RIIDMDR chapter 162

Scenes flashed before Nan Xu’s eyes. He belatedly realized that he was reviewing past memories. It turned out that the pale-faced, scholarly-looking demon was actually him. His face didn’t resemble his current self much. Perhaps it was because he had lived a life of self-destruction in the human world for twenty years that he now possessed a wilder air than before.

Despite their different living environments, Nan Xu could sense that their thoughts were similar. If he were in their shoes, his actions and words would likely be no different.

He saw them wait until the rain stopped, then rush to a dilapidated house. Ting Shu had expended much effort to save the young demon’s life. The demon’s parents knelt before Ting Shu, tears streaming down their faces as they repeatedly expressed their gratitude.

Images flashed before Nan Xu’s eyes faster and faster. His eyes were glued to the fragments; he couldn’t even blink. His eyes gradually reddened and tears streamed down his face. The tears were hot and stinging, like a stab to the heart, as if blood would seep out at any moment.

However, the images did not blur; they were imprinted bit by bit into his mind.

“It takes time for a little demon to learn to transform, but even so, we will not laugh at your low cultivation level. Why be so upset about this?” Yun Yi comforted him with a smile.

“If a mountain suddenly rose from the ground in the demon realm one day, would you find it terrifying?” the little demon asked.

Ting Shu chuckled gently. “Look at that long river. It took tens of thousands of years of erosion to form its magnificent shape. How could a mountain rise overnight?”

“Perhaps it is!” the little demon said, his spirits sinking further but still defiant.

The other demons sitting around thought he was just being stubborn and chimed in, “If you say it’s possible, then it’s definitely possible! If any of us see it while traveling in the future, we’ll send you a message.”

“All right, if that’s the case, then let’s name it Zhuyu Mountain!” the little demon said.

The other demons were puzzled. “Why?”

The little demon smiled but didn’t answer. If another mountain could appear overnight, then maybe he wasn’t the only superfluous being in the demon realm after all.

…

He watched their group transition from leisurely traveling the land to painstakingly preventing demons from small or remote clans from trying out powerful demon techniques. The power of the four major clans was far too small for the entire demon realm. Wherever they went, they sought help from local, powerful clans. Some were dismissive. Some were perfunctory. Only a few demons offered their full assistance.

They set up lecture halls, printed scrolls, and traveled far and wide to persuade people. They received gratitude and endured cold shoulders—all of which were just fleeting images in his mind.

Further turmoil had already begun, and the battle for godhood among several powerful demons gradually spread. The various demonic clans took sides, and the struggle intensified, with smoke and fire rising everywhere. The conflict over cultivation techniques had become the least significant of these events.

Day after day passed, and finally, one morning when a purple aura gathered in the eastern sky, the group had only traveled a short distance when they suddenly saw the sun and moon align in the sky and colorful clouds cover the entire expanse.

The little demon looked up and exclaimed, “A good omen?”

Some demons in the demon realm studied celestial phenomena in their spare time to aid their cultivation. They were always muttering about good and bad omens. Having wandered the demon realm for so long, the little demon had overheard these pronouncements and now spoke in a similar manner.

Upon hearing this, Yun Yi looked up at the sky and stared for a few seconds before frowning slightly. “It doesn’t seem like it. The cloud demons are moving too fast, as if they’re fleeing for their lives.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the other demons turned their attention to him. They saw that not only were the cloud demons fleeing, but the bird demons were running in panic as well. These demons, who had spent so much time roaming at high altitudes, were best able to sense approaching danger quickly.

“Something must have happened in the central region,” Tingchuan said suddenly after a moment of focused observation.

They were still within the South Sea, ten days’ distance from the central region, yet the affected area was rapidly expanding. In the short time it took them to speak, a powerful pressure relentlessly descended upon them.

The demons’ faces hardened. This relentless, destructive force created a sense of oppression that, even from thousands of miles away, was difficult for them to bear.

A bird demon crashed down in front of them. Yun Yi, being a bird demon himself, rushed over without hesitation to check on it. The bird had crashed straight to the ground, breaking its wings and breastbone. After choking on several mouthfuls of blood, it hadn’t had a chance to say a word to Yun Yi before its head lolled to the side, and it lay still.

Yun Yi’s hand trembled as he held the bird demon. He stared wide-eyed for two seconds before remembering something and running to Ting Shu. “He’s dead?”

His hand, which was still holding the bird demon, trembled slightly. Ting Shu glanced at it and nodded after a moment. “He was severely injured, and his cultivation was low. He must have exerted all his strength to fly this far.”

Yun Yi’s fingers curled slightly. He looked around, found a quiet spot, dug a hole, and buried the nameless bird demon.

