghastly shadows flickering within them—a horrifying sight.

The hundreds of Ancestral Great Demons charging at the fore, right behind the eight Demon Marshals, were killed instantly. Their bodies rained down in a disorderly heap, chunks of flesh hailing down upon the ruined streets with a series of sickening THUDS.

"What happened? You couldn’t block it?!"

Veins pulsed at the corners of the Dream Demon’s temples. His eyes, still flickering with ghostly images, widened as killing intent flared from him. The eight Demon Marshals were equally astonished. Behind them, the nearest Demon Generals retreated, gasping, apparently having sustained considerable damage.

"Something’s not right! Don’t get too close to Jiang Qiu! It’s like he has some kind of special ’Realm’ around him. The damage bypasses all defenses; we can’t block it."

"All demons who haven’t reached the Peeping Dao Realm, fall back!"

A few of the Demon Marshals gave the order decisively, hoping to prevent greater losses.

As top-tier experts of a higher Realm, they could naturally sense the moment Jiang Qiu made his move. They had even used techniques powerful enough to stop an opponent of their own level, but to no avail.

When the Dragon Roar Spear Intent swept past, they themselves were unharmed, yet swaths of demons in front of and behind them were annihilated. Even the Demon Generals were wounded instantly, unable to properly defend themselves.

The Martial Artists who witnessed this were momentarily stunned. "Wh-what’s going on? Is that expert who looks like a member of the Human-shaped Dragon Clan... on our side? How is he so powerful? He stopped the entire Kunlun Demon Clan’s army with one move?"

"I heard that’s Jiang Qiu! The one who became the top scholar of the college entrance exams for Gao Yuan City! He just returned from the Northern Wilderness Great Secret Realm and rushed straight back to defend us! He’s already an expert on the verge of the Grandmaster Realm!"

A high-ranking Dharma Realm Martial Artist from Gao Yuan City’s leadership spoke, his eyes filled with wonder. His words shocked everyone nearby. "He’s Jiang Qiu?! And he’s already an expert nearing the Grandmaster Realm? So fast!"

"But even Grand General Luo might not command such a fearsome presence in a situation like this. How is he doing it?"

Awe, mingled with confusion, grew in everyone’s eyes.

Just then, a frail, elderly voice drifted over from nearby: "He possesses a Dragon Race bloodline, which naturally suppresses the Ten Thousand Races. He has also mastered an exceptionally advanced Mental Realm, leaving him with few peers at his level. What’s more, he’s trained in an extraordinary Cultivation Technique that allows him to generate a combat effect similar to a true Realm..."

Everyone followed the sound of the voice and saw Lin Yu, standing hunched over and wearing a pair of old reading glasses. His withered frame looked like a dead branch wrapped in rags, so frail it seemed a strong gust of wind might blow him to pieces. He was enveloped in an aura of impending death.

However, a spark of light still burned brightly in his eyes, reflecting the image of Jiang Qiu holding the line alone, standing before numerous Grandmasters and the two injured Grandmasters.

Hearing Elder Lin’s assessment, everyone gasped, their fists clenching tight—as if trying to grasp an impossibly thin, invisible rope that could pull them from the depths of despair.

They turned to look at Jiang Qiu, their gazes like fireflies converging into a sky lantern. "So, you’re saying... Grandmaster Jiang can buy us more time?"

As the swarm of Great Demons fell back, the eight Demon Marshals closed in to flank them. The Vice Dean and the other Grandmaster appeared at Jiang Qiu’s side, their eyes filled with grim resolve. They were prepared to die. "Jiang Qiu," one said, "with your talent, you will one day be able to represent the Northwest Province in the fight against [Chen]! You need to teleport away, now! We can hold them off for a little while longer!"

"You’re too young to be sacrificed here!"

The two Grandmasters’ words came from the bottom of their hearts. Looking at their backs as they shielded him, Jiang Qiu felt his soul stir. But he simply shook his head. "There will be no sacrifices," he said. "I have awakened my Dragon Race Talent."