Chapter 161: Man and Demon, Good and Evil

The mystery of his own origins made Jiang Cheng, an orphan, exceptionally anxious, causing him to lose his usual composure. He hurriedly pressed, "Does Sect Leader Chu happen to know my parents?"

The ghosts knew who Jiang Cheng's parents were; he only knew the fact that Jiang Cheng was a descendant of Chi You.

This foolish boy was always digging for the truth here. If his background were truly laid bare, he would become the target of everyone's arrows.

The fact that Jiang Cheng was a half-demon was far more serious than Zhang Xiaofan's secret!

The latter merely possessed cultivation techniques from both Buddhist and Daoist schools, and at worst, possessed demonic treasures like the Blood-Sucking Bead and the Soul-Sucking Rod.

But Jiang Cheng...

He was a half-demon, through and through!

In the worldview of *Chinese Paladin*, the predecessors of the Demon Race were the Beast Race, and the Beast Race was created by Shen Nong, one of the Three Sovereigns. The later leader, Chi You, was the son of Shen Nong.

In the ancient era, the war between the Gods, Humans, and Beasts ended with the defeat of the Beast Race.

As their leader, Chi You sacrificed his life to open the entrance to the Demon Realm for the Beast Race. The Beast Race lived in the Demon Realm and gradually evolved into the Demon Race.

At that time, not all of Chi You's descendants entered the Demon Realm; a portion of the bloodline remained in the Human Realm, which was Jiang Cheng's lineage.

Legend had it that the Demon Realm Sovereign, Zhong Lou, was formed by the fusion of Chi You's essence blood and the baleful spirits of the ancient three-race battlefield.

This was merely a rumor; whether it was true or not required Chu Yang to verify it himself.

If it were true, Chu Yang would have a chance to obtain the bloodlines of Nv Wa and Shen Nong from among the Three Sovereigns. If he added the Fuxi bloodline, it would be equivalent to obtaining the essence, energy, and spirit of the Great God Pan Gu.

Perhaps he could trace the source and obtain the supreme bloodline of Pan Gu.

Unfortunately, the Heavenly Emperor Fuxi was currently in a deep slumber; it was impossible to obtain the Fuxi bloodline from him, so he would need to find another way.

Chu Yang did not answer Jiang Cheng's question directly, but instead urged him again to leave with him, which appeared somewhat strange to others.

Jiang Cheng's mood was complex, and he did not immediately follow Chu Yang.

If, as others said, he were merely the illegitimate son of some elder, that would be fine; it wasn't a shameful matter. What he feared was that the situation was even more unbearable and needed to be hidden from prying eyes.

If that were the case, he would rather not acknowledge this kinship.

Jiang Cheng's thoughts were actually correct. If not for the fact that his demonic energy was currently overflowing and his half-demon identity could not be hidden for much longer, Chu Yang would not have bothered with him.

"Jiang Cheng, Sect Leader Chu has his own deep reasons for doing this. You have always been composed and wise; why can you not understand such a simple principle now?"

Following Ouyang Ying's reprimand, Jiang Cheng reluctantly prepared to leave with Chu Yang.

"Brother Jiang, if you have any concerns, how about I accompany you?"

Xiahou Jinxuan suddenly stood up.

"Nonsense!"

Xiahou Zhang also stood up, first observing Chu Yang's expression, then reaching out to press on his son's shoulder.

Xiahou Jinxuan felt the pain but did not compromise, his gaze burning as he looked at Jiang Cheng.

Jiang Cheng nodded slowly.

"I'm going too!"

Xia appeared from nowhere, having already changed into the Shushan Sect disciple attire, looking dainty and cute.

Chu Yang thought for a moment and said, "That works, it happens to involve you too."

Xia was shocked; she had only wanted to ease Jiang Cheng's tense mood, never expecting the fire to burn her own body.

Could it be...

Was he the brother she had been separated from for many years? The next second, the two looked at each other subconsciously; Jiang Cheng also had a panicked expression, clearly thinking the same thing.

"Hahaha, so lively, then I'm going too!"

Xie Cangxing, who loved a good show, squeezed forward with a grin.

Since it was already a spoiler, he might as well explain it all at once; keeping it bottled up inside would only be more uncomfortable.

Thinking of this, Chu Yang pointed at Mu Changlan, who was sitting not far from Xiahou Jinxuan, "You come too, it has something to do with you as well!"

"Ah?" Xia exclaimed, saying in disbelief, "Sister Mu, you are also..."

Mu Changlan was confused; she had no mystery regarding her background—her parents, family, brothers, and sisters were all clear.

Xiahou Zhang looked at them and frowned, "What a mess."

Chu Yang rolled his eyes. He had originally wanted to name Xiahou Zhang and tell him that his second brother had long been swapped, but the current situation was enough for people to speculate; it was better not to add fuel to the fire.

Just like that, amidst the chaos, Chu Yang led Jiang Cheng and the others out of the main hall and into a side chamber.

"Sect Leader Chu, there is no one else here now. You can speak directly; I can handle it!"

Jiang Cheng said with a firm gaze.

