The surging vitality infused into Zhang Chen’s body, looking at the withered Tree of Life branches in his hand, a realization arose in Zhang Chen’s heart: "My lifespan has been extended by five years!"

It must be said that the Tree of Life is indeed the supreme material for extending life, a short segment of trunk surprisingly granted Zhang Chen five additional years.

"I think letting this segment of trunk grow into a big tree would maximize benefits. At that time, there would be endless years of supply, and immortality would not be far off." The Great Freedom Celestial Demon said.

Zhang Chen did not agree with the Great Freedom Celestial Demon’s words: "It’s just a tree trunk segment. How long would I have to wait for it to grow? I no longer have such a long time to wait. It’s better to extend my lifespan first and then find the Tree of Life Coffin, letting it take root and sprout. The Tree of Life Coffin is large, if it takes root and sprouts, the resulting branches would be many, perhaps sufficient for my immortality supply."

Zhang Chen now only had one year of life left, how could he wait any longer?

With these five years, if he focuses solely on accumulating points, he would surely be able to exhaust the Divine Technique of absorbing the vitality of plants and extending lifespan using the Authority of Wood Element.

Then Zhang Chen glanced at Judgement, he did not dare to act rashly with such a Divine Artifact. He planned to touch it after the old eunuch awoke, lest touching Judgement now mistakenly causes his death by the mysterious Twelfth Tier.

Zhang Chen threw the withered trunk to the ground, then flicked his finger, and all his clothes instantly dried with the wind. He dressed the old eunuch in dry clothes, picked up Judgement, and walked towards his hiding place.

The old eunuch’s injuries are too severe, his origin is terribly depleted. Even if Zhang Chen fed him a Golden Core, he would not wake up soon. After consuming the Golden Core, the old eunuch did not wake up, but instead entered a deeper repair and slumber, which is a self-repair instinct of living beings, unless facing a crisis, he would not wake easily.

Zhang Chen walked through the muddy mountain paths, his freshly cleaned shoes were once again stained with mud.

However, Zhang Chen did not mind, he possessed the Authority of Earth, stepping into the mud brought him a deeper understanding of the earth.

Zhang Chen, carrying someone on his back, could not utilize Divine Techniques and had to walk slowly through the mountains. After walking for half a day, suddenly a cry and countless cries of people echoed from afar.

Zhang Chen heard the cries, quickly walked a few more steps, and saw a scene that made his eyes tear with rage.

On a distant high mountain, countless people gathered on the mountaintop to avoid flooding, narrowly escaping disaster. Now some demon race experts sorted out the water paths to withdraw the floodwaters, demon beasts took the opportunity to bypass the White Bone Great Wall, wreaking havoc on the land of humans. Thousands of demon beasts surrounded the people on the mountain, each mouth stained with blood, devouring the people of the mountain.

Crimson blood water flowed down the wet soil, reaching Zhang Chen’s sole, a rolling human head slid down, hitting Zhang Chen’s thigh, then bounced into nearby mud.

The head in the mud was unrecognizable, covered in mud, but judging by the size of the skull, it was likely a baby’s head.

Amidst cries in the mountains, demon beast roars spread among the mountains, hearing Zhang Chen’s eyes filled with rage, his eyes full of killing intent: "These demon race beasts deserve death!"

Unfortunately, although he possessed Divine Techniques, he could not save the tens of thousands of people on the mountain.

This is the Northern Land, even if he kills all the demon beasts on this mountain, what about the people in the mountains? Demon beasts are everywhere, even if he kills this batch, these people will encounter another batch. Demon beasts are endless and cannot be completely exterminated!

"But doing nothing is not an option." Zhang Chen stood under a big tree, watching the mountain slaughter, countless people like lambs being slaughtered and devoured by demon beasts, his heart filled with utmost sadness and anger.

Zhang Chen manipulated the soil to form a hard platform, placing the old eunuch Dugu Qiu on the platform, and then stepped into the mountain. At the same time, the Beast Taming Technique activated, the demon beasts in the mountain were low-tier and faced with Zhang Chen’s fifth-tier Beast Taming Technique, they had no resistance, immediately turning their claws against their kind.

You can’t do nothing just because these people will be slaughtered by demon beasts later, right?

Alongside the activation of the Beast Taming Technique, the beasts in the mountain began killing each other, while the humans on the mountain seized the chaos to run downhill, disappearing into the mountains.

Soon, the commotion in the mountains stopped, with the last demon beast dead, the mountain was silent.

Zhang Chen looked at the corpses everywhere and the figures disappearing into the mountains, his eyes full of reluctance, knowing that those people would not survive even if they managed to run down the mountain.

"I must do something for the people of the Northern Land, even if one more person survives, it’s good." Zhang Chen looked at the corpses scattered and torn apart, his eyes full of compassion: "I am ultimately human, a cultivator with a kind heart and Divine Techniques, how can I stand idly by?"

