CHAPTER 56: CHAPTER 56: DESTROYING THE HEAVENS WITH DARK DESIRE, LIN FENG’S GREAT DEMON SECT!

Do all Heavenly Immortal Realm experts have... such a unique personality?

Mao Aowu’s attire and that silver-white hair were truly too dazzling, turning heads the moment he walked down the street. Ordinary cultivators and mortals have a hard time discerning the realm of an Immortal through the strength of their suppression alone.

Wu Wang, however, didn’t feel much of this suppression at all. After some contemplation, it was likely due to his frequent association with the contemporary Human Emperor; when he saw Mao Aowu, his Dao heart could sense a bit of pressure, but it wasn’t very intense. Compared to the oppressive feeling his mother displayed when she was angry at his father, it was far less.

What is extravagance?

This Heavenly Immortal Mao Aowu entered the tavern and, with a grand gesture, tossed out two Spirit Stones, saying indifferently, "I’ve booked the top floor; don’t let anyone come up and disturb me."

That’s extravagance!

The tavern keeper was moved to tears, his voice trembling, "How long do you want to book it for? What you gave isn’t enough, Immortal!"

Mao Aowu glared, "Is this a rip-off inn? Two large Spirit Stones to book one floor isn’t enough?"

"I’ll handle it, I’ll handle it."

Wu Wang hurriedly stepped forward, handing the keeper a bag of Spirit Stones. "Just find us a more secluded courtyard, prepare some tasty food, and if there are a few musicians who can play and dance, that would be even better."

The tavern keeper took the bag and, joyfully bowing and scraping, pushed aside the waiter leading the way and personally took them behind the tavern to an elegant courtyard wrapped in layers of Formations.

Mao Aowu: ...

"Who would have thought such a secluded place existed here."

"Fellow Cultivator, please sit."

Wu Wang sat down under a few plum trees, with a rockery and a small waterfall behind him, and a low table with tea and candles beside him. With one move, he flipped the guest-host dynamic, catching Mao Aowu slightly off guard.

Mao Aowu gave a carefree laugh, moved the low table—which had been several meters away—forcefully in front of Wu Wang, and combined their tables.

"Um..."

Wu Wang signaled with his hand for Mao Aowu to be patient as footsteps approached. Several female musicians clad in beautiful garments came with various instruments, bowed in unison, and, from behind a screen, began to play Immortal music. They all had cultivation, but their auras were uneven; they were obviously individuals who had no hope on the path of cultivation.

From behind the screen, a soft voice asked, "Would the two Immortals like us to serve you drinks and attend to you?"

Mao Aowu’s eyes brightened. He declared, "Bring a few over!"

"Fellow Cultivator, there’s no need for that!"

Wu Wang said earnestly, "Listening to music and watching dances is for amusement; being served drinks and attended to leans towards dalliance. With your profound cultivation, you must be a renowned expert in the Human Domain, so let’s not go down that road."

"I’ll listen to you, we won’t do it! I’m a respectable person too, you know," Mao Aowu laughed heartily for a moment, then sighed a little awkwardly. "I don’t usually come to such places of entertainment; I’m afraid I’ve made a bit of a spectacle of myself, Fellow Cultivator... Your cultivation level, how did it get so peculiar?"

"What about it?"

Wu Wang grinned, eyes narrowing, yet he sharpened his focus, also curious to know how well the combination of the Praying Star Technique, the Star God’s Divine Power, and the cloaking method from his father-in-law would stand against such a powerful being.

Mao Aowu pondered for a few moments, observed Wu Wang carefully, and said:

"At first glance, you seem to simply be a cultivator at the Condensation Establishment Realm, with your Spirit Light visible, clearly touching the threshold of the Golden Core.

"But upon close observation, I sense that your three treasures—essence, energy, and spirit—are somewhat out of balance. Your Divine Thought is overwhelmingly strong, easily comparable to that of a Nascent Soul Realm cultivator. Your vital essence is extremely fiery; perhaps you practice some untainted virgin’s cultivation technique?

"Yet your aura is far too weak in comparison, fitting just right with your cultivation state, resembling the condition of someone in recovery from a serious injury."

