Let us set aside Li Changshou’s first attempt at non-action, as he pondered the Eight-Nine Mystic Art and the transformation of shamanic people in the mountains, waiting for the Demon Race’s reaction.
In the northwest of the South Jambudvipa Continent, within the spacious backyard of a mansion in an ordinary mortal city, two figures walked beside a lotus pond, their bodies carrying obscure traces of the Dao.
Daoist Lu Ya had restored his original appearance—that of a well-dressed, handsome young cultivator.
Beside him, the “cook” had changed into a long robe and was smiling as he introduced Lu Ya to the garden’s beauty that he had personally arranged, explaining those ingenious little designs.
Lu Ya finally couldn’t hold back and asked directly, “Senior, why did you choose to be a cook in that tavern? Rather than…”
The middle-aged cultivator counter-questioned, “Why can’t this poor Daoist be a cook?”
“This…”
“Is it because in those years when I served the former emperor, I was known for my divination abilities, so now that I’m living in seclusion, I must be a fortune teller to match that reputation? Hahaha!”
The middle-aged cultivator stroked his goatee and laughed:
“This is merely Your Highness’s preconception. This poor Daoist’s interests are quite broad, far beyond just divination, observation, and formations.”
Lu Ya sighed, “Junior only knew Senior was living in seclusion here. When I saw that mortal fortune teller, I thought it was Senior in disguise. Now that Senior is willing to meet with Junior, would you consider coming out of retirement to assist Junior once more?”
“This alone, I must decline.”
The middle-aged cultivator shook his head firmly, his eyes showing traces of regret. “I thought Your Highness came today to ask about ways to survive, but I didn’t expect Your Highness to still harbor such thoughts. If that’s the case, Your Highness might as well leave now. Whatever more this poor Daoist says will be useless to Your Highness.”
Lu Ya frowned, “Senior’s words suggest that Junior is in mortal danger?”
The middle-aged cultivator gave Lu Ya a meaningful look, his eyes suddenly turning pale yellow with a flash of light crossing his pupils.
“Great disaster approaches.”
Lu Ya’s heart trembled slightly as he saw a fleeting image in the middle-aged cultivator’s eyes…
In the image, he lay covered in blood on a lake, his fate unknown, in an incredibly miserable state.
If anyone else had told Lu Ya these things and shown him such visions, Lu Ya might have immediately turned away and cursed them for daring to disturb his peace of mind.
But this middle-aged cultivator before him—only this particular middle-aged cultivator—commanded Lu Ya’s respect, and he dared not disrespect him.
Back when the Demon Court fell, Lu Ya’s survival was thanks to this middle-aged cultivator’s help.
Moreover, among the Ten Great Demon Marshals of the past, he was the only one who managed to clear himself of karmic ties and emerge unscathed from the Ancient War between Shamans and Demons.
Bai Ze, one of the Ten Great Demon Marshals of ancient times.
Bai Ze, an innate divine beast, excelled in divination and fortune-telling, understood Yin and Yang, knew life and death, was most adept at seeking advantages and avoiding dangers, comprehended the nature of all things, and knew the appearance of all beings. He was valued and trusted by the Demon Emperor and was an important strategist in balancing the authority of Demon Master Kun Peng.
The “Bai Ze’s Guide to Spirits and Monsters” authored by Bai Ze became an important foundation for the Demon Emperor’s rule over the Demon Race in ancient times.
Cold sweat appeared on Lu Ya’s forehead as he sighed softly and gave Bai Ze a Daoist bow.
“Please save me, Senior!”
“Very well,” Bai Ze shook his head and smiled lightly. “Although I see obstinacy in Your Highness’s eyes, I still owe the former emperor some favors that must be repaid through Your Highness. Does Your Highness know who wants to kill you?”
“The Water God of Heaven!”
Lu Ya blurted out these words, but after shouting them, he vaguely felt something wasn’t quite right.
Bai Ze smiled, “Correct, it is the Water God. The Heavenly Emperor wants to kill you as the Demon Court’s Crown Prince, but this Water God wants to kill you as Daoist Lu Ya.”
Lu Ya hurriedly asked, “Why is that? Do I have some deep grudge with the Water God?”
“This poor Daoist doesn’t know either.”
