Primordial Era: I am a treasure trove, full of magical treasures.

The night was deep, and the moon and stars were few.

The Jiuli army was stationed on a plain, with tents stretching out in an endless row and campfires dotting the landscape like stars on the ground. Patrol soldiers came and went, vigilantly watching the surroundings.

Inside the central command tent, Chi You lay on a bed made of animal hide, snoring loudly.

He was exhausted today. Although the battle during the day was a performance, acting is still very tiring, isn't it? Chi You had to be careful at all times, making the performance realistic without actually inflicting too much damage on Xuanyuan. This kind of delicate work was even more tiring than a real battle.

Therefore, as soon as Chi You returned to the camp, he fell asleep immediately.

In a daze, Chi You suddenly felt a strange chill.

He opened his eyes and found himself standing in a hazy, gray space. There was nothing around him except endless gray mist, flowing slowly. Beneath his feet was a patch of black water, its surface as still as a mirror, reflecting his image.

"Where is this?" Chi You frowned, warily surveying his surroundings.

He remembered that he was sleeping, so how did he suddenly end up here?

Just then—

The reflection on the water's surface suddenly moved.

Chi You's reflection slowly raised its head, revealing a face identical to his own, yet bearing an eerie smile. Those eyes were no longer the clear black and white of his own, but had become pitch black, like two bottomless black holes.

"Chi You..." the reflection spoke, its voice hoarse and deep, carrying a seductive power, "Do you really think you can deceive others?"

Chi You's pupils constricted sharply, and he instinctively took a step back: "Who are you?!"

"I am you." The reflection's smile grew increasingly eerie. "I am the deepest, truest desire within you. You want to be the Human Emperor, you want to rule the human race, you want everyone to submit to you—isn't that right?"

"Nonsense!" Chi You shouted coldly. "I, Chi You, act with integrity and would never stoop to such despicable acts! Who are you? Show yourself!"

"Hehehe..." The reflection let out a low laugh. "You can't deny it. Your ambition, your desires, your resentment... I know it all. You're clearly stronger than Xuanyuan, so why was he born the Human Emperor? Why should you be his foil? This isn't fair..."

"Shut up!" Chi You roared, slamming his fist into the water!

A fist slammed into the water, creating ripples. The reflection swayed and distorted in the water, yet it didn't disappear. Instead, the sound became clearer, more penetrating:

"Chi You... stop deceiving yourself. What you want, you have to fight for yourself. As long as you're willing... open your heart..."

The voice seemed to possess some kind of magic, causing Chi You's consciousness to begin to blur. He felt a wave of dizziness, as if something was trying to invade his mind and take over his thoughts.

At this critical moment—

A warm golden light emanated from Chi You's chest!

The golden light wasn't dazzling, but it carried a reassuring power. Wherever the golden light passed, the gray mist dissipated as if it had encountered its nemesis. The reflection on the water let out a piercing scream, as if it had been burned, violently twisting and struggling!

"Then, everything returned to calm."

The voice, emanating from the reflection, was filled with boundless anger and resentment. But it quickly vanished along with the reflection.

Chi You suddenly awoke, sat up in bed, and gasped for breath. He touched his chest, where a faint golden light was emanating—a contingency plan left by Xuan Bao.

"Father God..." Chi You was still shaken. "What was that thing just now?"

Since the mirror that Xuanbao had left behind was activated, he naturally looked over immediately.

"I'm not sure, but judging from its appearance, it seems more like your inner demons!"

"Inner demons?!" Chi You's eyes widened, his face filled with disbelief. "How is this possible! I, Chi You, have cultivated for a hundred years, my Dao heart is steadfast, and I have never been troubled by inner demons! Moreover... Moreover, Father God, didn't you examine my body? How could I still have inner demons?!"

"That's exactly the problem." At this moment, Xuanbao also felt incredible. There was absolutely no problem with Chi You. Xuanbao was 100% sure of this. After all, his cultivation as a Hunyuan Daluo Golden Immortal was not to be underestimated. If he still couldn't see through Chi You, this Taiyi Golden Immortal, then he couldn't be considered a saint.

"I can confirm that there is no trace of demonic energy on you. But what you just experienced was undoubtedly a demonic possession—and not just any ordinary one, but one that could silently invade your dreams without even my immediate awareness."

Chi You gasped, "Even you, Father God..."

"It's not that I couldn't sense it, but that I didn't expect it." Xuanbao's voice carried a hint of self-reflection. "I thought that with me behind you, neither Rahu nor the Western Sect's methods could bypass my perception. But I overlooked one thing—sometimes inner demons don't need external guidance."

