Chapter 526: Is the Heavenly Demon actually a good person? |
Following the Heavenly Demon, allowing him to command you, can you still hold on to your true self?
Liao Jiulong's heart pounded heavily a few times, fear instantly consuming his body.
He froze on the spot, suspiciously eyeing Du Ge, who wore a slight smile.
He suddenly doubted whether there was truly a dual nature at all; perhaps the person before him was the Heavenly Demon himself.
Was the Heavenly Demon toying with him in yet another way?
After all.
He had precisely fallen into every trap the Heavenly Demon had set for him, and he seriously doubted whether he could survive if he stepped into another one...
"Fellow Daoist Liao, you hesitated." Du Ge seemed to see through Liao Jiulong's thoughts, shook his head, and said, "While I can still make decisions, leave. The path of the Heavenly Demon's Heart Refinement is littered with the corpses of geniuses; you won't make it..."
It would have been better if he hadn't said that.
Liao Jiulong, who had been struggling just moments ago, suddenly became resolute: "Please, senior, allow it."
"Foolish child!" Du Ge looked at Liao Jiulong with eyes full of pity, "Fine, since you wish to go, then go! Throughout history, too few have truly understood their own hearts."
You speak lightly, but after decades of cultivation, if your path is broken, your immortal journey ends just like that—what cultivator can bear it?
A wealthy man?
Even after returning, he'd just be a walking corpse!
Liao Jiulong silently retorted in his heart, simultaneously strengthening his resolve. Even if he had to brave mountains of daggers and seas of flames, he would try; if he didn't succeed, he would become a demon.
Cultivators are one in a million, and those who walk the path of cultivation are inherently proud. How could they allow their path to be destroyed?
Du Ge had pinpointed their lifeline, not worried at all that they would give up everything and return to be wealthy men. If any truly intended to retreat, he could simply revert to his Heavenly Demon form, and no one would be able to leave!
How could he let the fish caught in his net escape?
Being a good person is too exhausting!
Indeed, being a villain is more satisfying...
Du Ge turned to Du Ziming and Liu Ziyun, planting a curse in their hearts as well: "What about you two? I see that the Heavenly Demon hasn't influenced you much. Do you wish to leave, or will you follow your master on this path of Heart Refinement?"
"Can we leave?" Liu Ziyun asked excitedly.
"Of course." Du Ge smiled, dispelling the dark magic that trapped them, "You can leave whenever you wish, but it's best not to reveal information about the Heavenly Demon and your master to the outside world, or it will bring disaster upon you and your master."
"Understood." Liu Ziyun nodded, glanced at her master, and called to Du Ziming beside her, "Senior brother, let's go."
Du Ziming thought more than Liu Ziyun. He looked at Du Ge and asked, "Senior, has anyone successfully walked the path of the Heavenly Demon's Heart Refinement?"
"Of course. If no one had, what would be the point of the Dao Ancestor letting the Heavenly Demon walk the mortal world?" Du Ge looked at him, and before he could ask further, continued, "The five Emperors—Donghua, Taiqing, Changsheng, Taixuan, and Ziwei—all successfully walked the Heart Refinement path."
Using the tiger's skin as a banner.
These were figures on par with the Dao Ancestor, so naturally, the level of those who passed the Heart Refinement trial couldn't be too low. Just as they couldn't verify if they were from the Dao Ancestor's era, they couldn't seek out the Emperors to verify the truth.
Boasting like this, there was no worry of being exposed.
...
Du Ziming's eyes lit up instantly,
Liao Jiulong's heart also inexplicably quickened.
Du Ge looked at the two, kindly reminding them: "In billions of years, only five Emperors, and many more have fallen on the Heart Refinement path..."
"I want to try." Du Ziming didn't hear Du Ge's later advice, suppressing his trembling voice.
Opportunities are rare and hard to come by. Ever since he knew the Heavenly Demon before him was from the same era as the Dao Ancestor, Du Ziming wouldn't give up this chance, even if it was fake; he had to take a gamble...
"What about you?" Du Ge looked at Liu Ziyun.
"I'll try too!" Liu Ziyun looked at her master, then at her senior brother, hesitated for a moment, and nodded.
"Indeed, no one can resist the allure of immortality." Du Ge sighed, "Since you've made up your minds, I wish you good luck! The Heavenly Demon acts on a whim, enjoying toying with people's hearts; I hope you can persist to the end."
"Senior, will the Heavenly Demon kill us?" Liu Ziyun asked.
"When you choose to walk the Heart Refinement path, he won't kill you." Du Ge looked at the three, solemnly saying, "Because you've become his challenge, he will use every means to lure you into becoming demons. That is his victory; simply killing you no longer brings him joy."
Phew!
The three let out a long breath.
"Can we persuade him when he's doing evil?" Liu Ziyun asked again.
"Of course, the Heavenly Demon walks the world, not always revealing his true form. Most of the time, he acts in a human body." Du Ge said, "The Dao Ancestor set a hundred-year cycle restriction on the Heavenly Demon to weaken his power.
