Chapter 1 A Glimmer

A wisp of fluorescent light, not intense, but dazzling and intoxicating in Zeng San’s eyes.

After the伐天之战 (Fa Tian War), the Confucian inheritance was incomplete. Even he had only seen scattered records of the Haoran Changhe (Grand Righteousness River) in ancient texts.

For over two hundred years, he had traveled everywhere, not only to explore the past but also to seek out the lost legacy.

Therefore, seeing this glimmer of light, Zeng San, with his composed state of mind, could hardly restrain himself.

“It is indeed the Haoran Changhe.”

An Qisheng flicked his finger, and the wisp of fluorescent light entered Zeng San’s brow. This, however, was what he had obtained in the ‘dream’.

Zeng San did not resist, allowing the light to enter his mind. Instantly, countless profound scriptures flickered, captivating and stirring his heart.

*Whoosh*

Before long, Zeng San opened his eyes, reached out his hand, and a ray of light was born.

“Haoran Changhe…”

Zeng San took a deep breath, stood up straight, and bowed respectfully, “Sir, you have recovered the lost inheritance for my Confucian school. This kindness will be forever etched in my heart.”

An Qisheng did not accept his bow, waving his hand slightly, “I also have something I seek, and this was originally your Confucian school’s divine power. There is no kindness to speak of.”

He was not one to refuse gratitude lightly, but this was an exchange, and to accept a gift after an exchange would be excessive.

“Exchange is exchange, and kindness is kindness.”

Zeng San insisted on bowing before standing up. The significance of Haoran Changhe to the Confucian school was difficult for outsiders to understand.

Its importance was no less than that of the Five-Colored Divine Light to the Peacock clan.

Words could not express the gratitude in his heart.

“Old Zeng is too polite.”

An Qisheng could only let him be.

Extinguishing the light of Haoran, Zeng San regained his composure and then said, “With such divine powers, Mr. An, it would be reasonable for me to allow you to view the Sage’s handwritten works, but…”

He hesitated, finding it difficult to speak.

“Old Zeng, rest assured, I will not force you.”

An Qisheng dispelled his concerns. He had gained a great deal from this book already, and even if he could not view the Sage’s handwritten works, this trip would not have been in vain.

“It’s not that I’m being selfish, but…”

Zeng San sighed and explained slowly.

The handwritten works left by the Sage were naturally invaluable to the Confucian school, not to mention their effect of suppressing Qi.

Even without that, their significance would be immense.

“To tell you the truth, I only saw the Sage’s handwritten works once two hundred years ago. Later, I couldn’t see them anymore.”

Zeng San smiled wryly, “I don’t know what happened in that battle back then, but the Sage left on a bullock cart and only the cart returned. The Sage’s handwritten works are asleep with that old ox, and ordinary people can’t even get close…”

“Old ox…”

An Qisheng’s eyes flickered, and he smiled slightly at Zeng San, who looked apologetic, “May I ask where the old ox sleeps?”

Zeng San did not hide anything, telling him the place where the old ox slept, but then worriedly added, “That old ox has a terrible temper. If Mr. An wants to go, you must be careful…”

The伐天之战 (Fa Tian War) was earth-shattering. Anything that survived that battle, whether human or demon, wounded or not, would not be easy to deal with.

“Of course.”

An Qisheng nodded, finished the last cup of wine, and was about to leave.

“Mr. An.”

Zeng San suddenly called out to him.

An Qisheng stopped and looked at the old man.

“You call yourself a demon, but you have no demonic aura or any other spiritual energy. May I ask what kind of method you cultivate? Which path do you follow?”

Zeng San was genuinely curious.

He had a wealth of life experience, having traveled beyond the Dong Sheng Continent, but he had never seen such a strange state as the one before him.

He had never seen such a cultivator.

Neither Confucian nor Daoist, neither Buddhist, neither dragon nor demon nor human. He had never seen such a state, but it felt vaguely familiar.

He seemed to have seen a similar record somewhere.

“Would you believe me if I said I haven’t started cultivating yet, Old Zeng?”

An Qisheng took a deep look at Zeng San.

He had manifested this body to travel and do things that were not suitable for his main body to do, and learning the laws and paths of this world was also part of the plan.

However, the spiritual energy of this world was unique and could not be touched lightly. Even with a plan, it had to be done gradually.

Therefore, until now, this body of his, made from a Bodhi seed, had no other divine powers, but only relied on the power of the ‘Giant Spirit God’ to travel.

“I believe you.”

If anyone else had said that, Zeng San would not have believed it, but he believed the man before him.

“Mr. An has a great secret, and I have no intention of exploring it, but…”

Zeng San’s eyes moved, hinting at something:

“Those who are unique often attract more attention. You should think carefully about this…”

“Hmm?”

