It's Time for the Relay

Di Haoran was distracted. Truthfully, he didn’t know much about Jiang Ningshu’s current strength and felt that victory was unlikely.

The Lion Heart King, however, showed no concern at all and continued his assault on Di Haoran.

"Tsk, tsk, no faith in her? I know for a fact the Beast Lord will win."

"Hmph, even if Jiang Ningshu loses, there’s still us. We’ll defeat you, and then the Beast Lord."

Di Haoran thought Jiang Ningshu had already done well by exhausting the Beast Lord so much.

"Big words. Try killing me first."

The Lion Heart King absolutely would not let Di Haoran interfere.

The same went for the other battles—the demonic beasts fought desperately to hold back their opponents, all to give the Beast Lord an uninterrupted chance to strike.

The vortex on the ground began shrinking, and demonic energy coiled around a sword as it rose. The Heavenly Demon Sword was now engulfed in burning demonic flames.

Jiang Ningshu gripped the sword, and the demonic energy continued spreading, wrapping around her entire right arm.

The energy raged wildly, scorching even her hand.

Behind the Beast Lord, the silhouette of a single ferocious beast had now split into three—savage, bloodthirsty, and snarling.

The Beast Lord took a step forward, clenched his right fist, and assumed a stance, gathering power for the decisive strike.

In an instant, Jiang Ningshu and the Beast Lord moved simultaneously.

"Heavenly Demon Annihilation!"

Jiang Ningshu swung her sword down.

Chaotic demonic energy surged forth, crisscrossing wildly, devouring and obliterating everything it touched.

"Triple Soul-Crushing Impact!"

The Beast Lord threw a punch.

The three beasts behind him merged with his fist’s force, charging forward in a spiraling motion, amplifying the devastating power of his strike.

An overwhelming, tyrannical force blasted everything in its path.

Finally, the two colossal forces collided—cataclysmic, earth-shaking.

Though similar clashes had occurred many times over the past half-day, this was undoubtedly the most devastating.

At that moment, every human and demonic beast paused, witnessing a sight they felt they should never have seen in their lifetimes.

A massive explosion swallowed both Jiang Ningshu and the Beast Lord, reshaping the terrain around them.

Thick smoke billowed in all directions.

Soon, the dust began to settle.

Some demonic beasts even flapped their wings, helping to disperse the haze.

Who—who had won?

This was the question on everyone’s mind.

Jiang Ningshu sat on the ground, leaning on her sword for support.

The Beast Lord, however, stood tall, showing no sign of faltering.

The two remained silent for a moment, leaving the onlookers uncertain.

Then—

"I’ve won!" The Beast Lord roared to the heavens, declaring his victory.

And indeed, he had. Jiang Ningshu’s demonic energy was spent, and though her injuries weren’t severe, exhaustion weighed on her. She could collapse at any moment.

Hearing their lord’s triumphant cry, the demonic beast army erupted in renewed fervor, surging back into battle.

If the Beast Lord had won, they would fight to secure his victory.

Their momentum was unstoppable.

The humans, however, paled at the sight, but they had no choice—they had to keep fighting.

It wasn’t over yet. Some still believed that perseverance would bring them triumph.

The Beast Lord smirked. This half-day battle had been no easy feat. He then drew his axe.

Of course, he intended to finish Jiang Ningshu off—he understood the importance of ensuring his enemies stayed dead.

Nearby, Di Haoran grew frantic. He had to save Jiang Ningshu.

She was crucial to humanity’s hope of victory—as long as she lived, their chances remained strong.

But the Lion Heart King chuckled, blocking his path. "You’re not going anywhere."

"Move!"

"Getting desperate? Too bad—I won’t."

The Lion Heart King held Di Haoran back with all his might.

Helpless, Di Haoran couldn’t break through, left only to seethe in frustration.

Other human warriors nearby also grasped the situation and tried to reach Jiang Ningshu.

But the demonic beasts fought like madmen, denying them any opening.

The Leopard Speed King likewise barred Nangong Xiyun’s way. "Don’t even think about it."

"Who said I was trying to?" Nangong Xiyun sighed. She hadn’t even moved.

"Hmph, trying to trick me? I won’t lower my guard. I’ll watch you—if you want to pass, you’ll have to fight for your life."

"Ha. I’m not worried about her at all."

"She’s your strongest warrior. If she dies, it’s over for you. Your act won’t fool me."

"You should worry about your Beast Lord instead."

The Leopard Speed King laughed wildly. "Ridiculous! The Beast Lord won—what’s there to fear? Final warning: you won’t get past me. My speed surpasses yours."

"Those your last words?"

"I won’t lose my temper. I’ll kill you—calmly."

Their battle resumed.

Without hesitation, the Beast Lord hurled his axe straight at Jiang Ningshu.

As a final gesture, he said, "You fought well. But sadly, all who stand in the way of the demonic beast army must die."

Jiang Ningshu showed no fear—because Su Luo had already appeared before her, unnoticed.

The axe still flew toward her, its strike no simple attack. The Beast Lord intended to kill, and he held nothing back.

However, Su Luo kicked the axe back with a single strike.

The Beast Lord's pupils constricted in shock.

How did this person appear?

He actually kicked back my mighty axe with just one move?

Who is he?

For a moment, the Beast Lord's mind raced with questions, but he didn’t let his focus waver. Yet even so, he couldn’t dodge the returning axe.

The axe embedded itself into the Beast Lord’s shoulder, sinking three inches deep.

The Beast Lord braced his back foot and gripped the axe handle with both hands, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t stop its momentum. He was forced backward relentlessly, his feet carving deep grooves into the ground.

The Beast Lord kept retreating, step after step, until he was nearly out of sight—and still, the force didn’t let up.

The sudden appearance of this figure also stunned those observing the battle.

Who is this?

Not only were the demon beasts bewildered, but even the humans were puzzled. Judging by his skill, he was undoubtedly a powerhouse—but who among their ranks hadn’t already joined the fight?

No one could think of anyone matching his description.

The demon beast army grew frantic. Jiang Ningshu was on the verge of death, only to be saved at the last moment.

No—this couldn’t be allowed.

But now, the tides had turned. The humans were the ones fiercely blocking the demon beasts’ advance.

Di Haoran sneered, "Keep shouting! Weren’t you so arrogant earlier? Hah! It’s not over yet!"

The Lion Heart King was equally frustrated. "Damn it, where did this guy come from?"

The Leopard Speed King dashed forward at blinding speed—only to crash into an unseen barrier.

"Damn it, when did they set this up?"

All around him, swords formed from condensed spiritual energy materialized, sealing off a vast area. There was no way out.

Nangong Xiyun remarked coolly, "I may not match your speed, but trapping you is another matter."

These swords were, of course, Nangong Xiyun’s doing.

For now, the Leopard Speed King was stuck.

The situation was shifting in their favor, and the humans grew exhilarated.

Hope—there was still a chance to win.

Their fighting spirit surged, mirroring the demon beasts’ earlier frenzy.

Su Luo channeled a surge of demonic energy into Jiang Ningshu. "Your turn is over."

With this infusion of energy, Jiang Ningshu regained some strength. She had been drained, not critically wounded.

She exhaled, "I’ve done my part, then."

"Mn. Leave the rest to me."