"’Qi deficiency often occurs after being injured.’—The Hundred Herb Manual."

Wu Wang nodded slowly, feeling a slight sense of relief internally. He then said with a smile, "Previously, I had some good fortune and consumed some Spirit Fruits that help strengthen Divine Thought. I also used a small, crimson fruit."

As he spoke, Wu Wang felt a residual thrill and, without any embellishment or concealment, exclaimed, "That was truly a close call with death."

"Oh?"

Mao Aowu’s eyes sparkled. He laughed, "Unexpectedly, you are a person of great fortune! No wonder you were able to release that thunderbolt and save my life! It’s quite embarrassing to admit, but being left with no choice that day, I hid in the belly of a fish to escape. I barely made it ashore, only to run into an ambush laid by the Ten Evils Hall. Had it not been for you, my friend... no, had it not been for you, brother, coming to my rescue, I really would’ve capsized in the gutter, failing the trust that all the seniors had placed in me."

At the side, a beautiful woman served wine. Wu Wang signaled for them to place the drinks and dishes under the tree and keep their distance, then used his Mana to draw the drinks over to himself.

Wu Wang took the opportunity to ask, "Fellow Daoist, I really should be calling you Senior. Senior...!"

"Hey, what’s this ’Senior’ talk!"

Mao Aowu laughed heartily a few times, then seemed to aggravate his injury. He coughed a few times, his face slightly pale, but it quickly regained its color.

He said, "I’m surely older than you by some years. If you think well of me, just call me Brother Aowu, and I’ll call you... what’s your name?"

Unable to help it, Wu Wang covered his face with his hand. "Wu Wang. My Taoist name is Wu Wangzi."

"Ho! Well, look at that! We’re practically kindred spirits!"

Mao Aowu slapped the table, rocking with laughter. "Every day, my colleagues tease me by calling me ’Awoooo’! HAHAHAHA!"

Wu Wang shook his head helplessly and sighed, "I, too, have been called ’Woof woof!’ by many of my brothers."

"What do you call this? Fate!"

Mao Aowu casually picked up a small wine jar. "Let’s finish this jar, then we’ll talk about the rest!"

Wu Wang, too, was inspired by a rush of boldness. He picked up the wine jug in front of him, clinked it against Mao Aowu’s, and then both of them tilted their heads back to drink.

Drinking in such a way actually requires some skill.

Someone like Mao Aowu was quite straightforward, pressing his mouth against the wine jar and slowly pouring it into his mouth, gulping down an entire jug with a gurgling sound, his robe remaining as clean as new.

Then look at Young Master Wu Wang, who acquired this skill and posture from a Large Family Clan of the Northern Wilderness. He spread his legs apart, sitting somewhat unbridled, with his right leg propped up supporting his arm. Leaning backward, mouth open wide, he poured the wine directly from the jar held half a foot above his mouth.

Six parts of the wine went into his mouth, and four parts into his bosom. The act was carefree and unrestrained, glistening drops of wine soaking his chest muscles. Then, with a wipe below his chin, he burst into roaring laughter...

Behind the screen, the musician’s playing became somewhat chaotic.

Mao Aowu’s eyes were full of emotion. He imitated the posture and exclaimed in admiration, "Brother, you drink with such flair! No wonder you saved me that day and then left straightaway."

"Personal gain is like a passing cloud to me; saving someone is not for seeking favors."

Wu Wang laughed and said, "Senior, you’re a Heavenly Immortal, and I’m just a junior mayfly drifting through the world. Being able to help you is my good fortune; I dared not show myself more than necessary."

"Let’s not talk about cultivation levels, let’s not talk about cultivation levels."

Mao Aowu waved his hands dismissively and sighed, "Sadly, this is as far as I will progress in my cultivation journey; I no longer have any hope for breakthroughs. I even wasted many of the Spirit Pills and Solidifying Pills painstakingly refined by the Human Emperor, which truly embarrasses me."

Wu Wang asked, "Senior, I’m new to the Human Domain. Are there many Heavenly Immortals here?"

"That’s a bit difficult to say clearly."

