Turns Out, I’m In A Villain Clan! Chapter 374 Déjà Vu, Grade-10 Demonic Beast's Turn

The conflict between the Desolate Heaven Empire and the tide of Demonic Beasts persisted without end.

For a brief window, the battlefield appeared to have reached yet another grueling stalemate.

However, the tide was shifting slightly in favor of humanity, thanks largely to Bai Zihan, who was busy slaughtering Grade-9 Demonic Beasts with efficiency.

Still, this was not the true theater of war. The decisive struggle took place between the Grade-10 Demonic Beasts and the masters of the Great Ascension Realm.

The victors of that high-level clash would likely determine the fate of the entire engagement. Yet, slaying a Grade-10 Demonic Beast was no simple feat, a reality that applied equally to the Great Ascension Realm cultivators themselves.

Unless a combatant became careless or an opponent unleashed a devastating ultimate technique, a duel between such titans could easily stretch for hours or even days.

This longevity was due to their staggering reserves of Qi and the fact that they rarely committed to full-power strikes immediately.

Instead, they bided their time, waiting for a fatal opening.

Overextending oneself was a death sentence; if they burned through their Qi too quickly, they would be left defenseless before their foe.

Such caution was standard across the battlefield. Every warrior understood the necessity of rationing their Qi to survive the prolonged meat grinder.

Yet, there was one individual who seemed completely indifferent to such limitations.

"Nine Shadows Flowing Light Sword!"

"Nine Shadows Flowing Light Sword!"

Bai Zihan unleashed the Heaven-Grade technique repeatedly, firing them off in rapid succession.

Rather than an exhausted cultivator, what remained in his wake was nothing but a mountain of carcasses.

Groups of Demonic Beasts attempted to trap him in coordinated ambushes, but his movements were too fluid. He slipped through their nets with ease, picking them off one by one as they fell into confusion.

Far from being intimidated by these packs, Bai Zihan seemed to grow increasingly joyful the more they swarmed him.

Observing the carnage from his vantage point, Wei Zongyuan noted that the situation was gradually tilting their way.

"I had no idea the heir of the Bai Clan possessed such terrifying strength!" he whispered to himself.

Stationed long-term at the Northern Defense Line, he had only heard faint rumors and was largely unaware of the youth's true potential.

While others might have felt envy or dread toward such a monstrous talent, Commander Wei felt only a sense of profound relief.

With a genius like this being nurtured, the threat of future Beast Tides seemed far less daunting.

Bai Zihan wasn't the only one; several young prodigies were leading the offensive. Bai Xueqing was working seamlessly with her unit, using her Glacial Heaven Seal—Absolute Frost Domain Technique to lock down vast numbers of beasts, allowing her teammates to shatter the frozen enemies.

Together, they had even brought down a Grade-8 Demonic Beast, though Bai Xueqing had clearly carried the weight of the fight.

The Zhao Clan members were also making their mark, particularly Zhao Chen, who maintained his distance while raining down long-range strikes and deploying tactical formations against the hordes.

Then there was Li Meiying of the Li Clan, who was effortlessly dismembering Grade-6 beasts and had already claimed several Grade-7 trophies.

Nevertheless, regardless of their achievements, none could compare to Bai Zihan, who was treating Grade-9 Demonic Beasts like mere fodder.

"Exactly how many does he intend to slaughter?" Commander Wei muttered, shaking his head after the tally surpassed thirty. There was no indication of fatigue from Bai Zihan; if anything, his fervor was only intensifying.

"I’m actually starting to feel bad for the beasts..." one officer whispered instinctively.

It was a sentiment shared by many onlookers. The Demonic Beasts offered no meaningful resistance as Bai Zihan continued his massacre. In a single engagement, he had killed more creatures than many veterans who had patrolled the Northern Defense Line for decades.

"Maintain your focus! Every unit must stay sharp and pinpoint the Demonic Cultivators the moment they show themselves!" Commander Wei barked.

"Yes, sir!" the officers replied with a crisp salute.

***

"Five thousand points!"

Hours passed, yet Bai Zihan’s mind was fixed solely on his growing score.

Though he was soaked in gore and smelled of heavy iron, he remained unfazed. His current objective was to hit the ten-thousand-point milestone.

However, he wasn't so blinded by the hunt for Grade-9 beasts that he ignored his surroundings.

He checked on his clan's progress and saw they were thriving, especially Bai Xueqing.

She appeared to have achieved a breakthrough; her Qi had become significantly more potent, carrying an icy chill so intense it could likely paralyze a Void Refinement cultivator for several heartbeats.

She might even have the capability to take down someone in the Spirit Severing Realm now.

