"Cultivating Gu?"
Faced with the Torch Legacy Plan Huang Tian had proposed, Sui Ren Shi and the others looked completely baffled.
"This seat has decided to send 100,000 Human Race prodigies at the Immortal (Taiyi) Realm out from the Shore of the East Sea, to use the Prehistoric World as their proving ground."
"They may not return to the Ancestral Land until they break through to the Martial Emperor (Daluo) Realm."
"This is the Human Race Torch Legacy Plan by way of cultivating Gu!"
Huang Tian's gaze burned as he spoke in a low voice.
"Ah?"
When Sui Ren Shi and the others heard Huang Tian's words, their expressions changed at once.
After tens of thousands of years of slaughter and brutal tempering through blood and fire, a population of ten billion had produced only around 100,000 Immortals (Taiyi).
Sending them all out to gain experience at once would leave the Human Race Ancestral Land completely depleted.
How could the remaining 50,000 Immortals possibly defend the vast Shore of the East Sea?
"One must endure the bitterest hardship to rise above others!"
"The Earth Bear Clan and the Crimson Nether Demon Ape are nothing but minor obstacles on the Human Race's path to development."
"If we want to win more time to grow, then when the Sage's Barrier dissipates eighty thousand years from now, our Human Race must be capable of standing against the Witch and Demon Clans."
"Effective immediately, all Human Race powerhouses in the late Immortal (Taiyi) Realm are to enter the Human Ancestral Hall."
"The Spirit Transformation Pool and the Twelve Star Palaces are to be made available to them without restriction. The sooner they break through to the Martial Emperor (Daluo) Realm, the better."
Huang Tian's gaze turned cold as he issued his orders in a tone that brooked no argument.
"Leader, isn't this a little too hasty?"
"It wasn't easy for our Human Race to reach its current size after just tens of thousands of years of development."
"Under your plan to cultivate Gu, our Human Race may well suffer a devastating loss."
You Chao Shi looked at Huang Tian with a bitter expression and pleaded, pained at the thought.
"Impudence!"
"If we keep protecting them under our wings, does that mean they won't die?"
"Sending them out to travel the world is indeed a near-certain death sentence, but at least they'll have a chance to survive."
"If we keep them confined to the Shore of the East Sea, then once the Sage's Barrier dissipates and the Witch and Demon Clans descend, are we all supposed to perish together?"
"If we can lie down, who would want to move?"
"Even this seat must venture out to seek opportunities for a breakthrough. I only ask that, eighty thousand years from now, our Human Race has even the slightest bit more strength in reserve."
"The 100,000 Immortals are prodigies forged in battle against the Demon Clan on the Shore of the East Sea. How many resources did our Human Race pour into them?"
"Only if we fight the battles that need fighting now can our Human Race truly live in peace, free from bullying and from being treated as Blood Food!"
"Mercy does not make a good commander!"
"You Chao Shi, you have disappointed this seat!"
Before You Chao Shi could finish, Huang Tian shouted him down.
"Leader, please calm down."
"Fourth Brother is soft-hearted. He spoke out of turn in the heat of the moment!"
Seeing this, Sui Ren Shi quickly stepped in to smooth things over.
"I'll make this clear to you as well."
"Even if all 100,000 Immortals die, as long as their sacrifices temper three or five Martial Emperors (Daluo), then it will all have been worth it!"
"And that's not all."
"The 100,000 Immortals are to leave the Shore of the East Sea and venture into the Prehistoric World to train."
"The other 50,000 Immortals stationed on the Shore of the East Sea must not sit idle either."
"They are to take up residence in the four Human King Cities and develop eighty-one tribes in each."
"Every tribe must establish its own Human Race army and continue to wage war beyond our borders, expand, and acquire more resources for development."
"The Human Race Ancestral Land must also train a separate Imperial Guard for the Human Emperor. They are not to be deployed lightly, except in a fight for survival."
Huang Tian's expression remained unchanged as he continued to speak loudly, leaving no room for argument.
"Yes, Leader!"
Daring not to delay any further, the Three Ancestors of the Human Race bowed in unison and accepted the orders.
"There's one more matter of great importance."
"Let me ask you: what do you think of the Holy Mother?"
Huang Tian fixed his burning gaze on the Three Ancestors of the Human Race and continued.
"We were created by the Holy Mother. Surely, if our lives were at stake, she would come to our aid?"
At this, Sui Ren Shi answered without hesitation, while Zi Yi Shi and You Chao Shi nodded in agreement.
