This Human Immortal Is Too Serious-Chapter 523 - 521 Wu Huyou, Demon King Ba [Medium Size]
Demon.
In Wu Wang's memory, the myths about Eastern Emperor Taiyi on Blue Star seemed to be inextricably linked with this word.
Although Wu Wang vaguely remembered having once read a piece of research suggesting that the title he now bore—Eastern Emperor Taiyi—originated from a myth in the ancient state of Chu on Blue Star.
TSK, the myths of that civilized ancient country were so chaotic.
What the actual connection was between the myths of his old home and what he was experiencing right now, Wu Wang still couldn't figure out.
The wind blowing head-on was somewhat boisterous.
Three days had passed since he left that grassland. Wu Wang was currently sitting with his arms crossed on the back of a divine bird transformed from the Eastern Emperor's Bell, speeding over a wilderness of mountains and forests.
Although the true form of this divine bird, in the eyes of others, was a bald old eagle.
Not far ahead, Wu Wang could see a tranquil village nestled within the mountains.
This village was built upon a lofty peak, with seemingly no paths accessible on either side. The village itself had only three or four streets, houses with upturned eaves, and bluestone paths. Far in the distance, the hustle of numerous lively figures could be seen.
With a slight lift of his eyebrows, Wu Wang had already discerned the extraordinariness of this place.
He brought his sword fingers together, pointed at his forehead, and golden light burst forth from his eyes, revealing...
An entirely different scene.
With that mountain peak at the center, within a hundred miles in every direction, the world was dim, and a python lay coiled around the outskirts of the peak.
The head of this snake was covered with thick scales; at a cursory glance, one might mistake the python's head for the ridges of the mountain peak itself.
The soul of the Ba Serpent.
Yet, what was even more interesting was this very town.
The figures Wu Wang saw moving about within the town had all turned into mountain birds and beasts standing on two legs.
There was an old goat demon pinching its beard, sitting dignified behind a fortune-telling stall. A graceful beauty sashayed past; beneath that human skin, she was actually a vivid peach blossom. He also saw tigers and wolves forging iron, deer and antelope tailoring clothes, radishes cooking soup, and cabbages stewing porridge.
It was but a den of mountain creatures, exploring the 'taste of humanity'.
Quite intriguing.
The Guiding Curse created by Emperor Shun indeed hugely enhanced the potential of those from the Outer Sky.
"Master!"
The bell spirit said with a giggle, "These demons aren't quite a force yet, but being able to transform so quickly means they have their unique virtues. How about that peach blossom demon? Such a transformation is its natural appearance, not self-adjusted like those Goddesses."
"Hmm?"
"The Young Master's Consort is a natural beauty!"
"Hmm," Wu Wang pondered for a moment, then said, "Since that's the case, I'll take a stroll around here first, to see what potential these creatures have and whether there are any hidden dangers."
"Okay! You go for it!"
Wu Wang said with a smile, "Don't always imitate Suqing… I've been busy with this incarnation in recent years and haven't had a chat with Suqing for a long time. I don't even know if he's bored living in the Celestial Court."
The bell spirit answered earnestly, "Lord Suqing is quite at ease. On days when he has nothing to do, he often takes a few fairy maidens, carrying fruits and desserts, to Erxian Bridge to watch the Heavenly Generals and Fairy Immortals courting. TSK TSK."
Wu Wang: …
What's going on? Why do I increasingly feel that being with the bell spirit is so similar to how I felt with Aunt Suqing in the early years?
Wu Wang's heart sank, but he said nothing more, burying this question deep within.
「Half an hour later.」
Wu Wang was standing in the alleys of the village, under the watchful eye of the Ba Serpent's soul, casually strolling with a long spear over his shoulder.
The demons around here had already caught the scent of a human.
The chaos Wu Wang had anticipated didn't occur; rather, the mountain creatures were simply curiously watching him, seemingly even with the impulse to strike up a conversation.
