Zhao Feng responded with a solemn expression.
Faced with the Human Sovereigns, he naturally maintained a respectful attitude.
"Transforming fate into national destiny? That is something we have never heard of before."
"In the past, our human race's fate grew from weak to strong, surging like a rainbow. Only then could the power of the Nine Cauldrons be activated to protect our lands."
"However, since you were able to activate the Nine Cauldrons using the power of national destiny, it is clear that this path is extraordinary in its own right."
The Human Sovereigns spoke with smiles on their faces.
Seeing that Zhao Feng was a descendant of the human race and had also managed to wield the Nine Cauldrons, they were greatly relieved.
The Nine Cauldrons are a divine artifact of the human race.
It was said that only the fate of the human race could activate them.
But at the same time, one had to earn the cauldrons' recognition to truly wield their power.
At that moment, Zhao Feng's expression turned serious.
"Honored Human Sovereigns."
"I have a question."
The Flame Emperor smiled and said, "Please speak young one."
"Do the esteemed Human Sovereigns know the true state of the human race in the Celestial Immortal Realm today?" Zhao Feng asked in a deep voice.
The Human Sovereigns exchanged glances before one of them spoke.
"Since the ancient era, after fulfilling our merits, we have remained within Fire Cloud Cave. Ever since the ancient Saints disappeared, we have been completely sealed away, unable to leave."
"Though temples dedicated to us still exist, we only know some basic information about the human race."
"Among the Four Great Continents, the human race in Eastern Victory Divine Continent is the most stable, while Southern Jambudvipa is the most chaotic. Western Ox Continent remains relatively peaceful."
"Though Daoism and Buddhism compete for dominance, it is nothing too serious."
The Flame Emperor explained slowly.
The other Human Sovereigns nodded in agreement.
To them, this was how things stood.
The human race was still the protagonist of the world.
And that was all that mattered.
But Zhao Feng's expression turned even more serious.
"Honored Human Sovereigns."
"What if I told you that what you know is merely an illusion, not the truth?"
The Human Sovereigns stiffened, their gazes filled with shock.
"An illusion?"
They all turned to look at Zhao Feng.
"What do you mean by that, young one?" Fuxi asked.
Zhao Feng took a deep breath and spoke in a solemn tone:
"Today, the world is shrouded in calamitous energy, filled with killing intent."
"Those who do not attain Grand Luo have a lifespan of at most a thousand or ten thousand years."
"Even those who reach Grand Luo face countless tribulations."
"After the disappearance of the Saints, a new substance appeared in the world Spirit Root Pills."
"Cultivators no longer need innate spirit roots to practice the Immortal Dao. By consuming these pills, anyone can cultivate."
"But those who take these pills develop a craving for blood and flesh especially that of their kind."
"By consuming the flesh and blood of their fellow humans, their cultivation advances rapidly. Becoming an immortal is easy."
"And above the realm of immortals the Celestial Gods and Buddha Immortals…"
"The human body possesses innate spiritual essence. By refining this essence into pills, one can extend their lifespan and avoid tribulations."
"Human flesh, rich in spiritual energy, can significantly boost cultivation."
"Now, in the lands of Eastern Victory, Western Ox, Southern Jambudvipa, and even Northern Kurou, wherever humans reside…"**
"The human race has been reduced to mere livestock."
"They are bred and raised by immortals, Buddhas, demons, and monsters for food."
"Their spiritual essence is extracted, their blood and flesh are devoured."
"The world may appear peaceful, but it is a false peace. For the human race, it is nothing but an illusion because they have already been reduced to nothing more than captive beasts."
Zhao Feng spoke every word with the utmost gravity.
The moment these words fell.
The once calm and gentle expressions of the Human Sovereigns darkened instantly.
"Spirit Root Pills? A pill that allows one to cultivate without a spirit root?"
"And consuming it makes one crave the flesh of their kind?"
"The Immortals and Buddhas treat our people as livestock? They consume our blood and flesh and extract our spiritual essence?"
"We are the protagonists of the world how could this be!?"
"Immortals and Buddhas how dare they!?"
"The Saints may be gone, but their orthodox teachings remain! How did the world come to this?"
"The Jade Emperor is still the ruler of the Heavenly Court, and the Buddha of the West was once a disciple of the Saints! Their legacies still exist why has this happened!?"
One after another, the Human Sovereigns erupted in anger and disbelief.
If Zhao Feng hadn't told them this, they never would have known the true state of the human race.
As Human Sovereigns, they had always been blessed by the fate of humanity.
As long as the human race endured, their fate would never be severed.
And within Fire Cloud Cave, they were bound to the very existence of the world itself.
The only knowledge they had of the mortal realm came from prayers made in temples.
Beyond that
Their divine senses could not extend beyond the confines of Fire Cloud Cave.
This was because a powerful formation had been placed upon the cave by the Saints themselves.
After stepping down from their positions as Human Sovereigns, they were supposedly recognized for their merits and witnessed by the heavens.
But in truth
They had been imprisoned within Fire Cloud Cave, forbidden from ever leaving.
The Grand Pure Saint himself had even personally laid down the formation.
