As Li Qingshan began a new round of cultivation, Qian Rongzhi took a detour. She gazed at Cold Blood pass from afar.
The dark clouds of war amassed in the air. Even from fifty kilometres away, she could smell the foulness of demonic beasts and hear the roars of demonfolk.
She had once considered helping him out, killing a few Demon Sovereigns and earning sufficient “merit” to exchange for the Black Sun Demon Heart. She had merged with all of Si Long memories, so she guessed he was probably in dire need of increasing his status in the Myriad sect. Killing enemies on the battlefield was the fastest way.
However, after completely devouring Si Long, she gave up on that thought, not because she was worried there were Heretic Gods or Demon Gods secretly watching, but because she was completely incapable of controlling the Black Sun Demon Heart. Obtaining it rashly would only lead to her death.
Legends came true through a “person of legends”, not just by obtaining an “item of legends”.
Even if a beggar was dressed in dragon robes, they would not become a monarch. They would only be carved to pieces.
The twelve Demon Gods clearly understood this as well. Otherwise, if simply obtaining the Black Sun Demon Heart meant they could become the king of Demon Gods, they would have rushed over here without any regard a long time ago and swept through the entire region several hundred times. They would not have only sent an army to attack the city.
By now, she had already become certain that Li Qingshan was the person of legends.
When they met this time, he seemed to have changed very much compared to the past, yet he also seemed like he had not changed at all. It made her feel fear.
Yes, fear. This was neither an influence from Si Long’s lingering emotions, or due to the threat of death. Instead, it was a form of instinct.
Many years ago, she had begun to fear him. Even during her maddest moments, she did not dare to extend her venomous teeth towards him. She happened to be submerged in pain back then, so she was completely incapable of understanding the origins of this fear. She could only sense it vaguely.
When she finally broke free from her shackles and was able to observe him from the perspective of the emperor of Great Xia, from the perspective of a Human Sovereign of the Human realm, from the perspective of someone chosen by the Demon domain, she understood that the Black Sun Demon Heart definitely descend for him.
This was not because of power. Let alone Demon Gods and Heretic Gods, there were plenty of people stronger than him even among Demon Sovereigns.
Instead, it was because he was truly a “monster”. The chaos and destruction he could create had far surpassed what any “wicked person” could achieve. He stood at the apex of wickedness.
Even he himself had not realised that. Perhaps he thought it was still “justice and righteousness” or “winning people over by virtue”! However, when he destroyed worlds and brought on extinction, he definitely would not be soft-hearted, even if he was not intrinsically wicked.
The monster called fear was not something to be ashamed about. All those enemies who had been defeated by him had made the same mistake. They mistook him to be the same as them, a regular person.
How laughable. A regular person who was merciful and sympathetic yet also brutal and cruel, a regular person who did not pursue longevity or enlightenment, a regular person who looked down upon demons, let alone believe in gods and buddhas.
That was clearly a person of utter wickedness, having reached the limits of chaos. Even the twelve Demon Gods had to bow down candidly before him.
If the Demon domain was a wicked, deranged mother, then what she required was not some chosen child of the heavens, but a husband who could tower over her. Even if he was fated to reject her and look down on her with scorn, completely uninterested in the power she could grant him, she would still embrace this person without any regard, offering up the Black Sun Demon Heart.
Not a lot of people would believe a conclusion like that. The reason why she could understand this was not just because of all the years they spent knowing each other, but also because of Xiao An’s existence.
Even if she felt envious and reluctant to accept this, she still had to admit that only this “monster” could provide Xiao An what she needed. Only he could accept her “wickedness” so easily and give her all “kindness”, further giving meaning to her and completely developing her “wickedness”.
That was because he was even more wicked, so it made perfect sense for Xiao An to be his follower.
Meanwhile, she had always been loathed by him, so she did not become his follower. She had just been attracted to Xiao An, but in reality, she always kept pace with him. Now, she would even be helping him deal with a Demon God. This definitely was not a coincidence but the compatibility in their paths.
