âFrankly, weâd prefer if you stayed asleep forever.â
The patriarch of the Bone Race, Lartigau slowly calmed down after the initial shock had worn off. âThe last time we cooperated, our race suffered huge losses and enmity from many races. We donât want history to repeat itself.â
âCastor, please let the Bone Race off this once,â begged Bredo, an elder standing next to Salleh.
âTeacher, is he really Castor?â Salleh asked curiously.
This avatar was the one from Nine Hells Purgatory. It was currently far from its peak form.
Castor looked extremely handsome in his high rank form. His deep purple pupils were filled with unique devilish charm.
Salleh was a son of Lartigau. Naturally, he knew of Castorâs background and achievements.
He knew that the truth of power Castor mastered was the mysterious dead soulsâŠ
A long time ago, Castor had used his power to invade many races and claim many lives. He had absorbed their souls, turned them into wraiths to further improve his bloodline power and his knowledge on dead souls.
Castor only needed their souls, however. He had no need for their bodies at all.
On the other hand, the Bone Race had great need for dead bodies. Theyâd always desired to refine the bodies of powerful experts into Corpse Demons.
One of them wanted the souls of the dead, and the other the corpses of the dead. The power of dead souls and the Bone Raceâs power of the dead were closely tied to each other.
It was why the Bone Race had naturally sided with Castor when he was strong.
At his peak, Castor the Abyss Master had the power to command every powerful Abyss Devil in all one hundred and eight Abyss levels.
At the time, Castor was quite literally the scariest existence in the entire universe. Even the God Race and the Spirit Race were deathly afraid of him.\nThe Bone Race was no match for the Abyss Devils. They would be torn to shreds if they rebelled against Castor.
That was how the Bone Race had become Castorâs tooth and claw at his peak.
Castor used the power of the Abyss Devils to rampage across the universe unopposed, with the Bone Race as his accomplice.
The Bone Race used their Corpse Demons to support Castor, while he provided them with even more dead bodies.
The Bone Race did benefit from this trade.
Unfortunately, the good days didnât last, and the Abyss Devils under the eight Devil Monarchs united as one to fight against Castor. Thanks to the interference of the Chief of the Demon Spirits of Space and Time, the God Race and the Soul Race, Castor was ultimately killed and sealed away.
After Castor passed away, his accomplices, the Bone Race, was next on the chopping block.
For a time, countless races launched attacks against the Bone Race.
They were barely able to survive that terrible calamity.
Thankfully, the Bone Raceâs bloodline was special, and the Bone World was constantly surrounded by the power of the dead. The races decided to withdraw after dealing severe damage to them and forcing them to hide inside their Bone World permanently.
After several million years, the Bone Race finally regained their strength and started displaying their unique racial power once more.
Unfortunately for them, Castor had awakened and sought them out yet againâŠ
âLartigau, you know that our arrangement has always been mutually beneficial,â Castor persuaded with an elegant smile on his face. âIf I wasnât taken by surprise, the Bone Race wouldâve replaced the God Race and the Spirit Race and become a whole new transcendent bloodline race. Much time had passed, and Iâd awakened from the dead. I wonât be making the same mistake again. I will climb to the top and become the Abyss Master once more, and I want you and your race to serve me just like before. I promise youâll have an endless supply of dead bodies to refine while I turn all souls of the living into the dead.â\nâIt wonât be too long before the Bone Race will stand on equal footing as the God Race and the Spirit Race. You may even surpass then given a hundred millennia.â
âAs you can see, I can change the Bone Raceâs future for the better. Shouldnât you be happy by my awakening?â
Lartigau stared at Castor icily. âStop dreaming, Castor! Times have changed since your reign!â
âNothing changes for as long as I live.â Castor narrowed his eyes and said slowly, âNot even the Imperial Soul Monarch was able to kill me completely. As long as Iâm alive, I can change everything and turn the future around!â
âYou failed once, and you will fail again. We have no wish to fail beside you and be hunted down to the brink of extinction, again,â Lartigau said.
Castor suddenly fell silent.
His smile slowly disappeared from his face. A terrifying chill eventually filled up his purple pupils completely.
âLartigau, you know my temper. Iâd advise you think consider the consequences before you decide.â
His gaze slowly swept across the faces of Bone Raceâs elders before settling on Salleh in the very end.
âItâs been a long time. You have a good child, and the Bone Race had gotten up to their feet once more,â he said in an indifferent tone. âYou donât want to lose everything, do you? You know Iâm different from them. The others may not be willing to destroy the Bone Race at all costs⊠but if you displease me, I will wipe out the Bone Race no matter the cost. You know I have the power to do that once my main body regathers itself and becomes the Abyss Master again.â
âDo consider that, Lartigau.â
Castor flew towards the horizon after leaving behind that ominous threat.
His presence slowly vanished from the Bone World.\nThe patriarch and the elders remained in a dark, brooding mood even after Castor was long gone.
They were obviously disturbed by his arrival.
âFather, teacher⊠what should we do?â Salleh asked.
Bredo let out a sigh and said, âIf Castor becomes the Abyss Master again and returns to his peak form, if he gains control over all the Abyss Devils again, he will have enough power to destroy our race. That guy is a madman. If he obtains enough power⊠heâll follow through with his threat no matter what.â
âI wonder what has happened in the Eight Purgatories. Not only was Castor awakened, that Qin Lieâs Flaming Sun Abyss is soon to become an Abyss Purgatory,â Lartigau said darkly.
A short silence later, he said to Salleh, âSalleh, you share a good relationship with that Qin Lie, donât you? Try to contact him and figure out whatâs going on with the Abyss lately, can you?â
âWe should be able to delay Castor for a while. We need to know the truth before we make any decision.â
âThis is a decision that is tied to the very fate of our race. We may rise, or be annihilated because of it.â
âI understand, father. Iâll contact Qin Lie as soon as possible!â Salleh promised.
âBredo, please refine this Giant Star Beast as soon as you can. We are in dire need for more power,â Lartigau added.