Destiny is ashes

Chapter 981 A World Where We Walk with Demons
boom! ! !
Under An Jing's furious punch, which contained the intent to kill, shatter, and destroy all things, the void trembled, and the indestructible dragon-human skeleton also began to shake violently.

Crackling sounds filled the air as An Jing's fist struck, causing cracks to spread rapidly across the surface of the dark gold skeleton. Then, thick, dark, and abyss-like demonic energy surged out from those cracks!

"cracking?!"

Upon seeing this scene, the Golden-Winged Roc was so frightened that it took to the air. It had never seen demonic energy before, but it instinctively knew that this was definitely not something that could be easily touched or arbitrarily approached.

"It's actually a Heavenly Demon?!"

Taken aback, You Ruhui immediately retreated, but strangely, the demonic energy deliberately avoided the astonished girl, as if it were living tentacles, sweeping towards An Jing in an overwhelming manner.

This power is extremely corrupt, sinister, and powerful, filled with decadent and closed-minded, narrow and twisted desires, enough to corrupt any cultivator below the True Lord level who touches it.

An Jingling grasped at the air.

Previously, he didn't know why he was so strong, but after Fu Xie's explanation, his understanding of his own power has reached a whole new level.

Now that we know, we can use it better and become stronger!

"Kill!"

With a thought, a clang rang out, and the crimson divine weapon appeared in his hand, burning with the purple-blue flames of the grotto.

Then, with a flick of his wrist, An Jing slashed down with his sword without hesitation at the demonic energy coming from all directions!
【Killing Sword Technique - Candlelight Illumination】

It was no different from when it fought against the Calamity, and even stronger. As the divine sword was unleashed, boundless sword energy spread out. This time, although the demonic energy was scattered and fragmented, it did not completely dissipate.

So this time, it waited for the 'fall of the sword light'!
hum!
A flash of purplish-blue sword light streaked across the sky, plunging the world into color and silencing all things.

The overwhelming demonic energy, upon contact with the radiant sword energy released by the purplish-blue flames, melted away with a 'sizzling' sound, like ice and snow under the blazing sun.

In just a moment, with a single sword strike, this vast and incomparable demonic energy was completely annihilated by the sword energy that could kill and cut through anything!
But in the end, it held out until the sword light fell.

As the demonic energy was completely extinguished, the ancient runes on the dragon-man skeleton, as if losing their support, began to dim rapidly and eventually disappeared completely.

Even the dragon-man skeletons no longer shone with golden light, but became completely withered and pale, and then turned into ashes.

Tens of thousands of years were destroyed in an instant, turning into nothingness.

An Jing and You Ruhui watched this scene and fell silent, their brows furrowed tightly.

"The Great Chen Imperial Court... is actually using the Heavenly Demon?"

An Jing's voice was extremely solemn: "And so early?"

You Ruhui wasn't too surprised. She said softly, "Didn't I also have demons chasing me in Kanming City before? There must have been some kind of cooperation between the Imperial Court and the demons long ago."

Then she spread her arms, met An Jing's gaze frankly, and said earnestly, "An Jing, strike me with your sword! I cultivated this secret technique corrupted by the Heavenly Demon, and I'm afraid I've been corrupted as well!"

She was decisive, but An Jing glanced at her and shook her head: "No need. You don't have a trace of demonic energy on you. If you did, Fu Xie would have called the police long ago."

"Besides, it wasn't the writing on the skeleton that had demonic energy... Fu Xie, do you know that?"

“It’s ‘information’.” Fu Xie understood as expected. His tone was serious and sharp as a blade: “This is not cooperation. I can see that the demonic energy remaining on this skeleton is completely ‘inert demonic energy,’ meaning that it is completely inert and will not be activated even if the world is destroyed if the conditions are not met.”

"This kind of demonic energy, let alone An Jing, you wouldn't be able to detect it. Even I would probably doubt whether I was seeing things when I encountered it... In other words, this also proves that this is not cooperation, but a real 'driving force'!"

"Interesting." Fu Xie also lowered his voice, asking curiously, "How exactly did the ancestors of Da Chen manage to do that?"

—How did he manage to command the Heavenly Demon and control the Ruyi?
Both Fu Xie and You Ruhui were pondering this question, but for An Jing, there was a faint answer.

Yes, he fought and communicated with the Heavenly Demon so many times, how could he not know that the Heavenly Demon was the embodiment of depravity?
How could such a terrifying being be driven or controlled by humans?

So perhaps it's not about driving or controlling, but something much deeper...

resonance.

Yes, the answer was simple from the beginning.

The only way to use the power of the Heavenly Demons is to become one of them, actively help them, and spread their essence.

