Volume One: The Nature of the Devil Never Changes
Arc: The Great Guerrilla War
Scarlet King slowly made his way toward the Dragon Gang's headquarters. As he walked, he passed through the large market, which was filled with human activity. Some people were sparring in friendly matches, some were talking, some were flirting, and others were buying and selling goods.
Scarlet King observed the scene without curiosity. He did not dislike it, but he found nothing in it worth contemplating. He thought,
(Human life is simple. Everything that happens in their lives is merely the same things repeating through slightly different activities and forms, yet they feel as though they are new. At most, they talk, fight, and train… The nature of life is repetition.)
To him, human life was nothing more than repetition carried out in different ways. The names and forms changed, but the essence remained the same. Humans tried to create something new from old things by making a few changes, then called it new.
What was the difference between hostility and love? Love and hostility were merely two forms of the same thing: allowing another person to occupy a space within your mind. One drew you toward them, while the other drove you against them. Love was like a calm sea that encouraged you to let your body float upon it, while hostility was like a reverse-flowing river that forced you to resist its current and move against it.
At that moment, one of the young men looked toward Scarlet King.
"Oh, it is Gu Yue, the leader's son."
The younger generation was filled with vitality. They dreamed of rising higher, becoming stronger, and attaining greater status and better lives.
In Scarlet King's eyes, however, that enthusiasm was merely the result of years of indoctrination by the sect. Their loyalty had been carefully manufactured until the young disciples came to view serving the sect as part of their own personal dreams, reducing them to nothing more than pawns in the sect's hands.
From Scarlet King's perspective, no matter how different their activities appeared, they could all be reduced to a limited number of motives and actions.
This was Scarlet King's personal view of the repetitive nature of life. To an eternal being like him, everything could eventually become repetitive—everything except Eternal Rest. It was the only goal that still interested him and, from his perspective, made his life more engaging.
After walking for some time, he arrived at the Dragon Gang's headquarters. Two guards stood before the entrance. When they saw Scarlet King approaching, one of them said,
"Is that not young man Gu Yue?"
They immediately raised their weapons. Both were fifth-level Qi Refinement cultivators.
Within seconds, Scarlet King appeared in front of them, grabbed their spears, and snapped them with a simple squeeze of his hands.
"Do not provoke someone stronger than you."
The two guards froze nervously at the sight of Scarlet King's strength. Sweat poured down their faces, and their breathing quickened.
Scarlet King ignored them, opened the gate, and entered the headquarters.
The moment he stepped inside, he saw many gang members sitting around tables. As soon as Gu Yue entered, they began whispering among themselves.
"Who is that boy?"
"I do not remember anyone in the gang who looks like him."
Suddenly, one of them raised his voice.
"It is Gu Yue!"
Everyone immediately sprang into action, drew their weapons, and attacked Gu Yue.
Just as their weapons came within a single centimeter of striking him, a powerful young voice shouted,
"Stop!"
The weapons halted in front of Gu Yue.
His face remained expressionless. Not even a single drop of sweat rolled down his skin, nor did the slightest emotion appear on his face. He merely sighed, raised his hand, and said,
"Hegemon's Touch."
He used Hegemon's Touch to hurl every gang member against the left wall of the hall.
The young man standing above them then spoke. It was Wei Xia Mo. He held a fan in one hand and clapped lightly with the other, his eyes closed.
"Well, well… It seems we have a distinguished guest. Gu Yue, I did not expect you to come so soon after enjoying my stay at your headquarters. And also…"
"It seems you are developing at a terrifying pace and possess some unusual abilities. I hope that, in the future, we can exchange some combat knowledge."
Scarlet King showed no interest in Wei Xia Mo's friendly words.
"I expected you to appear and put an end to this farce. I hope you enjoyed the hospitality. Now, I want to discuss a deal with you."
Wei Xia Mo opened his fan in front of his face and laughed.
"It is an honor that Gu Yue wishes to make a deal with me. Please come upstairs to the discussion room so we can continue our conversation there."
In a fraction of a second, Scarlet King appeared in front of Wei Xia Mo.
"Lead the way."
Wei Xia Mo smiled, turned around, and began walking through the corridor on the right side of the headquarters.
"Please follow me."
Scarlet King placed one hand behind his back, and the two began walking.
The corridor was wide and spacious. On either side, doors stood opposite one another. These were the members' sleeping quarters.
