Calamity of Tomorrow

In front of West Mountain City, the Heavenly Demons surged over like a cloud obscuring the sun.

The air was filled with densely packed black dots, with hundreds of thousands of Heavenly Demons a distance of over 10 kilometers away, sending a wave of panic through the hearts of the city's hundred million inhabitants.

However, it seemed out of concern that the impulse to slaughter might be triggered, these Heavenly Demons stopped just 10 kilometers outside the city, constantly churning and roaring as if they wanted to charge at any moment, yet there was always an invisible boundary that they dared not cross.

It was the higher-ranking Heavenly Demons that were temporarily suppressing their movements. After all, within the ranks of the Heavenly Demons, the control exerted over subordinates by their superiors was absolute, with almost no room for resistance once an order had been issued.

However, the impulse to slaughter was an exception. Should these Heavenly Demons really come above the city, even the kings of the Heavenly Demons would no longer be able to stop them from attacking the humans within arm's reach.

The distance of ten kilometers right now seemed like a final bottom line, one that, once crossed, not even the Heavenly Demon kings would be able to prevent the outbreak of war.

Cultivators flew one after another into mid-air, facing the Heavenly Demons across the protective city formation, their hearts filled with indignation, trepidation, tension, and fear. But no matter what the emotion, they all faced the uncertainty of the future.

Ying Hui stood on the rooftop of a building, staring at the densely packed black dots over ten kilometers away, a strong sense of humiliation and hatred surging up in his heart.

In his mind, he seemed to recall the chaotic battle of Kunlun thirty years ago, when the Heavenly Palace fell, with two billion humans the survival rate only one in ten, and the wails of a hundred million lost souls seemed to echo in his ears once again.

Ying Hui glared at the dancing, flaunting, roaring Heavenly Demons, "You... are coming again?" He clenched his fist, wishing to fight to the death with the enemy, but the cruel reality kept stinging his nerves: 'We can't beat them, we still can't beat them now...'

Moments later, a Heavenly Demon that was several meters tall flew over. It had over a dozen lion and tiger heads, its bloated body looking like a tumor, hovering above West Mountain City. Its icy gaze swept over the entire city, like a tiger surveying its territory.

The vice-principal of Jijian Pavilion, Wang Shouxuan, soared into the sky, confronting the Heavenly Demon outside the formation.

He addressed the Heavenly Demon, "Heavenly Demon, do you wish to start an all-out war with humanity, with the Heavenly Court, once again?"

The lion-tiger Heavenly Demon looked down at Wang Shouxuan with a cold sneer, "Human, just days ago you attacked our thousands of Heavenly Demons without provocation, causing us great losses. Everything started with your provocations. If you don't offer adequate compensation within the next seven days, then prepare for war."

Wang Shouxuan was furious, "How many cultivators do the Heavenly Demons kill at the borders every year? And you still want compensation?"

The lion-tiger Heavenly Demon coldly observed Wang Shouxuan, not taking this powerful cultivator of the Eighth Realm seriously at all, "Hand over one hundred thousand civilians or one thousand cultivators, otherwise in seven days, West Mountain City will be bathed in blood."

After speaking, he didn't wait for Wang Shouxuan's response and flew away.

Watching the back of the departing Heavenly Demon, the murderous intent in Wang Shouxuan's eyes surged. He was dying to draw his sword and slay the Heavenly Demon before him, yet his rationality still controlled him, forcing him to suppress the murderous intent in his heart.

Shortly after, in the meeting room, when Wang Shouxuan relayed the Heavenly Demons' demands, the human high command present, including Qing Yangzi, a commander specially dispatched by the Heavenly Court, Yun Chonghe of the Dao School, Zhao Shouyi, Monk Wu Fa from Leiyin Temple who had come to support, and Wei Ming, the marshal of Nanshan City from the Evil Sect...

Almost all of them were powerful human cultivators of the Seventh, Eighth, or even Ninth Realm, and upon hearing the Heavenly Demons' demands, their faces were filled with righteous indignation.

Wang Shouxuan, "The Heavenly Demons... this is a blatant humiliation. We absolutely cannot agree to their terms."

Zhao Shouyi coldly said, "One hundred thousand civilians? One thousand cultivators? These Heavenly Demons are treating us like pigs to be fattened up. Judging by their recent actions of capturing people, they definitely want to use these people for something. We cannot give in to them."

Listening to everyone's angry and dissenting voices, a bald elder spoke up, "You've all said so much, so are we going to fight the Heavenly Demons? Who's going first?"

This was Jin Zhan, a councilor of the human united government.

Wang Shouxuan looked at the councilor, "Jin Zhan, what do you mean? Do you want to hand people over?"

Jin Zhan, "I didn't say I wanted to hand people over, but if you don't want to give in, then we'll have to fight, right? How will we fight? Who will go fight?"

Wang Shouxuan said, "This is West Mountain City, of course it's people from Jijian Pavilion who will be at the forefront. Give me a thousand cultivators above the Third Realm and I will slaughter those Heavenly Demons outside for you."

Jin Zhan nodded, "Fine, Jijian Pavilion can fight. What happens next? If the Heavenly Demons send more troops, do we keep fighting? How long will we fight, how many will die?"

"What war doesn't have casualties? It's not us who want to fight, it's the Heavenly Demons forcing us," Wang Shouxuan exclaimed in anger: "They've given us no choice. Not sending people means war, and if we send people, it's the end for us! Humanity would be finished!"

As the debate between them heated up, Qing Yangzi remained silent, only using a voice transmission to ask his subordinate, "Has there been any response from the Heavenly Court?"

The subordinate shook his head, "We have sent three urgent messages with the Heavenly Court Token, but there's been no response."

