Chapter 58: Demon Illusion? Not Even the Sect Master Can Break It

If you have the ability, then bring it on.

The system stated right from the beginning that his Great Tang Kingdom was destined to grow into the great Tang Empire, uniting numerous small and medium-sized nations across the world.

Based on the current situation, the ambitious Second Prince of the Northern Ji Kingdom seemed to harbor similar intentions.

His former Great Zhao Kingdom was likely just the first step in Ji Hanliang's grand scheme.

That being said, he and Ji Hanliang had been opposing forces from the very beginning.

Li Jiahuo was merely a pawn of Ji Hanliang, currently holding the reins of the Great Zhao Kingdom.

When the time came for him to expand outward, without any accidents, his primary target would also be the Great Zhao Kingdom.

After all, the territory of the Southern Barbarians was relatively limited.

Meanwhile, the Great Zhao Kingdom was located in the central-southern region, not far from the Great Tang Kingdom of the Southern Barbarians.

To deal with Li Jiahuo, he would inevitably have to confront Ji Hanliang.

Today's battle had given him a rough understanding of the strength possessed by the Seeking Immortal Sect.

If Ji Hanliang only had cultivators from the mortal cultivation world at his disposal, then there was nothing to fear.

Dispatching the Seeking Immortal Sect alone would be enough to instantly eliminate the cultivators sent by Ji Hanliang.

Even if a quick victory couldn't be achieved, a stalemate where neither side gained the upper hand was guaranteed.

However, what if...

Ji Hanliang's forces extended beyond mere mortal cultivators?

Relying solely on the strength of the Seeking Immortal Sect to resist the demons from the demon clan would be extremely strenuous.

Unless his four divine beasts were allowed to leave the borders of the Great Tang Kingdom.

Otherwise, the outcome of the battle remained entirely unpredictable.

What if Ji Hanliang had truly colluded with the Demon Clan behind the scenes?

That possibility carried a very high probability.

Otherwise, where else could Ji Hanliang have learned demonic cultivation techniques?

Even the cultivators under Ji Hanliang's command were practicing those same demonic arts.

This was a situation Li Mucheng could not afford to take lightly.

Once the Demon Clan became involved and truly descended upon the world... the Seeking Immortal Sect would be utterly powerless to resist them.

No! Not just the Seeking Immortal Sect.

Even the entire cultivation world combined would be unable to withstand an offensive from the Demon Clan.

Just how deep was Ji Hanliang's collusion with the Demon Clan?

Was there a direct connection between him and the Demon King?

A sudden, throbbing pain pierced through Li Mucheng's mind.

The only way to break this dilemma at present was through the four divine beasts bound to him by contract.

As long as the Vermilion Bird, the Black Tortoise, and the other two could advance their tiers as quickly as possible and awaken the divine power within their bloodlines early on, every problem would be effortlessly resolved.

Yes, exactly.

That was the way to go.

It seemed he needed to return to the Great Tang Kingdom as soon as possible.

Before that, however, the remaining matters had to be settled.

Li Mucheng walked over to Elder Lan and Elder Bai, and inquired, "Respected elders, do you happen to know how to lift the illusionary arts of the Demon Clan?"

Li Mucheng pointed toward the foot of the mountain, where roughly sixty to seventy thousand citizens of the Great Zhao Kingdom resided.

"These people are still trapped within the illusion."

"If we don't dispel the illusionary technique immediately, they will never regain their consciousness."

Li Mucheng had assumed that with the profound cultivation levels of Elder Lan and Elder Bai in the cultivation world, they would certainly possess a method to break the spell.

To his surprise, neither Elder Lan nor Elder Bai had a solution.

"Young Master, this is an illusion crafted by the Demon Clan; we truly do not know how to break it."

As Elder Lan finished speaking, Elder Bai nodded in agreement.

"Young Master, all our cultivation is rooted in orthodox righteous arts, so we are genuinely incapable of undoing demonic sorcery."