Bai Zihan mused that without his intervention, Lu Xiangyuan might have actually lost to her. The Heaven-Grade cultivation manual he provided was yielding results beyond his expectations.

Chu Ziyan was also exceeding his predictions in combat.

Seeing they were safe, he felt no need to worry, though he still subconsciously intercepted any high-level beasts drifting toward their position.

SLASH!

Bai Zihan vaulted onto the skull of another beast, plunging his blade directly into its forehead.

"Five thousand two hundred points."

The tally in his mind resonated more clearly than the creature's final death rattle.

A crimson mist erupted around him as he pivoted, his sword gleaming like moonlight on water.

Each time the Nine Shadows Flowing Light Sword struck, another Grade-9 monster fell—either sliced clean through, shredded, or obliterated entirely.

He didn't flag. On the contrary, his speed increased.

His movements grew more daring, his excitement more palpable.

To the soldiers, this was a living nightmare. To Bai Zihan, it was a blood-soaked playground.

BOOM!

A massive explosion shook the earth.

High in the sky, Yun Huanfeng—the Sect Master of the Azure Sun Holy Sect, renowned for his sun-like Qi—stumbled back as blood sprayed from his mouth. The Grade-10 Demonic Beast he had been engaging let out a roar of triumph as it broke the deadlock.

The beast turned.

It didn't seek out another Great Ascension master, nor did it target the Void Refinement squads.

It lunged directly at Bai Zihan.

"A Grade-10 Demonic Beast is targeting Bai Zihan!"

"Dammit! He needs to retreat! That's not a Grade-9!"

"Why isn't he moving? Is he actually going to fight it?"

"Has he become arrogant after killing those Grade-9s?"

The crowd watched in a mix of shock and dread. Crucially, Bai Zihan stood his ground. Those who knew him realized his lack of movement wasn't born of terror.

A man who had just slaughtered fifty Grade-9 beasts didn't know the meaning of the word.

Bai Zihan let out a freezing laugh.

The scene felt incredibly familiar.

Previously, a Zhao Clan Elder had "accidentally" let a Grade-9 beast slip toward him. Now, it was the esteemed leader of the Azure Sun Holy Sect.

Was this a mere coincidence? A genuine error?

He didn't believe that for a second.

While Yun Huanfeng’s acting was superior to the Zhao Elder’s, and despite the public lack of friction between the Bai Clan and the Azure Sun Holy Sect...

...it could easily be dismissed as an unfortunate mishap.

However, Bai Zihan was aware that with Jin Yuanzhan in his custody, they were terrified their dark secrets would surface.

This was likely why Yun Huanfeng had gone as far as sustaining a real injury just to orchestrate his death at the hands of a Grade-10 beast.

Even though Yun Huanfeng looked convincingly "critically wounded," Bai Zihan sneered internally. He was certain this was a plot to kill him with a borrowed blade.

But suddenly—

"Ah! Sect Leader Yun is falling!"

"Quickly! We must save the Sect Leader!"

"His Qi is failing! He’s actually dying!"

Bai Zihan’s face twitched.

"... What?"

He looked up again, and even he was stunned.

Yun Huanfeng wasn't putting on a show.

He was in a truly wretched state—his robes were in tatters, one arm hung limp and useless, and his meridians were visibly bursting beneath his skin.

His face was ghostly white, his gaze flickering. One of his Elders was frantically pulling him away, screaming for medical aid.

"Senior Brother! Stay with us!"

More Elders converged, forming a desperate defensive circle around him.

The Sect Leader’s head slumped to his chest as he vomited a massive amount of blood.

Bai Zihan blinked.

"...Huh."

(So... that moron actually is dying?)

He had assumed it was a ruse like the Zhao Elder’s, but seeing Yun Huanfeng with one foot in the grave, he started to second-guess his suspicion.

If this was an act, then the Azure Sun Holy Sect should quit cultivation and start a theater troupe. The battlefield dissolved into chaos.

"The Azure Sun Sect Leader is gravely hurt!"

"Protect him at all costs!"

Meanwhile, the Grade-10 Demonic Beast—which logically should have finished off the dying Yun Huanfeng—did not pursue him.

Instead, it lowered its massive horns and accelerated—

Directly toward Bai Zihan!

Bai Zihan let out a sigh.

He wasn't sure if this was a deliberate setup or a freak accident, but it was clear this beast had a personal grudge against him.

Then again, standing atop a mountain of its kin, he could hardly blame it.

Given the sheer number of beasts he had slaughtered, one might assume they had murdered his parents in a past life.

"You want vengeance for your kind? Then come and see if you have the strength to take it!"