Chapter 740: with translation of chapter title

Besides this matter, my friend, I think you need to make some time to come with me to do something. Xiong Ba Tian suddenly said.

Huh? Fellow Daoist Xiong, what do you want to do? Yan Buji asked.

That's right. Xiong Ba Tian took out a map and explained: "Here is the garrisoned royal city. It is also the center of Luohuang Zhou; you humans basically reside in the south, while the demon tribes that have migrated here are all in the north."

Yan Buji looked at the map and asked, puzzled: "What's the problem with that?"

The problem isn't in the relationship between humans and demons, but rather the Existence of large numbers of demonic beasts within Luohuang Zhou's territory! Xiong Ba Tian's expression turned grave as he pointed to the boundary between the two peoples.

This place called the Dinglong Mountains is the main base of those demonic beasts!

Yan Buji froze for a moment, then thought carefully: "Indeed, demonic beast attacks often occur near our Sect Mining Area; could it be that the demon tribe side is also experiencing them?"

Yeah, and there are quite a few. The demon tribes that have relocated have more or less all been attacked by demonic beasts. Originally there weren't many cultivators in Luohuang Zhou, but now that these demonic beasts have emerged, they will affect our interests!

You mean these demonic beasts are likely to attack the trade routes? Yan Buji asked.

That's right, so my friend, why don't we go together to clear out the demonic beasts? Xiong Ba Tian laughed.

Yan Buji pinched his chin and nodded: "Sure, but I need to inform the Sect first."

After Yan Buji received the Sect's reply agreeing to his clearing of demonic beasts on the trade route, he followed Xiong Ba Tian and organized some demon cultivators to go together!

Yan Buji looked at those demon cultivators and asked: "Who are these?"

Oh, they are all cultivators from the garrisoned royal city serving the royal court; they came this time to ensure the roads between the tribes are smooth and safe. Xiong Ba Tian laughed.

Yan Buji nodded and bowed his hands to those demon cultivators: "I am Yan Buji; I have the honor to meet you all."

No need for formalities, friend; since you're willing to help us clear the demonic beasts together, that's also a good thing.

Yes.

The surrounding demon cultivators exuded goodwill, and Yan Buji naturally responded with a smile.

However, after Yan Buji processed this, seeing Xiong Ba Tian chatting enthusiastically with these demon cultivators, he roughly guessed the true situation.

It seems Xiong Ba Tian received a mission but didn't want to complete it alone, or perhaps completing it alone would be difficult, so he called for reinforcements?

Soon, Yan Buji followed them into the wilderness.

The territory of Luohuang Zhou, having suffered war, is a scene of utter devastation everywhere. Although cultivators passing by would simply clear a path, looking left and right, the cratered ruins on the nearby wilderness remain strikingly visible, as if one could still smell the unique odor produced the instant a spirit artillery shell explodes.

My friend, have you noticed anything? You keep looking left and right—are you sensing some hidden demonic beasts? Xiong Ba Tian looked at Yan Buji's appearance and asked curiously.

Yan Buji gave a slight smile and shook his head: "No, I just feel that rebuilding Luohuang Zhou amidst all these ruins is no small feat."

Xiong Ba Tian waved his hand: "Anyway, you humans have so many cultivators; with more coming, sooner or later Luohuang Zhou will regain its vitality."

Won't the demon royal court have anything to say about this? Yan Buji looked puzzled.

After all, the current Luohuang Zhou is not a place just anyone can come to, since it is demon territory, bordering the Human Continent via the Otherworldly Race Continent as the dividing line; ordinary human cultivators would definitely find it hard to get here.

But that actually isn't important.

The attitude of the demon royal court is what truly matters.

Yan Buji's question was precisely him inquiring of Xiong Ba Tian about this matter.

Xiong Ba Tian thought: "Luohuang Zhou is too close to your Human Continent, so the demon royal court still hopes to make it a place for peaceful and friendly exchange between demons and humans; therefore, in the future this place will definitely be split fifty-fifty between humans and demons."

Oh? Yan Buji's eyes shifted: "Split fifty-fifty? Why would the demon royal court definitely have the strength to occupy all of Luohuang Zhou?"

Xiong Ba Tian furrowed his brows, then realized: "My friend, prying into this isn't very good."

Just a bit of curiosity.

Let's first deal with the demonic beasts.

Xiong Ba Tian pointed at the horde of demonic beasts charging forward and changed the subject.

Yan Buji didn't press further; it seemed Xiong Ba Tian had also realized he was probing him, but if one thinks deeper, back when the demon tribe in Luohuang Zhou rebelled against the royal court, wasn't there also human meddling behind the scenes.....

Later, the demon royal court, in order to conceal some facts, thus became willing to divide Luohuang Zhou's interests with humanity?

As for the Otherworldly Race Continent, to demons and humans it is, put nicely, a boundary line; put bluntly, a strategic buffer zone. If a war between humans and demons were to break out, that Otherworldly Race Continent would probably.....

Thinking of this, Yan Buji suddenly felt again that humans and demons shouldn't go to war, otherwise these human cultivators couldn't possibly come so easily into the demon continent.

Yan Buji shouldered the Hai Kun hammer and rushed forward, engaging in close-quarters combat with those demonic beasts.

The demon cultivators stayed away from the beast horde, instead releasing spells from a distance.

Hmm?

The demon cultivators in the distance, watching Yan Buji engage in close combat with the demonic beasts, suddenly felt something was off.

Xiong Ba Tian, why is your human friend still fighting these beasts in close combat?

Yeah, this human cultivator's spell arts are impressive, but why does your friend...

I heard he is a human Martial Dao cultivator.

A Martial Cultivator? No wonder.

The demon cultivators wore strange expressions; after half an hour they finally annihilated the charging beast horde completely.

Yan Buji's expression remained normal; his tall, sturdy body was now soaked in blood, crimson all over, as if he had just emerged blood-drenched from a sea of blood. He stood alone atop a small hill piled with countless demonic beast corpses, the bones beneath him layered and dense, exuding a nauseating stench of blood.

Yan Buji gripped tightly the enormous Hai Kun hammer in his hand; the hammerhead, originally plain and unadorned, had also been dyed dark red by blood. His arms trembled slightly, yet he stubbornly planted the Hai Kun hammer to support his swaying, on-the-verge-of-collapse body. The cold wind blew, lifting his disheveled hair and tattered garment edges; the fierce wind echoed across this silent battlefield, adding a touch of might and grandeur!

My friend, are you uninjured?

I'm fine.... Yan Buji stopped his trembling body, took a breath, then performed a cleansing-body incantation; a large amount of water fell from midair, washing his body clean.

After changing into fresh clothes, Yan Buji remained silent for a moment, then suddenly said: "Why are these demonic beasts so formidable?"

Yan Buji had not fought demonic beasts just once or twice, but although these demonic beasts were generally only at the Nascent Soul level, they gave him an extraordinarily difficult-to-handle feeling; this sensation intangibly bound him, causing his attacks and evasions to suffer at least a thirty percent drop in combat effectiveness compared to ordinary battles!

Had he known earlier, Yan Buji would have just hung back and cast spells—who would still engage in melee?