Indeed, they were all members of the Seven Great Families who had lived for tens of thousands of years. After multiple soul possessions, they finally discovered some drawbacks, forcing them to retrieve their original bodies for periodic slumber and repair. As the number of possessions increased, their souls grew weaker.
In the last few thousand years, they had become unspeakably weary, eventually resorting to experimenting on others. However, they discovered that not everyone could be successfully possessed!
The woman they so loathed was currently studying the formations in the room. High-grade spirit stones and beast cores lay scattered everywhere, forming a strange, rotating pattern!
As Jin Bao'er placed the last piece, she triggered a crucial mechanism. The spirit stones and beast cores simultaneously lit up, radiating dazzling brilliance! The spiritual energy and attributes within them circulated rapidly, invisibly propelling something forward…
Instantly, the entire room was enveloped in light!
She lowered her gaze, watching the churning white light on the ground. A wisp of sinister black gas slowly emerged from it…
Demonic energy? Death energy?
Among the nine streams of colored light, only the black one was exceptionally striking. She recognized it at a glance.
But weren't the demons of the Upper Realm annihilated by Long Li Xing tens of thousands of years ago?
As she pondered, she suddenly recalled a previously overlooked detail, her eyes widening slightly…
Where did that soul possession technique she had found come from?!
Perhaps… it wasn't a soul possession technique at all, but rather a unique skill of the demon race?! This meant that it was highly possible the demon god or some demon from ten thousand years ago had not perished. Using their unique skills, they had possessed someone in the Upper Realm and had been lurking there for millennia…
Perhaps this clan was even established by that demon race!
But what was their motive? To survive? To seek revenge? To resurrect the demon god? Or… to complete the path the demon god had failed to traverse?
Suddenly, she jolted awake. Everything seemed to fall into place! After all, the twelve individuals who spoke of soul possession were not certain; clearly, they themselves did not possess this ability. This meant specific individuals were capable of it, and these individuals… could very well be from the demon race!
Furthermore, if they were indeed demons, they would most fear the Dragon Ancestor! They would undoubtedly go to great lengths to force Long Li Xing to ascend, as the demon race's deeply ingrained fear was of the man who annihilated them!
With this realization, she knitted her brows. If she were a demon or a demon god, the first step would be to eliminate the obstacle, Long Li Xing, and the second would be… to restore the demon race to its former glory!
The quickest method would be to annihilate the patriarchs of the Seven Great Families and the leaders of the sects, and then install their own people to take control! Simultaneously, they would complete the full possession within the clan, swiftly converting all disciples of the great families into their own kind…
But how could they convert them into demons?
Did they have other methods?
Unable to figure it out, she could only seal the area beneath the ancestral hall. The formation she had just created was a large-scale sealing formation! As for why she hadn't gone down there…
She wasn't foolish! The aura emanating from below was clearly sinister. Directly descending might lead her into a trap! She hadn't come all this way to die!
At this moment, the sun was setting, and the sky was gradually darkening…
Jin Bao'er emerged from the house. The people outside, hearing the movement, immediately looked up!
"You…"
The Buddhist disciple wanted to say something, but recalling Jin Bao'er's self-willed demeanor, he swallowed his words.
Jin Bao'er merely cast him a sidelong glance, ignoring him and pretending not to see his unspoken words. Although the other party claimed to be rushing around for the safety of the Upper Realm, and his words sounded good, in action, he did nothing and even obstructed others.
She looked towards the clan disciples not far away, her gaze cold.
"You know about the clan's soul possession practices!"
The disciples remained silent, exchanging glances!
She continued.
"Possessing bodies and altering destiny is a sin against humanity! Do you all truly believe you will escape unscathed? Hmph, a bunch of fools!"
The crowd bristled with anger! Before they could speak, they heard her next statement.
"Or do you genuinely wish to transform into demons? To have no reincarnation after death? To be loathed by all beings?"
Her eyes were clear and cold, her tone slow, yet her words made everyone tremble violently!
"Wh-what? Demons?"
"That's demonic technique?"
"How is that possible?!"
"You're lying! This is impossible, the clan leader wouldn't deceive us!"
The crowd panicked, but instinctively felt she was trying to scare them, glaring at her fiercely.
"You who have had good fortune and strong talent all these days, what right do you have to judge our actions? The Heavenly Dao is unfair. Some are destined for future achievements from birth, while we, after exhausting ourselves to reach the realm of Heavenly Dao experts, are limited by our talent and can never advance further… I am unwilling!"
This statement echoed the sentiments of most disciples. Their joining the clan was precisely to break through their limitations! In the Upper Realm, the Seven Great Families occupied vast territories, their retainers and disciples spread throughout the land! Sects were also engaged in petty squabbles…
For people like them with no resources, no background, and no talent, what other option was there besides soul possession? Were they really expected to live for a thousand years and then accept their fate to die?
For a moment, the atmosphere became heated! All the disciples seemed to be emboldened, filled with excitement and indignation!
Jin Bao'er remained silent. Just as everyone thought she was speechless, she suddenly spoke!
"So… this is the reason you possess their bodies and defy the heavens?"
The disciples faltered, not expecting her to say that.
Jin Bao'er nodded slightly, her gaze sweeping across everyone.
"One's origin and talent are not determined by anyone! But the path of cultivation relies on talent in the early stages and effort in the later stages! Your obsession with what cannot be changed, and your shortsightedness, is why you are stuck in this position… You use jealousy as an excuse for heinous acts, ha! That's all you're capable of!"
"No wonder the clan chose to recruit you. With your disposition, your chances of transforming into demons are likely higher!"
The Upper Realm was vast, and there were many with extremely poor talent, but they did not harm others! They lived mediocre lives, neither good nor bad! There were also many with exceptional talent, but how many truly reached the path of the strong? Who could say that the comfort of this life wasn't the reward for their efforts in past lives!
No one could truly explain this, but it was enough to do one's best and have a clear conscience.
Having said this, she grew impatient! These people carried karma, but it wasn't very strong. She had initially just wanted them to leave, but now, since the words were spoken, there was no point in saying more.
She turned to face the Seven Great Families… particularly the leaders!
"I can ignore others, but you few must stay!"
Since the Seven Great Families enjoyed the honor and benefits bestowed by the beings of the Upper Realm, they should contribute at this time!