Chapter 595: Hope of the Human Race

The words fell.

A figure clad in golden battle armor, wielding a square sky halberd, with an aura deep as the abyss and vast as the sea, slowly walked out from the ten-thousand-zhang golden light at the cave entrance.

He did not even spare Suiren a glance, merely sweeping his icy gaze across the surrounding mountains and forests.

"Hmph, a group of suicidal fiendish beasts."

He raised his hand toward the void and gently clenched it.

Boom—

Within a hundred li radius, all the demon beasts and spirits hiding in the dark, spying on this place, whether they were minor demons who had just awakened their intelligence or great demons who had cultivated for hundreds of years, in this instant their bodies simultaneously exploded, transforming into clusters of blood mist, soul and spirit annihilated!

With a wave of his hand and a move of his foot, he slaughtered over a hundred demon evils!

What terrifying power this is!

Suiren slumped on the ground, his mind a complete blank.

He looked at that Golden-Armored Heavenly General like a deity, looked at the endless brilliant golden light behind him, felt that supreme majesty that made even his breathing stagnate, and was so frightened his whole body trembled violently.

He thought he was dead for sure.

This existence ten thousand times more terrifying than that demon wolf just now would certainly pinch him to death like pinching an ant.

Only after doing all this did the Golden-Armored Heavenly General slowly turn around; those eyes like burning golden flames fell upon Suiren.

"Hm?"

The Heavenly General's brows furrowed slightly.

He could sense that something seemed off with the entire human race.

He took a step forward, and his figure silently appeared before Suiren.

Suiren's heart abruptly stopped beating.

It's over.

However, the Heavenly General did not attack him, merely sweeping a cold glance over him.

That gaze, looking down from above, was filled with the indifference of a deity overlooking ants.

"Human race?"

The Heavenly General's voice carried not a trace of warmth.

Suiren was so frightened his teeth chattered; he couldn't utter a single word, only nodding his head desperately.

"Hmph, weak, lowly."

The Heavenly General coldly snorted, as if wanting to say something, but then he seemed to recall something, and a trace of extremely subtle change appeared on that icy face.

He raised his head, looking toward the direction of the Nine Heavens above, a flash of reverence passing through his eyes.

He recalled that Heavenly Emperor His Majesty who sat upon the Lingxiao Baodian, whose words become law.

Even more he recalled that Great Emperor Taiyi who was clearly frail and sickly, yet seemed able to see through the myriad ages, with calculations leaving nothing unaccounted for.

It was precisely those two supreme existences who issued that decree that made the entire Yao Clan tremble.

Protect the human race!

Although he, like many great demons, did not know why they were to protect the weak human race.

But the actions of the Heavenly Emperor and Great Emperor Taiyi must have their profound meaning.

The Heavenly General slowly spoke, his voice transmitted clearly into Suiren's mind through magic power.

"Listen well, human race."

"From today forth, you all shall receive the protection of our Heavenly Court."

"Heavenly Emperor His Majesty has decreed: Within the Great Wasteland, within the territories of our Yao Clan, any person, any force, who dares to harm the human race in the slightest without cause..."

"One strike no pardon!"

Boom!

These words, like a primordial thunderclap of creation, completely detonated in Suiren's mind.

Protection?

Heavenly Court?

Heavenly Emperor His Majesty?

These unfamiliar terms assaulted his heart that had just struggled back from the brink of death.

He could not fully understand the meaning of these terms, but he understood the last sentence.

From today on, they... no longer need to be treated as food?

An unprecedented wild joy and excitement, like a volcanic eruption, instantly engulfed Suiren.

He looked at the Golden-Armored Heavenly General before him, looked at that cold face no longer filled with killing intent, and tears uncontrollably burst from his eyes.

He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but because of excitement could only emit "wu wu" choked sobs.

He struggled, using all the strength in his body, toward the Golden-Armored Heavenly General, toward that golden sky outside the cave, and deeply, deeply bowed down.

One bow, two bows, three bows...

He used this most primitive, most simple way to express his most sincere gratitude.

The Golden-Armored Heavenly General looked at the youth kneeling on the ground crying like a child, his heart without a ripple.

