Chapter 1364 - 992: Great Change in Heaven and Earth

Zhang Chen’s eyes turned toward Dugu Qiu. Although Dugu Qiu was ostensibly championing the people’s rights, Zhang Chen knew his true intention was to serve the interests of the Great Victory royal family. However, Zhang Chen didn’t hold it against him since the affairs of the world often judged by actions and not intentions, for in intentions, no one is perfect.

Dugu Qiu suddenly knelt before Zhang Chen, lifting his robe: "I know you are a person of great capabilities. Kyoto is now in peril. For the hundreds of millions of citizens living in Kyoto, please lend your assistance to help the Great Victory royal family, not for the royal family, but for the millions of citizens in Kyoto."

Dugu Qiu’s face was full of sorrow as he looked at Zhang Chen with eyes brimming with earnest plea.

Zhang Chen glanced at Dugu Qiu, seeing him kneeling on the ground, and did not stop him. Instead, thoughts flickered through his mind.

On the day the Demon Race army besieged the city, he had considered whether to use the Demon Race to crush the Great Victory royal family and erase them from existence, to remove a significant threat to himself. But Zhang Chen quickly dismissed the idea, knowing that if the Demons breached the city, the people of Kyoto would suffer immensely. Though Zhang Chen was indifferent by nature, he was not heartless enough to disregard the lives of millions for a personal vendetta.

Moreover, with the imminent great changes and the End of the Dharma Era approaching, the Great Victory royal family would lose their extraordinary powers. With his Authority of the Five Elements, manipulating them would be easy.

In reality, even without Dugu Qiu’s plea, in ten days, when the Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi dissipates above Kyoto, the End of Dharma Tribulation will arrive as expected, and the Demon Race will certainly retreat.

What will the End of Dharma Tribulation affect the most? Not the extraordinary Human Race, but the Demon Race!

Once the end arrives, Demon Beasts will devolve back into mindless beasts. By then, where will there be any Demon Race? The entire Demon Race will disintegrate, becoming mere sustenance for the Human Race.

"It’s tough being the Demon Race," Zhang Chen muttered to himself.

Then he looked at Dugu Qiu: "Tell the Human King of the Great Victory that in ten days, the Demon Race will naturally retreat. Ask them to hold on for ten days without giving the Demons any opportunity."

"Retreat in just ten days?" Dugu Qiu was stunned at the word, then joy flooded his face, thinking Zhang Chen had agreed to help: "Do you need the court’s assistance?"

Zhang Chen shook his head: "In ten days, all will be revealed."

Dugu Qiu thanked him profusely before standing up to bid farewell. After taking a few steps, he paused, turned toward Zhang Chen, his eyes filled with indescribable meaning, as if wanting to say something, but ultimately said nothing.

The distance between him and Zhang Chen seemed to grow further and further.

As Dugu Qiu left the Zhang Family, Zhang Chen reclined in a rocking chair, closing his eyes to nourish his spirit. After an uncertain amount of time, there was another knock at the door. A guard reported: "Master, someone outside wishes to see you, claiming to be an old acquaintance."

"An old acquaintance?" Zhang Chen opened his eyes on the rocking chair, curious: "I wonder which old acquaintance it could be. Invite them in."

Shortly afterward, a figure entered the room. Zhang Chen looked at the person, whose face was unfamiliar, appearing to be a fifty-something scholar. "And you are?"

"It’s me!" The person tore at their face, revealing a peeled-off skin: "I learned the Demon Race’s skin painting technique."

The visitor turned out to be Chen Sanliang.

Zhang Chen looked at Chen Sanliang, shocked at how he dared to enter the city amidst the heated conflict between the Demon Race and the Human Race. If the Humans discovered Chen Sanliang had entered, they would show him no mercy, especially the Academy, which would try every means to eliminate him.

After all, in the Royal City, the Dragon Qi suppresses all techniques. Even if Chen Sanliang reached the Twelfth Tier, how much power could he exert under the Dragon Qi’s suppression?

"Can my father still be saved?" Chen Sanliang asked, his eyes fixed on Zhang Chen, full of hope.

Hearing this, Zhang Chen hesitated slightly before slowly saying, "Yes, he can be saved!"

"I’m willing to pay any price," Chen Sanliang solemnly said.

"There’s no need for that. Given our relationship, there’s no need to talk about price; it’s a trivial matter for me." Zhang Chen replied unhurriedly: "Where is the old gentleman’s body?"

"Outside the city," Chen Sanliang replied.

Zhang Chen stepped forward, placing his hand on Chen Sanliang’s shoulder. The next moment, an escape technique activated, and when they reappeared, both were outside the city.

"You can still use such incredible means even under the Dragon Qi suppression of the Royal City?" Chen Sanliang’s eyes widened, pupils contracting rapidly, filled with disbelief.

Zhang Chen smiled lightly: "Just a small trick. Lead the way ahead."

Chen Sanliang led Zhang Chen toward a distant barren hill. Following behind, Zhang Chen spoke to Chen Sanliang’s thin back: "Sir, you shouldn’t have broken through to the Twelfth Tier."

"Why?" Chen Sanliang was puzzled.

"Because ten days from now, the end of the Dharma will arrive, and this land can no longer accommodate Twelfth Tier powerhouses. Twelfth Tier powerhouses will inevitably be affected by the changes in Heaven and Earth," Zhang Chen said.