Chi You was taken aback: "Father God, do you mean...?"

"Have you ever thought about why you are Chi You?"

This question stunned Chi You. He opened his mouth and said, "I am who I am."

Xuanbao's voice continued, with a hint of inquiry: "Your bloodline is that of a human-shaman hybrid. Your talent far surpasses that of ordinary people. Your destiny seems to have been different from that of ordinary humans from the very beginning; in other words, you were born to face a calamity."

Chi You fell silent.

He recalled his childhood, when a surge of inexplicable violence would rise within him whenever he was emotionally agitated, making him want to destroy and kill. He remembered being on the battlefield, feeling an unprecedented exhilaration and excitement when the fighting reached its peak, as if that was his truest self. He remembered countless times waking up in the middle of the night, a voice in his dreams telling him—you were never meant to be mortal.

"I..." Chi You's voice was somewhat hoarse, "I don't know."

"It's alright if you don't know," Xuanbao's voice softened slightly, "but we need to find out. Chi You, think carefully—what did that inner demon say to you just now?"

Chi You closed his eyes, trying hard to recall that bizarre dream. Gray mist, pitch-black water, and a reflection exactly like himself, yet bearing an eerie smile…

"He said... I am him. He said... I know all the desires in my heart. He said... I am clearly stronger than Xuanyuan, so why was he born to be the Human Emperor, while I have to be his foil... He said... This is not fair..."

At this point, Chi You suddenly opened his eyes, a flicker of lingering fear in them: "Father God! What that inner demon said was indeed something I had thought about! But I swear, I only thought about it, I never took it seriously! Although I, Chi You, am not exactly a virtuous gentleman, I know what it means to prioritize the greater good! How could I possibly betray Father God and humanity because of such a thought?!"

"I know you won't." Xuanbao's voice was calm and firm. "But the problem is—what the inner demon captures is your deepest, most genuine thoughts. Even if it's just a fleeting thought, even if you yourself think it's just wild speculation, as long as it has existed, it will be captured, amplified, and distorted by the inner demon, ultimately becoming a weapon to attack you."

Chi You broke out in a cold sweat: "Then... what should I do?"

Xuanbao did not answer immediately. He remained silent for a long time, seemingly deep in thought. Chiyou dared not disturb him, and could only hold his breath and wait for Xuanbao's instructions.

Xuanbao's fingers tapped lightly on the armrest, producing a dull, rhythmic sound. He closed his eyes, his mind racing through various possibilities.

Was it Rahu's doing?

It doesn't seem likely. Although Luo Hou was once a Chaos Demon God, his cultivation has not yet recovered. If Luo Hou could deceive me with these actions, then there would be no need for him to hide; he could simply sweep through the prehistoric world.

Could it be Jieyin and Zhunti?

Xuanbao thought about it and ruled them out as well. Although it seemed that the path to enlightenment was the same as the Path of Dreams, and there was some suspicion about it, it wasn't that Xuanbao looked down on them. They were not even as threatening as Luo Hou.

Who could it be?

Xuanbao opened his eyes, his gaze piercing through the dome of the Lingxiao Palace, looking into the boundless depths of chaos. A thought suddenly flashed through his mind—

Oh right, Chi You... in the original story, he was later referred to as the "Demon Ancestor".

Xuanbao's pupils contracted slightly.

Xuanbao remembered. In the primordial world he hadn't traveled to, although Chi You failed in his struggle for supremacy against Xuanyuan, he did indeed have intricate connections with the demonic path later on. In one version of the legend, Chi You was even revered as the "Lord of War" and the "Ancestor of Demons," having a very deep connection with the demonic path.

Could it be that……

Xuanbao's brows furrowed even more.

"Father God..." Chi You's voice still trembled slightly, "Will that inner demon... return?"

Xuanbao's voice echoed in his mind, tinged with seriousness: "It's hard to say. The backup plan I left in your body should be fine for the time being."

"You don't need to worry too much." Xuanbao's voice calmed down. "I've been thinking about this for a long time. Neither Rahu nor the Western Sect could possibly have bypassed my senses to plant a demon in your heart. So there's only one possibility—"

He paused, his voice becoming even deeper: "This inner demon is not planted by external forces, but originates from within yourself."

Chi You was stunned: "Originating from...myself?"

After a long silence, he raised his head, a resolute glint in his eyes: "Father, what should I do? I can't just wait for that inner demon to come knocking again, can I?"

