Human Clan Defender-Chapter 436 - 189: Really Possible (Seeking Monthly Pass)

In the great hall, the atmosphere unconsciously grew tense.

Dongfang Zhao’s expression was somber as he calmly said, "When the Demon Evil Clan appeared, we had already investigated how exactly the Demon Evils arrived here. If they came from Outer Heaven, then why did they not appear before, and only started to descend into our world over three hundred years ago?"

"And furthermore," he continued, "the Demon-Subduing Division has captured many Demon Evils. From each of them, the Division has pieced together an important piece of information: the strength of the Demon Evil Clan is much more complicated than what we see on the surface. If the goal of the Demon Evils is to bring about an apocalypse, then there is no need for them to come one by one; they could launch a collective assault, against which Great Qin would stand no chance."

"Just like the Demon Saint that attacked the Capital City back then; Great Qin could defend against one Demon Saint, but two Demon Saints would be utterly beyond our ability to resist. However, ever since that Demon Saint was gravely injured, no new powerful beings from the Demon Evil Clan have emerged, and that Demon Saint has also vanished without a trace."

"All the information indicates that there might be some otherworldly space or portal between Heaven and Earth, and behind that portal lies the world of the Demon Evils. It is precisely because of this that we have always been unable to locate the lair of the Demon Evils. But there must also be certain restrictions that prevent the Demon Evil Clan from entering this Heaven and Earth at will. Based on this, they cannot mobilize en masse to annihilate the Human Clan."

As Dongfang Zhao finished speaking, Shen Changqing’s expression also gradually turned serious. Dongfang Zhao’s words were almost identical to those of the Demon Evil in Luoyang City.

If Dongfang Zhao was not mistaken and the Demon-Subduing Division’s investigative conclusions were correct, then the hidden crisis facing the Human Clan now was countless times more terrifying than what was apparent on the surface.

"Lord Defender means to say, if the Demon Evil Clan is indeed powerful, the reason they cannot swarm us is because of some restriction between Heaven and Earth. Then, is there a day when this restriction might disappear?" Shen Changqing asked in a heavy voice.

Dongfang Zhao said, "I speculate that there is."

He first nodded, then his tone shifted. "But exactly when it will disappear or in what manner, I cannot say for certain, because everything is just speculation. The so-called portals or otherworldly spaces have always eluded discovery. Maybe there’s no portal at all, or maybe it’s up in the sky—that’s also uncertain."

By the end, Dongfang Zhao’s words carried a hint of amusement.

In the sky? Shen Changqing instinctively looked up, seeing only the ceiling of the hall, but his thoughts had already drifted away. If there truly is a portal, could it be located in the sky? Perhaps. It is possible!

"Over three hundred years ago, when the Demon Evils descended, meteorites fell from the sky, and fiery streaks appeared; it’s not impossible that the portal is indeed up there," Shen Changqing said, withdrawing his gaze.

Dongfang Zhao shook his head. "Even if it’s in the sky, searching for it would not be easy. After all, how many can truly ascend to heaven? Hovering Crossing might be easy, but ascending to heaven is extremely difficult."

Ascending to heaven is extremely difficult. Shen Changqing also acknowledged this. Despite Tiankui being able to fly and his own ability to perform Hovering Crossing, the fact remained that flying and Hovering Crossing, compared to ascending to heaven, are two different concepts. The former two, though able to directly reach the Qingming, have their limits; the higher one goes, the greater the pressure from Heaven and Earth becomes. To truly ascend to heaven, he had no confidence whatsoever. If a Great Grandmaster lacked certainty, for others, that possibility was even more remote.

Immediately after, Shen Changqing’s thoughts shifted, and he continued, "If we are unable to ascend to heaven, then presumably there aren’t many in the Demon Evil Clan who can either. Even if they came from Outer Heaven, it wouldn’t be easy for them to return. Could it be possible that the Demon-Subduing Division cannot find their lair because the portal isn’t in the sky?"

"Who knows," Dongfang Zhao shook his head. "Although the Demon-Subduing Division’s intelligence network spans across the world, it’s not possible to explore everything fully. However, given the obscure origins of the Demon Evil Clan, if they truly possess some means, it’s difficult to say."

After a pause, Dongfang Zhao spoke again, "You don’t need to worry too much. The speculation that there are restrictive prohibitions in Heaven and Earth blocking the Demon Evils, even if valid, is unlikely to disappear so quickly. If we consider the descent of the Demon Evils over three hundred years ago to be the first sign of a flaw in the prohibition, then it’s only been over three hundred years to date. You must know, Heaven and Earth have existed for countless eons; over three hundred years is but a snap of the fingers. Perhaps in a few thousand or tens of thousands of years, the Demon Evil Clan still won’t be able to mobilize en masse to enter this world. And in thousands, tens of thousands of years from now, the Human Clan may well be teeming with powerful beings."

