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"Father?"

Hong Lie curiously looked at his father.

He had always wanted to ask this question but hadn’t found the courage.

He didn’t understand either—though those deputy generals were often disrespectful to him and his father, possibly because they were newfound aristocrats, they were undeniably loyal to the Imperial Family.

How could a strange flash of Buddha Light change them entirely?

And his father as well—he was utterly convinced that those people had betrayed the royal court. But what exactly was the reason? He refused to explain it to Hong Lie.

The Princess Royale, on the other hand, merely glanced at the head of the Hong Family with composure.

She was privy to the truth. Zhang Zhengyuan had already briefed her about the workings of Buddha’s Gate.

Awakening memories from past lives was an ability so beyond rational understanding that it could drastically alter the personalities of even the most loyal subjects.

Including the head of the Hong Family himself—whether he was still loyal to the Imperial Family and the Siao Family remained uncertain to all.

Now was the perfect opportunity for a test. If he could honestly reveal everything, it would at least dispel much of the suspicion surrounding him. While it might not render him fully trustworthy, it would provide a sense of partial assurance.

"That Buddha Light..." The head of the Hong Family hesitated briefly. The real truth... if he revealed it, the consequences could be dire. Once this matter was exposed, would His Majesty still allocate resources to the subordinates?

Moreover... would His Majesty continue to trust him?

But this hesitation lasted only a moment. The head of the Hong Family took a deep breath and said, "Your Highness... it is like this."

After narrating the tale, the Princess Royale feigned an expression of astonishment, while Hong Lie was left dumbstruck where he stood.

Past-life memories?

And not just one lifetime?

So his father... was his father still the same person?

Hong Lie had an honest personality, yet he was no fool.

The crux of the problem became instantly apparent to him.

For a person, if they suddenly awakened memories from a previous life—or multiple past lives—their current personality might undergo a drastic transformation.

The recognition of their current identity might even become ambiguous.

And with that realization, Hong Lie looked at his father, his gaze becoming increasingly strange.

"Past lives? How interesting..." The Princess Royale smiled faintly. "I’m quite curious. If the force behind that Buddhist Temple can freely awaken people’s past-life memories, the world would have long descended into chaos.

No one could stop it. If my assumption is correct, then only selected individuals have had their past-life memories awakened, am I right? "

"Your Highness is perceptive!" The head of the Hong Family quickly bowed in salute. "Nothing escapes your insight."

"Then may I ask, Hong Family Head, who you were in your past lives? And why were you selected?"

"If I may be direct with Your Majesty..." Hong Lie interjected urgently. "Under the influence of the Buddha Light from Nanming Prefecture’s Golden Peak Mountain, I have awakened a total of nine lifetimes’ worth of memories. Among them, seven lifetimes I was merely an ordinary mortal—a merchant who died in a shipwreck, a soldier slain on the battlefield, a simple woodcutter killed by demons in the wild. Only in my second lifetime did I hold any prominence; I served as a Yaksha General under the North Sea Dragon King’s command. "

"Demon?" The Princess Royale’s eyes narrowed.

The head of the Hong Family showed a bitter smile but still solemnly admitted, "Yes... I myself did not expect that I had lived a past life as a demon that devoured humans."

At this point, his body involuntarily trembled. Recalling the horrifying memories of his past as a demon, when his favorite food was the hearts and livers of infants, made his stomach churn with nausea. Over the past few days, he couldn’t even bear to look at meat without feeling the urge to vomit.

The Princess Royale fixed her gaze on him and asked seriously, "Hong Old Master, do you believe you are human or demon now?"

"I am human, of course!" The head of the Hong Family responded passionately, his eyes reddened with an eerie hint of crimson.

"No matter what I was in the past, the fact that I am fortunate enough to be reborn as a human now means that, in this life, I will stand firmly opposed to demons, regardless of what happens! "

In his agitation, he did not notice the aquatic stench emanating from his body—a scent only the Aquatic Race could exude. The Princess Royale’s gaze grew slightly colder, while Hong Lie stared at his father in shocked retreat, his expression complex.

Having once fought against Great Demons, Hong Lie naturally recognized the scent. This... this was the stench of demons. His father’s entire body now emitted nothing but the aura of a demon!

"Hong Old Master, calm yourself," the Princess Royale said, showing no signs of revulsion towards his demonic aura. Instead, she stepped closer and murmured, "Compose yourself... Look at what you’ve become..."

The Hong Family Head froze, as though realizing something, and hurriedly rushed to the nearby pond.

Seeing his reflection—a face covered in scales—he panicked even more.

"Your Highness, allow me to explain! I honestly don’t know what’s happening.

This... after experiencing the dream-like state under the Buddha Light, it seems that not only my memories but even the abilities.

.. and bloodline from my past lives... are gradually manifesting in my present body.

I cannot explain why this is happening.. ."

The Princess Royale observed the despair on the Hong Family Head’s face, her gaze deepening with thought.

This so-called Buddha Kingdom truly lived up to its reputation as a power far surpassing the Dragon Palace.

Its divine abilities were simply inconceivable, capable not just of awakening past-life memories but even resurrecting the bloodlines and skills of those lives.

This was tantamount to defying the natural order.

With such a mechanism, as long as someone’s past life was extraordinary, upon being affected by the Buddha Light, they could potentially regain their former prowess.

If this were the case, then the Buddha Kingdom’s forces could directly manufacture an army of powerful warriors—by seizing them from other factions. What an outrageous ploy!

Heaven above, why is it so arduous for the Human Race to rise?

Why are the talents of Ancient Demons so overwhelmingly formidable?

How can the Human Race, with lifespans barely spanning a hundred years, ever contend against such monsters?

Step by step, after all this struggle, it seemed as though humanity had finally achieved the scale needed to resist oppression. Yet now, they found that their aspiration of becoming masters of this world still faced a dauntingly long road ahead...

"Your Majesty... please trust your loyal servant!

" The head of the Hong Family suddenly knelt to the ground.

Once a man of steely resolve, his rugged face now brimmed with tears.

"This old servant... is loyal to the Royal Family.

.. even more loyal to our Human Race. I remain by your side, Your Majesty, because I long to see the unification of the Human Race, to eliminate the scourge of demons.

This old servant... will never stand with them! "

"I believe you!" The Princess Royale nodded firmly. "Hong Old Master, rise!"

The Princess Royale stepped forward personally to help him up. At that moment, even Hong Lie moved cautiously, wary of his father, fearing he might suddenly lash out to harm the royal heir. Yet the Princess Royale showed no such apprehension; she supported him earnestly.

"Hong Old Master is someone who, alongside my brother and me, has weathered trials and shared ideals. You refused to yield to the King of Qin, determined to prevent the Human Race’s dynasty from becoming a mere puppet of the demons.

Back when the King of Qin’s influence held such awe-inspiring power, you remained steadfast on our side.

I trust in the faith you’ve held for years; even after a thousand lifetimes, you.

.. are still the loyal General of Great Jin under the Hong Family banner! "

"Your Highness..." The Hong Family Head broke into a wave of emotion.

He was just about to speak when a voice, cold and familiar, interjected.

"Well... quite well said!"

The voice sent shivers down the spines of all present, especially Hong Lie.

He hadn’t heard this voice in years, but he would never forget it in his lifetime!

During the chaotic wartime of warlords and widespread demonic scourge, and amidst the mortal realm’s infestation of evil ghosts, it was this man who, leading a group of passionate believers, painstakingly kindled light amidst the darkness of the Central Plains Continent.

He had been the person they once admired above all others.

"King of Qin... Your Highness?"