The Speedrun Begins with Choosing Hunter

Chapter 283: Chapter 280: Super Generation Skip

In the valley, the gazes of over a thousand people were all focused on Bai Yuan alone.

To them, Bai Yuan was like a god.

If not for him, there likely wouldn’t be a single person left alive from Yuquan City.

"Brother Bai, my Cao Bang will remember this favor. If you come to Jiangnan in the future, you will be an honored guest of our gang."

Qiu Yang was the first to speak.

"Elder Qiu, you’re too kind."

Qiu Yang immediately shook his head. "You saved my neck. Don’t call me Elder anymore. I’m older than you, so just call me your brother."

"Brother?"

"My good brother, when you come to Cao Bang in the future, I’ll make sure you eat and drink well."

Bai Yuan blinked.

Qiu Yang was at least a hundred years old, more than old enough to be his great-grandfather, yet here he was insisting they become sworn brothers...

’What a leap in seniority.’

Just then, Yang Jiuyan also spoke up. "Little Brother Bai, if you wouldn’t mind, just call me Brother."

He then glanced at Yang Fangyu, who stood to the side. "We’ll stick to our own seniority."

"Brother Yang..."

With the exception of the still-unconscious Fang Yan, Bai Yuan had quickly acquired two new elder brothers.

Seeing that Yang Jiuyan and Qiu Yang had beaten him to it, Jiang Changping was too embarrassed to make the same offer. He cleared his throat and said, "Everyone, the Demon Sect is too powerful right now. We should retreat to Huaiyuan Prefecture first. We can decide on a long-term strategy after I report the situation to Lord Du."

Yang Jiuyan and Qiu Yang nodded.

Their army of ten thousand was now only three thousand strong, no longer able to contend with the Demon Sect.

Retreat was the wisest course of action.

At Jiang Changping’s suggestion, the group in the valley immediately set off southward.

...

「Yuquan Mansion.」

The prefecture had been utterly transformed into a Demon City.

Bodies... there were countless bodies.

They belonged to Profound People, beasts, Demons, and barbarians alike.

The shrieks of beasts, the roars of barbarians... pandemonium reigned. Just then, an old man built like an iron pagoda slowly walked through the city gates and into Yuquan Mansion.

Kuaidong hadn’t participated in the battle at all.

In fact, he only arrived leisurely after the fighting had already ended.

A burly barbarian warrior recounted the events in the city to Kuaidong, paying special attention to the human with the blade on his back.

A flicker of change finally crossed Kuaidong’s perpetually indifferent expression.

"An interesting young man," he said slowly.

He remembered the Profound Person named Bai quite well.

He had originally thought Bai Yuan only managed to kill Han Min through some trick, but now it seemed he had misjudged him.

However, it was of little consequence.

He had never been interested in total annihilation anyway. As long as enough people died, especially Martial Artists... that was sufficient.

Just then, an old man in a black robe emerged from within Yuquan Mansion.

Unlike the black robes of the Soul-Chasing Tower, this old man’s robe was far more ornate, like one worn by a High Priest for a ceremony. Or rather, he was, in fact, a High Priest.

Anyone familiar with the Demon Sect would have recognized this old man as the High Priest of the Celestial Heart Sect.

Seeing the old man, Kuaidong said slowly, "Begin."

The old man nodded.

His eyes were filled with excitement.

’An altar as perfect as this one is a rare sight indeed.’

...

"Open the city gates!"

On the walls of Huaiyuan Prefecture, the Jiangnan Commerce Association guards were aghast at the sight of the thousand-odd battered figures below.

The city gates only began to open slowly after they recognized a Steward from the Jiangnan Commerce Association among the crowd.

Zhu Wanchong had not been as fortunate as the others. He hadn’t managed to hold out until Bai Yuan’s arrival. Tragically, he ran into two Demon Sect experts and was brutally dismembered. By the time Bai Yuan arrived, the fighting was long over, and he only managed to save a few members of the Jiangnan Commerce Association.

At least now, their presence was proving useful.

Once everyone was inside the city, the taut strings of their nerves finally loosened, and one by one, they collapsed to the ground.