An Qisheng was slightly surprised, but he didn’t say much. He cupped his fist and disappeared from the carriage.

“Bodhi… enlightenment…”

The warmth in the carriage dissipated. Zeng San looked out at the night sky, lost in thought.

Was this Mr. An so obsessed with the伐天之战 (Fa Tian War) because he was also a survivor of that war?

But…

*Whoosh*

As Zeng San pondered, Yang Ming entered the carriage, and the cool breeze he brought back to Zeng San.

“Teacher, was that a great demon?”

Yang Ming was wary and a little surprised that the great demon had asked him for some books of knowledge before leaving.

“It should be an ‘ancient demon’.”

Zeng San withdrew his gaze.

In today’s world, demons were divided into two types. One type lived in seclusion in the mountains and forests, not interacting with or antagonizing humans. These demons were mostly ‘ancient demons’ that had existed for a long time.

The second type was deeply hostile to humans, constantly attacking human kingdoms and devouring countless people. These demons had mostly just awakened their intelligence and were called ‘modern demons’.

“An ancient demon? How could an ancient demon appear in this world?”

Yang Ming was even more surprised.

He had seen ancient demons before. The old yellow ox that had once been under the Sage’s command was a prime example of an ancient demon.

However, it had been a long time since such a great demon had appeared in this world.

“Five thousand years have passed since the伐天 (Fa Tian). Perhaps it is time for them to be born again…”

Zeng San’s heart sank with a sense of oppression.

“Them…”

Yang Ming’s heart trembled. He naturally knew who ‘they’ referred to.

“If you see this ‘Mr. An’ in the future, remember not to approach him. It’s best to avoid him from a distance…”

As Yang Ming was thinking, he suddenly heard his teacher’s warning and was shocked.

He looked up and saw his teacher’s expressionless face and unfathomable gaze. He couldn’t help but ask:

“Didn’t you say he was an ‘ancient demon’?”

Ancient demons rarely antagonized humans, and there were even fewer cases of them hurting people.

“He is different.”

Zeng San lowered his eyes and didn’t say much, but gave another warning.

“This disciple understands.”

Yang Ming became even more curious, but he managed to suppress it.

He simply ordered his disciples to speed up their journey to Nanhua Dao.

If the world was about to experience another upheaval, the human race, the human race of the Dong Sheng Continent, at least in his eyes, could not afford to have a civil war within the human dynasties first.

“Yes.”

Yang Ming bowed and retreated, issuing the order, and the strange beasts pulling the carriage increased their speed, heading towards Nanhua Dao, Linxi City, and the Zhenhai King’s residence.

In the howling wind and snow, the caravan gradually moved away.

Inside the carriage, Zeng San’s expression was沉凝 (chen ning - grave and thoughtful). Gazing remotely from the window, he seemed to still be able to sense the aura of Mr. An.

“Who exactly are you…”

His gaze held a trace of deeply hidden fear.

During their conversation, he had indeed felt a great sense of goodwill towards Mr. An, but his state of mind was spiritual, and he vaguely sensed a deeply hidden, yet pure ‘demonic nature’ beneath his peaceful aura.

It was a profound ‘demonic nature’ that he had never seen before.

Even the giant demons and fierce beings he had seen in some underground palaces and ruins, those who had left their names in history, did not possess such a terrifying ‘demonic nature’.

.......

*Whoosh*

The wind howled and the snow swirled.

“Demonic nature? Heh~”

An Qisheng walked against the wind, glanced back at the receding caravan, and smiled noncommittally.

The supernatural powers of the Confucian school were not as good as those of Daoism and Buddhism, but their cultivation of the mind far surpassed that of the same level. Zeng San’s cultivation was not as good as that of a Night Wandering God, but his mental cultivation was even better.

“But what is a demon?”

Ripples appeared in the depths of An Qisheng’s eyes, but he did not pay attention to it.

Heaven and earth have yin and yang, and people have good and evil. Pure good and evil are not human, nor are they his path.

The Dao can encompass everything, and stubbornness to one thing is not his Dao.

The sights and sounds he had seen and heard in the ‘dream’ still surged in his heart, and the history written by Zeng Yan continued to revolve in his heart.

The Earth Immortal Dao, or rather the inheritance of the Imperial Heaven Realm, far surpassed that of the Human Realm. What Zeng Yan had written was far more than imagined.

The legends and stories of the various eras were as numerous as the stars.

However, with An Qisheng’s current realm, organizing them naturally wouldn’t take too much time. By the time the caravan was still visible, he had fully digested the gains of this trip.

Including that Haoran Changhe (Grand Righteousness River) divine power.

