Chapter 13: Human Race and Demon Race

Meng Chuan and all the academy disciples, as well as the young masters from prominent families, were watching intently. Almost all of them would have to serve in the military in the future; this was unavoidable.

A robust young man, shield in his left hand and a great axe in his right, leaped onto the arena stage. He stared intently at the pig demon on the opposite side.

The pig demon stared back at the human youth, baring its sharp teeth in a grin, and let out a low, guttural growl. Then it suddenly charged forward.

The pig demon charged headlong, moving with extreme speed.

"What speed!"

"That speed is comparable to the Marrow Cleansing realm! The books were indeed right; even the most common low-level demons possess bodies comparable to that realm." Many academy disciples watching felt a surge of apprehension. This was, after all, only the most common type of low-level demon.

The youth, Zhang Rushang, however, retreated to the side just as the opponent was about to collide. He braced his shield with his left hand, and simultaneously swung his axe fiercely towards the pig demon's lower body with his right.

The pig demon charged too quickly and couldn't change direction in time. However, it still raised its right arm, and its right elbow brushed against the shield. Young Zhang Rushang felt a surge of immense power. He couldn't help but stagger back three steps, and his axe missed its mark.

"The books say that demons have formidable bodies but inferior combat techniques compared to us, and that's certainly true," Zhang Rushang thought to himself. "But they are also more savage. I cannot make a mistake; I must find an opportunity to kill it in one blow."

"Hmph!" The pig demon's eyes grew even more frenzied, and it continued its fierce charge.

On the arena stage, the pig demon was utterly ferocious; it possessed immense strength and incredible speed. Even a casual brush against the human youth would send him reeling backward. Yet, the human youth was remarkably resilient. His footwork was exquisite, he never engaged in direct clashes, and his shield was highly effective at deflecting force. He completely blocked the pig demon's repeated charges, proving to be incredibly agile.

"That young one from the Zhang family handles his shield remarkably well."

"He's completely defensive, not giving the pig demon any chances."

"I wonder if this pig demon is holding something back." The high-ranking members of the five prominent families were also chatting.

Suddenly, the speed of the pig demon's swinging claw abruptly increased. This caught Zhang Rushang by surprise. His expression changed dramatically, and he quickly pulled his head back, hiding behind his shield.

*Thud.* The claw slammed against the shield. Although the shield's angle made it uncomfortable for the pig demon, the strike still sent the shield flying. Young Zhang Rushang used the force to propel himself backward even faster, flying out of the arena.

As soon as he landed on the ground outside the arena, Zhang Rushang coughed up a mouthful of blood, his face pale.

"How treacherous! It was hiding its strength." Zhang Rushang glared at the pig demon in the arena.

"You were quick to escape," the pig demon grunted.

"What?"

"This pig demon was actually holding something back?"

"To unleash it at a crucial moment like that is terrifying." The academy disciples felt a pang of anxiety. It was fortunate that the first contestant, Zhang Rushang, was cautious and skilled in defense. Another disciple might have suffered a significant loss.

"It really did have a trick up its sleeve," the high-ranking members of the five prominent families remarked, chatting casually. They all had experience fighting demons on the battlefield. They knew very well how ferocious demons could be! The scene before them was quite "gentle" by their standards.

The government official, who was consulting the list, also laughed loudly and said, "Demons possess intelligence; they are capable of scheming and should not be underestimated. Alright, next up is Xiahou Song from Chunyu Academy."

In the arena, the pig demon remained standing, and grunted to the one-armed man nearby, "I won the first round."

"Win three in a row, and you can return to your cell," the one-armed man replied.

"Good," the pig demon nodded, but a fierce gleam appeared in its eyes. Given the chance, it wanted to kill the human youths. It wasn't just about enjoying ten days of fine food and wine for each kill; there was also the deep hatred in its heart. Being captured by humans had sealed its tragic fate. As long as it could get revenge, it naturally wanted to exact a brutal one.

The second youth to enter the arena was Xiahou Song, a skilled swordsman with exquisite blade techniques.

