Martial Ascent to Divinity-Chapter 421 - 406: Giant Butterfly

Vigorous Root said, "Now that the tribe is under siege, we may not be able to get in. I think we should just conduct guerrilla warfare on the outside, retreat when we encounter powerful enemies. What do you think?"

Silver Lake Wind said, "Let’s go with that. One grandmaster will lead the other elves away, and the four of us grandmasters will follow you for guerrilla warfare."

"That’s the only way," Zhou Leng said.

Silver Lake Moon smirked.

Zhou Leng rolled his eyes at her, feeling annoyed yet amused.

Soon, the team split into two groups. Most continued towards the Tree-man Base, while Zhou Leng and his small squad headed to reinforce the Tree-man tribe.

The main force ran for half an hour when they encountered a group of human martial artists wearing camouflage clothing.

Leading the group was none other than Chen Shouhu.

"Have you seen Zhou Leng?" someone translated Chen Shouhu’s inquiry.

"They’re on their way to bolster Vigorous Tribe, we were originally together," replied the leading Elf Grandmaster, impressed by the inquiry’s powerful aura.

Chen Shouhu asked, "Can you contact him?"

"Yes, tell him to wait in place. This is a Demon City Army order."

"Understood."

The Elf Mage sent the message and shortly replied helplessly, "He said he’ll be right back. Silver Lake Wind Elder suggests you go personally; otherwise, he’ll surely join the battle. He hopes you go as soon as possible, and bring back our Elf Saintess."

"He’s grown wings, daring to disobey military orders."

Chen Shouhu asked the Elf Mage for Zhou Leng’s team’s route and told the other martial artists, "Return with them. I’ll fetch Zhou Leng."

"Understood."

Chen Shouhu kicked off the ground, his body lurching forward, enveloped by white supersonic mist, the massive sonic boom resonating around.

He ran at supersonic speed, covering hundreds of meters in a step, leaving a trail of collapsing earth behind.

Zhou Leng and the others, ready for battle, were maintaining a speed of 200 kilometers per hour.

While Chen Shouhu’s speed already exceeded 1,500 kilometers per hour.

A grandmaster is the true fighter among martial artists.

A Grandmaster, at low altitude, can completely take down several hundred Rafale fighter jets from the old era.

Before Zhou Leng and the others even saw the Vigorous Tribe, Chen Shouhu arrived with a roar, leaped over the team, and landed with a surge of earth.

Then, with one foot, he kicked off a ragged old shoe and put on a new one.

The team paused, exchanging glances.

Silver Lake Wind and the three Elf Grandmasters watched the front, smiling.

"Honorary Major Zhou Leng." Chen Shouhu had finished changing his shoes and stood in the front, looking at Zhou Leng.

"Present!" Zhou Leng immediately saluted.

"Everyone, head to the Tree-man Base without error. Those who disobey will be dealt with by military law."

"Yes..." Zhou Leng deflated like a balloon.

There were countless ways to handle a regular martial artist delivering orders, but facing Chen Shouhu?

If he dared say half a ’no,’ he’d punch him out and carry him back over his shoulder.

Vigorous Root said, "General Chen, you can order Zhou Leng, but you cannot order us. Please forgive us; we must return to the tribe and fight for our homeland and people."

Chen Shouhu said, "I understand, I won’t stop you, but I hope you reconsider. The Vigorous Tribe’s situation isn’t looking good. The Flourishing Staff just arrived at the Tree-man Base and was ordered not to participate in the battle."

"We understand, but we do so willingly."

"Go, and take care." Chen Shouhu stood straight and saluted these young tree-men, whose powers paled in comparison to his own.

Zhou Leng looked at Vigorous Root, then Xiaoyong beside him, a thousand words stuck in his throat, unable to speak.

Chen Shouhu glanced at Cyan Flame and said, "Cyan Flame, you should return too."

Cyan Flame opened his mouth but also remained silent.

