Chapter 992

Pitch-black, endless void.

The Crystal Star of the Celestial Crystal Divine Clan shot through the void at high speed, trailing a crystal light hundreds of thousands of miles long.

At the core of the star, inside a gigantic Seven-Colored Crystal Hall, tens of thousands of huge Crystal Treasure Mirrors hover, within which countless light and shadow flicker, and countless streams of light cascade down like waterfalls, filled with the Celestial Crystal Divine Clan's secret divine script.

Thousands of Celestial Crystal Divine Clan members, each several zhang tall, bustled inside the hall, vigilantly staring at the Crystal Treasure Mirrors, occasionally frantically tapping the Seven-Colored Crystal control panel with a rapid 'pa-pa-pa' sound.

Suddenly, a sharp cry rang out, and the Seven-Colored Crystal Hall instantly turned a pale red.

The red light quickly deepened, soon becoming a glaring blood-red.

Inside the hall, the Celestial Crystal Divine Clan members froze in unison, then their crystal-formed faces simultaneously showed stiff smiles.

This signal came from Mu Continent.

Followers of Mu Continent are preparing to make a sacrifice.

The blood-red light signifies that the sacrificing followers are those frenzied, bloodthirsty demon lords.

Demon lords are good. Demon lords are truly good.

The believers hidden within the Pangu Human Race's forces always conduct their sacrifices furtively and cautiously, each offering like a chick dropping dung—trickling in meager resources.

Only those reckless demon lords, especially those who have formed dynastic forces and constantly battle the human race on the battlefield continent designated by humanity and the Human Dynasty, carry out their sacrifices in a frenzied, hysterical manner; sometimes the scale of their sacrifices is so great that even the Celestial Crystal Divine Clan feel shocked and terrified.

Five hundred years ago, on a human battlefield, a certain Demon Path Dynasty breached the capital of the Human Divine Nation, completely overturning that Human Dynasty.

After that battle, those demon lords slaughtered 99% of the populace of the Human Divine Nation as sacrifices.

That night, the divine soul crystals received within the Crystal Star fell like a meteor shower, and the blood essence received flowed like a waterfall.

That night, the leaders of all the great divine clans reveled all night, and the Celestial Crystal Divine Clan guardians of this hall also received huge rewards, enabling many of them to consecutively raise their cultivation by several levels.

A Celestial Crystal Divine Clan member, a hundred zhang tall and stationed at the hall's center to control its operation, shouted loudly: 'Prepare to decelerate, follow the reception orbit... lock onto the altar that sent the signal, inform Lord Xuan Wu, and open all the idle warehouse doors.'

The harvesting of humanity by all the great divine clans has officially begun.

The Wisdom Divine Clan's hidden agents among humanity are frenziedly active.

In recent years, the sacrifice signals from Mu Continent have become increasingly frequent, and the scale of the sacrifices has grown ever larger.

The present Celestial Crystal Divine Clan members were so excited that their hearts pounded wildly; through their semi-translucent bodies, one could see their hearts bursting with dazzling crystal radiance.

'I wonder what this harvest will yield,' muttered a Celestial Crystal Divine Clan member in a low voice.

'The signal comes from an extremely ancient demon state,' another evidently experienced Celestial Crystal Divine Clan member couldn't help but laugh, saying, 'At times like this, when a demon state initiates a sacrifice, they... very likely have made a breakthrough.'

'Perhaps they have already toppled the human dynasty that opposed them,' another Celestial Crystal Divine Clan member wistfully muttered.

The enormous Crystal Star gradually slowed in the void, accompanied by a low rumble; the massive star shifted its orbit in the void, and on a circular orbit with a diameter of tens of millions of miles, the Crystal Star began to turn slowly.

On the surface of the Crystal Star, a circular formation with a diameter of thousands of miles began to shine, waves of powerful magical power radiating outward; this circular array resembled a vortex, starting to slowly rotate.

Inside the Crystal Star, in the hall where Xuan Wu, You Yi, and others are stationed, members of the Five Great Divine Clans are reporting to them that the divine artifacts of each clan have simultaneously been activated, consuming a great amount of divine power.

Xuan Wu and the others gave no clear response; recently on Mu Continent, all human factions have fallen into chaos, the war drags on, and countless followers of the various gods, when attacking human territories, will borrow the power of divine artifacts.

'Perhaps there will be a fierce battle... or perhaps we will soon receive a substantial reward.' The ethereal voice of Xu Po floated and echoed in the hall: 'I greatly anticipate what this large-scale descent of divine artifacts will bring us.'

Xuan Wu's rough laugh cut off Xu Po's words: 'We have news—the coordinates where the divine artifact avatars of each clan have just descended are transmitting an extremely strong sacrifice signal. We will enjoy a feast.'