His footwork was intricate, and the pig demon couldn't touch him at all.

Finally, he found an opening. *Thwack.* His blade struck directly at the pig demon. After piercing its thick hide, his blade got firmly lodged in the pig demon's muscle. Xiahou Song's expression changed dramatically. "This isn't good," he muttered. Without hesitation, he abandoned his blade and swiftly retreated. But the pig demon seized the opportunity to unleash a fierce claw strike. Xiahou Song was hit, and the loud *thud* made many academy disciples' hearts clench.

The high-ranking members of the five prominent families and the Prefect remained perfectly calm. To them, these were truly minor incidents.

Xiahou Song was sent flying out of the arena, his blood splattering through the air. Fortunately, Xiahou Song was wearing his family's protective armor. He was only severely injured but had not lost his life, and could fully recover after several months of recuperation. It was a great stroke of luck.

"Next up, Ruan Mi from Fengyang Academy."

"Ruan Mi, the Divine Archer." This immediately drew the attention of many present. Every divine archer held immense importance. Meng Chuan also watched intently, because his younger sister, Qiyue, was also a divine archer! Ruan Mi's combat against the demon would clearly be a valuable reference.

Ruan Mi was quite famous among the younger generation in Dongning Prefecture. He came from an ordinary family, but becoming an archer naturally set him apart, making him a prominent figure among Fengyang Academy's disciples. He had long arms. After leaping onto the arena with his large bow, he stood at the edge of the stage and immediately drew an arrow without a word.

*Whizz!* The arrow pierced through the air. It was incredibly fast! A truly committed archer was terrifying.

The pig demon immediately charged forward with a howl, simultaneously swinging its claw, swatting the first arrow away with a *thud*. Its other claw protected its head, its most vulnerable point.

But immediately after, the second arrow pierced through its thigh and lodged there! Normal blades and swords from Marrow Cleansing realm cultivators would have their power greatly reduced after piercing the pig demon's hide. Yet, this arrow had fully penetrated its thigh, disrupting the pig demon's running pace. The young archer, Ruan Mi, with a grim expression, moved while firing a third and then a fourth arrow.

*Thwack, thwack, thwack!*

The third and fourth arrows both struck its legs. The pig demon's tendons, bones, and muscles firmly trapped the arrows, leaving little blood. However, its running speed was halved. Young Ruan Mi became more relaxed. He moved swiftly and agilely around the edge of the arena, firing arrow after arrow.

"Die!"

"Just die for me!" The pig demon dimly sensed death approaching. It became even more frantic in its approach, desperate to get close to the human divine archer.

But its legs couldn't move quickly. The distance between them, though not far, felt like an insurmountable chasm, impossible to close.

The pig demon's body was struck by a total of twelve arrows. It kept howling and running, until the twelfth arrow finally pierced its head, a vital spot. This arrow caused the pig demon to crash to the ground with a *thud*, twitching once, unable to rise again.

"Demons truly have strong vitality," Ruan Mi murmured.

"Well done!"

"Beautiful!"

Cheers erupted, with the disciples of Fengyang Academy shouting the loudest and most joyfully.

"Drag it away," the one-armed man beside the arena ordered his soldiers. Two soldiers immediately walked onto the stage and dragged the pig demon's corpse away, leaving only bloodstains on the arena floor.

No one cared about the death of a pig demon! Demons were the aggressors, the ones who massacred. Humans simply wanted to protect their homes. Even so, large numbers of humans still died. Half of those who served in the military died in battle. Many who survived were left with disabilities. This showed the immense price humanity paid.

The number of massacred human commoners was even greater. Yuanchu Mountain had established Jade Sun Palaces in every prefecture city, sending Divine Demons to guard and protect the common people! One by one, the Divine Demons stood guard in all directions, eradicating any demons that dared to infiltrate human territory. Only by doing so could the human situation be stabilized. Humanity's hatred for demons was so profound that all the waters of the four seas could not wash it away.