Eddie was certainly not a great man, always putting his own safety first. Self-sacrifice and heroism were things he preferred to admire from a distance.
At any moment, his first thought was always himself, followed by relatives like Mother Grace and Sophia. He would lie to his family and cover his secrets with benevolent lies.
Yet, for his family, he would also fight against the Yue family castle, one of the world's four great families, even if it meant being an enemy of the world.
But for strangers, no matter how respectable or great they might be, Eddie wouldn't treat them the same.
He acknowledged the old soldiers' spirit of sacrifice and admired their readiness to face death.
He respected their soul-stirring and blood-boiling heroism, but that didn't mean he would do the same.
He couldn't save over three thousand soldiers even if he wanted to, and he wouldn't dare undertake such a world-shaking task while still unable to fully protect himself.
If Eddie were invincible, perhaps he would heal three thousand people with a wave of his hand. But he wasn't capable of that yet.
The world is full of competition and survival of the fittest.
This is a natural law that Eddie didn't want to break and currently couldn't. He couldn't change others' fates; he could only change his own, becoming the fittest survivor, stronger than anyone else. Only then could he control his fate and protect his loved ones.
Urged by Black Armored Hawk Eye Man, Eddie started to leave but then stopped. "General Blade, if you need it, I might try to treat your injuries, or maybe a few people you choose. I must clarify, I'm not a doctor."
Eddie had started to walk away but turned back, standing before the old man. He wasn't moved or inspired; it was a sudden realization that he wasn't a war machine guided solely by principles, but a flesh-and-blood human.
Some things might not be done well or even need to be done, but at least there should be an attempt.
Sometimes Eddie felt he was complex and contradictory, but living freely and unrestrained was more interesting.
Principles are good, but one shouldn't blindly follow them to the end. Asking doesn't mean the other party will accept; it's just a gesture of goodwill.
The old man laughed and waved his hand.
"Good, I understand your heart. Hahaha, I didn't expect to see such an interesting kid before dying. You don't know medicine, how can you save people? But I understand and appreciate it. This is what makes us humans different from demons. "
"If a demon general were dying, the demons of the Magical Abyss would eat him without hesitation, turning his energy into their own. Honestly, that's more rational, but I still prefer our foolish human behavior, haha!"
" Kid, let me tell you the truth, it's really nothing. Do you know how many people have died in wars since ancient times? If you've been on the battlefield and seen thousands upon thousands of soldiers piled up like mountains, your heart becomes numb. "
"There are no wars without death. Humans need to compete and fight to survive. Death is part of that competition. We over three thousand poisoned soldiers acted as bait, luring tens of thousands of demons. "
"We died with no regrets, knowing the outcome before luring the enemy. So it's okay, let us old folks go quietly. We're old, our contributions to the nation are limited now, this is our final honor."
Silent after hearing this, Eddie pondered.
"Kid, if you don't want to be eliminated in the competition like us, remember one thing: become stronger, stronger than anyone else!" the old man, General Blade, imparted these final words to Eddie.
Eddie nodded slightly, deep in thought, then approached Physician Grandma. He took out the White Jade Beetle from his backpack and asked softly, "Physician, I found this in the Magical Abyss. Can you tell me what this is?"
Physician Grandma's expression changed dramatically upon seeing the beetle.
She urged Eddie to put it away quickly, "Child, don't use this to save people. It's very dangerous! This kind of beetle looks like the Golden Holy Beetle, both having healing and detoxifying effects. But inside them, there's a terrifying demon seal. Some powerful warriors cannot be killed and can reincarnate in various ways. To prevent their reincarnation, even stronger warriors seal their opponents in various objects or creatures."
Eddie was startled, "A seal?"
He immediately thought of Queen Vivien, the Snake Demon Queen sealed in the black jade necklace, unimaginably powerful.
