Chapter 485: Town Meeting

The next day, the atmosphere in Autumn Water City became tense once again. Of course, the ordinary people outside were unaware of this. Powerhouses from both the Continent and the Source of Darkness gathered in a small town outside Autumn Water City for an urgent consultation meeting. Of course, Rod and the others chose this location for their own reasons—to avoid chaos that might arise from battles inside the city.

Although many were puzzled by the meeting’s location, they calmed down after seeing that no one seemed to object. It was a remote town with few inhabitants, and over the past few days, Andrews, the Wolf King, and others had dispersed most of the people using various methods. So when everyone arrived, their first impression was one of desolation; even in the scorching summer heat, it felt icy cold.

A tavern in the center of the town served as the meeting venue. On the Continent side, all powerhouses above the divine level were present—over eighty in total, including more than a dozen Yin Yellow-level warriors and two Yang Xuan-level warriors. In other words, there were nearly sixty divine-level warriors, representing a formidable force.

As for those at the quasi-divine level, they seemingly didn’t qualify to attend such a meeting! After all, the Demon Marshal couldn’t possess them, and more importantly, their strength was too weak.

The atmosphere inside the tavern was somewhat solemn. The large hall was packed with people, while the Source of Darkness side had only about twenty members, appearing rather weak at first glance. But only the powerhouses knew that the Source of Darkness was far stronger than them—six people possessed divine natures, meaning there were at least six Yang Xuan-level warriors, with most others being Yin Yellow-level warriors, and only two or three at the divine level. This also included the thirty members of the Death Scythe Squad who were guarding outside!

Once everyone settled in, the scene grew quiet. The Continent side sent the five most respected individuals as representatives: the Pope was certainly included, along with the former president of the Mage Guild (Yin Yellow level), the former president of the Warrior Association (Yin Yellow level), an elderly hermit at the Yang Xuan level, and another renowned Yin Yellow-level mage.

The lineup of five people sat in the front row. Across from them, the Wolf King, the Titan Clan’s ancestor, Andrews, as well as the Scorpion King Clan’s leader and the Black Phoenix Clan’s leader, Mork, were all in the forefront. Sitting face to face, the atmosphere grew tense.

The Wolf King spoke first. He looked at everyone, took a deep breath, and slowly stood up. Under everyone’s gaze, he delivered the news of the opening of the Gate of Gods and Demons in a solemn tone.

Many of those present already knew this news, so it didn’t come as a surprise. Instead, they felt puzzled—was there more to this matter? Sure enough, moments later, the Wolf King’s words confirmed their suspicions. After revealing the hidden significance behind the opening of the Gate of Gods and Demons, the entire crowd was in shock!

A war between gods and demons—was it really the legendary war? Such a battle was happening now? After all, hundreds of thousands of years ago, that war had led to the downfall of gods and demons, leaving no such beings in the world. This was a fact known to everyone and one of the most important histories of the continent. Who would have thought it was caused by the opening of the Gate of Gods and Demons?

At this point, everyone furrowed their brows. After the Wolf King explained the concept of divine essences, they looked at Rod and those from the Source of Darkness with awe—these people had already obtained divine essences.

Then, when the topic turned to demon souls, everyone gasped. Demons were searching for hosts—what did that mean? And now there was even a Demon General. Chaos ensued in the crowd, and everyone’s expressions changed. They began to watch those around them with suspicion, growing more wary.

“I think everyone understands the situation now,” said the Wolf King. After that, the Pope stood up to add his words. Nodding at Rod, he stepped forward, still wearing his eccentric demeanor.

Looking at everyone, the Pope spoke with a hint of resignation, “This cycle is inevitable. Since we’re caught up in it this time, we must take responsibility! You are all top warriors, and it’s your duty to contribute to this cause. Everyone is involved in this. Once the 361 Demons emerge, how many of us here will remain unharmed? You should know that well!” His words revealed his concern.

If the 361 Demons appeared, they would surely seek hosts, and these people would be their prime targets! The situation was dire.

There are only two ways to defeat the Demonic Lord. The first is to seal it, using absolute power to overcome it and sealing everything before the Demonic Lord breaks free. This is the best outcome, but it’s extremely difficult. The second is to eliminate the possessed Demonic Lord and then seal it, which is much more difficult.

