Chapter 25: The First Encounter Between Cai'er and Long Haochen

Nalan Shu’s face lit up with joy; he was delighted to hear that Long Haochen would be able to participate in the Demon Hunt Squad selection under the banner of Hao Yue City.

"I shall strictly follow your instructions, Lord Xingyu," Nalan Shu replied respectfully.

Long Xingyu then began to probe nonchalantly about Bai Qian. After some hesitation, Nalan Shu bit his lip and disclosed Bai Qian’s talent to him.

"You say Bai Qian’s innate internal spiritual energy is as high as eighty-three? Why haven't you reported this to the Alliance?" Long Xingyu asked, his brow furrowed deeply.

Nalan Shu lowered his head, sweat beading on his temple, and explained, "Lord Xingyu, how would I dare not report it to the Alliance? It’s just that the Alliance’s approval process takes time. Bai Qian and the others haven't even been in Hao Yue City for three months yet. I reported it to the Alliance as soon as Bai Qian underwent her Sacred Awakening, but there has been no news back yet."

Long Xingyu rubbed his forehead. The Alliance’s administrative efficiency was indeed mediocre. Moreover, Hao Yue City was merely a medium-sized city, small enough that only the Warrior Temple, Mage Temple, and Knight Temple had branch halls there. The Knight’s Grand Hall or the Holy City often had stringent auditing requirements for reports from such small figures; Nalan Shu’s letter was likely buried in some forgotten corner of the Alliance.

"Ahem," Long Xingyu cleared his throat to mask his embarrassment. "I will speak to the other Temple Heads about this. Discovering a Sacred Protection physique will certainly earn the Hao Yue branch a great merit from the Grand Hall."

"Thank you, Lord Xingyu," Nalan Shu beamed.

"Then how do you intend to arrange for Bai Qian?"

"Let her continue her cultivation at the Hao Yue branch and participate in the Demon Hunt Squad selection alongside Haochen," Long Xingyu said, looking at the statue of the Throne of the Nine Gods within the branch hall. "The Demon Hunt Squad is the best place for tempering; it will be enough to help them grow."

"Truly, Heaven blesses our human race. With the Scion of Light and the Sacred Protection, breaking the demons and reviving humanity is within sight. The future of humanity indeed rests upon the younger generation."

On this trip back, Long Xingyu had also heard good news from his father: at the Exorcist Pass, Saint Lingxin’s daughter, Cai’er, had awakened the Reincarnation Saintess physique with an innate internal spiritual energy of ninety-one. Having fused with the weapons and spiritual stove of the previous Reincarnation Child, her innate internal spiritual energy had even risen to a hundred.

In such a short time, three peerless talents equivalent to the Reincarnation Child had emerged. Once they matured, it would be time to sound the horn for humanity’s counterattack against the demons.

...

That night, Long Xingyu subjected Long Haochen to a bout of brainwashing, including but not limited to emphasizing the cruelty and bloodthirstiness of the demons—in short, instilling the idea that all demons deserved to die and that humanity was the embodiment of justice.

Long Haochen adopted a strategy of listening with one ear and letting it out the other, respectfully sending his biological father, this great "Buddha," on his way.

After Long Xingyu left, Bai Yue found Long Haochen and discovered her son sitting on the threshold, sighing with a look of despondency.

Seeing his mother approach, Long Haochen asked with a troubled expression, "Mother, why must humans and demons fight to the death? Why can’t they live in harmony?"

Bai Yue looked at her son earnestly and explained, "I asked your grandfather the same thing."

Long Haochen’s eyes lit up. "What did Grandfather say?"

Bai Yue smiled faintly. "Haochen, given the strength of the demon race, which is far superior to that of humans, destroying humanity should be easy. And in terms of cultivation and power, your grandfather is the number one demon of the Shengmo Continent, a true demigod. Why would he keep the humans around?"

"Ultimately, it is for the sake of the demons. The demon race is not suited for production and cannot create. Take food, for instance: humans can grow crops to sustain themselves, but whatever the demons plant dies. They cannot even feed themselves; that is the life of the lower-class demons."

"The situation has improved slightly in recent years, with wandering merchant guilds traveling between the two races to secretly trade for some grain, but compared to the massive population of the demons, it is a drop in the bucket."

"Though the truth is cruel, the reason the demons have attacked the six Great Passes for years is to deplete their own lower-class population. Some lower-class demons are so hungry they will even eat the corpses of their own kind."

Hearing this, Long Haochen’s pupils contracted; he had never imagined the lives of the lower-class demons were so desperate.

"Mother, I want to change all this. I don't want to watch humans and demons slaughter each other. I want them to be able to live well." Long Haochen’s eyes were clear and bright.

A trace of contempt curled the corners of Bai Yue’s mouth. "Haochen, you are still young. When you grow up and see through the hearts of men, if you still hold this wish, then your mother and grandfather will help you realize this dream."

She didn't want the slaughter, but human hearts were sinister. Even if the demons spared the humans, the humans would not spare the demons. They would only beat a drowning dog, trampling the remaining demons and forcing them into slavery.

At the very least, among the demons, those humans willing to help grow crops were treated with courtesy. But according to the future she had foreseen, the demons, once they lost the protection of the seventy-two Demon God Pillars, were wiped out by humans, with not a single place left for them to inhabit.

Long Haochen looked at his mother thoughtfully. Why did he feel there was a hidden meaning in her words today? "Grow up and see through the hearts of men"—could it be that he would change his mind in the future?

...

Following the prompt from the system, Six-Six, on one of his days off, Bai Yue took Long Haochen on a special trip back to Odin Town.

In the forest, the two found an injured little girl: it was Cai’er.

Cai’er was covered in blood, watching Bai Yue and Long Haochen with vigilance. Long Haochen asked with concern, "Little sister, are you alright?"

"Big sister, bad people are chasing me," Cai’er wrote on Long Haochen’s hand.

Long Haochen frowned slightly and corrected her, "It’s not 'big sister,' it’s 'big brother.' As for the bad people, don’t be afraid, little sister; I can protect you."

By now, Long Haochen had reached the level of an eighth-rank knight, and his mother was by his side. They even had life-saving treasures given by his grandfather in their storage rings; he had enough confidence to protect the little girl. It was just that his delicate face was always mistaken for a girl’s, which left him feeling a bit depressed.

Bai Yue watched the scene of her son and future daughter-in-law’s fated meeting with a joyful heart.

Long Haochen drew his weapons—a shield and a sword—while Bai Yue crossed her arms and summoned the bear cub to assist.

The bear cub was thrilled to finally have a chance to show his worth. He patted his chest, looking eager to jump into the fray. He promised Bai Yue through their soul contract, "Princess Yue, just watch my skills."

Bai Yue pointed at Cai’er and sent a mental message through the contract: "Protect her well. She is the future daughter-in-law I have approved."

Future daughter-in-law! The bear cub’s eyes widened as he stared at Cai’er, etching her appearance into his mind. He must never forget this—she was a great "Buddha" who must not be offended! He would have to warn all his bear descendants to keep their eyes open!