Immortal of the Nine Realms

Chapter 1763: A Cycle of Death and Rebirth

"Just like that?" said Fang Chen in surprise.

Gu Yueling had already mentioned this method before. To become a Saint was to cast off the status of a slave.

A realization struck Fang Chen. If the demonic beast ancestors also relied on this method to establish themselves in the outer world, then in the beginning... weren't they also someone else's house slaves or slave soldiers?

Gu Yueling suddenly let out a cold, mocking laugh. "Simple? Do you know how difficult the Three Limit Breaking Steps are? Do you know how difficult it is to become a Half Saint? Do you know how difficult it is to become a Saint? If you did, you would never say the word 'simple.'"

Fang Chen said calmly, "I naturally don't know how difficult it is. That is precisely why I am asking you."

After a pause, he added, "By your logic, before your demon ancestors gave birth to a Saint, weren't they all house slaves?"

Xianyue Guan and the others looked slightly confused.

"House slaves?"

Gu Yueling sneered. "Every great race must walk this path. There is nothing shameful about it. Only those who reach the end of this path truly possess real capability. The suffering endured by our demon ancestors is indescribable. Eight hundred thousand years of slave-soldier existence—that is what gave birth to a single Saint. And your human race will likely have to walk the same path again. But who can say whether you will ever make it through? Perhaps in tens of thousands of years, the last spark of your race will have gone out. And perhaps there would be no trace of the humans left in the Qingming."

"I see now why you want to sell the Nine Mortal Realms."

A streak of light descended, and Ye Qingqiu arrived, her voice sharp and cold. "So from the very beginning, the demonic beast race here would never become slave soldiers because they are your kin, and you already have a Saint backing you. Is that it?"

Xianyue Guan laughed in anger. "I thought you were simply blinded by greed and willing to sell out even your own race. So in the end, it's just humans who would be enslaved?"

"Why the anger?" Gu Yueling did not seem offended at all. Instead, she smiled faintly. "According to the information I received, there are not only humans here but also demons and Fallen Immortals. They will also become slave soldiers, just like you. You are not alone. But right now, you actually have a very good opportunity, far better than them. If you cooperate with me, at least some of your human race will avoid becoming slave soldiers. As long as you reach the eighth transformation, you will be qualified to obtain the Saint Canon. One day in the future, you may even become a Saint and rescue your people."

The core disciples, even when facing a demon invasion, had never felt such despair. They suddenly realized that everything they had always relied upon... seemed utterly insignificant in the Qingming void. Even the Nine Realms themselves could, in an instant, be completely enslaved. It was as if a sharp blade was hanging above their heads, ready to fall at any moment.

Gu Yueling looked at Xianyue Guan with a faint smile. "Oh, right, you are a half-demonic beast."

"So even if the human race produces a Saint in the future, you and your lineage will not be recognized by the Qingming Supreme Alliance. If your clan is not large, becoming my retainer might not be a bad option. You could take another path and avoid the fate of becoming slave soldiers."

Xianyue Guan's face paled slightly. He suddenly realized that by her logic, his entire lineage had no possibility of being recognized at all.

"Maybe we should kill her?" someone said. His expression was solemn as he looked around, finally resting his gaze on Fang Chen. He said honestly, "She almost convinced me just now. If what she says is true, I fear the Nine Realms may really be sold, and we may become the ones who enable it."

The crowd fell silent. No one dared to imagine what the Nine Realms would look like after that.

Slave soldiers?

Even the demonic beast ancestors had endured eighty thousand years of slavery before producing a Saint. Can the human race do the same?

Another person chimed in, "We have no qualification to decide such a matter."

"Killing her is not the best choice. I still think this must be decided by those above us."

"We are only core disciples. How many years have we even lived?"

"Our vision and experience cannot compare to the elders."

Gu Yueling seemed slightly startled that someone had proposed killing her outright. Her heart chilled, but seeing opposition, she finally relaxed a little.

What a bunch of lunatics!

"Actually, if a new Heavenly Dao rises, all these problems you mentioned would be solved," said Fang Chen. "A Heavenly Dao is much stronger than a Saint. The Qingming Supreme Alliance would recognize it without question."

He looked at Gu Yueling. "Am I not correct?"

She hesitated, then nodded. "Yes."

"If a Heavenly Dao truly exists, the Supreme Alliance would indeed recognize you. You would not become slave soldiers. But becoming a Heavenly Dao is far too difficult. Do you really have such a genius here?"

Fang Chen replied calmly, "There is indeed someone in the Nine Realms who is already Half-Step Heavenly Dao. If outsiders ever truly arrive here, I might be able to push him forward and help him attain the position of Heavenly Dao."

Motian Dizang?

Everyone was slightly stunned, their expressions becoming complicated.

They had some vague understanding of this matter. If the Underworld were truly unified... that person might indeed be able to use it to ascend. But if that happened, what would become of Fang Chen himself?

Gu Yueling was shaken. Seeing that Fang Chen did not seem to be joking, her expression grew serious. "You really have a Half-Step Heavenly Dao here?"

She fell silent for a moment. Finally, she said, "Did you forget what I said earlier? If you start using the fate of an entire star realm to nourish a Heavenly Dao again, this place will only accelerate toward becoming a dead zone. Becoming slave soldiers still leaves a chance of reversal, but total extinction means eternal oblivion!"

Wang Ye suddenly sneered. "Turning this place into a dead zone? Then we can do what your Seeking Dao Faction did, search for a new world outside. Isn't that exactly what your faction once did?"

"That's why the conservatives didn't oppose it. You just said it yourself: don't put all your eggs in one basket. In truth, there was never any real conflict between your factions. Both sides supported leaving. Back then, this place had the protection of the Heavenly Dao, making it the safest anchor. If your Seeking Dao Faction failed, there would still be a second, a third... until one succeeded, and then you would return to retrieve the conservatives. That would complete the transition from death to life."

Gu Yueling's eyes flickered uneasily. "I don't know what you are talking about. If you insist on walking that path again, I have nothing more to say. But do you have enough time? The conservatives' message will eventually be received by others. In a few hundred years... or at most a few thousand, disaster will come, and if there is no Heavenly Dao by then... this world will have no future."