We Agreed On Experiencing Life, So Why Did You Immortals Become Real?

Chapter 498: Human Alliance

In the Southern Region of the demon-race world—Heavenly Wind City.

After a bitter struggle that had lasted half a year, this city, which had once belonged to the demon race, finally changed hands as of today and fell completely into human control.

And not long after Heavenly Wind City fell, good news arrived in succession from four other demon cities in the Southern Region.

Key strongholds such as Blue City, Spring Tea City, Butterfly City, and Gully City all fell one after another.

The Human Alliance had split its forces into five armies to launch this offensive, and every front had achieved a complete success.

In the history of the demon-race world, this was also the first time humans had captured five demon cities within a mere half year.

After the vast Human Alliance army marched through Heavenly Wind City’s gates, every household in the city immediately shut its doors and windows tight, trembling with fear that human retaliation would soon follow.

But it was no use at all.

The Human Alliance first sealed the city gates shut and set up spell formations so that not a single demon could escape.

Then the Human Alliance soldiers, seething with killing intent, charged into household after household of the demon race.

Many of the enslaved humans had no idea what was happening. Their eyes were full of blank confusion.

Some reacted quickly and immediately declared that they wanted to join the Human Alliance army.

But not just anyone could join the Human Alliance.

The cultivators of the Human Alliance brought out spirit-root testing stones. Only those with spirit roots, those who could cultivate, were allowed to join them and help plunder the very households that had once owned them.

As for the rest of the humans, the Human Alliance did not bother with them at all.

The lucky ones crouched on the ground without moving, and the Human Alliance simply ignored them and moved on.

The unlucky ones, if the soldiers happened not to like the look of them, were knocked straight to the ground.

The worst off were the women with even a little beauty.

Whether they were demon women or human slaves, so long as they had some looks, they were all pinned down on stones in the courtyards or on tables inside the rooms, unable to struggle free.

In an instant, flames rose all across Heavenly Wind City, thick smoke billowed into the sky, and waves of crying and screaming spread from one courtyard after another.

Inside Heavenly Wind City, the Human Alliance army carried off all the gold, silver, jewels, spirit pills, and medicines. They burned, killed, looted, and raped without restraint, against demons and humans alike. The entire city had become a living hell, a place of utter chaos.

And in the City Lord’s Residence of Heavenly Wind City, the various human factions were instead holding a grand feast to celebrate their victory.

They raised cups and traded toasts, watched demon women in thin dresses dance lightly before them, and reveled to their hearts’ content.

Some Human Alliance commanders, stirred by the sight, directly dragged the dancers beside them into their laps and manhandled them at will.

That intoxicating thrill of having turned over and become the masters, of finally holding their heads high and breathing freely, left every one of them flushed with excitement and swollen with pride.

In the past, they had not even dared imagine such a thing.

But now, with these demon women reduced to playthings in their arms, they finally realized—

so the demon race was nothing more than this.

“Come, let me offer everyone a cup!”

The sect master of the Gold Mountain Sect rose to his feet, raised his wine cup high, looked around the hall, and spoke in a voice like thunder.

“Today we take one demon city. Tomorrow we can topple an entire demon kingdom! We humans will no longer be slaves to the demon race! We will be the masters of the demon-race world!”

“That’s right!” Another man slammed his palm on the table and sprang up, his face full of fervor. “The momentum of our human race is surging now. Those demons oppressed us for so many years. This time, we must make them pay that blood debt in full!”

“For the human race!”

“For the human race!”

At once, sect masters and rogue cultivators alike rose to their feet and toasted one another. Their eyes shone with excitement and longing for the future, and wine fumes mingled with lust inside what had once been a demon city lord’s residence.

“However, everyone,” the sect master of the Flying Bird Sect, Lei Peng, said as he rose and swept his gaze over the room, his tone shifting, “I have a proposal, and I think now is as good a time as any to bring it up.”

“Oh? And what does Sect Master Lei wish to say? We’re all ears.” A Nascent °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° Soul Realm cultivator downed a cup of wine and spoke happily.

Lei Peng smiled and looked at the gathered crowd.

“Our Human Alliance is now raising armies everywhere and counterattacking the various demon kingdoms. Though we are already allied and one family in name, even one family needs someone to take charge. Wouldn’t you all agree?”

“That is true. I also think Sect Master Lei is right.” A rogue cultivator stood and echoed him loudly, then asked, “Since Sect Master Lei has raised the matter so suddenly, what exactly do you mean?”

“My meaning is simple.” Lei Peng’s gaze slowly swept across every face present. “I believe the Human Alliance ought to choose an alliance leader. Otherwise, when some major matter arises, we won’t even have a single person who can make the final decision.”

