Chapter 397: Generations of Servitude

Chapter 397: Generations of Servitude

Inside the small cave, Deng Yuxiang seemed like an emotionless interrogation machine.

The back-and-forth questioning between the two was rather calm until Lu Ran heard a particular statement that made him exclaim in surprise, "Cooperation? Cooperation between the Human Race and the Demons?"

"Yes! Yes!" Luo Furen hurriedly nodded.

Lu Ran was momentarily speechless, trying to process this shocking news.

In order to survive and collect Holy Spirit Qi, everyone was going to extreme lengths.

The Human Race camp and the Demon camp had a deep-rooted enmity, a blood feud spanning four decades.

The harm inflicted by the Demons on the Human Race over the years couldn't be explained in a few words.

If not for the intervention of the Divine Beings, humanity would have likely faced extinction.

The blood and tears of the Human Race had been flowing for decades; how could such pain, humiliation, and deep-seated hatred ever be washed away?

But in the Holy Spirit Mountain Realm, could humans and demons coexist and cooperate?

Lu Ran asked himself this question, and he doubted he could ever be that flexible.

He could be the master of demons, enslaving them.

But for the task assigned by the Divine Beings, could he ally with the Demon forces, live on the edge, and share their fate?

What a joke!

Setting aside the grand notion of racial justice, just considering Lu Ran's own family, the Demon race had a vendetta against him for patricide.

Deng Yuxiang noticed Lu Ran's change in expression and gently patted his arm, soothing him in a soft voice, "Sect Leader."

"Hmm." Lu Ran snapped out of his thoughts, his face still somber.

Ever since entering the Holy Spirit Mountain, Lu Ran's understanding had been continuously challenged and shaken.

Deng Yuxiang, in a rare moment of gentleness, said, "The Night Demon we just saw is quite special; she seems to possess remarkable intelligence."

Lu Ran contemplated, "This should be the foundation for the collaboration between humans and demons."

If demons mindlessly attacked humans on sight, how could there be any cooperation?

Luo Furen quickly added, "The demons in the Holy Spirit Mountain are fundamentally different from those invading the human world."

It was evident that Luo Furen had completely surrendered, fearing further torment. She hurriedly explained, "The demons in the Holy Spirit Mountain should be like us, sent here with a mission!

The purpose of the demons' existence is to collect Holy Spirit Qi!

They may kill, but they also understand the situation and restrain their cruel nature."

"Roar!!!"

A sudden, deafening roar interrupted Luo Furen's words.

Even though Lu Ran was at the bottom of the canyon and inside a cave, this earth-shattering sound startled him.

Deng Yuxiang tensed up, and after a moment, she turned to look at the imprisoned soul in the cell, her voice cold, "What's happening up there?"

Luo Furen, increasingly in her element, flattered, "Madam, we believe that's the true Divine-Demonic Battlefield.

The Holy Spirit Qi we've been collecting should be falling from that battlefield."

Deng Yuxiang's expression remained unchanged, "Is that so?"

Luo Furen confirmed, "Yes, Madam! We've found the pattern!

Every time we hear such a roar, about half a day later, Holy Spirit Qi will fall into the mountain."

"Half a day," Deng Yuxiang mused, as if something clicked.

Yesterday, she and Lu Ran had arrived in this realm at sunset and heard the commotion in the sky.

The deafening noise continued until late at night.

Lu Ran and she had witnessed the Holy Spirit Qi falling from the sky for the first time early this morning.

"We humans are truly insignificant," Lu Ran muttered, leaning his head against the stone wall.

In other words, the Divine Beings were fighting in the sky.

The energy splattered from their battles was left for the ants on the ground to collect?

Then, how could the collected energy be returned to the Divine Beings?

With the lives of the Human Race!

The souls of the deceased would offer a strand of energy to the Divine Beings they had devoutly worshipped.

In this light, the Demon side seemed slightly better.

At least the Demon minions in the Holy Spirit Mountain were energy beings created by the Demon Lords themselves.

On the other hand, the Divine side was purely using the lives of Human Race followers to reclaim Essence Energy.

Moreover, the Divine camp wasn't very united internally.

Instead of working together, the various factions were fiercely competing to collect Holy Spirit Qi, taking it back to offer to their own masters.

Perhaps the special conditions within the Holy Spirit Mountain were intentionally created by the Divine Beings?

If the Human Race followers didn't kill each other, how could they hasten their deaths and transform into soul bodies to return the energy?

"Roar!!!"

Another thunderous roar echoed.

Amidst the deafening noise, Deng Yuxiang heard a soft whisper from the person beside her, "Life is as fragile as grass."

Indeed, life was as fleeting as grass.

Deng Yuxiang lowered her head, her eyes dim.

She had long understood that, to the Divine Beings, the Human Race was merely servants.

But after arriving in this realm, she gained a new perspective on the "lowly" status of the Human Race.

What kind of talent, devotion, luck, and tears did it take for a person to cultivate to the River Realm?

Such a person finally became a powerful figure, capable of protecting their homeland and safeguarding their fellow humans within their territory.

Yet, in the eyes of the Divine Beings, the greatest significance of such a person was merely that of a worker ant.

Why?

If the Demons could create minions, why couldn't the Divine Beings, with their vast powers, create energy beings?

Even if they truly couldn't, weren't there other methods?