They continued walking until they reached the end of the corridor.
Wei Xia Mo opened a wooden door decorated with the emblem of a dark blue butterfly, pushed it aside, and entered.
The room was somewhat dim. Only a small amount of light passed through the windows, which were covered with cloth. In the center of the room stood a small table on the floor, with two cups of tea still releasing hot steam.
The two walked over and sat opposite one another, with the windows behind them.
Wei Xia Mo picked up his cup of green tea and asked,
"What brings Lord Gu Yue here?"
Gu Yue watched the hot steam rising from the cup.
"It seems you expected me to come."
Wei Xia Mo replied,
"Not you specifically. However, after my sudden disappearance and return, I expected some of the allied gang leaders to visit me. That is why I prepared two cups of tea after sensing a powerful presence approaching."
"But… it seems Lord Devil of Rebirth prefers delaying the conversation rather than answering my question."
Gu Yue smiled, picked up his cup, and drank some of the tea.
"I am not the Devil of Rebirth, and you are very direct. Still, I have a question for you. Is remaining with Long Wei truly in your best interest?"
Wei Xia Mo laughed softly before replying,
"I know why you are asking. You want me to join you, correct?"
Gu Yue remained silent and continued drinking his tea calmly.
"Very perceptive. You understood my intention before I could elaborate."
"So, what is your answer?"
Wei Xia Mo replied,
"Make me an offer, my dear devil."
Gu Yue finished the entire cup and wiped the traces of tea from his mouth with his sleeve.
"I will help you reach the Eternal Dimensions in as little as sixteen hundred years. It is an offer that cannot be refused. We are not speaking about the Mortal Dimensions, but the Eternal Dimensions."
"I do not even expect you to agree immediately. You may take some time to consider my offer. I will also provide you with many benefits, including weapons, techniques, great authority within my group, and other things that might interest you. For example… information about the Demonic Dimensions."
Wei Xia Mo was shocked and thought,
(Wait… How did he know I wanted information about the Demonic Dimensions? Could he have learned about my mother?! No, impossible. I have never told anyone anything about my mother, not even those closest to me. So how did he discover that I possess origins from the Demonic Dimensions?)
Wei Xia Mo showed no change in expression and poured more tea into Gu Yue's cup.
"Well, I am a curious person. I will ask you a few questions, then take some time to think before giving you my answer."
Gu Yue drank the tea.
"Go ahead."
Wei Xia Mo asked,
"Is Liu Zai Hang with you?"
Gu Yue answered in a low voice,
"Yes."
Wei Xia Mo laughed inwardly.
(So I was not wrong… He truly is the Devil of Rebirth. Liu Zai Hang is a genius. He would never join or ally himself with someone unless that person were worthy.)
While Wei Xia Mo was thinking, Gu Yue was also lost in thought.
(Well, he has exposed me now, but that bastard was cornering me. Even if he knows, what can he do? If he reports me, they will suspect that he has been helping me, and he may be executed. Even if he tries to inform the Great Concepts, they already know that I exist in this dimension. My existence was revealed to them after my conversation with the Rebirth Wheel inside the pearl.)
Wei Xia Mo then asked another question.
"Can you form a soul contract?"
Gu Yue remained silent for a long time before answering,
"Well, it seems you truly do possess a brain. You want us to form a soul contract so that I cannot betray you, but in return, you will also be unable to betray me."
"I agree to the idea. It would be useful to have a perceptive mind capable of managing matters in my absence."
Wei Xia Mo laughed.
"Your praise embarrasses me, Gu Yue. Give me one month to think, and I will give you my answer."
Scarlet King replied,
"Very well."
Before Scarlet King could leave, however, Wei Xia Mo spoke in a threatening tone.
"How did you learn about my true origins?"
Gu Yue sighed and said,
"Through your appearance-altering technique. You use it constantly to conceal your pointed ears. That means one of your parents was either an elf or a demon, while the other was human."
"I guessed that they were a demon because elves only live in the Fourth Dimension and above."
Wei Xia Mo fell silent for a while, as though thinking, then replied,
"Well, that is what I would expect from you. I have no more questions."
Gu Yue finished the tea and said,
"Vaporization."
Mist appeared around him, and he vanished.
Wei Xia Mo muttered in annoyance,
"That bastard drank all the tea."