["So this is the Demon Tribe's talent? Isn't their long lifespan considered a talent?"]

[Upon closer thought, the trait said "unique talent." Lifespan probably wasn't "unique" enough.]

[From Hu Chacha, you learned that ordinary Dragon-Man tribe members only had a theoretical lifespan of sixty years.]

[Clearly, lifespan varied naturally among different intelligent races, just like among different animals.]

[Dogs could live ten years, mice two or three, but you couldn't count "living ten years" as a dog's unique talent. A dog's unique talents were sharp hearing and smell, and loyalty to humans.]

[After acquiring the Demon Tribe's talent, you suddenly understood why 「The Calamity of Ten Thousand Races」was a Mythic trait.]

[This wasn't just "copying talents" at all—it was "expanding the trait slot"!]

[Having one extra Demon Tribe talent, "Natural Respiration," wasn't that equivalent to one more trait?]

[Currently, at the Middle Martial Path, one 「Calamity of Ten Thousand Races」equaled four trait slots, and at the Later Stage, it would be six!]

[The higher the major realm, the more slots there would be!]

[In the later stages, it could indeed sit at the same table as the 「Simulator」.]

[Afterward, you tried touching Hu Chacha and Black Wind again.]

[You successfully acquired the Dragon-Man tribe's talent.]

[Soul Wandering Heaven and Earth: When the physical body dies but the lifespan remains unspent, the soul can continue to exist without being taken by the Underworld. Additionally, as long as the other party agrees, it can possess any member of the same race to regain a physical body.]

[Acquiring Black Wind's talent failed.]

["Doesn't meet the trait's requirements?"]

[The trait required "intelligent race of the Void Realm" and "unique talent." Which condition didn't it meet?]

["Strange. Could Black Wind be from the Real Realm?"]

[You asked Hu Chacha, but he knew absolutely nothing about the Dragon-Scale Horse race. He only felt an instinctive fear when he saw Black Wind.]

["I'll wait until I'm around ninety years old, when that monkey woman from the Real Realm comes, and ask her if Dragon-Scale Horses also exist in the Real Realm."]

[Landing in the Great Wastes reminded you of something.]

["Last time the Shen Family went to the Demon Tribe to discuss joint defense strategies, they ended up with several members injured by the demons instead. I need to step in and make the Great Wastes Demon Tribe 'join the party'."]

[The resentment between humans and demons in the human world ran deep.]

[This simulation hadn't had an all-out war between the two races to vent that anger.]

[So the demons' response to anything humans said was basically, "Not listening, not listening—it's all bullshit."]

[You arrived at the place where you first met Hong Luan all those years ago.]

["There's too much demon aura here. Can't tell who's who."]

[You tried using 「The Aura of Ten Thousand Races」to find Hong Luan or the Vermilion Bird, but failed.]

[Still, you knew this area was the Vermilion Bird's territory. A bit of wandering should lead you to them.]

[A few days hadn't passed when you heard a familiar voice, as beautiful as silver bells, speaking in that still-imperfect human language.]

["Benefactor! Is that you, Benefactor?"]

[Standing twenty meters tall, you looked straight ahead and saw Hong Luan, half-human, half-bird.]

["Hong Luan, it's me."]

[You were stacking Heartsteel again in your spare time.]

[You'd just wanted to test the effect of 「Green Giant」.]

[Unfortunately, you couldn't get angry no matter how hard you tried.]

["Benefactor, why have you become so huge?"]

["Just a minor technique. Nothing worth mentioning."]

["Human techniques are truly amazing!"]

[Years apart, Hong Luan's gaze toward you was even more worshipful than before, especially when she saw you could grow this big. Her face grew even redder.]

["Hong Luan, I want to see the Four Ancestors. Where are they now?"]

["Benefactor, what business do you have with my mother and the uncles?"]

["Something extremely important! It concerns the fate of all living beings under heaven!"]

[Hong Luan's little mouth fell open, her face bearing an expression that said, "Things have actually gotten this serious?"]

["What perfect timing. The Four Ancestors are all at Windstorm Valley right now."]

["What a coincidence? Don't your demons normally maintain non-aggression pacts over territories? What are you all gathered together for today?"]

[You were really worried she'd say, "To attack the Five Regions."]

[Luckily, that wasn't it.]

["There's a guest who wants to see the Four Ancestors too, just like you, Benefactor. He also said he has something important to discuss, concerning the Demon Tribe's very survival. Mystic Tortoise, Green Flood Dragon, Mountain Lord, and my eldest sister Blue Peacock are all there too!"]