Why couldn't the Divine Beings descend to the Holy Spirit Mountain and collect the energy themselves?

Were the souls of the Human Race truly that valuable?

"Roar!!!"

The roaring sound woke Deng Yuxiang.

She turned slightly to look at the person beside her, "Lu Ran."

"Why are you calling my name again? What's wrong?" Lu Ran, seeing the woman's serious expression, immediately stopped worrying about other matters.

Deng Yuxiang spoke softly, "You said that you want to exterminate the demons and eradicate all calamities from the mortal realm."

Lu Ran nodded.

Deng Yuxiang took a deep breath, hesitating for a long time before slowly speaking, "Do you think the gods will allow this?"

Lu Ran: "The gods?"

Deng Yuxiang nodded, "Have you ever considered if the gods truly want peace for the mortal realm?"

Some things were not beyond her awareness but were deeply ingrained in her mind from years of education, family, school, and society, making her dare not think too deeply.

Lu Ran, unperturbed, asked, "Why do you think so?"

When one gathers enough intelligence and sees the signs...

Deng Yuxiang lowered her eyes, speaking softly, "You think the battle between the gods and demons in the heavens is a life-and-death struggle, a direct confrontation. Or is it just a competition?"

"Why do you say it's a competition?"

"Because of the outcome!" Deng Yuxiang's voice grew softer, "Have you noticed that the result of the battle between the gods and demons is the overall weakening of our human race's strength?

Is the true purpose of the battle between the gods and demons an endless harvest of the strong among our human race?"

Lu Ran's heart trembled, his eyes dark and uncertain.

His attitude towards the gods had always been irreverent.

The situation within the Holy Spirit Mountain also made Deng Yuxiang question the authority in her heart.

As proven, once the seeds of doubt are planted, they naturally grow uncontrollably.

Lu Ran continued to listen, preparing to find an appropriate opportunity to share his ideas with Deng Yuxiang.

Deng Yuxiang, immersed in her thoughts, steered the conversation far away, "Forty years ago, demons invaded the mortal realm. After three months of bloody slaughter, the gods descended.

At the most critical moment concerning the survival of the human race, the gods came as saviors.

From then on, everyone revered the gods, making them the only lifeline."

Deng Yuxiang leaned slightly against Lu Ran's shoulder.

This gesture was uncommon.

She had always been the proud and dominant one, but for what she was about to say, she seemed to need a shoulder to lean on?

"Ever since then, demons invade the mortal realm on the fifteenth of every month, constantly reminding people and not allowing any relaxation."

"The more brutal the demon camp is, the more people revere and worship the gods."

"Generation after generation, batch after batch of humans flock to various sects and factions, offering their faith power to the gods in exchange for survival."

"If there were no demons in the world, would the human race still be as eager as they are now, so devout and fanatical towards the gods?"

"So, Lu Ran, tell me..."

Deng Yuxiang turned her head, "Do you think the gods will allow you to slaughter demons?"

Lu Ran also turned his head, looking at her complex gaze, "I thought you'd ask me if the gods and demons are in cahoots."

Deng Yuxiang stared straight into Lu Ran's eyes, "All along, we've only held faith or had fantasies. We don't want to, nor dare to speculate.

But whether we admit it or not, objectively speaking, the gods and demons are already in cahoots."

The demons need the negative emotions of the human race.

The gods need the faith power of the human race.

Both camps, through the monthly fifteenth night, perfectly achieve this purpose.

Whether the gods and demons are enemies is another matter, but they are certainly partners.

"You, you..." Luo Furen stared blankly at the two.

Decades of devout offerings made her feel that the young couple before her was extremely blasphemous.

Even if Lu Ran and the others had only noticed some signs and made assumptions, even if there was solid evidence, Luo Furen's fervent faith in the gods would make her willingly cover her eyes and plug her ears.

There are many ways to control individuals or groups.

For example, emotional bonds, or interest-based bonds.

Or, for example, um.

Day after day, people pray devoutly before the small shrine statues, thoroughly cleansing themselves.

"Heh." Deng Yuxiang closed her eyes in pain.

Wasn't she also a believer?

The stronger a believer's strength, the more devout they naturally are, and the deeper their faith.

If not for her being expelled from the North Wind Sect and almost having her life taken by the North Wind Lord, Deng Yuxiang's inner struggle and pain would be a hundredfold!

"Roar!"

Lu Ran also leaned against the stone wall, already accustomed to the earth-shattering sounds.

Following the woman's thoughts and combining his own ideas, he spoke softly, "So, the Holy Spirit Mountain Realm is the burial ground for our human race's strong.

The gods and demons will never allow the human race to rise.

Humans cannot be strong enough to defeat demons, nor can they threaten the gods. The status quo does not allow for change.

Therefore, the battle between the gods and demons in the heavens will never end.

As for the mortal realm,

Demons will continue to invade, and the human believers led by the gods will never achieve victory.

Both the gods and demons take what they need from the human race, sucking them dry.

And we, the human race, can only live generation after generation beneath the gods and demons."

Deng Yuxiang lowered her head, continuing Lu Ran's words softly, "Generations of slavery."

"Generations of slavery." Lu Ran sighed deeply, closing his eyes silently.

The truth,

Will it be like this?

"Roar!"

The immense sound once again shook the heavens and the earth.

And it was in this terrifying sound that a searing message hidden deep in his mind flashed:

"Don't lose yourself."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end