Chapter 2907: Origins of the Mask

The journey back no longer required any effort from Jian Chen. He was enveloped in the power from the Heartless Child as he raced off towards the passageway between the two worlds. However, as he sensed the rapidly-receding stars around him, Jian Chen felt a hint of suspicion. He felt like the Heartless Child did not come to the Spirits’ World in person this time for Sheng Yi’s death, but primarily because of him.

“The Heartless Child seems to be caring a little too much about me,” Jian Chen thought. Although he had been personally escorted to the Spirits’ World back then, the situation was different. The Heartless Child required his strength to disrupt the Darkstar race’s great ceremony. If something happened to him on the way, it would definitely affect the Heartless Child’s plans.

But it was completely different now. The great ceremony of the Darkstar race had already been disrupted, so logically speaking, he should have lost his worth to the Heartless Child already. Although he had received the Virtuous Sage of Heaven’s promise to mobilise the power of the Myriad Bone Guild to cover for him in the Spirits’ World, there was absolutely no need for someone as revered as the Heartless Child to personally deal with something as insignificant as that.

Yet in the end, not only had the Heartless Child come in person, but he had even found him despite Jian Chen doing everything he could to conceal himself. It went without saying the amount of effort he must have put in.

“Don’t tell me I still hold value to the Myriad Bone Guild?” Jian Chen thought. Of course, he could not eliminate the possibility that the Myriad Bone Guild had seen through his potential and wanted to establish a positive relationship with him beforehand.

“Jian Chen, can I take a proper look at your mask?” Suddenly, the Heartless Child’s voice rang out. He was very short, only reaching up to Jian Chen’s chest. Right now, he had raised his head slightly, staring at Jian Chen’s face curiously.

Even though the Heartless Child’s current appearance bore great resemblance to a child asking an adult for something, Jian Chen understood exactly how terrifying of a figure this “child” beside him was, so he dared not show any unusual expressions.

Jian Chen did not hesitate. He immediately took off the mask on his face and handed it over to the Heartless Child generously.

The Heartless Child grabbed the mask and began examining it carefully in his hands. As he studied it closely, his eyes would show the light of thought and surprise from time to time; it was as if he had already vaguely understood something.

“It shouldn’t be wrong. It’s no wonder its concealing effects are so extraordinary… But that would also make perfect sense.” A while later, the Heartless Child sighed gently, and a hint of mixed emotions appeared on his face. He passed the mask back to Jian Chen and said, “This shouldn’t be all there is to this mask. You can take a proper look. Perhaps you might be able to find even more functions.”

“Senior, just what are the origins of this mask?” Jian Chen asked, unable to hold back his curiosity.

After a moment of silence, the Heartless Child said slowly, “The mask should come from the Daemons’ World. In the past, when the Daemons’ World still existed, there was an extremely special race known as the Illusionary Daemon race. The Illusionary Daemon race possessed extremely low battle prowess. Let alone against those of the same cultivation, even if they faced an opponent a cultivation realm lower, the Illusionary Daemon race might not necessarily be able to defeat them.”

“However, the heavens are fair. Although they robbed the Illusionary Daemon race of their battle prowess, they endowed them with an extremely outstanding life-saving ability. Not only does the ability allow the Illusionary Daemon race to change their presence and appearance freely, but it also allows them to conceal themselves in space perfectly. As such, no expert in the same realm of cultivation, no matter what technique they use, can find them. Even enemies with cultivations higher than them struggle to find members of the Illusionary Daemon race that have hidden away.”

“And if I’ve guessed correctly, the mask in your hand should be the remnants a supreme expert of the Illusionary Daemon race left behind after they passed away, which was further refined, turning it into its current mask form and making it a special item that can be taken into the Darkstar World.”

“The Illusionary Daemon race?” Jian Chen’s eyes flickered with thought. Having obtained the mask for so long ago, this was the first time he had learnt about its origins.

However, as soon as he thought about how the mask was from the remnants of a supreme expert of the Illusionary Daemon race, he felt an indescribable sense of conflict inside.

“It’s just a pity that before the Daemons’ World had even shattered, the Illusionary Daemon race had already died out. Now, among the six worlds, very few people still know about the existence of the Illusionary Daemon race.” the Heartless Child sighed gently. He was melancholic. He could not help but think of the Darkstar race. If it were not for the World of the Fallen Beast, the Darkstar race probably would have already followed the footsteps of the Illusionary Daemon race a long time ago.

“Senior, there’s still something I don’t understand.”

“If there’s anything you don’t understand, ask away. I’ll obviously tell you everything I can tell you,” the Heartless Child said frankly. He seemed to be in a good mood

After a moment of hesitation, Jian Chen asked, “I’m curious about why senior wants to disrupt the great ceremony of the Darkstar race.”

Jian Chen’s question did not seem to surprise the Heartless Child at all. He laughed. “I’ve been expecting you to ask me this, but it’s not exactly some secret anymore. Some great figures who stand at the very apex of the Saints’ World all know about the origins of us brother, so it’s fine even if I tell you.”

“Jian Chen, you must have learnt a lot about the Virtuous Sages of Heaven and Earth from my elder brother, but what my elder brother said that day is just the surface. Under the seemingly-glorious appearance of the Virtuous Sages of Heaven and Earth hides a slave imprint originating from the depths of our bloodlines in our souls.”

“In the past, when my brother and I were sent out using the special method of the Darkstar race, they planted an irremovable slave imprint in us at the same time. Even after hundreds and thousands of rebirths, the power of the slave imprint hasn’t weakened at all, as it originates from the power of a Grand Exalt. Even with our current cultivations, we’re helpless against the slave imprint. That is unless we can break through to Grand Exalt.”

“And it’s exactly because of the existence of the slave imprint that my brother and I must show subservience to each emperor. Even if these emperors are extremely puny, they can directly order my brother and I around. Moreover, we’re basically helpless against the emperor’s orders. All we can do is oblige…”

“It’s exactly because of this that we disrupted the great ceremony. If their great ceremony succeeds, then the strength of the entire race will increase. As their strength increases, what they’re capable of will increase too. It’ll only be a matter of time before they think of the way to break out…”

“Once they break out, my brother and I will be bound to the Darkstar Emperor. We won’t be able to defy any single order from the Darkstar Emperor. If the Darkstar Emperor faces any danger, the two of us have to use everything we have to protect him, to deal with all dangers and disasters from everywhere.”

“By then, the Darkstar Emperor’s life will directly surpass ours in priority…”

Reaching there, the Heartless Child’s emotions fluctuated. He clenched his fists firmly, feeling extremely indignant inside. “Jian Chen, you can try thinking about it yourself. If one day, you’ll be forced to listen to the orders of some mortal despite your current strength and influence, and even the entire organisation you built up from the ground will have to listen to this mortal’s orders, such that the life of anyone in the organisation is completely at the whim of this mortal, what would you do? Would you choose to yield, or to fight back?”

“To fight back, obviously.” Jian Chen disagreed with the Heartless Child, but he was forced to answer according to what the Heartless Child wanted to hear. After all, he understood that if the Darkstar race had not paid such a great price to send out the Virtuous Sages of Heaven and Earth, it would be impossible for them to possess their current glory.

The Heartless Child nodded as if he was very satisfied with Jian Chen’s answer. He said, “Although my brother and I shoulder the responsibility of freeing our entire race, this responsibility cannot rob us of our freedom and rob us of everything we’ve built up in the Saints’ World. Once my elder brother breaks through again and assumes the position of a sovereign of the world, he’ll obviously free our clansmen.”