Volume One: The Hidden Dragon in the Abyss Chapter 49: Obsession

Five years old.

"Why do you cultivate?"

"To become a god."

"Not bad, not bad, you have potential."

...

Ten years old.

"Why do you cultivate?"

"To become a god."

"Do you know what a deity truly is?"

...

Fifteen years old.

"Why do you cultivate?"

"To become a god."

"For thousands upon thousands of years, none have become a god."

...

Twenty-five years old.

"Why do you cultivate?"

"To become a god."

"Stop clinging to this delusion. The path to godhood no longer exists. All living beings—like ants, like flies and dogs—this is our fate. Why must you be so stubborn? The path you walk is the wrong one!"

...

So what if it’s wrong?

This is my path—one I cannot abandon.

Master, you were the one who told me the tales of the ancient demon gods. Back then, martial cultivation flourished, the era was radiant, shining with unparalleled brilliance.

In our youth, how we yearned for that.

Years have passed and one by one, people have grown up. It seems they all have accepted reality.

But as for me, you all think I’m still left behind in those earlier days.

Does that matter?

I know—I have always known—but I still wish to do this, to persist in my way!

At worst, I will prove my path with my own life.

When that day comes, you can tell those who follow: there is no need to attempt it again, for truly, no one can attain godhood.

This is my choice.

And yet, after years in seclusion, why do I still face this bottleneck?

My Heavenly Demon Transformation, the supreme demonic scriptures, divine skills unrivaled in the world—why does the bottleneck remain?

The Master’s Ascendancy, the Undying Body—this is the most crucial step. Once attained, I shall be immortal!

This is the foundation of godhood—the root of enlightenment.

Reaching this realm, one can dominate the heavens and earth, bask in supreme glory!

Today I met Wang Chuan; he must have achieved it already, a figure who is even more legendary than the tales say.

No wonder those demon gods would send their avatars at any cost to slay him.

I, the leader of the Sacred Demon Sect, possess countless treasures, endless riches, peerless divine weapons, and yet I cannot compare to a single Wang Chuan.

After seeing him today, I felt a strange sense of familiarity.

It was as if we were the same kind of person.

What amazed me most today was that Wang Chuan actually escaped under pursuit by the demon gods.

He truly escaped.

That man… has he truly become this powerful?

Even if it was only an avatar, the gap in strength at such heights is insurmountable.

Xu Sheng now stood at the heart of the Demon God’s Relic, the very center, the place of the Demon God’s cultivation.

He watched silently, never taking his eyes off Wang Chuan.

Witnessing that man create miracles—yet why did he feel, perhaps, a tinge of comfort, even happiness?

"Sect Master, all preparations are complete," a subordinate came to report.

"Activate all spirit stones, open every defensive formation. Begin," Xu Sheng ordered coldly.

Such a grand design to bury thousands of martial artists commenced as lightly as a passing breeze!

He stood there, silent and solitary, as if even heaven and earth could not contain his figure.

It was as though, at any moment, he might shatter space and depart.

Draped in black, long hair cascading over his shoulders, simply tied, giving him an air of timeless grandeur.

And barefoot he stood, tall and straight; with a wave of the hand, a beam of light rose from his palm.

Blazing as fire, resplendent as the sun, yet fine as the tip of a hair—instantly illuminating the entire relic.

At the same time, all within the Demon God’s Relic were suddenly struck with dread.

At last, the true plan was to begin.

The appearance of the Demon God’s Relic was mere coincidence.

Soon, countless ancient mysteries would be revealed, treasures of old would surface in the mortal world.

Behind this was the advent of a great calamity.

But this time, it was their own inheritance—the demons possessed far greater knowledge than any other race.

Even the entrance appeared first in the Demon Realm!

No one ever truly expected to seize some great fortune or treasure from within—were the Demon God’s relics really so precious?

That being was long dead!

They could even summon a living Demon God; how could the remnants of a dead one compare?

They had everything they needed.

So, they repurposed it.

A grand plan was born.

They opened passageways between here, the Divine Continent, the distant Immortal Isles of the demon realm, the wild lands of the barbarians—connecting all these realms.

They lured countless cultivators, drawn by curiosity or hope for ancient fortune.

And the demons, seizing this chance, would sacrifice them all to open the passage once and for all.

Then, the demon race would return to the Divine Continent and once again rule the world!

They had transported countless treasures from the Demon Realm—endless spirit stones and artifacts—piling them into the grand formation, all for this plan!

How Xu Sheng longed for a battle with Wang Chuan, a true, unrestrained duel!

Yet because of this place, he had to focus on advancing the plan.

Perhaps, after sacrificing a hundred thousand cultivators, he himself would become a Demon God.

More and more cultivators had entered the snare—over a hundred thousand. They seemed blissfully unaware.

What a pity that Wang Chuan managed to escape.

But it did not matter—so many geniuses were present, and he could seize their fortunes as well.

Xu Sheng raised his hand, gazing proudly at the heavens.

Thunder rumbled—

Suddenly, the world changed color, thunder roared and rolled.

In that instant, the entire realm was filled with thunder, the heavens and earth reversed.

Once, Pangu split heaven and earth; now, it seemed, they would merge again.

This was only a relic, a minor world.

A grand formation made the world itself into a giant millstone, thunder as its force, grinding all beings to dust.

All the martial artists within struggled, like fish caught in a tightening net.

Thunder of ten thousand weights, light as prison, splitting into countless bolts, falling like rain.

The martial artists resisted with all their might, but the thunder seemed to pierce everything, breaking through their protective energy, corroding and consuming them.

"Ah…"

"No…"

"How can this be?"

…

In an instant, it was as if all were plunged into purgatory—cries of agony rose and fell.

In the blink of an eye, many were reduced to ash beneath the thunder.

