Redemption of a Born Demon-Chapter 40: Surging Undercurrents, Nowhere to Hide from Divine Sense (Part 2)

Chapter 40: Chapter 40: Surging Undercurrents, Nowhere to Hide from Divine Sense (Part 2)

Outside the cave, the mountain forest was calm under a vast, clear sky. The dense fog that had once filled the woods had completely vanished.

Yi Beidou, Fang Xiuyuan, and Tao Zihong gathered in the forest.

"Although the great Dragon Vein has been slain and its pulse has been pacified, I still need to make some preparations upon its ’reverse scale’ to consolidate the earth’s Qi and facilitate future development," Fang Xiuyuan said.

Even though the great Dragon Vein had been slain, the aftermath involved many more steps; it was far from over. He wouldn’t be leaving Cloud Prison Mountain anytime soon.

"I’ll stay behind with my disciples to lend a hand and collect some relevant data while I’m at it," Tao Zihong added. He had no intention of leaving immediately either. An opportunity like this was rare, and he wanted to seize it to gather data and advance his research on the Qi of Dragon Veins.

"In that case, I’ll be on my way," Yi Beidou said with a nod.

"If you’re interested, I’d like to invite you to visit my research institute when this is over," Tao Zihong offered.

"I will. Gentlemen, farewell."

Yi Beidou inclined his head, then turned and strode back in the direction he had come.

His figure seemed to drift, like an Immortal strolling through the forest, and he soon vanished without a trace.

"What do you make of him?" Tao Zihong asked Fang Xiuyuan in a low voice, his gaze fixed on the spot where Yi Beidou had vanished.

"He is beyond words, immeasurable... as inscrutable as the Dao itself," Fang Xiuyuan said with a sigh of wonder.

"You hold him in such high regard?" Tao Zihong said, surprised.

For beings of their stature, comparing a person to the Dao was the highest possible praise.

After all, the Dao was what they sought.

"He was born a Celestial Demon, yet he possesses Divine Thought—a true embodiment of Yin and Yang, a miracle in this world. He has a natural Dharma Body, and his power is enough for Divine Communication. Moreover, his Heart Intent is boundless, vast enough to encompass mountains and rivers. Didn’t you see the Technique he used before? The Celestial Demon Destruction Technique, where only the Righteous Dharma can survive. He intends to use himself as the standard by which all Taoist Skills under heaven are measured. And in this whole world, who has the right to measure the Righteous Dharma? Only the Dao itself," Fang Xiuyuan explained.

"A Celestial Demon has descended upon the world, and his will is far too tyrannical. As the saying goes, the greater the Divine Power, the deeper the demonic hindrances. The path before him is filled with tribulations and countless enemies. And with a Heart Intent like his, he could become an enemy to the entire world at any moment. Whether he becomes a demon or a savior is a matter of a single thought."

Tao Zihong’s expression was unreadable.

"In any previous age, he would have been qualified to stand at the very pinnacle. But in this era... it’s hard to say. Countless prodigies from all of history, countless Red Dust Immortals from the Hidden World, are all destined to emerge in this age," Fang Xiuyuan said.

"’On this vast earth, who rules its rise and fall...?’" Tao Zihong murmured, as if struck by inspiration, his heart surging with emotion.

"With the younger generation being so exceptional, we can’t afford to fall behind. Once our work here is done, I’ve decided to enter Kunlun." A sharp glint flashed in Fang Xiuyuan’s eyes, his ambition soaring.

"You want to slay the Ancestral Dragon?" Tao Zihong’s eyes widened in surprise.

"How could the Ancestral Dragon be so easily slain? It’s the root of the Dragon Veins of all Kyushu, untouched since ancient times. I plan to venture deep into the forbidden lands of Kunlun, to trace the veins and pinpoint the source, and see if I can find any clues about the legendary Severed Communication!" Fang Xiuyuan said in a low, serious voice.

「Outside Cloud Prison Mountain, at the hikers’ camp.」

"How did the weather in Cloud Prison Mountain change so drastically? It was completely different from the forecast! Thank god we didn’t go too deep into the woods, or the consequences would have been unthinkable."

A group of hikers who had been preparing to trek across Cloud Prison Mountain had retreated to the camp, every one of them drenched and looking thoroughly miserable.

The three Red Dust Immortals slaying the Dragon Vein of Cloud Prison Mountain had caused a sudden, violent change in the mountain’s weather, unleashing gale-force winds and torrential rain. Under such conditions, not even heavily-geared trekkers would dare venture deep into the forest, as the risk of death from hypothermia was far too high.

In the face of nature’s might, human life seemed so fragile.

