Martial Ascent to Divinity-Chapter 471 - 456: Tempering

The name of the Monkey King is remarkably prominent on the first line of the list.

"It really is this kid."

"Among them, the confirmed number of innate demons hunted is 167, suspected 47, and an additional 134 innate auras today that have yet to be verified."

Even Chen Shouhu, renowned for his bravery in the army, couldn’t help but feel awe at this number. 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

The war merit token has a certain delay and requires validation; such significant achievements often take days to officially confirm the results.

In the history of humanity, the highest record for slaughtering innate demons in a single battle is 341.

The record holder is none other than the one hailed as the first martial artist after Zhao Dongjun, and now the current Grand Marshal of the Demon City Army, Huang Xuan Pavilion.

This battle will last at least two days.

If the war merit token’s statistics are accurate, Zhou Leng will break this record by tomorrow.

The war merit token may undercount, but it never overcounts; many kills executed over long distances or the rapid slaughter of multiple targets go uncounted.

Chen Shouhu opposes Wang Boxiong’s decision to keep Zhou Leng off the battlefield.

He always believes that only by experiencing life-and-death combat can one be forged into a true martial artist.

All true powerhouses across the Ten Realms are like this.

Thus, he somewhat looks down on Li Shenkong from the Li Clan.

Because the Li Clan protected Li Shenkong too well, participating only in trials or battles where opponents were weaker, and in battles affecting life and death, they’d secretly dispatch a grandmaster.

He always felt that if Li Shenkong faces issues in the future, it would undoubtedly be due to insufficient training.

Now, seeing this number, Chen Shouhu finally understood why Wang Boxiong always downplayed Zhou Leng’s accomplishments and why he sent in hidden martial artists.

If this data leaks, it would surely invite enemy attacks at all costs.

The most dangerous threats are never external.

Throughout history, every nation’s major defeat, external forces were always one cause, not the sole cause.

"He can’t be sharpened any further; his brilliance will pierce the heavens and become the second Blood of Tyranny. Wang Huaixiong may be a bit sinister, but his mind works better than mine. After this battle, let him secretly cultivate, and after he advances to grandmaster, announce the battle achievements to shock some people."

Chen Shouhu applied for the highest level of confidentiality for the "Monkey King’s" war merit token.

Late at night, at the lakeside of Tai Lake, in the beastman front.

"Illusion technique detected!" shouted an innate beastman subjected to an illusion-breaking spell, pointing in a direction.

Due to the distance, he only saw a blurry figure.

The figure shook and ran outward.

All the innate beastmen within one kilometer were like startled birds, halting their battle, racing and scanning around.

Many innate beastmen, caught off guard, were severely injured by martial artists.

"That person has fled!"

All the innate beastmen sighed in relief.

To deal with the elusive sea siren assassin, all demon warlocks and beastman shamans who could use illusion-breaking spells were gathered, continuously casting spells, constantly observing.

The effect was tremendous; the sea siren assassin was often detected in advance.

The martial artists of the human camp also observed, acknowledging the effective results.

With fewer demon warlocks and beastman shamans suppressing them with spells, the conflict became significantly easier.

For martial artists, casters are the most troublesome existence.

Now, the trouble has been reduced by a quarter.

The next morning, as demon commanders tallied the innate forces, their brows furrowed.

That night, those who perished directly at the hands of the sea siren assassin were only...34, compared to before.

Yet, without the demon warlocks and beastman shamans, more innates perished on the frontline.

Overall, though casualties decreased, the number remained significant.

The commanders of the demon army grimaced at the innate casualty figures.

Under normal circumstances, the ratio of innate beings in the demon army is 1 in 1000.

Typically, a force of 100,000 has only 100 innates.

When engaging in war, more elite forces are dispatched, increasing the innate ratio significantly.

In this demon army, the ratio of innates reached an astounding 1 in 100.

Openly and covertly, nearly 100,000 troops boasted over 900 innates.

Theoretically, such a plentiful number of innates should suffice for continued warfare.

Even when severely wounded, their powerful nature allows timely retreat, healing with magic potions and spells, and resuming vigor the following day.

No accidents occurred, yet an accident did.

Innates perishing directly to the sea siren assassin exceeded three hundred, nearing four hundred.

Indirect casualties from his actions also surpassed one hundred.

Adding those who died naturally in battle, in just a few days, the death toll reached seven hundred.

Currently, the demon army’s innates number fewer than three hundred.

Complaints about insufficient reinforcements surfaced among demons, claiming these innates weren’t enough to handle even a single sea siren assassin.

The ripple effect of insufficient innates meant this day’s Qi Blood Realm demon casualty rate increased significantly.

More human innates were freed up to deal with ordinary demons.

The human defense line solidified stronger and stronger.

The demon commanders never expected a single martial artist would turn the tide of the entire battle.

The most significant impact wasn’t the demise of innates.

It was morale.

When ordinary demons watched such powerful innates die before them like lambs to the slaughter, the shock was enough to shatter their previous perceptions.

Their disdain for human martial artists gradually turned to caution, with sheer terror directed toward the sea siren assassin.

Zhou Leng, busied throughout the night, returned to the camp of his hidden martial artist comrades.

After resting and waking up, he inquired about intelligence.

Zhi Liao reported, "Command sent word that today is the final day; tomorrow the general attack begins, ensuring the demon line is broken, then advancing together with both armies to the Shuizhou Base."

