Chapter 9: The Ancient Divine Tome

At this moment, Master Xiaoxiang stood atop the mountain cliff, before an enormous stone cave, gazing at the sheer precipice that soared impossibly high. Mist drifted below the mouth of the cave, revealing the dizzying height of the cliff and making it clear that ascending would be beyond us. As we hesitated, Master Xiaoxiang descended gracefully from above and addressed us, “What are you staring at? Let’s go.”

“Master, I’ve brought a few friends back with me. I hope you won’t mind?” Yu Jing said.

“You may make friends as you wish, but remember this: the human heart is treacherous. Be cautious of everyone around you,” replied Xiaoxiang. Her words puzzled not only Yu Jing but all of us, leaving us uncertain. Master Xiaoxiang resided at the foot of the cliff, in a vast open area covered with strange plants and creatures I had never seen before. In the distance, we could see a house resembling a castle, surrounded by a wall built of blue stone. As we approached, Xiaoxiang struck out with her palm, and I thought I glimpsed the air ripple.

“This is the barrier Master set up,” Yu Jing explained. Is it normal for masters to be so wary, I wondered. Perhaps these so-called experts had too many enemies, forcing them into seclusion in the mountains.

“Brother Li, what are you thinking about?” Xu Qinghuan asked.

“You two, hurry up and come in!” Zhang Lei called.

Xu Qinghuan blushed at her momentary lapse, quickly stepping through the waterfall-like entrance to the cave, and I followed close behind. Once everyone had entered, the mouth of the cave vanished without a trace. No ordinary person would ever suspect there was a barrier here. In the distance, a small bird flew into it, and the barrier rippled outward like clear water, but I paid it no mind and went with the group to the main courtyard.

Xiaoxiang’s house was large, with three floors. She instructed Yu Jing to attend to us while she went off to feed the fish. By the pond, there were various animals, and watching Xiaoxiang busy herself so happily, one would never guess she was a master. Yu Jing led us to the hall, and as soon as we sat down, a voice rang out: “Senior brother, you’ve returned.” The voice was melodious, and following it, we saw a young woman, no more than twenty, approaching quickly. She wore red, her features delicate and beautiful. Though Xu Qinghuan was lovely, she paled in comparison to this woman.

Zhang Lei gazed at her, entranced, until I nudged him back to his senses. Through Yu Jing’s introduction, we exchanged names. The woman was revealed to be Xiaoxiang’s daughter, Xiaoxiang Ke’er. I’d never heard Yu Jing mention her before—could it be he fancied his junior sister and feared I might compete for her affections? Surely not; though I might be a bit more handsome than him, I wouldn’t steal someone’s beloved.

As the sun set, Xiaoxiang Ke’er busied herself in the kitchen. Xu Qinghuan said, “I’ll go help.” Now only four of us remained in the hall. Xiaoxiang soon entered, calling Yu Jing out with a serious expression. Not long after, dinner was ready—a sumptuous feast.

“Master Xiaoxiang, do you seldom go out?” Zhang Lei asked.

“Indeed, I rarely leave the Cliff of Broken Hearts. I must thank all of you for saving my disciple’s life. Allow me to offer a toast.” She raised her cup and drained it in one gulp. After some polite conversation, a question came to my mind: “Master Xiaoxiang, why is there a barrier outside the valley? Is it to keep out intruders?”

Xiaoxiang was silent for a long time before answering, not directly but with a cryptic statement: “The seal on the Demon God is about to break.”

Her words sounded strangely familiar, as if I’d heard them before, though I could not recall where. Late at night, everyone retired. Unable to sleep, I wandered in the courtyard, basking in the pale moonlight.

“Little brother, can’t sleep?” came a voice.

“Master Xiaoxiang, you’re awake as well?”

“Yes, come with me, I have something to tell you.” With that, Xiaoxiang lifted me as easily as a chick and, with a leap, took us back to the mountain cliff. Atop the cliff was the vast stone cave, mist swirling below its entrance. Xiaoxiang led the way inside, and I looked around. The cave seemed naturally formed. Facing the entrance sat a stone chair, and on it was a figure—more precisely, a skeleton. Xiaoxiang bowed respectfully to the skeleton, then gently removed the ring from its bony finger.

