Nine Transformations of the True Spirit.

Upon hearing this, Cui Yuheng frowned and looked at Yuan Ting Zhenren: "Fellow Daoist Yuan Ting, please don't joke. How did Fellow Daoist Xinghuo become your senior? Could it be that he has the cultivation of the Nascent Soul stage?"

Master Yuan Ting did not answer, but maintained the posture of clasping his hands in a salute, and pleaded, "Senior, you are wise. Fellow Daoist Cui is highly respected. If he takes the lead, the Nascent Soul cultivators of the human race will definitely do their best to investigate the whereabouts of those four seniors."

"We will definitely find their whereabouts in the shortest possible time."

"But... but Fellow Daoist Cui is an upright person and will not allow others to control his life and death. I hope you can understand."

Cui Yuheng grew increasingly puzzled, his brows furrowing: "What do you mean by that, Fellow Daoist Yuan Ting? Please explain!"

Master Yuan Ting turned his head slightly and said in a low voice, "Fellow Daoist Cui, please be patient. I cannot say more. Senior will explain the reason later."

Chen Yuan pondered for a moment, then nodded slightly: "Very well, since Fellow Daoist Yuan Ting has vouched for you, then I will no longer conceal it."

Cui Yuheng's expression had darkened, and he slowly stood up: "You two invited me to Xingzhu City, but you have been making a big fuss and being vague, which is not the proper way to treat guests!"

"Out of respect for Fellow Daoist Yuan Ting, I, Cui, will not hold this against you. I will take my leave!"

Having said that, he was about to turn and leave when Chen Yuan said, "Fellow Daoist Cui, please wait."

At the same time, he stopped concealing his aura, and the pressure of his Nascent Soul stage slowly spread from his body, making the spacious stone hall suddenly feel small, as if it could not contain this overwhelming pressure at all.

Cui Yuheng froze, standing there dumbfounded, staring blankly at Chen Yuan.

Chen Yuan said slowly, "Young friend Cui, please sit down. This matter is a long story, so please allow me to explain it slowly."

Cui Yuheng, as expected of a peak late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, calmed down after a few breaths. Although the fluctuations in his eyes had not yet subsided, his composed and refined demeanor returned to him.

He didn't ask any more questions, but simply bowed deeply to Chen Yuan: "This junior has been disrespectful and offended you, senior. I beg your forgiveness."

His heart was filled with shock and questions, but the overwhelming pressure of the Nascent Soul stage was undeniable, clearly telling him that the Starfire True Person before him was a genuine Nascent Soul cultivator.

Seeing his composure, which allowed him to return to normal within a few breaths—even calmer than Shen Jibai, Yuan Ting Zhenren, and Jiu Yuan Shangren, who had all learned he was a Nascent Soul cultivator—Chen Yuan's eyes revealed a hint of admiration.

No wonder Cui Yuheng has the highest prestige among humans. Besides his profound cultivation, he remains calm even when faced with a major crisis.

Chen Yuan then briefly recounted the events in the human realm, concluding with, "I and my four fellow Daoists have become separated, so I have no choice but to ask you young friends to step forward and have the human Nascent Soul cultivators search for their whereabouts."

"The demon race is powerful. If our identities are revealed, it will surely alert them."

"In the future, when we make our move, it will be difficult to achieve the effect of surprise. I hope that you will not reveal this to others."

When Yuan Ting Zhenren heard that Chen Yuan was going to take action against the demon race, he became very interested and asked, "Senior, are you going to deal with those five demon generals?"

Chen Yuan smiled slightly: "If that weren't the case, why would we have come to this realm?"

Yuan Ting Zhenren was overjoyed and immediately bowed deeply, saying, "On behalf of the entire human race, I thank you for your great kindness, senior!"

Chen Yuan shook his head slightly: "Young friend Yuan Ting, there's no need for that. For tens of thousands of years, the demon race has been powerful and has a profound foundation."

"To annihilate the eight great demon clans is a long and arduous journey, not something that can be accomplished overnight. It is not too late to thank me after the matter is settled."

Yuan Ting Zhenren understood this principle perfectly well, but for tens of thousands of years, the human race had been enslaved and oppressed by the demon race. Now that he finally saw a glimmer of hope, he was overjoyed.

Cui Yuheng had completely calmed down by now, and his thoughts were much more profound than those of Yuan Ting Zhenren.

His eyes flashed, and he asked respectfully, "May I ask, senior, that spatial passage is so dangerous that even great cultivators cannot pass through it?"

"Why did you come here with the other four seniors to deal with the demon race? Doing so... seems a bit risky."

Upon hearing this, Yuan Ting Zhenren's eyes flashed with displeasure: "What do you mean by this, Fellow Daoist Cui? The demon race only has five demon generals. As for those demon generals, they are no match for the five seniors."

“In ancient times, cultivators from the human realm were able to conquer this realm.”

