Advising Chen Sanliang to let go of hatred, such a thing Zhang Chen cannot do.
So Zhang Chen could only sigh lightly, his eyes full of lament: "It's just a pity for the countless people in the Northern Land."
"Just some foolish people, dead is dead!" Chen Sanliang's voice was unwavering: "Their lives are destined for exploitation, living like beasts of burden all their lives, better to die early and be freed sooner."
Zhang Chen fixed his gaze on Chen Sanliang, surprised that despite turning traitor to the Human Race to join the Demon Race, his thoughts remained as lofty and proud as before, not caring at all for the lives of common folk.
Besides sighing, Zhang Chen couldn't say anything, because he was one of those 'mediocre' people.
Seeing Zhang Chen silent, Chen Sanliang changed the topic: "I am fully aware of the feud between you and Mr. Bai Cang. I am willing to vouch for you. As long as you release Mr. Bai Cang's physical body, our Demon Race will fully assist you in exterminating the entire family of Prince Pingbian, leaving no survivors in the Prince Pingbian's Mansion."
"I certainly trust Mr. Bai Cang as a guarantor." Zhang Chen nodded to Chen Sanliang: "Everyone, hold on, I will now go into the array and bring out Mr. Bai Cang's physical body."
Zhang Chen's figure flickered and disappeared into the vast Yellow Sand, vanishing from sight in just a few blinks.
Zhang Chen arrived at the center of the array, looking at Bai Cang's physical body, now only a final fox tail remained on him.
"The last life?" Zhang Chen swept his gaze over Bai Cang's physical body, and the next moment, a blood-red figure emerged from it, entering Zhang Chen's body.
"Seventh Tier!" Zhang Chen sensed the changes in the Blood God Child, a hint of joy appeared in his eyes.
The Blood God Child's Seventh Tier is not comparable to an ordinary Seventh Tier cultivator.
"However, just handing over the physical body like this, I can't quite believe those beasts will keep their promise. I need to employ some means, leaving some contingencies." Zhang Chen looked at Bai Cang's physical body, then took the Heaven and Earth Treasure Mirror from Ba Snake Space, activated the incantation to operate the Heaven and Earth Treasure Mirror, and reflected it on Bai Cang's physical body. Only after the Heaven and Earth Treasure Mirror captured a trace of Bai Cang's body's essence did Zhang Chen put the Heaven and Earth Treasure Mirror away.
"I have already captured his origin essence, no matter if he reincarnates or hides in some corner, he absolutely cannot escape the tracking of my Heaven and Earth Treasure Mirror." Only then did Zhang Chen feel at ease: "Having cut six tails off Bai Cang, I fear this Fox Spirit will fight me desperately, but it doesn't matter, with Chen Sanliang here, if he wants revenge, he must consider carefully. Most crucially, I'm not easy to deal with either!"
Zhang Chen extended his palm, and the Nine Bends Yellow River Array collapsed, transformed into three hundred and sixty streaks of flowing light stacked in Zhang Chen's palm, which he collected.
As the array dispersed, the people outside saw Zhang Chen and Bai Cang's physical body, especially Bai Cang's Yin Spirit, who rushed into its body with a stride. Bai Cang's physical body then opened its eyes and moved its body, but the next moment, Bai Cang's expression changed, with fox eyes full of anger: "Boy, you actually took six of my lives!!!"
"If it weren't for you begging for mercy early, all seven of your lives would be gone!" Zhang Chen was not afraid, with hands in sleeves, looking at Bai Cang calmly.
"Bai Cang, you still need to keep your word!" Chen Sanliang said nearby, his voice full of undeniable authority.
"But he took six of my lives, it will take at least six hundred years of cultivation to recover! Where do I have such long longevity?" Bai Cang's voice was full of anger that couldn't be suppressed.
"I don't know about all that, I only know you asked me to mediate. Since he returned your physical body and it is still alive, the deal must continue." Chen Sanliang's voice was very stern, completely undeniable.
"Boy, you're something!" Bai Cang looked at Zhang Chen, took a deep breath, picked up the fox tail on the ground, and disappeared with a few flickers into the mountains.
The other Bear Demon King and others also glanced at Zhang Chen and Chen Sanliang, their figures rapidly shrinking, each transforming to fist-size, dispersing into the dense forest.
Zhang Chen eyed Chen Sanliang up and down, never imagining Chen Sanliang held such status among the Demon Race.
"Why are you looking? It's not like you haven't looked before." Chen Sanliang laughed and cursed as he met Zhang Chen's gaze.
"I never thought Mr. Bai Cang held such a high status in the Demon Race, even Bai Cang avoids him." Zhang Chen said.
"That's because I've been spreading teachings among the Demon Race, now I've gained the title of Demon Master, I'm not far from achieving my Dao, the cultivators of the Demon Race naturally respect me." Chen Sanliang said.
Zhang Chen was stunned, recalling that Young Master had already achieved the Dao of Unity of Knowledge and Action, taking a crucial step ahead, how could Chen Sanliang continue his path?
"Sir, wasn't the Unity of Knowledge and Action path taken by someone else first?" Zhang Chen asked, voicing his doubts.