“This is a spatial ring, rare and precious. Inside it is a manual for cultivating the Heavenly Demon Divine Art, an ancient scripture and the only thing capable of restraining the Demon God. You must master its supreme techniques as soon as possible, though it is only the first volume,” Xiaoxiang said, gazing at the ring in her hand.

Seeing me stunned, she grew stern: “This ring was meant for you. The legend is true—I have observed you for a long time, and you possess the physique of the Demon Martial Body, identical to the Seventeenth Elder a thousand years ago. The seal on the Demon God is weakening. Before it breaks, you must find the remaining two volumes of the Heavenly Demon Scripture—only then can you prevent disaster.” With these words, she picked me up and leapt out of the cave.

Xiaoxiang carried me as we soared through the night. Her words echoed in my mind: “This ring was meant for you.” Could Zhang Lei have been right all along? Am I the reincarnation of the Demon God? Returning to my room, I slipped the ring onto my finger—it fit perfectly. As soon as I put it on, I felt a book appear in my mind, its cover bearing three bold words: “Heavenly Demon Scripture.”

Spatial ring? The term was familiar, often appearing in twenty-first-century novels. That night, I sat cross-legged on my bed, opened the spatial ring with my thoughts, and took out the “Heavenly Demon Scripture” to read. The scripture was divided into three volumes; I held only the first. The book warned that if one’s strength was insufficient, attempting to cultivate the art could result in bodily destruction.

Knock, knock, knock—someone tapped at the door. I got up and opened it. It was Xiaoxiang.

“Master Xiaoxiang, you haven’t slept yet?”

“Little brother, tomorrow you must go to Sword Demon Sect.”

“Why should I go to Sword Demon Sect? Are you trying to send me away?”

Xiaoxiang smiled slightly. “Don’t be silly. You cannot stay here forever—doing so would hinder your cultivation. Sword Demon Sect recruits disciples every year. Take this letter.” She handed me a sealed letter.

“But, Master Xiaoxiang, I have no desire to involve myself in the affairs of the martial world.”

She sighed, “Some things cannot be avoided, no matter your wishes. If you remain here, how will you find the Heavenly Demon Scripture? Settle in at Sword Demon Sect, then seek the whereabouts of the scripture. The sect is lax with lower-level disciples and often allows them to leave. Do you remember the Heavenly Dao Warrior I mentioned?”

I nodded, “Of course.”

“That is your true self,” Xiaoxiang said.

My mouth fell open in shock. “That… that can’t be! Master Xiaoxiang, you must be joking.”

“It is the truth. A thousand years ago, the demon clan invaded, and human warriors fought them in a bitter war. The Demon God led demon beasts to overrun the world. Sword Demon Sect had only two powerful figures: the sect master, a mid-level Martial Ancestor, and the elder, a high-level Martial Master. Sword Demon Sect and other factions fought to the death, but the sect master died at the hands of the Demon God. At that time, a seemingly ordinary cultivator in the sect blew up his own body, sealing the Demon God in another realm. Now, a thousand years later, the seal is weakening. The Heavenly Dao Warrior’s lifespan can reach tens of thousands of years. I was that warrior’s teacher, and out of gratitude, he gave me a spirit pill. As a result, my own lifespan spans ten thousand years.”

To live tens of thousands of years—is that not immortality? I was staggered by Xiaoxiang’s words.

“You are the ninth incarnation of that Heavenly Dao Warrior. Only you can resist the Demon God.”

“If the demon clan has retreated, why should I cultivate?”

“It is not so simple. The demon clan is cruel and vengeful; the Demon God will surely seek retribution. In recent years, demons have been spotted in the martial world. A new war is brewing. Without the Heavenly Dao Warrior, should the Demon God lead his demonic beasts to invade, we will be powerless to resist!” Xiaoxiang spoke gravely.