The valley's population reached the size of a small city. Francis had done well gathering people, people who no longer wish to be oppressed, but due to this, rumors of the valley also spread.
This was a problem Francis was addressing to Cain at this very moment.
"Benefactor, I'm sure you've heard the rumors. The Demon Sealing Sect has made us a target, I don't know how much longer we can exist, I've already set plans in place to help the mortals get out of here but those who have done the rituals have decided to fight."
Francis was shaken, he never knew he would encounter a problem like this, he was lost and came to Cain looking for a beacon.
"I know I asked you to protect us but you don't need to any longer, I don't wish for you to exert yourself over us. I hope you can leave with the mortals and help them settle elsewhere."
Cain remained in his locus position. His eyes were shut.
The Valley Lord spoke, his words calm, "Francis, all these years I haven't entered the Enlightenment Stage, only inscribing my other leg in the meantime. Do you know why?"
"No, I do not Lord Benefactor." Francis began to feel a bit confused.
"Because once I do, I will no longer be able to live in peace like this. These 5 years, I understand now, why people wish for this so much. Unfortunately, peace is something I must throw away. But I will not throw away some things, including when I said I would protect you."
Francis's eyes became watery. "Benefactor..."
...
It was the day, the Demon Sealing Sect let the whole world know of their plans, they were playing with the Valley and the people living in it. The poor mixed bloods were thought of as no more than sheep for slaughter.
Outside the valley, in the old ruins of a camp where everything started, cultivators marched, above them their leaders flew on swords and flying boats.
'So this was the battle of the Demonic Valley....so many soldiers, the demonization these people use must be worth such an attack, I still have yet to see the might of grafting a demon to oneself...'
Cain watched from afar, his sight narrowly able to view the butchers gathering.
Francis and Fletcher were beside him. They were waiting for Cain to speak. The evacuations began the night before, but the valley was surrounded late in the night. The remaining mortals were trapped, and Cain was their only hope.
The Cain's voice rose. "I said I would so I will, but the majority of them are below me, I will make my way to the Sect Leader and deal with him." Cain's eyes lingered on the encroaching danger as he turned to the two friends whose eyes shined hearing his words.
Cain laughed in his head, 'From what I know, the Sect Leader of the Demon Sealing Sect was heavily damaged and was lost in a state of fighting the Demon souls he harnessed. His injuries should have been a result of this battle so the injuries surely came from me...'
Indeed it was as Cain knew, many didn't see the Sect Leader after this battle, he went into closed-door cultivation for years.
Even when Cain came to this Territory in the future, the sect leader wasn't coming out anytime soon.
With their hopes reinforced, Francis and Fletcher felt invigorated, ready to lead the defense. With their attitude the morale of everyone lifted, it was almost like they wouldn't be invaded in the next few minutes.
'This all reminds me of Netherane....it seems life can fold back on itself, I have long left that place but see myself doing what I did there.' A smile crept across Cain's face as the first attack landed on 'his' people.
Cain watched as a fireball sent from a Demon Suppressing Elder hit the makeshift defenses set up by the valley people. Screams bounced off the valley walls as the fire crackled.
"Attack!" The cultivators charged, cutting away at the people unable to demonize in time.
"Kill!" Francis yelled as his body morphed into a giant flying Demon with three horns on his head. Wings sprouted from his back, they appeared to be a certain bird's.
Fletcher wasn't far behind, his body expanding as he became a gluttonous horror.
Explosions resounded as smoke and blood filled the valley.
Boom! Boom!
"I should make this quick." Cain yawned and took a step with his right leg, before his foot hit the floorboards he was gone. A small mark of charred wood remained in his place.
...
"Damn Demonic bastards! I'll kill you and take your scalp as a prize!" A disciple of the Demon Sealing Sect roared as he cut at a large wolf's eyes that were brimming with intelligence.
The wolf howled and rushed its attacker, baring its fangs.
Another disciple came from the side and plunged a sword into the wolf's side. The beast fell to the ground as the two finished it off before going to the next.
Francis wasn't a leader, not in war. The defense was disorganized, they were losing even if they had more personal strength.
"Where's the valley leader?! We need the valley leader?!" Disgruntled demonized mixed bloods yelled out in despair. They were confused, their dream of a home was being destroyed, and there was no one there to protect them.
Francis too was scared, he looked back to the hut deep in the valley, but Cain wasn't there.
'Valley leader....' His heart wavered.
In the sky, the main force arrived, made up of Late Founding Stage and Early Growth Stage Cultivators.
"We're doomed!"
The Demon Sealing Sect forces smiled, they all thought this was going to be hard, but it was so easy!
"No no no! I can't die, I have a wife!"
"Fool, I have multiple children, I should live!"
Conflict rose within the ranks, their emotions were amplified by the demons that covered their flesh. They were undoubtedly the hardest force to control in all of the 7 provinces.
"What do I do? I don't know what to do!" Francis clutched his head as Fletcher stood behind him, a dead disciple in hand.
'Francis....Valley Leader....' Fletcher was distraught, 'Is this it?'
Of course not, otherwise how could the future stay the same? There had to be a leader, and Cain was that leader.
From the frontline, a man walked barefoot in rags. Those who saw him became fervent, their only hope appearing before them.
The man smirked, "Hope, all living beings need this to survive, without it, how could they be called living? All things have emotions, all things have dreams born from a hope deep in their hearts. Some hope to live well, others hope to rule above others, but it's all the same. Hope is the fire that sparks the heart aflame."
Standing on the edge of the frontlines, the man looked at the force hovering in the air, he picked up his finger and moved it.
Nothing came from this movement, no energy exited his finger, but that didn't mean there was not a reaction somewhere.
A fire struck.
"Ahhh!"
"Fire how is there fire?!"
As Cain's finger swept past the enemies in the air, they became balls of flames. The sky lit up as flames burned in the sky, some falling, others holding on.
Those who held on were of the Enlightenment stage mixed in with the rabble.
Cain sighed, "It seems my breakthrough is upon me. Five years is nothing to me, but it is still a long time for most.
"In these years I learned many things, I had forgotten about humans and their way, but I remember now. I will no doubt forget this feeling again, but when the chance comes upon me, I don't mind doing this again."
The last time Cain immersed himself in human life was a long time ago, truly living within society without a purpose, simply doing it to pass the time. Only in this state did Cain notice how wonderful humans were and their lives.
Naturally, it won't change anything, but it was a nice feeling he liked to immerse himself in.
At that moment, Cain felt an awakening deep within his soul. It was far weaker than when he became a Gatherer but it was unique, a sort of realization in his heart.
"Live in the moment, for only then will it last forever." He widely smiled as the Spiritual Qi around him raged.