Xu Zimo glanced around briefly. The shops on both sides sold all kinds of goods, there were taverns, blacksmiths, herbal stores, and more.
This street was quite long, stretching along the canyon into the distance.
âThis is where the remnants of the God Race live?â Xu Zimo asked.
âWhen I was here before, it was still rather desolate. I didnât expect it to change so much,â Jiu You said with emotion.
âWhereâs the leader of the God Race remnants?â Xu Zimo asked.
Jiu You looked around and said, âLet me take you directly to the forbidden zone. Theyâre probably there.â
The surrounding remnants looked at the three of them. Although their faces were unfamiliar, no one thought much of it.
After all, the number of remnants had grown so much, it wasnât possible to know everyone.
As they passed through several streets, the deeper they went, the more remnants they encountered.
At the center was a market square, where all the remnantâs trade took place.
It was bustling and full of life. The oval-shaped marketplace stretched nearly a kilometer long.
âIn the past, the patriarch would distribute cultivation resources. Now we have to acquire everything ourselves,â Jiu You explained. âFrom the outside, thereâs no difference between remnants and ordinary humans. We often blend into human societies.â
It was lively here. Some were selling swords they had obtained.
Others dragged massive demonic beast corpses slowly through the area.
The history of the God Race had long since vanished. Not only were humans searching for it, these remnants never stopped either.
Theyâd sell unused God Race relics here. All kinds of transactions took place.
âOnce we cross this market, weâll reach where the patriarch lives,â Jiu You said.
Walking through the market, Xu Zimo noticed many ancient items for sale at the stalls.
Some were genuinely old. Others were fakes, caked in mud to look like buried relics.
âCome look, a sword once used by a Godly Monarch, selling cheap!â
âGod Raceâs sacred healing pill, can revive the dead, regrow flesh and bones, and might even awaken your God Race bloodline!â
âŠ
Vendors shouted loudly all around, flaunting all kinds of titles.
Xu Zimo found it amusing. If what Jiu You said was true, these people were nothing but test subjects raised by those in power.
This world was full of different people, everyone struggled to survive.
Along the way, Bone Demon kept himself concealed to avoid alerting anyone.
In fact, these remnants werenât truly God Race members, so whether they lived or died didnât matter to Xu Zimo.
He simply needed strong bloodlines to unlock the Demon-Locking Bell.
If he was in a good mood, maybe heâd help Jiu You get revenge along the way.
After the three of them exited the market, a passage appeared ahead.
The large gate at the passage entrance was wide open, guarded on both sides, making it difficult to enter.
Xu Zimo walked straight forward. Before the two guards could react, Bone Demon waved his hand and silently killed them, pinning them to the walls of the passage.
The movement was subtle. The bone spikes pierced their stomachs, and because their bodies were propped up, it was hard to notice they were dead without a closer look.
The three entered the passage, which was about ten meters long.
Just as they exited, there was a loud âbangâ behind them, the gate slammed shut.
Xu Zimo looked up. The view ahead opened up to a large empty space, resembling a plaza, around several thousand square meters wide.
At the far end of the plaza stood a tall statue.
âThatâs the forbidden area,â Jiu You pointed at the statue and said softly.
The statueâs gender was indiscernible. It had short hair, and its face was carved with a soft, feminine look.
Two pairs of wings extended from its back, and it stood atop a giant bird, its body completely snow-white.
âLooks like we donât need to make a move, theyâve already come to greet us,â Xu Zimo smiled.
âWhat do you mean?â Jiu You asked, puzzled.
Just as she spoke, a round of applause came from the side.
âHow bold. You demon remnants dare to walk into our Celestial God Valley on your own.â
An aged voice echoed from nearby.
Jiu You turned sharply and saw three elderly men walking over, all wearing light white high-collared robes, exuding immense pressure.
âThatâs the patriarch and the two guardians,â Jiu You said quickly.
The elder in the center had completely white hair and beard.
He held something resembling a compass in his hand.
The needle inside spun rapidly, pointing directly at Xu Zimo and the others.
âThis is our God Raceâs treasure, the Demon-Pointing Needle. If it hadnât sounded the alarm, we wouldâve been fooled,â the patriarch said coldly. âLooks like thereâs a traitor in the race. How did you get in?â
âPatriarch, long time no see,â Jiu You said, her eyes filled with hatred as she stared at him, gritting her teeth.
âOh?â the old man looked at Jiu You in surprise. After a moment of thought, he sneered. âI remember who you are, the traitor who trespassed into the forbidden zone.â
âIf I hadnât entered by accident, Iâd still be in the dark about your disgusting experiments,â Jiu You replied coldly.
âWhat now? After all these years on the run, youâve sided with demon remnants?â the old man laughed. âYou think theyâll help you get revenge? Once we awaken the divine blood in our veins, the entire Eternal Lands will bow before us.â
âA bunch of weak-blooded remnants dreaming of glory,â Bone Demon sneered.
The bones in his hand spun rapidly.
He waved his right hand, and countless bone spikes shot toward the three elders.
âYouâve chosen death. Today, youâll serve as sacrifices for my research,â the elder roared.
A pale white aura surged from his body, and his bloodline reversed like boiling water.
The pressure around them intensified. Divine power surged from the eldersâ bodies.
The bone spikes that flew toward them were shattered by a single palm strike from the patriarch.
At that moment, the two guardians took positions on either side.
The patriarchâs white hair flew wildly as he raised his massive hand like a true god descending, bringing it crashing down from above.
âInteresting. Looks like youâve actually figured something out,â Bone Demon sneered.
He threw a punch toward the descending palm.
His fist was covered in sharp bone spikes.
When fist and palm collided, a cruel smile appeared on Bone Demonâs face.
The spikes pierced through the elderâs palm and spread up into his arm.
A pained scream echoed across the empty plaza.
âYouâre no demon remnant,â the elder shouted.