This was just the first case. In the following days, they encountered many more demons who had perished in the fighting. These demons included low-level demons who had not fled the central region but had had their spiritual meridians severed in battles between powerful demons.

The other demons all looked at the little demon. The little demon’s cultivation was so low that transforming into human form was difficult for him, and his true form was hard to discern. However, to their surprise, the little demon showed no abnormality. In fact, he seemed more relaxed than the rest of them.

They didn’t know the reason, but this relieved them.

Due to the great demons’ battle, they couldn’t go to the central region. After staying put for several days, they learned from the escaped demons that the battle had begun when a great demon showed signs of a breakthrough a few days earlier.

After this news appeared, the previous covert struggles turned into open conflict. The battle between the near-god-level demons began with devastating force, and the central demon realm was razed to the ground.

They thought the battle would last ten to fifteen years, but within half a month, they heard that two powerful demons had perished.

Less than ten days later, the battle abruptly ceased and all five of the powerful demons had been annihilated. This news spread like wildfire throughout the entire demon realm.

The lesser demons soon learned of this as well and were shocked and incredulous. However, the oppressive force of the battle had vanished, leaving them no choice but to believe it.

They wanted to head straight to the center of the continent, but they encountered countless wounded people along the way. Ting Shu couldn’t bear to see people die without receiving help, so they slowed their pace and did their best to treat the sick and wounded first.

During their delay of a few days, they encountered many demons. Perhaps because the battle had been so devastating—unprecedented in history—only a few demons mourned the death of powerful demons. The rest were relieved that the war had ended quickly.

However, this relief was short-lived. A sudden turn of events shattered the demon realm’s peace once more. When powerful demons died, their spiritual energy returned to the demon realm. This time, with five near-divine demons gone, the demon realm had never experienced such a dense concentration of spiritual energy. Many demons were overjoyed because they felt their cultivation advance rapidly, while many others felt a chill in their hearts and used their own spiritual power to resist the pervasive and dense spiritual energy.

More and more demons were exploding and dying. Yun Yi and his companions were also in dire straits. The little demon suffered the most, bleeding profusely from his seven orifices, just like those who had perished before him.

Usually praised for their composure, the demons were deeply worried. Jing Yuan and Tingchuan assumed that he didn’t know how to use his spiritual power, so they repeatedly taught him how to cast spells. However, he knew that his cultivation method was different from theirs because he was nurtured by the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. In his current state, using spiritual power would only worsen his condition.

He didn’t know how to explain it. Fortunately, although he seemed on the verge of death, he persevered day after day. Ting Shu examined his pulse and found that he was merely deficient in qi and blood, with no other serious problems.

The little demon’s body had always been unusual, and everyone had grown accustomed to its recurring ailments. No one found it strange, and everyone was relieved that nothing serious had happened.

A few days later, something began drawing away the demon realm’s spiritual energy. Even after it returned to normal, the process did not stop, and the demon gradually became thinner. By this time, the little demon was already in bad shape, but every time his pulse was checked, nothing unusual could be found. Only he could feel it. He would probably have to bid farewell to this world, just like the demons who collapsed under the burden.

While traveling hastily, the demons who had reached the central part of the continent returned, panicking as they spoke of a celestial cave that had appeared there and was constantly absorbing the demon realm’s spiritual energy.

“The demon realm is doomed.

“The gods are on the verge of death. Heaven has unleashed its punishment.”

“…”

The closer they got to the center of the continent, the more these rumors spread. Coupled with their pitiful appearances, the little demon began to believe the rumors after hearing so many of them. He endured the pain and kept up with the other demons, knowing they were suffering too, but he was unwilling to cry out and distract them.

Floating corpses littered the fields, the vegetation had withered, and the once-flowing rivers had dried up into deep pits. As far as the eye could see, there was no life. The little demon wondered if it were divine punishment that had reduced the demon realm to such a state of devastation.

While the little demon was distracted, their group continued heading toward the center of the continent against the flow of many other scattered demons. Some familiar demons tried to stop them, saying that the Heavenly Cave was too dangerous. However, the little demon knew Tingchuan and the others wouldn’t agree. Many days had passed, and the demon realm was still disorganized. The old demons who boasted about their seniority hadn’t come up with a suitable plan.

“Those arrogant demons are naturally unwilling to put in any effort. They’re just getting by day by day. They’re going to perish anyway. Facing the Heavenly Cave is a matter of life and death. Why end up tragically at a time like this?” Yun Yi mocked.

Seeing their increasingly rapid pace, the little demon knew that the demon realm was not lacking in cowards and timid individuals. However, Tingchuan Jingyuan and the others were not among them. If the demon realm truly required its younger generation to shoulder the responsibility of its rise or fall, they would undoubtedly do so without hesitation.

