Stealing The Yuri Protagonist Harem

Chapter 435: Chapter 434: The Era Has Changed

Chapter 434: The Era Has Changed

Zhang San was a man of upright integrity.

Aside from sometimes being inflexible, he had no major flaws in his character.

A man who hated evil with a burning passion, he had once dreamed of joining the Six Gate Bureau of the Immortal Nation—to become a Red Robe Catcher who upheld the laws of the nation. Unfortunately, his talent was mediocre. Now, at the age of twenty-six, he was still stuck at the peak of the Qi Refining Realm.

Having neither reached the Foundation Establishment Realm nor made any noteworthy contributions, he could only settle for something less demanding. Thus, he joined the Immortal Guards of the royal city—a corps with looser requirements—and became one of the lowest-ranked Bronze Guards, assigned to the eastern outskirts of the capital, in Qianlong City.

He had thought that unless he somehow broke through to the Foundation Establishment Realm one day, his life would continue in this dull, uninspiring manner forever.

But then, suddenly, fate took a turn.

A few days ago, a secret order had summoned him and a large number of Immortal Guards back to the capital in secret. They underwent confidential training and received a top-secret mission—to lie in wait in the southern sector of the capital.

And now, Zhang San finally understood what that mission was about.

Shriek—!

A beastly cry tore through the air as monstrous energy surged within the glowing formation.

The pitch-black formation light twisted like a bottomless abyss, and from that abyss came a flood of monstrous beasts.

Ten... a hundred... a thousand...

’So these are the enemies we’re supposed to face?’

Hidden in the shadows of the southern district as ordered, Zhang San froze. His body trembled uncontrollably under the crushing pressure of the demonic aura sweeping toward him.

He could tell that most of these Netherkins were merely Qi Refining realm creatures.

However—their numbers dwarfed the cultivators on his side by countless times!

And what’s worse, Netherkins were born with inherently powerful bodies. When a pair of Human and Netherkin cultivators who are at the same cultivation level fought, the human cultivator could hardly inflict any real damage on the Netherkin without the aid of Artifacts.

Zhang San himself did own an Artifact—a large cleaver of the Mortal Artifact.

He had bought it through the Immortal Guard channels at the lowest possible price, a fine product from the Daoist Artifact Pavillion.

With it, combined with his cultivation, he was among the strongest of the Bronze Guards.

Yet now, facing this endless tide of Netherkins, even he couldn’t help but feel his courage falter.

If even he felt this way, what of the others? Were these really enemies they were meant to fight?

Soon, the answer came.

"By decree of Her Majesty—exterminate all of the invading Netherkins!"

"Those who distinguish themselves in battle among the Bronze Guards shall be rewarded with pills ranging from Essence Nourishing Pills to Foundation Establishment Pills! For the Silver Guards—"

The moment these words rang out, Zhang San saw his hidden comrades burst from cover all at once.

’What the—? Have my teammates all gone mad?’

Was the lure of pills so great that they’d throw their lives away for it?

Zhang San was stunned—but his keen eyes caught one crucial detail.

Every one of his comrades was holding the same kind of Artifact—an odd, pitch-black object.

He recognized it at once. It was the strange Artifact called a "gun", the one they had been secretly trained to use in recent days. He had one strapped to his own waist as well.

Just yesterday, a new batch of bullets had been distributed, along with an instruction sheet slightly different from the one used in training—but he hadn’t paid much attention to it.

From his experience, it was obvious that such a thing would never harm a Netherkin.

Judging by the power it had shown during practice—even if it were enhanced tenfold—it would barely scratch a Netherkin’s hide.

Such a feeble contraption... he had no interest in using it.

"They’ve lost their minds. What good is charging out there with something weaker than a Mortal Artifact?"

Still, he had to admit—not everyone was as fortunate as he was to own a peak-grade Mortal Artifact. Even low-grade Mortal Artifacts were scarce.

At least, that was the case in Qianlong City. Who knew about the capital?

Taking a deep breath, Zhang San unslung the large cleaver from his back—the one engraved with intricate patterns.

It was time for him to move as well.

The Foundation Establishment Pill was a reward tempting enough to change his entire life.

However, he wasn’t reckless. He planned to focus on cutting down weaker Netherkins and rescuing the overzealous comrades who had rushed in first.

For now, his plan was simple—fight while retreating, and hold out until reinforcements arrived.

He was still lost in thought when his gaze suddenly fixed on a young man who had somehow appeared not far away.

The youth’s cultivation seemed to be at the late stage of Qi Refining, but his attire was completely different from that of Zhang San and the hidden Immortal Guards. Ahead of him, two massive beasts were lumbering closer and closer.

’A late-stage Qi Refining cultivator blocking two peak-stage Qi Refining lizard Netherkins?’

Zhang San’s expression changed drastically.

’That fool—does he have a death wish?!’

Driven by a surge of hot-blooded impulse, Zhang San didn’t hesitate. He charged out, cleaver in hand.

’He must be paralyzed with fear... It’s fine, I’ll just block one strike—once he snaps out of it, he’ll surely run.’

Before that, he had to unleash one swing fierce enough to scare off the Netherkins!