The Ba Serpent's soul was also tranquil, and Wu Wang had yet to detect any hostility from it.
There were hundreds of demons here, most of them mountain spirits and Spirit Creatures, inherently very weak.
In Wu Wang's perception, the strongest was the old banyan tree just outside the town, which at best was comparable to a Martial Artist at the Martial Spirit Realm.
Finally, as Wu Wang passed the fortune-telling stall, the old goat twirled its beard and said with a light chuckle, "Sir, I see darkness over your brow, which may portend a calamity of blood."
Wu Wang turned his head to look. Is he threatening me?
He calmly took a seat at the fortune-teller's stall and said with a smile, "A calamity of blood? How can this be resolved?"
The goat demon asked, "Where are you from, sir?"
Wu Wang answered, "From the west."
"Having come to our place, do you have any particular business here?"
Many eyes converged, and Wu Wang finally perceived some hostility from the mountain spirits and Spirit Creatures here.
Otherwise, it would be quite awkward if a fight broke out later.
Wu Wang said indifferently, "Nothing important. I just noticed something unusual as I was passing through, so I came to take a look. That's all."
"Abnormalities…" The goat demon leaned forward slightly, "May I ask what specific abnormalities you are referring to, sir?"
"It's quite interesting, actually," Wu Wang said with a smile. "A village in the mountains, and the town is full of grain. Yet, there are no paths leading down the mountain. The steep cliffs are impossible for even birds to cross, and the deep forests are filled with wolves and leopards. So, where does this grain come from? SNIFF. SNIFF."
Wu Wang's nose twitched as he muttered, "Why do I also smell a bunch of dung balls?"
The goat demon subconsciously shifted his seat, and from beneath his dark robe, a rank smell seeped out.
Wu Wang's gaze sharpened. Looking directly at the demon in front of him, he said coldly, "Can you explain the oddities of this village to me, proprietor?"
CLANG!
From the neighboring Blacksmith's shop, a bare-chested tiger demon drew a nine-ringed saber.
Near and far, hundreds of mountain spirits and Spirit Creatures watched Wu Wang, quietly surrounding him from all sides.
"Sir," the goat spirit sighed in a low voice, "We too are living beings and just want to live peacefully. We've never harmed anyone, nor have we committed any atrocities."
Wu Wang laughed and said, "What is this you're saying, host? It's as if you're treating me like a cruel person."
The goat spirit sighed with relief, and the surrounding figures also felt their burden lifted.
But Wu Wang's tone shifted, "Then how do I know that you are not malicious creatures?"
The air in the entire town froze in an instant.
Suddenly, the tiger demon roared and swung its knife fiercely at Wu Wang. A faint cold smile crossed Wu Wang's lips as his body trembled slightly, transforming from solid form into an afterimage.
In the next instant, Wu Wang's afterimages were scattered throughout the town. Figures were thrown and slammed to the ground, and screams echoed everywhere.
On the mountain ridge outside the town, the huge snake head that had always been hanging down finally moved.
Its snake head shimmered with scales, and within them, a human-shaped outline faintly appeared, resembling a burly, strong man.
「Shortly afterward, in the middle of the town's streets and alleys.」
Wu Wang sat atop a pile of 'bodies,' his seat the wide back of the tiger demon, with a pile of mountain Spirit Creatures stacked underneath.
The massive body of the Ba Serpent's soul had vanished, replaced by a cloak-clad strong man, who looked down at Wu Wang's figure.
Wu Wang paid no attention to the strong man's gaze, leisurely watching the old goat behind the divination stall.
The goat demon trembled all over, holding a cane and glaring at Wu Wang. He was in a dilemma, unable to advance or retreat. Seeing his companions easily subdued by Wu Wang, he refused to leave.
"You, let them go!"
Wu Wang's gaze casually glanced at the human-shaped Ba Serpent soul suspended outside the town, and said indifferently, "I will ask you a few questions. If you can answer them, and if I find your answers satisfactory, I will not harm you."
