CHAPTER 2017: CHAPTER 1267: CEASING WAR (PART 2)

But the Mystic Sect Saints and Witch Clan Saints are better; they can all see the signs of emergence. However, the Human Race Saints alone show no signs of appearing so far.

Jiang Chen set the standard too high, requiring a Human Race Saint to achieve sainthood through merit, an almost impossible feat to accomplish.

Given the current state of Heaven and Earth, gaining enough merit to become a saint is clearly not feasible just by doing good deeds. Only one path remains: defeat the Chaos Demigod and offer it to the Prehistoric World.

But if one has the ability to defeat a Chaos Demigod, what use is a sacred position? It’s contradictory.

Thus, relying on merit to become a saint has become nearly impossible.

Jiang Chen’s difficulty lies here. At the time, he didn’t think much about it, only believing this method could inspire all beings to do good, and thus he set such a requirement.

But now looking back, this requirement is almost like a pie in the sky, visible yet intangible, and beings, in their despair, might just give up on this sacred position.

Indeed, knowing it’s unattainable yet still demanding it, is truly foolish. This condition needs revision, but Jiang Chen hasn’t figured out how yet.

...

The birth of the Demon Saint, while causing many ripples in the Prehistoric World, had no substantial impact on the overall situation.

The structure of the Prehistoric World is already set in stone. Not just any saint can influence it; at least someone as powerful as Jiang Chen, a Chaos Stronger, is required.

Unfortunately, although a saint’s power has been enhanced, it’s merely at the Creation Realm, still far from the Chaos Realm.

The appearance of the Demon Saint, at most, allows the Demonic Way to live a bit more comfortably, no longer eking out a paltry existence. But returning to its peak is impossible.

As the Creation Jade Disc fragments recognize a master, and the ripples stirred by the birth of the Demon Saint gradually settle over the long years, the grand trend of the Prehistoric World moves inexorably forward.

Unconsciously, tens of millions of years have passed.

But despite this long period, instead of restoring peace to the Prehistoric World, it becomes increasingly chaotic.

The conflict between Parallel Space-Time and the Main World was already extremely fierce, and now, with the Demon Saint fanning the flames, this dispute not only doesn’t end with time but intensifies.

Almost at intervals, one parallel world collapses, and then a new one is born.

Both sides, in this back-and-forth, gradually grow stronger. The price, however, is the death of countless cultivators.

Initially, the outbreak of this war was tacitly approved by all strong ones, or even deliberately pushed forward.

But even they didn’t expect the war to last so long and be so brutal.

The great war lasts tens of millions of years, and while some gained benefits, more paid a heavy price.

For example, though the overall strength of the Mystic Sect’s three thousand doctrines increased, more than two-thirds of the factions suffered greatly, with some even on the brink of annihilation.

If the Mystic Sect is in such a state, there’s no need to mention the other forces.

Seeing this situation, many strong ones couldn’t stay still. They hastened to the Heaven Court, asking Jiang Chen to step in and stop the conflict.

This war cannot continue. The result of further fighting is the strong get stronger, and the weak perish!

If this war were compared to a game, some people feel there’s no chance of turning the tide and even that the more they play, the more they lose, so they consider quitting.

...

"Fellow Taoists mean to ask me to step in and stop the conflict?"

In the Lingxiao Palace, Jiang Chen looked at Taiqing, Duobao, Jieyin, and other saints below him, asking uncertainly.

"Yes, we implore Your Highness to have mercy and step in to stop the conflict. How can a great war last tens of millions of years without ending?"

"For tens of millions of years, the mountains and rivers are stained with blood, the sky has turned red, countless creatures die tragically. Whether for Heaven and Earth’s sake or for the creatures’ sake, this war must stop." Jieyin Saint said sorrowfully and compassionately.

"Yes, yes!"

"This war has lasted too long; it’s time to end it. We implore Your Highness to show mercy and step in to stop the conflict." The other saints beside Jieyin Saint echoed.

