Wrong?
Su Su looked at him.
No, he wasn't wrong.
When it came to survival, who could be at fault? He was born as the ruler of the demon realm, lying dormant for tens of thousands of years until someone with a natural Evil Bone appeared between heaven and earth.
Born without knowing dignity or kindness, his sole desire was to survive and crave power.
The only mistake was that she was born as an immortal, while he was born a demon.
Though reluctant to admit it, she had developed feelings in the dream and, five hundred years ago, had also fallen for him. Only those who have given their heart can harbor resentment.
Su Su felt somewhat angry with herself—clearly she had cultivated the Path of Ruthlessness, clearly five hundred years had passed...
Su Su gazed at the God Slaying Crossbow, heavy with killing intent, then slowly shifted her gaze to Tantai Jin.
Even without the Demonic Pupils, the Demonic Energy around him remained intense. Just by looking at his current appearance, no one would mistake him for a cultivator.
"Chongyu."
The Heavy Feather Konghou appeared in her hand as she gritted her teeth and stared at him.
Sensing the murderous intent, the God Slaying Crossbow stirred with a fierce, howling aura. He remained motionless, not reaching for the crossbow. Had she not witnessed him defeat Gongye Jiewu earlier, Su Su might have mistaken his expression for that of a wronged, innocent, and frail mortal youth.
She abruptly turned and left, taking Chongyu with her.
Su Su ran far away before crouching regretfully beside a tree.
Chongyu transformed into a slender, pale hand and patted her head, comforting her: "Su Su, Su Su, don't blame yourself. Chongyu knows you didn't kill that Fiend because you fled after realizing you couldn't defeat him. It's alright. Chongyu has observed that you're a child with potential. Given time, you'll surely make him cry for his parents."
Su Su, who had been feeling sad, nearly laughed in exasperation.
"Nonsense!"
Thinking she had tears, she instinctively wiped her eyes, only to find nothing there. Su Su slowly lowered her hand—was it because of the Path of Ruthlessness?
Before they fell unconscious, the mortal world was still in summer, but now it was clearly autumn.
Had so much time really passed?
Su Su's heart sank—something must have happened outside.
Xie Ying and Gongye Jiewu were still around; they wouldn't have remained idle during this time. Gongye Jiewu possessing the Heaven Severing Sword was bad news for the immortal realm.
Tantai Jin still had the God Slaying Crossbow. Though he hadn't allied with Xie Ying, the future remained uncertain.
Perhaps Chongyu was right—she hadn't acted not because she wouldn't, but because she currently couldn't defeat Tantai Jin with the God Slaying Crossbow.
Su Su collected her thoughts and looked at Chongyu, now transformed into a hand: "You can shapeshift?"
Chongyu replied in a childish voice, "What's so difficult about that? Have you forgotten, Su Su? Chongyu is a Divine Artifact."
"Turn into a sword and let me see."
Without another word, Chongyu transformed into an ice-blue sword, adorned with its preference for ornate styles, complete with blue glowing patterns.
"Though other forms aren't as powerful as my original Konghou form."
Gripping the sword formed by Chongyu, Su Su felt a surge of confidence.
The situation wasn't entirely bleak—at least the world still had the last remaining Divine Artifact, the Heavy Feather Konghou.
Having spent ten thousand years in the Cangyuan Secret Realm, it was naive yet immensely powerful, though she couldn't yet fully harness its strength.
Glancing in Tantai Jin's direction, she knew there was no more time to waste and immediately used Sword Control to return to the Hengyang Sect.
After Su Su left, Tantai Jin remained where he was.
The nightmare demon didn't dare flee either, with the God Slaying Crossbow still watching menacingly nearby.The tiger in Tantai Jin's Universe Bag couldn't resist opening the bag. Having witnessed Su Su and his past, it didn't know how to comfort him. Poking its head out, it said, "Your Majesty Jin Huang, why don't you put away that God Slaying Crossbow? It's terrifying!"
The God Slaying Crossbow emanated a sinister black aura, causing the tiger demon to quickly retreat into the bag.
Tantai Jin remained unresponsive for a long while. After what seemed like an eternity, he raised his hand, and the God Slaying Crossbow merged into his body.
He picked up Immortal Venerable Zhaoyou's Hunyuan Sword and left the gloomy place.
The tiger grew excited. So it wasn't completely insignificant after all! After centuries of bootlicking, this was the first time His Majesty Jin Huang had listened to its advice.
No sooner had it thought this than Tantai Jin pulled it out of the Universe Bag.
The youth's eyes were red-rimmed, his lips crimson.
He looked like someone who had endured endless grievances outside and had returned home seething with murderous rage.
Seeing his terrifying gaze fixed upon it, the tiger trembled and said, "Tiger meat doesn't taste good."
He murmured, "I will not succumb to demonic cultivation."