"Ask, ask."
Wu Wang asked, "What are you?"
"We are..." The goat demon trembled all over, unsure of how to answer for a moment, and sighed, "We are living beings, originally just animals living in various places. I was a goat that liked to eat grass on the cliffs, and they come from the mountains within hundreds of miles around. Most of us transformed from the beasts, insects, and fish of the mountains, a small portion from the sentient grasses and trees. We know that we are different from you, who truly rule the land and can hunt creatures like us, so we dare not interact with you. But a voice kept telling us that we could imitate you, that we could become like you. That's why we listened to your words and saw what was in your town, and we built one in the mountains as well..."
Wu Wang's eyes showed contemplation. Could this be considered the initial social form of the Demon clan?
Wu Wang asked, "How did you transform into human form? And how did you learn to speak?"
"We...we don't know either!" The old goat said tremulously, "We have discussed this issue among ourselves before. Most of us have always been muddle-headed, and some creatures were smart and clever from a young age. Then, we all happened to hear a vague chant. This made the confusion dissipate and our Spirit Light flash, allowing us to think and become self-aware. We even learned the method of absorbing the essence of the sun and moon from the world. After two or three years, we began to radiate Spirit Light and transformed into sentient beings similar to you. Later, we learned that such beings are called the Human race."
The vague chant must be the Guiding Curse.
The rise of the Demon clan seems to have come much earlier than I expected.
Just within a few hundred miles, so many demons have been born. After transformation, their strength is already comparable to ordinary Martial Artists who have practiced for dozens of years.
What makes me most wary is that these demons can serve as mediums for spreading the Guiding Curse.
At this point in time, the first batch of demons in this world should still retain their original forms. Even if one wanted to hunt them, it would be extremely difficult for ordinary Martial Artists to distinguish them.
Moreover, only in the Martial God World are there large numbers of Martial Artists. Outside the Martial God World, if living beings want to become stronger, they still rely on prayers and the usual set of blessings.
It's an old tradition from the Great Wilderness's Fourth Divine Era.
Wu Wang thought to himself, From this perspective, if the Innate Gods do not intervene to suppress them, the rise of the Demon clan in the Outer Sky world is inevitable.
Then, how can I use the Demon clan to my advantage?
Little Zhong's actions always have profound meaning.
She arranged for me to come here for training; she must have hidden some kind of puzzle for me to unravel step by step.
The Eastern Emperor's Bell, always the riddler.
For the Demon clan, the most tragic thing is that Emperor Shun, who created them, intended to use the Guiding Curse to enhance the Power of Living Beings. He cultivated these demons only to have them ultimately swallowed by the Dao of Chaos.
"Have you ever killed people?"
"Ah, we do our best to avoid people! How could we dare to kill anyone?"
Among the pile of demons that Wu Wang was sitting on, a Wolf Demon shouted with grief and anger, "My grandfather, my grandfather's grandfather, and my grandfather's grandfather's grandfather... were all hunted by you! I am irreconcilable with your Human race! I swear you will pay for this in blood!"
Wu Wang frowned slightly, floated into the air, and with his left hand made a downward gesture, telekinetically pulling the Wolf Demon out from the pile of bodies, seizing its throat.
Looking down with a cold gaze, he stared at the Wolf Demon's face, which was filled with terror at the moment.
Wu Wang said, "As a member of the Human race, I naturally cannot tolerate you. Your kind are the most abundant beings in this world. If you all transform into human form, sooner or later, you will compete with my race for dominion over this world. However, as a living being, I have no reason to kill you. You have only made verbal threats and not yet taken such dangerous actions. So, I apologize."
Divine Light flickered in Wu Wang's palm, and several points of Spirit Light flew from the Wolf Demon's forehead, signifying that Wu Wang had diminished most of its cultivation.
It lost its human form and turned into a giant grey wolf, which Wu Wang casually threw onto the ground.
