Chapter 144: The Demon Lord Descends
Doing what one knows to be futile isn't in Bai Yue's nature.
Given the earlier situation, he clearly couldn't take down Chu Yang. Forcing a pursuit might only complicate things further.
Withdrawing now was the wisest course.
However, due to Chu Yang's overwhelming strength, Bai Yue now had to prioritize the deal proposed by the Evil Sword Immortal.
Their collaboration might become even closer than before.
After Bai Yue left, Chu Yang's figure emerged from within the Divine Tree Forest. What had appeared earlier was merely a decoy—he'd been concealing his presence the entire time, waiting for Bai Yue to depart.
The Wind Spirit Pearl might still be hidden somewhere in this forest. If Bai Yue had some strange whim to wander around, it could spell disaster.
The Golden-Winged Phoenix was still unconscious from her severe injuries, so Chu Yang had no choice but to feed her a few Blood Bodhi fruits.
Due to her divine beast bloodline, the healing effects were much weaker, forcing Chu Yang to transfer some of his own life force into her.
After some time, the Golden-Winged Phoenix gradually regained consciousness.
"Thank you for saving me, young hero."
Her attitude took a complete turn—gone was the hostility. She now addressed Chu Yang with respect and politeness.
Chu Yang waved it off. "No need to thank me. I'm here on behalf of Nuwa's descendant, seeking the Wind Spirit Pearl to stop Bai Yue from destroying the world..."
The Golden-Winged Phoenix paused. "I don't know where you heard that, but the Wind Spirit Pearl isn't in my possession."
Chu Yang frowned slightly and asked, "Then does the Kirin Elder have the Fire Spirit Pearl?"
She shook her head. "He doesn't. Both the Wind and Fire Spirit Pearls have been missing for many years. Several generations of Nuwa's descendants have searched but found nothing. I suspect the two pearls may not even be in the human realm."
Chu Yang wasn't too disappointed—he'd already prepared for this possibility. At the very least, two incorrect leads had been ruled out.
"Why do I always pick the wrong ones?"
A bitter smile tugged at his lips. Since when had he become so unlucky?
"Young hero, while I do not have the Wind Spirit Pearl, I can offer other treasures to repay your life-saving kindness."
A flash of golden light appeared in her hand—she produced a shattered eggshell and a golden insect.
"This Golden Silkworm Gu is a sacred object of Miaojiang. It can greatly boost one's cultivation."
"However, as someone with phoenix blood, I am naturally incompatible with venomous insects. Taking it myself would harm my powers, so I offer it to you instead. I hope you will rid the world of a monster like Bai Yue."
"The other item is a leftover fragment from when I laid my egg. It's imbued with the essence of heaven and earth, useful in alchemy. Seeing your Daoist robes, I assume you hail from an immortal sect. Perhaps an elder there specializes in refining medicine…"
Who would've thought that while Bai Yue, the "boss," dropped nothing, it was the Golden-Winged Phoenix who handed out loot?
Chu Yang accepted the Golden Silkworm Gu and the phoenix egg fragment with a pleasant expression.
Truly, good deeds bring good fortune. And to think—he finally obtained the Golden Silkworm Gu he had long yearned for. He would bring it into the Soul Palace later to see if it could be duplicated.
Still...
Since she was already handing out treasures, why not ask for one more?
With that in mind, Chu Yang cupped his fists and said, "I'd also like to trouble you for a bit of your essence blood. Nuwa's descendant is with child, and we need something of pure yang for her."
Without hesitation, the Golden-Winged Phoenix nodded. Her injuries were almost fully healed, and giving a little blood wouldn't damage her foundation.
With the phoenix blood in hand, Chu Yang took his leave.
Now that the Fire Spirit Pearl clearly wasn't with the Kirin Elder, there was no reason to make a wasted trip. He directly flew his sword toward Leizhou.
After a night of travel, Chu Yang arrived at Leizhou and witnessed a strange scene.
The skies above Leizhou were shrouded in dark clouds year-round. It was so overcast that daylight never truly reached the ground. Though it was daytime, every household had their lamps lit.
Outside the city, monsters were gathering. Chu Yang narrowed his eyes and sent a sweep of sword light—instantly killing a large portion of the monsters.
Those with too little cultivation weren't even worthy of being parasitized by the Devouring Demon Gu. It was better to just eliminate them outright.
Landing in the city, Chu Yang searched for Xu Changqing and the others. Eventually, he heard their voices coming from a large residence.
The Yun Estate.
"Young Master Yun, rest assured—removing the Thunder Spirit Pearl won't harm you."
"And why should I believe your words alone?"
"Young Master Yun, I am a disciple of Shu Mountain. I would never deceive you."
"Shu Mountain? If it weren't for your so-called tower nearly collapsing, Leizhou wouldn't be overrun with monsters. Without my lightning powers to keep them at bay, this city would've already fallen!"