Otherwise, with the Heavenly Demon's growth rate, breaking through a hundred years would be a catastrophe for the human world, and only the Dao Ancestor could suppress it.
Using a human body makes it easier for him to wreak havoc, stir up conflicts, and quickly restore his power to break free from the Dao Ancestor's constraints. This is also..."
Halfway through the sentence.
Du Ge's expression changed again, the cold, mocking gaze reappearing: "Have you three chosen to walk the Heart Refinement path?"
The Heavenly Demon is back?
Although Liao Jiulong and the others knew from Du Ge's words that the Heavenly Demon wouldn't kill them.
But the Heavenly Demon's sudden return still startled them.
Liao Jiulong mustered his courage and replied, "Yes, I hope senior will allow it."
"Of course, I will." Du Ge laughed, "Without you stubborn cultivators, how could I gather my Heavenly Demon army? I suppose that guy didn't tell you that those who didn't make it through the Heart Refinement path eventually all fell into demonhood, did he?"
"Senior, he did mention it." Liao Jiulong said.
"Since he mentioned it, then you must be prepared." Du Ge gave them a look, "You've made the right choice. What's so good about cultivating immortality? After all the hardships, you may not achieve true results. Falling into demonhood, living freely in this world, doing as you please, isn't it delightful?
In this life, with the help of alien demons, I will surely defeat the Dao Ancestor and become the ruler of the three realms. By then, we will slaughter the filthy humans of this world, reestablish the earth, wind, mountains, and fire, and evolve humanity.
I know human nature best, and the world I evolve will be free of deceit and treachery, where everyone loves each other. Isn't it beautiful? At that time, I will be the Dao Ancestor, and you will be the new Emperors. By then, demons will be the Dao..."
Goodness, so you're destroying the world to build a better one?
Liao Jiulong and the others were stunned.
Was the Heavenly Demon's ambition truly so great?
But thinking about the Heavenly Demon's experiences, the three could understand his actions.
After all, he had experienced the darkest sides of human nature, so wanting to destroy this world wasn't surprising.
The goodness in his heart might have been born from his longing for a beautiful world!
For a moment.
Liu Ziyun's gaze towards the Heavenly Demon softened considerably.
"Ziyun, don't be deceived by him, hold on to your true self." Liao Jiulong quickly reminded his disciple, who was almost swayed by the Heavenly Demon's words.
Liu Ziyun jolted awake, looking at Du Ge with eyes full of caution.
That was close!
Indeed, the Heavenly Demon's influence on them was constant; is this the Heart Refinement path?
Too terrifying!
A moment of carelessness and you're caught!
...
Goodness, getting into character so quickly?
Du Ge looked at Liao Jiulong in surprise, then smiled gently, his expression softening: "Fellow Daoist Liao, the Heavenly Demon has a thousand faces. Are you really sure that the goodness he speaks of is true? Are you certain that goodness exists? Why can't the goodness be played by me?"
"..." Liao Jiulong was stunned, looking at Du Ge, who appeared exactly the same as before. For a moment, evil thoughts surged in his mind, his expression changing, sweating profusely.
"Master, hold on to your true self." Du Ziming reminded from the side, "Don't let the Heavenly Demon mess with your mind."
Right!
Hold on to your true self!
Liao Jiulong gratefully glanced at his disciple, took a deep breath, and forced himself to calm down: "Senior, if there is goodness in the heart, there will naturally be good thoughts. I have my own judgment."
"Heh!" Du Ge let out a mocking laugh, "Since you've chosen the Heart Refinement path, follow me. I hope that after seeing all the evils of this world, you can still hold on to your inner self."
"As you command, senior." Liao Jiulong cupped his fists, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead as Du Ge turned away.
Indeed, accompanying a demon is not easy.
But since they've chosen this path, they must persist. With the three of them reminding each other, they shouldn't fall into the Heavenly Demon's trap.
Who knows when the Heavenly Demon's good side will appear again; there are still many things he hasn't clarified!
...
Du Ge manipulated the Dark God power, sweeping the three lost lambs back to Longliu Manor.
Long Yichen and the others were indeed waiting obediently, not daring to flee. Seeing Du Ge reappear, they inexplicably breathed a sigh of relief, feeling both regretful and fortunate.
But when they saw the three Qi Refiners returning with Du Ge, the feeling of fortune outweighed the regret. Defeating three Qi Refiners with a single treasure, the demon was indeed formidable.
"Manor Lord Long, these three are Qi Refiners from Dragon and Tiger Mountain, and now they are our companions." Du Ge said, "Once we've dealt with the Qi Refiners from Prince Duan's mansion, we'll return to Lincheng to teach those children the cultivation techniques."
"Yes." Long Yichen and the others quickly responded.
"What children?" Liu Ziyun asked curiously. Since the Heavenly Demon's good side had said they could persuade the Heavenly Demon, she had no qualms. They were here to refine their hearts, not to be obedient subordinates.
Apparently, these mortals didn't know the Heavenly Demon's true identity, so they needed to know what the Heavenly Demon intended to do in the mortal world.