Seeing this, Jiang Chen’s expression showed no change, but inwardly, he couldn’t help but shake his head. Mercy? Nonsense. They’re just sore losers.

Those who showed up today to persuade him to step in and stop the conflict are all losers in this great war. No true winner has come.

They would love for this war to last another ten million years so they could seize the opportunity to swallow up all the powers present. Why would they come here to urge Jiang Chen to stop the conflict?

As for the safety of the common people?

The common people live in the Divine City, while the war rages in the void between Parallel Space-Time and the Main World, unrelated to each other. As long as they stay put in the Divine City, they’ll be perfectly fine.

But if they harbor greed and voluntarily head to the battlefield between the two realms, who can they blame if they die?

The true common people remain in the Divine City; those appearing on the battlefield are all cultivators. Whether they survive or not depends entirely on their fortune.

"What fellow Taoists said is correct. The dispute between Parallel Space-Time and the Main World has indeed thrown the Prehistoric World into chaos, with no peace for a moment."

"This act is detrimental to all beings. It’s time to end it."

Although he inwardly disdained them, Jiang Chen continued with their words. Because the war’s duration was indeed too long, it was time to halt the war and let the Prehistoric World recuperate for a while.

"Hmm?"

Everyone was not happy but surprised at Jiang Chen’s straightforward consent.

They originally thought getting Jiang Chen’s agreement would require a substantial price. Yet, unexpectedly, before they even stated their conditions, Jiang Chen agreed to their terms.

There must be a catch.

"Your Highness is wise!"

Although feeling something was off, they couldn’t be ingrates when Jiang Chen gave them face and hurriedly acclaimed him.

"How does Your Highness plan to stop the conflict?"

At this moment, the Saint of Taiqing asked.

"Simple!"

With a cryptic smile, Jiang Chen waved his big sleeve and reached down to the Prehistoric World.

In an instant, Heaven and Earth changed; all the innate Yuan Qi gathered here, captured at once by Jiang Chen.

"This..."

The strong ones present, as well as those absent, were all shocked to see this scene, puzzled by Jiang Chen’s actions.

"You cultivators, rather than contemplating the profound and nurturing your virtues, run around causing trouble, stirring up disputes, prolonging the great war for millennia, and disrupting peace in Heaven and Earth."

"Your crimes are intolerable by Heaven and Earth. Today, I take away the spiritual energy and sever your reliance on causing havoc as punishment."

Jiang Chen’s voice echoed through Heaven and Earth, causing those fighting cultivators’ faces to turn pale.

Today’s situation differs from the past. The Prehistoric World no longer has Chaos Qi. Unlike before, even if Heaven and Earth were devoid of spiritual energy, the Innate Dao Sovereigns could still cultivate by refining Chaos Qi.

One could say that now, unless your cultivation is at the Quasi-Saint level, you can’t live without Yuan Qi. Without it, how can they cultivate?

Jiang Chen’s action is equivalent to cutting off their cultivation path. How could they not be terrified?

"Isn’t this... Your Highness might be overdoing it?"

The Saint of Taiqing hesitated for a moment but still asked.

He knew Jiang Chen’s intervention would surely punish the Lower Realm cultivators, but he never expected Jiang Chen’s punishment would be so severe, directly blocking their path of cultivation.

"Rest assured!"

"I’m merely scaring them to instill a lesson. After some time, I’ll return the spiritual energy to them."

Jiang Chen laughed softly, reassuring the tense crowd.

"I see!"

Upon hearing this, everyone immediately sighed in relief. As long as it’s just a scare, it’s alright. If Jiang Chen were serious, it would truly be terrifying.

After all, it was after they saw Jiang Chen that he made this decision. If this matter spread, one couldn’t guarantee that no one would think they incited Jiang Chen to do this.

Otherwise, how to explain that, despite tens of millions of years passing, the Heavenly Emperor never intervened, yet suddenly does so after meeting them, ending the war and punishing the cultivators?

If people misunderstood this matter, then even as saints, they couldn’t bear the consequences. After all, even saints cannot afford to provoke public wrath!