A Clash Was Inevitable After All!

Luo Chen was no stranger to the Nine Great Demon Commanders. Their names, origins, backgrounds, and even their general methods in battle had long circulated among the human race. Naturally, portraits of their appearances had also been specially made. With a single glance, Luo Chen immediately recognized the woman standing beside Lord Pingshan. Jinxiuxian. Her true form was a golden pheasant, and her beauty was mesmerizing, unforgettable at first sight. Last time, it was she who had led the demon horde along the Fenghua Domain all the way to the Tiandu Domain, with numerous Nascent Soul cultivators perishing by her hand. Most importantly, she was Lord Pingshan's favored consort! "She managed to break the Tiandu Sect's Eight Trigrams Formation Chart; she is certainly no simple character!" Luo Chen mused inwardly, his eyes shifting to another middle-aged burly man standing to the left of Lord Pingshan. He had a sallow complexion and a sickly countenance, but anyone who took him for a sickly tiger would be gravely mistaken. Huang Man! A scion sired before Lord Pingshan attained the Dao, who, despite unimpressive natural talent, had climbed step by step to the Great Demon Emperor realm. He possessed a violent temper and ruthless methods. He had recruited countless demon powerhouses to build his own faction and was lauded as the one most likely to inherit Lord Pingshan's mantle in the future. "Is he the one who kept Di Tu under his thumb so thoroughly?" Luo Chen shifted his gaze toward the three standing further back. At that exact moment, a scrutinizing gaze locked onto his. Clad in a green robe, tall and gaunt, his steady composure carried an edge of peerless sharpness. It was Ao Kuang, the Co-Lord of the Wolf Tribe! Luo Chen forced his gaze away as if uninterested. Yet as he observed the remaining two, he could still feel Ao Kuang's gaze appraising him. *Is he paying this much attention to me simply because Han Zhan killed the junior he favored, Ao Xiao, and I later deployed the Great Five Elements Sword Formation Han Zhan left behind?* Luo Chen felt a tingle of numbness creep across his scalp. Through battle after battle, he possessed a crystal-clear understanding of his own strength. With ordinary methods, he could crush those at the early Nascent Soul stage, and fighting with all his might, he could hold his ground and move freely even against mid Nascent Soul cultivators. Against an ordinary Great Demon Emperor, unleashing both magic and physique in tandem with the Yuantu Blood Sword—or even the Wither-Bloom Dao Finger—he stood a fighting chance! Yet Ao Kuang was by no means an ordinary Great Demon Emperor! He was the Co-Lord of the Eastern Desolation's wolf tribe, having clashed with Lord Pingshan before the latter ascended to the Ancient Demon realm, and had once fought Demon Emperor Qingshuang to a draw. In terms of prowess, he ranked among the foremost figures beneath the Soul Transformation realm in the entire Mountain Sea Realm. Luo Chen had no desire to provoke such a demon! Yet regardless of his wishes, the remaining two Great Demon Emperors followed Ao Kuang's gaze and kept scrutinizing him as well. The fierce-visaged one was Bi Zheng. The one with hands tucked into a wide, motley patterned robe was Commander Baizu. The two stood subtly flanking Ao Kuang, their formation mirroring the trio on Lord Pingshan's side. It seemed these two commander-level Great Demon Emperors looked to Ao Kuang as their head? *Are there factions within the demon race as well?* The question arose in Luo Chen's mind, and when his eyes met Tianduzi's concerned gaze, he found his answer. Of course! Even the human race was split into two camps: the Mingyuan Holy Land and the other sects of the Eastern Desolation. Much less the demon race, which was unruly and undisciplined by nature. Ao Kuang had dared to contend for supremacy against Lord Pingshan in his youth, proving he had always commanded his own faction. Even though Lord Pingshan had achieved the Ancient Demon realm, Ao Kuang could never submit to him with complete willingness. Naturally, the powerhouses rallied under Ao Kuang were not few in number. In just a short moment, Luo Chen analyzed their positions to deduce these pieces of intelligence, though he could not say whether