Meanwhile, the argument between Wang Shouxuan and Jin Zhan had reached a fever pitch.

"Sending people could at least buy us some time," Jin Zhan stated. "You all are heroes, not willing to take on this infamy, so let this old man do it. I won't live much longer, after all. I suggest we start preparing early, whether you decide to fight or to send people, get a list of one hundred thousand names ready first."

"Do you realize what you're doing?" Wang Shouxuan: "You are betraying your own people! You are a traitor!"

"Being a traitor is better than extermination!" Jin Zhan rationalized coldly. "I've calculated it, one hundred thousand old and disabled people with no prospects of cultivation and who have lost most of their ability to work, we can send them out. Then do our best to keep the message hidden, buying us more time to develop."

Wang Shouxuan abruptly stood up, "You son of a bitch..."

"Alright, that's enough, stop arguing," Qing Yangzi said. "I've already reported the situation; let's wait for the Heavenly Court's response."

...

Deep within the underground abyss, Xu Dela looked at the stunned Zhou Bai and smiled faintly, "Did you think you could use your power recklessly and no one would be able to counter it?"

At this moment, after carefully analyzing Zhou Bai's past few encounters with the Heavenly Demon, Xu Dela realized that the opponent's abilities had to be activated through speech every time.

Thus, he tried sealing off his auditory system and installed a human voice recognition device nearby. The mechanical apparatus acted as a third party to receive the sound waves from the opponent and then informed him of what was said.

This way, he discovered that the opponent's abilities didn't work once relayed indirectly.

While speaking, each of Xu Dela's serpent heads opened its mouth, revealing a door-mounted cannon array aimed at Zhou Bai's position, "Don't move, or your comrades will die."

Liu Ruonan and others, who were held hostage, shook their heads at Zhou Bai, indicating that he should ignore them. However, due to being drugged, they couldn't even open their mouths.

Lin Muqing, Qian Wangsun, and others began to communicate secretly through transmitted messages.

"We must kill the Heavenly Demon."

"The hostages cannot be our first priority."

"Zhou Bai, what's your plan?"

Zhou Bai: 'Do not make a move, close your eyes. Do not look at the Dao technique I'm about to cast. It's far too dangerous; just one glance can cause distortion.'

While the others were still puzzled, Qian Wangsun suddenly retreated backward, closing his eyes even as he moved away, transmitting, "Listen to him!"

Zhou Bai looked at Xu Dela in front of him, his flying sword unsheathed, quietly floating in front of him.

"Heavenly Demon, I've hidden this move for a long time. Its power is immense, damaging to the heavens, and I really didn't want to use it lightly. You forced my hand."

Suddenly, both the flying sword and Zhou Bai's body traced a series of afterimages, leaving trails of air currents with their terrifying speed. The highly compressed air formed countless shockwaves, radiating out in every direction.

In an instant, Xu Dela found himself surrounded by countless sword and body shadows. But he just laughed maniacally, with his multiple serpent heads firing a sky-full of laser cannons, sweeping back and forth like a web of light, turning the entire cliffside and rock walls to molten material. The temperature of the entire underground space soared rapidly.

"It's useless, useless, useless! Fools! You're all going to die today!"

The small platform was immediately filled with high temperatures, Sword Qi, and shockwaves. Qian Wangsun, Lin Muqing pulled Qin Tian, Song Zhen backward, while the Sixth Realm Snow Leopard and Qing Cao hesitated whether to assist.

But Zhou Bai's onslaught ceased in the next moment, as the myriad sword shadows suddenly vanished.

Looking at the countless sword marks on the ground, Xu Dela sneered, "You have your teammates in my hands, and you're not my match in direct strength. Even your sword moves are off-target. Where exactly are you hitting..."

"Off-target?"

Xu Dela looked at the sword marks on the ground, his face suddenly changed. He felt the twisted and tangled marks, unclear as to what sword technique they represented, yet they had a unique attraction that made him unable to stop staring.

After a closer look, he realized those were distorted runes, winding and coiling, exuding mystery and gloom.

He struggled to discern the characters amidst the tangle, and then he made out the writing covering the ground and walls, "My name is Zhou Bai, nickname Daniel Wu. I'm borrowing a hair from you, Heavenly Demons, 'nine out and thirteen back.'"

"I..." Xu Dela roared, but before he could finish a complete sentence, his metal body suddenly deformed, sprouting hair all over, and charged fiercely towards Zhou Bai.

The small serpents controlling Liu Ruonan and others did the same; after growing hair on their bodies, they rushed towards Zhou Bai.

"What is this!" Snow Leopard and the others were shocked by the scene but then heard Zhou Bai's message, "Close your eyes, don't look. This is a twisted text carved by the Supreme Sword Dao. Looking at it will drive you mad. Leave the Heavenly Demon to me, you go save the others."

Snow Leopard: "The Heavenly Demon has gone mad? What kind of sword technique is this?"

Song Zhen: "Has Daniel Wu's swordsmanship become this terrifying?"

Lin Muqing: "Has Zhou Bai's swordsmanship reached such an apex? Creating distortion, inducing insanity?"

Qian Wangsun frowned, "Why do I feel like this is..."

Seeing Xu Dela's crazed pursuit of Zhou Bai, Snow Leopard, Song Zhen, Lin Muqing, and the others were also frightened and closed their eyes. They headed towards Liu Ruonan and the others, following their previous memories.

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Happy Dragon Boat Festival, happy college entrance examination, this chapter speaks of happy unblocking. Today's four chapters add up to almost ten thousand words, isn't it fair to ask for a wave of monthly and recommendation tickets?