Chapter 98: The Establishment of the Half-Demon Alliance

Shen Yan’s fingers were still trembling, as if he had just been pulled out of a thunder tribulation. The progress bar on his phone screen was stuck at seventeen percent, unmoving. Leaning against Luo Li, his knees felt weak, yet no one dared to step forward to support him—the Data Torrent that had erupted from his body moments ago had incinerated all the rune formations within a ten-meter radius into ashes.

Below the high platform, a group of Half-Demons crowded at the edge, gazing eagerly in this direction. A small fox with drooping ears and a severed tail dripped blood onto the ground. Guards stepped forward to shove them, saying mixed-bloods were not allowed near the core area of the sacred hall.

Thwack!

A light screen abruptly expanded, forming a barrier between the little fox and the guards. It was Shen Yan, holding up his phone, sparks still flickering at the tip of his finger.

“Weren’t you talking about qualifications?” His voice was as hoarse as sandpaper grinding against iron. “Then I’ll set a new rule.”

As his words fell, faint blue rings of light appeared in the air, spreading like ripples on water. Suddenly, an identifier lit up on the forehead of every demon: 【Level?】 The three characters flashed twice before beginning an automatic scan.

The Great Elder abruptly stood up, slamming his Judge’s Brush onto the ground, only for it to snap with another crack.

“Absurd! Bloodline purity is the true standard. What does an outsider like you understand?”

Shen Yan ignored him, lowering his head to type Code while muttering to himself: “Spiritual Power multiplied by comprehension, plus combat experience, divided by the bias coefficient… This formula seems fair, doesn’t it?”

No one answered.

But the System had already started processing the Data.

The first to display a result was the little fox with the severed tail. Originally regarded as useless by everyone, the System showed: 【Lv. 3, exceptional Talent for Formation perception, recommended for junior instructor qualification】.

The entire hall erupted in an uproar.

Immediately after, the sky cracked.

Not literally, but silver-blue specks of light drifted down from the fissures in the dome, like rain, yet carrying the rhythm of Code. They fell in strings upon the demons, and for every mixed-blood, the identifier on their forehead instantly turned gold, their breathing even becoming smoother.

“Is this… leveling up?” A young demon touched their burning forehead, voice trembling.

Shen Yan grinned. “This isn’t leveling up. It’s repaying a debt. You’ve been suppressed for three thousand years. Now, it’s time for the System to install a Patch.”

Luo Li stood at his side, her sword still unsheathed, her Nine Tails gently wrapping around his wrist. She didn’t speak, only propped his swaying body with her shoulder.

“Can you hold on?”

“Not dead yet,” he whispered back. “It’s just my brain feels like it’s about to explode. This damn System is harder to adjust than my graduation project.”

The corner of her mouth lifted slightly, but the next moment, she suddenly turned, her sword tip flicking upward. A Seal rune that had been aimed directly at Shen Yan’s face was cleaved in two, leaving not even ashes behind.

“If anyone else makes a move,” she said coldly, “I won’t guarantee my next sword strike will hold back.”

The air froze.

Those elders who had intended to sever Shen Yan’s connection to the Ultimate Treasure one after another withdrew their hands. They saw clearly—that sword strike wasn’t just Sword Qi; there were traces of Data Stream within it. It was clearly Shen Yan’s spell logic, perfectly replicated and amplified by her.

This was the power of Co-Covenant Partners.

It was also the first threshold of the new order.

Seizing the opportunity, Shen Yan tossed his phone into the air, pulling up the database Interface. “Now opening the registration channel. All mixed-blood demons can upload their cultivation logs. The System will automatically match resources, Cultivation Techniques, and mentors. Those who train well will rise faster.”

The light screen unfurled, revealing thousands upon thousands of records—all of them Half-Demons whose names had been erased through the ages. Some died in purges, some were trapped in the Forbidden Land, and some left not even a corpse behind.

The young demons stared in stunned silence.

Suddenly, a youth knelt down, wailing uncontrollably: “This is my father… He was executed ten years ago for so-called ‘Bloodline contamination’… But the System says he was an Lv. Five powerhouse!”

