I raised stunning young ladies, but they all wanted to possess me.

Gu Yan walked very slowly, each step landing on the cracked stone slabs.

From the surrounding ruins of tall buildings, countless calamities stared at him with scarlet or eerie green eyes, emitting low growls.

But he seemed not to hear at all.

He walked to the center of the square, stopped, and looked up at the sky to the north.

Xu was still standing on the top of a dilapidated building.

He has become completely catastrophic.

Half of its body was covered in dark gold scales, while the other half retained its human appearance.

His left hand held a long, jet-black sword, its blade writhing with black mist.

One of his eyes was still human black, while the other had turned into a pure gold vertical pupil.

He looked down at Gu Yan, a stiff smile spreading across his face.

"You've arrived."

"I am coming."

Gu Yan's voice was very calm.

"You look stronger than you did a month ago."

"But it didn't work."

"You have no idea what I've gained."

"The power of the Black Tide is something that you humans, who are still struggling with your flesh and blood, can never understand."

Xu jumped from the top of the building, crashing into the center of the square like a black meteorite.

Smoke and dust billowed into the sky, and he stood amidst it, his long sword pointing to the heavens.

"The whole world is watching this battle."

"I will make my junior sister see clearly who is the one who is worthy of her."

"I will make everyone see how ridiculous it is to resist the Kuroshio."

Gu Yan raised the Demon-Slaying Blade, pointing the tip at him.

"Are you done talking?"

Xu Huan's face twisted slightly.

He moved.

The black figure left a trail of afterimages in the air, and the long sword wrapped in black mist slashed down at Gu Yan's head.

The power of that sword strike was astonishing. Wherever the sword wind passed, the stone slabs on the square were lifted up and fell towards Gu Yan like a row of dominoes.

Gu Yan dodged to the side, and swung the Demon-Slaying Blade upwards.

The two swords collided in mid-air, and the shockwave from the explosion caused several dilapidated buildings at the edge of the square to collapse halfway.

The black mist and the seven-colored light intertwined, like two distinct storms colliding violently in the center of the square.

Xu Huan's strength is indeed formidable.

Each sword strike carried the corrosive power of the Black Tide, and each swing left behind lingering black cracks in the air.

But Gu Yan was faster.

His demon-slaying blade resembled a silver dragon, weaving and roaming through the black mist.

He saw through every flaw in Xu Huan's plan.

That was taught to him by Pei Yuran, honed by Yu Sheng, and refined by Lin Jinyu through countless sparring sessions.

His blade struck Xu Huan's scales, sparking dazzling flames.

One cut, two cuts, ten cuts.

Xu Huan's scales shattered inch by inch under the flash of the blade, and black blood gushed out from the cracks.

"impossible."

A flicker of panic crossed Xu Huan's vertical pupils.

His sword moved faster and faster, the black mist grew thicker and thicker, and the entire square was enveloped by his corrosive power.

The ground is melting, the air is distorting, and even the light is being swallowed up.

But Gu Yan did not back down.

Deep within his pupils, the seven-colored light shone to its fullest extent.

A mental storm exploded, tearing the black mist apart.

He seized the opportunity when Xu Huan swung his sword, and thrust the Demon-Slaying Blade straight out, the tip of the blade piercing Xu Huan's chest and exiting through his back.

Xu was still frozen in place.

He looked down at the knife that had pierced his chest.

Then he slowly raised his head and looked at Gu Yan.

His eyes suddenly turned back to human color; in those black eyes were relief, regret, and a very faint smile.

"Tell my junior sister for me."

"My senior brother made only one mistake in his entire life."

"I just fell in love with her."

"But they refuse to admit it."

Gu Yan drew her knife.

Xu Huan's body fell backward and crashed onto the broken stone slab.

Black blood spread from beneath him, like a flower slowly blooming.

Gu Yan stood beside him, silent for a long time.

He won.

But he couldn't feel happy at all.

The calamities surrounding the square were in turmoil.

They roared deafeningly and charged at Gu Yan, as if to tear apart the human who had killed their general.

Just then, several figures emerged from the ruins surrounding the square.

Chiyomiya Hanyu's pheasant sword drew a dark red arc, severing the calamity that was charging at the front.

Lin Jinyu's golden flames exploded on the east side of the square, burning an entire swarm of bone-eating worms to ashes.

Pei Yuran's ice crystals spread across the west side of the plaza, freezing the charging steel stitched monster into an ice sculpture.

Shen Youyao stood on the high platform on the north side of the square. The mental power released by her dual personalities at the same time was like an invisible wall, pinning all the disasters that tried to cross the boundary to the spot.

But what truly surprised Gu Yan was that just as the calamities were about to break through the four women's defenses, several figures suddenly emerged from the calamity horde and blocked their path.

It is a smart disaster.

They wore tattered human clothes, their faces were covered in scales, but their eyes held a light that was almost rational.

They turned around and let out a low growl at their fellow humans.

The calamities that had been rushing towards them seemed to have received some kind of order, and they all stopped.

They cried out in resentment, but did not rush forward again.

The intelligent calamity kept its promise.

Or perhaps they never intended to break their contract today.

They looked at Gu Yan, and their golden or gray vertical pupils gleamed with a light that Gu Yan couldn't quite understand.

Then they slowly retreated into the depths of the black tide, taking all the calamities with them as they left the plaza.

The live global broadcast froze on the moment Gu Yan stood in the center of the square, with the surrounding calamities receding.

The world was first deathly silent, then erupted in a deafening roar of cheers.

In the refugee camp, people hugged each other and wept.

On the defensive line, soldiers threw their helmets into the air.

In the forum, the voices of the surrender faction were instantly drowned out, replaced by an overwhelming barrage of the same word.

hope.

Humanity may actually have a chance to win.

Because Gu Yan won.

The Imperial Jade has won.

Gu Yan was helped back to the camp of the Eighth Defense Line by the four women.

He was covered in wounds; there was a deep, bone-revealing wound on his left arm, and his right shoulder was a bloody mess, corroded by the black mist.

But he didn't let anyone carry him; he walked back to his room by himself.

He had just sat down on the edge of the bed when the four women surrounded him.

Lin Jinyu disinfected his wounds with red eyes, her hands trembling violently, and she muttered curses under her breath.

Pei Yuran used her ice-type supernatural ability to apply ice to his skin, her movements extremely gentle.

Chiyomiya Hanyu brought hot water and clean gauze, knelt down beside him, and cleaned his wounds little by little.

Shen Youyao stood at the door, holding the brewed medicine, her eyes red-rimmed, wanting to squeeze in but not daring to.

Gu Yan looked at them.

He suddenly smiled.

The smile was faint and gentle, as if she hadn't been this relaxed in a long time.

"I'm back."

He said.

Lin Jinyu paused in her work, then turned her head away and wiped her eyes hard with her sleeve.

Pei Yuran didn't say anything, but simply replaced the ice crystal with another one.

Yuzuru gave a very soft "hmm" and continued to wrap the bandage around him.

Shen Youyao finally squeezed in, put the medicine on the bedside table, squatted down beside him, and looked up at him.

"Brother Gu Yan, take your medicine."

Gu Yan took the bowl and drank it all in a few gulps.

The medicine was very bitter, but he didn't even flinch.

He returned the bowl to Youyao, then leaned against the headboard and closed his eyes.

His body was exhausted, but something in his heart had finally settled down.

He won.

He held on.

He also has these people.

He can continue on.