Bai Ze stopped walking and stood by the lotus pond with his hands behind his back, gazing at the expanse of lotus leaves on the water’s surface, his eyes growing increasingly distant…
“This Water God, this poor Daoist has observed him for a long time but still can’t figure him out. Your Highness knows that although this poor Daoist has some minor divine abilities to know the appearance of all things, I ultimately cannot truly divine all things and beings, or my dao heart would burst instantly. Now that this poor Daoist lives freely in the mortal world, I only observe beings that interest me.
When I first noticed this Water God, he only had five or six sea god temples, but even then, I couldn’t see his appearance and background. He was already guarded then, and this guard has never relaxed for a single day. This poor Daoist has secretly observed the Water God until today but still cannot see through him…”
Bai Ze paused and sighed:
“This Water God is extremely patient, his actions are thorough to a frightening degree, and he never forgets a slight. Does Your Highness know about the incident when the Dragon Clan’s sea eye was breached?”
“Of course I know,” said Daoist Lu Ya. “Heaven and the Western Sect plotted against the Dragon Clan. In the end, the Dragon Clan chose to submit to Heaven. The Western Sect made an example of the Dragon Clan, destroyed the East Sea’s sea eye, and took the East Sea treasury.”
“The one who managed this affair for the Western Sect at the time was Earth Store, a disciple of the Western Great Sage.”
Bai Ze smiled and said, “But Earth Store and his little Ghost of Impermanence didn’t enjoy their spring glory for long before the incident of the Three Schools’ immortals ascending Spirit Mountain occurred. The Three Schools’ immortals forced Spirit Mountain to bow their heads and apologize, and even killed their Spirit Mountain disciples right in front of them. The Grand Master of the Mysterious Capital even used the primordial treasure Taiji Diagram to exchange hard blows with the Two Sages of the West. That show was truly spectacular… ahem, does Your Highness know what caused that incident?”
Daoist Lu Ya frowned, “Please enlighten me, Senior.”
“Earth Store employed a minor scheme, using the Ghost of Impermanence’s abilities to spread rumors about the Severing Sect’s Fire Spirit Holy Mother and Zhao Gongming, and did so under the guise of the Complete Enlightenment Sect’s True Dragon Immortal.”
Bai Ze smiled and said, “In just half a day, Heaven’s Water God had already determined his counter-strategy and connected with the Three Schools’ Senior Brother. Because of this small matter, Spirit Mountain’s prestige gained from the Dragon Clan was completely lost, the relationship between the Three Schools was eased, and the Western Sage’s face was slapped. Moreover, it caused Earth Store and the Ghost of Impermanence to be severely reprimanded by the Sage and lose the Sage’s trust. This calculation… In any case, this poor Daoist would never oppose the Water God.”
Lu Ya showed some dissatisfaction and said, “How is this not also the intention of the Three Schools’ Senior Brother?”
Bai Ze smiled without speaking and brought the topic back to Lu Ya’s matter.
“Your Highness, besides the West Sea incident and the battle at Demon-Rising Mountain, have you provoked the Water God?”
“I have not,” Lu Ya’s gaze was straightforward and clear. “At Demon-Rising Mountain, I rushed there from the Empress Nu Wa’s Palace, arriving half a step too late, otherwise I wouldn’t have let that Water God succeed so easily.”
Bai Ze frowned and said:
“Your Highness, the Holy Mother’s residence is called the Holy Mother’s Palace. The Empress Nu Wa’s Palace was a name arbitrarily given by the Demon Race. Don’t mistake the Sage’s lack of pursuit as acceptance of the name the Demon Race randomly assigned. In ancient times, before Holy Mother became a Sage, the former emperor feared Fu Xi and Holy Mother would seize power, so he drove away the siblings first. The Holy Mother’s previous protection of you was merely due to her deep friendship with the former emperor.
Now, the Water God has visited the Holy Mother’s Palace twice. Whether the Holy Mother will still extend her protection to you is uncertain.”
“The Water God visited the Holy Mother’s Palace twice?” Lu Ya was startled and hurriedly asked, “When did this happen?”
“The first time was after the battle at Demon-Rising Mountain, and the most recent time was due to Great Virtue Earth Mother’s disaster, not long ago.”
Bai Ze stroked his goatee and said calmly:
“It seems Your Highness has been confused by those so-called old ministers’ flattery. The Holy Mother is the Holy Mother of the Human Race. When humans were slaughtered by the Demon Race back then, she didn’t appear because Demon Master Kun Peng had schemed against her. Although I don’t know why, the Holy Mother has bestowed countless treasures upon the Water God—this is no secret in the Holy Mother’s Palace. Your Highness, the Demon Race ceased to exist when the Demon Court fell. Why dwell on past matters?”
