Chapter 1038: Is This Even Human

The Black Domain was boundless, like an endless night.

In this peculiar place, even spiritual senses were restricted. No matter how high one's cultivation, their perception was barely stronger than that of an ordinary mortal.

Several people sped through the domain in a boat, like a lone leaf in a vast ocean. If it weren't for the faint glow emitted by the flying vessel, they would have gone unnoticed. The same was true elsewhere; even if there was movement, it was difficult to detect.

Deep within the Black Domain.

The dense fog grew even thicker, almost to the point where one couldn't see their own hand in front of their face.

In the endless darkness, a human voice suddenly roared.

"Ha! Art is explosion!"

The voice echoed through the infinite darkness, filled with fervor.

Immediately after, a terrifying explosion truly erupted, shaking the heavens and the earth!

"BOOM!!!"

The deafening roar reverberated endlessly, and the shockwaves traveled thousands of miles.

Daylight suddenly appeared, and the world buzzed with noise.

The black fog was dispersed by the shockwaves, revealing the desolate land beneath.

A fierce wind blew, sweeping up the corpses of demons like dry grass, sending them tumbling in a bloody storm that followed the shockwaves into the distance.

Until the shockwaves gradually subsided.

Several figures stepped forward, their faces filled with excitement.

At the forefront, Xiao Zhan carefully picked up pieces of flesh from the ground while loudly instructing the others.

"Senior Brother Hong has been a huge help. The fluids secreted by these demons after death are incredibly valuable—not only are they top-tier waterproofing materials, but they're also very convenient to use."

"Everyone, put in more effort! First, collect all of Senior Brother Hong's pieces, then immediately gather the demon corpses. Don't miss a single one—we can't afford to waste anything!"

The men and women responded with enthusiasm, immediately diving into the laborious task of harvesting.

In no time, the sea of corpses became a scene of bustling activity. Everyone was smiling and laughing, as if they were picking crabs from muddy ground, full of energy and joy.

"All of Senior Brother Hong's fragments have been collected. Now, let's start gathering the demons!"

"Alright!"

"Brothers, put in more effort! We can't let Senior Brother Hong's hard work go to waste!"

"Let's go! We must collect every single demon corpse!"

The black sandy ground was alive with activity as a dozen or so people rolled up their sleeves and got to work.

If an outsider were to witness this scene, their jaw would likely drop into the sand. Who could imagine that someone would be so fanatically collecting demon corpses, treating the Black Domain like farmland?

Even the corpses of demons could be used as building materials...

On the outskirts of the sandy area.

A desolate, rubble-strewn path played host to an even more outrageous scene.

A large group of demons was being marched forward, leaving behind a trail of massive footprints. Demons of various colors had been reduced to prisoners, their hands bound behind their backs as they trudged along with heads bowed.

Their captors were merely a dozen or so young humans.

Though the humans appeared weak and small, standing no taller than the knees of some of the demons, the once-feared demons now looked like frostbitten eggplants.

They marched forward in silence, not daring to resist, their faces filled with resentment yet too afraid to stop, as docile as water buffalo.

The young humans, on the other hand, were relaxed and cheerful, chatting casually as they escorted the demons.

Disciple Fang Han, ranked 86th, looked toward the senior brothers collecting the corpses with admiration.

"Hey, Senior Brother Hong is truly amazing! That self-detonation move was incredibly powerful—he harvested so many demons in one go!"

Lu Dayuan, ranked 43rd and slightly more experienced, nodded with a proud smile.

"This is nothing. When Senior Brother Hong really gets going, he's far more impressive than what you just saw! If our master were here, these demons wouldn't even have time to run—they'd be begging for reincarnation!"

At the mention of their master, the disciples' eyes filled with reverence.

They couldn't stop marveling.

"I wonder where our master is now. Will he be satisfied with the urban world we're building this time?"

"He definitely will! The master's vision is to create an entire world!"

"Exactly! As long as we put in our best effort, we'll surely satisfy the master."

"That's right. The master's vision and insight are so profound that we can't even begin to comprehend them. As long as we do our best and follow even a fraction of his footsteps, we'll have no regrets in this life!"

The more they spoke, the more motivated they became.

The honest Lu Dayuan nodded seriously, his eyes filled with anticipation.

"I wonder how Senior Brother Bai is doing. We've captured about three thousand laborers this time—that should contribute a lot to the city's development."