they were entirely accurate. Naturally, this intelligence had no practical bearing on their current situation. For the protagonists of today's negotiations were an Ancient Demon and a Soul Transformation grandmaster! "Fellow Daoist Heize, this seat has laid out the terms. Have you reached a decision?" Ancient Demon Di Tian spoke with metallic firmness. Patriarch Heize shook his head. "The great war between humans and demons has raged for a hundred and fifty years without a victor. Now, you wish to conclude this war simply by returning the three domains of Blade Dominance, Fire Ridge, and Azure Sky. Isn't that rather petty?" "Without a victor?" Ancient Demon Di Tian sneered. "In a mere span of time, humanity lost fifteen domains, and no fewer than ten more suffered catastrophe. How many sects were destroyed in an instant? How many cultivators met their demise? Why don't you ask them whether there is a sign of victory or defeat?" As he spoke, his merciless gaze swept over the three: Tianduzi, Shenyuan, and Luo Chen. Patriarch Heize did not ask; he did not even turn to look at Luo Chen and the others. He merely remarked placidly, "The sects of the Eastern Desolation suffering catastrophe is a fact, but that our Mingyuan Sect has yet to exert its full strength is also a fact! If you want to fight, we shall accommodate you!" Ancient Demon Di Tian's expression hardened. "And what do you know of the remaining reserves in the Million Mountains?" Patriarch Heize shook his head. "It seems you do not wish to negotiate. In that case, let us continue fighting!" With that, he turned as if to leave. As he turned, Luo Chen and the others saw the indifference on Patriarch Heize's face. He genuinely did not mind prolonging the war. Yet while the Mingyuan Sect could endure it, what about the other sects and factions? The aged Tianduzi's lips trembled, but under the overbearing majesty of a Soul Transformation grandmaster, he could not utter a single word. People said there were two great factions among the human race of the Eastern Desolation, but in the end, this sky held only one sun! Lei Daozi and Castellan Lingtian tacitly followed behind Patriarch Heize, turning to depart. Just then, a gentle voice called out from behind. "Senior, why such haste? Since we were willing to meet here today, there is naturally sincerity on our part." Patriarch Heize halted in his tracks. He looked toward the gentle, exquisitely beautiful woman and commended, "Jinxiuxian, is it? Rumor has it that thirty percent of the credit for establishing the Pingshan Holy Land belongs to you. It seems your reputation is well deserved!" His halting meant there was room to negotiate. Jinxiuxian offered a graceful bow. "Senior overpraises me. This junior dares not claim credit; the Pingshan Holy Land relies entirely on the divine might of my Lord!" Having said that, she turned to Ancient Demon Di Tian. "My Lord, do not act out of impulse. Tu'er is still in their hands." Di Tu! Ancient Demon Di Tian glanced at Luo Chen, who stood quietly at the very back, and let out a cold harrumph. At this moment, Di Tu served as a convenient way out. Taking a deep breath, Ancient Demon Di Tian said slowly, "It is not that this seat is petty, but rather that for three thousand years, your human race has taken a yard after being given an inch, constantly going back on your word, making you untrustworthy. Ceding three domains to you while keeping the Far East Six Domains leaves six intermediate domains as a buffer zone. Should conflict arise in the future, it will not immediately lead to open warfare." Patriarch Heize disagreed. "The spiritual vein of Blade Dominance Domain has already collapsed; it is now a spiritless land. Giving three domains amounts to only two. You must add one more domain!" Only now did Luo Chen, watching from the sidelines, understand why the demons had tacitly vacated nine domains. This negotiation was built on the partitioning of those nine domains. If the demons agreed, the territory actually held by humanity thereafter would be twenty-five domains. Leaving areas like Jiuling, Ancient Mist Isle, and Motian Cliff vacant in between as a buffer zone between the two races. Would the demons agree? After brief consideration, Ancient Demon Di Tian agreed. "The Taihu Domain can be given to you!" Patriarch