Chapter Six: Elder of the Human Race

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Chu Feng had just survived a brush with death. At this moment, he had no interest in paying any attention to Qin Hao. He merely cast a single glance at Qin Hao, his face expressionless. Yet, in Qin Hao’s eyes, this became an act of provocation and disdain, leaving him with the urge to cough up blood.

“Hahaha, Brother Xu, after all these years, you’re still so beloved by your subordinates!” With a booming voice, the Lord of Yuehu strode quickly toward the Lord of Gulin. The soldiers from Gulin City parted to make way. Chu Feng supported the Lord of Gulin as they stepped forward. The Lord of Gulin clasped his fists and said, “Brother Tang, you are as impressive as ever. I’m afraid my sorry state today is a bit of a joke to you!”

In truth, the two were bound by life-and-death friendship. Though they maintained composure on the surface, their hearts were surging with emotion. As they drew near, they each gripped the other’s arm tightly. The Lord of Gulin said little, and the Lord of Yuehu asked nothing more. Both their eyes shimmered with unshed tears.

“Chu Feng, this is Grandpa Tang. Hurry and pay your respects to him!” instructed the Lord of Gulin. He had taught Chu Feng a few courtesies in advance. Though he himself did not mind such things, he knew that Chu Feng would need them to navigate the world.

“Chu Feng greets Grandpa Tang,” Chu Feng said, bowing deeply.

“Good.” The Lord of Yuehu replied, giving Chu Feng a meaningful glance but asking nothing further. “Brother, come in quickly. You are gravely wounded and must recuperate for some time.”

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, the Lord of Yuehu led the Lord of Gulin and Chu Feng into the City Lord’s residence.

A useless wretch unable even to achieve spiritual transformation, yet he could be so close with two such esteemed city lords—envy and jealousy churned in the hearts of all those watching.

“Is this what they call surviving disaster to find future fortune? This boy’s luck is ridiculous!”

“When did the Lord become so muddle-headed, to have brought back such a ‘talent’?”

“A good-for-nothing is still a good-for-nothing. The Spirit Battle Pavilion isn’t a place one enters through luck!”

...

Once inside the City Lord’s residence, the Lord of Yuehu led them straight into a secret chamber before finally asking, “Brother Xu, are all the beasts dead?”

Before the Lord of Gulin could answer, Chu Feng’s heart gave a jolt. The beasts were indeed all dead, but at present, only he and Grandpa Xu knew this. The Lord of Yuehu had not been there, so how could he know?

The Lord of Gulin nodded. “They are all dead.”

“What great event occurred?” the Lord of Yuehu pressed.

The Lord of Gulin stroked his white beard, eyes twinkling with amusement as he looked at his old friend. “Why don’t you tell me how you deduced it?”

The Lord of Yuehu laughed. “What is so hard about that? Others may not know, but after nearly a hundred years of friendship, I know your nature well. Would you ever abandon an entire city to save yourself? Since you chose to stay, you must have been prepared to die. If the beasts still lived, you would not have escaped halfway through. Now, you’ve survived and even brought this young man with you. Clearly, the beasts are all dead—otherwise, how could you have escaped their pursuit? As for who destroyed them, if it wasn’t some great event, are you going to tell me you slew them all yourself, Brother?”

Hearing this, the Lord of Gulin could not help but break into hearty laughter. “Indeed, you know me best, Brother Tang.”

Chu Feng nodded secretly, growing all the more respectful toward the Lord of Yuehu and finding it astonishing that the two elders were both over a hundred years old.

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At this point, the Lord of Gulin recounted the events as they had transpired. The Lord of Yuehu listened, gripped with awe. In the end, he cast a look of admiration at Chu Feng, finding the young man remarkably clever.

Then the Lord of Yuehu said, “I’ve received intelligence that the demon race paid a steep price to launch a diversion on the front lines, drawing attention from all sides, while secretly dispatching a beast army to assault Gulin City. Such a great operation has already shaken the Sacred City, but the purpose of the demon race remains a mystery. Brother, it is imperative that you report to the Sacred City. Leave the rest to me. For now, focus on your recovery.”

“Thank you for your trouble, Brother Tang,” the Lord of Gulin replied.

Among humanity, there were two spheres: the military and the civil. The military defended against the demons and protected the homeland, while the civil sphere built and maintained order within. Elders stood as supreme commanders above both; there were five in all, jointly presiding over the military and civil realms and leading all of humanity.

Beneath the elders were many departments that handled daily affairs. Unless an event threatened the fate of humanity, the elders would not ordinarily intervene.

The Lord of Yuehu reported to the Sacred City’s intelligence bureau, mentioning that only two survivors remained from Gulin City. An hour later, a reply arrived: the five elders wished to meet them in person and had dispatched an envoy to Yuehu City.

For two days, the Lord of Gulin focused on healing, aided by spiritual medicines, and recovered most of his strength. The refugees from Gulin were also well settled. Now that Gulin City was destroyed, at the Lord of Gulin’s suggestion, his soldiers joined the forces of Yuehu City.

The Lord of Yuehu spared no effort in hospitality. Chu Feng’s accommodations and meals were far beyond anything he had ever known. Cleaned of dust and clothed in finery, Chu Feng found it hard to lift his spirits. The ordeal had left him heavy-hearted. He wandered the city, visiting Wang Ze, and found some comfort at last.

