Chapter 810 - 402: The Demon Race Will Never Be Slaves (3)

Chapter 810: Chapter 402: The Demon Race Will Never Be Slaves (3)

The Human Race soldiers were caught entirely off guard by the Ape Race’s sudden rebellion. Moreover, they were only Cultivators at the Second and Third Levels of Qi Cultivation. As mere overseers, they possessed virtually no combat prowess. Thus, under the onslaught of the ever-growing Ape-Demon Race, these twenty-odd Qi Cultivation Practitioners were quickly divided into six or seven isolated pockets.

During the chaotic battle, Cheng Zongyang saw a Human Race Cultivator rushing straight toward him. The man had clearly recognized Cheng Zongyang’s status as the leader. Gripping a long spear, the enemy lunged at him.

Cheng Zongyang showed no fear. With a fierce parry of his Long Saber, he knocked the weapon aside.

At that exact moment, an Ape Demon suddenly appeared behind the human and brought a blade down on his back. The human let out a blood-curdling scream and collapsed to the ground.

The Ape Demon was none other than Cheng Zongyang’s younger brother, Hu.

"Good job!" Cheng Zongyang patted Hu on the shoulder.

He had never planned on fighting a lone battle. Unity was their only path to survival!

Led by Cheng Zongyang, the Ape Race grew fiercer with every strike, utterly shattering the Human Race’s defensive line. Though they suffered a few casualties, all twenty-odd Human Race Qi Cultivation Practitioners were slain!

When the dust settled, Cheng Zongyang stood amidst the battlefield, looking at the dozen or so Ape Demon corpses with little emotional fluctuation. This outcome was entirely within his expectations. Clenching his fists, he shouted toward the sky, "Our Ape Race has finally taken its first step toward freedom, but this is merely the beginning! We must become stronger to truly break free from the Human Race’s enslavement!

"Now, follow me! We will continue to seek out the rest of our people.

"My father once told me that before the High Priest passed away, he left the legacy of the Ape-Demon Race in our homeland! As long as we unite all of our people and journey to our homeland, the Ape-Demon Race will surely rise again!

"There will undoubtedly be casualties along the way! But do not fear! Even if I die, my brother will lead you. If my brother dies, another of our kin will take his place. The Ape-Demon Race is free! Fight for your families, and fight for yourselves!"

"Fight!!!"

In the days that followed, Cheng Zongyang led the Ape Race to assault the surrounding regions. They equipped themselves with the supplies they plundered from the Human Race. Armed with a weapon and a Magical Artifact Shield, Cheng Zongyang charged at the very front lines.

Unbeknownst to the Ape Demons, as their will to fight soared higher, the fire of battle in their hearts burned ever brighter, constantly elevating their Power and Physique.

The Ape Race was a natural-born warrior race! The higher their battle intent, the stronger the feedback to their Power! The fire of battle blazing within their hearts was the true legacy of their strength!

Consequently, as they carved a bloody path forward, the Qi Cultivation Practitioners they encountered could barely inflict any meaningful damage upon them. Victory after victory further ignited their fighting spirit, feeding their war machine with endless battle!

Region after region fell. The Ape Race’s numbers swelled from hundreds, to thousands, to tens of thousands! Human Race strongholds were uprooted one by one, leading to the deaths of increasingly more Human Race overseer Cultivators.

However, this gradual escalation eventually attracted the attention of far stronger enemies. The Human Race had no intention of letting the Ape Race off the hook. They amassed a formidable army of Human Race Cultivators and marched toward the Hundred Thousand Mountains, intending to annihilate the Ape Race in one fell swoop.

Upon receiving this news, Cheng Zongyang knew that a massive war was on the horizon. When the time came, they would likely be facing Golden Core Cultivators.

Cheng Zongyang urgently assembled his people. He appointed Commanders and divided the one hundred thousand Ape Demons into a thousand distinct squads of one hundred. He then ordered them to disperse deep into the Hundred Thousand Mountains. There were far more of their kin in those depths. As long as they reached the Barbaric Wilderness of their homeland, their goal would be achieved.

He subsequently formulated their grand strategy: advance in scattered formations, utilize camouflage and targeted assassinations, and eventually rally at designated coordinates.

The Ape Race responded with overwhelming support. The hundred-thousand-strong populace broke into smaller bands and disappeared into the Hundred Thousand Mountains. Along their journey, they continuously liberated their captive Ape-Demon Race brethren, bringing their ever-expanding kin along with them.

The atmosphere was tense and suffocating.

Standing atop a mountain peak alongside his brother Hu, Cheng Zongyang gazed at the distant, encroaching army. Oddly, his heart felt completely at peace. He knew this desperate retreat would ultimately decide the fate of the Ape Race. Yet, he had already foreseen the outcome of this war.

The Human Race could not be defeated. First, there was a sheer asymmetry in Power. These tribes had been enslaved for hundreds of years. The battle fire in the hearts of most of their kin had long since extinguished, essentially rendering them ordinary, combat-incapable Ape Demons. Even those who still possessed the fire of battle and grew stronger through combat faced a massive disparity in strength. In the short term, they would never be capable of withstanding the combined siege of Golden Core Cultivators, hordes of Foundation Establishment experts, and countless Qi Cultivation Practitioners. Unless they were given hundreds of years to develop, they wouldn’t stand a chance.

Second, there was an insurmountable gap in numbers. While the Ape Race numbered in the hundreds of thousands, the Human Race numbered in the billions! Therefore, the Barbaric Wilderness—a forbidden zone to the Human Race—was the Demon Race’s only chance of survival.

By the same logic, Cheng Zongyang needed to seek out another opportunity. Acting as a lone wolf was simply not enough to topple the Human Race!

"Hu, go. I’ve imparted everything our father told me to you. You must lead them into the Barbaric Wilderness. The fire in our hearts is our only reliance!"

"Brother, where are you going?" Hu asked, his brow furrowing in confusion.

"I am going to find the other enslaved Demon Races. If the Demon Race does not unite, we will inevitably be enslaved by the Human Race once more. Only by forging a united front can we truly stand as equals against them! Go. Wait for me in our homeland."

"Understood!" Hu agreed without hesitation. Leading thirty trusted confidants who had relentlessly followed the two brothers from the base of the mountain, he rapidly hastened toward the depths of the Hundred Thousand Mountains.

Cheng Zongyang watched his brother depart with their trusted subordinates before turning and leaving as well.

Three months later.

The enslaved Demon Bear Race staged a violent uprising. With Cheng Zongyang’s assistance, they slaughtered hundreds of Human Race Cultivators and swiftly liberated nearly ten thousand Demon Bears. He immediately directed them toward the Barbaric Wilderness to unite with the Ape-Demon Race.