Dongfang Zhao spoke with ease, but Shen Changqing felt no such ease in his heart. He knew the other party’s statement was merely the best-case speculation. But if one considered the worst-case scenario, the Demon Evil Clan might swarm them as soon as tomorrow. At that time, what could the Human Clan use to resist? He himself was a Great Grandmaster, but whether he could even handle a Great Demon was in question, let alone a Demon Saint, whom he was completely unable to confront. Moreover, Shen Changqing couldn’t be certain whether the Demon Saint represented the pinnacle of strength within the Demon Evil Clan. What if, within the Demon Evil Clan, there were beings even stronger than the Demon Saints?

In an instant, a tremendous pressure rose in his heart. Feeling it weigh upon him, Shen Changqing couldn’t help but give a bitter smile. He had thought that once he reached the Grandmaster Realm, he could have relaxed a bit. Unexpectedly, after uncovering some hidden secrets, the pressure only seemed to grow heavier. Sometimes, knowing too much is hardly a good thing.

However, Shen Changqing preferred to endure more pressure to push himself forward rather than to wait for calamity to strike, dying without understanding why. Turning his attention back to Dongfang Zhao above, he saw no hint of any emotional change on the latter’s face. The Dominator of the Demon-Subduing Division, does he really feel no pressure at all?

Actually, that wasn’t the case. He could feel that Dongfang Zhao was also under great pressure, but the man had to bear it alone. After all, the spreading of such rumors and speculation would surely cause a far greater commotion. To put it bluntly, the Human Clan was able to resist the Demon Evils because they believed they had a hope of victory. If everyone knew that the Demon Evils that had appeared were just the tip of the iceberg of the Demon Evil Clan, many would fall straight into despair. After despair, several possibilities could arise: one, to rise up in resistance; another, to give up on oneself; and even worse, some might willingly fall and join the Demon Evils. The first was manageable, but the latter two were not what the Demon-Subduing Division wished to see.

As Shen Changqing was deep in thought, Dongfang Zhao reassured him, "Don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Just do what you can. If that day ever comes, perhaps it is Heaven’s will that the Human Clan should perish."

"If Heaven has decreed that the Human Clan should perish, would you, Lord Defender, simply await death?" Shen Changqing asked.

Upon hearing this, Dongfang Zhao’s lips curved into a smile, his eyes resolute. "Though man cannot overcome Heaven, I still want to give it a try. Without exerting my last bit of strength, I can’t be sure whether I’m truly incapable. If by chance we win, wouldn’t that suggest that the Human Clan is not meant to be extinguished?"

Exerting the last bit of strength! Shen Changqing heard in those words a strong and unyielding will to fight. Suddenly, the pressure in his own heart also eased considerably.

Indeed, what if we win! A smile also appeared on his face. Since the inevitable was unavoidable, he would strengthen his own power so that on that day, he too would have the capital to exert his last bit of effort. Man cannot overcome Heaven. But as for what Heaven’s will is, Shen Changqing believed that nothing was predetermined. As long as one was strong enough, then he himself would be Heaven’s will.

Leaving the great hall, there was a subtle change in Shen Changqing. In Dongfang Zhao, he saw the composure of a leader and the confidence and resilience of a powerful warrior. By comparison, there was still a gap between himself and Dongfang Zhao. This gap was not just in terms of power, but also in their state of mind.

Returning to the courtyard, Tiankui was waiting there. Seeing Shen Changqing return, Tiankui enthusiastically greeted him. Patting Tiankui’s head, Shen Changqing returned to his room and then reviewed the events of the day. This habit was something he had cultivated for a long time. Generally, it was rare for so many things to happen that they needed such careful consideration, but today certainly warranted a thorough review.

In just one day, an overwhelming number of things had occurred. First was Dongfang Zhao’s heart-to-heart talk and learning about the Demon-Subduing Division’s situation, followed by the auction details, and finally some hidden secrets revealed. All these piled-up events, together with the mental effort expended on writing the reports, left him feeling quite drained.

Although Dongfang Zhao’s lifespan is nearing its end, he’s far from declining just yet. As long as he lives, the Demon-Subduing Division can maintain the current situation. Likewise, as long as Emperor Qin is alive, Great Qin should face no major troubles. But if the Emperor could leverage national luck to severely injure a Demon Saint, then even if Emperor Qin passes away and a new Emperor ascends, the same could theoretically be achieved. If that’s the case, the Demon Evils wouldn’t dare to be so presumptuous merely because Emperor Qin is aging. There must be some things I don’t know. It’s very possible that a new Emperor, upon ascending the throne, wouldn’t be able to leverage national luck against enemies, or the strength of the luck they could borrow might not be as powerful as with the current Emperor Qin. But the specifics are hard to say.

As for the strength of the Demon Evil Clan and whether there are prohibitions in Heaven and Earth, these are uncontrollable issues, at least not something I can currently interfere with. So, I have no choice but to let them be. What I can do now is enhance my own strength as much as possible, so that I may secure a foundation for myself in the face of possible future crises.

The upcoming auction will be my chance to harvest a large amount of Slaughter Value and improve my strength, so I should focus on handling this matter well first.

Having sorted out his thoughts, Shen Changqing already had a rough plan in mind. Shaking his head, he sat down cross-legged, silently nourishing his spirit and replenishing the energy he had expended during the day.