The atmosphere in the hall instantly became lively; You Yi, Xu Po, Chi Yan, and Yi Zun straightened their bodies, their eyes flashing with dazzling light.

A feast, worth looking forward to; the many divine spirits within the hall unconsciously broke into radiant smiles.

Mu Continent, the Ji Yi Fifth Battlefield, southern border of Wuguo: squads of Giant Divine Soldiers carried the frantically cursing and shouting demon troops, lining them up neatly beside the altar.

Upon the altar, blood-red demon flames rose.

Gongsun Bai Ma recovered quickly, having awakened from the unconsciousness caused by a hammer blow to the head; now, under the coercion of several Wuguo generals, he is frantically struggling, pointing at Wu Tie and hurling abuse.

'You are not fit to be human... you are not fit to be human... even if they are demon lords, they are still people, still of human bloodline.'

'By sacrificing them, you aid the enemy, you are sending nourishment to those extraterrestrial evil demons, you are helping our humanity's age-old blood feud... you are not fit to be human, you are a traitor to humanity, you scoundrel, you bastard!'

Someone with a grim expression stepped out of the ranks, intending to stop Gongsun Bai Ma's tirade.

Wu Tie shook his head: 'Let him curse, see what fresh nonsense he can spout... heh, am I a traitor to humanity? Whether I am a traitor or not is not for you to decide.'

Wu Tie lifted his head, gazing at the clouds drifting across the sky like galloping horses blown by the fierce wind.

'Whether I am a traitor to humanity is truly not for you to decide. I know what I am doing; I truly know what I am doing.'

Wu Tie turned, looking at Gongsun Bai Ma whose mouth was frothing white, and gave a faint smile: 'I do not contend for hegemony, I do not claim kingship, I have no grand ambitions; I only seek to get by, to eat and wait for death... in these troubled times, I only wish for myself and those willing to follow me a means to survive, to live carefree and nourished.'

'I have not provoked the Supreme Demon State; if they come to attack me, they must pay the price.'

'Their hands are bloody, their bodies full of sin; therefore they ought not to live. Since they all deserve to die, making use of them as waste is not unacceptable.'

'Using their lives to gain strength for myself and those around me, I see nothing wrong with that.'

'Only I and my people, possessing sufficient strength, can live carefree and at ease in this chaotic world, living by eating and waiting for death, living lazily and leisurely... what's wrong with that?'

Gongsun Bai Ma screamed hoarsely: 'Shameless, shameless, quibbling, quibbling... how short-sighted, how foolish... even if you turn all your subordinates into Venerable-level beings today using these demonic methods, what then? You sacrifice so many people to those extraterrestrial evil demons, waiting for the day they come to kill us...'

Wu Tie smiled faintly: 'If they ever come to kill us, I'll just kill them—how simple is that?'

Gongsun Bai Ma bellowed: 'Nonsense... you simply don't understand, you simply don't get it...'

Wu Tie ignored Gongsun Bai Ma's howl, speaking coldly: 'To do nothing out of fear of the enemy's strength is true foolishness. I firmly believe that only the tangible power we hold in our own hands is the greatest guarantee for living comfortably.'

'I firmly believe that I should and must grasp real, substantial power.'

'You... including some elders of Wadao... perhaps you are simply too conservative, too hidebound.'

Wu Tie had heard Gongsun San Yang's account, and he thought... the old matriarchs of Wadao are simply too conservative.

They would rather face great danger, preserve their awareness and flee into the Six Paths of Reincarnation, thereby extending their lives...

Rather than that, it would be better to...

The human race has countless people; among them there are always some scoundrels. Picking a group of death-row inmates with grave sins and sufficient strength from among so many scoundrels—is that really hard?

Sacrificing these death-row inmates to enable a handful of human leaders who are both strong enough in cultivation and wise and enlightened to break through to the Venerable level—is that really difficult?

If those human leaders manage to break through successfully, their lifespans will be vastly extended, and their contributions to humanity will become even greater.

Wu Tie thought this was a completely feasible method.

Gongsun Bai Ma was left breathless by Wu Tie's words; after a while, he murmured: "The Huanlong clan also thought this way, so they were exterminated…… You don't understand, you don't understand, this is the bottom line, this is the bottom line of being a human race!"

As a human, you slaughter your own kin and offer sacrifices to demons…… No matter how glorious and great your excuse, your actions are always worse than beasts…… Once you cross this bottom line, you are no longer human, you are unworthy of being human, you are a traitor to the human race…… you, you, you……

Gongsun Bai Ma earnestly advised Wu Tie: "There are records on Wa Island that, in the time of ancient myths, many human heroes were just like you, initially holding the brightest and greatest ideas, but they took the wrong first step, and then step by step they sank into depravity, never able to turn back."