I know, I know, you won't succumb to demonic cultivation. I believe you! Don't look at me with such terrifying eyes.
Tantai Jin stared at the tiger demon.
Perhaps from following him for so long, entering the Underworld and absorbing Demonic Energy, the tiger demon's form no longer resembled a tiger. Instead, it bore a faint resemblance to the Taotie depicted on the Demon Realm's Marrow Cleansing Seal.
Indeed, everything around him would gradually turn into monsters.
Tantai Jin stuffed the tiger back into the Universe Bag. The human world's sun stung his eyes. The scorching sun blazed in the sky, the temperature unbearably high. He looked at the empty streets of the human world, where Demonic Beasts roamed freely, most residences reeking of Demonic Aura.
Tantai Jin casually used the Hunyuan Sword to kill a demonic beast that was absorbing human essence, unsure where to go.
Could the Carefree Sect, once humble and friendly, still accept him?
"The Carefree Sect will no longer harbor him," Elder Qingwu said coldly. "As a demonic creature, he infiltrated the Carefree Sect for years. Now, the sect's head disciple Cang Hai is leading a search party to capture Cang Jiumin."
"That's right! We've long suspected something was off about him. Back in the Cangyuan Secret Realm, he injured Fuyai and Su Su. If Cang Jiumin weren't a Demonic Cultivator, why would he harm members of an Immortal Sect?"
"Su Su, what do you think?"
Su Su never imagined that such earth-shattering changes could occur in just a few months.
Hanba Xie Ying had opened the Demon Realm and, together with Gongye Jiewu, used the Heaven Severing Sword to summon Demonic Beasts from all directions, sending them flooding into the human world to devour mortal essence and strengthen themselves.
Wherever Hanba traveled, plants withered, rivers dried up, and wells ran empty. The human world began experiencing droughts and plagues.
The Immortal Sects hurried to provide relief, dispatching countless disciples to various regions to hunt Demonic Beasts and drive away the plague. Disciples with water Spiritual Roots were especially busy, working nonstop.
Yue Fuyai, barely recovered from his injuries, began rushing about daily.
Despite their efforts, saving people was far more difficult than killing. Wails of grief echoed throughout the human world. News of Tantai Jin using the God Slaying Crossbow had spread across all realms. Both Immortal Sects and mortals loathed Demonic Beasts and could not tolerate his presence.
Everyone turned to Su Su.
After a moment of silence, Su Su said, "He used the God Slaying Crossbow to save me, my senior sister, and Cang Hai."
The crowd looked at her disapprovingly, especially Qingwu, who coldly stamped his immortal staff. "Su Su, as a member of Hengyang, how can you speak up for a demonic being?"
"But I'm telling the truth. I don't know if he will become a demonic being in the future, but so far, I have never seen him harm mortals."Qingwu's expression shifted as he looked at Yaoguang. "Even if he isn't a demonic being now, anyone controlled by the God Slaying Crossbow will eventually become one. Yaoguang, you speak."
Yaoguang glanced at Su Su, then at Qingwu, stammering, "Uncle Master, what Su Su said is true."
"You two!" Qingwu was so furious he seemed on the verge of exploding. "Go reflect on your mistakes in Jiusi Valley!"
Among the immortal sects nowadays, who didn't wish to eradicate fiends at the mere mention of them? Elder Qingwu, the discipline enforcer, was the most extreme in this regard. Yet Su Su and Yaoguang dared to speak up for Tantai Jin at such a time!
Only disciples who had committed offenses were sent to Jiusi Valley.
Immediately, Elder Qingqian hurriedly said, "These juniors were merely stating what they witnessed, not speaking in defense of a fiend. With immortal sect disciples currently overwhelmed with duties, sending them to Jiusi Valley is less meaningful than having them travel to the mortal world. Whether to witness suffering or condense water to save lives, either would be more valuable than going to Jiusi Valley. Sect Leader, don't you agree?"
Qu Xuanzi, who had remained silent until now, nodded and said, "Qingqian is right. Let Su Su and Yaoguang go to the mortal world together with Fuya."
With Qu Xuanzi having spoken, Qingwu frowned, bowed slightly, and said no more.
Naturally, Su Su would not defy Qu Xuanzi's words either.
After most people had left, Qu Xuanzi said, "Su Su, come with me."
"Since you emerged from the Cangyuan Secret Realm, I haven't had a proper conversation with you," Qu Xuanzi said. "Elder Qingwu abhors evil intensely—don't take it to heart."
Su Su shook her head. "I understand, Father. Have you made a breakthrough?"
Qu Xuanzi took out a testing stone. The stone emitted a deep blue light, but it was gradually fading.
Su Su looked at him abruptly. "How can this be?"
Qu Xuanzi smiled. "Su Su, every cultivator who fails to become a god will eventually reach this point. I've been at the mid-stage of transcending tribulations for a hundred years but haven't been able to attain enlightenment. I've long known this day would come. I can see it clearly, so you needn't grieve."