[The few named demons Hong Luan mentioned were the Four Ancestors' successors, called the Young Ancestors within the tribe.]

["Is it Senior Hu or the Sword Lord?"]

["No, it's neither! It's a monkey!"]

[You silently cursed and quickly had Hong Luan lead the way.]

[Hong Luan led you to Windstorm Valley.]

[The colors around you immediately plunged into a sea of red.]

[You knew that, aside from the Vermilion Bird, the other three of the Four Ancestors would attack first upon seeing a human at the Martial King Realm appearing deep in the Great Wastes.]

[Luckily, you still had several hundred stacks of Heartsteel, plus the classic veteran trait 「The Most Severe Father to Non-Humans」. You were completely unafraid.]

[From a distance, you could already see the Four-Eyed Spiritual Monkey gesticulating wildly, speaking eloquently to the Four Ancestors and the Four Young Ancestors.]

["That bunch of humans from the Five Regions is about to attack! They want to take back the Spiritual Veins we've occupied! If the Great Wastes Demon Tribe doesn't act now, they'll be lambs to the slaughter! I, the Four-Eyed Spiritual Monkey, am a lost jewel of the Demon Tribe! I'm on your side! All these years, I've endured hardships in the Divine Arms Pavilion, biding my time for this very day! The heavens have eyes, allowing me to—"]

[The Four Ancestors' expressions were confused. They didn't fully believe him.]

[Considering the Demon Tribe was rather weak in the scheming department, if this guy kept spinning his tales, who knew what trouble would arise.]

["Spreading demonic lies to deceive the masses! Die!"]

[You bellowed, drew the Nine Crows Divine Bow, nocked an arrow, aimed at the Four-Eyed Spiritual Monkey, and fired three arrows at once.]

[The Demon Ancestors reacted incredibly fast.]

[They all moved to intercept the arrows.]

[But an Immortal Artifact was an Immortal Artifact!]

[The voices of the Artifact Spirits came through from the arrows.]

["Crow One is in position! Fully charged! Firing! Attack in transit! Hostile interceptors detected! Requesting support!"]

["Crow Two is in position! Fully charged! Firing! I'll clear the left flank obstacle for you! Crow One, focus on eliminating the target! Over!"]

["Crow Three is in position! Fully charged! Firing! I'll clear the right flank obstacle for you! Crow One, focus on eliminating the target! Over!"]

[The three arrows were actually coordinating with each other, like three fighter jets—one leader, two wingmen.]

[The left and right arrows blocked the Four Ancestors' attacks for the middle one, then countered by spraying smoke to hinder the enemy's further assault.]

[The middle arrow sped through unimpeded, reaching the Four-Eyed Spiritual Monkey in the blink of an eye.]

[It had to be said, this Four-Eyed Spiritual Monkey was indeed a special creature from the Real Realm. Those four eyes weren't just for show.]

[His brain probably hadn't even reacted yet, but his eyes had. His body followed with an instinctive dodge, a single shifting step that directly shattered the rock beneath his feet.]

[But it was useless. Crow One was guided. Seeing it was about to pierce into the ground, it actually pulled up like a dragon raising its head and stabbed right into the Four-Eyed Spiritual Monkey's ass!]

["Pfft!!"]

["AHHHH!!!"]

[The Four-Eyed Spiritual Monkey's back door was blown wide open.]

[From the look of him, though it was painful, the wound was healing at a visible rate.]

[Such was the terrifying talent of a Real Realm divine beast.]

["Caw—caw—caw—"]

[Having landed the hit, the three arrows transformed into three black crows, letting out mocking caws as if laughing, and then scattered like startled birds.]

[The Azure Dragon was enraged. The sky immediately darkened with thunderclouds, rolling thunder shaking heaven and earth, all directed at you.]

["Bastard! Who the hell are you, daring to injure my honored guest? You're asking for death!"]

[The Vermilion Bird looked closely, recognized you, and immediately stopped the Azure Dragon.]

["Hold! Azure Dragon! This is the man I told you about. Don't attack yet; there may be a misunderstanding!"]

[Out of respect for the Vermilion Bird, the Azure Dragon didn't go for a killing blow, but he still scattered a web of lightning, sealing off your escape route.]

[Seeing this, Hong Luan stepped in front of you, spreading her crimson wings.]

["Esteemed Azure Dragon! Please don't harm Benefactor! He's a good man!"]