At that moment, one of the Human Sovereigns turned to Zhao Feng.
His voice trembled with shock and disbelief.
"Young one."
"Is what you have said… true?"
Fuxi asked solemnly.
In ancient times, when humanity first emerged, it was indeed used as food.
Back then, the Wu and the Yao were the rulers of heaven and earth, and the Yao race fed on humans.
Even Fuxi himself had once been part of the Yao race before eventually becoming a figure of the human race. But that was a past life now, he was the human Fuxi, no longer the Fuxi of old.
However, once humanity became the dominant race of the world, the days of being prey ended.
"Honored Human Sovereigns,"
"How could I possibly dare to deceive you on such a matter?"
"It is fortunate that in the past, you severed the boundary between mortals and immortals, preserving the last remnants of human destiny. Otherwise, even the mortal realm would have long since become a feeding ground for the celestial Buddhas." Zhao Feng said in a deep voice.
"Immortals and Buddhas..."
"How dare they treat my people like this?"
Xuanyuan's expression darkened with fury. Even though he was now merely a lingering will, his killing intent surged into the air.
"They are courting death!"
"Unforgivable!"
"If only we weren't sealed inside the Fire Cloud Cave, with the strength of the eight of us, we could have protected our people!"
"To raise humans like livestock, to drain their spiritual essence, to consume their flesh and blood…"
"For so many years, after humans became the rulers of the world, such atrocities should have ceased!"
"Damn them!"
All the Human Sovereigns could not suppress their rage and cursed out loud.
"Young friend,"
"Tell us everything."
"In the past, when young humans came to offer sacrifices to us, they mentioned something called the Ascension Ceremony. They said that mortals with spiritual roots could enter the immortal sects to cultivate. Is there something more sinister behind this?" Shennong asked, his sharp intuition sensing something amiss.
In the ancient times, there had been no such thing as spiritual roots.
Everyone was born with an innate Dao body, and later, even those with acquired Dao bodies could cultivate it.
Only as time passed and the bloodline weakened did the concept of spiritual roots emerge.
An Ascension Ceremony?
That had never existed before.
So, the Human Sovereigns were puzzled by this.
"Honored Human Sovereigns,"
"What if I were to tell you that this so-called Ascension Ceremony is nothing more than a way for the celestial Buddhas to select the finest livestock among their human cattle? How would you feel about that?" Zhao Feng said coldly.
As soon as these words fell
The expressions of the Human Sovereigns grew even darker, their fury intensifying.
"Good, very good!"
"The Ascension Ceremony is just a method for choosing prime livestock!"
"Immortals, Buddhas, demons, and devils!"
"They have truly gone too far!"
Their killing intent surged like a storm.
"Humanity has ruled this world for so long."
"The Heavenly Court, the Buddhist sects, and countless other powers must surely have strong human cultivators among them. If celestial Buddhas and demons are treating humans like livestock, draining their spiritual essence and devouring their flesh, why do these human experts not intervene?" Shennong asked gravely.
"Emperor Shennong,"
"There are indeed human cultivators within those factions, but being human does not mean they are without selfish desires."
"To extend their lifespans, to evade tribulations, to advance their cultivation why would they care about the lives of mortal humans? To them, the endless masses of humanity are as insignificant as ants."
Zhao Feng let out a cold laugh, directly exposing the harsh truth.
"Of course,"
"There may be some righteous human cultivators who wish to change this, but their power is far too insignificant against the vast current of oppression against humanity."
"They are simply too weak." Zhao Feng added.
Upon hearing this, the Human Sovereigns fell silent.
After a long pause
"Young friend,"
"Protect the mortal world well. Safeguard this last pure land."
"The world has changed, and humanity has been reduced to livestock. Yet as Human Sovereigns, we can do nothing." Suiren spoke with a tone of helplessness.
The other Human Sovereigns remained silent, clearly feeling the same sense of powerlessness.
If they could leave the Fire Cloud Cave, then humanity would not be suffering such a fate.
The Three Sovereigns possessed peak Quasi-Saint strength.
The Five Emperors were at the peak of the Great Luo Golden Immortal realm.
Such power made them absolute dominators in this era without Saints.
And they were ancient beings from the age of legends.
Telling Zhao Feng to protect the mortal world, to defend this last sanctuary, was all they could do.
Breaking the formation set by the Saints?
That was impossible.
No one in this world could achieve that.
"Honored Human Sovereigns,"
"I have already led the army of Great Qin into the Immortal Realm."
"We have already rescued and sheltered over a billion humans." Zhao Feng declared.
Then, with a wave of his hand
Using the power of the Nine Cauldrons, he projected an image of the grand army stationed at Wucheng, the Nine Cauldrons suppressing entire territories, and the scenes of Great Qin annihilating Kunlun and saving hundreds of thousands of humans.
Seeing this
The Human Sovereigns were utterly astonished.
"An army of this scale how did you bring them to the Immortal Realm?"
"Could it be that you possess the Kunlun Mirror?"
Emperor Xuanyuan asked in surprise.
"It is not the Kunlun Mirror, but it does have a similar ability to open spatial pathways." Zhao Feng replied with a smile.
