CHAPTER 232: CHAPTER 30 DEFECTS

The Demon-Subduing Division’s achievements today are entirely due to the sacrifices of past generations. If powerful individuals hadn’t fearlessly sacrificed themselves to slay Demon Evils, how could Defender Envoys have emerged, and how could Great Qin be in its current state?

Afterward, Shen Changqing thought of something else. "Isn’t it said that Great Confucians, by cultivating vast and righteous qi, can deal with Demon Evils?"

If that’s the case, then back in those days, Great Qin shouldn’t have relied solely on the Demon-Subduing Division to counter Demon Evils. Those Great Confucians should also have been potent weapons against Demon Evils.

Dongfang Zhao shook his head upon hearing this. "Great Qin had only been established for a few years back then; where would one find any Great Confucians? It wasn’t until after the Defender Envoys emerged that Great Qin saw the birth of Great Confucians. Moreover, the conditions to become a Great Confucian are extremely stringent, immeasurably more difficult than achieving the rank of Grandmaster. Currently, Great Qin has few Great Confucians; however, Defender Envoys outnumber them many times over, if not more."

Shen Changqing had a sudden realization. The next moment, he asked, "Then, are there any drawbacks to becoming a Defender Envoy?"

If there are no drawbacks, frankly speaking, I might as well try to become a Defender Envoy myself. After all, transplanting the body of a Demon Evil wouldn’t mean I couldn’t enhance my own strength. If I pursued both paths, my strength would surely grow much faster. As for whether transplanting the body of a Demon Evil would make me an incomplete member of the Human Clan, that was of little concern to him.

"Drawbacks? Naturally, there are some," Dongfang Zhao said. "The biggest drawback is that the lifespan of Defender Envoys is much shorter than that of normal martial artists. For instance, a Grandmaster Martial Artist could originally live for over a hundred years, but as a Defender Envoy, they might not even live to sixty."

"Not even live to sixty!"

Shen Changqing immediately extinguished the idea of becoming a Defender Envoy.

He sought strength to live longer. If gaining power came at the cost of a shortened life, then he’d rather not.

Dongfang Zhao continued, "Although Defender Envoys merge with the bodies of Demon Evils, Demon Evils are ultimately different from the Human Clan. Even after fusion, they are constantly consuming themselves. This is why the lifespan of Defender Envoys is far shorter than that of normal martial artists. If you have a choice, I advise you not to become a Defender Envoy too quickly. Regardless of whether you can break through the Martial Artist Limit, the stronger you are before becoming a Defender Envoy, the greater your strength will be after the transformation, and the longer you will live."

After a moment of silence, Shen Changqing asked, "So, after becoming a Defender Envoy, is my strength completely fixed?"

"Yes and no." Dongfang Zhao first shook his head, then patiently explained. "At the beginning, the strength of Defender Envoys is indeed fixed. But as the technology to transplant Demon Evil flesh becomes increasingly refined, the power of Defender Envoys is no longer fixed at the current stage. If you believe your physical body has grown stronger after transplanting the Demon Evil flesh, then you can choose to transplant even stronger Demon Evil flesh. This is the first path of strength enhancement for Defender Envoys."

"What about the second path of enhancement?"

"The second path is the complete fusion with all the power of the Demon Evil. At that time, your body will, to some extent, be essentially equivalent to that of a Demon Evil. Combined with the advantages you possess as a human, you will be able to absorb nature’s spiritual energy to nourish yourself."

Complete fusion with all the power of the Demon Evil?

Shen Changqing’s expression shifted. "Defender Dongfang, do you mean that we should completely abandon our human forms and occupy the bodies of Demon Evils?"

This was all he could infer from Defender Dongfang’s words.

Dongfang Zhao shook his head. "Initially, that was indeed the plan. But later, some powerful individuals in the Demon-Subduing Division discovered that if they did so, a person would cease to be human and would completely belong to the Demon Evil faction, their mind gradually transforming to that of a Demon Evil. To solve this problem, the Demon-Subduing Division researched a new method. This involves excising a portion of a Demon Evil’s flesh and blood, forcing all the essence of the Demon Evil’s physical body and its Divine Soul into that portion, and then transplanting it onto a martial artist. Once the martial artist can completely devour the power and Divine Soul within that flesh and blood, they can perfectly usurp the Demon Evil’s power, thereby gaining the potential for continuous advancement."

Dongfang Zhao paused, then continued, "But regardless of the method, drawbacks exist. Lifespan is one factor. Furthermore, over extended periods, Defender Envoys also risk being assimilated by the Demon Evil, though the probability of this assimilation is very low. The power formed from the fusion of a human body and Demon Evil flesh is what we call Spirit Essence, and the blood is called Spirit Blood. This power surpasses that of ordinary humans and is no weaker than the Demon Essence and Demon Blood of Demon Evils. Once a Defender Envoy undergoes Demonization, the Spirit Essence and Spirit Blood in their body will transform into Demon Essence and Demon Blood. At that point, the Defender Envoy is no longer a Defender Envoy, but a living Demon Evil!"

A living Demon Evil!

By now, Shen Changqing fully understood what a Defender Envoy was.