"Young Master Yun, you're right—this is indeed Shu Mountain's fault. But we've already sent out every disciple to exterminate the monsters. Peace will be restored soon!"
"Hmph! Easy for you to say!"
Xu Changqing and Yun Ting were locked in a heated debate, each firmly entrenched in their positions. Yun Ting wasn't clinging to the Thunder Spirit Pearl out of greed; he was genuinely concerned about the safety of his hometown.
But in the end, unless the Demon-Sealing Tower was restored, the disasters would continue. If another wave of monsters attacked, not even Yun Ting, with his Thunder Spirit Pearl, might be able to stop it.
Tang Xuejian, fed up with their fruitless argument, stomped her foot angrily. "Ugh, you two are so annoying! Daoist Changqing, how about we go wipe out the monsters outside the city, and then ask for the pearl?"
Yun Ting laughed aloud. "If you can really kill all the monsters, I'll hand over the Thunder Spirit Pearl with both hands!"
"I hope you're a man of your word." A calm voice came from the door as Chu Yang entered, wearing a faint smile.
"Junior Brother!" Xu Changqing called out in joy. Though they had only been apart a few days, it had felt like years.
Especially being stuck between Li Xiaoyao, Lin Yueru, Tang Xuejian, and Jing Tian—it had been absolute torture.
"Senior Brother, it's only been a few days, but why do you look like you've had your energy drained by a succubus?" Chu Yang asked, shocked at Xu Changqing's panda-eyed exhaustion.
"It's a long story…" Xu Changqing glared bitterly at Li Xiaoyao and the others, eyes glistening with tears. "But I'm just glad you're here now."
Li Xiaoyao grinned. "Brother Chu, Young Master Yun here said we should get rid of the monsters outside the city. What do you think?"
"Of course," Chu Yang nodded with a smile. "But there's no need to trouble everyone—I already dealt with the monsters on my way in."
Everyone was stunned.
Yun Ting scoffed, "Boasting, are we? Even I have to rely on the sturdy city walls to kill a few each day. And you think you can just clear them out?"
"With this sword in my hand," Chu Yang replied calmly, "unless you'd prefer to rely on sharp words like yours?"
"Instead of bickering with me, why not go to the city wall and see for yourself?"
He then sat down and began pouring himself tea like he owned the place.
Seeing his confidence, Yun Ting said nothing more and left, half-convinced.
Once he was gone, everyone rushed over to Chu Yang, eager to know where he had been.
In the crowd, Jing Tian silently stared at Chu Yang, curiosity swirling within him. Why had this Daoist insisted on bringing him along?
A short while later, Yun Ting returned, his face still frozen in shock.
Someone had actually eliminated all those monsters alone?
He stepped up to Chu Yang and gave a deep bow. "I was rude before. Please forgive me, Daoist."
Chu Yang helped him up with a light smile. "Young Master Yun, your concern for the people of Leizhou is admirable. There's nothing to forgive."
"I simply wanted to prove that Shu Mountain still possesses the strength to protect the world from evil. You need not fear for the people of Leizhou even without the Thunder Spirit Pearl."
"Besides, this city hasn't seen daylight in over a decade due to the pearl's influence. Perhaps it's time for change."
Relief finally washed over Yun Ting's face. Though he bore the pearl's power, it also came with a heavy curse.
After all, the woman he loved had died because of that power.
Hearing this, Tang Xuejian stared at Chu Yang in shock. She had thought the Daoist was bluffing Yun Ting, and had been worried sick.
They had traveled to Leizhou by water, and had been blocked outside the city for some time. It was only thanks to Xu Changqing and Li Xiaoyao luring the monsters away that they'd gotten in.
With so many monsters—enough to stump even Xu Changqing, Shu Mountain's top disciple—how had this "junior brother" managed to wipe them all out?
Tang Xuejian was stunned and curious.
Jing Tian wore a similar expression.
Only Xu Changqing looked worried, afraid Chu Yang might lose himself in his quest to save the world.
Li Xiaoyao quietly compared himself to Chu Yang and sighed, "Brother Chu's cultivation has grown even stronger. Truly a prodigy of Shu Mountain."
Lin Yueru scoffed. "Thanks for the obvious insight. You think everyone slacks off like you? He's one of Shu Mountain's brightest talents."
Li Xiaoyao huffed, "Who are you calling a slacker? I'll have you know, I'm going to join Shu Mountain and become a great hero!"
Lin Yueru sneered, "Pfft, with your lazy attitude? Maybe in your next life."
The two immediately began arguing again.
Xu Changqing clutched his head in agony, like Sun Wukong with the tightening golden band, and looked pleadingly at Chu Yang.
Junior Brother! They've been like this the entire trip! Save your poor Senior Brother!
Chu Yang gave a faint smirk and cleared his throat. "When boys and girls of similar age argue this much, it usually means their destinies are deeply intertwined. The more they fight, the likelier they are to fall in love."
