Forefather Celestial pacified their anxiety with a calm, amiable expression. “Don’t be so alarmed and tell us everything that transpired from beginning to end. You’re not to blame for the defeat. Escaping and bringing information back to us is a great contribution already.”

But the survivors still trembled in fear despite his soothing tone, regaining their wits only when the lone remaining wood demon forefather encouraged, “What are you afraid of? Forefather Celestial has absolved you of all blame, so make amends by reporting back. What are you waiting for?”

At long last, admonishment by a leader of their own tribe slowly brought these fellows back to their senses. They reeled off their experiences. They weren’t especially highly-placed and didn’t fully understand the whole picture. Nevertheless, they could describe the battle as they’d personally witnessed it.

Important or not, they narrated all of the events following Jiang Chen’s arrival. Once someone was done, another took up the reins.

The survivors slowly pieced together the original scene through multiple points of view.

The crowd fell deadly silent. How fearsome were the wood demon parasites? They’d been the greatest scourge of mankind during antiquity. They’d caused the destruction of more than one human sect, but the enemy had never found an effective way to deal with them.

“Strange, strange.” The only surviving wood demon forefather was full of questions. “It seems that a troublemaker’s appeared among them. How can a later generation find a solution when his ancestors used to be so powerless? How did they notice the Fire of Firstdawn’s restraining effect on the parasites?” 

He wasn’t the only one to be bewildered. The other forefathers shared his astonishment. Their enemy shouldn’t be this strong. From what they could recall, mankind had never fully adapted to the demons’ diversity.

Each tribe had its own style and abilities. It had been a cause of endless perplexion for the humans, a constant source of headache.

Human heritage should’ve become weaker with time, rather than stronger. How had the younger generation cracked what had been an unsolvable puzzle in the past?

Therein resided the true mystery.

“Who first started spreading rumors about the Fire of Firstdawn’s effects?”

A one-eyed survivor said, “We don’t know either. Like the others, Eternal looked powerless at first, but a human cultivator showed up and seemed to bring the antidote. Then the parasites’ advance met with all sorts of complications. Nothing went to plan. They were invincible against Abyssal and Martial and swept everything in their path. I don’t understand. It must have to do with that Jiang Chen!” 

One couldn’t go wrong blaming the young lord for every inexplicable ill.

Moreover, the one to ultimately bring the Fire of Firstdawn and eradicate the bulk of the parasites had been the Vermilion Bird, Jiang Chen’s follower. Once refined by a divine realm sacred beast, the fire had exhibited a power they simply hadn’t been prepared for, ultimately leading to the entire eradication of the parasites.

Kingspot’s defeat had been even more bizarre.

He’d clearly been seen running away, but Jiang Chen had destroyed the space in his path and stopped him cold in his tracks. Then he’d been restrained by some sort of mysterious energy, and ultimately been helplessly tied up by a strange rope.

The entire process hadn’t taken very long.

The concordance between multiple recountings gave credence to the tale. Now that they’d obtained a clearer idea of the events that led to the wood tribe’s undoing, the demon forefathers fell silent.

“Sure enough, there’s something odd about that rope. Was there an ancient sect that owned this kind of treasure?”

This question stumped them all. None of them remembered fighting against a notable human figure using such an item. Where did it come from?

Had it perhaps simply never come to light in the past? If so, where on earth had Jiang Chen dug it out from?

Too many questions remained unanswered for their peace of mind.

“There are indeed many mysteries surrounding the kid. The torch shouldn’t have been enough to outright dispose of someone of Fellow daoist Kingspot’s caliber, unless he ran into the Great Divine Veluriyam himself. How did Jiang Chen win so easily?”

“In short, there’s more this kid than meets the eye, so all of you must remember to always stay vigilant if you fight him in the future.”

Such a mystifying opponent was indeed very irksome.

These forefathers weren’t greenhorns inexperienced in the ways of the world, yet more of them had died in the recent past than against the myriad of human powerhouses during the entire ancient war.

Could Jiang Chen be even more formidable than the Great Divine Veluriyam?

Why did a heroic figure always have to appear in mankind’s darkest hour? Where did this good fortune come from?

A blood demon forefather who’d remained silent thus far suddenly said in a muted voice, “Forefather Celestial, these survivors ran back here without rest. This means Jiang Chen is likely to be still in Eternal right at this moment.”

“Hm? And what of it?” muttered Forefather Celestial. 

“Isn’t that an opportunity for us? They’ve been strengthening Winterdraw’s defenses. They’re clearly intent on keeping us out of the human domain. But the kid isn’t on site for now. It looks to me like an extremely rare opportunity, whether to deal with Jiang Chen or the human domain.”

His reminder opened the crowd’s eyes to the possibilities.

Their faces brightened. True enough, the kid couldn’t have returned so soon after resolving Eternal’s siege.

Without the presence of its leader, wouldn’t Wintedraw crumble at the first blow if they were to launch an attack straight away?

Their thoughts stirred at this prospect. Everyone pondered the feasibility.

His eyes flashing, Forefather Celestial asked, “Those who’ve just returned from Eternal, what say you? Is Jiang Chen still there?”

“He’ll certainly stay to celebrate his victory. They might cut the festivities short, but he can’t have rushed back yet.”

“The ten sacred land’s forefathers are still trapped offworld. Who knows, he might even go there to rescue them?”

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