In the end, Defender Envoys were actually akin to beings that existed between the Human Clan and Demon Evils. The distinction, however, was that Defender Envoys were not corrupted by the power of Demon Evils. Instead, they could control the power of Demon Evils for their own use, thereby standing above ordinary members of the Human Clan. Based on what Dongfang Zhao said, in truth, every Defender Envoy had a short lifespan.

Watching the changes in Shen Changqing’s expression, Dongfang Zhao said, "That’s why I don’t advise you to become a Defender Envoy right now. With your talent, even if you can’t break the Martial Artist Limit, you are still qualified to grow to the Grandmaster Peak Realm. And only after reaching Grandmaster Peak do you possess the foundation to perfectly fuse with the entirety of a Demon Evil’s power. The Demon-Subduing Division does not lack ordinary Defender Envoys, but it does lack those who can achieve self-growth. You must understand that an expert without the potential for growth isn’t an expert in the truest sense. Only those who have unlocked their path to advancement and possess limitless potential are worthy of being called experts.

"Of course— Defender Envoys aren’t truly qualified to be called experts either. The limitations of their lifespan mean their achievements are inherently restricted."

By the end of his words, Dongfang Zhao sighed softly. Without the restriction of lifespan, Defender Envoys would truly have unlimited possibilities. Unfortunately, to this day, there was still no prospect of resolving the lifespan issue for Defender Envoys.

"For many years," Dongfang Zhao added, "the Demon Sealing Hall has been researching how to grant Defender Envoys longer lives, but progress has been minimal."

Shen Changqing asked, "How long can a Demon Evil live?"

"Unclear." Dongfang Zhao shook his head. "To date, there are no records in the Demon-Subduing Division of a Demon Evil dying of old age. Some Demon Evils in the Demon Sealing Tower, like Wang Mubai who has been imprisoned for over two hundred years, remain ageless and seemingly immortal. Demon Evils must hold the secret to longevity. Since you’ve joined the Hidden Heart Pavilion, you should have opportunities to interact with the Demon Sealing Hall in the future. You can investigate further then."

"Thank you for enlightening me, sir!"

"Furthermore, you must keep the secrets of the Defender Envoys confidential. If this information is spread to others, you will be hunted by the Demon-Subduing Division, with no escape whether you flee to the highest heavens or the deepest earth." Dongfang Zhao warned, his calm tone laced with a chilling intent that made one’s blood run cold.

Shen Changqing fell silent.

The secrets of the Defender Envoys indeed could not be spread indiscriminately. If the common people knew the truth about Defender Envoys, it would undoubtedly cause some unrest. Some might even seize the opportunity to stir up trouble. Although Great Qin didn’t fear such incidents, they still posed a not-insignificant threat. Another point was that if someone tried to become a Defender Envoy by recklessly transplanting Demon Evil flesh, they would very likely undergo Demonization directly. That, in turn, would lead to numerous calamities.

Upon realizing this, Shen Changqing then asked, "When the Demon’s Essence Blood appeared in Lin’an City of Guangyuan Prefecture last time, were those sects vying for it to obtain the Demon Evil’s power?"

"That’s right." Dongfang Zhao nodded. "Demon Evils have wreaked havoc for many years. Some Jianghu Sects have also researched methods to enhance their own strength from these encounters. Among these methods is the refinement of a Demon Evil’s Essence Blood to obtain its power. However, such methods are inferior when compared to the Demon Sealing Hall’s technique of transplanting Demon Evil flesh. Even so, for those in the Jianghu, obtaining Demon’s Essence Blood is still a significant matter. Especially since using Demon’s Essence Blood for body tempering might also help a martial artist break into the Physical System. Last time, the Demon’s Essence Blood in Lin’an City fell into the hands of the Saber Blade Sect."

As he finished speaking, Dongfang Zhao looked at Shen Changqing with an enigmatic smile.

"The Saber Blade Sect was so eager to obtain the Invincible Golden Body Martial Art you auctioned because it contains the cultivation method for Grandmaster-level Outer Techniques. Combined with Demon’s Essence Blood, it would allow them to quickly enter the first stage of the Physical System. Unfortunately, the Invincible Golden Body fell into the hands of the Qiyao Sect, causing Wu Que’s plans to fall short at the last moment."

"Sir seems to be well-informed."

"The auction of your Martial Arts caused such a stir that it would be difficult for the Demon-Subduing Division to remain unaware. The inheritance you’ve received is far more powerful than I anticipated. But it’s fine; sell as much as you have. As long as you’re not concerned about being unable to complete the Martial Hall’s assessment, sell as much as you like. In any case, the Martial Arts you’ve sold will be backed up by the Demon-Subduing Division soon enough," Dongfang Zhao said with an airy laugh.

"Uh—" Shen Changqing was momentarily at a loss for words.

It was the first time he had ever heard someone speak of such blatant extortion so nonchalantly.

"Very well. You’ve seen the Demon Sealing Tower, and you understand the secrets of the Defender Envoys. Whether or not to become one is now your decision."

"I understand." Shen Changqing nodded; he didn’t ask any further questions.

What he had learned today at the Demon Sealing Tower was already more than enough for him to slowly process.

Soon after, the two of them departed from the Demon Sealing Tower.

As the entrance gate opened and Shen Changqing stepped out, the blazing sunlight cascaded down, seemingly dispelling the inexplicable sense of oppression that had clung to him since he entered the Demon Sealing Tower.