Such people, such things…… there are far too many, far too many…… Gongsun Bai Ma shouted sternly: "Wu Tie, even if you, you, you are an unparalleled sage, even if you can firm your original heart, you can always keep your original intention unchanged…… your subjects, you are certain they will……"

Wu Tie interrupted Gongsun Bai Ma's words: "I believe in them…… Of course, if they really do fall one day, what I have bestowed upon them, I will personally take back. This is not difficult at all."

Of course, what I have given them, they must also pay interest, interest, which is their lives. This is obviously fair.

Wu Tie stood with his hands behind his back, coldly looking at Gongsun Bai Ma: "I just want to loaf around and wait for death, to live my small life in comfort…… Whoever dares to destroy this life goal of mine, I will kill him. You see, this matter is actually that simple."

Gongsun Bai Ma was panting, unable to speak.

He stared blankly at Wu Tie, not understanding what Wu Tie was thinking…… Once this sacrifice is completed, Wu Tie's forces will have thousands of Zun-level combat power.

Thousands of Zun-level…… This power, he could even counterattack Wa Island, and even plot to seize the human race's Imperial Throne.

With such power, you are merely ensuring you can loaf around and wait for death?

"Are you treating me as an idiot?" Gongsun Bai Ma finally could not suppress his anger, roaring at Wu Tie: "People like you who appear simple and pure are either fools with broken brains, or truly great villains!"

"You are not an idiot, you are a great villain…… You are destined to be the sinner who brings disaster to the entire human race!" Gongsun Bai Ma shouted hoarsely: "You traitor, you monster, you……"

Wu Tie turned his body and looked toward the direction of the altar.

He couldn't be bothered to deal with Gongsun Bai Ma anymore.

Everyone's basic ideas are in conflict; no one can convince anyone else, so let's not waste our breath.

Wu Tie only wishes to live peacefully.

On the altar, demonic flames surged, slowly engulfing the vast demon troops. These demon soldiers emitted hysterical curses and shouts, then their bodies melted bit by bit in the scorching demonic flames.

Their souls surged upward, their bloodlines being gradually refined by the demonic flames.

One after another, massive pillars of light shot into the void; the immense demonic power they had accumulated in their lifetimes was being transformed back into heavenly and earthly primordial energy, feeding back into this realm.

Wu Tie suddenly swung his right hand; the just-formed reincarnation dao seal flashed, and in the void appeared a six-spoked, spiritually radiant treasure wheel. The six incarnations simultaneously rose into the air, sitting cross-legged on the wheel, beginning to chant mysterious sutras.

Bit by bit, innate spiritual light was extracted from these demon soldiers' souls, turning into blood-colored specks like fireflies.

The innate spiritual light of a normal person, whether strong or weak, is always soft and luminous, giving a feeling of tranquility and leisure.

But these demon soldiers, having slaughtered countless and bearing heinous sins, their innate spiritual light is suffused with a bloody hue, giving an extremely fierce and brutal feeling.

Some people are bad, bad to the bone.

And these demon soldiers are bad to the point that their innate spiritual light is contaminated.

If they were to be reborn in this state, they would certainly be violent and evil in their next life, the so-called ten-lifetime evildoers; it is precisely such demonic leaders who, by chance, are reincarnated and take human form again.

Of course, with Wu Tie's six incarnations present, these demon soldiers wanting to become human in their next life…… is impossible.

The six incarnations chanted the sutras; one by one, the seals of the Hell Path and Beast Path were deeply imprinted upon these innate spiritual lights, accompanied by mournful howls, bit by bit the bloody light flames were swallowed by the six-spoked treasure wheel and directly injected into the six-path reincarnation law of Mu Dalu.

With those Hell Path and Beast Path seals, these demon soldiers will first be sent to the Hell Path to be properly processed, then reincarnated; they can only become beasts, and will hardly ever be able to become human again.

Strands of golden light and purple qi descended from the heavens, falling upon Wu Tie's six incarnations and his true self.

As the innate spiritual light of the demon soldiers consumed by the six-path reincarnation increased, the trickling down of merit power became like a waterfall rushing down, with a 'Hualala' sound accompanied by a dull thunderous roar continually falling.

Gongsun Bai Ma stared blankly at this unbelievable scene.

Merit surged like a tide…… How could this be possible?

"You are, slaughtering the human race…… How could you……"

Wu Tie, without turning his head, replied to Gongsun Bai Ma: "Punishing evil is promoting good; slaying demons is merit."