Chapter 627 - 622: Changes
The subtle undercurrents of change flowed throughout the Aeternal Sky Starfield, affecting the entire Grand Cyclic Stellar Region. While it was unnoticeable, keenly insightful figures could feel this change coursing through the world.
Since the obliteration of the Everlore Starfield, the arrival of new cultivators and an infusion of further racial diversity had been an unexpected change, and to some, an unwelcome one. But in many areas of the Aeternal Sky Starfield, figures of all types, young and old, were slowly revealing their dazzling radiance. While in some areas, the darkness of the starfield was beginning to leak.
The three Domains—Everlore Domain, Nine Worlds Domain, and Skyrend Domain—had an uptick of population. Those hybrids and genuine members of the demon lineages nestled themselves in obscure locations, eking out a living as best they could, with many residing in the Nine Worlds Domain. The elven race had mostly joined the Elven Sanctuary located within the Everlore Domain.
The Skyrend Domain, ruled by one of the Eight Noble Clans, the Liu Clan, accepted all types, but the noticeable favoritism towards the human race was apparent. It wasn't deliberate, simply the vast difference in numbers and needs created outcasts amongst others.
The demons needed environments of demonic energies to thrive, terraforming certain areas with unique, innately born abilities. This made these areas uncomfortable and uninhabitable for humans, and those too weak were affected heavily by this, even developing strange illnesses and mutations. A few cultivators had even had their children experience demonic changes, either physiological or physiological. Others, females, would experience miscarriages from the exposure.
Their very existences brought discomfort and hate to the common cultivator. They were pushed out, vilified for their habitats and inconsiderateness for others. But how could the demons not? This was how they survived and thrived, and only a few cultivators that have touched upon the Astral Core Realm can freely exist outside of these types of environments, comfortably and without any ill effects on their cultivation or bodies.
As for those at the Qi Condensation Realm, only those hybrid of humans and at the Sixth Stage, the False Reality Phase, could persist in non-curated environments for prolonged periods.
In a month, their once-curious and smiling treatment turned harsh, hateful to the maximum. In three months, the demons of various lineages were segregated away from humans, relocated by the various forces. Those who resisted this relocation effort would vanish.
Some would find their flayed, tortured corpses in the middle of nowhere or stumble upon burial grounds filled with families that were once happy or simply had nowhere else to go. The cruelty had only ended after the Golden Life Pavilion had stepped forward, offering isolated homes for those of the demonic lineage, creating a mass exodus throughout the three Domains.
These would be specially designed locations, much like the Extreme Demonic Mountain, suitable for their cultivation and growth. There were plans for planets to be forged to house them away from humankind, to avoid such destructive developments. The demons would soon become like the elven race, sent to live on special planets suitable for their race.
Those from the Everlore Starfield, the Desolate Dragnet Stellar Region, half-understood and half-disagreed with such actions. In much the same way as their starfield, couldn't this starfield be more accepting?
However, they knew the truth in their hearts.
Even in accepting locations, such as the Myriad Monarch Sect, newborn demons needed specialized environments to develop that brought harm to the other races, and it had always isolated them for their benefit and the benefit of others. The Extreme Demonic Mountain was evidence of this.
The Demonic Abyss Mountain Lord was the most obscure figure amongst the four hegemon of legend, and his entire astral territory was a forbidden zone for all other races due to the dense demonic energies and essence it exuded. It was an eventuality, a sad one, but one nonetheless.
The efficiency of the Golden Life Pavilion was astonishing, and even Ascended had taken action, saving many captured and tortured demon hybrids. The severity at which they took this situation was far greater than the Everlore Association, who strangely seemed to turn a blindeye to these matters.
In weeks, they finished the exodus, ensuring the continued lives of countless existences. After obtaining their entire number, the Golden Life Pavilion felt troubled at relocating them all. It wasn't that their numbers were massive, but the environment they needed was too hectic and infectious. The temporary isolated housing areas wouldn't last.
It was only when four Ascended took action, alongside forty-eight Starlords, two-thousand and forty-six Timelords, and tens of thousands of Realmlords, that they were able to rapidly construct a planet in the shortest period of time, still requiring nearly four months to complete.