"Besides, the arts of the Demon Clan operate on a completely different and vastly superior tier compared to the techniques of the mortal cultivation world."

"Even if our Sect Master and Former Sect Master were here, they would still have no way to crack demonic magic."

After Elder Bai finished his explanation, Li Mucheng pressed his lips together in silence.

This was disastrous!

He had been counting on absorbing these sixty to seventy thousand people to advance his main quest.

Yet neither Elder Bai nor Elder Lan had a solution, and even if his master were present, it would be to no avail.

Li Mucheng was truly backed into a corner now.

Without these sixty to seventy thousand people waking up, how could he persuade them to join his Great Tang Kingdom?

Wait!

The system?

Since this was a suggestion put forward by the system, the system surely had a way to resolve this predicament.

"System? System?"

"Hurry up and show yourself."

"I have something urgent to ask you."

[Speak, Host. What is the issue this time?]

"Tell me, these sixty to seventy thousand citizens of the Great Zhao Kingdom are currently trapped in the illusion of the Demon Clan. What method can wake them all up?"

After asking, Li Mucheng anxiously awaited the system's reply.

To his utter astonishment, the system delivered an answer that left him stunned.

[To take in these sixty to seventy thousand citizens, the Host does not need to wake them up at all.]

"What? How is that possible?"

Unable to make sense of it, Li Mucheng continued to press the system for answers.

[What this system means is that the Host should simply use the Magic Carpet to transport all sixty to seventy thousand people directly back into the territory of the Great Tang Kingdom.]

[Right now, these sixty to seventy thousand citizens are afflicted by the demonic illusion. Unless someone understands demonic magic or a member of the Demon Clan personally undoes it,]

[otherwise, even if members of the Demon Clan came over, there would be no way to dispel it.]

"What do you mean? I don't understand."

The more Li Mucheng listened, the more confused he became.

"If the demonic illusion on these sixty to seventy thousand people isn't lifted, how can I get them to agree to join the Great Tang Kingdom and become its subjects?"

[They don't need to agree!]

"...??" Li Mucheng wore an expression full of question marks. "What does that mean?"

[They are currently afflicted by the Demon Clan's illusion in their bodies. However, once they enter the territory of the Great Tang Kingdom, which is enveloped by the divine barrier of the Four Divine Beasts, this demonic magic will naturally fail.]

[And because the barrier of the Great Tang Kingdom shatters the demonic spell afflicting them, a karmic tie will be forged, causing them to willingly become the new subjects of the Great Tang Kingdom.]

[Host, all you need to do is bring the people back. As for the rest, the Heavenly God System will open the back door for you and provide a full, streamlined service to resolve everything.]

"Holy cow! It's that simple?"

[Yes, it's that simple.]

[Well? Isn't the divine might of this system simply awe-inspiring and magnificent?]

At this point, the system even projected an air of proud narcissism.

Although Li Mucheng could not see the system, he could clearly sense its strange fluctuations.

This was the first time he had ever encountered such a narcissistic system, and he couldn't help rolling his eyes in secret.

Now that he knew the method of resolution, Li Mucheng could hardly wait to set off immediately and fly back to the Great Tang Kingdom on the Magic Carpet.

However, should he make a trip back to the Seeking Immortal Sect first?

This time, Li Mucheng felt somewhat conflicted.

Would leaving without saying goodbye be considered impolite?

After all, his master had dispatched so many people to help him fight!

Yet the thought of the sixty-odd thousand people still trapped within the illusion told Li Mucheng that he could not afford to delay any longer.

Every extra day of procrastination brought new variables.

Ultimately, Li Mucheng decided to bid farewell to the members of the Seeking Immortal Sect and bring the sixty-odd thousand people back to the Great Tang Kingdom first.

Advancing the main quest and allowing the four creatures like the Vermilion Bird to elevate their tiers were his primary tasks to complete.