Even without a physical body, her abilities could transport Eddie out of a black hole. After encountering the black jade necklace, he didn't expect this White Jade Beetle also contained a sealed powerful warrior.
Fortunately, he hadn't used it to save anyone, otherwise, it could have been disastrous. Eddie broke into a cold sweat at the thought.
"If a human powerful warrior was released, it might be manageable, but if it's a demon, the trouble would be immense! This harmless-looking White Jade Beetle is so terrifying?"
"Warrior seals," Physician Grandma explained, "My teacher once mentioned that there are five levels. The most basic seal is the animal series, where the seal needs an animal to absorb energy to sustain itself, like your White Jade Beetle. Next are plant, treasure, crystal, and space series." The most terrifying is said to be the space series, creating a black hole-like space to trap the opponent, then sealing the entire space, leaving the opponent in a perpetual state of destruction. Unless the sealer is killed, no power can break such a space. This absolute and eternal sealing technique is called 'Silent God Sealing.' The White Jade Beetle is a type of 'Soul Imprisonment' seal used by powerful beings above the eighth level of the Heaven-Reaching Tower to dispose of their defeated opponents." Eddie was sweating profusely, realizing Queen Vivien was sealed with the highest level space series 'Silent God Sealing.'
"How can the demon inside the seal be killed?" Eddie quickly asked for a solution.
"Until the sealed warrior exhausts their energy, I don't know of any way to kill them. But once the sealed warrior uses up all their energy, the White Jade Beetle will slowly die, and the demon inside will die with it. So, it's best not to let it absorb external energy or use it to save people. Otherwise, once the sealing power is exhausted, the demon inside will escape!"
Physician Grandma's words made Eddie feel like he'd picked up a hot potato, unsure whether to keep or discard it.
Suddenly, a white light flashed in the teleportation circle. A middle-aged warrior surrounded by a splendid aura floated in, his voice thundering like distant thunder, "Everyone, leave this place."
Seeing him, Physician Grandma's expression dimmed, murmuring, "Elder Tensor? So His Majesty sought help from the Piaomiao Sect again. The national treasure 'White Dragon Pearl' seems to have fallen into the hands of Piaomiao Sect. Alas, Piaomiao Sect will grow stronger, and Great Xia is in danger!"
"Tensor, what are you doing here? I don't need your treatment, get out of here!" the old man, General Blade, cursed loudly.
"It was your Great Xia Emperor who personally begged the master of White Cloud Sect. The master pitied the common people and sent me here. Do you think I want to save the likes of you? Everyone unrelated, leave immediately. I'll perform the Holy Light Summoning just once. Whether you're saved or not is none of my concern!" Tenser, the middle-aged warrior, answered arrogantly with a laugh, then let out a thunderous roar that shook everyone present, causing heads to buzz and minds to reel.
"I said I don't need your treatment, get out!" General Blade, the old man, struggled angrily, trying to stand up, but his soldiers, tears in their eyes, held him down firmly.
"Blade, two hundred years have passed. Look at what you've become. Do you think you're still the invincible General Blade of the past? You're just a pitiful old dog now. Even one of my fingers is stronger than you. Do you think you can still roar at me like before? After two hundred years, haven't you learned to respect the powerful? It doesn't matter, I'll forgive you. After all, you were once my friend," Tenser, surrounded by a splendid aura, first summoned a platinum tome and then a massive golden drum, striking it with a mallet.
The deafening boom knocked out every soldier in the field. Even Eddie felt as though his head had been struck, his eardrums pained, his head buzzing.
This golden drum, like the Blood Queen's Banshee Scream, used sound waves as a weapon. However, unlike the Blood Queen, who couldn't continuously emit the Banshee Scream and grew stronger with injury, the golden drum was a treasure that could be played endlessly as long as Tenser had enough spiritual energy, though its power remained constant.
Everyone, except Physician Grandma, Hawk Eye Man, and Eddie, including the gravely injured General Blade, collapsed.
