novelGreed
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There were different factions within the wood demon tribe, and Forefathers Kingspot and Ghostbranch's relationship wasn't entirely free of tension.
They remained on civil terms for the common interest of their tribe. Greater good did come first in their eyes. They had yet to take over Eternal because the sacred land demonstrated superior resilience compared to the other two sacred lands.
Moreover, neither of the two forefathers wanted to make too big a sacrifice.
If they stopped at nothing to take down Eternal, not even An Kasyapa would be able to help the sacred land defend itself. Jiang Chen's antidotes could prevent the parasites from spreading, but there weren't enough for every Eternal member.
If Forefather Kingspot deployed all of his parasites to infect the sacred land, Eternal would be doomed. No amount of antidotes would be able to deal with all of the parasites.
Once infighting broke out within Eternal and the antidotes concentrated in the hands of a few individuals, the wood demons would be able to conquer the sacred land in one fell swoop.
However, Forefather Kingspot wasn't willing to make such a sacrifice. The hugely negative impact on his power wouldn't be worth it. His status within his race would also be undermined.
Worse still, the wood tribe would be at a disadvantage in the fight to come over the continent's resources. The richest land on the continent was the human domain. Many of the ancient sects had left treasure troves that were yet to be discovered.
Humans had been the demons' biggest threat during the ancient war.
Both humans and demons had suffered great losses in that war. Although the humans had sealed away the demons in the end, they'd paid a terrible price. Many of the human powerhouses fell and enormous swathes of their territory destroyed, leaving not even the race's foundations intact.
One thing was for certain however: The heritage of the ancient factions hadn't disappeared for no reason. They must be hidden in some obscure parts of the domain, awaiting discovery.
The heritage and resources from the ancient times were what the demons were searching for most eagerly.
Forefather Kingspot didn't immediately respond. He was deliberating over whether Forefather Ghostbranch's proposal was viable.
"The other sacred lands may not be worth our full effort, dao brother, but Eternal has raised a remarkable genius - Jiang Chen. According to intelligence reports, that one's rise in power is too remarkable to be explained by common sense. Moreover, his achievements are lauded throughout Myriad Abyss.
"He's multi-faceted and a genius in martial dao, pill dao, and formations... More importantly, his talent in pill dao is the stuff of legends. No genius has ever reached his height in the history of the Divine Abyss Continent."
"Yes, I've heard of the remarkable pill recipes of his, such as the Crowning Empyrean Pill and the Taiyi Skymender Pill. They're touted as legendary creations." Forefather Kingspot sighed almost with awe."Hearing the news makes me want to capture the young man and thoroughly interrogate him."
The wood demons were deeply interested in spirit medicines, especially those made from spirit herbs, which propagated into their interest into pills.
The wood demons had always admired the human race for their knowledge in pills. Demons often weren't predisposed at all to become pill masters. The ten demonic tribes each had their strengths, but in the end, they focused more on making the individual more powerful.
They seemed to lack the natural talent in areas such as pills, talismans, and formations. No geniuses of such discipline had emerged.
There were pill experts within the demonic race, but overall, demons fell short in their understanding of this field of study compared to humans.
Therefore, pills had always been something demons sought out. They were also a major reason why the demons invaded human territory. Wood demons were especially passionate in this area.
Forefather Ghostbranch cackled."I've heard about the pills as well. It's said that the Crowning Empyrean Pill and Taiyi Skymender Pill are the real deal. Think about it. If Eternal possesses the recipes, how tremendously useful will they be once we obtain them?"
Acquiring the valuable pill recipes would significantly boost the overall strength of the wood demons.
The effect might not be visible in five to ten years, but after centuries or even millenia, the differences the pills made would be pronounced. The Crowning Empyrean Pill, especially, would make a great contribution to their tribe's overall level of strength.
Kingspot could tell that Ghostbranch was trying to sway him.
"Just tell me what you have in mind, brother, " Kingspot said with a smile.
"The riches you steal are the ones that make you wealthy, dao brother. This is a rare opportunity for our tribe. If the other tribes conquer Eternal, we won't be able to get the pill recipes. Who knows who will be the ones benefiting then?"
Forefather Kinspot's eyes flashed. Greed overtook him and made his heart race. He remarked pensively, "We may not be able to get the pill recipes we want even after taking over the sacred land."
"Haha, what wouldn't we get with the entire sacred land under our control?" Ghostbranch was unconvinced.
"That's not necessarily true. It's said that the pills were invented by Jiang Chen. He didn't share them with the sacred land." Kingspot remained level-headed.
"Jiang Chen has a strange relationship with Eternal and isn't particularly close to it, but that doesn't mean we don't have any leverage. Some of the sacred land members are close to the human. Ziju Min, a new divine forefather spearheading the defense, is a loyal supporter of the young man. If we capture him alive and use him as a hostage, Jiang Chen can't possibly abandon the forefather now, can he? He's known for loyalty and caring for his allies."
Ghostbranch responded in a ruthless tone. It was obvious that he'd been planning this for a while.
"Ziju Min..." Kingspot was warming up to the plan. He made the calculations in his head. Suddenly, he slapped the table hard."Alright, we'll put Jiang Chen in a dilemma. If he doesn't give us the pill recipes in exchange for Ziju Min, his reputation will be tarnished. Young men often care about their image. He'll give in to our demands."
They grew more animated as they talked and eventually reached an agreement.
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