"Alright. It's time for you to tell us about your conversation with the World Core."
Damien's gaze sharpened. He knew this day would come, but he didn't expect it to come so soon.
He sighed inwardly. 'I was hoping that the peaceful days would continue for a bit longer, but I guess this is it.'
Regardless of his lamentation, he still did as Tian Yang said and gave a rough description of what happened between him and the World Core.
Of course, the fact that the World Core had sentience was enough to shock both Shangguan Yu and Bai Xieren. After all, this wasn't a fact that was so easily known.
But the main point of conversation naturally revolved around what happened after. From the Nox corruption on the World Core to the number of traitors that were residing in the Cloud Plane, Damien didn't leave out even a speck of information about it.
Shangguan Yu furrowed his brows. "Even if I somewhat expected it, it's still a shock when it's verified. Ten million traitors…it seems we have our work cut out for us in the coming days."
Bai Xieren nodded in agreement. "We must begin our extermination plan as soon as possible. Luckily, we still have the ability to move secretly."
Damien agreed with her inwardly. Although the Wang Clan and Xue Clan were both implicated and slaughtered under the premise of betraying humanity, the fact that their side had information about the traitors was still not known to the enemy.
Since Wang Chen and Xue Yebai were both slain in public without getting taken in for interrogation, the other traitors in the Central Continent wouldn't suspect that they had been revealed quite yet. It was even more for those on the other continents, since the leaders of the two major clans might not have even known their identities to begin with.
'With our current upper hand, it is indeed best to move secretly. That way, we can cut the grass and pull the roots without alerting the remaining traitors. Though, even if they decide to go into hiding, there isn't a single place in the Cloud Plane that can escape my gaze anymore.'
Damien grinned. There was no need to worry about the success or failure of the extermination plan with his ability. For those who betrayed humanity, the only option was death.
As Damien was thinking, the three experts around him continued their conversation and devised strategies for how to move. However, he soon noticed a flaw.
"Oh, right. Since there are so many names, I totally forgot to give you guys the full list of traitors. Luckily enough, I had Yun compile the information in a more digestible format."
Damien took out a storage ring filled with jade slips and emptied it onto the table. As he spoke, he began organizing the jade slips into separate sections.
"Here's accurate information on both the identities and strengths of the traitors. It's currently organized by sects and families, from most powerful to least. As for rogue cultivators, they are included on their own separate jade slip, though there aren't many of them since the Nox Worshippers have a tendency to gather together."
Damien finished arranging the jade slips and looked up, immediately being confronted by the shocked gazes of the three experts.
"What? Why are you staring at me like that?"
Tian Yang shook his head wryly. "It's nothing. It looks like you've prepared thoroughly for the coming operation even though you didn't have knowledge of it beforehand."
Damien shrugged nonchalantly. "I mean, ever since I told you what I knew before we confronted the Xue Clan, I was expecting this day to come. What, did you think I was such an idiot that I wouldn't understand even this much?"
"Yes. Yes, I did." Tian Yang replied matter-of-factly, earning him a death glare from Damien.
Tian Yang coughed awkwardly and picked up a random jade slip to read from. The second he did so, his shock heightened to another level.
"Oho, this is far worse than what I was expecting. To think I would happen upon the Jade Heavenly Palace's information first."
Shangguan Yu's eyes hardened when he heard Tian Yang's words. Although he was itching to see the jade slip himself, he knew he would get his turn eventually. Instead, he turned his attention to the other slips on the table.
"The Peng Family, Yu Family, Twisted Mountain Sect, even the Empire's religion has been influenced by these demons…" Shangguan Yu gritted his teeth in anger.
"To think they dare to act out while knowing full well about our power. Or do they think we won't do anything just because of our status? It seems our Jade Heavenly Palace needs to show our strength to the public once more so that they lose any thoughts of rebellion."
His tone was extremely cold, but nobody could blame him for his anger. After all, they were all feeling the same.
Especially Bai Xieren. The second she saw the list of names from the Celestial Star Palace, she wanted to move and slaughter them all. But for the sake of the greater plan, she forced herself to calm down.
Damien's tone became abnormally serious as he began speaking once more. "Even though this number might look drastic, it's actually the Cloud Plane's good fate that there are so few traitors. When compared to the total population of the world, a mere ten million is nothing.
"There are worlds out there in the universe that have been completely corrupted. Worlds where billions upon billions of Nox Worshippers lie in wait for the day of war to come. Although I'm aware that all three of you have lived far longer than I have and have experienced far more, I feel the need to inform you of this.
"Never underestimate the temptation that the Nox bring to ordinary people. No matter how humble any of us try to be, the fact that we have the power to sit here and decide the fates of others so easily is because we have both talent and strength. Look at the elders of the Xue Clan, for example. Even though they had some strength, they were lacking in talent and were killed off by someone on a far lower level than them.
"The universe is fair if you look at it from above, but as someone living within it, its unfairness is as clear as day. For those who have toiled away endlessly but were never able to see the boundary of 4th class due to their lacking talent, the devil's whispers of the Nox are like words of god. It's even more so for those who have tasted the bitterness and unfairness of life.
"Although I've spoken so much, my meaning remains simple. The rallying power that the Nox possess is insane. In the coming war, rather than facing a horde of Nox, we should expect to face our own people until our spirits become dull from betrayal. This is our fate for opposing their regime."
The courtyard was enveloped in a cold silence after Damien's words finished. Even though everyone present was already aware of this fact, hearing it said so explicitly still forced reality to sink in.
But none of the four were weak-willed people. Three of them had faced themselves and even the Universe itself to achieve acknowledgment. It was impossible for them to falter here.
Damien nodded in satisfaction after seeing their response.
"Although I am far weaker than you at the moment, I have no doubt that I'll reach your level if I'm given time. Therefore, I hope you can forgive me for being presumptuous. On the battlefield, we will all be comrades, so I have no plans of being tied down to unimportant things like status.
"Even if you are the Sect Masters of the most powerful sects in the Cloud Plane, in the future, you will just be part of the many 4th class existences that participate in the war.
"So from now on, please include me in future meetings about these kinds of important topics. I have no desire to take a backseat in this war while being pushed around at the whims of others."