Vigorous Root waved his branches, laughing, "When the war is over, I’ll treat you to delicious worm juice."

"Chirp, chirp..." Xiaoyong chirped joyfully, as if agreeing to share the worm juice.

Everyone waved goodbye to the tree-men.

Chen Shouhu approached, raised his trunk-thick right arm, and pulled Zhou Leng aside, slyly glancing at Silver Lake Moon, asking in a low voice, "What’s the deal with that Elf Saintess? I heard from the elves that you stole away their Saintess? Did you knock her up and have a half-elf child?"

"You misheard. We’re teammates, just here to rescue the Tree-man Race." Zhou Leng sighed inwardly. Couldn’t Chen Fenghu learn to be more composed like Wang Huaixiong?

"Hmm? You’ve grown quickly, and your life aura’s almost bubbling over. Had an adventure?"

"A small one."

"Write a report when we get back. The incident at Long Flute Forest blew up, everyone’s focused. Especially Blood of Tyranny, wreaked havoc."

"What’s up with Blood of Tyranny now?"

"What else? Killed over a hundred grandmasters, seized wealth rivaling an entire Martial Saint’s fortune, then vanished without a trace. Now all Ten Realms are hunting him down, Sea Siren clans are enraged, over 20 Sea Siren Grandmasters died here."

"All killed by Blood of Tyranny?"

Chen Shouhu chuckled, "What else?"

"I believe it."

"Do your best, get the Elf Princess pregnant, I’m rooting for you," said Chen Shouhu.

Zhou Leng said, "Among these elves, some are looking to join our Dragon Country, hoping to enter the United Front Department."

Chen Shouhu frowned, "That place is a chaotic mess, practically a haven for freeloaders. You really want them there?"

"Well, there are plenty of freeloaders already, another batch won’t matter, and some like it when alliances form, mutual benefits, isn’t that great?" Zhou Leng said.

"Can you control them?"

"How could I? But we get along well," Zhou Leng replied.

"Elves having good relations with other races? Did you gain some new status with the Elf Race?"

"Nothing like that," Zhou Leng said seriously.

"Kid, you’re becoming more like Wang Huaixiong. By the way, I arranged an Innate-level Demon Slaying Camp for you. Don’t forget to go after your cultivation at Innate Mountain."

"Wasn’t that something you lost to Hall Master Wang?"

"Just answer whether I arranged it or not," Chen Shouhu retorted confidently.

Zhou Leng turned to look at the backs of Vigorous Root and Xiaoyong and asked, "Is this battle unavoidable?"

Chen Shouhu released Zhou Leng’s shoulder and said, "The Celestial Calamity Envoy is very strong. Unless the Human Race and Demon Spirit Masters fully assist, there’s not even a slightest chance. But the Tree-man Elder Council is shortsighted; they refuse to engage in fair trade. They don’t have the skills to play the game, nor the strategy to win favor, yet want to be at the table. They can only become pawns. The Human Race and Demon Spirit Masters cannot sacrifice so much for the Tree-man World for nothing."

"These kinds of things have happened many times in history," Zhou Leng sighed.

"Yes, the top brass realized this early on, with a clear strategy to maintain a distant relationship with the Tree-man Race from the start and instead deepened ties with the Demon Spirit Masters and Dwarfs. In reality, from the beginning, we didn’t bind deeply with any power. The Dragon Country quietly prepared itself to confront the Ten Realms."

"Indeed, even the Blue Star People find it hard to unite completely, let alone other worlds," Zhou Leng said.

The team moved at a speed of 200 kilometers per hour towards the Demon City base of the Tree-men.

Zhou Leng occasionally glanced back, and soon, the shadow of Vigorous Root was no longer in sight.

In the direction of the Vigorous Tribe, peculiar lights and shadows occasionally emerged, and slight tremors could be felt from the ground.

The battle at the level of a Grandmaster was ongoing.

