The blood of the battlefield painted everything in sight red.
The sharp claws of savage beasts and broken weapons interlocked chaotically across the mountainous terrain.
The sun rose once more.
Its light remained as bright as ever.
It illuminated the blood-soaked soil, now darkly crimson, as the civilians of the Survival Army trudged onward through the mire, once again taking their first steps toward the world beyond the mountains.
This was no journey of grand ambition or dazzling heroism.
It was merely a pathetic, laughable struggle for survival.
"We must move forward," Xu Xi said, taking his place at the head of the column.
His internal energy roared like thunder, his organs functioning like gears in a precisely meshed machine, squeezing every last drop of power from the world around him.
Xu Xi didn't know how much farther they had to go.
He only knew—
Punch, slash, slaughter the demons, and carve a path forward.
"Father! Mother! I’ll kill you, you damned monsters!!"
"Brother, Brother!"
"Goudan, don't scare me, wake up, quick!"
This long and torturous road to survival was filled with tragedy and separation.
Blood and flesh mingled, bones shattered and scattered, as those who walked this path endured pain that transcended human comprehension.
What they experienced was no easier than what Xu Xi faced.
Xu Xi once asked them if they resented him for leading them into the Ten Thousand Mountains.
But the civilians' response was always the same.
No lies, no deception.
"Xi Geer wouldn't deceive us. He's such a good person, how could he harm us?"
They said this, despite the relentless torment that felt like a dull blade repeatedly slicing their hearts, pushing them to the brink of collapse.
Yet they still believed.
They believed that under Xu Xi's leadership, they could truly survive.
As he listened to their voices of trust and met their sincere eyes, even through their clouded expressions, Xu Xi's lips parted slightly. He said nothing, only tightening his grip on his blade.
Slaughter.
And slaughter again.
Violent intent surged within Xu Xi.
Within his chest, beating not just his heart, but also the fiery rage that erupted like molten magma.
...
In the flashes of sword and blade, life was as fleeting as a candle in the wind. In mere moments, several lives would meet their eternal end.
Half a month later.
Xu Xi fought more ferociously than ever.
He exhausted everything, even activating his Foolish Art, burning both energy and spirit to maximize his internal energy.
This wasn't just because they had reached the most critical point of their breakout, encountering a great demon equivalent to the Third Realm of the Mortal Immortal, but also because the danger behind them was closing in.
Xu Xi’s contingency plans were being triggered one by one at an alarming speed.
This meant that the pursuit force of the Great Qin, the so-called Human Immortal of the Great Qin, was drawing dangerously close to the Survival Army.
"It's still not enough.
Far, far from enough!"
Prolonged battle had left Xu Xi's voice hoarse.
His eyes bloodshot and ferocious, he hacked through demon hordes amidst swirling filth and blood, determined to carve a safer path for the civilians before the Human Immortal caught up.
Xu Xi understood that if they met the pursuing Human Immortal in their current location—
The Human Immortal would join forces with the demons to trap them.
And then.
The Survival Army's civilians would truly have no chance of survival.
To Xu Xi, death was merely the end of a simulation.
But for the civilians of the Survival Army, death was eternal silence.
Xu Xi could flee.
They could not.
So, Xu Xi pushed his body to the limit, fighting with everything he had, to lead them out of the Ten Thousand Mountains.
"Kill!!"
Xu Xi fought, Wu Yingxue fought, the soldiers and civilians of the Survival Army fought.
It seemed like fortune itself favored them.
For some reason, the pursuit speed of the Human Immortal of the Great Qin had slowed significantly.
Xu Xi succeeded, leading the Survival Army's civilians out of the most dangerous stretch before the pursuer could catch up.
The demonic forces were no longer as formidable.
Their numbers had also dwindled.
"There's no mistake. This is the sign that we are about to exit the Ten Thousand Mountains."
Xu Xi stood in mid-air, looking out over the distant horizon where endless mountains still stretched. However, he knew that the true dawn was no longer far away.
Upon landing, he saw Wu Yingxue, gasping for breath, and the weary civilians resting on the ground.
But one face was missing.
One that always had a simple, honest smile, scratching his head awkwardly.
Only then, after days of non-stop battle, so exhausted that he had forgotten everything, did Xu Xi suddenly realize that Niu was no longer among the Survival Army.
"Where is Niu?"
...
Niu, whose full name was Zhang Tieniu.
He was a naturally slow-witted man.
His mother said so, everyone in the town said so, and even Niu himself believed it.
He couldn't do anything right, only knew how to eat and farm.
In Qingniu Town, where food was precious, being able to eat was a crime—both tormenting himself and his family.
Niu always felt guilty and ashamed about this.
But!
Niu was lucky!
Truly, incredibly lucky. Luck that was a hundred times better than using a golden hoe!
Xu Xi had arrived, bringing with him demonic flesh, though it wasn't very tasty, but finally, the villagers of Qingniu Town no longer had to go hungry.
During the demonic tide of winter, there was an abundance of demonic meat.
Those were the rare days when Niu could eat until full.
Thinking of this, the man walking through the bloody mire unconsciously licked his dry lips, savoring the memory of a full stomach.
He really wanted to eat again. Just one more full meal of demonic meat.
Hmm—
If it was sweet white rice, that would be even better. Niu would be truly happy.
But, Niu probably wouldn't get that chance anymore.
"..."
Niu stopped walking. He turned his back on the Survival Army, heading back along the path they had come.
Finally, he saw the most terrifying demon.
Dressed in dragon-patterned robes, appearing majestic and awe-inspiring.
The kind of presence that would make any civilian tremble in fear.
Niu was no exception.
His body trembled, fear gripping him at every moment. Yet, despite this, he boldly raised his fists before the demon's surprised gaze.
"Aren't you afraid of me?"
the demon inquired.
"Yes," Niu answered honestly.
He didn't know how powerful the demon was, but even with his mere First Realm Mortal Mortal power, standing still was a struggle. His fists felt weak and powerless, his legs trembling relentlessly.
He really wanted to run.
To flee in the most wretched manner, crawling through the mud as he desperately scrambled away.
But he couldn't.
Niu bit his lips tightly, forcing himself to stand firm, facing the demon.
"You wish to stall for time?"
the demon's curiosity grew even more. He gently stroked his face, speaking with a tone of lamentation: "You are quite interesting."
He wasn’t concerned about the time being delayed.
After all, it would only extend the length of this game.
In comparison, the audacity of this "insect" before him was far more intriguing to the demon.
"What did he give you?"
Niu knew the demon was referring to whom.
He still answered honestly: "Food."
"Just that? I can give you a hundred, a thousand times more, as long as you pledge your loyalty to me."
"No, your food is rotten, sour."
"Is that so... then there is no choice."
The demon sighed in regret, stretching out his hand towards Niu, who remained stubbornly in place.
Halfway, his hand swelled and transformed, gradually morphing into a gigantic claw, covered in thick dragon scales.