If he didn't break through soon, within a hundred years, he would perish.
One piece of bad news after another made Su Su's heart ache terribly. Qu Xuanzi patted her head. "Child, I'm very glad you're still the same as before. The curved jade once taught you that whether fiend or immortal god, all emerged from the primordial chaos, all endured heavenly tribulations. Just as there are evil immortal gods, there are also good demonic beings."
"If you say Tantai Jin didn't kill anyone, I believe you." Qu Xuanzi sighed. "But Su Su, Qingwu was also right about one thing: those who have used the God Slaying Crossbow will gradually tread the demonic path, their hearts turning toward slaughter."
The demonic path allows one to plunder others to strengthen oneself, far faster than the arduous cultivation of cultivators—a shortcut many find difficult to resist.
"Yaoguang told me you possess a powerful immortal artifact." Qu Xuanzi saw the Chongyu Qin and guessed who had left it to Su Su. He smiled. "You might not be able to fully control it now, but when you firmly resolve to completely integrate the Path of Ruthlessness into your spiritual consciousness, you will be capable of wielding it."
"How do I integrate the Path of Ruthlessness into my spiritual consciousness?"
Qu Xuanzi shook his head. "No one can teach you that. Love and faith aren't things easily discarded. When you truly comprehend it one day, you'll understand naturally."
As Qu Xuanzi was about to leave, Su Su suddenly called out to him, "Father!"
She pressed her lips together. "Does the East Wing Master... have any children?"Qu Xuanzi seemed taken aback by her sudden question. After a moment of contemplation, he said, "There was once such a person—a child like an orchid and jade tree, gifted and brilliant. Unfortunately, he perished later."
The nightmare demon's dreams truly had a basis. Su Su never imagined that such a person had actually existed in the world. If Tantai Jin had been born not as the little monster of the Zhou Kingdom's palace but as the son of the East Wing Master, perhaps it would have been an entirely different story.
The mortal realm was plagued by drought, the earth cracked and parched.
Su Su helped a man with chapped lips to his feet and called over her shoulder, "Fuyai."
Yue Fuyai, holding a bowl, stepped forward. As a water spiritual root cultivator, condensing water came easily to him.
Yaoguang gazed at the devastated human world and sighed, "When will such days come to an end?"
"The day the War of Immortals and Demons ends," Su Su replied.
Yaoguang's eyes dimmed.
Su Su knew Yaoguang was in low spirits too. Gongye Jiewu had succumbed to demonic influence, losing his sanity during this period and killing many cultivators.
If no one could save Gongye Jiewu, he would either kill them all or be killed by them.
Just as Yaoguang was about to speak, someone came running over, crying, "Immortals, save us! Demonic beasts are here to kill!"
The group quickly turned to look and were surprised to see Cang Hai and a group of disciples from the Carefree Sect.
Cang Hai smiled awkwardly. "Long time no see."
A man hiding behind Yue Fuyai pointed at Cang Hai and said, "It's them! They're the demonic beasts!"
Su Su reassured him, "Don't be afraid. They are also from the Immortal Sect."
The man looked at Su Su, then at Cang Hai, and chose to believe her. Hesitantly, he said—
"Forgive my misunderstanding, Immortals. It wasn't intentional. Some time ago, a young man dressed exactly like them, with the same patterns on his clothes," the man pointed at the fish pattern on Cang Hai's robe, "came to our town and killed many people without saying a word."
Wearing the Carefree Sect's uniform?
"Oh, and his weapon was a crossbow. He was tall and handsome, but his heart was cruel." The man gritted his teeth, clearly both fearful and resentful.
The group exchanged glances, all understanding who the mortal man was referring to.
Cang Hai clasped his hands and said to Su Su and the others, "My apologies for the disgrace. A rebellious disciple has betrayed the Carefree Sect, bringing calamity to the people. It is the sect's fault."
Cang Hai smiled bitterly. He had heard similar accounts in many places. No matter how much he trusted his junior brother, his faith was gradually wavering. Was he truly roaming everywhere, killing and devouring spiritual energy?
Su Su suddenly spoke, "Senior Brother Cang Hai, since you trusted him in the past, why not find him this time and hear his side before drawing conclusions?"
Cang Hai was stunned, and Yaoguang was too.
Yaoguang whispered, "Su Su, you're different from how you used to speak of him."
Su Su lowered her gaze. "I'm no different."
She thought of the spirited and respected Cang Jiumin from her dreams, then contrasted him with Tantai Jin—now hiding in some forgotten corner, hunted by all six realms like a shadow in the dark.
She felt a pang of sorrow. All he had lost was his glorious and respectable identity.
Was it truly fate for a lone star of calamity to be destined for rejection and hatred by all? Cang Hai had once defended him so fiercely.
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