The overall cost for this planet was utterly massive. While it was only medium-sized, the planet's core and atmospheric layers had to be transformed to filter and generate demonic-attributed essence. Furthermore, it had to have an isolated orbit that wouldn't negatively affect other planets, requiring enormous effort to settle.
It was a job and a half, and the cost for it was unfathomable.
Fortunately, it was enough. The demons were given a proper home, and the planet was named Abyssal Dawn, after two notable figures in the Everlore Starfield's history: the Demonic Abyss Master and the Ascendant Emperor of Neo-Dawn. The former for obvious reasons, and the latter for reasons that only the Golden Life Pavilion knew.
Those powerful experts curious about the planet's environment ventured in to explore it. Not only did they find out it was extremely inhospitable to humans and elves alike, they discovered strange demonic beasts or beastmen that hadn't appeared before.
The elves' situation was slightly different.
Their entire race was compatible with humans, and they could co-exist easily with them. They existed throughout the sixteen domains, albeit in small, trifling numbers. The majority of that number belonged to the Elven Sanctuary, a small region etched out of the Everlore Domain that housed four lunar satellites and one planet in close orbit.
Before Shui Jin had told the elves that the Elven Sanctuary's four sects had four planets, but this was false. Truthfully, the elven race had four habitable lunar satellites and a single planet. Each of the four sects had terraformed one of the lunar satellites and established themselves.
Their names were the Aqua Moon, the Woodland Moon, the Blazing Moon, and the Grey Moon, respectively belonging to the Sacred Aquatic Palace, the Sacred Forest Palace, the Sacred Volcanic Palace, and Sacred Desert Palace. As for the planet, it housed the sole elven-controlled Gold-tier force, the Sacred Radiance Palace. The elves born there, of that lineage, were called Exalted Elves. The name was bestowed upon them due to their lineage exceeding the Starlord level, and being the only lineage to do so.
The Elven Race had two core issues. One, their history was short. The elven race had only arrived alongside the King of Everlore seven thousand years ago, and had gotten their start then. Before then, they were a non-existent presence. Thus, they were the youngest race in the starfield.
In addition to their young age, the second and most pressing issue was their overall strength and displayed potential was severely low. Despite seven thousand years of time to develop, for some reason, they had never given birth to a genuine Ascended before. This made them unable to establish themselves in an environment where all the top forces had Venerables and High-Lords, and that was seven thousand years ago, let alone currently where Earthly Saints were powerhouses.
Unlike Divine King Han Xei and the King of Everlore, the Sacred Elven Queen's companions had no foundation to stand on, forcefully eking out their own with blood, sweat, and tears. With the world being in a state of peace, they couldn't even thrive in conflict, siding with a stronger power. They were just unneeded.
Unable to rival martial might as a whole, their entire race was relegated as lesser than humans. It was unfortunate, but nothing could change the truth of reality. Given seven thousand years, an environment with a Mystic Radiance Belt, and the support of the Everlore Association, no matter how small, they still couldn't develop a true Ascended.
Yet change wasn't just happening to the demons, but the elves as well.
Outside of the Woodland Moon's atmosphere, an old, wither figure shimmered into existence.
The figure held his hand to his mouth and performed a series of coughs, but in the Dark Void, sound couldn't travel. Still, after doing so, his pale expression became noticeably redder. When he opened his hand, a spatial ring was present. It read: "Four Extreme Continent's Elven Leader, Ai Yin."
Ma Zheng lazily eyed the four lunar satellites and the planet it orbited. He slightly frowned for a moment, but then relaxed. He slowly began his descent into the Woodland Moon's artificial atmosphere.
'To gain his favor, I wonder what will happen to these elves. These old bones my mine has to wait a little longer to rest.'
If anyone knew that Ma Zheng, the Manager of the Golden Life Pavilion's Third Branch, overseer of several domains and their respective businesses, a genuine High-Lord, was acting as a delivery service, and was excited to do so, they might die of shock and disbelief.
But if those from the Everlore Starfield were to hear about it, and learned it was asked for by the Ascendant Emperor of Neo-Dawn, their youngest alchemist, they would feel that it was his honor to do so.
And the old man wouldn't deny it, especially now.