High Martial: I Grind Professions

Chapter 353: Chapter 193: The Game Between the Venerables 3

”But...” another slightly stooped Demon King interjected, his voice laced with doubt,

”I heard that the full-scale attack five years ago... ended in a miserable defeat.”

His words reminded the Demon Kings of their failure in the ”Year-End Operation,” and the atmosphere grew even more somber.

A powerfully built Demon King clad in heavy rock armor snorted, trying to boost morale.

”That was different! How many Demon Kings did we have last time? This time, a thousand came just from the lottery draw! And that’s not to mention Lord Wujing Demon Saint is personally presiding over this. Victory is certain.”

He paused, his voice lowering. ”I just don’t know how long it’ll take... The Human Race has far more King-level experts than we have Great Demon Kings. The longer this drags on, the greater the risk of something unexpected happening.”

The last Demon King, who had remained silent the entire time, finally spoke, his voice grave.

”Indeed. Let’s just hope... we can succeed in a single blow. Otherwise, if this drags on deep within human territory, it’s hard to say if we’ll ever be able to return to the Demon Realm.”

Worry, like a cold vine, coiled around each Demon King’s heart.

The uncertain wait was more unnerving than the certainty of battle.

...

Meanwhile, in an elegant pavilion on the rear mountain of Enlightenment Peak, at Xinghuo University.

The white-haired Headmaster Ye Qin, Venerable Xingxuan, and Venerable Gu He sat together. Before them floated a similar strategic map of Blue Star.

But compared to the brilliant Star River on Wujing Demon Saint’s map, the specks of light on the Human Race’s side were far sparser. These points, representing their core forces of Gods and Demons, looked like lonely lanterns scattered across a dark ocean.

Yet, among these limited lights, dozens shone with an exceptionally brilliant and steady radiance, like legendary pillars holding back the sea, guarding critical locations—these were the King-level Gods and Demons of the Human Race.

One of these lights was the most brilliant of all. It represented the Celestial Martial King, whose combat power was comparable to a standard Venerable, and who was tasked with providing mobile support.

A slightly dimmer light represented the Heaven-Dominating King, who was stationed at the Yanjing fortress.

The atmosphere in the pavilion was grave, but there was no sense of panic.

”I just received the latest intelligence from Jiang Hong, from inside ’Shadow’,” Headmaster Ye Qin said calmly, breaking the brief silence.

”All units of the Demon Race have entered a state of silent standby. There are no signs of an imminent attack.”

Venerable Gu He lifted the cup of clear tea before him, the corner of his mouth twisting into a cold smirk.

”Heh, it seems this Wujing Demon Saint learns quickly. Trying to play a waiting game with us? Wear down our edge? Interesting.”

His gaze then swept like lightning across the dense cluster of yellow dots on the holographic map—a symbol of terrifying pressure—and he spoke slowly.

”He wants to exhaust our morale, but why can’t we turn the tables and test their patience and resolve?

Relay my orders. All fortress cities are to maintain the highest level of combat readiness. They are to rotate units for rest and recuperation, maintaining only a basic level of vigilance.

Tell our Gods and Demons that we’ll fight whenever the Demon Race decides to show up. Until then, they are to rest and conserve their strength.”

His words were steady and powerful, carrying the profound calm of one who has weathered countless storms.

”Then let’s play his game.” Headmaster Ye Qin nodded, his gaze also falling on the hologram. ”We’ll see who runs out of patience first.”

Calm returned to the pavilion. Only the dozens of brilliant lights representing the Human Race’s top combatants remained, surrounded by the yellow Star Sea that symbolized the immense pressure of the Demon Race. They flickered silently, their light firm and unyielding.

An unseen battle of wills had already begun in the dead silence before the war.

The air seemed to congeal. Time grew thick and heavy with waiting, every passing second saturated with the oppressive tension of a storm about to break.

In the heartland of Blue Star, the fate of billions of lives hung suspended in the suffocating quiet before the storm.

...

「One day later.」

The Xihu City fortress, roughly fourteen hundred miles from Changning City.

The once-bustling metropolis had been transformed into a massive war fortress.

A grim atmosphere pervaded the city, the shimmering halo of its energy shield ever-present under the sun.

Within a concealed tactical command post in the city’s core, three Marquis Level Gods and Demons were on standby.

The elderly man in the lead was none other than Marquis Qingyuan, who had previously overseen the entrance examinations for Xinghuo University.

Beside him stood a stern-faced, middle-aged man with a longsword strapped to his back, and a sturdily built man who appeared somewhat younger and more compact.

”Based on analysis of residual signals from monitoring stations and aggregated reconnaissance data, we estimate that nearly a thousand Demon Kings poured through the Black Rock Pass last night.”

The Marquis carrying the longsword spoke in a low voice, his fingertip swiping across a tactical light screen to display a series of data points and blurry image fragments.

”Numerically, the Demon Race definitely has an overwhelming advantage,” the sturdy Marquis, surnamed Wang, chimed in, his brow furrowed tightly.

”Across all of Blue Star, we in the Human Race only have a little over two hundred Marquises in total. They’ve thrown a thousand Demon Kings at us in a single wave. If it weren’t for our absolute superiority at the Venerable Level and among the top-tier King-level experts, this war would be unwinnable.”

Marquis Qingyuan stroked his grizzled beard, his eyes revealing deep-seated worry.

”They outnumber us greatly. We can only hope the defenses at the other fortress cities are solid enough to withstand the Demon Race’s onslaught.”

”Senior Brother Lu, you needn’t worry too much,” Senior Brother Li said reassuringly.

”At first, I also assumed each city would be assigned two Marquises at most. The fact that the higher-ups sent the three of us to defend Xihu City together must mean that the defensive forces of all core fortresses have been reinforced.

With the three of us, as long as we don’t face more than seven or eight Demon Kings at once, and as long as there isn’t a Great Demon King leading the charge, defending Xihu City shouldn’t be a problem.”

His words carried a calm confidence, the kind of assurance born from vast combat experience and personal strength.

His Sword Technique had long ago entered the Domain Realm, placing his combat strength firmly at the peak of the Marquis Level.

The Marquis surnamed Wang also nodded, his gaze toward Senior Brother Li filled with respect.

”Senior Brother Li is absolutely right. With your ’Heaven-Sundering Sword Domain’ leading the attack, Senior Brother Lu’s ’Qingyuan Realm’ providing support and battlefield control, and my body holding the front line, we can definitely put up a fight—as long as we aren’t crushed by sheer numbers or confronted by a Great Demon King.”

His tone was humble, but a fierce, valiant aura naturally radiated from him when he spoke of his own strength.

Having broken through to the Marquis Level with his *Battle God Divine Body* at Eighth-Layer Perfection, his physical strength and power were among the best of all Marquises, and his combat power was nearly at the peak of the Marquis Level.

Marquis Qingyuan nodded slightly, a rare smile gracing his features.

”Junior Brother Wang, you’re too humble. To have cultivated the *Battle God Divine Body* to Eighth-Layer Perfection before your breakthrough... your potential and your ceiling far exceed ours. Your future accomplishments will be limitless. Reaching the King-level is well within your grasp.”

Just as they were speaking—

”Hm?” The smile on Marquis Qingyuan’s face vanished instantly. His once-cloudy eyes sharpened like a hawk’s as he abruptly lifted his head, staring toward the city’s southeast.