Mao Aowu pondered for a moment, smiling wryly. "If we talk about the Immortal and Demon sects that rank in the top hundred—excluding those top ten and twenty Great Sects—each should have at least six or seven Heavenly Immortals holding the fort; otherwise, they absolutely cannot stand firm. But even if one becomes a Heavenly Immortal, in truly crucial battles, they often can’t play much of a role. Once incarnations of those Evil Gods appear, it must be the hand of a true master that can kill or expel them. These masters usually live in seclusion and only show themselves when necessary. If a master’s Lifespan ends and no one can replace them, that’s a truly serious problem."

Heavenly Immortals, still common high-end combatants to be found walking in the Human Domain.

"May I be so bold as to ask, Senior, how were you injured?"

"Don’t even get me started on that! It makes my blood boil!" Mao Aowu slapped the table, his expression darkening. He took a swig of wine and said sternly, "That Ten Evils Hall is simply outrageous! They’ve even infiltrated the military leaders! To be frank, I’m currently serving in the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion, which directly serves under His Majesty the Human Emperor. Normally, we’re responsible for patrolling all places within the Human Domain, and we also do some work transmitting messages."

Wu Wang laughed. "The messages I’ve heard before, about some Golden Dragon and such with ’HAHAHA’—could it have been transmitted by you, Senior?"

"Ah, yes, that was me. At that time, with more than a dozen brothers, I was responsible for the southern part of the East Sea shore, and I transmitted messages to over a dozen regions."

Mao Aowu shifted closer, a reminiscent look in his eyes as he gritted his teeth and said,

"Let’s talk about the important stuff first! Just thinking about it gets me so mad! Originally, that day, the dome in the eastern Xin Chen section was blown up by the Ten Evils Hall. I was the closest, so I rushed over to support immediately, slashed a good hundred or so of their small fry, and kept my eye on one of their True Immortals, chasing him deep into the East Sea. That True Immortal had used the Blood of the Evil God, and after a fierce battle with him, I finally managed to shatter his very soul! But guess what happened?"

Wu Wang appeared concerned and hurriedly asked, "What happened?"

Mao Aowu took a swig from the wine jar and slapped his thigh. "Ran into a traitor!"

"Oh? What kind of traitor?"

"That True Immortal used the true blood of the Whistling Serpent, which truly was difficult to deal with. After transforming into a small Whistling Serpent, he fought me for a whole day and night."

As he spoke, Mao Aowu pulled off his black robe, revealing his bandaged upper body.

Wu Wang frowned slightly.

You’re injured like this and still drinking so heartily?

Mao Aowu put his robe back on and cursed, "I was injured and was on my way back to the Human Domain for recuperation when I saw a call for aid. When I got closer, what did I see? Two True Immortals from our Human Domain being besieged by a group of beasts, with scattered corpses all around. I thought to myself, ’These must be brothers who got ambushed while chasing the Ten Evils Hall.’ I’m famously known for being impulsive and righteous; how could I not help them?"

Wu Wang chuckled. "And as it turned out, those two were traitors who set you up?"

Mao Aowu waved his hand dismissively. "Sigh, don’t mention it! I almost didn’t make it back. A total embarrassment!"

"And then, Senior, you fought your way in and out seven times, returning gravely injured but victorious!"

Wu Wang grabbed the wine jar and clinked it against Mao Aowu’s.

The latter blinked, pondered for a moment, and then mumbled, "Well, you could say that... HAHAHA! With your insight, Brother, suddenly I feel much better."

Wu Wang picked up a piece of celery with his chopsticks, puzzled. "Senior, what do you think the humans in the Ten Evils Hall are plotting? Just like that, they’ve sided with the Evil Gods?"

"What else could it be? They’ve been bamboozled because they have a screw loose, or maybe they saw the potential for profit and got trapped in it. Brother, think about it, can the Ten Evils Hall last in the long run?"

"Of course, it can’t last."

"If the Evil Gods and their minions were confident about taking down our Human Domain, would they need to create the Ten Evils Hall to infiltrate and corrupt us? If you were the Heavenly Emperor, could you come up with such a sinister scheme?"

"I certainly couldn’t."

"What kind of decent Evil God would resort to this?"

"Can any Evil God involved in this be considered decent?"