As Zhang Chen’s words fell, the world before him transformed into black and white. Zhang Chen’s soul leapt into the ethereal Soul Hooking and Soul Stealing space, sensing Bai Cang’s soul’s coordinates, then seized Bai Cang’s chain and abruptly tugged it. Bai Cang’s soul was dragged out from the void.

"How is this possible! I’ve already completed reincarnation, how can you hook my soul? What technique is this?"

When Bai Cang’s soul was hooked to Zhang Chen’s presence, his eyes were filled with confusion. He had completed reincarnation, how could someone still hook his soul?

But regardless of what technique Zhang Chen used, Bai Cang turned to flee without hesitation; right now, running was the right choice.

However, with a pull of the chains in Zhang Chen’s hand, Bai Cang returned again, landing in front of Zhang Chen. Zhang Chen then spoke in a ghostly tone, "If I were you, I would first try to understand the current situation instead of hastily trying to escape. Since I can hook your soul once, I can naturally do it a second time."

Bai Cang was dragged back in front of Zhang Chen once more, his eyes fixated tightly on the young man before him. This time, he did not run because he knew it would be useless; he had already fallen for the young man’s trap.

"What technique is this?" Bai Cang’s Yin Spirit glared at Zhang Chen, his voice seething with unconcealable anger.

"We’ve had several dealings before, you should have learned something about me by now, so why ask such pointless questions? If I were you, I’d be asking what I want to do, then try to stabilize me, and only think of ways to break free of this technique and escape my grasp later." Zhang Chen said to Bai Cang.

"You’ve hooked my soul here, so let’s talk about your intentions." Bai Cang was truly a clever fox, deserving of his title as the Demon Race’s military advisor; conversing with him was straightforward.

Zhang Chen pointed at the mountains below, littered with corpses, and said to Bai Cang, "Guess what I want from hooking your soul here."

Bai Cang turned his head towards the countless mangled bodies in the mountains, his expression growing more sullen: "You surely don’t want me to restrain the Demon Race and stop this slaughter, do you?"

"What do you think?" Zhang Chen retorted.

"You’re simply dreaming; if you make such a request, you’d be better off killing me! The Demon Race comprises thousands of species; they cross the White Bone Great Wall fighting life and death for what? Isn’t it all for the flesh and blood of humans? If I start preventing everyone from consuming human flesh and blood, I’d be standing against the entire Demon Race." Bai Cang’s face was as dark as could be:

"Everyone risks their heads crossing the White Bone Great Wall for human flesh and blood. Just like human soldiers fight wars for women, for promotion and wealth, who dares stop soldiers from ascending ranks and gaining wealth, that would corner oneself into an absolute dead end, cut off from the Demon Race." Bai Cang stared at Zhang Chen: "If you want me to handle this matter, you’d be better off using a stick to kill me and settle accounts; your request is impossible for me."

Grabbing his palm, Zhang Chen took the God-Beating Whip, and with the slightest activation, a wave of lethal crisis erupted, especially deepened by Bai Cang being in the Yin Spirit state. The mere appearance of the God-Beating Whip made his Yin Spirit tremble, akin to a fatal crisis rising from his heart, urging him to flee immediately.

But Bai Cang knew clearly that he could not escape no matter what, so he forcibly suppressed his inner terror and said to Zhang Chen: "Even if you kill me, I have no solution! This request is beyond me!"

Bai Cang spoke cautiously, observing Zhang Chen’s expressions, seeing Zhang Chen’s face grow gloomy and murderous intentions start to seep, hastily added: "However, finding a compromise is no problem."

"Hmm? A compromise?" Zhang Chen stared at Bai Cang.

"Protect part of the humans, prevent the extinction of the Northern Land’s human race, that’s achievable." Bai Cang said.

"Just that? Isn’t that akin to raising livestock? What kind of lousy idea is that?" Zhang Chen shouted angrily.

Although in the Yin Spirit state, Bai Cang was sweating from anxiety at this moment: "I can search for an excuse to preserve the human children during their infancy."

"That’s the most I can do; if you want to preserve all the humans of the Northern Land, that’s absolutely impossible for me, you’d be better off killing me with a whip. The Demon Race plans to invade, leaving only ten thousand humans alive for Chen Sanliang’s purpose of proving the Dao, the rest will turn into blood food. This is the best I can achieve, although achieving even this much is exceedingly difficult!" Bai Cang stiffened his neck seeing Zhang Chen still unsatisfied.

Hearing this, Zhang Chen fell into silence, his eyes scrutinizing Bai Cang. Only after a long time did he sigh quietly: "Fine, just as you said, the children of the Northern Land must be preserved."

This too is an immense dilemma!

He knows very well, preserving every human in this horde of beasts is unrealistic; preserving the spark, leaving behind some living force would be a great fortune.

ps: Happy New Year brothers, I wish everyone all the best and great fortune in the new year!