"Now that five seniors have arrived, two more seniors possess spiritual treasures and are hiding in the shadows. Knowing yourself and your enemy, you will never be defeated."

"But the demon race was completely unaware of this, and caught off guard, they were no match for the five seniors!"

These words were spoken with great force and conviction, but Cui Yuheng remained unmoved.

He kept his eyes fixed on Chen Yuan and said sincerely, "For tens of thousands of years, we human cultivators have persevered, just so we don't want to become slaves and food for the demon race."

"Although they were no match for them, they still managed to build some cities, sheltering millions of mortals and allowing them to multiply and thrive."

"It is a great honor for our human race that you are willing to help deal with the demon race."

"But the demon race is powerful after all. If things don't go well, senior will still have a way out."

"But we are rooted in this world and cannot escape. We fear that we will suffer retaliation from the demon race. We hope that you will have mercy and tell us the truth."

Master Yuan Ting's expression changed: "Fellow Daoist Cui, be careful with your words! Since the senior has said that he will deal with the demon race, he will naturally not give up halfway. Fellow Daoist, your aggressive manner is disrespectful to the senior."

He had forgotten how, on Falling Star Peak, when he was in utter despair, he had pressed Chen Yuan for the method of Nascent Soul.

He now only hopes that Cui Yuheng will not anger Chen Yuan, lest the dawn that the human race has waited for tens of thousands of years finally arrives vanish.

But Cui Yuheng remained unmoved. With a firm gaze, he said respectfully, "This junior has spoken rudely and is willing to accept the senior's punishment."

"But this concerns the life and death of tens of thousands of cultivators and millions of mortals of the human race. I dare not be careless and beg your forgiveness, senior."

Seeing that Cui Yuheng showed no sign of backing down, Yuan Ting Zhenren became anxious and was about to speak to persuade him, but Chen Yuan stopped him by raising his hand.

He narrowed his eyes slightly, looked at Cui Yuheng, and slowly said, "Young friend Cui, do you know that Shen Jibai was captured by Yin Qianjie more than a hundred years ago and had a Blood Silk Gu planted in him? Over the years, he has been secretly providing information to the Howling Moon Silver Wolf Clan?"

Cui Yuheng was taken aback and shook his head: "This junior does not know. May I ask how Senior dealt with Fellow Daoist Shen?"

Chen Yuan said calmly, "I have removed the blood-veined Gu from young friend Shen's body, leaving a mark. If he has any rebellious intentions again, he will die instantly, and even a god could not save him."

Cui Yuheng frowned: "Senior is magnanimous. You spared Fellow Daoist Shen's life, allowing him to atone for his sins through meritorious service."

Chen Yuan said, "Besides Shen Jibai, there are three other mid-Nascent Soul cultivators who were also captured by the demon race and had Blood Silk Gu implanted in them. Are you aware of this, young friend Cui?"

Cui Yuheng's eyes narrowed: "This junior does not know. May I ask what punishment you have given them?"

Chen Yuan said, "Just like Shen Jibai, erase the Blood Veil Gu and plant a mark."

Cui Yuheng frowned even more deeply: "Why didn't you kill these traitors, senior?"

Chen Yuan smiled without saying a word. After a while, Cui Yuheng's brows relaxed: "This junior is foolish. If you kill them all, it will surely alert the enemy."

Chen Yuan nodded: "Young friend Cui is right. Although the human race seems to be constantly resisting the demon race, in reality, the difference in strength between the two sides is huge."

"If the demon race were so inclined, they could easily wipe out the human race." "The reason we left human cities untouched is twofold: firstly, we don't take you seriously, and secondly, we don't want any rebels to operate in the shadows, making them even harder to eliminate."

"Humanity is in such a precarious situation, being manipulated by the demon race. I, Chen, and four fellow Daoists are willing to help you deal with the demon race. Why are you still hesitating, Fellow Daoist Cui?"

At this point, his expression suddenly turned serious: "Even if young friend Cui is unwilling to come forward, with the help of the other four young friends, they can persuade seventy or eighty percent of the Nascent Soul cultivators of the human race."

"As long as those four fellow Daoists have ever appeared in a human city, their whereabouts can be found. Young friend, please do not make a mistake."

Cui Yuheng sighed and said in a low voice, "How could I not know? If the demon race wanted to destroy my human race, it would be as easy as turning my hand."

"Given the dire situation of the human race, there are bound to be fellow Daoists who secretly seek refuge with the demon race."

"It's just that the Blood Silk Gu is hard to detect, and a large-scale investigation would only cause chaos, which is why I have been holding back all this time."

"But no matter how humiliated the human race is, it can still continue to exist independently."

"If you have ulterior motives, senior, I will do my utmost to obey your orders."

"After the deed is done, the senior will return to the human realm, and we can continue to eke out a living, thus saving the lives of millions of mortals."