"Manor Lord Long, why don't you tell them about the children?" Du Ge glanced at her, then looked at Liao Jiulong, "Fellow Daoist Liao, the Qi Refiners from Prince Duan's mansion may come to Longliu Manor at any time. You will be responsible for monitoring; I need to cultivate the techniques of Dragon and Tiger Mountain, do not disturb me."
The Qi Refiners from Prince Duan's mansion?
Didn't you say you wanted to use Prince Duan's power to become the imperial teacher?
Was it all a lie?
Indeed, not a word from the Heavenly Demon's mouth is true...
Liao Jiulong snorted inwardly and asked, "Senior, do you need to cultivate the techniques of Dragon and Tiger Mountain?"
"Naturally, having many skills doesn't burden you. The techniques of various sects in the world are useful to me. My comprehension is extraordinary, and only by embracing all can I create a technique unique to me." Du Ge said, "The path I walk is different from yours, you need not say more. Since you've chosen to follow me, just cooperate, and you won't lack benefits in the future."
With that.
He used the Dark God power to conceal himself.
Leaving Liao Jiulong and the others full of questions.
Too many things happened today, too chaotic, like a fog, they couldn't see the truth of the matter at all.
Moreover, they had never encountered the Heavenly Demon before, didn't know what the Heavenly Demon was truly like, and couldn't distinguish which words were true and which were false.
At least in Liao Jiulong's view, the Heavenly Demon's power was ever-changing, with vast supernatural abilities, and there was no need to cultivate their Dragon and Tiger Mountain's basic techniques.
In summary.
Everything was too strange.
Unreasonable.
...
Du Ge didn't care what Liao Jiulong and the others thought. Obtaining the techniques and quickly enhancing his strength was fundamental. With increased strength, divine power could be better utilized.
Dividing his mind to keep an eye on Liao Jiulong and the others outside, Du Ge began cultivating the "Nine Transformations of the Universe Technique" from Dragon and Tiger Mountain.
Having experienced so many worlds, Du Ge was well-versed in various techniques and cultivation methods. Coupled with the memory and comprehension brought by his strong mental power, he no longer needed a master to guide him.
Reading the technique once, he could naturally cultivate it.
The "Nine Transformations of the Universe Technique" cultivates both internally and externally, focusing on the dantian, absorbing the essence of heaven and earth for personal use, nourishing the meridians and soul, storing spiritual power in the dantian, and gradually transforming the body. It was far superior to the techniques from the first Alien Star Battlefield.
However.
The "Nine Transformations of the Universe Technique" only had techniques, no supernatural powers or magic.
So, he still needed to find more secret manuals.
The immortal arts of this world were quite magical, with transformation arts similar to the "Seventy-Two Transformations."
Not learning these immortal arts felt like a disservice to himself; who on Earth didn't admire Sun Wukong!
...
The bodies of Alien Star warriors, after modification, faced almost no bottlenecks during cultivation. This was the cheat provided by Pan-Universal Entertainment for Alien Star warriors.
After all.
They couldn't allow Alien Star warriors to be unable to cultivate techniques due to physical limitations and be defeated by natives.
That would take away much of the fun from the game arena.
When Du Ge began cultivating, a continuous stream of spiritual energy was absorbed from the outside world into his meridians, circulating in a full circle within the meridians, rapidly improving his physical condition, further enhancing his physical attributes.
At the same time.
His soul also received further nourishment, and the most direct feedback from soul nourishment was the increase in mental power.
When Du Ge completed the first three layers of the technique, his mental power value increased by nearly fifty thousand. Seeing this change, Du Ge didn't feel relieved but rather secretly groaned.
The techniques of this world increased mental power so rapidly; how strong must the celestial beings' mental power be in the celestial realm?
Could he really contend with the high and mighty Emperors, Heavenly Emperor, and Dao Ancestor?
However.
From another perspective, mental power could be taken out of this world. By using this world's techniques to increase his mental power value, could he have the confidence to deal with the Bai Long outside?
Bai Long couldn't possibly be stronger than this world's Dao Ancestor, right!
Thinking of this, Du Ge became excited.
If he could truly defeat Bai Long and control the Pan-Universal Entertainment spaceship, would there be hope to escape this damned fate?
...
While Du Ge was cultivating, Liao Jiulong and the others learned the truth about Longliu Manor from Long Yichen.
This truth overturned the trio's perception of Du Ge.
What's going on?
Longliu Manor was full of villains, and the Heavenly Demon rescued a group of innocent children from these villains?
Wasn't the Heavenly Demon supposed to commit all sorts of evil?
Could this really be the same Heavenly Demon who tormented them to death just now?
He must have ulterior motives for saving those children!
Or perhaps, it was the Heavenly Demon's good side that saved them?
Liao Jiulong and the others were already somewhat confused by Du Ge, and now, knowing the truth, they were even more bewildered.
If they had known the truth about Longliu Manor from the beginning, they would never have considered Du Ge as a world-destroying Heavenly Demon!