"I will spare your life. Return to the mountains. If you dare harm people, disaster will surely befall you."
The demons below remained silent.
"Disaster?" A mocking laugh came from the side. The strong man transformed from the Ba Serpent's soul finally could not help but speak.
Wu Wang felt a piercing cold wind sweep through the world, yet he stood immovable.
"Does the Human race really think that you are the true masters of this world?" The soul of the Ba Serpent said coldly, "You are nothing but servants of the Innate Gods!"
"Servants? Innate Gods?" Wu Wang's figure slowly turned around.
The Ba Serpent's soul clearly didn't know. On the other side of the Heaven and Earth Seal, in the main world of the Great Wilderness, the Human race was now triumphant. The Innate Gods had basically become 'Heavenly Workers' serving the creatures of heaven and earth.
However, I couldn't explain this here. If any Innate God overheard, wouldn't my cover be completely blown?
Wu Wang pondered the "persona" of this incarnation. He raised his head to look at the Ba Serpent's soul, two flames burning in his eyes, and said coldly,
"The rise of the Human race is an irreversible trend! My cultivation is aimed at crushing the Innate Gods!"
"What big talk!" The Ba Serpent's soul slowly clenched its fists. The entire world instantly became pitch black, with sand and stones flying everywhere. The explosive power of its Divine Soul was strong enough to keep weaker Innate Gods at bay.
"Then let me see if you have the ability to Slaughter Gods!"
"I came here only because I sensed your existence." Wu Wang shook his neck and kicked back with his left foot, sending the long spear flying into the air, which he then grasped firmly in his right hand, the spearhead slanting towards the sky!
"Come and fight."
ROAR!
The burly man opened his mouth and roared with anger, Ba Serpent phantoms swirling around him as he charged forward almost simultaneously with Wu Wang from above the mountain top, colliding head-on.
The long spear pierced the sun, sweeping across the sky!
「...He was outmatched.」
Wu Wang had never imagined that the soul of the Ba Serpent would be so tenacious.
With an overall strength about thirty percent higher than his own, Little Zhongling hadn't been joking. Both the power of the opponent's Divine Soul and the mobilized Spiritual Power posed a crushing threat to him.
Luckily, upon realizing the disadvantage, Wu Wang didn't persist in a head-on confrontation. Instead, he utilized the abundant combat experience he had accumulated over the past five years to engage the opponent in a mobile and protracted fight.
This battle lasted three days and three nights!
They had moved from the lair of the soul of the Ba Serpent to a desolate desert thousands of miles away.
Along the way, they had also disturbed some Primordial God Spirits.
Fortunately, this was a remote wilderness, with only a few minor gods' Divine Realms situated in the borderlands. Besides, they were currently overwhelmed by the numerous orders from Lord Candle Dragon and hadn't taken notice of such a fierce battle between a powerful living being and a monster.
—In the Outer Sky world, there were also many high-ranking Divine Generals, and countless rare and strange creatures.
「At sunset, at the bottom of a giant crater that had appeared out of nowhere in the desert.」
Wu Wang, leaning on his long spear, swayed, breathing heavily.
Surges of Spiritual Power flowed from the Spirit Fruit in his abdomen, but his body, covered with wounds, was now like a sieve that couldn't retain even ten percent of this power.
I know this is the limit for my incarnation at its current level of strength.
Not far in front of Wu Wang, the soul of the Ba Serpent had taken on the form of a human with a snake's tail, which lay coiled without strength, its figure already somewhat faint.
"You... you're very strong..." The soul of the Ba Serpent grimaced in pain and said coldly, "But you still have a long way to go before you can compare to those Gods."
Wu Wang took a deep breath, straightened his body, and said firmly, "Gods weren't born as strong as they are today!"
"Good, you have earned my respect with your own strength. Today, only one of us will leave this desolate sand dune!"
The soul of the Ba Serpent pushed out its last Spirit Light from its forehead, clearly about to make a final stand!
