Chapter 193: How Could a True Immortal Lack a Human Heart?

Jingxin Daoren's eyes involuntarily lit up; clearly Xue Xiaohei's heroic ambition deeply moved his heart.

After all, in this world filled with despair, a cultivator who barely follows any rules while eating people can already be called orthodox; as for Xue Xiaohei, who aspires to slaughter a vast bright universe, he is simply a speck of pure light in the boundless dark night!

Slaughter is naturally not good.

But if this world itself is evil, then slaughter becomes another kind of "justice"!

When this strange justice-light reveals itself, the moth forced to dwell in darkness will, driven by instinct, approach and yearn for this sole light, and then burn together with the light…

"You are the first person daring to say the Dao Ancestor should die, and also the first daring to say the Immortal Dao should perish! You are truly a lunatic! A madman!"

Amid surprise, fear, and even excitement, the refined Jingxin Daoren slammed his thigh hard and involuntarily spat out a string of vulgar words:

"But…… you're damn right!!!"

"This world is already twisted! No hope left! All cultivators should die! The Immortal Dao should perish!"

"If the Dao Ancestor knows but does nothing, then He too deserves death, and His dog head should be smashed!!!"

Xue Xiaohei:???

Seeing this Daoist actually utter such unbecoming vulgarity, even cursing more harshly than himself, Xue Xiaohei looked at him in astonishment:

How come this person's emotions feel even more extreme than mine……

【In your astonishment, the hot-tempered Jingxin Daoren seemed to realize he had acted out of line; after barely composing himself, he sincerely and earnestly bowed to you.】

【"Fellow Daoist, may I join you?"】

【He requested to join the group.】

【A True Immortal voluntarily joining your retinue is naturally an unexpected joy; with his aid, your efficiency in slaughtering the Primordial Immortal Dao will surely greatly increase!】

【But you are somewhat hesitant, both because you dare not blindly trust someone upon first meeting, and because…… you have a cleanliness obsession.】

【You have always called yourself a demon, viewing all Immortal Dao as evil, and demons and the orthodox cannot coexist…… Although Jingxin Daoren's words sound better than his singing, the fact that he cultivated to become a lofty True Immortal means he must have devoured countless people, making him the vilest of the vile among heretics!】

【The only reason you haven't killed him outright is lack of strength; yet now this heretic wishes to join you……】

【Jingxin Daoren clearly saw your disgust and struggle, then gave a self‑mocking smile: "Fellow Daoist, no need to hesitate; I know my sins are deep, so I dare not beg for survival."】

【This life can be wholly entrusted to you, Fellow Daoist—whether as an ox and horse or as a substitute‑death ghost, I have no reservations; my life and death are entirely in your hands!】

【Hearing his sincerity, you finally reluctantly lowered part of your guard and cleanliness obsession, nodded and agreed to his joining; anyway, having an ox and horse to command is not bad……】

【When the great undertaking of exterminating immortals is accomplished, killing him later will still be timely!】

【……】

【With a legitimate True Immortal now in your ranks, your slaughter efficiency increases greatly; upon reaching each state, you go slaughter the orthodox and heretical cultivators within, while Jingxin Daoren goes to behead corrupt officials and tyrants, then help establish a new court to govern effectively.】

【Cultivators are crushed one by one, cave‑heavens leveled to flat ground, corrupt courts slaughtered until heads roll……】

【The two True Immortals you bring death and slaughter wherever you go, their mighty shock shakes all directions; yet under this terrifying high‑pressure rule, the people's livelihood in various lands actually improves—though they cannot instantly ascend to paradise, it is akin to rising from purgatory to the mortal realm.】

【Two bolts of destructive lightning strike down one defiant wretch after another, tearing apart the dark clouds that shroud the human world……】

【Amidst the various frenzied slaughter, Jingxin Daoren also saw that you are a self‑taught cultivator, but he did not look down on you; instead, he generously shared the immortal arts and methods passed down in his lineage, and from this inheritance your combat power grew ever stronger.】

【In this amicable association, your impression of him gradually improved, from a heaven‑defying treasure to "a treasure with a bit of kindness"……】

【Thus, you began to actively discuss many matters with him—cultivation, daily life, past experiences…… In this exchange you gradually formed a more objective and comprehensive understanding of him.】

【Jingxin Daoren is a typical orthodox‑background cultivator; in his youth, aspiring to the Immortal Dao, he apprenticed himself in some cave‑heaven blessed land, dreaming of becoming like the mythic heroes who upheld justice—punishing evil and promoting good!】

【But…… reality turned out to be cruel.】

【From the initial shock and disgust upon learning that spiritual energy originates from mortal souls, to gradual numbness and deliberate ignorance, and finally to regarding it as natural…… Jingxin Daoren's inner journey basically mirrors the mindset shift of orthodox cultivators since the Age of Dharma Decline.】

【It's not that they innately enjoy eating people; rather, aside from consuming humans there is no other way to cultivate immortality!】

【Some try to numb themselves, some feign blindness, others flee everything; after swiftly attaining True Immortality they immediately ascend to the Immortal Realm, believing it holds limitless heavenly‑earthly spiritual energy and abundant resources, so once there they need never eat people again—everything will improve!】

【Yet some choose none of these, for example Jingxin Daoren.】

【After becoming an Immortal by eating people, Jingxin Daoren neither continued eating people nor ascended to the Immortal Realm; instead he chose to remain in the mortal world, hiding as an ordinary person.】