Heize was dissatisfied. "The spiritual veins of the Taihu Domain are scattered, crisscrossed with subterranean water systems, and ill-suited for our human race to inhabit. It is hardly a good place. This seat wants the Jiuling Domain!" The Jiuling Domain was once controlled by the Nine Spirits Sect, where Sovereign Jiuling belonged. It was a rather unique region among the thirty-six domains of the Eastern Desolation. Its terrain was elevated, with countless spiritual mountains, and one peak even soared into the highest heavens. Its topography bore a striking resemblance to Tiandi Peak of the Central Plains. It was precisely this unique topography that made gathering resources from the nine heavens relatively easy for the Nine Spirits Sect. That Sovereign Jiuling had been able to master the Great Nine Heavens River—a technique rivaling divine abilities in power—owed much to the sect's years of cultivation in the Jiuling Domain. Ancient Demon Di Tian's first instinct was to refuse. Yet Patriarch Heize smiled and said, "Could it be that the son of Lord Pingshan is not worth a single domain?" As if echoing his words, Luo Chen stepped forward behind him and opened a spirit beast pouch in plain view of everyone. A flash of golden light, and Di Tu tumbled to the ground. "You!" Even having heard of it beforehand, seeing his brother stuffed into a spirit beast pouch with his own eyes sent Huang Man into a towering rage. Demonic qi erupted from him, bearing down toward Luo Chen. Yet this momentum vanished as swiftly as it came. With a mere wave of Ancient Demon Di Tian's sleeve, Huang Man's aura was dispelled without a trace. In that swift blink of an eye, Luo Chen's expression remained completely unchanged, calm as a mirror-like lake. Di Tian glanced at Luo Chen and said impassively, "This son of mine is utterly worthless. He accomplished nothing and brought shame upon my reputation instead. Alchemy Grandmaster Luo Chen, was it?" Luo Chen bowed slightly and cupped his fists in a polite salute to show respect. "Very good!" Di Tian offered a word of praise, much like Heize had complimented his favored consort earlier. Ancient Demon Di Tian then cut straight to the point: "The Jiuling Domain can be granted to you. Now, let us discuss re-signing the ancient alliance pact!" The negotiations had finally made progress. A smile touched Patriarch Heize's face. "However, before that, I must first see whether my chang-ghost is still alive," Di Tian said. Patriarch Heize chuckled. "With Fellow Daoist's capabilities, can you not even discern whether a chang-ghost lives or dies? Zhang Che!" "At once!" Lei Daozi answered behind him. Spreading his palm flat, a cage woven with crackling lightning and thunder manifested. Within the cage, a cluster of white light shivered in terror. Seeing the white light, a flicker of joy flashed in Ancient Demon Di Tian's eyes. Yet upon seeing the lightning cage Lei Daozi had conjured from thin air, a look of wariness surfaced. "Law True Meaning! Your esteemed sect has truly produced an extraordinary genius!" Patriarch Heize smiled faintly. "Zhang Che has merely inherited the legacy of his forebears. How could he compare to the divine cyan luan of Mount Cangwu? Speaking of which, in stirring up this war between our two races, Fellow Daoist also borrowed the names of Qinghexian and Sovereign Qixia. How is it that those two Fellow Daoists haven't joined us?" Ancient Demon Di Tian looked displeased. "Did your noble sect not send only you as well?" "True enough." Patriarch Heize nodded in agreement. Ancient Demon Di Tian stated, "I possess full authority to represent the demon race of the Eastern Desolation, even in their absence. Let us speak directly of the new pact!" As he spoke, a scroll with dimmed spiritual radiance appeared in his hand. Patriarch Heize also produced a scroll. These scrolls originated from the treaty signed after that ancient racial war that had swept across the entire Mountain Sea Realm. However, with the ancient figures either ascending or passing away, the treaty's binding power had waned to near nothingness. Coupled with subordinates from both sides second-guessing their leaders' intentions and continually breaching the accord, it had become utterly incapable of constraining the two races. The focal point of today's