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

Chi You clutched the wound on his left shoulder where the Xuanyuan Sword had pierced him, blood seeping through his fingers and staining half his chest red. He staggered backward, his face pale, his eyes filled with resentment and anger. The moment the word "retreat" was uttered, the Jiuli army erupted in chaos.

"Chief! We can still fight!"

"Big brother! We can't retreat!"

Eighty-one of his brothers rushed forward, urgently trying to dissuade him. But Chi You simply waved his hand, his voice hoarse and weary: "I said, retreat."

Although the Jiuli army was unwilling, Chi You's prestige was always very high, so they had no choice but to begin an orderly retreat. Hundreds of millions of troops slowly withdrew from Zhuolu like the receding tide, leaving behind a scene of devastation—tattered flags, burning chariots, corpses lying in disarray, and the thick, pungent smell of blood that permeated the air.

The Youxiong army erupted in a deafening cheer!

"We won! We won!"

"Long live the Emperor!"

The soldiers embraced each other, weeping with joy. The century-long war had finally come to an end at this moment.

Xuanyuan stood beneath the central army banner, Xuanyuan Sword in hand, watching the retreating figures of the Jiuli army, but his face showed little joy of victory. He looked down at the bloodstains remaining on the blade—Chiyou's blood.

"Master," Xuanyuan turned to look at the Daoist Duobao beside him, "Chi You, he..."

"Don't worry, he won't die." Duobao chuckled and patted Xuanyuan on the shoulder. "That guy may not be as good as a Great Witch, but he's close. Your sword strike will only cause superficial wounds at most."

Xuanyuan gave a wry smile, "There's really no need to say that."

Xuanyuan knew that this victory was not his achievement alone, but merely a farce staged to make the human race stronger.

But in any case, the war was over.

Humanity has ushered in a long-awaited peace.

The news spread throughout the land, and all the major human tribes rejoiced.

"Chi You has been defeated! The Jiuli army has retreated!"

"Xuanyuan won!!"

Those tribes that had originally supported Chi You were now in a panic. They all sent envoys with lavish gifts to the Youxiong tribe to express their submission. Those tribes that had remained neutral also declared their support for Xuanyuan, as if they had always been his staunch supporters.

In just a few months, Xuanyuan's prestige reached unprecedented heights. Various human tribes submitted to him. Xuanyuan's name became the supreme figure in the hearts of the human race.

However, at this moment of universal celebration—

A strange thing happened in the Jiuli tribe in the southwest.

The council hall of the Jiuli tribe.

Chi You lay on the animal skin bed, the wound on his left shoulder already fully healed. Just as Duo Bao had said, Xuan Yuan's sword was merely a superficial wound. With his peak Taiyi Golden Immortal physical strength, such an injury would only take a few breaths to heal. It was just that it looked more horrifying at the time for the sake of realism.

……

Chi You sat in the council hall, crumpling the copy of the surrender document in his hand into a ball and casually tossing it onto the table.

"Which one is it?" he asked.

Standing below, A Mang lowered his head, his voice hoarse: "Reporting to the chief... this month, seventeen tribes have declared their defection from Jiuli and instead submitted to Xuanyuan. Now... the number of people still willing to follow my Jiuli tribe has decreased by thirty percent."

"Thirty percent!" Chi You leaned back in his chair, staring at the roof beam, and remained silent for a long time.

Chi You had long anticipated this day. According to his fathers' plan, what he needed to do was to lose, the more devastating the defeat the better, so that Xuanyuan's prestige would reach its peak and the human race would be completely unified. But when this day truly arrived, an indescribable feeling welled up in Chi You's heart.

Those tribes were conquered one by one by him. Those generals were promoted by his own hands. Those brothers were sworn brothers with whom he shared a blood oath and drank strong liquor.

Now, some have left, and some have scattered.

Chi You closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and suppressed his agitation.

"Never mind." He stood up. "It's better that they're gone, saving me the trouble of taking care of them."

He walked out of the council hall and stood on the city wall of the Jiuli tribe, gazing at the distant horizon. The setting sun, its afterglow like blood, dyed the entire land a tragic red.

Just then—

A cold and violent aura surged out from Chi You's body without warning!