Suddenly, a flash of Spirit Light on its forehead, the Ba Serpent's soul inexplicably began to disperse. It was the effect of a Divine Art: Misfortune Unto All Foes! This had never happened in countless years before...
PFFT!
The Ba Serpent lowered its head and spat out a mouthful of green mist, its figure wobbling, as it quickly retracted the Spirit Light.
Seeing this, Wu Wang planted his long spear in the ground and let go of the shaft.
The soul of the Ba Serpent was confused by the feint, and it also seemed a bit dazed, "What do you mean?"
"We're done fighting," Wu Wang said indifferently. "With your Divine Soul collapsing, I now have a seventy percent chance of killing you, and you have a ninety percent chance of dragging me down with you. Yes, this has been a satisfying battle."
The soul of the Ba Serpent cursed, "Are you taking this duel as a joke? Are you mocking me!"
"Of course not," Wu Wang said. "We have no grievances or hatred between us. I just sensed your presence and wanted to test myself by challenging you. After battling until now, I sense that you don't harbor the remnant souls or grudges of humans. This suggests you likely haven't slaughtered any of the Human race. In that case, there's no need for us to fight to a decisive outcome."
The soul of the Ba Serpent said coldly, "If you had won this battle, would you still say such sanctimonious words?"
"No," Wu Wang honestly replied. "Your Divine soul essence could be refined into Elixir, which could quickly enhance my own Divine Soul power."
Perhaps it was Wu Wang's directness that left the soul of the Ba Serpent unsure how to respond.
"TSK." Wu Wang curled the corner of his mouth and pulled out a Longsword from his waist. With a shake of his arm, the Longsword was unsheathed by half an inch.
An icy cold aura immediately enveloped the soul of the Ba Serpent, causing it to change color sharply.
This treasure is specifically designed to counter soul-type beings like him.
Wu Wang said, "If I wanted to kill you, I could have done it any time. The combat experience from dueling with you is the most precious thing to me. You're a decent opponent, and this battle has also validated what I've achieved in the past half-year."
CLANG!
Wu Wang returned the Treasure Sword to his jade thumb ring and casually straightened his 'ragged' clothes.
"Would you honor me by finding a place to talk? I have some matters I'd like to discuss with you."
The soul of the Ba Serpent pondered for a moment, then finally gave a self-deprecating smile and nodded slightly.
Thus, the two of them, extremely weak and disheveled, crawled out of the pit, resting on the sand dunes for a while before they had the strength to leave the area.
They found an oasis and set up a bonfire. Wu Wang changed into a loose short-sleeved shirt, casually prepared two grilled fish, and took out a jar of fine wine.
The Ba Serpent's soul had no physical form and was merely watching from the side, waiting for Wu Wang to speak.
"How should I address you?"
"Li, Ba Li."
"So, it's Brother Li." Wu Wang greeted with a polite gesture, tipped his head back for a swig of wine, let out a light breath, and then got straight to the point, "Brother Li, how do you view those living creatures that depend on you?"
"They are my neighbors," Ba Li said in a low voice.
"Neighbors?" Wu Wang laughed. "Then, Brother Li, do you regard them as beings equal to yourself?"
"Indeed," Ba Li said. "They and I are of the same origin. All once lived in a confused state until they opened their Spiritual Wisdom."
"I have also been pondering this issue recently." Wu Wang let out a sigh of relief, and said slowly, "To be honest, I am a Martial Artist. I travel the world seeking adventure, aiming to make a name for myself and find powerful opponents to hone my skills. Over the years, I have discovered many creatures like those neighbors of yours."
"A power has emerged in this world," Ba Li said seriously. "It is this power that awakened their Spirit Light."
"The Guiding Curse?"
"You know of it?" Ba Li asked, somewhat astonished.
Wu Wang smiled without a word, and said, "According to an old saying of our Human race, anything unusual is considered a demon. We might as well call these neighbors of yours the Demon clan. Brother Ba Li, having fought with you for three days and nights, I've realized that you are a frank and straightforward... soul."
