Within Lin Yuan Pavilion, the fragrance of tea curled upward, yet it could not disperse the heaviness hanging in the air.
The conditions proposed by the various factions of the Primal Continent willing to accept living beings from Lower Planes could hardly be described as merely "not low." They were simply one heavy shackle after another.
They laid bare the iron law of the Primal Continent in all its stark cruelty: the weak were prey to the strong!
Some factions demanded that every accepted person swear a Heaven and Earth Rules oath to serve their sect for all eternity, with even their descendants forbidden from ever leaving.
Others required them to offer up at least one-tenth of their Divine Soul Origin and submit to their control.
Still others were even harsher, demanding that those accepted sign some bizarre bloodline contract and transfer part of the power they cultivated to the core disciples of their sect, effectively becoming "nourishment" for another's cultivation.
Even those with comparatively "lenient" terms generally required those accepted to fight for them without compensation over the long years ahead, explore secret realms, and remain ready at any time to undertake missions of extreme difficulty.
How could most of these factions be said to be accepting them? They were plainly robbing them while their house was on fire!
An indescribable stifling fury surged within Chen Fei's chest!
Fortunately, not every faction was like this. Yet all those that were not were clearly far weaker, and no one could say whether they concealed other dangers.
After a long silence, Chen Fei slowly shifted his gaze away from the suffocating screen of light.
He drew a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down, then looked at the elderly man opposite him, whose expression had remained tranquil throughout, and voiced a