"A million-strong army and every one of them is a cultivator. Many even possess the aura of immortals."
"Though this army is far weaker than the armies of our era, their killing intent is just like that of the warriors of ancient humanity unyielding and fearless."
"To be able to train such powerful soldiers in the mortal world, young friend, you are truly remarkable."
The Human Sovereigns all marveled.
"Thank you for your praise, honored Human Sovereigns."
"In the end,"
"When I was in the mortal world, the Heavenly Court attempted to subjugate me many times."
"If I remained passive, it was only a matter of time before they destroyed me. The mortal humans would have been completely wiped out as well."
"That is why I brought the fight to the Immortal Realm!" Zhao Feng said with a smirk.
"Young friend,"
"But this alone is not enough far from enough."
"Even though the Saints have vanished, there are still many Quasi-Saints in the world. The difference between an Immortal and a Saint may be just one word, but their strength is worlds apart."
"You must be careful," Suiren warned seriously.
"Indeed, young friend."
"From what we see now,"
"You are the savior of humanity, and your empire is our people's last hope. If humanity is to escape its fate as livestock, it will all depend on you."
"There is nothing more we can do."
"Young friend, take care and be cautious."
The Human Sovereigns also repeatedly reminded Zhao Feng.
Seeing that Zhao Feng had ascended to the Immortal Realm and was protecting a faction of the human race, they looked at him with even more approval.
This junior had astonished them greatly, and indeed, he bore the hope of saving the human race and changing the fate of humans in the Immortal Realm.
Naturally, they viewed Zhao Feng more and more favorably he was exactly the kind of outstanding junior they had always hoped for!
"Please rest assured, esteemed Human Sovereigns."
"I will proceed with caution."
"I will not act recklessly." Zhao Feng immediately assured them.
"Sigh."
"It's a pity that we are sealed within Fire Cloud Cave and cannot leave."
"Otherwise, with the current decay of the Heavenly Court, if we were free, we might very well be able to destroy it. We could take it down and let this young friend assume the position of Heavenly Emperor, ensuring peace for our human race." Fuxi's face showed a hint of unwillingness.
"Esteemed Human Sovereigns."
"Even with your cultivation, you cannot leave Fire Cloud Cave?" Zhao Feng asked curiously. Though he had some guesses in his heart, he was still surprised.
"You do not understand the power of Saints, young friend!"
"The formation sealing Fire Cloud Cave was personally arranged by a Saint, and not just any Saint it was set up by the strongest of them all, the Grand Pure Saint."
"We have no hope of leaving." Suiren shook his head with a bitter smile, while the other Human Sovereigns remained silent.
Through countless years, they had grown used to this.
However, learning about the dire state of the human race in the world today still filled them with deep anger.
Yet that was all they could do be angry.
Because there was nothing they could change.
"Esteemed Human Sovereigns."
"Wait for me. One day, I will find a way to bring you back to the world."
Looking at the Human Sovereigns before him, Zhao Feng spoke with solemn determination.
Hearing this, the Human Sovereigns all smiled.
Their gazes toward Zhao Feng grew even more affectionate.
Whether they were Sovereigns who had once led through slaughter or those who ruled with dominance, they all wore the same expression now kindness.
Their view of Zhao Feng became even more favorable.
However...
They did not try to dissuade him.
"Very well."
"Then we shall wait for the day when you bring us back to the world."
"When that day comes, we will surely change this world." Suiren laughed heartily.
At that moment!
Xuanyuan seemed to think of something.
"Young friend."
"The world has already undergone great changes."
"The Heavenly Dao is incomplete, humans are treated as food, and the Immortals and Buddhas act unjustly."
"We cannot help you much."
"But I can grant you a weapon. Using these Nine Cauldrons as a medium, perhaps I can transfer it to you." Xuanyuan said seriously.
Hearing this, the other Human Sovereigns looked at Xuanyuan.
"You have truly decided?" Fuxi asked Xuanyuan.
"The Xuanyuan Sword our human race's supreme weapon of slaughter."
"Now that I cannot protect the human race or carry out acts of retribution on its behalf, it is only right that I pass it to one who can."
"Honored elder brothers and younger brothers, please help me transfer the Xuanyuan Sword to this young friend."
"Only by combining the full power of all eight of us, using the Nine Cauldrons as a link, can we transmit the Xuanyuan Sword to him." Xuanyuan declared.
"Agreed."
The other Human Sovereigns did not hesitate they immediately nodded in approval.
Zhao Feng was already outstanding. If he wielded the Xuanyuan Sword, he could better protect the human race and ensure his safety.
"Esteemed Human Sovereigns."
"I possess a treasure that is bound to my Great Qin a national fate treasure."
"Although it cannot free you, it may allow you to see this world again and establish a connection with the humans of Great Qin." Zhao Feng suddenly thought of something.
The Heaven Profound Mirror.
Great Qin's national fate treasure.
If he could use the Heaven Profound Sub-Mirror to link with the Human Sovereigns…
Wouldn't that allow them to connect with Great Qin?
If it worked, the benefits to Great Qin would be immense.
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