Easy Way of Cultivation: Power Harvesting

The Wang Family was exterminated, and whether Wei Ran would clash with the Zhou Family was merely a spectacle for ninety-nine percent of the martial artists. But the war between the Human Race and Demon Fiends concerned every human; if the Human Race was defeated, most people’s lives would be miserable.

If the Demon Army reached the heartlands, aside from the Martial Emperor’s Influence and Martial Emperor’s power that the demons dare not provoke, most martial artists of the Jianghu would become Great Medicine for the demons.

Thus, when the news of the Jinzhou defensive line being breached spread, few paid attention to the matters between Wei Ran and the Zhou Family.

It was said that at the human-demon border of Jinzhou, three cities had already fallen, and tens of millions of civilians were forced to abandon their homes and retreat; tens of thousands of Human Race warriors died in battle, and three Saint Realm powerhouses had fallen.

Among the two Sub-Palace Masters of the Jinzhou Demon Hunter, one had fallen—a Martial Saint from the local Holy Sect—and another was a Town Territory Envoy who had gone to aid.

All three Town Commanders were seriously injured; Wei Ying nearly fell, his body shattered into two, narrowly escaping death.

Due to the events in Shuiyun City, the Demon Race sought frenzied revenge, intent on avenging the deaths of several Great Saint-level Demon Saints.

The Heaven-Shaking Saint Ape clan engaged in wanton slaughter; numerous experts from the Celestial Horned Elephant clan and the Nine-tailed Fox Race were also mobilized, and the Purple-Bearded Golden Flood Dragon clan sent formidable individuals as well, with even the Demon Race sect, Profound Crane Sect, joining the fray.

It was declared that if the Human Race did not hand over Wei Fan, the Demon Race would level Jinzhou. The battles escalated from an initial clash of five or six Saint Realm powerhouses to encounters with over a dozen each time, causing heaven and earth to turn upside down.

The most critical aspect was that not only Jinzhou but all major continents were erupting in battle; the Demon Hunter Organization failed to gather manpower from other regions to support Jinzhou, as all Town Territory Envoys were deployed to combat.

The Mu Family and Xuanyuan Family were said to have dispatched experts to Jinzhou for support, yet widespread skepticism prevailed; the involvement of the Human Race’s Martial Emperor Family would simply widen the scope of conflict, and the Demon Fiends would inevitably send forces of equivalent stature.

Regarding the handing over of Wei Fan, the Demon Hunter Organization did not compromise, stating that the Human Race would accompany them in battle, and began mobilizing Saint Realm participants across various sects.

"Where is Wei Fan?"

Someone mentioned Wei Fan, but after the Great Saint powerhouses fell in Shuiyun City, he never appeared again. Some believed he might have perished in that battle.

After all, the Wang Family wanted to kill him desperately; they couldn’t touch Wei Ran, but taking out an unremarkable Wei Fan should be child’s play.

Naturally, some speculated that Wei Fan was not dead; if he had already fallen, the Demon Race wouldn’t be madly engaging in bloodshed against the Human Race.

Though the Human Race lost powerhouses, it didn’t mean the Demon Fiends were unscathed; during Jinzhou’s battle, the Human Race also slew two Dharma Demon Saints, with limited advantage for the Demon Race.

This conflict reportedly stemmed from Wei Fan’s slaying of the Heaven-Shaking Saint Ape and Purple-Bearded Golden Flood Dragon, yet it was known these were mere excuses; the Demon Race feared this demon prodigy Wei Fan would grow to threaten them one day.

Therefore, in all probability, he hid, since both the Demon Fiends wanted him dead, and the Human Race’s Martial Emperor’s Influence sought to kill him; if he didn’t hide, would he await his end?

"Wei Fan, you have brought great disaster upon the Human Race yet hide away. Is this the action of a man? The Human Race warriors are suffering heavy casualties; does your conscience allow this?"

