The Monster Clan's three Great Venerables had finished their preparations a full month ago, but the Demon Clan hadn't shown, so they'd been waiting. Only today, upon sensing the auras of the Demon Clan's powerhouses, did they finally set out.
Within the Nine Peaks, the humans gazed up at the sky, watching the approaching experts of the other two races. Many wore expressions of wariness and disgust.
Outsiders' hearts are bound to differ from ours. The hatred between races couldn't be resolved overnight—it was grudges etched deep into the bone.
Before long, Chang Yuan set foot in the Nine Peaks, leading four Demon Generals and several Saint Realm powerhouses of the Demon Clan. The Monster Clan's three Great Venerables arrived at almost the same time.
Laughing loudly, Chang Yuan swept a casual glance around and said calmly, "So many people! If I'd known there'd be this many gathered here, I wouldn't have needed to rush over from the Demon Territories. Your human race could have handled this on its own. I thought none of you humans would even bother getting involved."
Lei Long nodded from beside him. "Indeed, I was thinking the same thing."
The two of them kept saying "this sovereign" and "this lord" with every sentence, drawing furious glares from the numerous human powerhouses present. They were deeply displeased, their faces grim.
"Can you two tone it down?" Yang Kai pushed through the crowd and glared at them. "Are you dead set on stirring up a three-way feud before you'll be satisfied? You've already come all this way—surely you're not planning to turn back now?"
Chang Yuan let out a contemptuous snort, a trace of wariness appearing on his face. "I have no such intention. But I need your human powerhouses to give me one guarantee—after we besiege and destroy the Bone Clan, you won't seize the opportunity to strike at my Demon Clan. You humans are famous for your cunning and treachery. If you can't guarantee that, I'm leaving right now!"
"We of the Monster Clan demand the same guarantee!" Lei Long declared.
In that instant, the Monster and Demon Clans had subtly aligned themselves on the same side.
Before coming, neither clan had expected the humans to assemble such a massive force. They'd assumed that with humanity's characteristic disorganization and lack of unity, having a dozen factions join hands would already be optimistic. But once they arrived, they discovered that virtually all of the human race's powerhouses had gathered here.
Among just the Saint Realm Stage Three experts alone, there were five or six. And that didn't even count Yang Kai's own people.
Once the Bone Clan crisis was resolved, if the humans then struck while they were weakened—neither Chang Yuan nor Lei Long could guarantee that the forces they'd brought could retreat safely.
In that moment, the leaders of both clans were already harboring thoughts of withdrawal, secretly regretting how readily they'd agreed to Yang Kai's proposal.
"If I give you my word, will you believe me?" Yang Kai regarded the two of them calmly.
Chang Yuan and Lei Long both shook their heads. Though Yang Kai's talent was impressive, he was still a newcomer. His words carried absolute authority in the Nine Heavens Holy Land, but among the assembled human powerhouses, they held little weight.
A powerful human among the crowd laughed. "Aren't you two being a bit too suspicious for your own good? If you're going to put it that way—even if we had no thoughts about you before, now we just might."
As he spoke, he smiled without good intentions.
Chang Yuan and Lei Long's faces turned cold.
"Would my word suffice?" A clear, resonant voice rang out from the crowd.
Chang Yuan and Lei Long turned toward the sound, and upon recognizing the gentle smile on the elderly man's face as he walked calmly toward them, both straightened and cupped their fists in salute. "Greetings, Elder Li!"
Elder Li approached at an unhurried pace, smiling gently. "There's no need for such formality. Hmm, I can guarantee on behalf of the entire human race—once this matter is concluded, you may retreat unharmed. No one will move against you. Do you trust my word?"
Lei Long and Chang Yuan exchanged a glance, then nodded with solemn expressions.
Lei Long smiled. "If there's anyone in this world whose word I would trust, it would be Elder Li and, besides him, Holy Master Yang."
"I'm of the same mind," Chang Yuan agreed.
Elder Li sighed softly. "I've already learned the details from young friend Yang. The Bone Clan's resurgence cannot be taken lightly. This calamity that engulfs heaven and earth may truly require the combined strength of humans, monsters, and demons to resist. So I hope you will all temporarily set aside the hatred between races, and focus your efforts on these invaders from beyond the stars!"
"Elder Li speaks truly!"
"We shall follow Elder Li's instructions!"
"We will do everything in our power!"
From within the crowd, the assembled human powerhouses voiced their assent one after another. Not a single person dared to contradict Elder Li's words.
Yang Kai finally let out a breath of relief. All this time he'd been worried—worried that after Chang Yuan and Lei Long arrived with their forces, conflicts might erupt with the humans, setting the rear ablaze before the battle against the Bone Clan had even begun. That would have been a laughing matter.
Elder Li's sudden appearance had defused this latent crisis.
At the very least, he had united all three races, if only temporarily.
"I still have one question," Chang Yuan suddenly declared, his voice ringing out. "If we three clans unite, whose orders do we follow?"
At these words, everyone fell silent, sinking into thought as they considered who among them would be the most suitable candidate. After a moment, all eyes turned to Elder Li.
There was no one besides Elder Li who could command all three races.
Elder Li shook his head with a wry smile. "Surely you don't expect this old man to take the battlefield? These aged bones of mine wouldn't last a moment there—it would be tantamount to walking to my death."
A flicker of disappointment crossed the faces of those present. But considering Elder Li's actual condition, no one dared suggest he go to war against the Bone Clan.