Chapter 549: Mage Temple’s Head (II)
A sharp look was shot from Li Zhengzhi’s eyes, piercing Long Haochen like sharp swords and immediately exciting the spiritual energy in him. A drizzling splendor overflowed from him, and took the shape of a defensive, layered, spiritual highland.
Li Zhenzhi showed a slight smile and shifted his sight back to him, “Long Haochen. You have to remember that this world has never been lacking geniuses. Although talent such as yours is extremely rare, it doesn’t mean such has never appeared. But until now, the humans have never produced a powerhouse truly able to stand against the Demon God Emperor. Do you know why?”
Long Haochen shook his head, “Please explain Temple Head.”
Li Zhengzhi replied, “That’s because they didn’t understand the notion of patiently enduring.”
“What?” Long Haochen’s brain had been working at high speeds after hearing Zhengzi’s question, but this was an answer that hadn’t come to his mind.
“The previous Scion of Samsara and the Divine Holy Sword Wielder were also unbelievable prodigies of their generation. Their cultivation also reached the ninth step, but in the end, it still ended up with their deaths. At most, the demon side was only restrained a little. In terms of innate talent, they are absolutely not below you, and may even surpass you. For instance, it was at the age of thirty six that the Scion of Samsara of that time dared challenge the Demon God Emperor, amply proving his self-confidence and strength. But in the end both sides suffered damage, and the same went for the the Divine Holy Sword Wielder. Their talent could very possibly lead a large human counteroffensive, or at least turn around the situation of disadvantage. But in the end, they all lost because of their impetuousness.”
Seeing Long Haochen’s expression of incomprehension, Li Zhengzhi declared, “You don’t understand right? Then, let me put it simply. If the Scion of Samsara of that time hadn’t challenged the Demon God Emperor at the age of thirty-six, but one hundred thirty-six years old, would the result be the same? If the Divine Holy Sword Wielder had challenged him at the age of one hundred forty or so years instead of forty or so, what about it?”
Long Haochen couldn’t help but retort, “But these ancestors had no other choice at that time! The demon army was suppressing the territory and left them without a choice but to act.”
Li Zhengzhi snorted to that, letting out an expression of disdain, “They had exactly the same mentality as you, which is why they didn’t manage to really became the leaders of a human victory against the demon race.
“Since the start of the dark era, we were compelled to this small piece of land, but have never been compelled to a desperate situation. That’s right, the demons would frequently launch attacks, but having crossed hands with them, what do you think to be the gap between the Alliance and the demons’ strengths.”
Long Haochen replied very seriously, “The demons are under the lead of the seventy-two demon gods, and their army of powerhouses is considerably formidable. Only by relying on the natural advantages of the six great forts can the Alliance barely resist their attacks. Of course, we are surely inferior in terms of strength, and I don’t understand the true secret trumps that the Alliance has in reserve.”
Li Zhengzhi replied to that, “You are making a good point. Indeed, the demons’ forces are more powerful than ours, and it has been the case all along until now. But have you thought about six thousand years ago? How were things back then? At that time, the demon gods also numbered seventy-two, and their first generation of demon gods was the strongest in comprehensive strength. Since they could reduce us to this state, do you really think they couldn’t extinguish us thoroughly? The truth is contained in the history of the Alliance’s struggles against the demons. They had more than ten opportunities to thoroughly destroy the Alliance. If the Demon God Emperor didn’t spare any cost to launch a full force attack against us, we would have been destroyed long before. And the human bloodline would have stopped long ago.”
“Oh!?” Long Haochen had a look of alarm, “Temple Head, you are right. Then why didn’t the demons do so?”
Li Zhengzhi had a cold smile on his face, “They’re raising us in a closed space. Right, the demon forces are far greater than us, but they are after all not from our world. Except for fights and destructions, they aren’t capable of anything. If humans really go extinct, there won’t even be a need for someone else to avenge us, the demons will just walk through the path of destruction by themselves. Therefore, the demons don’t dare annihilate us. This is the secret behind the six thousand years of the dark age. Behind our backs, the demons will frequently conduct transactions with our side, it’s just that the masses don’t know about that.”
“And how about this Holy War?” Long Haochen still had some disbelief in Li Zhengzhi’s words.
Li Zhengzhi indifferently answered, “Holy War? You may be the fuse that triggered it, but in truth, the fundamental reason behind it is that the demons are afraid. Over the past years, the growth of the Alliance has been too fast and surpassed their expectations. The Demon God Emperor is fearing that our strength grows too fast, and threatens the demon rule. At the same time, the demons’ numbers are far too enormous, and need to be reduced. That’s why this Holy War broke out, and why until now, none of the Six Great Temples have been broken through despite the simultaneous attacks.”
Long Haochen gasped, faintly comprehending Li Zhengzhi’s point.