At last, these words started to surface in the Jianghu, demanding Wei Fan stand forth; even if the Human Race didn’t hand him over, he should at least fight for the Human Race, bearing his share of responsibility, instead of leaving the mess for the Human Race to shoulder, intensifying continuously.

Initially, such voices were mere whispers within the Jianghu, but soon, major powers also started voicing this demand.

A Martial Emperor’s Influence called Lingxu Cave even publicly demanded the surrender of Wei Fan, asserting peace between the Human and Demon Races could be restored if Wei Fan was handed over, sparing lives otherwise lost for him.

Though this was rebuffed promptly, arguing against surrendering Wei Fan, without a statement from the Demon Hunter Organization. Yet soon, a Martial Emperor Family named Mei also spoke up, stating they didn’t wish to die for Wei Fan; as long as he was surrendered, the Mei Family pledged full participation in resisting the Demon Fiends.

This shook many, for a full-force involvement from one Martial Emperor Family would surely ease the Human Race’s burden.

Of course, those with clarity recognized this was a deliberate targeting of Wei Fan, all because of the Venerable Phoenix Body; the question was whether Mei Family and Lingxu Cave targeted Wei Fan for their interests or were instigated by others.

Soon enough, details of Lingxu Cave and Mei Family surfaced in the Jianghu; Lingxu Cave was a Martial Emperor’s Influence in Jinzhou. Even with Jinzhou’s human defensive line breached, Lingxu Cave hadn’t dispatched a single Saint Realm champion to fight, merely spectating affairs, clear signs of targeting Wei Fan.

As for the Mei Family, swallowing a similar fate, their district in Weizhou faced demon attacks, with various Holy Sects fighting, yet the Mei Family never sent any experts to protect the Human Race; they both harbored ill intentions towards Wei Fan.

Many were enraged, yet helpless against such Martial Emperor Families; during the Human-Demon war, not fighting was one matter, but seeking revenge against a Human Race prodigy was simply unforgivable.

Anger remained, yet few could defy the Martial Emperor’s Influence; alongside the public calls from these two families, numerous Holy Sects also called out, promising to join the Human Race against the Demon Fiends if Wei Fan was surrendered.

"Let Wei Fan step forward and bear his responsibility as a Town Territory Envoy. Our Zhou Family’s experts will descend the mountain to fight the Demon Fiends alongside the Human Race."

Finally, the Zhou Family also publicly prompted Wei Fan to emerge.

Even those slow to react understood everything prior was likely orchestrated by the Zhou Family, aiming to force the vanished Wei Fan out; the Demon Fiend had feared Wei Fan’s talents, willing to start an all-out war to flush him out.

The Zhou Family held grievances against Wei Fan, aspired to seize the Venerable Phoenix Body from him, and naturally feared this hiding Wei Fan.

The Zhou Family didn’t advocate for surrendering Wei Fan, knowing that was unrealistic; the Demon Hunter Organization wouldn’t agree to such a demand. Surrendering Wei Fan means the downfall of the Demon Hunter Organization, which would never bow to Demon Fiends.

What they need is for Wei Fan to appear, and a chance to take action against him; otherwise, if Wei Fan keeps hiding, even with all the divine abilities of the Martial Emperor Family, they won’t be able to do anything to him.

"Now that the Wang Family’s dog is dead, is the Zhou Family going to take action personally?"

"It’s not that they’re going to act personally, but only the weight of the Martial Emperor Family can force Wei Fan out. Once Wei Fan appears, there’s no need for the Zhou Family to take action. Powers like Lingxu Cave and the Mei Family that are aligned with the Zhou Family are enough to kill Wei Fan. The Zhou Family wants to obtain the Venerable Phoenix Body and wouldn’t be foolish enough to strike personally at Wei Fan."

"A Martial Emperor Family entering the fray impacts the situation too much; even the Demon Hunter Organization has to deliberate carefully."

"These beasts, isn’t resisting Demon Fiends the duty of us martial artists? Yet they persecute the prodigies of the Human Race for their own interests, aren’t they afraid of divine retribution?"

