The soul cards were no rare object. In fact, the Sky Demon legion had a Throne of Requiem that was used exclusively to keep the soul cards crafted for their Yuan Spirit champions.

The crafting principle was simple: a strand of their spirit would be infused to the card, and it would shatter when the main body dies.

And now, with the demon lord’s orders, a Sky Demon general headed to the Throne of Requiem personally to inspect and was soon left in utter astonishment.

“Hurry, send word to the demon lord! The soul cards of all nine chief marshals dispatched to Earth had shattered!

Soon, the message was relayed through a special channel to a Sky Demon champion beside the demon lord.

The Sky Demon champion was of royal bloodline and so resembled a Hua Nation citizen. Even so, he fearfully relayed news about the soul cards, saying, “Your majesty… the soul cards of Bodo and the marshals have already shattered three days ago!”

And then…

Kaboom!

A terrible storm erupted away from the demon’s lord body and only calmed after a long while.

Behind him, the Sky Demon champions were all cowering, afraid of even breathing too loudly.

Then, the royal champion who spoke first mused to himself before saying, “Your Majesty, according to the information that Her Highness has gathered, there should be no elites on Earth, and Bodo alone could have dominated it. Even so, Bodo, along with the nine chief marshals and a legion of 500,000 strong was all wiped out—perhaps the elites who slumbered over two thousand years ago were revived?”

The demon shook his head and growled, “I would have sensed it if they had awakened.”

The royal champion said then, “Well, that only leaves one possibility…”

The many Sky Demon champions and the sky demon champions looked up at him as the royal champion continued, “It’s the power of technology… according to the news her highness had relayed, Earth had assumed the path of technological development following the Degenerate Age. Even with the Revival of Qi and the redevelopment of martial arts, it seems that they had not given up on scientific research.”

The demon lord glowered at that. Glancing at the Stargate, he then coolly declared, “Send reinforcements to guard the Stargate. I will come up with something to expand and heighten the stability of the Stargate. The day it accommodates Sky Demon-tier champions is the day we shall take Earth!”

Sky Demon-tier was equal to the cultivators’ Convergence-tier.

Clearly, for Earth’s technological progress, intending to use its power against champions of that level would clearly for short.

***

It was the first of November 2020—the opening of the Stargate and the arrival of the Sky Demon legion.

Hmmm…

Though it was called the ‘arrival’ of the Sky Demon legion, most people did not witness it. All they saw was General Bodo charging out of the Stargate, while Jiang He wiped out the entire Sky Demon legion even before they could breathe Earth’s air.

Later…

On the fourth of November, on Earth.

On a huge square at the Martial Arts Department (MAD) headquarters, Jingdu City, the Hua Nation.

A nationwide press conference was starting.

Wang Hou spoke about the nation’s direction for the future, while a huge group of journalists fired all sorts of questions while snapping photos throughout.

It was clear, however, that they had been provided a script ahead of time and most of their questions were tailored.

And up in the square, Wang Hou’s answers came fluently.

After speaking about the current state of the Hua Nation, one of the reporters suddenly asked, “There were claims that the entire city of Lingzhou was evacuated on the first of this month, with a blackhole appearing up in the skies nearby while an extraterrestrial race is said to have mounted an invasion on Earth. Certain martial artist informants have alleged that the blackhole is actually a Stargate, and that the species invading Earth are known as the Sky Demons. Is that true?”

Wang Hou nodded and said, “Those incidents had indeed occurred, but that threat has since been pacified.”

Some of the cameramen promptly turned their cameras to capture Wang Hou from up close, allowing the viewers of the press conference to clearly see Wang Hou’s facial expressions and the thermal cup he was holding via TV, computer, and mobile phone.

Wang Hou appeared somber than and spoke solemnly toward the camera lens, saying, “The reality is that the Sky Demon legion was extremely powerful, but the Stargate has certain limits that dampened the forces which could be sent to Earth. Even so, the present strength of the Hua Nation could not stand up against them at all, and the reason we were victorious was all thanks to Jiang He.