The crowd erupted.

“Long live Lord Shen Yan!”

“We want to learn programming!”

“I want to be a mentor too!”

Wave after wave of cheers shook the dome, causing fragments to rain down.

The Great Elder slumped in his chair, his face ashen. He knew that after today, the old ways of the ancestral shrine would no longer hold sway over the people.

Just then, a young demon general leaped onto the high platform, his armor gleaming, his aura fierce and imposing.

“You said strength is what matters?” He pointed at Shen Yan. “Dare to fight me? If you lose, get out of the Holy Temple!”

Shen Yan glanced at him but said nothing, merely nodding once.

The battle erupted instantly.

The young demon general moved with blinding speed, his fists carrying thunderous force, each strike a lethal blow. Yet Shen Yan stood motionless, his fingers swiping rapidly across his phone.

Suddenly, two Data Streams materialized in the air.

One displayed the young general’s Spiritual Power Fluctuation curve, its peak terrifyingly high. The other showed an efficiency analysis—【Only 43% of potential utilized, severe Energy waste】.

Beside it, a frail-looking Half-Demon who hadn’t even moved was labeled by the System: 【Formation Comprehension Lv. Six, Collaboration Index S-rank】.

Shen Yan turned his phone toward the crowd. “Who do you think is more deserving to be called a powerhouse?”

No one uttered a word.

He walked up to the frail Half-Demon, plucked a button from his own Grid Shirt—actually a miniature Spiritual Energy storage device—and handed it over.

“For you. The badge of a junior mentor.”

The entire hall fell silent.

Three seconds later, thunderous applause broke out.

Some began actively scanning the System’s QR codes, others pulled out personal Jade Slips to input information, and young demons crowded around the fox with the broken tail, clamoring to ask how to increase their experience points.

Shen Yan gasped for breath, his legs buckling as he nearly collapsed, but Luo Li caught him firmly.

“Showing off again,” she frowned. “The Source Code inside you hasn’t fully integrated yet. Pushing yourself like this could lead to Qi Deviation.”

“It’s fine,” he smiled weakly. “Look, they’re all taking action now. Before, they were being controlled. Now, they’re controlling themselves. This feeling… it’s even more satisfying than finishing ten thousand lines of Code.”

She stared at him, then suddenly reached out and touched his forehead.

It was frighteningly hot.

“Do you remember the first time we met?” she asked softly. “You said you’d help me repair the Teleportation Array, but ended up blowing yourself up instead.”

“I remember,” he squinted. “Back then, I thought you were just a cat-girl standee.”

“Get lost,” she laughed and scolded, then her expression turned serious. “But it’s different now. You’re not here to fix arrays. You’re here to change fate.”

He nodded, lifting his head to gaze at the cracked dome.

The rain of Code gradually ceased, revealing faint glimpses of the starry river.

His phone suddenly vibrated.

【Detected large-scale Permission binding completed. Half-Demon Alliance Protocol activated】

He looked down at those words, his fingers trembling slightly.

This wasn’t the end. It was the beginning.

Gently, he took Luo Li’s hand and whispered, “This is only the beginning.”

In the distance, a little fox clumsily poked at a phone screen with its paw, trying to register an account. Its tail was wrapped in bandages, and a golden light flickered on its forehead: 【Lv. Three · Formation Apprentice】.

At the edge of the high platform, the Great Elder slowly closed his eyes, the broken Judge’s Brush in his hand slipping to the ground with a crisp clatter.

Shen Yan was about to speak when he suddenly frowned.

A new message popped up on his phone: 【Deep in the Western Wastes, an unknown Permission Request is attempting to connect again. Respond?】

Before he could tap to confirm, Luo Li’s hand already covered his.

Their fingers intertwined, hovering above the screen.

Wind rushed in through the cracks, tousling her violet-red hair and lifting the charred hem of his robe.

Their Shadows stretched long under the starlight, cast upon the shattered Runes scattered across the ground.

Their fingers pressed down.

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(End of Chapter)