"I will find a way to investigate this matter." Xuanbao's voice carried a hint of promise. "Until then, I will strengthen the defenses within your body. You just need to follow the plan and don't worry too much. If that inner demon reappears, immediately communicate with the mark I left behind, and I will arrive as soon as possible."

Chi You felt a warmth in his heart and nodded solemnly: "Chi You understands! Thank you, Father God!"

"Alright, you should rest now. There are still battles to fight." Xuanbao's voice became more relaxed. "But remember—acting is acting, don't actually make that kid Xuanyuan shut up."

Chi You grinned: "Father God, rest assured, Chi You knows what he's doing!"

The golden light slowly dissipated, and Chi You lay back down on the bed. Although he still had doubts, he felt much more at ease with the protection of the Xuanbao.

The next morning, as dawn broke.

……

"Report—!" A guard strode into the tent, knelt on one knee, and reported, "Chief! Yesterday's battle losses have been tallied!"

Chi You took the animal skin scroll, unfolded it, and frowned slightly.

The scroll was densely covered with yesterday's casualty figures—

"Yesterday's Jiuli tribe's forces: 300 million vanguard. Dead: 4.37 million. Seriously wounded: 6.82 million. Lightly wounded: 12 million. Total casualties: over 23 million."

Twenty-three million seems like a lot, and it is indeed a lot, but compared to the current human population, it is really just a drop in the ocean.

Moreover, Chi You was not too angry with the human race who died in battle. After all, nowadays, not everyone in the human race is like a dragon, but they are not far off. Living for thousands of years is relatively easy. Those with good aptitude can even become immortals, not to mention their lifespan.

Of course, the most important thing is that although these people have died on the battlefield, their souls have not been damaged. They have just gone to the underworld and been reincarnated. This is unlike the humans in the original story, whose souls were killed and used to forge the Witch-Slaying Sword. That is when their souls are truly scattered and they don't even have the chance to be reincarnated.

……

"Chief!" Another guard hurried over, bowed, and reported, "Maitreya requests an audience and has been waiting outside the tent for quite some time."

"Maitreya?" Chi You raised an eyebrow, a playful smile playing on his lips. "Let him in."

A moment later, Maitreya strode into the main tent. This old monk, who usually wore a compassionate smile, now looked rather grim. He clasped his hands together and said, "Chi You, leader, this humble monk has a question to ask you."

"explain."

"In yesterday's battle, nearly half of our Western Sect's three thousand Buddhas were lost, and the million Heavenly Demons suffered even greater losses..." Maitreya's voice trembled slightly. "And Leader, why did you suddenly withdraw your troops at the crucial moment? If you had pressed forward with all your might then, perhaps the Xiong Clan's defenses would have already collapsed!"

Chi You leaned back in his chair, crossed his legs, and casually toyed with the Tiger Soul Blade at his waist: "Maitreya, are you questioning me?"

Maitreya felt a chill run down his spine. He had no recollection of Chi You being so arrogant. "I didn't mean to question the leader, I'm just puzzled."

"Don't understand?" Chi You sneered. "Then let me ask you—do you know how many of my Jiuli soldiers were killed or wounded in yesterday's battle?"

Maitreya paused, then shook his head.

However, in Maitreya's heart, he did not care how many human casualties there were. They were just ants, so what if more died?

"More than 23 million." Chi You held up two fingers. "In one day, more than 23 million soldiers were killed or seriously wounded. As for your three thousand Buddhas and one million demons of the Western Sect, although they suffered heavy losses, that was because you insisted on rushing to the front to your deaths. What does that have to do with me?"

Maitreya opened his mouth, wanting to argue, but found that what Chi You said was indeed true—the reason why Buddha and the Heavenly Demon suffered heavy losses yesterday was because they took the initiative to attack and ran into the guns of the disciples of the three religions. And Chi You's main force had indeed been confronting the Youxiong clan's army and had not directly participated in the rescue of Buddha and the Heavenly Demon.

"Furthermore," Chi You stood up, walked to Maitreya, and looked down at him, "I withdrew my troops because I discovered that the Youxiong clan's defenses were stronger than I had imagined. A forced attack would only increase casualties. Instead of arguing with me here about why I withdrew, you should go back and ask your two sages—why couldn't even stop a single charge from the disciples of the three religions when they sent the Buddha and the Heavenly Demon?"

"Waste, garbage"

Maitreya blushed at his words but had no reply.

"Alright." Chi You waved his hand impatiently. "Go back and tell the two sages—since I, Chi You, have promised them, I will definitely do my best. But war is not child's play; it takes time and strategy. You wouldn't understand even if I explained it to you."