“But the problem is who would be suitable for that role,” the sect master of the Flowing Sand Sect said, stroking his beard in thought. “Whoever becomes alliance leader must, no matter what, have a high enough cultivation level, sufficient prestige, and be able to command the respect of all.”

“I think Daoist Yunxi would be perfect.” A cultivator named Li Jian rose and spoke in a clear voice.

“Mmm. Among us, Daoist Yunxi’s cultivation is the highest, and she is also highly respected. She truly could win everyone over.”

“I also support Daoist Yunxi as alliance leader of the Human Alliance.”

“That’s true enough.”

For a time, everyone nodded in agreement.

Although Daoist Yunxi herself was not present at this banquet, she won the support of quite a few people.

And just as support for Yunxi rose higher and higher, nearly becoming a foregone conclusion, Lei Peng quietly flicked a glance to one side.

Several sect masters and rogue cultivators understood at once and exchanged looks in silence.

“Ahem, ahem... everyone, please allow this old man a word.”

A Jade Pith Realm cultivator named Li Jingshuo cleared his throat, slowly rose to his feet, and cupped his hands toward the crowd.

“In my heart, Daoist Yunxi truly has a very high cultivation level and tremendous prestige throughout the demon-race world. However, this old man once spoke with Daoist Yunxi before...”

He paused, looked around the room, and deliberately slowed his tone.

“Though Daoist Yunxi now sits in the rear for our Human Alliance, stabilizing matters and lending support, in truth... she has no wish to serve as alliance leader.”

“That is exactly so.” Another sect master stood and picked up the thread. “The Human Alliance concerns itself with fighting, killing, charging into battle. Someone as far above the dust of the world as Daoist Yunxi truly is not suited to managing such a vast alliance of humans!”

“Not only that,” Wang Kui suddenly shot to his feet, took a huge swallow of wine, wiped his mouth, and spoke in a booming voice, “Daoist Yunxi is simply too kindhearted. She keeps thinking that once we’ve fought to a certain point, we should negotiate with the demon race and coexist normally with the demon-race world.”

He slammed his wine bowl down hard and swept the room with a blazing stare.

“But we all know perfectly well what those demons are like! The demon-race world has enslaved our human race like this, and we’re supposed to live peacefully with them? Then wouldn’t this entire uprising have been for nothing?”

“In my opinion!” Wang Kui’s voice rose sharply. “Sect Master Lei is the most suitable person to be alliance leader of the Human Alliance!”

“I agree too!”

“So do I!”

As Wang Kui forcefully threw out his opinion, more and more sect masters and rogue cultivators rose to their feet and joined in. In an instant, the entire hall was in an uproar, the mood growing hotter and more fevered by the moment.

“Oh no, no, this absolutely won’t do.” Lei Peng seemed startled, his face full of flattered alarm as he waved both hands repeatedly. “Daoist Yunxi is the one everyone truly supports. How could I dare take the seat of alliance leader of the Human Alliance?”

“Sect Master Lei is mistaken.”

An old man rose to his feet, stroked his beard, and smiled calmly.

“Setting Daoist Yunxi aside, yours is the highest cultivation among us, and whether in leading armies into battle or coordinating the various sects and factions, you have earned everyone’s respect. In this old man’s opinion, only if you take the role of alliance leader will everyone truly be convinced!”

“We ask Sect Master Lei not to refuse!”

“We ask Sect Master Lei not to refuse!”

At once, the entire gathering shouted in unison, one wave of voices rising higher than the next, the atmosphere heated to the extreme.

“You all are... you all are truly...” Lei Peng looked at the impassioned crowd filling the hall, helplessness written across his face, as though this sudden enthusiasm had driven him to a point where he could retreat no further.

“Well then, since everyone insists so strongly, I will... reluctantly give it a try.” Lei Peng let out a sigh, his voice full of forced reluctance. “At the next grand meeting of the Human Alliance, I will formally raise the matter of choosing an alliance leader and let the heroes of the world select the Human Alliance leader they believe in. When the time comes, I will be relying on all of you.”

“You are too modest, Sect Master Lei!”

“For Sect Master Lei to serve as alliance leader of our Human Alliance would be the Alliance’s great fortune!”

“If anyone but Brother Lei becomes leader of our Human Alliance, I, Wang Kui, will be the first to object!” the dark-faced Wang Kui bellowed at the top of his lungs, his face full of utterly sincere devotion.

“Hahaha, drink, drink! Tonight we won’t go home sober!” Lei Peng raised his cup high and laughed heartily. “Let me drink to all of you first!”

