Chapter 257 - 224-225: Return to Qingfeng, The Karma of Bygone Years

Chapter 257: Chapter 224-225: Return to Qingfeng, The Karma of Bygone Years

This breakthrough increased the range of Xu Chang’an’s Demon Sense to 9,900 zhang!

Now, thanks to his Demon Race bloodline, Xu Chang’an’s overall combat strength had surpassed that of his past life.

’Seventy-two years of re-cultivation!’

Xu Chang’an’s expression grew wistful.

Before he knew it, seventy-two years had already passed!

Xu Chang’an carefully assessed the changes brought on by his breakthrough.

’Hm!?’

’Something’s happening outside!’

His Demon Sense washed over the area, and the entire situation outside his cave residence unfolded in his mind.

Outside his cave residence on the barren mountain, three Human Race Cultivators were flying by.

One was at the Mid-stage Foundation Establishment, and two were at the Early-stage Foundation Establishment.

’Perfect. A chance to learn what’s been happening.’

SWOOSH!

With a flicker, Xu Chang’an’s figure vanished from within the cave residence.

The three Human Race Cultivators were all men, and rather successful Loose Cultivators.

They had come to the Red Cloud Mountain Range to kill some members of the Demon Race—ideally, Foundation Establishment Great Demons.

To gather some materials for refining Beneficial Elixirs that would aid their cultivation.

As they were flying through the sky, they were startled to see a young man suddenly appear before them.

Before they could even process what was happening, the young man before them struck.

Every casual gesture he made radiated immense power.

"Senior, we are..."

Before the Mid-stage Foundation Establishment Human Race Cultivator could finish his sentence, he lost consciousness.

The expressions of the two Early-stage Foundation Establishment Cultivators twisted in horror.

’He’s not a young man!’

’He’s a Core Formation Zhenren!’

’Why would a Core Formation Zhenren suddenly attack them!?’

"Senior, spare us!"

The two begged for their lives.

"Tell this King your purpose for coming to Red Cloud Mountain!"

Xu Chang’an said nonchalantly, hovering in mid-air.

’He’s from the Demon Race!’

’A Demon King!’

The color drained from the faces of the two Early-stage Foundation Establishment Cultivators.

’Run!’

’If they’d fallen into the hands of a human Core Formation Zhenren, they might have had a chance to live by cooperating and showing a good attitude.’

’But in the hands of a Demon King...’

’Death would be a mercy!’

The two Foundation Establishment Cultivators spurred their Magical Artifacts, fleeing in opposite directions.

Xu Chang’an’s expression remained unchanged. With a flicker of movement, he vanished as his Demon Sense locked onto them.

Two breaths later, with an unconscious Human Race Cultivator in each hand, he vanished from mid-air.

Back inside the cave on the barren mountain.

Xu Chang’an performed the Soul-Searching Secret Technique, probing the memories of the two cultivators.

With his Late-stage Core Formation cultivation, it was effortless for him to search the memories of two Early-stage Foundation Establishment Cultivators.

Although the process would damage some of their memories, by combining information from both men, he should be able to get a mostly complete picture.

「A little under half an hour later.」

Xu Chang’an’s Demon Power flared, and in an instant, the two Human Race Cultivators were dead.

As he lifted his hands from the skulls of the two Human Race Cultivators, a thoughtful glint entered Xu Chang’an’s eyes.

The situation in the Red Cloud Mountain Range was even worse than he had imagined.

Red Cloud Mountain had fallen in a surprise attack by the Yanyue Sect.

The Thundering Mountain Range, busy fighting Xuanwu Pavilion on its own, could barely fend for itself, let alone provide any meaningful support to the Red Cloud Mountain Range.

The Yanyue Sect’s power was immense. In just three years, they had forced the factions of the Red Cloud Mountain Range into a constant, grinding retreat.

Numerous powers had been wiped out by the Yanyue Sect.

Initially, Chu Xianyi, the Peacock King of Peacock Mountain, had managed to alleviate some of the pressure by forcefully slaying several human Late-stage Core Formation Zhenrens.

However, as time went on, the gap in power between the two sides gradually became clear.

A great army of Human Race Cultivators advanced, relentlessly encroaching upon and carving up the Demon Race’s territory in the Red Cloud Mountain Range.

Now, less than a quarter of the mountain range was still truly in the hands of the Demon Race.

Sleeping Ox Mountain and the Snake and Scorpion Cave!

Two of the greatest powers had already been annihilated!

Only a small number of their members had managed to escape by a stroke of luck.

This wasn’t to say that three-quarters of the Red Cloud Mountain Range’s territory was completely under the Human Race’s control.

Rather, all the key resource locations and Spirit Vein Blessed Lands had fallen into human hands. The demons in these areas had their social order shattered; they were scattered and disorganized, incapable of mounting any effective resistance.

Many humans now treated these regions as their personal training and exploration grounds.

Only one quarter of the Red Cloud Mountain Range, under the leadership of the Peacock King, remained relatively safe.

But no one knew how long this situation could last.

The predicament of the Thundering Mountain Range was no better than that of the Red Cloud Mountain Range.

If the Thundering Mountain Range were to fall, Xuanwu Pavilion’s forces would be freed up, and the Red Cloud Mountain Range’s destruction would be imminent.

Before, only the combined might of the Thundering Mountain Range and the Red Cloud Mountain Range could stand against the coalition of sects and clans led by the Yanyue Sect.

But now, Xuanwu Pavilion’s intervention had completely shattered the balance. With astonishing speed, they had showcased the overwhelming might and tyranny of the Human Race.

The Human Race, hegemon of the myriad races!

The number one race in the world!

Suppressing all creation!

In this war, the goal of the Human Race was definitely not to completely exterminate the entire Demon Race.

That was both impossible and impractical.

Even if they could force it, the cost would be too great—so great that even the Human Race might not be able to bear it.

What the Human Race truly wanted was to destroy the Demon Race’s civilization and heritage, forcing them to regress to a primitive, savage state.

At least...

...that was their goal for the demons of the Thundering and Red Cloud Mountain Ranges.

By studying human methods, the Demon Race had progressed with frightening speed over the years. After decades of accumulation, they were beginning to show signs of becoming a threat to humanity.

This was something the upper echelons of Human Race cultivators could not tolerate.

Foundation Establishment Cultivators were the backbone of any major power.

Xu Chang’an had learned a great deal.

"The Human Race is overwhelmingly powerful. In a head-on clash, the Demon Race is completely outmatched. We can only rely on favorable terrain to cling to survival."

"Xuanwu Pavilion’s delayed intervention was partly due to their own calculated interests. The other reason seems to be that their forces were tied up by something in the Netherworld Mountain Range."

"Their sudden involvement a few years ago was likely because another power stepped in to help contain the situation in the Netherworld Mountain Range. Only then did they have the spare capacity to meddle in the affairs of the Red Cloud and Thundering Mountain Ranges!"