Chapter 439: The Birth of the Demon Race
After learning the Divine Enlightenment Technique from Ye Cheng, the Ice Empress immediately took action. Using a special Ice Jade Scorpion ability, she issued a summoning command to all the Ice Jade Scorpions across the Far North.
The Snow Empress, however, had no need for such a call. Their current cavern was already the stronghold of the Snow Maiden clan, where they lived in seclusion from the world.
Thanks to the Snow Empress's status as the strongest soul beast in the Far North, the Snow Maidens lived in complete safety, free from external threats. With nothing to fear, they often spent their time creating art, clothing, and architecture in fact, nearly all the crystal structures within the cavern were built by them.
Though small in number, the Snow Maidens were undoubtedly one of the most gifted soul beast races. Every single one of them had exceptional talent, intelligence, and comprehension abilities.
However, due to the heavenly tribulations, they never dared to cultivate, relying solely on the Snow Empress's protection to live peaceful lives.
But now, with the revelation that Demonic Cultivation could eliminate the threat of heavenly tribulations forever, they did not hesitate. The entire clan eagerly threw themselves into training, frequently turning to the Snow Empress the first demon for guidance.
Among the thirty six remaining Snow Maidens, aside from the Snow Empress, the strongest had not even reached ninety thousand years of cultivation. Nearly all who had crossed the one hundred thousand year mark had perished under the heavenly tribulations.
Unlike other soul beasts that actively cultivated and honed their bodies through battle, the Snow Maidens had simply existed, passively accumulating years. As a result, when their tribulations arrived, they lacked the strength to withstand them and were wiped out.
Before Ye Cheng's arrival, the Snow Empress had been the guardian of her entire race.
With her immense power, she had secured a haven for her people, protecting them at all costs.
While this could be seen as overprotective, it had been the only choice she had. She had personally endured the torment of heavenly tribulations and knew just how painful and deadly they were.
If even she barely survived each time, how could the others possibly endure?
Rather than let them suffer a fate worse than death, she chose to shield them, allowing them to live in peace until the day the tribulations finally ended.
Ye Cheng, however, saw this as a fatal flaw.
To him, the Snow Empress had crippled her entire race, carrying the weight of their survival on her own shoulders.
What would happen when she could no longer withstand the tribulations?
How would the Snow Maidens survive without her?
Still, no one could blame them. The real enemy was the Divine Realm and its cruel, oppressive rules.
Everything was the Divine Realm's fault!
All of this was because of those petty, narrow minded so called "gods"!
…
While the Snow Empress patiently guided her people in Demonic Cultivation, the Ice Jade Scorpions began arriving one by one in response to the Ice Empress's summons.
The first to arrive was a young Ice Jade Scorpion, barely a hundred years old.
Compared to the Ice Empress, this scorpion's appearance was far less dazzling.
Of course, if not placed next to the Ice Empress, it would still be considered quite beautiful.
Despite its low intelligence, it instinctively followed the call of its leader, crawling to the Ice Empress and bowing in submission.
Standing in her human form, the Ice Empress mentally reviewed the Divine Enlightenment Technique. She muttered a chant under her breath, forming a complex hand seal, and a small white light appeared at her fingertip.
When she felt the spell was stable, she extended a finger sending the white light straight into the young Ice Jade Scorpion's forehead.
The scorpion's entire body trembled violently!
The Ice Empress held her breath, nervously watching for the results.
Even though Ye Cheng had fully explained the technique, learning was one thing mastering it was another.
Would it really work?
As she observed, the scorpion's tremors gradually lessened.
The Ice Empress, keeping her senses sharp, detected a rapid surge in the scorpion's mental energy.
Mental power was directly linked to intelligence.
This meant that the Ice Jade Scorpion's wisdom was growing.
After about ten minutes, the young scorpion's eyes snapped open.
The confusion and ignorance that once clouded its gaze were gone.
Instead, its eyes were clear and filled with curiosity, as if it were seeing the world for the first time.
The scorpion excitedly clicked its pincers, speaking in a voice only the Ice Empress could understand.
"My queen! Praise the great queen!"
"Thank you for bestowing upon me wisdom!"
Though the words were incomprehensible to outsiders, the Ice Empress understood them perfectly.
At first, she was delighted.
The Divine Enlightenment Technique had worked!
This young scorpion now possessed the intelligence of a one hundred thousand year soul beast!
But her joy quickly turned into frustration.
This wasn't enough.
The Ice Empress had expected even greater results, but the scorpion's intelligence was lower than she had hoped.
She turned to Ye Cheng, seeking an answer.
Ye Cheng shook his head.
"The problem isn't with the technique," he explained.
"It's you. Your mastery of the Divine Enlightenment Technique is still too shallow. You haven't yet unlocked its full potential."
As he spoke, he raised a single finger, summoning a brilliant white light.
Then, with a simple flick, the light shot into the young Ice Jade Scorpion's body.
At that moment, the scorpion's entire form shook violently, emitting a blinding emerald glow.
Within this glow, the scorpion's body began to change.
Its small frame expanded, and its entire form was engulfed in radiance, obscuring what was happening inside.
When the glow finally faded, the scorpion was gone.
In its place stood a young girl with short emerald green hair, wearing a green striped dress.
The childlike figure stared at her own chubby hands in shock, her face filled with wonder.
"W What happened? Why do I… look like a human?"
Ye Cheng smirked slightly.
"A perfected Divine Enlightenment Technique doesn't just grant intelligence," he explained.
"It also allows the recipient to take human form instantly a direct, complete transformation."
Turning to the Ice Empress, he added, "Your technique isn't refined enough yet. Right now, you can only unlock intelligence you can't force a full transformation. But for now, that's good enough. You don't need to obsess over giving them human forms immediately."
Hearing this, the Ice Empress let out a frustrated sigh.
She was still far from Ye Cheng's level.
But at the very least, the Divine Enlightenment Technique had worked a new path had been opened for the Ice Jade Scorpions.
The birth of the demon race had officially begun.
(End of Chapter)
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