Chen Sanliang halted his steps, turned to look at Zhang Chen, who then thoroughly explained his predictions for ten days later. Upon hearing this, Chen Sanliang was shocked: "If everything you said is true, then wouldn’t our Demon Race be in big trouble?"

"It’s not just big trouble; it’s facing a crisis of extinction. If I were you, I would definitely prepare in advance and firmly control the Human Demon race. Only the Human Demon race stands a chance to oppose the Human Race," Zhang Chen advised Chen Sanliang earnestly.

His relationship with Chen Sanliang was extraordinary, and Chen Sanliang had been kind to him, so he certainly wouldn’t watch Chen Sanliang suffer.

There’s no denying that Chen Sanliang is genuinely the best person in this world to him, without exception!

Chen Sanliang’s expression was indecisive. According to Zhang Chen’s words, what’s the point of the Demon Race conquering the Divine Land now?

"Why not go crazy before the End of Dharma Tribulation, using Demon Beasts to launch a frenzied attack on major Human Race cities, expanding the territory for the Human Demon race? Even when the End of Dharma comes and no one has extraordinary means, the Human Demon race might not be inferior to the Human Race," Chen Sanliang vowed inwardly.

Hearing Chen Sanliang’s words, Zhang Chen turned to glance at him. His reasoning was not without merit, but it would bring yet another catastrophe to the Human Race citizens.

"Destruction before reformation! The Human Race is already oppressed by the nobility and has become mindless puppets. The Demon Race is much freer. As long as you support me, I can promise you a future nation where all are equals, abolishing all noble privileges and returning everyone to the same starting line," Chen Sanliang swore to Zhang Chen.

Zhang Chen, upon hearing this, was indifferent: "I don’t meddle in Human Race’s disputes."

Chen Sanliang was enlightened: "Humans and demons are still humans; they will inevitably integrate into the Human Race in the future. Only those beasts are alien."

Being intelligent, Chen Sanliang immediately set the tone.

The pair arrived at the mountainside and saw the lifeless bodies of the Chen Family father and sons. Zhang Chen retrieved the Three Lights Divine Water, neutralized the poison within their bodies, and used a trace of the Divine Water to nourish them, bringing them back to life. Zhang Chen then activated the Authority of Reincarnation, and as the Power of Reincarnation flowed, he summoned the souls of the Chen Family father and sons seemingly out of thin air.

It’s essential to know that, unlike Han Suzhen’s fragmented soul, the souls of the Chen Family father and sons remained intact as they hadn’t yet passed the seventh day of death. They even retained their memories from life. Zhang Chen then pushed their souls back into their bodies, causing their hearts to resume beating as they slowly opened their eyes.

"Such skill! I now have complete faith in your ability to resurrect your master," Chen Sanliang said to Zhang Chen, his eyes filled with awe.

Being able to resurrect the dead, could he still be considered a cultivator? Even the legendary Ancient God might not surpass this!

Zhang Chen smiled at this comment: "I also have complete confidence in resurrecting my master."

Old Man Chen climbed up from the ground, looked around in confusion, finally resting his gaze on Chen Sanliang: "Wasn’t I dead already? Have I arrived in the legendary underworld? Sanliang, why have you come? Haven’t you achieved the Twelfth Tier, becoming a great cultivator? Who could kill you?"

Old Man Chen’s eyes were filled with disbelief, staring intently at Chen Sanliang as if unwilling to believe his own eyes.

"Father, you’re not dead! I have a friend who can revive the dead and has brought you back to life," Chen Sanliang said, introducing Zhang Chen: "This is my friend."

"Friend? Resurrection?" Old Man Chen looked at his own body and then felt it, filled with warmth as he looked at Zhang Chen, immediately falling to his knees: "Young brother, thank you for saving my life."

"Old Master, please rise. We are all family, and these are undue formalities," Zhang Chen said as he helped Old Man Chen up.

"Due indeed! For reversing the Law of Heaven and Earth, you must have paid an unimaginable price. As an old man, I’m not clueless—I understand the intricacies," said Old Man Chen as he grabbed Zhang Chen’s wrist and turned to address the Chen Family’s elders: "What are you two standing about for? Kneel and bow already!"

Old Man Chen urged, and the Chen Family brothers, as if awakening from a dream, kneeled to bow repeatedly to Zhang Chen.

As Zhang Chen attempted to help them up, he was held back by Old Man Chen, "For saving our lives, you deserve the grand ceremony of three prostrations and nine kowtows; henceforth, you are their second parent."

Zhang Chen was momentarily stunned, not having a chance to respond before Old Man Chen directed at the Chen brothers: "Are you just bowing? Speak, call him father!"

The Chen brothers, having just been resurrected and seemingly not fully cognizant, uttered: "Father, your sons bow to you."

Zhang Chen, hearing the older men call him father, was thunderstruck; the Chen brothers were too dense.

Turning to look at Chen Sanliang, Zhang Chen saw that his expression had completely darkened; if his brothers called Zhang Chen father, what should he call him?

"The titles are all confused; perhaps we should address each other separately? You are my grandmaster, and I’m their father?" Zhang Chen said uncertainly to Chen Sanliang.