Chi You's pupils constricted sharply, feeling a surge of violent killing intent, like a flood bursting its banks, instantly overwhelm his reason! His eyes turned completely black in an instant! The blood within his body seemed to boil, and an unprecedented power was growing wildly within him!

"Ugh... Ah—!!!"

Chi You looked up to the sky and let out a painful roar!

The roar was like a thunderclap, shaking the entire city wall! A jet-black demonic aura erupted from his body, soaring into the sky and tearing a huge hole in the clouds!

"leader!"

"Big brother!"

Eighty-one brothers rushed over upon hearing the sound, but were forced to retreat by the violent demonic energy and were unable to get close at all!

Chi You knelt on one knee, his hands gripping the edge of the city wall tightly, his fingernails digging into the stone, leaving deep marks. His body trembled violently, and dark demonic patterns appeared on his skin, like countless venomous snakes crawling all over him!

A voice was screaming wildly in his mind—

"Kill! Kill! Kill!"

"They betrayed you! They all deserve to die!"

"Power! You need power! With power, you can make everyone submit!"

The voice possessed an irresistible allure, as if trying to drag him into an endless abyss. Chi You's consciousness struggled and resisted, but the demonic energy was too powerful and too domineering, threatening to devour him entirely!

At this critical moment—

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

That was a backup plan left by Xuanbao! The golden light acted like a warm barrier, temporarily suppressing the raging demonic energy and restoring a sliver of clarity to Chi You!

"Father...Father God..." Chi You gritted his teeth, his voice hoarse and strained, "I...I can't control myself anymore..."

However, to Chi You's surprise, Xuan Bao's voice did not immediately ring out.

Instead, a long sigh was heard.

The sigh carried a hint of helplessness and a hint of understanding, as if it had long anticipated this moment.

Immediately afterwards, the golden light on Chi You's chest slowly receded, transforming into a warm, golden rune that hovered before him. The rune gently rotated, emitting a soft glow that enveloped Chi You.

Xuanbao's voice finally rang in Chi You's mind, carrying a complex emotion: "Chi You, do you know where this power within you comes from?"

Chi You gritted his teeth and shook his head with difficulty.

"This is the dormant power within your bloodline." Xuanbao's voice carried a hint of solemnity. "Your human-shaman hybridity makes your physique extraordinary. But beyond that, deep within your bloodline lies a wisp of demonic law."

Chi You shuddered: "The laws of demonic cultivation...?!"

"Indeed," Xuanbao's voice continued, "I've always wondered why Rahu and the Western Church are so determined to support you. Only just now have I finally confirmed it—the laws of the demonic path are inherent in your bloodline. You were born to walk the path of the demonic path."

Chi You was stunned. He had never imagined that his origins contained such a secret.

"Then...what should I do?" Chi You's voice trembled slightly. "Father God, I don't want to become a demon!"

Xuanbao was silent for a moment, then slowly said, "Chi You, you have two choices."

"First, I will completely seal the demonic laws within you. From now on, you will still be the leader of the Jiuli tribe, still the brave and skilled warrior Chi You. But the seed of demonic power will not disappear; it will only lie dormant deeper, waiting for the next opportunity to erupt."

"Second..." Xuanbao paused, his voice becoming even deeper, "Accept it."

Chi You was stunned: "Accept...it?"

"Indeed." Xuanbao's voice carried a hint of profound meaning. "The demonic path is not entirely evil. It is merely a power, a power originating from the desires and obsessions deep within the human heart. If you can wield it, you will gain unprecedented power. But if you are controlled by it, you will become a monster who only knows how to kill."

"Chi You, do you dare to take a gamble? A gamble that you can control this power, instead of being devoured by it?"

As for whether Chi You will succeed, Xuan Bao has no doubt at all, after all, history has already proven that Chi You eventually became the Demon Ancestor.

……

Chi You fell silent.

He thought of the tribes that had left him, of the brothers who had abandoned him, and of all the grievances and frustrations he had endured over the past century in order to play this role well. He thought of the deep-seated pride within him, the desire to prove himself.

He raised his head, a resolute glint in his eyes.

"Father God, I choose the second path."

Xuanbao's voice carried a hint of relief: "Alright. Since you've made your choice, I'll lend you a hand."

Shining with golden light!