“You stay here. We’ll come back for you after we’ve dealt with the Heavenly Tribulation,” said Jingyuan for the umpteenth time during this rest stop.

The little demon was covered in blood. His injuries had worsened due to the demon realm’s gradually depleting spiritual energy. Blood seeped from every pore of his body. He could no longer feel the excruciating pain of lying on needles. Only his ashen face and his seemingly gentle pulse concealed the fact that he was in serious trouble.

The little demon glanced at the blazing sun overhead and licked his parched lips. His spiritual energy was draining, and he could no longer rely on it to maintain his normal state. Hearing this, he shook his head. “No, I have to go with you.”

From the corner of his eye, he saw Tingchuan take a step forward and hesitate to speak. His eyes dimmed. The surrounding demons couldn’t persuade him, so they reluctantly stepped aside, leaving a small space for Tingchuan and him.

After the other demons had left, Tingchuan crouched down beside him. The heartache in his eyes was genuine; he wanted Little Demon to stay.

Before Tingchuan could speak, Little Demon sat up and said, “I can still walk. Trust my choice. I’ll regret it for the rest of my life if I stay here. If you’re worried I’ll slow you down, you can go ahead, but I’m still going.”

“You know that’s not what we meant,” Tingchuan said, his eyes filled with conflicting emotions. Perhaps it was Little Demon’s determination that left him with no other choice. After a long pause, he finally relented. “Fine, you have your reasons. I’ll take you.”

Everyone knew the future was uncertain, yet none of them had backed down. So how could they possibly persuade Little Demon to stay?

No one knew what Tingchuan had said to him, but he never mentioned leaving anyone behind again. The little demon’s clothes were constantly changed, but nothing came of it. They could only hurry towards the center of the continent because no one knew when he would bleed to death.

The group had different thoughts. Some wanted to play their part in saving the demon realm. Some wanted to do so, and some hoped that the sooner they could mend the Heavenly Cave, the more likely the little demon would survive.

The little demon had no time to consider others’ thoughts. He remembered the year he had gained consciousness in the demon realm. He seemed to hear a voice in his ear saying, “All things are born, and all life perishes.”

In that instant, it felt as if something heavy was pressing down on his back, as if it had been there since the moment he appeared.

No one told him what he was when he was born. He was different from every other demon in this place. He dared not speak, fearing that others would think him odd. One day, he overheard that the demon realm hadn’t always been just for demons. In ancient times, humans had also existed there. The two clans were constantly at odds. Later, a human discovered an opportunity, found the new realm, and led his people there and never returned.

Even though they left, news of the humans spread far and wide. Rumors said that humans only lived for a hundred years yet could accomplish in a lifetime what demons did. Rumors said that humans could farm and weave, ate daily, and couldn’t transform, so they wore clothes.

He thought that if he couldn’t conjure clothes or use magic, and the only thing he could do was transform into a mountain, then he must be human!

He yearned for a sense of belonging. As long as he firmly believed that he was a human who had been left behind in the demon realm, he wouldn’t feel like someone who had suddenly entered another world among the vast multitude of beings. He searched ancient texts, listened to legends, and learned a great deal about humans. He also noticed the differences between himself and other humans, but surely humanity had changed over millions of years.

Holding onto this hope, he waited until a strange feeling suddenly arose within him. He remembered the words spoken at his birth that kept him from relaxing and facing his demise calmly.

All four clans rushed to the central part of the continent. The Golden Crow clan arrived first and, before the timid onlookers of the demons, fought desperately against the Heavenly Cave. When the news arrived, Yun Yi stared ahead, lost in thought. His lips trembled a few times. As if thinking of something, his eyes instantly turned crimson. Yet, he didn’t utter a single word.

The atmosphere remained heavy throughout the journey. Upon reaching the foot of the Heavenly Cave, he learned that the Golden Crow clan had been wiped out entirely half a day earlier. Looking at the demons waiting in the distance for their opportunity and seeing the blood-soaked plains below the cave, Yun Yi wondered where his kin had been killed. He knew only that every inch of land beneath his feet was somewhere his people had wanted to protect.

He walked on, step by step, without uttering a sound; yet, tears streamed down his face. He continued until the sun was high in the sky. Then, as if finally accepting the devastating news of his clan’s annihilation, his knees buckled. His heart-wrenching cries of despair sent shivers down the little demon’s spine. A wave of sorrow washed over him, and he wept uncontrollably.

He had never seen Yun Yi so desperate. That carefree, joyful, and always smiling boy—from now on, he would never return.

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