The room was utterly silent; everyone looked at each other, wondering how a meeting could reveal such a shocking secret. It felt almost like a dream.

“So, this time, we must cooperate with the Source of Darkness. Only by uniting our forces can we have a chance of winning this battle!” the Pope added after some thought.

“Indeed, and this matter must not spread to others to avoid unnecessary panic!” The former president of the Mage Guild also spoke up at that moment.

If the people of the continent learned of this, who knows what kind of panic would arise? By then, internal strife might break out even before the battle began—this would be the worst possible outcome.

Cooperation? Cooperating with the Source of Darkness? Everyone present found it hard to believe. After all, the two sides had always been enemies, locked in a struggle to the death—when had they ever cooperated?

The two sides, which had been at war for thousands of years, were now sitting together to discuss cooperation, which seemed absurd.

It was like a tiger saying to its prey, “Hey, buddy, let’s stop fighting and be friends. Let’s live together from now on!” It seemed utterly improbable.

Chatter began among the crowd, and the situation quickly became chaotic. Rod and the Wolf King and their group, however, remained calm and composed. They had expected this situation, so they weren’t surprised. If there were no such discussions, that would be truly unexpected.

The group exchanged bitter smiles, knowing there were many challenges to overcome before either side would accept such a proposal. At least, they first needed to establish a foundation of trust. Who wouldn’t worry about being betrayed from behind?

“Is this information reliable?” Someone finally raised a doubt, asking the Pope skeptically.

“It’s reliable. I guarantee it in the name of the Church!” the Pope said solemnly.

At that, no one had anything left to say. With the Church’s guarantee, what more doubts could they have? After all, the Church was known as the messenger of God, a symbol of light and purity. If such a thing hadn’t really happened, why would they want to cooperate with the Source of Darkness?

When it comes to hostility, it is the Light Church that truly avoids dealings with these dark families, engaging in a life-or-death struggle. Now that they are all willing to stand together, it shows just how serious this matter is. At that moment, all the previous skeptical voices in the room disappeared instantly, and everyone fell silent. Then, Rod introduced the matter of the Gate of Gods and Demons once again, explaining the threat and power of the Demon Souls, and adding that he had already sealed one of the Demon Generals. This once again made everyone view him differently and also made their expressions even more serious. The fact that a single Demon General could become so powerful in just a few months demonstrated the terror of the Demon Souls, and everyone grew solemn. Additionally, Rod spoke about divine essences. When he mentioned the eleven divine essences of the Source of Darkness, it caused a great stir among the crowd, who were filled with envy. They knew all too well what divine essences meant—they were things that could only be obtained after reaching the pinnacle of cultivation and being recognized by heaven and earth. Even the Pope had not yet acquired them! This showed just how demanding it was to obtain a divine essence, as only the most skilled individuals could achieve it. Naturally, Rod’s sharing of his experiences drew everyone’s full attention, and they listened intently, afraid of missing any detail. After all, this knowledge could grant them many advantages. Especially for those warriors who had reached the Yin Huang or even Yang Xuan realms, such experience was of vital importance to them. After his explanation, everyone finally gained a new understanding and was filled with emotion. “What exactly is the plan for cooperation? We all know about the relationship between the Source of Darkness and the continent. Going from enemies to allies doesn’t seem that simple!” someone raised the most crucial question. After Rod’s explanation, the Source of Darkness finally gained their acceptance. Yet, faced with its immense power, some still felt worried. “Don’t worry about that. We will discuss it thoroughly. Once we form an alliance, we will be one group, and there will definitely be no internal conflicts!” Rod assured them. “But before we start discussing cooperation, there’s one even more important matter that needs to be resolved!” It was then that Andrews stood up, looked at everyone solemnly, and spoke in a deep voice.

“That’s right. There’s one more very important thing. Four demon souls escaped this time—one demon general, two heavenly demons, and also a powerful being, a great fish. A demon marshal has also escaped. If nothing goes wrong, he’s among us!” the Pope said in a solemn voice as he looked at everyone.