“To Sect Master Lei!”

Everyone raised their cups in answer. Wine splashed. The hall filled with laughter and cheer.

...

At the same time, in Spring Tea City of the demon-race world.

Spring Tea City was an important stronghold of the Heavenly Demon Kingdom, and its location was of great strategic value.

Once Spring Tea City was taken, the human army would have a stable foothold from which it could advance when it wished and retreat when needed, handling both with ease.

And after the human army led by the sect master of the Moonview Sect captured Spring Tea City, it immediately issued a set of rules—

any human slaves belonging to the city’s various households who wished to leave were free to decide for themselves whether or not to join the human army.

In addition, all trade in humans was forbidden throughout the city.

As for the wealthy demon households, aside from a small number whose crimes were truly monstrous and whose notoriety had stirred deep public hatred, most ordinary demon families would generally not be disturbed so long as they lived quietly and kept to their place.

Beyond that, the gates of Spring Tea City remained wide open. Anyone who wanted to leave could do so at any time, and the Human Alliance would not stop them in the slightest.

And on this very day—

Liu Shui, on her way back to Cold Mountain Academy, happened to pass through Spring Tea City.

Originally, after hearing that Spring Tea City had just gone through a major battle, Liu Shui had intended to take a detour and avoid the place altogether.

But her mother had been hurrying along for days, and her body was feeling unwell. She truly could not endure an even longer route.

And because Liu Shui had heard that the city had been taken by a human army, she thought that, since everyone was human, there ought not be much danger. Surely no one would make trouble for them.

So Liu Shui entered the city with her mother.

And once inside, looking at the sights before her—humans and demons moving about the streets alike, the city orderly and peaceful, each staying within proper bounds—she could not help feeling a little dazed.

Most of all, the respectful and courteous attitude of the demon waiter in the winehouse toward her, a human, left her feeling almost incredulous.

“Mother, let’s rest here for two days. Once you’ve recovered, we can continue on our way. It won’t be much longer before we’re home anyway.”

After securing a room at the inn, Liu Shui carefully arranged the bedding and gently helped her mother sit down at the bedside.

“All right. There’s no rush.” Mother Liu looked at her daughter with warm eyes.

Thinking back to a year ago, when she had still been dragging her daughter around to one marriage meeting after another, only to find out in the end that her daughter had actually stepped onto the path of cultivation, entered the Foundation Establishment Realm, and become one of those mountain immortals, Mother Liu could not help feeling both helpless and amused.

In Mother Liu’s eyes, if she had known from the beginning that her daughter belonged among immortals, how could she ever have insisted on dragging her off to marriage meetings?

As for the concern her daughter had voiced—that a distance might grow between cultivators and ordinary people—

Mother Liu thought her daughter was simply worrying too much.

To be able to cultivate was such a wonderful thing. She was not merely free of any sense of distance toward her daughter; she was so happy for her she hardly knew what to do with herself.

Fortunately, in the end, mother and daughter had finally spoken everything out, and Mother Liu had completely understood what her daughter had been feeling.

She also knew now that the person her daughter liked was not one of the young masters from the great families at Cold Mountain Academy, but rather an attendant who served at Young Lady Tushan’s side.

By coincidence, that attendant was also human, and also a cultivator.

Mother Liu felt that, in that case, the two of them were quite well matched in status after all.

What was more, she had also heard of the Tushan residence’s reputation. If her daughter ended up with that young man in the future and the two of them lived together in peace, then presumably there should not be any great problem.

“Shui’er, if there’s anything in the future, just tell your mother directly. You mustn’t hide everything from me again, understand?”

Mother Liu took her daughter’s small hand and held it lightly in her palm as she spoke with earnest concern.

“I understand, Mother. You should get some proper rest first. I’ll ask the inn servant to bring some food up, and then I’ll go fetch some medicine for you.” Liu Shui answered softly, obediently.

“All right. Be careful when you’re out there by yourself,” Mother Liu said, still reminding her again and again.

“Don’t worry, Mother. I’m going now.”

Liu Shui helped her mother lie down on the bed, tucked the blanket carefully around her, and only then turned and left the room.

After leaving the inn, Liu Shui went to the nearest apothecary to get medicine.

Once the herbs had all been wrapped and were hanging from her hand, she started back the way she had come.

But halfway there, she suddenly noticed that everyone on the street—men and women, old and young, human and demon alike—was looking toward the same place, all eyes fixed there.

Liu Shui could not help following their gaze.

Two women were walking down the street.

And when Liu Shui got a clear look at the breathtaking beauty of one of them, her expression froze slightly.

“This is...”

“Young Lady Tushan?”