“Those who are unique will eventually attract attention. If I want to go to the Imperial Heaven Court, I have to cultivate the Dao of this world…

Perhaps, I can start with the Confucian school?”

As An Qisheng’s mind was filled with thoughts, he had already returned to the small town where the rabbit demon was located.

On a cold and snowy night, there were naturally few people walking around in this small town settlement, and there were not even many lights lit.

The moment he walked into the town, An Qisheng’s heart stirred, and his gaze turned to the northwest corner.

There, a small courtyard was still lit, and there were bursts of suppressed panting, as if someone was giving birth, which caught his attention.

It was the figure in the shadows outside the small courtyard.

It was a short Daoist priest standing in the shadows, listening to the hissing sound in his ears, his eyes filled with a hint of disgust and greed:

“It’s about to be born, it’s about to be born…”

“And then what?”

The short Daoist was muttering to himself when he suddenly heard someone ask. Without thinking, he replied, “Then, of course, I’ll take the ‘Ultimate Evil Placenta’… Hmm?!”

Halfway through his words, the short Daoist suddenly woke up. Just as he was about to turn around, a palm had already broken through his magic barrier,

and pressed on his shoulder:

“And then what?”

The short man’s body stiffened, feeling as if he had been entangled by a poisonous snake. Infinite coldness arose in his heart, and his limbs and torso lost control under the piercing chill.

“You, who are you?”

A chill rose in the short man’s heart. His lips wriggled, and he made a hoarse voice from excessive fright: “This poor Daoist comes from the ‘Law Refining Hall’. Fellow Daoist, we are both of the demon race. Don’t make a mistake!”

“Think carefully. What should you say?”

An Qisheng lightly pinched the man’s shoulder, causing him to let out a low, suppressed scream.

With his understanding of the human body, this pinch was more painful than slow slicing and more unbearable than skinning. Even this man was in so much pain that he almost collapsed.

“This poor Daoist, this poor Daoist was ordered to collect the Ultimate Evil Placenta. This is the order of the Hall Master of the ‘Law Refining Hall’. I cannot disobey it…”

The man was obviously not a tough guy. After being pinched twice by An Qisheng, he told everything like pouring beans out of a bamboo tube.

The Ultimate Evil Placenta was the placenta of a newborn baby.

In the cultivation world, this was an extremely evil material, the main ingredient for refining evil elixirs. Because it was easy to obtain, it was most popular among some cultivators.

“Human nature is evil! The bloodline of the human race is extremely evil. What’s wrong with taking it?”

The short man was drenched in sweat from the pain, and his facial features were twisted and狰狞 (zheng ning - hideous).

“You know quite a bit.”

An Qisheng glanced indifferently at the little demon who was slumped on the ground like mud, his voice indifferent: “But this is not just about humans. Everything is the same.”

Of course, he knew what he was talking about.

From birth, the will to survive had been imprinted in the bloodline and genes of every race.

In the ancient years, when all spirits were born on the corpses of gods and demons, some gods and demons had窥探 (kui tan - spied on) the essence of these ‘acquired creatures’.

As a result, the selfishness of all spirits shocked the gods and demons.

Their selfishness existed from the moment they were born.

Their young parasites resided in the mother’s body, greedily and unrestrainedly devouring all the mother’s nutrients, while the mother used every means to resist.

Their so-called nurturing was a ‘war’ between the mother and the fetus!

One side greedily absorbed, not caring even if it killed the mother, while the other side countered, killing you if you dared to absorb too much.

During this process, the two sides derived countless methods, confronting and killing each other.

Strong infants could successfully live until they were rejected by the ‘mother’, while weaker ones would ‘miscarry’.

Strong mothers could survive, while weaker ones would die.

Only when the two reached a balance could new life be nurtured.

Such a naked and bloody race had once attracted the attention of the gods and demons.

Some gods and demons even wanted to kill all living beings because, in their eyes, these living beings were too evil.

And the ‘Ultimate Evil Placenta’ was the battlefield of the two.

After some records of the gods and demons were discovered by some evil cultivators, the Ultimate Evil Placenta became the material for refining evil treasures and elixirs.

But this was just the opinion of the gods and demons.

The human race, or other races, would not agree with this concept, except for ‘evil cultivators’!

“You… please, let me go, let me go!”

The short man howled in fear, feeling an ice-cold killing intent, and his limp body trembled wildly.

*Crack*

An Qisheng glanced at him indifferently and crushed him to death in the shadows, the scarlet blood melting large patches of snow.

An Qisheng took a deep look at the house with the small bean-like light, picked up the short Daoist’s corpse, and turned to walk into the wind and snow.

Behind him, a cry broke through the night.

“Wah~ Wah wah wah~~~”