Meng Chuan and all the other academy disciples, along with the young members of the great families, watched intently. In the future, nearly all of them would serve in the military—there was no escaping it.
"The pig demon." A burly youth leapt onto the arena, shield in his left hand and a heavy axe in his right, fixing his gaze on the pig demon across from him.
The pig demon snarled, revealing a mouth full of sharp teeth, emitting a low, guttural "Ho ho~~" before charging suddenly.
Boom!
The pig demon barreled forward at incredible speed.
"So fast…"
"This speed rivals even the Zhutai Stage! The books weren't lying— even the most ordinary minor demons possess bodies comparable to Zhutai cultivators." The observing disciples' hearts tightened. This was just a common pig demon.
The youth, Zhang Rushang, anticipated the collision at the last moment. He sidestepped, raising his shield with his left hand, while swinging his axe with his right toward the demon's lower body.
The pig demon's momentum was overwhelming. Its sudden shift grazed the shield with its elbow. Zhang Rushang staggered three steps backward from the force, his axe slicing empty air.
"The books said demon bodies are formidable, but their combat skills are inferior. That's true," Zhang Rushang thought. "But they are wild. I cannot make a mistake—I must find the opening to kill it in one strike."
"Hmph~~~" The pig demon's eyes grew wilder as it charged relentlessly again.
On the arena, the pig demon was sheer brute force—immense strength and incredible speed. Even a casual swipe would send a human backward. Yet Zhang Rushang was resilient, stepping deftly without clashing directly, using his shield to dissipate force skillfully. He blocked every charge, slippery and precise.
"Zhang family's young talent—excellent shield work."
"Completely blocked, no chance for the demon."
"Does it have a hidden trick?" The elders of the Five Great Families murmured among themselves.
Suddenly—
The pig demon's claws accelerated sharply.
Caught off guard, Zhang Rushang's face changed drastically. He pulled back sharply behind his shield.
Bang.
The claw struck the shield. The tilt mitigated some force, but the shield was flung up, and Zhang Rushang was thrown backward, out of the arena. Landing on the ground, he coughed up blood, face pale.
"Clever, hiding power…" Zhang Rushang glared at the pig demon atop the arena.
"Lucky you dodged fast," the pig demon rumbled.
"What?"
"This pig demon actually had a hidden move?"
"At a critical moment, unleashed—it's terrifying." The academy disciples felt a chill. The cautious and skilled Zhang Rushang had survived, but others might have been badly injured.
"It really had a trick," the Five Families' elders relaxed, all experienced in battlefield skirmishes. They knew well the ferocity of demons. What they saw now was mild compared to true combat.
The magistrate chuckled loudly, "Monsters possess intelligence and cunning. Do not underestimate them. Next up: Summer Hou Song from Chunyu Dao Academy."
On the arena, the pig demon turned to the one-armed man, rumbling, "I won the first round."
"Win three rounds and you return to your cage," the one-armed man said.
"Understood." The pig demon's eyes gleamed with murderous intent. It sought revenge on humans who had captured it, not merely for the promised reward of food and wine.
The second youth, Summer Hou Song, wielded a blade with exquisite skill. His movements were elusive; the pig demon could not land a single hit.
Finally, an opening.
"Thwack."
His blade struck the pig demon, slicing through thick fur but caught in its dense muscles. Summer Hou Song's face paled. "Not good." He dropped his blade and retreated violently, yet the pig demon struck with a heavy paw. Summer Hou Song was hit, sending a collective gasp through the observing disciples.
The elders and magistrate remained calm—these were minor incidents.
Summer Hou Song was flung off the arena, blood spraying into the air. Fortunately, he wore the family's protective armor. Though seriously injured, he would fully recover after several months—a lucky outcome.
"Next: Ruan Mi of Fengyang Dao Academy."
"The divine archer Ruan Mi," murmured many in the crowd. Archers held extreme importance, and Meng Chuan observed closely, as his own sister, Qi Yue, was also an archer. The duel offered valuable insight.
Ruan Mi, a prodigy from an ordinary family, had become a celebrated archer within Fengyang Dao Academy. His long arms gripped the bow as he leapt onto the arena, taking position at the edge and drawing an arrow immediately.
Swish.
The arrow pierced the air at incredible speed. A true archer's volleys were terrifying.
The pig demon roared and charged, batting away the first arrow with its claw, while the other paw protected its head.
The second arrow struck its thigh, embedding itself. Normally, even Zhutai Stage cultivators' weapons lose potency against demon fur, but this arrow penetrated cleanly, disrupting its stride. Ruan Mi continued shooting as he moved with incredible agility.
Thwack! Thwack!
The third and fourth arrows struck the legs, pinning its muscles and tendons, slowing it by half. Ruan Mi moved nimbly along the arena edge, shooting arrow after arrow.
"Die."
"Die for me."
The pig demon sensed death approaching, crazed as it lunged at the human archer. But its legs were pinned; the gap felt like an impassable chasm.
Twelve arrows in total pierced it. The twelfth struck the head, finally toppling the pig demon with a thud. It convulsed once, then lay still.
"The vitality of demons is remarkable," Ruan Mi murmured.
"Well done."
"Beautifully executed."
Cheers erupted, especially from Fengyang Dao Academy disciples.
"Drag it away," the one-armed man commanded. Two soldiers carried the pig demon's body off the arena, leaving only bloodstains behind.
No one cared about the death of a single pig demon.
Demons were the aggressors; humans only sought to protect their homes. Even so, countless humans perished. In military service, half died in battle, and many survivors were maimed. The cost of survival was immense.
Ordinary humans suffered even more. Primordial Mountain established Yu Yang Palaces in every prefecture, stationing Godfiends to safeguard civilians. The Godfiends patrolled every corner, exterminating any demon daring to encroach. Humanity's hatred for demons was deep and unyielding, a grudge that even the vast oceans could not wash away.