My Arts Evolve When Perfected

"What... what?" The large-headed Wu Xuan’s pitch-black eyes widened in disbelief. "Your Majesty! We flattened Tianshan City with ease, and the Northwest’s strongest fighter, Luo Beixing, died at your hand. Now, the only Martial Artist in Gao Yuan City who could be considered a threat is Jiang Qiu. Why are we retreating?

Just give the order, and I’m willing to use the Secret Technique you taught me to take Jiang Qiu down with me. Once he’s dead, not only will we completely occupy Gao Yuan City, but your power will also surge, and you might even break through your current limits!

Even if I can’t do it, we still have so many in the Dao Entry Realm..."

[辰]’s icy gaze swept over. Wu Xuan choked, lowering his head and falling silent. He was seething with frustration but didn’t dare to voice it.

’In his view, the army led by Emperor [辰] could not be defeated. They had annihilated Tianshan City without the Emperor even needing to act personally, slaughtering a million people in a single day.’

’Now, Emperor [辰] had acted personally and even killed the greatest threat, Luo Beixing, yet they couldn’t flatten a Gao Yuan City that had nothing left but weeds.’

’It was truly an insult to the name of the Kunlun Demon Clan...’

"Victory and defeat are never certain. I never judge based on a single outcome," [辰] said in a deep voice, his Dragon Eye still shining like a golden sun. "What was the initial order I gave you?"

"Annihilate Gao Yuan City, turn it into a dead city, and thereby put immense pressure on Xia Country’s Northwest Province."

Dream Demon nodded in reply.

"A city that has experienced a battle of this scale is no different from a dead one. Your mission is complete. It is enough. We return to Kunlun, where merits will be rewarded. All Demon Generals and Demon Marshals may go to Dragon Lake to cultivate. The one who has killed the most Human Race Martial Artists will be granted a Cultivation Technique."

As soon as these words were spoken, the gloom hanging over the thousands of demons vanished.

The nine Demon Marshals looked at each other, joy filling their faces. Wu Xuan also suppressed the defiance in his heart, glanced back arrogantly at the humans, and swore to himself, ’By following Emperor [辰], one day, I will have the power to crush every last one of you.’

Cultivating at Dragon Lake, one could absorb Dragon Qi, which was of great benefit.

It was also Emperor [辰]’s personal cultivation ground, where one could occasionally receive his guidance. It could be called the Ancestral Land of the Kunlun Demon Clan, even more revered than the Kunlun Great Secret Realm.

For no other reason than that Dragon Lake was created by Emperor [辰].

"Jiang Qiu, you have won this battle for Gao Yuan City. I will lead the entire Demon Race to retreat to Kunlun and will not invade the borders of Xia Country for three years. All Demon Race forces stationed in Tianshan City and Gao Yuan City will be withdrawn."

After speaking his last words, [辰] turned and left. The nine Demon Marshals, dozens of Demon Generals, and tens of thousands of Great Demons accompanied him, receding like a black tide.

Jiang Qiu did not give chase. He stood like a towering iron pagoda, silently watching their retreating figures.

’I’m not sure how badly [辰] is injured, or what forbidden Secret Techniques he still has. If I rashly charge over, I might find myself in a desperate situation.’

’Besides, after [辰] appeared, the auras of those nine Demon Marshals inexplicably strengthened. It’s as if a barrel of dynamite had its fuse exposed; the slightest spark would surely unleash an uncontrollable power.’

’Perhaps because of some special Secret Technique related to their bloodline, a portion of the Demon Marshals’ power was being suppressed. Their very lives might be in [辰]’s hands.’

’This guess comes from the intuition of my Dragon Race bloodline...’

However, [辰]’s full retreat was unbelievable. The surviving Martial Artists gripped their weapons tightly, not daring to even breathe. Only after the colossal demons that had blotted out the sky and filled the streets had completely withdrawn, and the earth had stopped trembling, did their tense shoulders finally slump. The heavily injured gritted their teeth and collapsed against nearby walls, gasping for breath.

Most of the Gao Yuan City citizens who hadn’t had time to evacuate also witnessed this scene. They hugged each other tightly or huddled in the corners of ruins. Children lifted their tear-streaked faces, their shining eyes reflecting the young Martial Artist standing high above. They had survived the calamity, like finding the dawn after an endless night.

"Gao Yuan City... we defended it?"

"That Martial Artist... the one who made Emperor [辰] and the entire Demon Race army retreat... his name is Jiang Qiu..."

[辰]’s final words were imbued with draconic might. Even though he spoke softly, his voice was audible for dozens of miles in every direction, like a public declaration.

Even a deaf person would have felt a tremor in their heart, clearly understanding who had forced the Kunlun Demon Clan to retreat in this battle, and who was responsible for the survival of those who remained.

HUMMM...

The vast dark clouds in the sky, carrying thunder with them, receded into the distance. Bright sunlight pierced through, blanketing the ruins that were submerged in floodwaters.

The remaining Martial Artists maintained order in a disciplined manner, continuing to escort citizens from the temporary resettlement area into the Teleportation Array while also holding back the rising floodwaters.

Jiang Qiu descended from the sky, landing atop the Martial Arts Building. His Dragon Scales, inlaid with golden patterns, gleamed under the sunlight. In his eyes, the reflection of Gao Yuan City was a scene of utter ruin, like a post-apocalyptic world after a nuclear strike.

It was as if an elephant had stomped on a miniature architectural model, shattering it to bits.

Sharp attacks had carved out dark chasms, slicing through dozens of streets. Vicious strikes had smashed abyssal craters into the ground, gouging out entire city blocks...

"’Gao Yuan City is completely destroyed. My home is gone.’"

Muttering to himself, Jiang Qiu closed his eyes. His heart grew strangely calm, his mind empty.

The Kunlun Demon Clan’s attack was like a sudden downpour that tore the thatched roof off his hometown’s hut and smashed it to pieces while he was away.

In a war of this scale, at least seventy percent of the infrastructure in both the Inner and Outer Cities was completely destroyed. It was no longer a place suitable for human life.

As for [辰]’s promise of a three-year truce before he retreated, only he himself knew what it was truly worth.

After a long silence, Jiang Qiu opened his eyes again. His vertical, draconic pupils had vanished, replaced by round eyes as black as jade Go pieces. ’But at least... many people are still alive.’

His gaze swept over the dense crowds pushing and shoving towards the underground area of the Martial Arts Building, and a sense of Life Force, like a withered tree blooming in spring, flowed through his chest.

’When destitute, one perfects themself alone. When prosperous, one helps the entire world.’

’If I have the ability to do it, why wouldn’t I?’

’Elder Luo left me his entire life’s comprehension of the Great Dao. I can’t let him down.’

At this thought, Jiang Qiu suddenly remembered something. ’With so many refugees from Gao Yuan City, how will the Capital City handle their resettlement?’

During the battle just now, many more people were affected, but at least several million had been temporarily transferred to the base of Northern Boundary Mountain in the Northern Boundary.

Such a large number was more than any single city could accommodate, especially in a border region like the Northwest Province. Gao Yuan City itself had to set up Shantytowns in its Outer City to house people before; where would they find extra, safe living arrangements now?

Even if the remaining six cities in the Northwest Province took in some of them, a large portion would still have to be diverted to inland provinces like Jiangnan Province.

This period of population migration would not be short.

But in reality, Xia Country was also experiencing frequent battles on the East Coast. The border provinces over there were also migrating large parts of their populations inland. They might not be able to properly accommodate several million refugees from Gao Yuan City.