"I knew it. You're still too naive."
"The Human Race was weak before, and there were things I didn't want to tell you, for fear you couldn't bear them."
"But now it's time you knew."
"Between our Human Race and the Demon Clan, only one can survive."
"The existence of Holy Mother Nuwa cannot change that."
"The root of the problem is that our flesh and souls are special. They can be refined into a unique treasure capable of breaking through an Ancestral Witch's true form."
Huang Tian sighed and explained gravely.
"Hiss!"
Hearing this, Sui Ren Shi and the others drew sharp breaths, their expressions changing dramatically.
In that case, the Demon Clan would never choose to coexist peacefully with the Human Race out of fear of Holy Mother Nuwa. They would fight for the position of ruler of Heaven and Earth no matter what.
"Leader, then what should we do?"
"Empress Nuwa is both the Holy Mother of our Human Race and a Demon Saint of the Demon Clan."
"If the Human Race and Demon Clan fight, there's no way for the Holy Mother to take either side."
"For the Human Race to face the Demon Clan alone is simply..."
Sui Ren Shi drew a deep breath, then asked Huang Tian in shock.
"So you should understand why I'm in such a hurry."
"I'm willing to sacrifice countless members of our race and cultivate our top powerhouses quickly by raising them like Gu."
"But you needn't despair."
"The enemy of your enemy is your friend."
"The Demon Clan slaughters the Human Race to refine a special treasure for use against the Witch Clan."
"As long as the Witch Clan steps in, our Human Race need not fear the Demon Clan."
Huang Tian remained calm and spoke evenly.
"Ah?"
"Leader, are you saying that, to survive, our Human Race must become a vassal of the Witch Clan?"
Sui Ren Shi looked at Huang Tian, his expression troubled and his feelings conflicted.
The Human Race was destined to become the ruler of Heaven and Earth in the next age.
Even if it was only a temporary expedient, becoming a vassal of the Witch Clan would leave a stain that could never be erased.
That was a stain on a race's highest honor, an honor worth more than life and death.
"When did I ever say the Human Race should submit to the Witch Clan?"
Huang Tian shook his head, amused by Sui Ren Shi's naivety.
The Witch and Demon Clans were destined to fail.
Knowing that, why would Huang Tian let the Human Race rush to submit to the Witch Clan?
"Then what do you mean, Leader?"
Seeing this, the Three Ancestors of the Human Race looked at Huang Tian in confusion and asked gravely.
"The Human Immortal Martial Dao places emphasis on qi and blood, strengthens the body, and cultivates both inside and out. Isn't it similar to the Witch Clan's path?"
"Although our Human Race's bodies are somewhat weaker than those of the Witch Clan..."
"But we have Nascent Souls and can refine and wield spiritual treasures to attack. Our potential is even greater than the Witch Clan's."
"So this seat's plan is to form a temporary equal alliance with the Witch Clan."
Huang Tian's gaze shone as he answered without hesitation.
"Leader, that's impossible."
"The Twelve Ancestral Witches are arrogant. They don't even take Dao Ancestor Hongjun seriously."
"Now the Witch and Demon Clans are determined to settle their rivalry. Only one clan can become the ruler of Heaven and Earth."
"How could the arrogant and unruly Witch Clan agree to lower itself by forming an equal alliance with our weak race?"
The Three Ancestors of the Human Race shook their heads, convinced that Huang Tian was letting his imagination run wild.
If the Demon Clan didn't have Dao Ancestor Hongjun standing behind it, the Witch Clan would already have become the ruler of Heaven and Earth.
"Because our bodies are similar, the Human Race and the Witch Clan can intermarry."
"Their descendants would have both powerful bodies and innate Nascent Souls, and they could also increase the Witch Clan's rate of reproduction."
"I can't think of a single reason the Witch Clan would refuse an equal alliance with our Human Race."
Huang Tian smiled faintly, entirely confident.
"This..."
"Leader, we must form the Human-Witch alliance without delay!"
Hearing this, Sui Ren Shi and the others were stunned. They praised Huang Tian's bold idea and readily agreed.
The Witch Clan had no Nascent Souls, and had suffered no small number of losses to the Demon Clan's attacks with spiritual treasures.
With a chance to repay the favor and increase their race's population, the Witch Clan would certainly accept the Human Race's proposal for an equal alliance.
The Human Race would benefit, too.
Their Human-Witch descendants would have stronger bodies and better innate potential. They would find it much easier to cultivate the Human Immortal Martial Dao!
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