Qiu Yang, being more familiar with the Jiangnan Commerce Association, spoke to the Chief Steward who had been left to guard Huaiyuan Prefecture. "Chairman Zhu has fallen in battle! Quickly send men to relay the intelligence from here. And be quick about it!"

Before long, several riders on swift horses galloped out of the city.

Jiang Changping and the others needed to get word of Dingzhou’s situation out and wait for reinforcements.

With their current strength, they stood no chance of resisting the Demon Sect’s invasion.

Three days later, the first message arrived from Ling Province.

Du Qinghui had already returned there, and he was the one who wrote it.

The message relayed two things. First, they were to hold their ground at all costs. Second, Bai Yuan had been successfully promoted to Vice Governor of Lingzhou. The official documents from the Ministry of Personnel had already arrived in Ling Province, meaning Bai Yuan was now a genuine junior fourth-grade official.

This was significant; in all of history, Bai Yuan was the first person from Huanglong Prefecture to achieve the rank of junior fourth-grade official.

"Congratulations, Younger Brother Bai."

"Congratulations, Lord Bai."

Ever since Bai Yuan had revealed his true strength, his social standing had quietly transformed.

Before, people like Qiu Yang had given him the cold shoulder, but now they found any excuse to strike up a conversation with him.

Fang Yan, his face still pale, gazed at Bai Yuan—a man at least three generations his junior—and was filled with emotion.

’He truly is a once-in-a-generation genius. To accomplish so much before the age of thirty... he is destined to become a major figure in Xuan Yang.’

He had finally woken up the day before and learned from Lu Yu what had happened that night in Yuquan Mansion.

He was stunned by Bai Yuan’s power.

To have single-handedly slain four great masters—Bai Yuan’s strength and stamina were enough to put him, a long-renowned expert of the Fang Family, to shame.

After offering their congratulations, the men began to discuss the matter of the Demon Sect in Dingzhou.

Only this time, Bai Yuan was part of the discussion.

Bai Yuan had proven his worth through his strength, and not a single person objected to his inclusion.

They all made a tacit agreement to include Bai Yuan’s deeds in their secret reports. As the messages were sent, Bai Yuan’s name would soon spread throughout all of Xuan Yang.

Jiang Changping said, "Everyone, the Demon Sect’s strength far exceeds our predictions. Lord Du is already personally heading north."

Hearing this, Yang Jiuyan added, "My Yang Family is deeply indebted to the Empire. Our Patriarch has already dispatched the clan’s strongest experts to head north."

Fang Yan and Qiu Yang voiced similar commitments.

Although their recent losses seemed devastating, they were negligible compared to the deep resources of the factions backing them.

The Yang Family, the Fang Family, and the Cao Bang had no intention of giving up so easily.

This was precisely why the three factions had not yet withdrawn from Dingzhou.

Jiang Changping continued, "According to our scouts, after occupying Yuquan Mansion, the Demon Sect sealed the city gates and has shown no intention of advancing south."

Yang Jiuyan and the other two men breathed a collective sigh of relief.

The Demon Sect had temporarily halted its invasion, giving them a chance to regroup.

’Once our reinforcements arrive in Dingzhou, we’ll make the Demon Sect pay for what they’ve done in blood!’

「Three days later.」

The Celestial Profound Sect received an internal directive to abandon Dingzhou. That very day, the surviving disciples of the sect departed from Huaiyuan Prefecture.

The Jiangnan Commerce Association also seemed to decide that investing more troops was not worthwhile. Aside from Huaiyuan Prefecture, which they had already purchased, they lost all interest in further expansion.

Another five days passed before Du Qinghui finally arrived in Huaiyuan Prefecture.

A vast army of a thousand soldiers marched into the city.

Accompanying Du Qinghui were eight hundred soldiers from the Zhenxi Army’s Heavy Armor Army.

No one knew what methods Du Qinghui had employed to convince Lu Wu of the Zhenxi Army to come to Dingzhou as well.

As the city’s inhabitants gazed upon the Heavy Armor Army, clad in black plate so complete it left only their eyes exposed, the gloom that had hung over them for days after their defeat instantly lifted.

Jiang Changping was already waiting at the Prefecture Magistrate’s Office with Bai Yuan and the other three leaders.

"Lord Du."

...

Du Qinghui dismounted and nodded at them.