Zhang San believed in his own strength, and in that instant, he felt a rare clarity of spirit. The resolve of his choice seemed to elevate his state of mind, and his blade technique flowed as though perfectly in tune with his will.

He felt it—this might be the most powerful strike of his entire life.

Shhhk!

The blade cleaved through scales and plunged deep into the belly of the giant lizard.

But Zhang San’s face immediately twisted into something worse than a cry.

The blade was stuck.

He tried to pull it free—but failed—and missed the moment to abandon it.

And now, without a doubt, both Netherkins had locked onto him.

Every hair on his body stood on end. He could almost see the moment of his grievous injury unfolding before his eyes.

Terror seized him; he clenched his eyes shut—but the impact he was expecting never came.

Boom! Boom!

Two familiar sounds rang out.

Fallen to the ground, Zhang San instinctively opened his eyes.

That sound— could it be—?

As the dust and light settled, the sight before him made him question reality itself.

That late-stage Qi Refining youth was holding that odd Artifact known as the "gun."

The young man stared at him with a perplexed look, as though wondering what kind of foolish stunt Zhang San was pulling.

The two giant lizards, meanwhile, lay sprawled on the ground—

Even the one he had cut open was... snoring?

’Asleep? What in the heavens...?’

Zhang San stared blankly, unable to comprehend.

Then the youth turned his gaze away, took a deep breath, and raised his voice.

"I am Xu Yuchun, an officer of the Demon Artifact Pavilion, here to deliver a message to our fellow human cultivators!"

"The mortal-grade bullet crafted under the agreement between Her Majesty the Empress and our Holy Saint has been brought to the rear lines! If your bullet runs out, you may retreat to resupply—officers of our Pavilion will handle replacements!"

"Furthermore, our Pavilion Head’s wife—ahem—our Pavilion’s honored guest, Lady Lu Yuliu of the Sword Sect, is currently maintaining the royal city Formation with the sheath of the Human Emperor Sword. Your lives are under full protection—so strike without fear!"

His voice, infused with spiritual energy, carried far across the battlefield.

And almost instantly, shouts of response echoed back:

"Long live Her Majesty!"

"Glory to the Holy Saint of the Demon Sect!"

"The Demon Artifact Pavilion’s mortal Artifacts are unrivaled in the world!"

"Her Majesty and Pavilion Head Luo are a match made in hea—mmph mmph mmph—!"

"Idiot! That’s something you say in private! Are you trying to get your head chopped off?!"

Xu Yuchun nodded with satisfaction at the reactions. Then, after glancing one last time at the still-stunned Zhang San, he seemed to remember something, turned briskly, and hurried off to deliver the same message elsewhere.

After all, the Holy Saint had warned him:

"Don’t talk to people who seem mentally unsound."

Zhang San was completely dumbfounded.

An instinctive dread—or perhaps awe—made him lift his gaze toward the main battlefield he had ignored until now.

And just one glance left him utterly speechless.

What kind of scene was this?!

The countless monstrous Netherkins that had just moments ago charged in with overwhelming momentum—were now collapsed in droves!

Some, like the lizards beside him, had fallen into deep slumber.

Some were rolling on the ground in bizarre fits, smashing into other Netherkins and then wailing as though heartbroken.

And some... some had gone completely mad—grabbing the tails of their nearby comrades and charging wildly forward.

And that was only the tip of the iceberg.

There were even more twisted, unspeakable scenes across the field—so disturbing that Zhang San could only take one glance before his scalp went numb and he quickly averted his eyes.

Meanwhile, his fellow guards moved leisurely through the chaos, skillfully dodging the rampaging Netherkins. From time to time, they’d merely raise their hands—a spark of fire would flash—and another wave of Netherkins would join the ranks of those afflicted by bizarre conditions.

A sudden realization struck Zhang San.

With trembling hands, and seeing that no Netherkins were near, he reached into his robe and pulled out a sealed sheet of paper.

The more he read, the more Zhang San’s expression twisted into disbelief and awe.

’If this is really the case... then no matter how many Qi Refining realm Netherkins they send, they won’t be able to stir up much of a storm...’

And as for those above the Qi Refining Realm—

Zhang San’s eyes shifted toward the central battlefield in the distance.

That was where the Foundation Establishment and Golden Core cultivators of the royal city and the Netherkin race were locked in fierce combat.

Among them, a white-robed young woman stood out like a dazzling moon among stars. Her beauty was ethereal, yet her presence was terrifying.

"He~ Pavilion Head’s wife, is it?"

She slapped a Foundation Establishment Netherkin to death.

"He~ A match made in heaven, you say?"

She stomped down with her foot, crushing another Foundation Establishment Netherkin into the dirt.

Such a beautiful fairy—yet so ferocious!

Zhang San, still holding the sheet of paper, finally drew out the cleaver that had been lodged in the lizard’s belly.

Then, after a moment of silent resolve, he channeled his spiritual energy into the paper—burning it into ash.

From his waist, he unfastened the black Artifact he’d once dismissed as useless.

He took a deep breath.

"You little monstrous bastards! Come and turn yourselves into my Foundation Establishment Pills!"