Fang Han, full of energy, suggested, "Senior Brother Bai is bold and decisive. This amount of labor might not be enough. After we deliver these laborers, should we go capture some more?"

At these words, the massive bodies of the demons trembled.

Several pairs of green eyes glanced down in fear.

Lu Dayuan actually nodded in agreement.

"Hmm, it seems that's the only way."

"Recently, there's been a severe shortage of laborers. These three thousand probably won't be enough. Last time, Senior Sister Su Yunyun's research had a slight miscalculation, and the laborers we captured were sent to build watchtowers. As a result, more than half of them were lost. These three thousand probably won't be enough either!"

Lu Dayuan spoke frankly, his voice loud and sincere.

The demons being escorted heard every word clearly, and their bodies stiffened in fear.

They were proud demons, living beings!

Yet they were being marched off to build some watchtowers, with many of them likely to perish...

They weren't even being treated as living creatures. This was too cruel.

What kind of beings could do such things?

At the very least, humans shouldn't be this brutal, right?

The demons listened in shock and disbelief, their faces turning grim.

Lu Dayuan wasn't finished, his calm voice continuing to echo.

"Oh, by the way."

"Master Lu also instructed us to find a few strong laborers. The manure squad is building a lot of new things, and they're about to start digging sewage ditches for waste disposal!"

Is this even human language?

As soon as these words were spoken, many of the demons' faces filled with indignation.

Proud demons could be enslaved, but they would not carry manure!

But just as they gritted their teeth and raised their heads, they saw the young humans looking back at them with bright smiles. Though they appeared harmless, the sight awakened the demons' most terrifying memories.

The demons trembled, forced to continue marching with clenched teeth.

Not far away, near a massive corpse, a demon about an inch tall peeked out, its sharp teeth and long ears betraying its cunning nature. Yet even it was stunned by what it saw.

It immediately fled, darting toward the depths of the Black Domain.

...

At the center of the Black Domain.

A path paved with white bones stretched out, flanked by blood-red flowers.

The seemingly beautiful path was constructed from the flesh and blood of countless souls, exuding a terrifying aura of death. Even the black fog couldn't penetrate it, as if it were a road fit for kings.

Majestic, yet inspiring awe and fear.

At the end of the bone path stood two ancient beast skulls.

Even as mere bones, they radiated an ancient, fearsome aura. The surrounding area was like a sea of blood, filled with overwhelming killing intent.

Between the hundred-foot-tall skulls, ripples formed in the void, and ghostly energy condensed into a mirror-like surface, resembling a colossal gate that stood between heaven and earth.

The ghostly energy shot straight into the black sky, like a pillar supporting the heavens.

This was the Star Gate of the demons, the only passage connecting the various domains of the demon race.

It required the blood and energy of countless powerful beings, as well as supreme cultivation, to open this gate. Only the most elite demon experts could activate it, and those who mastered this complex secret technique were considered geniuses among demons.

On either side of the bone path stood countless powerful demonic figures.

A dark, oppressive tide of killing intent filled the air.

At this moment, tens of thousands of eyes were focused on the scene.

A small figure knelt by the side of the path, trembling as it pleaded toward the direction of the Star Gate.

"My lord!"

"Another three thousand of our soldiers have been captured! Please, make a decision!"

The plea was filled with sorrow, and it should have incited the demons' wrath.

Yet, the tens of thousands of demonic figures present fell into silence, their complex eyes turning toward the Star Gate.

Inside the gate loomed a powerful figure.

But upon hearing the report, the figure suddenly shuddered.

"Quick! Close the gate! Shut the Star Gate! We must not let that demon come again!"

The urgent order echoed, and the powerful demons at the front immediately sprang into action.

They channeled their demonic energy, forming a dark light filled with intricate symbols that radiated terrifying power, surging toward the Star Gate.

Under the force of this concentrated demonic energy, the two massive skulls began to move closer together.

The Star Gate was already half-closed, about to be sealed!

Suddenly.

A bald human descended from the sky, his dead-fish eyes and drowsy expression making him look like a sleepwalking fool.

The moment he appeared, the demons' faces changed.

The surroundings fell into complete silence, not a sound to be heard on the blood-red bone path.

The man paid no attention to anything else, simply throwing a punch toward the Star Gate. It seemed ordinary, like a child waving its hand.

But as his fist moved, a terrifying sonic boom drowned out everything!