Chen Sanliang remained silent for a long time before speaking, "I am now cultivating Universal Education."
"Within the Demon Race, there are countless beings. Preaching among them feels like being divinely aided. My foundation is still intact, and with just a bit of polish, I can achieve the path. The reason I am not rushing to achieve the path is that I want to wait until my foundation is sufficient to directly impact the Tenth Tier, or even directly impact the Eleventh and Twelfth Tiers, so do you know why they fear me," Chen Sanliang said.
Zhang Chen was greatly shaken by this, never expecting that Chen Sanliang would abandon his path, taking a risky route to establish Universal Education, which however caused hardship for Human Race cultivators.
"Congratulations, sir!" Zhang Chen bowed to Chen Sanliang. Regardless of Chen Sanliang's position, the latter had helped him multiple times. Although he hadn't needed Chen Sanliang's help, he felt grateful.
"You needn't thank me. If your master in the heavens had any spirit, witnessing your fortune today, she would definitely be very pleased," Chen Sanliang said.
Zhang Chen didn't know what to say. After a long time, he finally said, "I will surely enter the legendary Thirty-Three Heavens and bring back the Spirit Medicine that can revive the dead, to resurrect my master."
"The Thirty-Three Heavens are too illusory. Your intentions alone would already greatly please your master in heaven. She had the wisdom to recognize people, unlike me, who was blind and misjudged people..." Chen Sanliang's words halted here, his figure becoming increasingly haggard.
Zhang Chen didn't know how to console Chen Sanliang, so he could only sigh lightly and fall silent.
"Let's go, follow me to the Demon Race encampment, to discuss how to annihilate the entire Prince Pingbian's Mansion," Chen Sanliang said, his eyes flashing with murder as he turned and left first.
Zhang Chen quickly followed behind Chen Sanliang, watching his frail figure as they walked through dense forests. After a long time, Zhang Chen said, "Sir, is there really no room for negotiation regarding the Demon Race's invasion?"
Chen Sanliang stopped for a moment, turned his head to Zhang Chen and said, "You come from the mud, lowly and humble yet with a big compassionate heart, always worrying about things you shouldn't. These are matters for the noble lords to consider, why are you worrying unnecessarily?"
"Precisely because I am of humble origin, I can't bear to see the common people suffer. They've suffered enough already, and they are not at fault. I just don't want innocent people to die," Zhang Chen said.
Ultimately, he did have a compassionate heart. In the vast Northern Land with billions of people, who knew how many would survive once the Demon Race army invaded?
"I won't hide it from you. My path is Universal Education, enlightening all beings. The Northern Land is the last piece of my puzzle. The Human Race in the Northern Land is my final point of enlightenment. If I can complete my enlightenment in the Northern Land, I will have the foundation to advance to the Eleventh Tier, and then I can easily enter the Tenth Tier," Chen Sanliang said softly, but his words chilled Zhang Chen to the bone:
"Thus, the Northern Land is my proving ground, my foundation."
Zhang Chen smiled bitterly. He finally understood the cause and effect; it all made sense now. Chen Sanliang was a stakeholder, so why would he allow anyone to ruin his plan?
If Zhang Chen were in his shoes, he wouldn't allow anyone to ruin his layout either.
The atmosphere then fell silent as they trudged on, and Zhang Chen felt as if a massive invisible chasm had opened between him and Chen Sanliang.
"However, if you wish to save the people of the Northern Land, it is not entirely impossible." Chen Sanliang suddenly stopped, turning his head to Zhang Chen.
"What?" Zhang Chen was startled.
"Currently at the helm of the Demon Race is a mysterious and unfathomable ancestor. Under the ancestor, eight great kings are appointed, representing the eight strongest races of the Demon Race. This mysterious ancestor rarely makes appearances, leaving all affairs to be handled by Bai Cang, often called the White Fan Master in the Demon Race. When the Demon Race ancestor is not present, Bai Cang manages the affairs. If Bai Cang could constrain the Demon Race, it would certainly reduce the losses of the Human Race," Chen Sanliang said.
"Sir, you are putting me in a difficult position. You have seen my relationship with Bai Cang. Bai Cang now wishes to slice me into pieces. If I dared to plead, he'd probably be even more ruthless. So this path won't work! You should have told me earlier, before I handed over Bai Cang's physical form; perhaps I could have used it to negotiate with him," Zhang Chen said with a bitter smile.
Chen Sanliang pondered for a moment and continued, "If Bai Cang won't do, there may be another who can turn the tide, and that is the Tiger King."
"Tiger King?" Zhang Chen asked in curiosity.
"Tiger King, also known as Hu Li Ancestor, is a Twelfth Tier god, the main powerhouse leading the assault on the Northern Land, and ranks just below the mysterious ancestor of the Demon Race. His power is unfathomable. However, for some unknown reason, Hu Li Ancestor mysteriously disappeared after arriving on the Human Race's territory and still has not been found. If you can find King Hu Li and convince him, protecting the people of the Northern Land should not be difficult," Chen Sanliang said.