In his long life, he had seen too many joys and sorrows of living beings.

A weak human's gratitude was not enough to move him.

He was merely executing His Majesty's command.

"This place is not suitable for staying long; quickly return to your tribe."

The Heavenly General left these final words, then turned to prepare to leave.

The territory he patrolled was still vast; he had no time to waste in a small little mountain cave.

Just as he was about to step out of the cave entrance, he seemed to recall something, and his steps halted.

He casually took out a red fruit emitting a faint, fresh fragrance from his storage treasure and threw it backward.

"This is the Fire Cloud Fruit, it can stave off hunger and also strengthen tendons and bones. Considering you lured away the demon beasts for humanity, it counts as a small merit—this item, I bestow upon you."

"Remember, this is... the benevolence of the Heavenly Emperor and Donghuang."

Having said that, his figure completely vanished within the golden light.

In the world between heaven and earth, that terrifying pressure also dissipated along with it.

Inside the mountain cave, darkness and silence were restored once more.

Only that small cluster of weak flames continued to struggle and flicker.

Sui slowly raised his head, his face still streaked with tears.

He looked at the Fire Cloud Fruit in his hand, still retaining warmth, then glanced at the night sky outside the cave that had already regained its tranquility; his entire being remained in a dreamlike, illusory daze.

For a long time.

He carefully placed the Fire Cloud Fruit into his bosom.

He did not eat it.

This is a gift bestowed by the Heavenly Emperor; he intends to take it back to give to the eldest elder of the tribe, and to those children crying for milk.

He stood up, and finally glanced once more at the cluster of fire deep within the cave that had given him warmth and hope.

He did not go to touch it, nor did he think again about that strange, speaking bone.

Compared to the cold, eerie, and danger-laden power brought by that bone, the Heavenly Emperor's protection is so bright, so vast, so... reassuring.

He turned around, dragging his weary yet hopeful body, and rushed out of the mountain cave.

He must return, must tell this tremendous good news to all the tribespeople!

They... are saved!

The "He" Tribe.

This is a small human settlement built along the river, with over a hundred tribespeople huddled in crude thatched huts, shivering.

After Sui lured away the demon wolf, they did not feel safe; instead, they became even more fearful.

They knew Sui would not return.

And that demon wolf, after toying with its prey, would ultimately return here and devour them all.

The atmosphere of despair, like thick fog, enveloped the entire tribe.

Just at this moment, a familiar figure came tumbling and crawling into the tribe.

"Sui!"

"It's Sui! He's back!"

Everyone was stunned.

The eldest elder of the tribe—a white-haired, white-bearded old man with unsteady steps, leaning on a wooden staff, trembling as he approached.

"Child, you... you are still alive?"

"Alive! Elder, I am alive!"

Sui, overcome with emotion and speaking incoherently, produced the Fire Cloud Fruit from his bosom as if offering a treasure: "Look! This is the Heavenly Emperor's... no, the Heavenly Emperor's bestowed divine fruit!"

He recounted, in the simplest language, the events of the Heavenly General's descent, the slaughter of the demons, and the protection of humanity, vividly and colorfully.

The entire tribe fell into a deathlike silence.

Everyone stared wide-eyed, as if listening to a distant and unbelievable myth.

Until the elder tremblingly took the Fire Cloud Fruit.

The moment the fruit entered his hand, a vast surge of life essence poured into his already withered body.

His withered skin regained its luster, his cloudy eyes became clear, and his hunched back straightened somewhat!

"A divine miracle! This... this is truly a divine miracle!" The elder wept tears of joy, kneeling excitedly on the ground.

"Thud!"

"Thud!"

Seeing this astonishing scene, all the tribespeople had no more doubts and knelt down in unison.

Facing the direction of the Nine Heavens above, they bowed with the utmost devotion, kowtowing and paying homage.

"Thank the Heavenly Emperor!"

"Thank the Heavenly Court's protection!"

The tender, simple, yet utterly sincere voices rose together.

Strand by strand, invisible to the naked eye, incomparably pure belief power rose from them, crossing the endless void, converging toward the Yao Clan Heavenly Court above the Nine Heavens.