“Jiang He?”

“Who is this Jiang He?”

“Could you elaborate about him?”

Though every authority in the Hua Nation knew of Jiang He’s name, bottom-level martial artists and some martial grandmasters had never even heard of him, let alone civilians.

After all, he had rose to prominence in a very short time, with most incidents revolving around him previously kept confidential and unpublicized.

Still, Wang Hou could not help smiling at the mention of Jiang He’s name, and began elaborate endlessly about Jiang He’s accomplishments: from helping the MAD investigate Ferals attacking the animal fences of mountain villages, to his grudge against the Sky Demon Cult…

Of course, Wang Hou had also deliberately prettied up most of the details.

He intended to build up a great hero who detested evil for the people, but not a loony who would run off to kill Sky Demon Cult elites because he was bored or losing sleep.

MAD had found some of Jiang He’s photos too.

Countless were stunned when it was shown—he was so handsome!

To think that such a powerful legend was so young and handsome.

***

Meanwhile, Jiang He knew nothing about any of that.

After defeating Bodo, the Sky Demon general, he returned home, holding on until he had a bath before falling asleep groggily… for three days, only waking up in the afternoon on the fourth of November.

“Awesome!”

Stretching lazily, Jiang He could not help laughing. “I hadn’t sleep so sweetly for so long…”

After washing up, he went downstairs.

The mansion, however, was completely empty, with neither Sora nor Boa Hancock present. Jiang He appeared taken aback at first, and then remembered that he had kept both of them in his farm and did not put back the farm before he went to sleep.

Stepping out of the house, he put the farm in his yard and entered it, saying, “Sora, Boa, go cook right away. I’ve been sleeping for so long it feels like I hadn’t eaten for three days.”

While Sora and Boa promptly went off to cook, Dumbo quietly said, “Master, it doesn’t just feel like you hadn’t eaten for three days. You actually did not eat for three days…”

Jiang He only realized then that he had slept for three days.

Stepping out of his farm, he looked up at the sky.

The Stargate was still up there.

While he did wipe out the Sky Demon legion, the Stargate was not closed, not that it could for now. Since it intruded upon the rules of spatiality, many Hua Nation elites, including Jiang He, could not close it, or the five Holy Grounds of Martial Arts would not have to each stand guard over a Stargate for a thousand years and would have closed it long ago.

“Well, not closing it is fine too.”

Jiang He smiled.

What was that expression?

Tying one’s head to a beam to study tirelessly?

That was the idea even if it was not exactly the correct phrase. Since that thing was up in the skies above his house, it would keep whipping himself into shape so that he would be motivated to get stronger, by working hard to cultivate… or to be precise, farm!

“Moreover, it would be troublesome for me to bother the Sky Demons if it closes, and I could get inside anytime it isn’t.”

“By the way…”

Remembering something then, Jiang He quickly returned inside the mansion and said, “Sora, Boa, cook two more portions—I have guests coming.”

It seems that Elder Guo and the Tantra Sect guru were still in Lingzhou City.

Elder Guo had stayed following Jiang He’s invitation, and so did the guru as well. As such, he could now invite them over for a meal, prolonging their longevity as well.

Jiang He’s spirit swept out then, his powerful consciousness extending… he had wanted to check where the Elder Guo and the Tantra Sect guru were, but could not help becoming stunned and exclaiming, “What the hell…’

“Divine mind?”

“When had my spirit morphed into divine mind?”

Quickly withdrawing his divine mind, he dived into his own sea of consciousness, investigating… when he found a small Yuan Spirit residing within.

He was left spacing out for minutes before he came to his senses, unable to decide if he should laugh or cry. “What is actually going on? I’ve only slept for three days—how did my cultivation ascend from full-fledged True Child to Yuan Spirit?”

What the heck!

Forget the occasions of the past. Something so important like ascending to Yuan Spirit happened ever so quietly—at least let him feel the process and sensation of ascension!

There was no helping it!

He wanted so badly to break up that Yuan Spirit and ascend all over again!