The golden rune that had been hovering in front of Chi You suddenly transformed into a stream of light and entered between Chi You's eyebrows! At the same time, the demonic energy within Chi You's body seemed to be stimulated and surged wildly!

Two forces collided violently within his body!

Chi You felt as if his body was being torn in two! One force was the primordial Dao power of the Xuanbao, warm and vast; the other was the demonic power deep within his bloodline, cold and violent. The two forces fought fiercely within his body, each collision causing his meridians to rupture inch by inch, only to be healed again by the Dao power!

"Aaaaaahh ...

Chi You roared to the sky, his voice shaking the heavens!

Guided by the power of the Xuanbao Dao, the demonic energy within his body began to circulate rhythmically. The raging demonic energy, like a tamed wild beast, flowed, condensed, and compressed within him along some mysterious path!

Chi You's cultivation level began to rise rapidly!

Originally, thanks to the blessing of a great deal of human fortune over the years, Chi You had successfully reached the early stage of the Great Luo Golden Immortal realm. However, his cultivation seemed to have skyrocketed afterward, leaping across a major realm every year.

……

Mid-stage Grand Luo Golden Immortal!

Late stage of the Great Luo Golden Immortal realm!

Peak of the Great Luo Golden Immortal!

Quasi-Saint!

Early stage of Quasi-Saint!

The rapid surge of his aura finally came to a slow halt. Chi You knelt on one knee, panting heavily. His body was covered with a layer of dark demonic runes, like ancient totems, radiating a cold yet powerful aura.

He slowly stood up, clenched his fist, and felt the unprecedented power within his body. That power seemed capable of shattering stars with a single punch and crushing mountains and rivers with a single kick!

"Is this... the power of a Quasi-Saint?" Chi You murmured to himself, his voice filled with a hint of shock.

To his even greater surprise, his consciousness remained clear. Although the demonic law was powerful, it did not devour his reason. On the contrary, it seemed to have become a part of his body, perfectly merging with his own will.

Xuanbao's voice echoed in his mind, tinged with weariness: "Chi You, you did it. You have successfully mastered the power of the demonic path."

Chi You took a deep breath and solemnly bowed towards the void: "Thank you, Father God, for your granting!"

"No need to thank me." Xuanbao's voice became serious. "Chi You, you must remember—the power of the demonic path is a double-edged sword. It can make you powerful, but it can also make you lose your way. You must always maintain your true self and never let the power cloud your judgment."

"Chi You will remember this!" Chi You replied solemnly.

"Alright." Xuanbao's voice carried a hint of amusement. "Now that you've fallen into demonic possession and your cultivation has greatly increased, this charade should now enter its final stage."

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

"The news of your fall into demonic possession will soon spread throughout the primordial world." Xuanbao's voice carried a hint of cunning. "At that time, those tribes that betrayed you will regret it; those forces that were watching will be shocked; and the Western Sect and Rahu will be overjoyed—because they will think that you have finally fallen into their control."

"What you need to do is let them continue to believe that way."

Chi You instantly understood Xuan Bao's intention and grinned, "Father God, rest assured, Chi You knows what to do."

Several days later, news of Chi You's demonic possession spread throughout the prehistoric world.

"Have you heard? Chi You has fallen into demonic possession! His cultivation has skyrocketed, breaking through from a Great Luo Golden Immortal to a Quasi-Saint!"

"A quasi-saint?! Isn't that just one step away from becoming a saint?!"

"No wonder he's been silent since his defeat at Xuanyuan's hands; he was hiding away to break through to a higher level!"

"This is troublesome... Xuanyuan barely managed to defeat him, and now that his cultivation has greatly increased, he's likely to come back for revenge!"

The news spread, shaking the entire world. Those tribes that had just submitted to Xuanyuan began to waver again. Those forces that had originally supported Chiyou, however, rekindled their hopes.

Western sacred mountain.

Upon receiving the news, Jieyin and Zhunti were initially startled, but then overjoyed.

"He's fallen into demonic possession? Chi You has actually fallen into demonic possession?" Zhunti clapped his hands and laughed. "Good! Excellent! Now he's completely under our control!"

Jieyin smiled and clasped his hands together, saying, "Amitabha. It seems that Senior Rahu's methods have indeed worked."

However, what they did not know was that Chi You's descent into demonic possession was not Rahu's doing, but Chi You's own choice.