Chapter 48

After instructing Yan Chixia, Lu Fang summoned his Qimen Flying Armor and cautiously moved toward the east.

After leaving the desert region, he traveled for another four hours.

“Wuuu…”

The piercing cry sent chills down the spine.

“That’s the Clan Destiny Kūn!”

Lu Fang hovered midair, gazing out: above the scattered, irregular stone pillars, a large and a small Clan Destiny Kūn circled each other in the sky.

The Clan Destiny Kūn resembled a fish; aside from its ability to fly and emit a cry audible for ten thousand miles, it was no different from an ordinary giant fish.

The smaller one, dozens of zhang long, was the human clan’s Clan Destiny Kūn.

The larger one, over a hundred zhang long, was the demon and barbarian clans’ Clan Destiny Kūn.

The large Clan Destiny Kūn was ferociously chasing the small one, intent on swallowing it; judging by the situation, it would take several days before it could fully consume the other.

Within a radius of dozens of li around the stone pillars, faint demonic and barbaric energies lingered, proving many demons and barbarians had gathered there.

“There’s still a chance!”

No sooner had Lu Fang spoken than he shot past the stone pillar zone like a gust of wind, heading to the rear to provoke.

This would draw the “heavy firepower” away from those arriving behind.

Once the front line weakened, they could concentrate their strength to break through.

Warfare is deception. The way of the military lies in endless variation and surprise: feigning an attack on the distant while aiming for the near, or vice versa.

In his past life, working at a company developing an app for Tang poetry and Song lyrics and ancient texts, Lu Fang had read many military treatises—now he was finally putting them to use!

…

Eastward, atop a barren hill ten or so zhang tall.

“Hahaha… our barbarian clan’s Destiny Kūn grows ever larger. As long as we hold the border and keep the humans from sneaking close, their Destiny Kūn will eventually be devoured.”

After speaking, Ahengsai bit into a roasted goat leg.

This barbarian stood eight chi tall, had no nose, only two nostrils, wore crimson armor, and beside him lay a long-handled meteor hammer—he was one of the thirty-sixth prince Chijue’s bodyguards.

“In my opinion, we should let the demons guard. We should accompany the prince onto the back of the Clan Destiny Kūn. I’ve heard the greater the contribution during a Kūn’s descent, the more fortune one gains.”

Yecang gestured animatedly.

He too wore the same crimson armor, stood over nine chi tall, had a fleshy bump protruding from his forehead, and two open-mountain axes stuck in his waistband.

“You expect those fools to hold the line? Even the prince doesn’t trust them—he specifically ordered you and me to guard here…”

Ahengsai suddenly rose, gazing eastward:

“Hehehe! Another foolish human has crept near. The last one I split in half with my axe—this one’s mine.”

With that, he leapt.

CRACK!

Ahengsai crouched and exploded upward; the rock beneath his feet shattered. Like a mountain ape, he leapt over ten zhang in a single bound, and within a few leaps, vanished.

Yecang stamped his foot and sighed, as if someone had stolen his chance at glory.

He wasn’t the least worried about Ahengsai’s safety; as a prince’s bodyguard, their strength among peers was unquestionably top-tier.

Not even weak humans could threaten him!

Even facing superior demons of the same realm, he wouldn’t be at a disadvantage.

It wasn’t arrogance—he was merely stating a universally accepted fact.

Especially at lower realms, the demon and barbarian clans’ physical superiority was most extreme.

“Haaah!”

Yecang yawned and lay down nearby for a nap.

He wasn’t the only one guarding here—several demons and barbarians waited below; no need to watch constantly.

…

“Lord Yecang!”

A barbarian called out cautiously.

Yecang rolled over, irritated: “What?”

The barbarian bowed slightly: “Lord Yecang, Lord Ahengsai has been chasing humans for an hour—could it be…”

“Get lost!”

Yecang waved his hand irritably.

What nonsense?

With Ahengsai’s strength, nothing could happen to him.

Perhaps he encountered other humans—or some fortune-attached creature—delaying him slightly.

One hour passed!

Two hours passed!

The moon rose, stars glittering.

Yecang stared ahead, his expression troubled; even with full confidence in Ahengsai, his prolonged absence stirred unease.

Could it be…

Impossible! Absolutely impossible!

Ahengsai’s strength—even if he couldn’t win, he should still be able to escape.

“Prince?”

Yecang hastily pulled a bone-made “voice-charm” from his beast pouch. A low voice echoed: “Yecang, how’s your side? Why hasn’t Ahengsai replied to my message?”

“Prince, Ahengsai…”

Yecang stammered, explaining what had happened.

Before dusk, he’d sent Ahengsai a voice-charm but received no reply—he’d assumed Ahengsai was busy or traveling and hadn’t noticed.

Shortly after:

The bone voice-charm glowed. Yecang quickly scanned its message.

“Fool! Why didn’t you two act together? The Lesser Realm is perilous. Arrogance and overconfidence will get you killed. What good will you be protecting me? You… go investigate cautiously. Prioritize safety!”

“Yes.” After replying, Yecang vanished into the night with several leaps.

“That idiot Ahengsai! Made me get scolded by the prince! What the hell did he run into? Did he really get killed?”

Even now, Yecang couldn’t believe Ahengsai could be in danger!

An hour later.

As Yecang leapt through the forest, he suddenly halted atop a treetop, sniffing hard—he smelled blood.

After searching, he found pools of blood on leaves, tracked them to a rocky ravine.

He froze.

Before the pile of rocks lay Ahengsai’s corpse, cleanly severed in two, lifeless.

“Who!”

Yecang whirled toward the sound—on a rock beneath the waterfall stood a human youth.

Bathed in moonlight, the white-robed youth faintly glowed crimson—the mark of the Barbarian Blood-Slaying Curse!

“You killed Ahengsai!”

Yecang asked in broken human tongue, his hands subtly drawing his open-mountain axes; barbaric energies surged around him.

The white-robed youth nodded toward Ahengsai’s corpse: “If you mean him, yes—I killed him.”

The youth was Lu Fang.

Confident in his skill, after killing Ahengsai, he hadn’t fled—he’d waited, ready to either kill again or escape, depending on circumstances.

He’d just observed: Yecang came alone, no reinforcements behind.

The barbarians truly were arrogant.

To come alone, after this?

“You’re alone?”

Yecang scanned the surroundings warily. A seventh-rank, second-tier Confucian? He didn’t take him seriously. He didn’t believe Lu Fang killed Ahengsai—surely, there had to be help.

After sensing carefully, he was stunned to realize only Lu Fang was present.