Some people stood up for Wei Fan. Those who know him know that he has killed countless Demon Fiends, and he has nearly killed a dozen Demon Saints.

In the Wilderness, he is like a god, having wiped out all the Demon Fiends there.

In Beiding Continent, he killed Dominating Demon Saints, Saint Sons, and now each major continent in the Eastern Domain suffers from Demon Fiend attacks, but the Demon Fiends in Beiding Continent dare not move because their powerful ones have long been cleared by Wei Fan, leaving them incapable of causing chaos.

"Their clamor is useless; the Demon Hunter Organization won’t change their stance. To them, the emergence of a Martial Emperor is more important than ten such families as the Zhou Family taking part; they won’t force Wei Fan out."

"That’s what the higher-ups of the Demon Hunter Organization think, but the fear is that not everyone thinks that way. Didn’t the Town Commander Shi Yun previously collaborate with the Wang Family and send Wei Fan to Shuiyun City to be killed by them?"

"Don’t underestimate the Zhou Family’s influence, let’s just spread rumors in Jianghu to prevent Wei Fan from coming out."

...

"Demon Race, Zhou Family, Lingxu Cave, Mei Family..."

Wei Fan’s eyes were cold. He never expected that after a few days of seclusion, these were the news he would hear upon coming out.

The flames of anger almost burned from his chest.

He indeed wanted to reveal his true identity and kill fiercely, letting these people know the consequences of provoking him, but he restrained himself.

Although killing would be satisfying, the subsequent troubles weren’t something he could handle at the moment.

The so-called Martial Emperor Family was never something he dreaded. What truly scared him was the existence making Xuanyuan Peak hide.

The fundamental reason for his concealed identity was also this. He was wary of the Martial Emperor Family, but it didn’t warrant such caution.

And then there’s Qi Daozhen!

He had always suspected that Qi Daozhen wasn’t dead. Various signs also indicated that Qi Daozhen was still alive. But a peerless powerhouse who was nearly invincible a millennium ago, cultivated to the ultimate Martial Emperor Level, what could possibly force him to pretend to be dead and hide, never showing up?

Perhaps there was something terrifying, forcing Qi Daozhen to conceal himself as well.

If not for the constraints of the current scenario, he would never be so high-profile.

"If you want to force me out, I’m afraid you won’t be able to handle it when I do."

Wei Fan stood up, tossed a few Spirit Crystals, and walked out. His face subtly transformed into that of Wei Ran.

"It’s... Wei Ran, he’s appeared again!"

With a hurried glance, someone recognized Wei Ran and was startled to their feet.

Wei Ran had been absent from Jianghu for five or six days, and many thought he had left the Eastern Domain, only to find out he had just hidden his identity and was still in Xining Continent.

"What, Wei Ran is still here? This will be interesting. He slaughtered four Demon Saints in Shuiyun City, prompting the Demon Fiends to retaliate against Jinzhou. Now that he’s emerged, I wonder if he still has the guts to retaliate against the Wang Family and the Demon Fiends..."

Wei Fan halted upon hearing the voices behind him, saying, "Fellow martial artists, please pass a message to the Zhou Family for me: I, Wei Ran, have nothing to explain. Zhou Family, if you want revenge, go ahead!"

With that, he transformed into a stream of light that shot into the sky and vanished from the small town.

In the tavern, the Jianghu martial artists became excited. Wei Ran had openly responded to the Martial Emperor Zhou Family, declaring he had nothing to explain, challenging them to seek revenge if they dared.

"The Zhou Family only dares to bully someone like Wei Fan without backing. Now that Wei Ran has responded openly and provocatively, let’s see if the Zhou Family dares to retaliate against this Killing God. He even possesses an Emperor’s Soldier, so he doesn’t fear the Zhou Family at all!"

Not long after, all the spectators who love drama spread the word of "Wei Ran," eager to see if the Zhou Family truly dared to send someone to retaliate against Wei Ran.