Since you said you could handle it, don't blame me for being blunt.

Chu Yang said sincerely, "You are not human!"

Jiang Cheng's face froze, his gaze dull.

What does that mean? You brought me here just to insult me?!

The expressions of the others were as strange as could be.

Good heavens.

This Sect Leader Chu really didn't seem like a normal person.

Watching Jiang Cheng's constipated expression, Chu Yang sighed, "You are of the Demon Race. To be precise, you are a human-demon hybrid. You have half the bloodline of the Demon Race in your body."

Jiang Cheng's pupils shrank violently, and he immediately shook his head, "Impossible!"

Xiahou Jinxuan also denied it immediately, "I have known Brother Jiang for many years; he absolutely cannot be of the Demon Race!"

Xie Cangxing and Mu Changlan did not speak; in fact, they had already sensed that something was wrong with Jiang Cheng.

During their journey, Jiang Cheng had shown signs of "going into demonic deviation" several times. Now that they thought about it, it didn't seem like a simple problem with his cultivation technique.

Xia said anxiously, "Brother Jiang is such a good person, how could he be of the Demon Race!"

Chu Yang asked strangely, "Why do you think the Demon Race only has bad people? He is of the Demon Race; what does that have to do with his character?"

Xia's words reached her throat but suddenly stuck. She stared blankly at Chu Yang, not knowing how to refute him.

Jiang Cheng and the others were also stunned by Chu Yang's "rebellious" remarks; it was hard to imagine these words coming from the dignified Sect Leader of Shushan.

"But... that is the Demon Race; they are all very terrifying existences."

Xiahou Jinxuan said hesitantly.

Chu Yang asked, "You should have passed through Qianfeng Ridge when you came, right? There is a group of bandits entrenched there, correct?"

Xiahou Jinxuan nodded blankly.

Chu Yang explained, "The bandits in that place are actually half-demons. They have been oppressed by humans since they were young, and in order to protect themselves, they had no choice but to occupy the mountain and become kings."

"It was humans who forced them there. You tell me, in their eyes, are humans more terrifying, or are demons more terrifying?" Xiahou Jinxuan fell into silence, and the others could not give an answer—or rather, they knew the answer, but it was hard to say out loud.

Jiang Cheng suddenly remembered that the bandit leader of Qianfeng Ridge had called him "one of our own" and told him to find them if he ever had no place to stand.

So that was what it meant...

With the pieces falling into place, Jiang Cheng had to believe the facts Chu Yang stated. He stood frozen on the spot, at a loss.

"Whether it is a monster or a demon, those who incline toward good are good. Whether it is a human or a god, those who incline toward evil are evil."

"I consider my experience to be a bit more colorful than yours. I have seen infatuated monsters, deep-feeling demons, and I have also seen heartless people and vicious immortals and gods."

"If one were to use human or demon as the standard to distinguish good from evil, then the human world would have been full of devils long ago."

After a long time, an expression of relief appeared on Jiang Cheng's face. He bowed to Chu Yang, "Thank you for your teachings, Sect Leader Chu."

Xiahou Jinxuan cupped his hands, "What Sect Leader Chu said today is truly thought-provoking. Jinxuan admires you very much. That you could become the Sect Leader of Shushan at such a young age is a blessing for the common people of the world."

"Yo yo yo, little young master, your flattery is even better than mine!" Xie Cangxing gave Xiahou Jinxuan a thumbs up, winking with a playful face.

"Brother Xie, do not laugh at me. What I just said was truly from the bottom of my heart." Xiahou Jinxuan blushed, scratching his head in embarrassment.

"I think so too!" Xia nodded along and asked suspiciously, "Big guy, don't you think so?"

"Sigh, sigh, sigh, don't you go blaming me. My reverence for the Sect Leader is like the surging river, continuous and unending!" Xie Cangxing hurriedly put on a flattering smile.

Mu Changlan sneered from the side, "I think the little young master's flattery skills are still a distance away from Brother Xie's."

Jiang Cheng watched them bicker silently, inexplicably feeling at ease, and his fear of his demon identity vanished along with it.

"The reason I pointed out your background is, firstly, because the demonic energy in your body has reached a point where it can no longer be suppressed. If it is not channeled in time, it will certainly lead to endless trouble."

"Secondly, I do not want you to be used by those with ulterior motives. Your half-demon bloodline is extraordinary; you are a descendant of Chi You and can do things that ordinary demons cannot."

"For example, opening the passage between the Human, God, and Demon realms, the Well of Gods and Demons..."

Chu Yang told everyone about the Well of Gods and Demons. After knowing the seriousness of the matter, their expressions became heavy.

Especially Mu Changlan; amidst the heaviness, there was also a bit of panic. She suddenly thought of the mysterious person who had been trading with her in secret.

The sharp-minded Jiang Cheng asked, "Sect Leader Chu, the people with ulterior motives you mentioned just now refer to the Demon Race? Do you think there are demons who will use me to open the passage between the Human and Demon realms?"

Chu Yang shook his head, "It is not that I think so, but that he is already acting!"