RUSTLE! RUSTLE!

A short while later, two figures emerged from the forest—it was Meng Qianyuan and Zhou Baiwei.

They too looked miserable after facing the sudden storm. Zhou Baiwei’s long hair was plastered wetly against the back of her head, and her clothes were covered in mud and leaves.

With his Qi and blood sealed, Meng Qianyuan looked even more wretched than Zhou Baiwei.

Seeing the pair, the other hikers remembered their group. These two were at least wearing some lightweight gear. But the young man who had entered the mountains before them had been dressed in nothing but casual sportswear. The moment that storm hit and his clothes got soaked, it would have been like strapping a refrigerator to his body; his chances of survival were practically zero.

Judging by the speed at which he’d entered the mountain, he must have been one of those ultralight trekking pros who challenge their limits. It would be a real shame if he died in the forest because of the freak storm.

"You two should call the police or a rescue team, quickly! Otherwise, your friend doesn’t stand much of a chance of making it out alive." One of the hikers came over to offer some well-intentioned advice.

"Thank you for your kindness, but I doubt there’s anything in Cloud Prison Mountain that could possibly threaten our friend," Zhou Baiwei replied with a polite smile.

’These people are insane,’ the hiker thought. He could only shake his head and sigh. He didn’t try to persuade them further. Some people just had a death wish, and plenty of people died here every year. ’You have to respect nature, but you can’t help those who won’t help themselves.’

However, it wasn’t long before they heard footsteps approaching from the woods.

Everyone turned to look. A young man in casual sportswear was striding out of the forest. His clothes looked exactly the same as when he had entered; the downpour seemed to have left no trace on him at all. 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

If not for the flecks of mud and grass on his shoes, no one would have believed he had been inside the mountain at all.

An Immortal treads the mortal world, his feet but lightly stained with dust.

"Mr. Yi, is everything taken care of?" Meng Qianyuan and Zhou Baiwei hurried over to ask.

"Yes, it’s done. The great Dragon Vein of Cloud Prison Mountain has been slain. Let’s head back to Spring City, and from there we’ll return to Wencheng at a later date."

Yi Beidou nodded, then led Meng Qianyuan and Zhou Baiwei onto the path back.

They left the crowd of hikers in the camp staring after them, completely speechless.

「That evening, as the sun set and night fell.」

Yi Beidou and the other two drove into the Spring City area, just reaching the outskirts of the city proper.

Suddenly, Yi Beidou seemed to sense something and turned his head, his gaze directed toward a specific part of the city.

"Faint and hazy... indistinct... like a view veiled by clouds and mist, or a beauty half-hidden behind her instrument. Interesting, very interesting," Yi Beidou murmured to himself.

"Sir? What are you talking about? The weather?" Meng Qianyuan looked quizzically in the direction of Yi Beidou’s gaze.

It was just an ordinary city nightscape.

"Sir, you’re not checking out girls, are you?" Zhou Baiwei teased. She had noticed a few girls standing at the entrance of a roadside shopping mall. Their outfits were certainly revealing—you could even say "hazy and half-hidden"—and they were shaking with laughter, their fair skin practically glowing.

"Stop the car," Yi Beidou said.

SCREECH!

Zhou Baiwei obediently pulled over to the side of the road.

"You two head back to our accommodations first. I’ve sensed something, so I’m going to take a walk around the city."

Yi Beidou opened the car door and stepped out. His figure seemed to move slowly, yet he vanished among the crowds and buildings in an instant.

"Sir!"

Zhou Baiwei started to call out, but Yi Beidou was already gone.

"He ditched us again! Now what do we do?" Zhou Baiwei couldn’t help but slap the steering wheel as she looked at Meng Qianyuan in the passenger seat.

"Can you or I stop him from doing what he wants? Who in all of Spring City could possibly stop him? Don’t waste your energy worrying. Let’s just head back. I’m starving, and I want to get some food in my belly," Meng Qianyuan said with a devil-may-care shrug.

「Yunding Grand Hotel.」

"Looks pretty lively here today, huh?"

Shen Song pulled back the curtains in his room and looked down at the plaza in front of the hotel lobby. It was bustling with traffic, a stream of luxury cars arriving one after another. Men in suits and women in evening gowns, all with an air of distinction, stepped out onto the curb.

"I heard it’s the coming-of-age party for the ’little princess’ of the Yundong Group’s Yang Family. It’s being held in the second-floor banquet hall. Seems like a lot of Cloud Sea socialites are here. What do you say? We don’t have any news on our target yet, so why don’t we go have a little fun? I’ve been hearing about the Yunhai Yang Family for a long time," the cynical young man said with a playful grin.