"Alright, today I’ll conduct one last guerrilla operation, and tomorrow we’ll join the reinforcements for a frontal assault."

"Oh? Why have you changed your tactics?" Zhi Liao and the team members were curious.

Zhou Leng said, "Demons differ from humans. Humans have more humanity and less beastliness; demons have more beastliness and less humanity. Using humanity to deal with demons is completely ineffective. The only way to resolve demons is to conquer them in the most direct and ruthless manner. Death and fear are universal beast languages throughout the universe. Moreover, our Dragon Country’s military strategy emphasizes the combination of orthodox and unorthodox tactics. I’ve used unorthodox tactics for many days, so I need to incorporate some orthodox tactics."

Everyone nodded, agreeing deeply.

After breakfast, Zhou Leng once again disguised himself as a Sea Siren.

With low visibility underwater, he hadn’t been discovered, but as soon as he reached the shore, there was a shout in Beastman language from the left front.

"Sea Siren Killer."

The nearby Beastmen were in chaos.

Zhou Leng was startled and realized that he was a full three to four kilometers away from that spot yet had been discovered so early.

The enemy’s methods have progressed too rapidly.

Therefore, Zhou Leng looked in that direction and turned to run.

"Hmm?"

The Beastmen in the distance didn’t look in his direction but looked further away.

Soon after, at the source of the shouts, human Martial Artists charged aggressively, slaughtering many panicked Beastmen before quickly retreating.

Zhou Leng suddenly understood. No wonder he occasionally heard someone shouting "Sea Siren Killer" in the distance last night; it turned out humans were playing the wolf cry game.

Taking advantage of the Beastmen being distracted by the fight in that direction, Zhou Leng drew out a spear, threw two consecutively, killed two Beastman Shamans, and turned to run, not giving the enemy any chance.

"This one is real!"

A group of Beastmen was so angry they could spit blood but could only watch helplessly as Zhou Leng ran.

The entire day, human Martial Artists employed the wolf cry tactic with expert proficiency.

More and more battle lines frequently shouted "Sea Siren Killer" in various languages.

Gradually, some demons grew numb.

On the demon battle line.

"Sea Siren Killer!"

A Demon Spirit Master used a spell to convey the sound over the demon army.

But except for a few demons looking around, most demons ignored it.

Especially the ones below the Innate level, thinking, why should ordinary demons care when it’s only about the Innate ones?

A few seconds later, an Eye Demon pointed toward a nearby Hundred-Eyed Bow and said, "He is the Sea Siren Killer!"

However, ordinary demons didn’t react, and even several Innate Demons didn’t respond.

"He truly is..."

Two steel spears flew toward other Innate Demons, the third targeting it.

The Eye Demon dodged clumsily, avoiding the third spear.

Turning its head, it saw that figure escaping into the distance.

The Eye Demon cursed loudly.

That day, Zhou Leng’s battle achievements sharply decreased.

Returning to the Hidden Martial Artist camp, Zhou Leng even doubted whether his strength had diminished.

After an entire day of transformations and fleeing, he only managed to kill twenty-seven Innate ones.

How could he be this weak?

It shouldn’t be like this.

"Today’s Innate ones are indeed somewhat few, but with so many demons, there must be many more Inmate ones."

"Could the demons be hiding their Innate forces, waiting for the final battle?"

Zhou Leng suddenly realized and decided to abandon the inefficient guerrilla warfare, rest up, and formally engage in a battle the next day.

By then, he could openly confront more Innate ones.

Zhou Leng went to sleep contentedly.

The commanders of the demon army couldn’t sleep.

Reinforcements were delayed, and the number of Innate ones had dropped to a level insufficient to sustain a large battle.

They could only send ordinary demons to their deaths.

The next morning, Zhou Leng led the Hidden Martial Artist squad to join the reinforcement troops.

Commanders of the third brigade collectively welcomed them.

In the camp, Martial Artists from various supporting factions looked at their group, guessing who the famous Sea Siren Killer was.

After meeting with the commanders, Zhou Leng took the initiative to propose a second bait plan.

He would use the signature Melt Wall Flame Saber to attract an Innate Demon siege.

The other Innates would disguise as ordinary Vitality Stage; once the enemy attacked, they would capture them by surprise.

The army made final preparations, with Zhou Leng and other Innate Masters leading the charge, and the army broke into the demon defensive line dividing the two forces.

When Zhou Leng’s iconic Melt Wall Blade appeared on the battlefield, the hearts of the demons upfront skipped a beat.

The masked warrior swung his blade, flames surging like waves.

By Zhou Leng’s side, only two people released the Innate aura.

The remaining thirty-plus Innate Martial Artists suppressed their auras to the Vitality Stage.

Zhou Leng was like a peerless sword, piercing the demon army’s defense line, and then...

Thrusting one sword after another.

Zhou Leng deliberately didn’t directly pierce through the defense line, slaughtering demons back and forth like a flesh and blood mill, just hoping to lure Innate Demons into a joint attack.

But the Innate Demons never gathered to come forth.

After some more fighting, Zhou Leng had to resort to a backup plan.

Thus, he slightly retreated and joined forces with the army.

All Innates no longer hid their strength and charged directly forward.

The sound of the loud charge horn echoed across the sky.

"Di-di-da-di-da-da, di-di-da-da-da-da..."