Everyone was shocked.

Xia asked anxiously, "Who is that person?"

Chu Yang replied, "This person is named Mo Yi, the Great Elder of the Yacha Kingdom in the Demon Realm. As for why he wants to do these things, we have to start from the current situation of the Yacha Kingdom..."

After the time it takes to burn an incense stick, Chu Yang explained the situation of the Yacha Kingdom. Upon hearing that Mo Yi was seeking a way of survival for his people, the expressions on everyone's faces became complex.

Some demons are not purely evil; it is just that their positions are different, and their angles of looking at things are different.

"Because of the existence of the barrier between the two realms, Mo Yi cannot descend to the Human Realm in person. He can only look for puppets he can control to walk for him and collect information from the Human Realm."

"Coincidentally, a major earthquake occurred in the Central Plains more than ten years ago. Among the humans who had just died, Mo Yi found two suitable bodies. He cast a Soul-Binding Technique to forcibly keep the souls that should have entered reincarnation within the shells."

"Of the two bodies, one was an infant, which was inconvenient for Mo Yi, so he abandoned it."

"That infant grew up, and because her soul was not stable, her five senses were weaker than ordinary people. She often felt dizzy, and sometimes even fell into a coma for several days..."

When Chu Yang said this, Xia slumped to the ground, her soul lost and her eyes hollow. She never dreamed that her strange illness was caused by this reason.

I am a dead person...

Xia was in tears. She was in the prime of her youth and had not yet experienced many beautiful things, but she had already been declared dead.

"Miss Xia! Don't panic. Sect Leader Chu said before that there is a way to save you. Don't scare yourself."

Xiahou Jinxuan squatted beside Xia, patting her shoulder and comforting her softly.

If it were usual, Mu Changlan would also comfort Xia, but after hearing the cause of Xia's illness, she suddenly thought of the villagers in her hometown.

During the major earthquake more than ten years ago, the Mu'ai Village where Mu Changlan lived also suffered heavy casualties. Coupled with the spread of an epidemic after the earthquake, most of the survivors were infected and waiting to die.

Coincidentally, a rift connecting to the Ghost Realm appeared in Mu'ai Village. The leaking ghost energy barely maintained the souls of the villagers that should have left their bodies, and their time was frozen from then on.

The old did not grow older, and the children did not grow up.

But good times did not last long. This rift connecting to the Ghost Realm gradually closed, the ghost energy disappeared, and most people died one after another, their souls returning to the underworld.

Mu Changlan's Brother Qin, Mu Tanhuan, found the Mountain God and requested the other party to hold the rift open to maintain the ghost energy, which allowed the last small group of people to survive.

Unlike Xia, the people of Mu'ai Village could not leave the area covered by ghost energy, otherwise, they would die. So, many years passed, and they remained trapped in Mu'ai Village and could not leave.

In order to save her brother and the villagers, Mu Changlan constantly sought ways to break the curse. While learning skills, she also started an information business.

Mu Changlan stared fixedly at Chu Yang, wanting to know what method he had.

Under Xiahou Jinxuan's persuasion, Xia also rekindled hope, looking at Chu Yang with expectant eyes.

Chu Yang sacrificed the ancient sword 【Heavenly Gate】 and flew slowly toward Xia.

Even without using its abilities, 【Heavenly Gate】 itself could still have a positive effect on spiritual bodies. In the world of curses, Chu Yang relied on the ability of 【Heavenly Gate】 to restore those who had been subjected to Idle Transfiguration back to their original state.

He wanted to use the same ability on Xia to help her repair the rift between her soul and body.

As the soft white light fell, Xia felt a warmth she had never felt before. Since she could remember, she had no great concept of cold and heat.

This was the first time she had a clearer concept of "warmth."

A warm current appeared in every corner of her body, so comfortable that she felt like falling into a sound sleep.

The white light slowly faded, and Xia's feeling was completely different. Her skin, which had been as pale as a dead person's, now had a rosy luster.

"How do you feel, Miss Xia?"

Xiahou Jinxuan asked nervously.

"It seems different, but for a moment I can't say where it's different..."

Xia touched her body excitedly.

Xie Cangxing immediately suggested, "Girl, try a sip of wine!"

Xia nodded, took down the wine gourd from her waist, and took a gulp. The warmth she felt before now felt like a raging fire burning in her throat! "So spicy! So spicy! Why has this wine become so spicy!"

Xia fanned her mouth vigorously, her tongue sticking out from the spice, tears streaming down.

Xie Cangxing, whose scheme had succeeded, laughed until his sides hurt. He believed in the Sect Leader's ability, so he had been holding back to tease Xia from the very beginning.

Xia, who realized it later, chased Xie Cangxing around, but with a bright smile on her face.

Surviving a disaster is something worth being happy about for anyone.

While the two were bickering, Mu Changlan walked silently in front of Chu Yang and knelt down with a thud.

In the surprised eyes of everyone, she knelt on the ground, choking with sobs and grief.

"I beg Sect Leader Chu to be merciful and save my family!"

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 162 =====