【His Dao‑heart had already been shaken and struck when he ate people; he felt hopeless about the future of the Immortal Dao, wanting only to live an ordinary mortal life, never again aspiring to higher realms, for he believed that one who devours humans is unworthy to continue cultivating.】

【Had it not been for your slaughter stirring the hermit hidden among the populace, he would merely continue his mundane days, occasionally doing a good deed, and that would have been enough……】

【It is you who changed him; you, this candle in the darkness, lit his lethargic moth—he has lived long enough, now he only wishes to burn himself, striving to illuminate this hopeless world!】

【In short, Jingxin Daoren is one who seeks atonement; his purpose is simple, not driven by self‑interest in joining your group.】

【But precisely because his motive is overly simple, it makes you a bit suspicious: if he wants to atone, why didn't he do so before? Must he wait for my arrival to atone…… Do I really have such exaggerated influence?】

【You are not a deep‑scheming person; coming from humble origins you always prefer straightforwardness, so you directly asked him face‑to‑face: "Why don't you continue secluding yourself? When I arrive, you'll join me……"】

【Faced with this blunt question, Jingxin Daoren was somewhat caught off guard, but since you asked so directly, he frankly replied: "Because I could tell at a glance that you're not ordinary!"】

【How could a gold‑scaled fish remain in a pond? Once wind and cloud meet, it transforms into a dragon!】

【Would an ordinary person dare to say they will slaughter a vast bright universe? Would an ordinary person dare to proclaim they will sever the Immortal Dao? Would an ordinary person dare to curse the Dao Ancestor?】

【Clearly, you are not an ordinary person.】

【Having heard this, you seem to grasp something…… but you still don't believe it, for this judging standard is too unreliable; swap in a lunatic and he'd likewise rant wildly, smashing the Dao Ancestor's dog‑head means nothing— a lunatic would even dare to curse Him for selling……】

【Faced with your repeated questioning, the helpless Jingxin Daoren could only speak the truth: "Although the above are reasons, the true factor that made him abandon his survival‑only mindset and resolutely join your retinue is actually……】

【"Because you have never eaten a person!"】

【Jingxin Daoren grinned: "A fellow who has never eaten a person can actually cultivate, even become a True Immortal, and is about to break through to Heavenly Immortal……】

【Frankly, he truly believes you are a reincarnated sage!】

【Following a mere lunatic is naturally meaningless, but following a lunatic who seems a sage reborn…… that is called "following the dragon"!】

【Jingxin Daoren does not expect to gain any merit from following the dragon, but he genuinely sees in you the hope to end all evil!】

【And with this hope, it is actually enough for him to take the lead in charging forward……】

【Hearing this unexpected yet reasonable answer, you couldn't help glancing at the seven‑colored bird perched on your shoulder: "Sage reborn?" Of course not, but "creating something from nothing" is pretty close.】

【Moreover, in a sense you are even more formidable than a sage, for you are the true protagonist!】

【Can the protagonist succeed?】

【Regarding this, you have never had any doubt!】

……

Once again, amidst the ruins of a celestial grotto.

A plain-looking youth in black robes sat cross-legged on the rocks, eyes closed, cultivating in silence……

Not far away, Jingxin Daoren in plain robes was guarding the Dao for him.

In fact, there was no need to guard the Dao, because there were hardly any immortals in the mortal world; even a true immortal sitting casually on the ground to cultivate faced no threat whatsoever.

Said to be guarding the Dao, but actually it was to let him witness the ceremony:

A celestial immortal is about to be born in the mortal realm!

「Celestial immortal……」

Looking at his youthful appearance, Jingxin Daoren couldn't help but click his tongue.

Since joining forces a year ago, their communication has gradually deepened—not only has Xue Xiaohei come to know him better, but he has also come to know Xue Xiaohei better:

Actually there isn't much to know, because this kid is really just in his early thirties; of that, the latter twenty-plus years he spent slaughtering everywhere, the first eight years he was an ordinary village child, and the only things worth mentioning are those three legendary days when he was eight.

A very simple résumé, spotless as can be—basically, his family was destroyed overnight, then in three days he burst forth with power to become a true immortal, and after that it was just slaughter, slaughter, slaughter……

He's basically a typical overpowered protagonist, a standard hero template, his halo practically maxed out!

But the more his halo is maxed out, the more Jingxin Daoren is convinced that he has chosen the right dragon.

This absolute genius must be a mythic big shot who has descended to the mortal realm to undergo tribulation……

「But no matter how you say it, a thirty‑year‑old celestial immortal…… is just too heaven‑defying! 」

Jingxin Daoren's thoughts were in turmoil—he was delighted that the world's darkness might finally be split open, yet he also doubted his own life because of this kid's overly heaven‑defying résumé.

My master once said that taking over a hundred years to become a true immortal already made me a genius among the righteous path's talents, but what the heck is this kid? Even in mythic ages, such speed would be rare!

「He really must be a sage reincarnated, right……」

Since he couldn't see that the seven‑colored little bird was providing spiritual energy to Xue Xiaohei, to his eyes it appeared as if Xue Xiaohei was creating spiritual energy out of nothing, generating it naturally whenever he cultivated—this undoubtedly further misled his judgment.

And creating something from nothing is exactly the hallmark of a sage!

「So who is he then? 」

Dao Ancestor? The Three Pure Ones? The Two Sages?

Surely it can't be Nüwa……

Just as he was guessing which sage's reincarnation this kid might be, Xue Xiaohei opposite him suddenly shifted his aura, and then became ethereal……

The black‑clad youth opened his eyes—a celestial immortal unparalleled in the world, formally descending to the mortal realm!

……

(End of chapter)