Chapter 555: A Plan to Drive Out the Demon Race

“If the Demon Race gets the Realm Spirit Heart first, all life in the Floating Shadow Realm will be devastated!”

“Now that they’ve found it, what else can we do? Attack them head-on?”

“That would be a last resort, if it comes to that. However, this is just my speculation; I can’t confirm it. Under the shroud of their demonic artifact, I’m unable to discern the Demon Race’s true situation. Besides, even if they’ve found the Realm Spirit Heart, refining it is no simple matter. We still have time. The aftereffects of the Joyful Fragrance in your system haven’t been purged, and that’s a major liability. Until you can get them under complete control, you should stay here and focus on comprehending the Secret Technique.”

Chen Dong nodded. You was right. When the aftereffects of the Joyful Fragrance flared up, Chen Dong would completely lose control of himself. It didn’t matter if he was cultivating or searching for the Realm Spirit Heart; a sudden episode would place him in grave danger.

“I will investigate the Demon Race’s unusual activity as soon as possible…”

You’s words were cut short again. Then, with a fluctuation in the surrounding space, the black-robed figure vanished.

Chen Dong and Liu Ling exchanged a look. The Demon Race was a malignant tumor on the Floating Shadow Realm; they didn’t cultivate Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi, but instead devoured the very spiritual essence of living beings.

“If only the Human Race and the Beast Race could team up to fight the Demon Race!” Chen Dong lamented.

As things stood in the Floating Shadow Realm, the Demon Race was the strongest, followed by the Beast Race, with the Human Race being the weakest. The power gap between the three wasn’t actually that enormous. The humans only seemed so fragile because they were fighting the Demon and Beast Races simultaneously. In a straightforward one-on-one confrontation, while their chances of defeating the Demon Race were slim, they wouldn’t necessarily lose to the Beast Race.

Therefore, if the Human and Beast Races could form an alliance, dealing with the Demon Race would become vastly easier.

Liu Ling tilted her head, as if genuinely pondering the issue. ‘Her own existence had already been exposed. Whether You could be trusted was a secondary concern; the truly catastrophic outcome would be the Demon Race obtaining the Realm Spirit Heart and discovering the existence of the Hongmeng Dao Artifact.’

“Actually, an alliance between the humans and the beasts isn’t impossible!”

Chen Dong froze. He’d read the histories of the Floating Shadow Realm; the conflict between the Human and Beast Races had started a millennium ago. It was mainly because of one person—no, not a person, a beast. A member of the Beast Race named Xuehou.

Because of his ugly appearance, he had endured constant scorn and abuse from humans. Then, just as he began to show a bit of strength, he was enslaved by them. Perhaps it was a cruel twist of fate, or maybe it was just his destiny, but his master treated him horribly. When exploring dangerous mystic realms, he was forced to be the first to scout for perils. When pursued by enemies, he was forced to cover their retreat. When he was gravely injured, his master refused him any medicinal pills. Worse still, as Xuehou lay dying, his master planned to kill him personally to sell his Beast Pill and body for Spirit Stones.

Ultimately, Xuehou’s miraculous bloodline awakened, allowing him to shatter the limits of the Beast Taming Contract. He killed his master on the spot and went on the run, constantly hiding to escape human pursuers. Despite being hunted by scores of humans, he somehow managed to escape into Beast Race territory, albeit heavily wounded. Centuries later, when he emerged from seclusion, he had already reached Divinity Transformation Peak.

His hatred for the Human Race ran bone-deep. After emerging, he rallied numerous beasts who were disgruntled with the humans and formed an organization called the Beast Alliance.

The Beast Alliance grew with astonishing speed. Immediately upon its founding, it annihilated several human sects. Witnessing this, many in the Beast Race began to believe they were the rightful masters of the world and started targeting humans. From then on, the Human and Beast Races were utterly divided.

Even today, the Beast Alliance’s power is immense; basically all the warmongering Beast Kings are members.

Therefore, any hope for a human-beast alliance had to go through the Beast Alliance, and it had to go through Xuehou.

Hearing Liu Ling’s words, Chen Dong turned and asked, “Are you saying…?”

Liu Ling smiled faintly. “Yes, just as you’re thinking. If we can persuade Xuehou, the alliance is as good as done. Most members of the Beast Alliance revere him. Dozens of clans fall under his direct command, and the Beast Alliance basically speaks for the entire Beast Race.”

Chen Dong shook his head again and again. “The odds are minuscule. Xuehou has always despised the Human Race; there’s no way he’d agree. Besides, his strength is surely unfathomable. If I suggested this to his face, he’d probably crush me with a single swipe of his claw!”

Liu Ling’s eyes narrowed, as if hatching another strange plan. “There’s something you don’t know. Xuehou was injured during the war between our races three years ago, and he’s in constant, agonizing pain. And that beast is nothing if not self-serving. If you could heal his wounds, it’s not entirely out of the question…”

Before Liu Ling could finish, she instantly transformed back into the Jade Pendant.

Chen Dong’s senses reached out, and he realized Zisang Jin had snuck over. She was peeking her head around a far corner, trying to steal a glance.

Chen Dong wasn’t in a rush to question Liu Ling. In any case, with the aftereffects of the Joyful Fragrance still unresolved, it was dangerous for him to go anywhere. Even if he stayed among his own people, there was no guarantee he wouldn’t have a sudden flare-up and attack some poor woman. He would either harm someone else or bring ruin upon himself, and would most likely be slain on the spot as a heretical Cultivator.

‘So it’s best to just stay put in this Divine Palace and comprehend the Secret Technique.’

Over by the corner, Zisang Jin was blushing as she cautiously peeked in his direction.

Chen Dong beckoned to her. “It’s okay, come over. I’m fine now!”

“Are you really okay?” Zisang Jin asked cautiously, her voice laced with lingering fear.

Chen Dong let out a chuckle. ‘Zisang Jin is actually quite amusing without her cultivation.’

“I’m really fine,” he said. “I won’t do anything strange to you again.”

Only then, her heart still pounding with trepidation, did Zisang Jin walk over.