After a while, the earth roared suddenly, and everyone stopped simultaneously, looking toward the Vigorous Tribe’s area.

There, the brilliance of a spell shone.

A multi-colored light shot into the sky and then exploded apart.

As the light dispersed, a giant blue butterfly with a wingspan of a hundred meters hovered mid-air, swirling Qi into the clouds, its presence overshadowing the sky.

The entire world trembled as a result.

Even from hundreds of kilometers away, the imposing aura emitted by the giant butterfly was palpable, grand and majestic like a mountain.

For some reason, Zhou Leng’s heart suddenly stopped, and he took a step forward.

Chen Shouhu’s right hand rested on Zhou Leng’s shoulder, the Grandmaster’s pressure and True Qi held Zhou Leng still.

"One person cannot correct the mistakes of an entire race," Chen Shouhu said.

Everyone quietly watched the front, and before long, the giant butterfly descended, disappearing from sight.

Zhou Leng felt an emptiness inside, staring at that spot, dazed for a long time.

Chen Shouhu’s hand remained on Zhou Leng’s shoulder all along.

"If, and I’m saying if, the Human Race made a massive mistake, what would you do?" Zhou Leng asked.

Chen Shouhu remained silent.

"Let’s go," Cyan Flame said weakly, his eyes losing their brightness.

The team ran through forest and grassland, reaching the Tree-man Base.

The group approached the gate of the Tree-man Base, where a large group of Tree-men emerged, all Grandmasters and Innate-level.

Leading them was Tree-man Elder, the Flourishing Staff.

Chen Shouhu asked, "Didn’t the Elder Council forbid you from joining the battle?"

The Flourishing Staff smiled and said, "With the tribe in trouble, I cannot stay here."

"What... will you do in the future?" Chen Shouhu asked.

"The withering and flourishing of plants are natural, and so is civilization. The eons of storms and rain are just eternal slumber on earth; how is that different from now?" the Flourishing Staff said with a gentle tone.

"You should reconsider," Chen Shouhu sighed.

The Flourishing Staff said nothing, looking at Zhou Leng, "I will personally submit your merit to the Elder Council. Thank you, eternal friend of the Tree-men."

The Flourishing Staff bowed his head in greeting, and all the other Tree-men followed suit.

The Elf Grandmasters’ expressions changed subtly, realizing what Zhou Leng had done.

But considering the current plight of the Elf Race, their so-called Holy Land no longer seemed important.

The Flourishing Staff looked at the Elf Elder and said, "May you be bathed in the glory of the Mother Tree."

Many Tree-men glared angrily at the Elves.

The people from Silver Lake Wind turned slightly, looking in other directions.

"I hope we meet again," the Flourishing Staff said, then led the group away.

Everyone watched the Tree-men leave.

"General Chen, if there’s any information on the Vigorous Tribe, please forward it to me."

"Sure."

Zhou Leng and the others entered the Tree-man Base.

The Elves sought temporary accommodations, while Zhou Leng and Silver Lake Moon entered a room in the Tree Root Cave.

He explained the matter of going to the Fierce Beast world to Silver Lake Moon, who did everything as instructed without any objection.

"The Power of Life is abundant here; start your cultivation."

"Yes."

Zhou Leng didn’t cultivate; he just sat quietly, reflecting on recent events.

Finally, he wrote a report to be submitted to the Seventh Division, detailing the occurrences.

He omitted critical information related to himself.

After finishing the report, it was already late at night, and Zhou Leng went to sleep.

While Zhou Leng was writing his report, Lou Fei Qiong was also staying up late, writing a report on monitoring Zhou Leng.

"Frankly, when I first met Zhou Leng, I had high expectations of him."

"I thought he was an Extreme Martial Artist, worthy of respect."

"Even though I was assigned to monitor him, I held him in high regard at first."

"But upon entering the Tree-man World, I realized I was wrong."