This was a bond of allegiance firmer than any solemn vow, a destiny deeper than any regretless passion. That was called cultivators of the same path, fellows.
As a result, she had also guessed that Li Qingshan definitely did not accept the Black Sun Demon Heart, as if he accepted it so easily, he would not be the person that the Demon domain was looking for.
This was what made the will of the Demon domain twisted and chaotic. It could not obtain what it wanted, and it did not want what it could obtain. It murdered those who resisted and assmiliated with those who yielded.
If those demonfolk in pursuit of power tried to take the Black Sun Demon Heart for themselves, they would either be murdered or assimilated into a part of the Demon domain, losing their free wills. There was not even the tiniest chance of success, as that was going against the heavens.
As a result, her true objective was not to obtain the Black Sun Demon Heart at all. That was not something she could devour. Not even the twelve Demon Gods were capable of devouring it.
Instead, she tried to find ways to completely carry out the Demon domain’s will, so he devoured the Black Sun Demon Heart, so she could fulfill this legend of the king of Demon Gods.
However, she could not oppose him either and scheme against him, just in case he decided to start with her once everything was accomplished.
She had to be a loyal guide, a patient and persuasive matchmaker to facilitate this marriage. It was even more troublesome than directly confronting Demon God Qiongqi.
However, the Demon domain would assist her. When she realised everything and made up her mind, her demon heart immediately shone with resplendent light. She immediately felt like she had been formally appointed.
Her status of being “chosen by the heavens” climbed to a new level, almost reaching the level of Heretic Gods. This was her reward for abiding to the will of the heavens, as well as evidence towards the conclusion she had drawn.
Fortunately, she had not become blinded by greed. Otherwise, if she tried to obtain the Black Sun Demon Heart, she probably would not even know how she died. She smiled. “I am still too kind after all.”
However, the greatest reward was not this but a burning world.
“I hope you like it… Hehehehe…”
Flames burst out from the ground, dyeing the gloomy, cloudy sky a mottled orangey-red like it was burning.
A magnificent phoenix roosted within the flames.
A heart thumped away vigorously!
This was the first time Li Qingshan had used the Phoenix’s Nirvā?a under the Phoenix Transformation.
An unprecedented sensation surged forth like the lava. His blood flowed endlessly like a river of fire, cycling through his body before returning to his heart.
The nirvā?a in the past was always a rapid rebirth to either block or deal a lethal blow to the enemy.
But this time, he observed the entire process calmly. His feathers melded away in the flames. Only the heart of the phoenix became even brighter.
He did not feel anxious inside at all. Instead, his heart felt light and satisfied. All of his pain and worries were cleaned in the flames. This was an emotion vastly different from the ape demon’s ravishing joy. Instead, it was filled with a feeling of compassion for all sentient beings, lamenting over how they could not experience this.
If all people in the world could experience this sensation, even for a split second, they could transcend all of their worries.
This was like the first time he had understood the phoenix’s noble heart. That definitely was not like the spirit turtle, detached from the world, avoiding all ties of karma.
The qilin was a beast of benevolence, but its benevolence was towards all of the living. Plants were living and demonfolk were living too. Good, bad, kindness, or wickedness played no role. It followed the path of nature, viewing life and death as breathing, so it did not feel this kind of lament instead.
As long as all of the living in the world could continue to multiply and thrive, nothing else mattered. Universal love was also a form of heartlessness.
Only the phoenix of eternal life could comprehend the pain of living creatures. It seemed noble and aloof, but it instead possessed compassion.
This is probably the so-called heart of benevolence!
He was the same Li Qingshan, yet what the Upraised Light abbot and Qian Rongzhi saw were completely different. One wanted to send him off to the Western Paradise, Sukhāvatī, while the other wanted to tempt him into swallowing the Black Sun Demon Heart so that he became the lord of the Demon domain.
Fate was unpredictable, vague, and beyond reach. Who knew?
