bookbashuk Chapter 161 Man and Demon, Good and Evil
Chapter 161 Man and Demon, Good and Evil
Chapter 161 Man and Demon, Good and Evil
The mystery surrounding his origins made Jiang Cheng, an orphan, extremely anxious. Losing his usual composure, he hurriedly asked, "Does Sect Leader Chu know my parents?"
Who knows who Jiang Cheng's parents are? All he knows is that Jiang Cheng is a descendant of Chi You.
This silly boy is always digging deep into things. If he really reveals all about his background, he'll become the target of everyone's criticism.
The fact that Jiang Cheng is a half-demon is far more serious than Zhang Xiaofan's secret!
The latter merely possesses both Buddhist and Taoist cultivation techniques, and at worst, he possesses demonic treasures such as the Bloodthirsty Pearl and the Soul-Capturing Staff.
And Jiang Cheng—
He is an absolute half-demon!
In the world of Chinese Paladin, the predecessor of the Demon race was the Beast race, which was created by Shennong, one of the Three Sovereigns. The later leader, Chiyou, was Shennong's son.
In ancient times, a great war broke out between the gods, humans, and beastmen, which ended in the defeat of the beastmen.
Chi You, as their leader, sacrificed his life to open the entrance to the Demon Realm for the Beastmen. The Beastmen lived in the Demon Realm and gradually evolved into the Demons.
At that time, Chi You's descendants did not completely enter the Demon Realm, leaving a portion of their bloodline in the Human Realm, which is Jiang Cheng's lineage.
Legend has it that Chonglou, the supreme ruler of the demon realm, was formed from the fusion of Chiyou's essence and blood and the evil spirits of the ancient three races' battlefield.
This is just a rumor; whether it's true or not, Chu Yang needs to verify it himself.
If it were true, Chu Yang would have a chance to obtain the bloodlines of Nuwa and Shennong, two of the Three Sovereigns. If he added the bloodline of Fuxi, it would be equivalent to obtaining the essence and spirit of the Great God Pangu.
Perhaps we can trace back to the origins and obtain the supreme bloodline of Pangu.
Unfortunately, Emperor Fuxi is currently in a deep sleep, making it impossible to obtain his bloodline from him; another method is needed.
Chu Yang did not answer Jiang Cheng's question directly, but instead urged him to leave with him again, which seemed even stranger to others.
Jiang Cheng was conflicted and did not immediately leave with Chu Yang.
If, as others say, I am the illegitimate son of some elder, that's fine; it's not something shameful. What I fear is that the situation is even more unbearable, and I need to cover it up.
If that's the case, then he might as well not acknowledge this relationship.
Jiang Cheng's idea was actually correct. If it weren't for his rampant demonic energy at the moment, which would prevent him from hiding his half-demon identity for long, Chu Yang wouldn't have bothered with him.
"Jiang Cheng, Sect Leader Chu has his reasons for doing this. You've always been calm and wise, so why can't you understand such a simple principle now?"
After being scolded by Ouyang Ying, Jiang Cheng reluctantly decided to leave with Chu Yang.
"Brother Jiang, if you have any concerns, how about I accompany you?"
Xiahou Jinxuan suddenly stood up.
"Nonsense!"
Xiahou Zhang also stood up, first observing Chu Yang's expression, then placing his hand on his son's shoulder.
Xiahou Jinxuan winced in pain, but did not give in, staring intently at Jiang Cheng.
Jiang Cheng nodded slowly.
"I'm going too!"
Xia appeared out of nowhere, already dressed in the robes of a Shushan Sect disciple, looking charming and adorable.
Chu Yang thought for a moment and said, "That works too, it just so happens to be related to you."
Xia was shocked. She only wanted to ease Jiang Cheng's tension, but she didn't expect the fire to spread to her.
Could it be that—
Is he my long-lost brother?
The next second, the two subconsciously looked at each other, and Jiang Cheng also looked panicked, clearly thinking the same thing.
"Haha, it's so lively, I'll go too!"
Xie Cangxing, always eager for excitement, grinned and pushed his way forward.
Since it's already a spoiler, I might as well just say it all at once; keeping it bottled up will only make things worse.
Thinking of this, Chu Yang pointed to Mu Changlan, who was sitting not far from Xiahou Jinxuan, "You're here too, it's also related to you!"
"Huh?" Xia exclaimed in surprise, saying incredulously, "Sister Mu, you are also—"
Mu Changlan was completely confused. She had no mystery about her background; she knew her parents, family, brothers, and sisters very well.
Xiahou Zhang frowned as he looked at the group and said, "This is a complete mess."
Chu Yang rolled his eyes. He had originally wanted to mention Xiahou Zhang's name and tell him that his second brother had been switched with someone else long ago. The current situation was already enough for people to imagine, so he decided not to add fuel to the fire.
And so, amidst the chaos, Chu Yang led Jiang Cheng and the others away from the main hall and into a side hall.
"Sect Leader Chu, there's no one else here. Please speak frankly; I can handle it!"