"But if we attack the demon race, it will be difficult to win, let alone annihilate them. If the senior can escape through the spatial passage, how will we deal with the demon race's retaliation?"

Chen Yuan narrowed his eyes slightly: "Young friend Cui, you are so afraid of the demon race, aren't you afraid of me?"

Cui Yuheng stared at Chen Yuan and said, word by word, "In front of you, senior, I am no different from an ant. How could I not be afraid? But I am not afraid of the demon race."

"To be honest, senior, I once met one of those four seniors."

"If you cannot tell me the truth, I will have no choice but to try to stop you. I would rather die than lead humanity down a path of no return."

These words were spoken with unwavering resolve, and the determination they contained moved Master Yuan Ting, who was standing to the side.

Chen Yuan was overjoyed. His prediction was correct; Qin Wuyai and his group of four had indeed arrived in this realm.

With the help of these four people, the chances of obtaining the ascension passage will be greatly increased.

But he didn't show it on his face, and his voice remained calm: "Young friend Cui, aren't you just deceiving yourself with your actions?"

"After your death, it won't be long before I find the whereabouts of those four fellow Daoists."

"Humans and demons still cannot avoid a great war."

Cui Yuheng said in a low voice, "If we lose a junior cultivator, we can kill fewer demons. When the demons retaliate, we may kill fewer mortals."

"Whether you say I'm deceiving myself or that I'm cowardly avoiding battle, it doesn't matter."

"Everything I have done in my life has been for the sake of humanity, and I have no regrets."

He was the most accomplished cultivator among humans and also the one with the deepest understanding of the demon race.

No one knew the power of the demon race better than him. The eight royal families had stood firm for tens of thousands of years, and their profound foundation must have far exceeded the imagination of ordinary people.

With only five Nascent Soul cultivators, and without knowing their intentions, they could retreat to the human realm at any time. To stake the lives of the entire human race would only anger the demon race, and they might even lose their chance to survive.

Under the oppression of the demon race, the resistance of human cultivators will never cease.

Perhaps in a few hundred or a thousand years, new human cities will be established.

But these dead monks and mortals could never be brought back to life.

Cui Yuheng could not go against his principles and throw himself into a war he was destined to lose.

This may seem cowardly, but it is the only way he can think of to mitigate the losses of humanity.

Chen Yuan also saw Cui Yuheng's firm resolve and had no more doubts.

As Yuan Ting Zhenren had predicted, Cui Yuheng was unyielding and difficult to implant the Fire Lotus Mark within him.

However, he did not flinch in the face of a Nascent Soul cultivator whose cultivation level far surpassed his own, and was even unafraid of death, making him worthy of being entrusted with important responsibilities.

Moreover, he also needed Cui Yuheng to lead the human race. Although the cultivation level of a Nascent Soul cultivator is low, they can still play a huge role in dealing with the demon race.

Chen Yuan said calmly, "In that case, I will tell you the truth."

"We have entered this realm so that we may ascend to the upper realm."

"Unfortunately, during the ancient war, all the ascension channels in the human realm were destroyed. Fortunately, there is still a spatial channel leading to this realm. We had no choice but to take this route."

"The demon race will never tolerate our ascension to the upper realm. In order to find out where the ascension passage is, we must take action against those five demon generals."

"And we will never compromise with the demon race. If any demon general survives, he will report this matter to the demon race in the upper realm and let them know of our existence. Even if they are lucky enough to ascend, they will not escape death."

"This battle is destined to be a fight to the death. Whether humanity will rise again or continue to decline depends on this one battle."

"I wonder if young friend Cui still feels that this is a road of no return?"

Cui Yuheng suddenly understood. The demon race in this realm was so powerful that there were no treasures worth risking for a Nascent Soul cultivator. But if it was for the purpose of ascending to the upper realm, everything made sense.

Only ascension could persuade five Nascent Soul cultivators to risk their lives and cross realms to come.

His expression was solemn as he rose and bowed: "The human race has been oppressed by the demon race for tens of thousands of years, and can only hide in the poor mountains and rivers, barely surviving in this world."

"Now that there is finally a glimmer of hope, what is there for this junior to fear in death? I will fight to the death against the demon race!"

He was unaware of Chen Yuan's intentions and would rather die than obey.

But now it's certain that Chen Yuan won't give up halfway, and he won't care about his life in the slightest.

Chen Yuan smiled slightly: "Young friend Cui, could you now tell me which fellow Daoist you have met before?"

Cui Yuheng replied, "This junior often ventures into the Qingxu Mountains in search of rare and precious materials."

"Two years ago, when I was searching for treasure in the Qingxu Mountains, I happened to meet a cultivator. We exchanged a few words and then parted ways."

“I am very familiar with Nascent Soul cultivators of the human race, but this person is quite unfamiliar to me.”

"This junior thought he was a recluse cultivating in seclusion, so I memorized his appearance. It is indeed Senior Lu Wangquan!" (End of Chapter)