The weakest soldiers were already bleeding from their ears, unconscious from severe injuries.
"Are you here to save people or kill them?" Hawk Eye Man, enraged, drew his giant sword and lunged at Tenser like a mad tiger.
"You're no match for me!" Tenser, his face shining with a splendid aura, smiled arrogantly. He summoned a white python that shot through the air, its massive mouth open, intending to devour Hawk Eye Man.
Hawk Eye Man, attacked mid-air, instinctively leapt upwards to evade death. The cunning python missed but then swept its tail, striking Hawk Eye Man and sending him crashing into the walls, collapsing the medical facility's walls and pillars, and landing amidst the rocks on the other side.
The silver-rank white python, relentless in its attack, continued its pursuit.
Tenser looked at Physician Grandma, "My condition for saving people is your life. So, you can die now!"
Physician Grandma smiled faintly, "I guessed you would make such a demand. You've always been like this, seizing every opportunity to kill. Tenser, no matter how strong you are, you'll never be a peak warrior because you lack the heart of a true warrior!"
"Enough talk. Whatever you say, you're destined to die today!" Tenser summoned a half-misty demon creature, directing it towards Physician Grandma.
She just smiled slightly, shook her head, and closed her eyes, not resisting and seemingly waiting for death.
The misty demon didn't kill her immediately but released a large amount of white mist, enveloping her, apparently planning to suffocate her to death in the most cruel way.
Finally, Tenser swept his gaze over Eddie, seemingly puzzled that such a weakling could still stand.
Eddie, however, was not one to sit idly by and wait for death.
No matter the opponent, even terrifying beings like the Demon King Hasin or the Lich King Guren, Eddie would never back down.
He knew he was facing the most powerful human opponent he had ever met, a man using the pretext of saving people to kill some of the remaining elders of the Great Xia Nation, such as General Blade and Physician Grandma. As for himself, he was just a bystander who saw what he shouldn't have, making him a target for elimination.
Seeing Eddie slowly draw out the Ashen Demon Blade with a look of cold determination, Tenser laughed uproariously, "I can't believe it. You don't just end yourself, but you actually think of resisting?"
Tenser, shining in his splendid aura, found it hilariously absurd and burst into laughter. "You want to fight? Then, let's fight!" Eddie retorted coldly as the Ashen Demon Blade spewed forth purple flames.
"A mere student from an academy dares to challenge me? I must admire your foolish courage! Annoying little bug, die!" Tenser summoned a minotaur warrior wielding a blood axe, then commanded, "Cut this little bug into eighteen pieces, not one more, not one less."
Eddie had seen plenty of arrogant people, but none as arrogantly powerful as Tenser. A hint of a smile flickered on Eddie's lips; the more arrogant and contemptuous the enemy, the greater his chance of victory.
The Ashen Wolf, enraged, let out a heaven-shaking roar. Black flames erupted from its body, its aura like a demon king descending. Despite being only silver-rank four, it defied the level gap and directly exerted pressure on the silver-rank six minotaur warrior.
Initially, the minotaur was taken aback by the Ashen Wolf's intimidation but quickly realized the wolf's level was far below its own and roared in anger. The minotaur's hooves shattered the square's stone surface, with flying debris charging towards Eddie.
As the minotaur leaped into the air to swing its axe, Eddie also shot into the sky, colliding with the minotaur. He showed no mercy, aiming to inflict severe damage. His binding talent exploded, restraining the minotaur's movements. While his right hand wielded the Ashen Demon Blade, creating a cover of purple flames, his left hand's forefinger released the innate piercing qi, coldly and mercilessly slashing across the minotaur's eyes.
Amid the chaos, Eddie continued his relentless fight. The chapter concluded with an author's note, explaining the challenges faced due to a typhoon and power outages.
The author, Xiafei, expressed determination to continue writing throughout the night to deliver exciting chapters and make up for the wait, asking for support from the readers.