negotiations lay in signing a new treaty! As for the division of spiritual lands, it was brushed past in merely a few sentences. Yet to Luo Chen and the others, those few words weighed as heavily as mountains! At present, the number of cultivators entrenched within the Five Lingtian Domains was not large. However, their affiliations were exceptionally fragmented. Many factions had been forced to abandon their homelands over the past century and a half. Now, in just a few words, the territory had been demarcated, with humanity suffering a massive loss. Where were they supposed to go? Could the Five Elements Divine Sect return to the Five Elements Domain? Would Patriarch Heize, after solemnly demanding the return of the Jiuling Domain, hand it back to the Nine Spirits Sect? With such a limited territory, they could coexist for now, but once their strength gradually recovered, what then? Once a new armistice was sworn, its binding force would be immense, and few would dare defy it. Unable to take action against the demons, would a grand civil war erupt within the human race? Would veteran sects like the Tiandu Sect bear the brunt of it? Question after question weighed on Tianduzi, Perfected Shenyuan, and Luo Chen. Yet they dared not speak a word, nor dared they ask. Distinguished Nascent Soul cultivators were nothing more than slightly sturdier ants before Soul Transformation grandmasters! Tianduzi glanced at Luo Chen and Shenyuan, a bitter smile lingering on his face. Perhaps he sought resonance. Yet Shenyuan was concealed beneath black robes, offering no clue to his thoughts. Luo Chen looked placid, as if none of this had anything to do with him. Tianduzi parted his lips, his bitter smile turning to disappointment. Ever since the battle at Mount Cangwu, Perfected Shenyuan's temperament had altered drastically; while he once cared deeply about his sect's interests, he now cared for nothing except himself. Alchemy Grandmaster Luo Chen had already agreed to join the Mingyuan Sect, and with barely any disciples in his Luotian Sect, he had no need to worry about such matters either. In the end, he was the only one fretting. Time trickled by. The text upon the scrolls was continuously struck through and augmented in the hands of the two Soul Transformation titans, gradually shaping a new pact. Once both imprinted their Primordial Spirit marks, the Eastern Desolation might once again welcome a fleeting peace. "The opening wars must be retained! Otherwise, given humanity's rate of reproduction, internal strife will inevitably break out after centuries or millennia. A path forward must be left open for them." "Meaning fighting will continue in the future?" "Could it be that Lord Pingshan lacks faith in the younger generations of the demon race? You have already founded the Pingshan Holy Land, and rumor has it you intend to establish a Demon Court. Surely you don't fear a few ripples down the road?" "Establish a Demon Court? I did not expect Fellow Daoist to be so well informed on such classified matters!" "If you do not want it known, do not do it in the first place. This old man can make a slight concession: not only will the opening wars be restricted to newly elevated Nascent Soul upper sects, but they shall also be limited to once every five hundred years. How about that?" Ancient Demon Di Tian fell silent. The Pingshan Holy Land, in the end, belonged only to his tiger clan. Founding the Demon Court was his life's ambition. Conquering the Eastern Desolation completely had proven to be a fantasy after witnessing the Mingyuan Sect's three-thousand-year heritage. Yet through this war, the vast majority of factions within the Million Mountains had acknowledged him. Even the stubbornly proud Ao Kuang had consented to be deployed by him. Riding this momentum to establish a Demon Royal Court was the perfect opportunity to unite the demons of the Eastern Desolation once and for all! Yet once this war ended and the external threat disappeared, would those undisciplined demons still heed his commands? Ancient Demon Di Tian cast a glance at Jinxiuxian, and his favored consort nodded firmly. They, too, needed the opening wars! "Once every five hundred years is acceptable! However..." Ancient Demon Di Tian shifted the topic, "should you not return my chang-ghost and my unworthy