Jiang Changping’s face was filled with guilt. "I have failed to live up to your expectations, Lord Du. I ask for punishment."

They had marched on Yuquan Mansion with six thousand men, but only two thousand had returned alive.

The losses for Ling Province were too severe.

Du Qinghui glanced at Jiang Changping. "This was not your fault. If you truly wish to make amends, you can atone for it through future service."

Jiang Changping was overjoyed. "Thank you, my lord!"

Du Qinghui led the way into the Prefecture Magistrate’s Office.

With Du Qinghui and the eight hundred Heavy Armor Army soldiers present, their worries eased considerably.

After everyone was seated, Jiang Changping spoke first. "The Demon Sect is currently holed up in Yuquan Mansion with the gates sealed. It’s the perfect opportunity to strike."

Du Qinghui turned to the old man beside him. "Vice Director Liu, what are your thoughts?"

All eyes turned to the elderly man in blue robes at Du Qinghui’s side.

This time, in addition to the eight hundred Heavy Armor soldiers, a mysterious detachment had also accompanied Du Qinghui.

The leader of that detachment was this very same old man.

The man, surnamed Liu, spoke slowly. "The Nine Heavens Profound Soldiers are still in Dingzhou. To dispatch troops now... would be unwise."

At the mention of the "Nine Heavens Profound Soldiers," the expression on everyone’s face changed.

These men were all major figures in their respective factions; of course they had heard of the Nine Heavens Profound Soldiers.

It was with a single one of these Profound Soldiers that the Demon Sect had decimated the Northern Garrison Army—a force once considered as mighty as the Empire’s Great Wall—leaving only thirty thousand survivors.

The sheer terror of its power was unimaginable.

Just then, Jiang Changping asked in a hesitant tone, "Could you be... Vice Director Liu of the Astronomical Bureau?"

The old man gave a slight nod. "The very same."

Upon his confirmation, everyone in the room looked utterly astonished.

If one were to name the most mysterious department in all of Xuan Yang, it would undoubtedly be the Astronomical Bureau.

Although the Astronomical Bureau did not meddle in court politics, it had stirred up countless world-shaking storms throughout Xuan Yang’s thousand-year history.

A look of dawning comprehension crossed Jiang Changping’s face.

He had been wondering why Du Qinghui had spent several months at the Qingzhou Royal Mansion. Now it was clear: it had all been for this Vice Director Liu.

Legend had it that the King of Qingzhou had a passion for the Astrology Technique, and so he had invited the Astronomical Bureau’s Vice Director, Liu Yong, to Qingzhou.

And this Vice Director Liu had remained in Qingzhou for three decades.

To think that Du Qinghui had managed to persuade Liu Yong to accompany him to Dingzhou.

Liu Yong spoke again. "The Nine Heavens Profound Soldiers cannot be overcome by mortal strength, but there are ways to counter them. The Demon Sect is using a method of blood sacrifice to power that Divine Weapon, so we shall do the opposite. All we need to do is hold the city."

As soon as these words were spoken, the brows of Yang Jiuyan and the others furrowed almost imperceptibly.

They had come to Dingzhou to earn merits and accolades. But if they were to simply defend a single city as Vice Director Liu suggested, how could they possibly earn any titles or promotions?

Qiu Yang was the first to announce his intention to withdraw.

"Lord Du, our Gang Leader has sent a secret message ordering us back to Jiangnan. We will be departing in a few days."

Du Qinghui said, "Feel free. If any others wish to leave, I will not stand in your way."

Yang Jiuyan and Fang Yan exchanged a glance.

"Lord Du, the Yang Family will also be departing tomorrow."

"As will the Fang Family."

The world is a bustling place, with everyone rushing about in pursuit of profit.

Since there was nothing to be gained in Dingzhou because of the Nine Heavens Profound Soldier, the wisest move was to cut their losses early and prevent them from growing.

Jiang Changping could only sigh inwardly at the sight.

The situation in Dingzhou was already critical. With the Yang Family, Fang Family, and Cao Bang all withdrawing, only Du Qinghui’s forces from the Three States of Shuofang remained.

To resist the Demon Sect with the strength of only three states—and a Demon Sect armed with a Nine Heavens Profound Soldier at that...

’Difficult. So very, very difficult!’