Jiang Cheng said with a firm gaze.
If you said you could handle it, then don't blame me for being blunt.
Chu Yang said sincerely, "You're not human!"
Jiang Cheng's face froze instantly, his gaze becoming blank.
What do you mean?
You brought me here just to insult me?!
The expressions on the other people's faces were as strange as could be.
Good guy.
This Sect Leader Chu is definitely not a normal person.
Seeing Jiang Cheng's constipated expression, Chu Yang sighed and said, "You are a demon, or more accurately, a human-demon hybrid. You have half demon blood in your body."
Jiang Cheng's pupils constricted sharply, and he immediately shook his head, saying, "Impossible!"
Xiahou Jinxuan immediately denied it, saying, "I have known Brother Jiang for many years; he could never be a demon!"
Xie Cangxing and Mu Changlan remained silent, but they had already sensed that something was wrong with Jiang Cheng.
During the journey, Jiang Cheng showed signs of "going into qi deviation" several times, which now seems to indicate that it wasn't simply a problem with his cultivation technique.
Xia said anxiously, "Brother Jiang is such a good person, how could he possibly be a demon!"
Chu Yang asked curiously, "Why do you think only bad people exist among the demon race? What does it matter if he's a demon or not, whether he's good or bad?"
Xia's words caught in her throat, and she stared blankly at Chu Yang, unsure how to refute him.
Jiang Cheng and the others were also stunned by Chu Yang's "treasonous" words, finding it hard to believe that such words came from the dignified head of the Shu Mountain Sect.
"But—those are demons! They are all terrifying beings."
Xiahou Jinxuan hesitated before speaking.
Chu Yang asked, "You must have passed through Thousand Peaks Ridge on your way here, where a group of bandits are entrenched, right?"
Xiahou Jinxuan nodded blankly.
Chu Yang explained, "The bandits in that place are actually half-demons. They have been oppressed by humans since childhood, and they had no choice but to become mountain kings in order to protect themselves."
"It was people who drove them there. Tell me, in their eyes, are people more terrifying or demons more terrifying?"
'
Xiahou Jinxuan fell silent, and the others could not give an answer either, or rather, they knew the answer but found it difficult to say it.
Jiang Cheng suddenly remembered that the bandit leader of Qianfeng Ridge called him "one of their kind," telling him to go to them when he had nowhere else to stand.
So that's what it meant.
Faced with the truth, Jiang Cheng had no choice but to believe what Chu Yang had said, and he stood there stunned, at a loss for what to do.
"Whether it is a demon or a monster, if one's heart is inclined towards good, then one is good; whether it is a human or a god, if one's heart is inclined towards evil, then one is evil."
"I consider myself to have a more interesting life than you. I've seen infatuated demons and passionate devils, as well as heartless people and wicked gods and immortals."
"If we use humans and demons as the standard for distinguishing between good and evil, then the world would have been overrun with demons long ago."
After a long while, Jiang Cheng's face showed a relieved expression. He bowed to Chu Yang and said, "Thank you for your teachings, Sect Leader Chu."
Xiahou Jinxuan cupped his hands and said, "What Sect Leader Chu said today is truly thought-provoking. I admire you very much. It is a blessing for all the people of the world that you have become the Sect Leader of Shu Mountain at such a young age."
"Oh my, young master, you're even better at flattering than I am!" Xie Cangxing gave Xiahou Jinxuan a thumbs up and winked with a grin.
"Brother Xie, please don't laugh at me. What I said just now was truly from the bottom of my heart," Xiahou Jinxuan said, blushing and scratching his head in embarrassment.
"I think so too!" Xia nodded in agreement, then asked doubtfully, "Big guy, don't you think so?"
"Hey, hey, hey, don't try to turn the tables on me! My respect for the sect leader is as boundless as a surging river!" Xie Cangxing quickly put on a flattering smile.
Mu Changlan sneered from the side, "I think the young master's flattery skills are still quite a bit behind Brother Xie's."
Jiang Cheng watched them bicker silently, feeling inexplicably at ease, and his fear of his demonic identity vanished.
"The reason I pointed out your background is because the demonic energy in your body has reached a point where it can no longer be suppressed. If it is not channeled in time, it will definitely cause endless trouble."
"Secondly, I don't want you to be used by people with ulterior motives. Your half-demon bloodline is extraordinary. You are a descendant of Chi You and can do things that ordinary demons cannot do."
"For example, opening a passage between the human, god, and demon realms, the Well of Gods and Demons —"
Chu Yang explained the information about the Well of Gods and Demons to everyone, and after realizing the seriousness of the matter, their expressions became grave.
Especially Mu Changlan, who was heavy-hearted and somewhat fearful, suddenly thought of the mysterious person with whom she had made a secret deal.
The astute Jiang Cheng asked, "Sect Leader Chu, were you referring to the demons when you said 'someone with ulterior motives'? Do you think some demons would use me to open a passage between the human and demon realms?"
Chu Yang shook his head and said, "It's not that I think so, it's that he's already taking action!"