son? Otherwise, it will be hard for this seat to convince the masses!" Patriarch Heize smiled slightly. "As it should be! To demonstrate good faith, this old man shall return them first! Zhang Che, Luo Chen!" "Here!" "Present!" Luo Chen exchanged a glance with Lei Daozi and set to work. Under Ancient Demon Di Tian's watchful eyes, Luo Chen willed a droplet of soul blood to seep from his forehead and return to Di Tu's body. Furthermore, forming an incantation gesture, he struck a palm toward Di Tu. "Release!" The slave seal unraveled at his command. Having regained his freedom, Di Tu's face lit up with jubilation, and he dashed toward Ancient Demon Di Tian. "Father!" "Worthless creature, get to the back!" Di Tian scolded him with an unsightly scowl. Trembling all over, Di Tu skirted past Jinxiuxian and timidly took his place behind Di Tian. At the same time, the lightning cage in Lei Daozi's hand slowly opened, and the white light took on the ethereal form of a human, drifting dazedly toward Ancient Demon Di Tian. Seeing both ghost and demon regain their freedom, Ancient Demon Di Tian finally breathed a sigh of relief. "Fellow Daoist, please!" "Please!" Di Tian imprinted his Primordial Spirit mark first, holding the scroll as he waited for Heize. Heize wasted no words either, imprinting his own Primordial Spirit mark simultaneously. The two exchanged glances and swapped scrolls. So long as they carved the final mark, the scrolls would take effect. Reinforced by the Will of the Heavenly Dao, peace would once again reign over the Eastern Desolation as long as neither of them died. Was everything truly about to be settled? Luo Chen's eyes fell on the scroll Patriarch Heize gripped tightly, and he quietly stepped backward. Just then, Heize shook his head. "The thirty-six domains of the Eastern Desolation were carved out by the blade and sword of human heroes. If this old man were to concede nearly half of it with a few passing words, I fear that centuries and millennia later, descendants will point fingers and curse me behind my back!" "What do you mean? Are you trying to go back on your word?" Ancient Demon Di Tian's tone turned foul. Hearing this, Tianduzi's face flashed with delight. Yet in the next breath, a voice echoed in his ear that filled him with sudden shock and fury. "Run!" It was a divine sense transmission from Luo Chen! Not only could Tianduzi hear this transmission, but the two Soul Transformation grandmasters—whose divine souls far exceeded Luo Chen's—could naturally hear it as well. Patriarch Heize smiled faintly. Clenching the scroll in his hand, a second scroll manifested behind his back—profound and ink-black, rippling with water waves that formed a swamp realm of its own. "Strike!" He pointed a finger directly outward. Ancient Demon Di Tian didn't even look at the finger; without hesitation, he threw a backhand slap. Caught completely off guard, Di Tu—who had just raised his hand intending to make a sly move—was batted straight off Mount Biyou. Then Di Tian glared at the flying white chang-ghost, his expression ferocious. "I knew you were harboring ill intent!" At the same time, an ethereal, melodic sigh drifted from beyond the heavens. "A clash was inevitable after all?" Patriarch Heize laughed heartily. "The feeling is mutual! Has Fellow Daoist Qinghexian not been lying in ambush for quite some time as well? Senior Brothers, lend me a hand to drag this demon tiger into the Netherworld Yellow Springs Diagram!" As his words fell, a blinding golden light suddenly erupted beneath Mount Biyou, and a phantom silhouette flashed into view. The white chang-ghost likewise whipped up a tempestuous gale that swept across the surroundings. Even prior to this, all those below the Soul Transformation realm had already scattered like startled birds and beasts. Ao Kuang, in particular, was ahead of everyone else. For Patriarch Heize's earlier finger strike had been aimed squarely at Ao Kuang! When Soul Transformation grandmasters battle, the innocent are caught in the crossfire. No one dared linger; every one of them exerted unprecedented strength to flee outward. Yet vast, boundless Heaven and Earth origin qi surged from all directions, instantly blasting the towering Mount Biyou into fine powder. The heavens and earth shook—and no one could escape!