[Degeneration]

Falling into an abyss

Only one person can practice a particular method of cultivation.

A single piece of knowledge is only available to those with a single bloodline.

A supreme power that only the Imperial Bloodline and Imperial Court can hold for generations.

Always keep something in reserve for your subjects, your relatives, and the people of the world... Even if you perish or die, you would rather let your knowledge be lost than share it with outsiders.

This extreme selfishness, this extreme narrow-mindedness, this extreme monopolistic desire, this "If I'm not doing well, neither can you," "If I stand up, you're not allowed to stand up," this "What I know, you'll never know," and the "degeneration" brought about by this desire, are the root of the Heavenly Demon.

If one could understand the true nature of the Heavenly Demons, one could indeed, to some extent, control them, cooperate with them, or even...

To become the "King" of the Heavenly Demons. Because if one could transform the entire human world, the entire civilization, into such a stagnant pool, that would be the supreme achievement for the Heavenly Demons.

"In that case, what difference would there be between them and the so-called Demon Lord or Demon Emperor?"

An Jing scoffed, looked up at the sky, and sneered, "So that's how it is, I finally understand."

"No wonder there are so many people in this world who, whether intentionally or unintentionally, 'cooperate' with the Heavenly Demon."

"No wonder the Heavenly Demon is so arrogant, even claiming that he 'will never lose'."

"yes……"

They, the Heavenly Demons, certainly wouldn't lose.

Because these are the very essence of human depravity, the selfish instinct of intelligent beings. As long as this instinct remains, they will always exist.

No.

Even more terrifying.

It is because they exist eternally, absolutely, and infinitely in the hearts of all living beings that all living beings have such selfish and depraved desires.

This is an irresistible, irreversible, and unstoppable nature.

The Demon King will never lose.

But when it comes to me...

"They will never win."

The martial artist lowered his eyes, his gaze growing even more resolute.

Even with this inherent nature, An Jing must refuse and resist.

Regardless of whether it's right or wrong, he simply dislikes it and therefore insists on denying it.

"Don't worry, Ru Hui."

An Jing turned his head to look at You Ruhui and said calmly, "If I'm not mistaken, if it were you, there would be absolutely no problem."

“Because if what is kept secret is not ‘correct,’ then ‘selfishness’ is not depravity.”

the reason is simple.

It is precisely because knowledge is correct that it is meaningful to keep it to oneself and to keep it secret.

An Jing even speculated that if the Great Chen's inheritance was wrong, the contracted Heavenly Demon might teach the Great Chen what the correct inheritance should be, because only in this way would it be true depravity.

"How could my ancestors be so despicable?"

You Ruhui was somewhat dazed, but quickly understood An Jing's meaning. She couldn't help but grit her teeth: "So, my father's death was probably not just something the late emperor wanted to do... but because he broke the imperial court's restriction of having only one 'core,' the imperial court's own rules, and the corrupt power of the Heavenly Demon wanted to destroy him?"

"Yes."

An Jing nodded, confirming her guess. He sighed softly and said, "I'm afraid the late emperor himself wasn't as bad as you think. As an emperor who was willing to share the highest secrets of the Great Chen Dynasty with his brothers, and who allowed your father, Prince Jing, to try to create a 'second imperial court,' he was already very magnanimous."

"In fact, I would say that among all the emperors I know, he was one of the most magnanimous and enlightened."

“But,” An Jing’s tone shifted, becoming incredibly serious, “this sharing, this assistance, this idea of ​​‘mutual support, win-win cooperation,’ and ‘making the world a better place and moving towards the future together’…”

"This idea itself is 'correct'."

"And the fallen demons will never allow the existence of the 'right'."

As the sandstorm swept by, the dragon-man's remains were completely reduced to ashes and vanished into nothingness.

You Ruhui remained standing in the same spot, lost in deep thought.

An Jing did not disturb her, but stood quietly to the side, his gaze fixed on a more distant place, as if it could penetrate layers of the void and reach beyond the Zhaolin Realm.

The Realm of Emptiness.

The unveiling of the Dragon Man's secret also confirmed a long-held suspicion in his mind that he had dared not delve into.

After the Huai Xu Demon Calamity, the main force of the Heavenly Demons was driven away and annihilated, but the Huai Xu Realm was also severely weakened and fell into a long period of silence.

The lineage of immortal cultivation was severed, and the path of cultivation was almost destroyed. Afterwards, martial arts were reborn, but they were constantly subject to the whims of heaven and earth.

The whole world is filled with 'degenerate demonic energy'.

To be honest, An Jing had sensed something was wrong a long time ago.

Is Huai Xu Tian Dao (怀虚天道) truly the Heavenly Dao?
Or is it simply the Way of Heaven?
(End of this chapter)