Translator: CinderTL
One, three, ten...
At first, each time Li Chunjun extracted a Heart Demon, Ri Ang, Liu Su, Bi Yan, and the other cultivators couldn't help but gasp in awe and gratitude.
But as the number of Heart Demons Li Chunjun extracted grew—from one to ten, then twenty, and steadily approaching thirty—they became so tense they held their breath, terrified that even the slightest noise might disrupt his progress.
Fortunately, nothing went wrong.
All thirty-two Heart Demons were successfully extracted from the cultivators. Consumed by the raging Mental Power Fire, they were refined into pure fuel, propelling the Heavenly Heart Eternal Method from its third to its fourth layer.
Though these Heart Demons were of poor quality—mostly basic Complete forms with few Superior Complete forms among them—the combined total of thirty-two, plus the eight from before, still advanced the method's progress by roughly three percent.
Extrapolating from this, Li Chunjun calculated that refining over a thousand Heart Demons would allow his Heavenly Heart Eternal Method to ascend to a higher level once more.
As Li Chunjun's Life Level advanced, his Heart-Mind foundation grew significantly stronger. He was confident that the total number of Heart Demons he needed to refine would eventually be reduced to below a thousand.
After refining the last Heart Demon he had extracted, Li Chunjun turned to Ri Ang. "Are there any other cultivators in your Lesser Thousand World who have been afflicted by Heart Demons? If so, bring them out now so I can refine them all together."
"Noble Master," Ri Ang stammered, "might you... might you not wish to rest a little longer? While Heart Demon Refinement benefits the tempering of the Heart-Mind, even when the Heart Demons appear to be completely vanquished, remnants of their power can still stir up trouble, contaminating your cultivation at critical moments. Perhaps..."
"It's unnecessary," Li Chunjun interrupted, waving his hand dismissively. "The cultivation method I practice incinerates Heart Demons completely."
Ri Ang, recalling the formidable power of the Human Race, harbored no doubts about Li Chunjun's claim. He bowed respectfully. "There are none left, Master. Not a single living Heart Demon remains in our Lesser Thousand World. The dozens that rampaged here earlier departed our world over a month ago."
"I see," Li Chunjun murmured, pondering briefly. After a moment, he asked, "What are your plans now?"
Ri Ang froze, sensing something implicit in Li Chunjun's tone that he dared not believe. After a long pause, he cautiously replied, "We owe our survival entirely to your gracious assistance, Master. You are the savior of our Jade Hill lineage. If you would accept it, our clan would gladly become your vassals, serving you loyally in any way you desire, without reservation."
"Vassals?" Li Chunjun glanced at him. "Aren't you already vassals of the Immortal God Race?"
"The Immortal God Race welcomes all who join, regardless of origin, in their haste to awaken the Heavenly Emperor," Ri Ang explained with a bitter smile. "But when true danger strikes, they care little for minor clans like ours. Especially after we were trapped in the Land of Buried Demons, where we might be carrying Heart Demons, they would never allow us to cross the Immortal Great Wall."
Small clans.
These were those that eked out a living in the cracks between larger powers. In the vastness of the Cosmos, no major power truly cared for their fate.
"Your world also fell here due to the Starquake, so you must understand that after a Starquake, there will inevitably be aftershocks lasting for decades or even centuries. Therefore, I will leave this starfield as soon as possible, but..."
Li Chunjun paused, considering his words. "It's still uncertain whether my current abilities are sufficient to escape this starfield. As such, I can make no guarantees."
Ri Ang's eyes lit up with barely suppressed joy. "To become a vassal force under your esteemed Mastership and be incorporated into the Human Race lineage is already an immense honor for our Jade Hill Clan. How dare we ask for more? If we ultimately fail to escape the Buried Demons Starfield with you, Master, that will be our clan's fate, and we would bear no resentment towards you."
"Oh?" Li Chunjun glanced at the Fifth-Tier Cultivator. "You'd be content just to follow me? Your expectations are so low?"
He considered that he still needed to rely on these people to gather information about the Buried Demons Starfield and the Immortal God Race. Moreover, until they escaped this region, he would need to leverage their collective power to unite everyone's strength as much as possible to resist the encroaching Heart Demons.
Li Chunjun nodded. "If you wish to follow, then do so. I will do my best to protect you, provided I have the strength to spare."
"Thank you, esteemed Master," Ri Ang said, bowing deeply once more.
Su Fang, who had entered alongside Li Chunjun, suddenly spoke up. "You have an eye for talent."
He stated calmly, "The Li Chunjun standing before you—Swordmaster Li—is not only the top-ranked member of the Human Race on the Profound Yellow Star Brilliance List of the Profound Yellow Great World, but also the first on the Profound Yellow Solar Radiance List, the Chief Solar Flare Prodigy, and a future Void Refining Great Power! Moreover, his exceptional innate talent and peerless brilliance have already caught the eye of a Supreme Sovereign. He is a Supreme Disciple!"
First on the Star Glory List, first on the Star Brilliance List...
These titles meant little to Ri Ang and the others, who hailed from a small clan with limited knowledge. In fact, aside from the name "Profound Yellow Great World," they had never even heard of the Profound Yellow List.
But...
A Supreme Disciple?!
A Supreme Sovereign?!
Those two words struck Ri Ang, Liu Su, and Bi Yan like a thunderclap, leaving them dizzy and reeling in disbelief.
What is a Supreme Sovereign?
