High Martial: I Grind Professions

Chapter 290: Chapter 172: Lurking for Two Months

”Star Derivation: Domainfall!”

The captain Gao Yuan’s steady voice, like the ringing of a morning bell, shattered the brief stalemate.

He clasped his palms together and thrust them forward in a sharp, phantom press.

In an instant, a vast, pale silver domain, as intricate as the orbits of stars, erupted from his center, instantly enveloping all the charging members of the Demon Race.

Within the domain, the gravity seemed to multiply by more than ten times in an instant.

The Demon Race’s charge came to a screeching halt, as if they had plunged into an invisible mire. Every movement became incredibly slow and heavy, and even their breathing seemed to grow labored under the pressure.

The terrifying suppressive force blanketed every member of the Demon Race, from those at the Peak of Great Sun Realm to the ordinary ones in the Bright Moon Realm.

”Swift!” From the safety of the center, Zhou Tong’s eyes flashed as he let out a sharp cry.

With a TWANG of its string, the black longbow in his hand, nearly as tall as he was, had already sent a streak of light blurring across the field of view.

The arrow was too fast!

So fast it seemed to transcend the very concept of distance, carrying no whisper of wind—only pure speed and the will to pierce.

THWIP!

The arrow’s target was not a Great Sun Realm demon, but a Late-stage Bright Moon Realm bear demon trying to bypass the frontline blockade.

The Bear Demon was already struggling to move under the immense pressure of the Star Derivation Domain and had no time to mount an effective defense.

The streak of light vanished as it pierced through its skull. The massive body crashed to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.

This was only the beginning.

Standing within Gao Yuan’s Star Derivation Domain, Zhou Tong was positioned on the perfect damage-dealing platform.

His movements were as smooth as flowing water—drawing the bow, nocking an arrow, and firing all in one seamless motion.

The arrows transformed into deadly, cold stars, as if they had eyes of their own, precisely seeking out the Bright Moon Realm targets most suppressed by the domain within the chaotic battlefield.

SHOO! SHOO! SHOO!

One after another, they flew as fast as lightning!

With every streak of light that flashed by, a Bright Moon Realm demon would let out a final, agonizing howl.

The Great Sun Realm demons wanted to rescue their comrades or intercept the attacks, but within the oppressive Star Derivation Domain that Gao Yuan maintained with all his strength, their movements were slowed drastically. They could only watch helplessly as their subordinates were picked off one by one.

One ferocious Leopard Demon general, relying on its innate speed, pushed through the pressure and charged forcefully toward Zhou Tong at the center.

However, before its claws were even halfway extended—

”Get lost!” The burly Liu Kun took a step forward. The phantom of a dark gold shield, as heavy as a mountain, instantly materialized before him and slammed into the Leopard Demon general.

The Leopard Demon was sent tumbling backward through the air.

”Shattered Shadow!” Like a true shadow, Lin Jing appeared in an instant along the Leopard Demon’s backward trajectory. The two short blades in her hands traced an arcane blue arc, precisely stabbing into the vital points of its waist and abdomen.

”Wave Breaker!” Wang Qiang’s greatsword erupted with incandescent white Sword Qi. He swung it down from the air, completely cleaving the injured Leopard Demon in two.

The three of them coordinated with flawless tacit understanding. Their transition from offense to defense was as fluid as a single person, firmly protecting Zhou Tong within their formation.

Any member of the Demon Race who tried to charge the core of the formation was met with the trio’s thunderous joint strike.

On the battlefield, the oppressive gravity, the lightning-fast, deadly arrows, and the powerful interceptions that could descend at any moment formed a suffocating death trap.

The demons at the Peak of Great Sun Realm could still struggle to block the arrows with their profound Demon Power, but before this crushing combination of attacks, the Bright Moon Realm soldiers were reaped like wheat.

In just over ten seconds, more than ten Bright Moon Realm demons had been killed by arrows or cut down.

The invading demons still had a ferocious glint in their eyes, but deep down, an irrepressible shock and apprehension had begun to surface.

This Human Race squad before them seemed to consist of only five people, but their combined power was terrifying.

Their opponents were clearly not going all out; Gao Yuan, at the core, hadn’t even made a move himself.

”ROAR—!”

The leading Elephant Demon let out a heaven-shaking, unwilling roar and issued the order to retreat.

The Great Sun Realm demons quickly fell back, covering their surviving Bright Moon Realm comrades. They retreated in disarray toward the still-swirling energy vortex, fending off the rain of arrows and constant harassment.

Under Gao Yuan’s control, the Star Derivation Domain did not expand to pursue them. It merely held the final line of defense, watching as the remnants of the demon army disappeared into the vortex.

As the light of the Stargate gradually subsided, the piercing alarm fell silent.

All that remained on the battlefield were a dozen or so massive demon corpses lying strewn about, and the thick, inescapable stench of blood.

Up on the city wall, Li Wen hadn’t moved an inch.

The dark gray scabbard rested securely in the crook of his arm, and the last rays of the setting sun outlined his straight, tranquil silhouette.

’Just another probe...’ he murmured inwardly. ’The time is not yet right.’

Gazing at the Stargate, now calm once more but reeking of blood, the frigid stillness deep within Li Wen’s eyes did not waver in the slightest.

He made no comment on the outstanding teamwork of Gao Yuan’s five-person squad. He simply withdrew his gaze from the battlefield, hugged his saber, and turned quietly, his figure melting into the deeper shadows of the city wall.

A far greater storm was clearly still brewing beneath Bedrock Pass.

... 𝑓𝑟ℯℴ𝓂

「Galactic Calendar Year 232, April 1st.」

Another month passed in relative peace at Bedrock Pass.

Li Wen’s life was disciplined and efficient.

In the mornings, he would immerse himself in all kinds of ancient texts, accumulating the key experience required for the Scholar profession;

In the afternoons, the glint of his saber would flash across the training grounds as he repeatedly honed the Xuanqiong Five Forms;

After nightfall, the power of medicinal pills would transform into pure True Essence, continuously washing over and refining his physical body, pushing him ever closer to the Peak of Great Sun Realm.

That evening, he had just finished a round of cultivation and was sitting cross-legged in his quiet chamber, preparing to meditate to restore his depleted Spiritual Power.

Just then—

WOO—WOO—WOO—

A sharp, ear-piercing alarm suddenly tore through the tranquility of the night, instantly echoing throughout the entire underground fortress.

For the past two months, small-scale, probing invasions by the Demon Race had become commonplace.

Hearing the alarm, Li Wen did not feel particularly perturbed.

But he knew well the unpredictable nature of war and that he could never let his guard down.

The thought had barely formed before he transformed into a streak of faint purple light. The next second, he was standing firm atop the high fortress wall, his aura calm and restrained.