On the third day, the envoys from the elders arrived. An ancient bronze warship descended upon Yuehu City. Though not enormous, its presence was overwhelming. This was a Falcon-class ship, the fastest of humanity’s vessels. The Sacred City lay tens of thousands of miles away, and that this ship had made the journey in three days was testament to its speed.

Thus, the Lord of Gulin and Chu Feng bid farewell to the Lord of Yuehu and boarded the ship.

The Sacred City was the heart of humanity and the true seat of the Spirit Battle Pavilion. The various city pavilions were but branches responsible for recruitment; only in the Sacred City was the true Spirit Battle Pavilion, the crucible of talent for the human race.

Only through centralized management could humanity’s core strength be preserved and the damage wrought by the demon race minimized.

The Sacred City stretched nearly a thousand miles, vast beyond compare. For its security, the city was home to countless experts, with four royal cities guarding its cardinal points. Its defenses were tighter even than the border fortresses.

On the afternoon of the fifth day, the Falcon-class ship arrived at the Sacred City. Aboard the vessel, Chu Feng was left speechless by the spectacle. The Sacred City was indeed extraordinary, vastly eclipsing any ordinary city not just in scale and grandeur, but also in the sheer number of powerful warriors it housed. Even Chu Feng, not yet a cultivator, could sense the immense aura that shook him to his core.

On the ship, the Lord of Gulin pointed below. “Down there is the Spirit Battle Pavilion. It occupies nearly a third of the Sacred City. The Spirit Battle Pavilion is the hope for humanity’s continued rise. When you enter, seize every opportunity.”

Chu Feng looked below and nodded, inwardly baffled: “Grandpa Xu and Elder Yu Yang both seem so certain I’ll enter the Pavilion—why?”

The Sacred Hall, where the five elders resided, occupied the center of the Sacred City. It glittered with gold and jade, majestic and awe-inspiring.

The Falcon-class ship landed before the Sacred Hall, where two golden-armored guards awaited them. They showed no reaction to the arrival of the Lord of Gulin and Chu Feng, merely casting a cursory glance their way. One of them said, “Come.”

“Thank you,” the Lord of Gulin replied with a smile, undisturbed by their manner. After all, these guards served daily at the elders’ side, accustomed to the presence of great figures, and so had grown proud over time.

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Led by the two guards, the Lord of Gulin and Chu Feng ascended the stone steps, passed through four towering gates, and finally arrived before a grand and imposing hall.

Inside, five elders sat in stately silence. The Grand Elder was seated at the far left, the Fifth Elder at the far right. There was no hierarchy among them; their titles simply followed their ages.

All five wore white robes. Each had flowing white hair and eyes full of weathered wisdom. Their gentle, kindly demeanor inspired a sense of peace. If not for prior knowledge, it would be hard to imagine that these five elders were the supreme commanders of humanity.

After bowing, the golden-armored guards withdrew. The Lord of Gulin, though a city lord for many years, felt his heart pounding—this was his first time meeting humanity’s highest authorities.

“Xu Lan pays his respects to the five elders,” he said, bowing low.

Chu Feng, already briefed by the Lord of Gulin about the elders’ supreme authority and immense power, now stood before them as if facing five towering mountains. He was filled with awe and reverence, and bowed as well. “Chu Feng greets the five elders.”

The Lord of Gulin recounted the events of Gulin City. During his report, all five elders cast a glance at Chu Feng, surprised that a boy incapable of spiritual transformation had survived—no mean feat.

As for the mysterious flames that had annihilated the beast horde, the elders could not discern their origin. Still, they agreed that without those powerful flames, the demon race’s plans would likely have succeeded.

The elders speculated that the demon race must have discovered an important secret within Gulin City, something unknown to humanity, to have attacked at such great cost. Until the truth was uncovered, the ruins of Gulin City must be protected.

“If it weren’t for a demon spy learning that Gulin City was undefended, the entire population wouldn’t have perished so tragically. This matter must be thoroughly investigated,” said the Second Elder.

“Chu Feng!” the Grand Elder suddenly called.

“Disciple is present,” Chu Feng replied.

“We will make an exception and allow you to join the Spirit Battle Pavilion. Are you willing?” the Grand Elder asked.

“I am willing!” Chu Feng answered, his heart surging with emotion. He had never imagined he would be admitted to the Spirit Battle Pavilion without even needing the Spirit Battle Command.

The Lord of Gulin was not surprised. He had long anticipated this outcome. In the end, the upper echelons of humanity bore some responsibility for the slaughter in Gulin City; the Pavilion’s gesture was a form of atonement, a way to offer this youth the best possible future and some measure of comfort.

As for Yu Yang, whom Chu Feng had met in his dreams, he naturally felt the same. Chu Feng was simply too young to grasp the deeper reasons.

Then the Grand Elder spoke again: “In our Pavilion, there is a divine medicine known as the Spirit-Forming Pill. For those already transformed, it strengthens the spirit body; for those unable to transform, it enables transformation. Once you take this pill, you may begin your cultivation in the Spirit Battle Pavilion.”