To the entire Jade Hill Clan, and even their ancestral race, the Immortal God Race, a Supreme Sovereign is a figure of unattainable greatness, a dream forever beyond their reach.
For nearly ten thousand years, the Immortal God Race has practiced universal cultivation, attracting countless smaller clans to pledge allegiance. With their collective might, they have strived to cultivate a single Dao Unification Realm expert, hoping to formally join the Human Race's register of affiliated clans and become a vassal race of humanity.
Yet, despite centuries of relentless effort, the Immortal God Race's strongest warrior remains stuck at the Quasi-Tenth-Tier, still short of true Dao Unification.
But a Supreme Sovereign...
Supreme Sovereigns reign above Dao Unification itself!
If the Immortal God Race could secure the backing of such a sovereign...
Not only would becoming a tributary of the Human Race be assured, but full integration into the Human Race as equals, wielding significant influence within their ranks, would become far more than a distant dream.
How could the Jade Hill lineage, driven to the brink of extinction with only a few hundred thousand survivors, clinging to life by clutching at straws, possibly have secured the patronage of such a supreme figure?
Given his status, if he were to visit the Immortal God Race, he would undoubtedly stir the Imperial Lord himself. It was highly likely the Imperial Lord would personally order him to be received with the utmost respect!
A mere clan chieftain versus an Imperial Lord...
The disparity between their positions was akin to that between a village elder and the ruler of an empire!
Just because they had aligned themselves with a great figure, had they already closed half the gap between them?
Ri Ang, Liu Su, and Bi Yan felt their heads spinning. Their thoughts were in chaos, and it took them a long time to regain their composure.
"I... we..."
"You should be grateful the Sword Master is currently trapped in the Land of Buried Demons. Otherwise, given his status, countless Human True Monarchs would flock to pledge their loyalty to him. Even some Void Refining cultivators would treat him as an equal."
Su Fang patted Ri Ang on the shoulder. "Seize this opportunity well. The chance for your Jade Hill lineage to soar to greatness is right before you."
Li Chunjun glanced at Su Fang but remained silent. Naturally, he trusted the Human Race more than any Foreign Race. Su Fang's prodding of Ri Ang and the others to recognize the gravity of the situation wasn't entirely unwelcome. It would prevent any foolishness later on, which could embarrass both sides.
"Where are the Jade Hill Clan's archives located?" Li Chunjun asked.
Liu Su snapped to attention, jolted awake. "This way, Master! The Heart Demons have no interest in books. We've preserved all our clan's texts! I'll take you there immediately!"
Ri Ang snapped out of his daze and solemnly declared, "Master, rest assured that the Jade Hill lineage will remain utterly loyal to you. We will never disappoint you."
Li Chunjun nodded.
Following Liu Su, he arrived at the area where the clan's records were stored.
The texts were preserved in Jade Talismans, their basic information instantly accessible with a sweep of Divine Sense.
As a Primordial Spirit True Monarch who had cultivated Divine Sense, Li Chunjun could effortlessly multitask. Despite the Jade Hill Clan's extensive collection of records, he swiftly located the specific documents he sought using his Divine Sense.
While Li Chunjun browsed the records, the cultivators who had been freed from their Heart Demons gradually regained consciousness.
With the corrosive influence of the Heart Demons gone, all the cultivators felt an unprecedented sense of ease.
This newfound relief wasn't limited to them; it permeated all living beings within the Jade Hill Clan.
Seizing the opportunity, Ri Ang announced their alliance with the Human Race and their pledge of fealty to a prominent human figure.
As the undisputed overlords of the Cosmic Void, the Immortal God Race was coveted by even minor clans seeking to align with them. Naturally, the Jade Hill Clan held a deep-seated reverence and admiration for the legendary Human Race, widely believed to be the strongest of all races.
Their unwavering faith in the Humans' unparalleled power made Ri Ang's announcement electrifying. The entire underground space erupted in joyous celebration.
With the oppressive influence of the Heart Demons lifted, everyone gradually regained their vitality and vigor.
Some even spontaneously proposed a grand banquet to celebrate their affiliation with the Human Race—even though they were actually affiliated with a single member of the Human Race.
In this atmosphere, whenever Su Fang and his group ventured out, any Jade Hill Clan member they encountered would swiftly bow or even kneel in reverence, expressing their profound respect and piety.
Crucially, these gestures were genuine and heartfelt. Even when Su Fang and his companions tried to dissuade them, the Jade Hill Clan members insisted on showing their devotion.
As the awakened cultivators recovered some of their strength, they also paid homage to Li Chunjun, sincerely thanking him.
Like Ri Ang, Liu Su, and others, they pledged their service to him.
Li Chunjun's status as the Supreme Disciple had convinced the Jade Hill Clan to cling tightly to this powerful patron at all costs. To fail to seize this golden opportunity for advancement would make them traitors to their entire clan.
Time slipped by as Li Chunjun learned more about the Jade Hill Clan and the Immortal God Race.
On the sixth day of his stay in the Jade Hill Clan's Lesser Thousand World, True Monarch Huang Tian sent a message from Blue Star:
The Hong Clan had requested their aid.
Time slipped away as Li Chunjun deepened his understanding of the Jade Hill Clan and the Immortal God Clan.
On his sixth day in the Jade Hill Clan's Lesser Thousand World, True Monarch Huang Tian sent a message from Blue Star:
The Hong Clan had requested their assistance.
(End of the Chapter)
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