The latter continued, “In other words, at those times, they had not been in situations where they had no other choice but to fight to death. If the Divine Holy Sword Wielder or the Scion of Samsara had endured silently for long enough, until the time that they had a certain enough grasp, the Alliance wouldn’t be in its current state.
“As you are an intelligent person, I believe that you understood my point. Of course, I am not telling you to shut yourself inside the Alliance until then; quite the opposite, true growth and comprehension require one to incessantly challenge powerhouses, to undergo incessant battles. But you have to remember to try as far as possible to avoid getting into unnecessary danger and troubles.”
At this point, Li Zhengzhi shut his eyes and leaned on the sofa, seemingly reflecting deeply.
Long Haochen replied respectfully, “Many thanks to you, elder. From our conversation, I owe Senior a sudden flash of insight and deep comprehension.”
Li Zhengzhi waved his hand, “Now go live competitively. Although I appreciate your talent, I definitely won’t show mercy in the battle for the Six Temples’ rankings. It’s still too early for you to think of defeating me. Five years later will start the next Temples’ contest. I hope that at that time, I won’t see you as an opponent. But in fifteen years you should be able to truly start spreading your radiance.”
Long Haochen slowly stood up and made, once again, his salutations to Li Zhengzhi before turning around.
Li Zhengzhi narrowed his eyes slightly, looking at Long Haochen’s steady departing steps. Deep inside, his thoughts were, What a child of fortune! I hope that he won’t follow his predecessors’ steps.
Li Zhengzhi’s words really rang a bell inside Long Haochen’s mind. Being about to reach twenty this year, and having focused all his energy on cultivation and fights against demons over the past ten years, his understanding of the Alliance’s internal affairs and the relationship between demonkind and humankind wasn’t great.
Since his return from the Swamps of Gloom, and especially after his return from seclusion, he had learned a lot of things he didn’t know before from Long Tianying, Sheng Yue, and Li Zhengzhi. Almost everything was about guiding him in the correct path. Long Haochen therefore gained in maturity.
“Hey.” As Li Zhengzhi’s words were reverberating in Long Haochen’s mind, he heard a call.
Long Haochen felt startled, and unconsciously turned around. Both he and the person who called him out became blank.
The one who’d just called him was obviously Li Zhengzhi’s direct disciple Tan Wan. And this was as Long Haochen was thinking of leaving through the transporting formation.
At that time he met face to face with Tan Wan.
In a flash of sluggishness, he came to realize his mistake: because Li Zhengzhi’s talk brought him far too much, it was enough to make him forget to put on the Golden Foundation Armor before going back out. And at such a time, Tan Wan came to meet him face to face.
Tan Wan’s shock was obvious, naturally due to Long Haochen’s looks.
“You…are that guy?” Seeing Long Haochen’s young and handsome looks, her eyes became filled with unbelief. The only other ones present in Li Zhengzhi’s office were Li Zhengzhi himself as well as that Provisional Saint Knight Head. Seeing a complete stranger come out, she naturally deduced that since it wasn’t her teacher, it could only be that Provisional Saint Knight Head.
Being the direct disciple of the Mage Temple’s head Li Zhengzhi, and moreover blessed with good looks, Tan Wan was an ideal lover in the eyes of almost all mages of the Mage Temple. The youths that came solicitously to her were far too many, but she was certain that the person in front of her eyes was incomparable to any one of them. Her first thought was, So a man can actually be so nice-looking. Be it in terms of build or looks, she couldn’t see a single flaw of Long Haochen. As someone who used to be conceited in her looks, she unexpectedly had a kind of feeling of shame, and moreover, that person looked even younger than her.
Long Haochen’s immediate response gave Tan Wan a certain confirmation. After finding out about his mistake, he immediately liberated his Golden Foundation Armor. Under Tan Wan’s helpless look, that golden armor glinting in orange speedily covered Long Haochen’s body, and the golden mask reappeared to shelter his face from view.
“That’s really you?” After a short time of sluggishness, Tan Wan’s expression was already filled to the brim with shock.
Long Haochen nodded to her, before stepping inside the transporting formation, immediately being sent away.
Seeing his silhouette gradually turn illusory, Tan Wan immediately rushed out from Li Zhengzhi’s transporting formation. A girl’s curiosity was always greater than a boy’s, and moreover this shock exceeded all she used to know.
Right after arriving in the second floor Long Haochen was in great shock, because he saw in a glance that Cai’er was under another person’s embrace. After giving another good look, he was filled with nice surprise and stepped forward rapidly, letting out a loud shout, “Big sis, Lin Xin!!!”
The one hugging Cai’er was Li Xin, who Long Haochen hadn’t seen for a long while. And beside them Lin Xin, who had regained his long dark green hair, was holding right hands with Han Yu, full of excitement.