The endless thunder, the unfathomable might of the heavens—

It was no longer something mortals could resist.

Unstoppable.

"So that’s how it is!"

Suddenly, a voice rang out.

Xu Sheng glanced in that direction and saw Wang Chuan tear open a spatial passage and appear not far away.

He strolled out, bold and unfazed.

Against a titan like Xu Sheng, any attempt at stealth was meaningless.

And Wang Chuan knew, facing Xu Sheng, it would be the same.

Xu Sheng frowned slightly, watching the young man with flowing sleeves, walking as if on wind, treading the air as if it were solid ground.

Wang Chuan now seemed at his peak—so different from the frail figure who had just dueled with the Demon God. His entire bearing was like that of an immortal, clear-eyed, with swirling black and white in his gaze. In the depths of those dark pupils, mysteries of the Dao seemed to dwell.

Anyone who met his eyes would feel themselves drawn in, as if about to lose themselves. Xu Sheng could sense that this man’s understanding of the laws of heaven and the Dao of the universe was profound beyond measure.

Truly, he was the chosen of fate.

Xu Sheng sighed inwardly. "You still came. Would it not have been better to leave, to go far away?"

"Is that truly your wish?" Wang Chuan smiled, asking lightly.

"Since seeing you, I’ve known we must one day fight. But not now—you can see I have grave matters at hand." Xu Sheng spoke earnestly. "This is only because the Demon God wishes you dead; from the start, I never wished it so. Once the passage is open, countless demon soldiers will descend and reclaim the Divine Continent. There will be many chances in the future. Even if we fail today, there will be other relics, other passages. As long as I can use this to further my own powers, it is enough."

That was all it was.

By refining a hundred thousand cultivators.

"I have always wondered, where did the demons go over the years?" Wang Chuan asked. "I have searched countless records and found no answer—no trace of your lives remains."

"Beyond the world," Xu Sheng replied.

"Beyond the world?" Wang Chuan was surprised.

"Yes. As far as I know, it is far, far from the Divine Continent. Even those who have become gods or saints, who can shatter space and traverse the stars, would need a long time to reach it," Xu Sheng said.

There was no harm in telling him this.

Wang Chuan thought for a moment. "No wonder—the beast clans and barbarians are still on this continent, but since you went beyond, do you know where the gods went?"

"To a higher realm, I suppose—you call it the Divine Court, don’t you? You must understand: those left behind here were abandoned." Xu Sheng said. "After the great war, we were exiled, driven far from this land. Yet the demon race’s ambition never died—we have always wished to return! We have been gathering our strength for many years…"

"But now you have appeared here," Wang Chuan remarked. "Even so, you entered from the Divine Continent, didn’t you?"

"Yes. We arrived long ago. The entrance is in a remote place—it matters little if I tell you. This place is recorded in our histories, so when the Demon God’s Relic appeared, we had a great advantage, all went smoothly. Only, I did not expect you, Wang Chuan, to be even greater than the legends. You were not in my calculations," Xu Sheng sighed.

"So your people have found a way to return," Wang Chuan said.

"Yes… and no," Xu Sheng shook his head. "I grew up among the demons—in what you call the Demon Realm. The most gifted children of our race were gathered and trained, to be of use in the future. As for our Sacred Demon Sect, our strength and people are all in the Divine Continent, hidden well. The world knows us, so you cannot forget how long we have been here."

"About a thousand years ago, the Sacred Demon Sect emerged. The righteous path sought to exterminate you, but you hid well. For all these years, though we are enemies, you still exist," Wang Chuan reflected.

"Yes. The first disciples then came from the Demon Realm, returned to the Divine Continent, founded the Sacred Demon Sect, and built up our strength. Some disciples were recruited here, but most were from the Demon Realm, the core of the sect. So you see, we had long thought of reclaiming the Divine Continent," Xu Sheng sighed. "But the demon race could never send a great army, because crossing the void is too dangerous. Wang Chuan, even with your and my current cultivation, can we cross it at will, as if walking in a courtyard?"

"No, I am not fully confident," Wang Chuan shook his head.

It was like a mortal who had learned to swim being asked to cross a river—never having tried it, it would still be dangerous. With only basic skills, one could manage a small pond, but a great river, with swift currents, was another matter entirely.

"Exactly. For generations, my people tried to return to the Divine Continent, countless attempts, endless effort. At last, we found a way, but the risk was great. When I came, there were dozens with me; in the end, only ten survived," Xu Sheng said.

"I can imagine," Wang Chuan nodded.

"Wang Chuan, if we were not on opposing sides, I think we would have been great friends," Xu Sheng said with a bitter smile. "I have come this far, leader of the Sacred Demon Sect, above tens of thousands, yet it is lonely—especially on the martial path. I think you are the same."

"Perhaps," Wang Chuan agreed.

"What level have you reached?" Xu Sheng asked.

He raised his hand again, pressing down.

Thunder roared—

Heaven and earth grew even more tumultuous, as if on the verge of merging. Thunder raged, tearing the sky asunder. Magma erupted, melting the earth.

All the energies—vital and demonic—were refined, becoming unbearably hot, burning all things to ash.

It was as if chaos itself would soon return.

"I cannot say," Wang Chuan shook his head.

His realm could no longer be described with words; nothing could express it.

Profound upon profound.

Even he could not see his own limits, did not know where his boundaries lay.

"I see," Xu Sheng nodded, understanding at once. "If this were the ancient days, you would already be a god or a saint."

His battle with the Demon God had shown him much; he could truly take that final step.

In this world, he stood proud above the void of the universe.

How wonderful.

"How is it that in the spirit-poor land of the Divine Continent, such a peerless talent could arise?" Xu Sheng sighed in admiration.