Daoist Lu Ya remained silent, his expression rather dim.
Bai Ze continued his persuasion: “This poor Daoist followed two former emperors and personally witnessed how the myriad races, unwilling to be prey to the Shaman Race, gathered at Mount Buzhou’s peak to establish the Ancient Heaven Court, receiving Heaven’s great fortune to contend with the Shaman Race for Heaven and Earth. At that time, the Heaven Court was the Heaven Court, and the Sacred Race was the Sacred Race.
Afterward, this poor Daoist also witnessed how, when the Sacred Race occupied the heavens and gained the upper hand over the Shaman Race, this Sacred Race gradually became corrupt, with endless conquests and magical battles, large clans devouring small ones, the strong enslaving the weak. By then, though the Heaven Court was still the Heaven Court, the Sacred Race had become the Demon Race. Alas…”
Bai Ze’s sigh carried endless desolation.
“The fall of the Demon Court was the trend of great events, something no one could prevent, and not a tragedy—it was deserved karma. Your Highness, are those who still cry out for Demon Court supremacy truly of the Demon Race? They are merely rotting wood, forcibly categorizing the myriad races who transformed after ancient times as Demon Race members, using the Demon Race’s name to enslave and oppress. Tell me, if it weren’t Your Highness who survived back then, but rather your brothers, how would these so-called Demon Kings treat them?”
“They would…”
“Treat them no differently than they treat Your Highness.”
Daoist Lu Ya frowned in contemplation, then sighed dejectedly, “Indeed, I am merely a banner they’ve raised.”
Bai Ze smiled, “It’s good that Your Highness has awakened to this truth.”
“Senior!”
Daoist Lu Ya turned and made another Daoist bow, “Junior wishes to survive, please teach me how!”
“Actually, you’ve now been forced into a dead end by the Water God,” Bai Ze said seriously. “To break through this situation, there is only one path.”
“Please enlighten me, Senior.”
Bai Ze said, “Rally the various Demon Kings to rebel against Heaven—only then will you have a thirty percent chance of survival.”
Lu Ya showed confusion, clearly having trouble digesting this.
Bai Ze explained slowly: “The current Heavenly Emperor fears you as the Demon Race’s Crown Prince. If the Demon Race’s so-called resurgence disappears and those old Demon Kings are sacrificed to Heaven when the Demon Race no longer threatens the Heaven Court, the Heavenly Emperor’s fear will naturally fade.
When the time comes, you need only show mercy by saying you ‘don’t wish for the Demon Race to perish from the primordial world,’ and surrender to the Heaven Court. The Heavenly Emperor will use you to demonstrate Heaven Court’s benevolence, not only sparing your life but also acknowledging your lineage. Then you can roam freely through Heaven and Earth.
However…”
Lu Ya hurriedly asked, “However what?”
“I fear this Water God will, when you surrender to the Heaven Court, simply place a blade before you to complete your reputation for mercy. He will do this.”
Lu Ya felt something stuck in his throat, “This Water God, why does he target me so?”
“This poor Daoist doesn’t know either,” Bai Ze sighed softly, his eyes carrying a light that Lu Ya couldn’t comprehend. “The Water God’s schemes run deeper than I can fathom, often taking unexpected actions. Face and reputation mean nothing to him, treasures and precious materials are like clouds to him. What I admire most is how he never forgets righteousness despite seeing profit. Though I’ve never met this Water God face to face, I feel as if we’ve had a long spiritual connection…”
“Senior,” Lu Ya asked in a low voice, “is there no way to eliminate this Water God?”
“Move against him?” Bai Ze smiled, “What would fall on your head first wouldn’t be the Taiji Diagram or the Four Demon-Slaying Swords, but rather…”
“What?”
“Purple Imperial Thunder.”
Bai Ze patted Lu Ya’s shoulder, “Don’t think too much about it. Now the Water God acts with backing—behind him stands the Heavenly Way, the Ancestral Master of Dao, beings who could reduce us to ashes with a finger snap. Rather than thinking about this, you might as well consider how to use the Demon Kings’ rebellion to show goodwill to the Water God.”
Daoist Lu Ya’s eyes carried slight helplessness as he fell into deep thought.
After a moment, Lu Ya asked again: “Senior, could you perhaps greet the Water God on Junior’s behalf?”
“Impossible, can’t be done, don’t even think about it.”