He raised the gun high.

That day, the Netherkin race, who had long prided themselves on their powerful natural bodies and their dominance at low cultivation realms, had their pride utterly shattered.

From that day forth, they carried a deep, unforgettable psychological scar.

The era had changed.

Meanwhile, high above the battlefield—

The peacock Netherkin Qing Yan was trembling with rage.

By his calculations, the battle below in the royal city should never have turned out like this.

Yes, nine of the Nether Formations had already been destroyed, leaving only the one he had personally completed. But precisely because of that, he had concentrated all remaining power into that single formation.

With only one array left, to ensure maximum chaos and bloodshed, he had sacrificed the summoning of some high-tier Netherkins—instead calling forth an enormous horde of Qi Refining realm Netherkin, each possessing formidable bodies capable of killing human cultivators one realm higher in direct combat.

And yet—

"Demon... Sect... Holy... Saint!"

Qing Yan’s teeth gnashed audibly.

He had heard of the strange mortal Artifacts that the so-called Holy Saint of the Demon Sect had crafted in the capital... but with his own lofty status, how could he possibly have cared about something meant for mortals?

How powerful could a human Artifact be?

How could mere Mortal Artifacts ever pierce the bodies of Netherkin?

Only now did regret strike him like a blade.

That Holy Saint of the Demon Sect was indeed the greatest obstacle to their entire plan!

Wait—

Speaking of which, where was that Holy Saint?

Qing Yan’s thoughts froze, but before he could pursue the question, a burst of lightning flooded his vision.

He immediately pulled back his mind, his peacock tail flaring open as divine light surged to form a radiant shield before him.

Beside him, the black bear Netherkin streaked with earthy markings was also forced into retreat.

"Your mind wandered," the bear rumbled, its voice deep and coarse.

"Useless fool. You even failed to throw the capital into chaos. After this, I’ll report your failure to the Netherking myself."

"Hmph. Ignorant brute."

Qing Yan’s face was dark and cold.

"Did you truly think my formation was that simple? The Lich haven’t even appeared yet."

Elder Xiong blinked, then seemed to understand.

He nodded slowly.

"Ah... so that’s it."

As the two Netherkins exchanged words, the Daoist Sect’s Thunder-and-Cloud duo once again caught up, clouds and lightning rolling violently around them.

The battlefield of the Divine Transformation realm cultivators was pushed even farther away from the Empress’s position.

Under the direct radiance of the Human Emperor Sword, even these Divine Transformation realm Netherkins found their auras somewhat suppressed, while the Immortal Nation’s side instead received a faint boon—fears lightened, wills strengthened, and negative effects washed away.

Since they could not shake the Empress’s mind, they could only choose to keep their distance.

After another fierce exchange, Qing Yan frowned.

"It seems... there won’t be a better time than now."

Elder Xiong swatted away a bolt of thunder and glanced over.

"Then let them act. The Netherking’s task must be carried out."

Qing Yan’s face was shrouded in shadow, yet he did not refute his simple-minded companion. One of his tail feathers began to shine faintly.

From afar, the Empress frowned upon seeing this.

A bad premonition crept into her heart.

Unbidden, her thoughts drifted back to that conversation she once had with a certain young man.

That day, when discussing this Nether Uprising, the Holy Saint of the Demon Sect had revealed countless details, as if the entire attack rested within his grasp. And yet, more than once, he had paused midway through his words, as though restraining himself from saying too much—only to remind her repeatedly to "be careful."

For that cautious and far-sighted schemer to issue such repeated warnings... could there really be something she had failed to foresee?

’From the intelligence he provided, I’ve already deduced every possible variation.’

’The worst-case scenario would be the new Netherking personally intervening. Without the opening of the Imperial Ancestral Temple or the arrival of the Daoist Sect Master, dealing with someone nearing the peak of Divine Transformation would be nearly impossible...’

’To prepare, I sent my Daoist Alter Ego to pose as my Imperial Alter Ego, gathering the necessary divine soul fragments within the Trial of Ascension Platform, while my Mortal Alter Ego accompanied Night Crow and Xuan Ming to slay the Nascent Soul Netherkins. And if the worst came to pass, I still had those things to fall back on... There shouldn’t be room for any unforeseen incidents.’

’Even if another Divine Transformation realm Netherkin suddenly appeared here, the situation would remain under control...’

If so—what could still be wrong?

Unconsciously, the Empress bit her lip ever so slightly.

She suddenly realized that, at this moment, she instinctively wanted to rely on a certain young man.

He had been gone for only a day or so, yet her mind was already unsettled.

"If he were here... there wouldn’t be any accidents, would there?" she murmured softly.

If that Demon Sect Holy Saint were here, would his cultivation be strong enough to stand on this battlefield?

Or would he, still at the peak of the Golden Core realm, remain below within the Royal City?

If it were the latter, the battle down there might already have ended in an instant.

No one noticed that, at this moment, the Empress of the Immortal Nation revealed a faint, genuine smile.

But soon, that smile froze.

Her eyes widened in shock, turning sharply toward the battlefield of the Nascent Soul cultivators below.

A fragment of memory began to surface—syncing vividly within her mind.

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