As soon as he said that, Li Xiaoyao and Lin Yueru fell silent and quickly distanced themselves from each other, wearing matching expressions of disgust.
The hall finally returned to peace.
Xu Changqing stared wide-eyed. "As expected of Junior Brother…"
Jing Tian quietly glanced at Tang Xuejian. She'd been scolding him constantly… Could it be?
Their eyes met, and Tang Xuejian's cheeks turned pink. She placed her hands on her hips and snapped, "Stupid Jing Tian, what are you looking at? I'm the noble daughter of the Tang family, and you're just a pawnshop clerk! What are you imagining?!"
Jing Tian waved his hands. "I wasn't imagining anything! You're the one overthinking!"
She glared at him but, recalling Chu Yang's words, held her tongue and simply stared daggers at him instead.
Jing Tian, scalp tingling, quietly turned to Chu Yang and asked, "I heard it was you who requested my help in finding the Five Spirit Pearls. But I'm just an ordinary man… Why me?"
Everyone turned their attention to Chu Yang. Xu Changqing was also curious, though the situation back then had been too urgent for explanations.
Chu Yang paused, then asked, "Do you believe in reincarnation?"
Reincarnation?
Past lives?
The room fell silent. Jing Tian frowned, a strange feeling rising in his chest.
Tang Xuejian asked softly, "Daoist Chu, are you saying that Jing Tian's past life was… special?"
Chu Yang smiled. "To be precise, it's his past-past life."
Jing Tian was confused. "So... was it my past life, or my past-past life?"
Chu Yang slowly began, "The story begins with the conflict between the realms of gods and demons."
"The Demon Lord Chonglou, who destroyed the Demon-Sealing Tower, possesses overwhelming power, with few able to rival him across the Six Realms. But a thousand years ago, he had a worthy opponent who stood as his lifelong rival—General Feipeng of the Divine Realm."
"At the time, clashes between the gods and demons were becoming increasingly frequent. During one of their battles, the two inadvertently discovered a new celestial realm—one not among the traditional Seventy-Two Immortal Mountains. They later dueled in secret over the ownership of this territory."
"Feipeng and Chonglou fought numerous times, always evenly matched. Gradually, they came to admire each other's strength. But the rules of the Divine Realm were strict—engaging a Demon Lord without the Heavenly Emperor's permission was a serious offense."
"In the end, the Divine Realm sent forces to intervene in their duel. Distracted, Feipeng lost the battle, and even his sword was knocked down to the mortal world. Chonglou, feeling his victory was unearned, never let go of that defeat and longed for a true rematch."
"Chonglou felt the Divine Realm's rigid rules were like a prison. He hated seeing a hero like Feipeng trapped by them and even tried to persuade Feipeng to join the Demon Realm."
"But Feipeng refused. He willingly returned to the Divine Realm to accept punishment, and was ultimately cast into reincarnation by the Heavenly Emperor—reborn as a mortal."
"And that," Chu Yang said, "was where the story truly began."
Everyone fell silent at the tale, feeling a deep sense of pity for General Feipeng. Chu Yang's words painted the Divine Realm as cold and indifferent.
No one believed Feipeng had done anything wrong. His duels with Chonglou were, in the end, born of loyalty—a desire to claim the unclaimed celestial realm for the Divine Realm.
And the so-called 'heavenly law'? Wasn't it merely a pretext, used by the Heavenly Emperor to punish Feipeng for daring to challenge his authority?
Tang Xuejian stole a glance at Jing Tian, then shook her head slightly. How could she believe this blockhead was once the mighty General Feipeng?
Xu Changqing furrowed his brows. "So that's why the Demon Lord Chonglou said those strange things to Brother Jing. He knew all along that Jing Tian was the reincarnation of General Feipeng!"
"And just to complete that rematch he considered unfair, he destroyed the Demon-Sealing Tower and plunged the world into chaos?!"
"He truly is a demon—impossible to judge by common reason!"
Jing Tian looked down at the Demon Sword beside him, his expression turning bitter. So the calamity that had befallen Shu Mountain… was directly tied to him.
In that moment, he felt like he was the very source of all this suffering.
Seeing the lifeless look in his eyes, Chu Yang reached out and knocked him on the head, grinning. "Feipeng is Feipeng. You are you. The two are not the same. Reincarnation exists for a reason—to leave the past behind."
"He's looking for Feipeng. But you are Jing Tian. The bonds of that past life have nothing to do with you. The ones you form in this life are what truly matter."
"Chonglou may have the strength to dominate the Six Realms, but in the end, he was blinded by obsession and failed to see what truly matters."
Just as his words fell—
A terrifying pressure suddenly descended upon Leizhou.
A crimson figure stood high in the heavens, looking down at the world below with lowered eyes.
"You dare claim I'm blinded by obsession?"
"Who gave you the courage to speak so brazenly?!"
The voice boomed like thunder, shaking the ears of all present.
The Demon Lord had descended!
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