Chapter 1586: The Demon Immortal Army

It wasn't just the old village chief who suddenly found himself in this state. The thousands of third-transformation demon immortals, who had been salivating just moments ago at the prospect of devouring the two humans, suddenly found themselves significantly shorter. Two existences they once viewed as ants had now become towering giants.

"What kind of demonic sorcery is this!?"

Thousands of high-pitched, delicate, and childish voices rang out in unison. Terror washed over their faces as they flailed about in confusion. They realized that not only had their bodies become small and round, but their entire cultivation bases had vanished without a trace.

"Merciful and compassionate senior, please forgive our previous rudeness!"

Beneath Fang Chen's foot, the village chief, now a round, fat little earth-dog puppy, offered a trembling plea for mercy.

"Ew..." Little Sword grimaced. "Weren't you just shouting about eating us a second ago?"

"That was just some senile talk! Please, do not take it to heart," replied the village chief hurriedly.

Fang Chen swept his gaze casually across the surroundings. "Are all the demons suppressed by that senior here?"

He couldn't sense any other demons. These before him were likely the entirety of the inhabitants imprisoned within the Demon Suppression Sword Domain.

The village chief chirped, "Everyone is here, everyone is here."

Fang Chen smiled faintly and loosened his hold. "I'm a bit curious. Why did that Sword Immortal suppress you all in the first place?"

The village chief scrambled to his feet, patted the dust off his fur, and said with utmost subservience, "Perhaps it was because we looked far too ferocious."

Thousands of demons nodded in unison, signaling their agreement with the chief's guess.

"Unlikely." Fang Chen shook his head. "The refinement of a Sword Domain is the manifestation of a sword cultivator's lifelong conviction. To shape his Sword Domain with this purpose in mind means he was obsessed with suppressing demons. There must be a reason he devoted himself to this."

The village chief stammered, "We... we truly do not know."

"Not sure? Then forget it. Regardless, that senior sword cultivator has already passed away. Now, I am dissolving his Sword Domain to facilitate my advancement to the third transformation. As for all of you... I suppose you will simply vanish into thin air."

Fang Chen wore a faint smile as he looked toward the void. Above, two distinct colors clashed in the sky. One was steadily devouring the other. That encroaching light represented the Mortal World.

"We will vanish into thin air?"

The village chief trembled violently. Thousands of demons turned their pale faces toward him simultaneously. Although they lacked freedom within this Sword Domain, they could at least deceive themselves into believing they were surviving. As long as they lived, there was hope for freedom. If their souls were scattered, everything would truly be gone.

"Wait! Wait! I think I've remembered something!" The village chief suddenly struck a contemplative pose, then looked enlightened. "Yes! I remember now why that man suppressed us!"

The speed at which the Mortal World devoured the space slowed slightly.

Fang Chen looked indifferently at the village chief. "Speak."

"Too many years had passed that I almost forgot! Believe me, it isn't that I didn't want to tell you; I just had to really try and recall why. It is because all of us belonged to the Demon Immortal Army under the command of the Nine Realm Immortal Alliance. That is why he suppressed us!"

The village chief nodded firmly. "Yeah, that's it. That's exactly why. I remember now."

"The Demon Immortal Army of the Nine Realms Immortal Alliance?"

A thought occurred to Fang Chen. He looked at the village chief with a knowing smile. "So, it turns out you all are Nine Realms rebels."

"This... well..." The village chief stammered for a long while before finally letting out a helpless sigh. "Yes... we are rebel demon immortals."

Fang Chen asked casually, "Back then, in the Nine Realms Immortal Alliance, were there many of your kind?"

"Many... well, not really, no. It was mainly the Demon Immortal Army that consisted entirely of demon cultivators. Because of that, many Sword Immortals back then took it as their mission to suppress demons, refining the Demon Suppression Sword Domain as a result."

"So, that senior wasn't the only one with this specific domain?"

The village chief wore a bitter smile. "No... At that time, many sword immortals utilized the Demon Suppression Sword Domain. We don't know why we were targeted. So many factions were involved in the Immortal Alliance; there's no reason they should have singled us out..."

The only reason is...

A bolt of clarity struck Fang Chen's mind as the answer surfaced.

The old man is a ninth-transformation Sword Immortal. The sword immortals of that era surely followed his commands. If the demons were targeted, it was likely the old man's intent. The power of the demon Race in the Nine Mortal Realms isn't even a fraction of that of humans. Normally, there would be no need to bother with them.

Unless... the Nine Realms Immortal Alliance was drafted and built by the demons? Did they lead the demons here, hoping to use them to reclaim the Nine Mortal Realms that once belonged to them? Or perhaps they discovered traces of the demons and saw a glimmer of hope for restoration, choosing to actively join forces with them?

Thinking of that, Fang Chen felt a wave of realization. He had never considered this perspective before. Ultimately, it was because the demon race's presence in the Nine Mortal Realms today was far weaker than in the past. Even True Dragons were a rare sight.

True Dragons... count as demons, right?

Fang Chen suddenly thought of how Li Changsheng had specifically taken Dongfang Haojie to Creation Star. Eventually, he and Long Wu became a pair. And Long Wu... was of the True Dragon Clan.

At that time, Li Changsheng was a sword cultivator of the Heavenly Sword Division, and Li Wuwang was his adoptive father. But behind Li Wuwang, there were actually traces of the Old Man and Master Yun He.

Could this matter also have deep underlying meanings? Why would a True Dragon like Long Wu appear in a family of dragons in Creation Star...?

Fang Chen fell into thought. With the information he currently had, he couldn't confirm whether there was truly an issue.

Among the existing ninth-transformation immortals in the Nine Mortal Realms, how many are of demon origin? Hardly anyone seems to know, and there are no rumors. Even the top powers in the Fangcun Realms are suspects. The Enlightenment God Palace, the Taiyi Immortal Sect... and then there's the Blood and Flesh Divine Palace, a top-tier power that is primarily composed of demons...

Seeing the Mortal World still devouring the space, the village chief interrupted Fang Chen's thoughts with a tearful, mournful face.

"Merciful senior, I have told you everything I know. Why are you still unwilling to let us go?"

"Do not worry. You won't die. I am merely melting down this Sword Domain," Fang Chen said flatly.

From the beginning, he knew that the Mortal World would not completely destroy this place. Instead, it would assimilate it, making this space a part of itself. This was likely a feat only achievable by a domain with such immense assimilative power.

Had any other second-transformation Sword Immortal swallowed this Sword Bone, they wouldn't have assimilated anything, and these thousands of third-transformation demons would have beaten them into a pulp.

Regardless, this trip wasn't in vain.

Fang Chen's gaze grew solemn. He needed to gather more information and perhaps ask Old Wang. If he could confirm that the demon race was heavily involved in the ancient conspiracy, he would finally have a clear direction to follow.