"HMPH!"
Ba Li cursed, "And you are exceedingly despicable, endlessly cunning with your maneuvers!"
Wu Wang said proudly, "Just some minor dueling tactics."
"You, creature, indeed have some gall," Ba Li laughed and cursed, then snatched the other wine jar, tilting his head to gulp down several mouthfuls.
Soon after, Ba Li asked, "Which God sent you?"
"Has any Divine Spirit sought to recruit you?"
"Hmm, but I've declined them all," Ba Li said. "What God stands behind you?"
Wu Wang thought for a moment and said softly, "The Martial God is my teacher."
"Martial God?" A glint of light appeared in Ba Li's eyes, "I saw the Martial God before I died of old age. He is a very powerful being, radiating a light that creatures aspire towards. But I've heard he offended the Sovereign of Heaven and Earth, so he's had a tough time lately."
"Yes, quite tough." Wu Wang smiled and said, "So, I sneaked out, thinking of honing myself in battle and quickly becoming stronger."
Ba Li's face showed sudden realization, "No wonder. You possess a treasure like that sword, yet you never used it against me."
"Come, Brother Li, feast your eyes." Wu Wang calmly unbuttoned his short shirt and pulled open one side, revealing more than a dozen fingertip-length miniature Weapons hanging inside.
Ba Li's expression turned uncomfortable as if he had discovered a fly leg in his food.
"Now, Brother Li, you must believe I just wanted to enjoy a good fight with you," Wu Wang said with a smile. "Although I hesitated before, wondering whether to devour the power of your Divine Soul. But upon reflection, if I were to increase my strength in such a way, how would I be any different from the Sovereign of Heaven and Earth, Candle Dragon? So I abandoned the thought. Therefore, Brother Li, you owe me your life!"
Ba Li was enveloped in lines of frustration and suddenly felt an urgent compulsion to fight to the death with this member of the Human race.
But he also knew that the determination he had prior to perish together had been lost.
"Just say what it is you want to obtain from me," Ba Li said directly.
"It's not exactly scheming for anything," Wu Wang inquired. "Brother Li, how do you see the future outlook for those mountain Spirit Creatures, that is, this newly born Demon clan?"
Ba Li pondered carefully, then said, "If they are able to continue existing, and that power continues to influence the other creatures in the mountains, the Demon clan will rise rapidly within a hundred years, becoming one of the most powerful races in this world."
"Such a race, a single force, ought to give birth to some powerhouses who should have the responsibility to guide and protect the weaker demons." Wu Wang laughed, "Brother Li, you are quite powerful, it would be fitting for you to be a... Demon King."
Ba Li furrowed his brows and asked, "What do you mean by that?"
"Literally."
"Becoming a Demon King would only make me a target of suspicion by Divine Spirits, bringing about a disaster for me and my neighbors."
"No, you're mistaken." Wu Wang shook his head, his expression very serious. "The following words come from my teacher and his dear friend, Lord Water God. I hope you will keep them confidential, Brother Li. I can feel that although you're a spirit born from a fierce beast, you have a sharp mind, a sense of justice to protect the weak, and a flame within you that has yet to be extinguished. Perhaps this is the sole reason fate guided me to you, Brother Li. The birth of the Demon clan is merely nourishment for the Sovereign of Heaven and Earth to grow stronger. The Guiding Curse they have implemented is opening the Spiritual Wisdom of plants, beasts, birds, and insects all over this land. They do this only to wait for these beings to grow strong on their own, then thrust the Demon clan into the abyss to gain more power from the Dao of Chaos. Brother Li."
Ba Li's face turned solemn, his gaze fixed.
Wu Wang's voice grew deeper, "Perhaps, this is the mission you've been waiting for! Unite these creatures that should not have been born! Claim their place in the world for them! Demons are not just kindling."