“Eh, Senior, why do you refuse so decisively…”
“Don’t joke about such things,” Bai Ze’s mouth twitched, his goatee showing disdain. “Taking Earth Store and the little Ghost of Impermanence as an example, what the Water God fears is the Ghost of Impermanence rather than Earth Store. If given the chance, he would quickly eliminate a creature like the Ghost of Impermanence who can hear the hearts of all beings. Not to mention someone like me, an ancient demon whose abilities slightly exceed the Ghost of Impermanence’s. If I were to meet the Water God, there would only be two outcomes.”
Lu Ya’s dao heart was somewhat numb by now as he asked quietly, “What outcomes?”
“Either he kills me, or I make tens of thousands of words of Great Dao oaths and become his mount.”
Bai Ze looked up and sighed deeply, his eyes full of melancholy, saying:
“The main reason he hasn’t moved against me yet is because his cultivation time is short and his accumulation insufficient. Once his Merit Golden Body forms, I fear he’ll set his sights on me.”
Lu Ya hurriedly asked, “Then Senior, won’t you… won’t you flee?”
“Where could I flee to?”
Bai Ze gave a bitter laugh, “Now I can only try faking death, though whether I can escape… probably not.”
“Why?”
“The Water God excels at finishing blows. Of any being he destroys, not even a trace of soul essence remains.”
Lu Ya’s brows furrowed into a river pattern: “Isn’t Senior being somewhat too exaggerated? Is this Water God truly so formidable? Why hasn’t he suppressed Spirit Mountain? Why hasn’t he destroyed our Demon Race?”
“You must give him some time.”
Bai Ze said slowly: “What I can tell you now about the Water God is that from when he began cultivating until the battle at Demon-Rising Mountain where he could seriously wound you, it hasn’t been more than five hundred years. Don’t ask about other matters—I dare not touch even a bit of his karma.”
Lu Ya seemed to want to say more but held back. Seeing this, Bai Ze simply smiled and shook his head, not speaking further on the matter.
“Your Highness, remember one piece of advice from this poor Daoist.”
“Please speak, Senior. Junior will engrave it in my heart.”
“Fight gods but not their influence, fight immortals but not sages,” Bai Ze said softly. “What the Heaven Court fears is that the Demon Race still maintains remarkable power. Your Highness must never ally with the Western Spirit Mountain.”
Lu Ya made another Daoist bow: “Senior’s teachings, Lu Ya will keep them firmly in mind!”
Bai Ze’s figure suddenly became somewhat faint.
Lu Ya raised his head to see Bai Ze dispersing with the wind, as the entire estate instantly fell silent.
“This poor Daoist takes his leave first. Your Highness, take good care. The favor has been repaid—from now on, let us meet no more.”
Lu Ya closed his eyes and gave a bitter laugh, then made three consecutive Daoist bows before turning to leave this place.
…
Several months later, Lu Ya, the Crown Prince of the ancient Demon Court, appeared at the southern border of the North Uttarakuru Continent and raised a call to arms, proclaiming Heaven.
In one day, three hundred and twenty-five Demon Kings responded, gathering millions of demon soldiers and thousands of demon experts, claiming the Heaven Court persecuted the Demon Race and unjustly suppressed the Race of Myriad Beings, strongly resisting Heaven Court’s orders.
The Five Continents of the primordial world boiled with activity. The Heaven Court prepared for war, demon forces from various regions rushed to the North Continent’s border to demonstrate demon might, and human cultivators also sharpened their blades toward the North Continent.
Some Demon Kings called for re-establishing the Demon Court, though these Demon Kings quickly fell silent.
On the day Lu Ya issued his proclamation against Heaven, in the quiet bamboo grove of Small Jade Peak at the Degree Immortal Gate…
Li Changshou put down the book in his hand and gazed toward the northwest, pondering briefly.
Did Lu Ya receive help from a great expert? To even think of such a method of advancing by retreating.
Better stabilize things—currently, the Jade Emperor and Queen Mother aren’t in the Heaven Court, and the Demon Race is only resisting orders, not yet formally rebelling.
Let the proclamation fly for a while, see if the Demon Race will become inflated enough to actively attack the Heaven Court.
If even one demon army…
No, one wisp of demon qi!
If even one wisp of demon qi reaches Heaven’s Gate, Li Changshou could use it as a pretext to have East Wood Lord go to the Jade Void Palace, Azure Touring Palace, and Douzhuai Palace to cry for three days and three nights, claiming the Demon Race bullied the Heaven Court while the Jade Emperor underwent his tribulation.