Everyone was startled.
Xia asked anxiously, "Who is that person?"
Chu Yang replied, "This person is named Mo Yi, the Grand Elder of the Yaksha Kingdom in the Demon Realm. As for why he did these things, we have to start with the current situation of the Yaksha Kingdom—"
After a stick of incense had burned, Chu Yang explained the situation in the Yaksha Kingdom. Upon hearing that Mo Yi was seeking a chance for survival for his people, the expressions on everyone's faces became complicated.
Some demons are not simply evil; they are just different in their perspective and view things differently.
"Because of the barrier between the two realms, Mo Yi cannot personally descend to the human realm. He can only find a puppet that he can control to act on his behalf and collect information about the human realm for him."
"It just so happens that a major earthquake occurred in the Central Plains more than ten years ago. Among the recently deceased humans, Mo Yi found two suitable bodies. He used the Soul Binding Technique to forcibly keep the souls that should have entered reincarnation inside the bodies."
"Of the two bodies, one was an infant, which was inconvenient for Mo Yi, so he abandoned it."
"When that baby grew into adulthood, because her soul was not stable, her five senses were weaker than those of an ordinary person. She often felt dizzy, and sometimes she would even be unconscious for several days."
As Chu Yang finished speaking, Xia slumped to the ground, completely lost and with vacant eyes. She never dreamed that her strange illness was caused by this.
I'm a dead person—
Xia was in tears. She was only in the prime of her youth, with so many wonderful things she hadn't yet experienced, but she had already been declared dead.
"Miss Xia! Don't panic. Sect Leader Chu said before that he had a way to save you. Don't scare yourself."
Xiahou Jinxuan squatted down beside Xia, patted her shoulder, and gently comforted her.
Normally, Mu Changlan would also comfort Xia, but after hearing about Xia's illness, she suddenly thought of the villagers in her hometown.
More than a decade ago, the great earthquake also caused heavy casualties in Mu'ai Village, where Mu Changlan lived. In addition, the spread of disease after the earthquake caused most of the survivors to become ill and die.
Just then, a rift connecting to the ghost realm appeared in Twilight Village. The leaked ghostly energy barely kept the villagers' souls, which should have left their bodies, bound them together, and their time was frozen from that moment on.
The elderly will no longer grow old, and children will no longer grow up.
However, this good fortune did not last long. The gap connecting the ghost realm gradually closed, the ghostly energy disappeared, and most people died one after another, their souls returning to the underworld.
Mu Changlan's brother, Mu Tanhuan, found the mountain god and begged him to open a gap to allow the ghostly energy to continue, which allowed the last small group of people to survive.
Unlike Xia, the people of Twilight Village cannot leave the area covered by ghostly energy, or they will die. So, for many years, they have been trapped in Twilight Village and unable to leave.
To save her brother and the villagers, Mu Changlan constantly seeks a solution, learning various skills while also starting an intelligence business.
Mu Changlan stared intently at Chu Yang, wanting to know what his plan was.
Under Xiahou Jinxuan's persuasion, Xia also rekindled her hope and looked at Chu Yang with hopeful eyes.
Chu Yang summoned the ancient sword [Tianque] and slowly flew towards Xia.
Even without using its power, [Heavenly Palace] can still have a positive effect on spirits. In the world of sorcery, Chu Yang used the power of [Heavenly Palace] to restore people who had undergone the transformation of inaction back to their original state.
He wanted to use the same ability on Xia to help her repair the gap between her soul and body.
As the soft white light fell, Xia felt a warmth she had never experienced before. Ever since she could remember, she had never had a strong concept of cold and heat.
This was the first time she had a clearer understanding of "warmth".
A warm current flowed through every corner of her body, so comfortable that she felt like she wanted to fall into a deep sleep.
As the white light slowly faded, Xia's appearance changed dramatically. Her skin, which had been as pale as a corpse, now had a rosy glow.
"How are you feeling, Miss Xia?"
Xiahou Jinxuan asked nervously.
"It seems different, but I can't quite put my finger on what's different."
Xia excitedly touched her body.
Xie Cangxing immediately suggested, "Girl, try a sip of wine!"
Xia nodded, took the wine gourd from his waist, and gulped it down. The warmth he used to feel now felt like a raging fire burning in his throat!
"So spicy! So spicy! How did this drink become so spicy!"
Xia fanned herself vigorously in her mouth, the spiciness making her tongue stick out and tears stream down her face.
Xie Cangxing, having succeeded in his scheme, burst into laughter. He believed in the sect leader's abilities, which was why he had been plotting to trick Xia from the very beginning.
Oblivious to what was happening, Xia dragged Xie Cangxing around, a bright smile on her face.
Surviving a disaster is something to be happy about for anyone.
While the two were playfully fighting, Mu Changlan silently walked up to Chu Yang and knelt down with a thud.
Amidst the astonished gazes of the crowd, she knelt on the ground, choking back sobs and grief.
"I beg Sect Leader Chu to have mercy and save my family!"