With a light CLINK, the two men clinked their wine jars together, shared a knowing smile, and each said in unison,

"Despicable."

The two paused for a moment and then burst out laughing together. Wu Wang turned his head and threw out a bag of Spirit Stones, asking them to refill the wine, add more dishes, and bring out the dancers.

In this elegant little courtyard, bursts of hearty laughter continued to float up.

「Thus, three days later.」

A white cloud floated out of the great city, carrying two groggy men, heading southwest.

Wu Wang mumbled drowsily, "Big Brother Mao, can your Sect really not take disciples and just let people cultivate there?"

"Ah, why the need to take in disciples? Practice whatever you want. We have a scripture cave in the Sect, and you can pick any Cultivation Technique you like! BURP!"

Mao Aowu burped and chuckled a few times before seriously saying, "You’re my brother, how could I shortchange you? Forget the rest, I, your big brother, am a high-ranking Elder in the Sect! My position is second only to the Sect Leader and the Grand Elder. If you come to my place, I assure you: three years as an officer, five years as an Elder!"

"Let’s not go there. I just want to, HIC, muddle along in an ordinary way."

"How could that be? When my brother comes to my old home, it must be arranged!"

The two drunkards staggered and lurched, their cloud also tilting and bobbing up and down, scaring many passing immortals on clouds into steering clear, fearful of causing some sort of traffic accident.

「Another half a day passed...」

Black winds swept across, and sand and dust roared.

Wu Wang shuddered suddenly, sobering up. He looked around at the charred mountains and the thick miasma in the air and suddenly had a bad feeling.

"Big Brother Mao?"

He turned his head to look at the Heavenly Immortal sleeping next to him, snoring with closed eyes, and softly called out, "Where is this?"

"Ah? We’ve arrived."

Mao Aowu stretched lazily, looked down, and revealed a relieved smile.

"Right, we’ve arrived. Let’s go!"

The white cloud suddenly sped up, pulling Wu Wang and Mao Aowu above a Rift Valley. Ghastly wails and howls echoed from within the valley, and below lay bizarre, luminous Formation walls.

Wu Wang’s eyes widened. Just as he was about to shout, Mao Aowu grabbed his arm and said in a raised voice, "Let’s go! Into the Formation!"

...

Moments later, below the Rift Valley, in front of the unique ’Village,’ Wu Wang stood with a forehead full of black lines, unable to move as he stared at the Stele erected at the entrance to the Village.

"Big Brother Mao, are you from the Demon Path?"

"Ah, yes, didn’t I tell you?" Mao Aowu blinked. "Do you, perhaps, have some prejudice against our Demon Path?"

"Of course not."

"Then what are we waiting for? Let’s go inside! In our Demonic Sect, there is a renowned Demonic Saintess!"

Mao Aowu waved his hand grandly, pulling Wu Wang into the village gates, revealing the nine large characters engraved on the Stele:

Destroy Heaven Dark Desire Wind Great Demon Sect!

......

(PS: Volume One, "The Wind of the Northern Wilderness," is complete. Volume Two, "A Minor Immortal from the Great Domain," is coming soon!

Preview of the next volume.

One: "Our Demonic Sect isn’t burdened by so many mundane rules and restrictions; if you stay, I can offer you pleasures beyond your imagination."

Two: "The Seven Stars shine in succession—the, the, the visage of the Saintess!"

Three: ...)

In truth, I don’t know why I came into this world.

In the Northern Wilderness, I lived a tranquil life with no troubles other than an annoying, strange illness. Even knowing the Divine Spirits hovered overhead, they always felt too distant; maintaining a serene existence seemed enough for me.

Later on, I read about the Human Domain and heard its legends, and suddenly a certain longing stirred within me.

To go see the Human Domain. To go to the Human Domain.

And then I came. Standing here today, I suddenly found the purpose of my journey.

Don’t misunderstand. I’m not saying I am great or carry any hope. I am just me. I live for myself. I just want to be the main character of my own life, deciding my actions at any time, and bearing whatever consequences those actions may bring.

Now I’m making choices for my life, deciding the path ahead.

Cultivation.

Prove myself.

Support the Human Dao.

Slay. All. Vicious. Demons!