Chapter 3: The Sealing of the Demon God

The bonfire festival had turned into a massacre. The villagers, like lambs led to the slaughter, struggled helplessly in their final moments. Another villager fell at the hands of the man, their body torn apart by his immense strength. Such brutality was beyond comprehension. Li Da Gan could no longer suppress his anguish and rage; grabbing a wooden stick, he rushed forward.

The stick landed on the man, producing only a dull thud, seemingly causing no harm to the demon. The demon, wreathed in flames, had not expected to be attacked by such a lowly creature. Furious, fire blazed from his eyes as he flung Li Da Gan toward the stage. Li Da Gan collapsed, writhing in pain. The demon approached, step by step. Li Da Gan desperately crawled along the ground, but the demon planted a heavy foot on his back. The villagers, forgetting to flee, stood transfixed by the spectacle before them. Just as the demon prepared to crush Li Da Gan beneath his foot, something unexpected happened.

A sudden explosion erupted from the center of the stage, sending burning timbers flying, propelled by a wind wolf. A person stepped out, identical in appearance to the demon. The villagers recognized him—it was Seventeen, still bound in iron chains. Seventeen emerged from the inferno, shuddered, and snapped the chains with a single motion, then instantly appeared before the demon, seizing its throat and pinning it to the ground.

Two figures, both ablaze, grappled fiercely, their identities impossible to distinguish. One spoke: “Demon God, I was careless. I didn’t expect a blaze to break your seal. But you’ve overlooked something—if I die, you will still return to your world!”

“Hurry, help me—stab him or stab me,” Seventeen shouted, pinning the demon beneath him, tossing out a dagger.

Li Da Gan snatched the dagger without hesitation and plunged it into one of their backs. Crimson blood soaked into the earth, the two figures ceased moving, gradually merging into one.

Afterward, the villagers buried Seventeen and built a statue in his honor. They deliberately shaped Seventeen’s face to appear normal, believing that had he not intervened, Jingxin Village would have perished that night. From then on, the bonfire festival of the fifteenth day of the seventh month was transformed into a day commemorating Seventeen, whose legend continued to circulate for a thousand years. Whether truth or myth, no one could say. It was rumored that the Demon God’s seal would break after a millennium, and the appearance of strange beasts in recent years forced me to reconsider those unbelievable tales. It was said that the dagger used to slay Seventeen was a treasure.

Zhang Lei watched me as I recounted the story.

“What does any of this have to do with me?” I shrugged helplessly.

“Because you are Seventeen’s reincarnation. The legend is true. The statue still stands—I’ve seen it with my own eyes. Seventeen was the true form of the demon, while the so-called Demon God was merely a clone. Fate played its hand; Seventeen was consumed by his own clone and had no choice but to perish alongside it. The only way to defeat the Demon God’s clone is with the ancient scripture—the Heavenly Demon Manual. This was Seventeen’s dying legacy, obtained by Li Da Gan. For centuries, countless sought this scripture, yet it vanished as if into thin air. Only those with the Demon Martial Body can master it; ordinary people can harness only half its power,” Zhang Lei said solemnly, making it impossible to think he was joking.

I asked him what year it was. He replied, “It’s the Taigu year 1864! You truly don’t know?” I was about to explain, when suddenly a massive creature leaped from above the waterfall. Before I could see what it was, it had pinned me to the ground. When I focused, I gasped—the beast was a white tiger, its size three times that of a normal tiger. It launched its attack, pressing me down. Instinctively, I raised my arms to shield my head, convinced my end had come, but Zhang Lei subdued the tiger. I didn’t see how he managed it; the beast’s gaping maw hovered inches from my face.

“This tiger is mine—sorry for scaring you,” Zhang Lei patted the white tiger, which released me.

I was truly terrified. Even now, I wondered if I was dreaming. So much had happened in just one day, leaving my mind in turmoil. Zhang Lei invited me to stay at his home for a few days, but I politely refused. I had to venture into the outside world to determine if what Zhang Lei said was real or merely legend.

Bidding farewell to Zhang Lei, I journeyed alone into this mysterious world. Ahead lay a bamboo forest. When I approached a small hut built of bamboo, an elderly man blocked my path, wishing to take me as his apprentice. I refused outright—such charlatans were common in the twenty-first century. I pressed on, and as dusk fell, I climbed a tall tree deep in the woods, preparing to spend the night there. It was my first experience camping outdoors.

In the dead of night, I was awakened by a strange sound. By the faint moonlight, I saw a blood-red giant python coiled around a nearby tree. Its body was as thick as the trunk itself, impossible for two people to encircle. Its massive form made the branches creak, alerting me just in time. The thought made me shudder—I had nearly become prey. I quickly rolled off the tree and retreated quietly.

Unexpectedly, the python attacked. Despite its bulk, it was astonishingly swift, slithering up to me and wrapping my body tightly.

As it constricted me, my bones crackled audibly. Who would have thought that Li Yunfei would die like this! I knew that no amount of struggle would save me, so I closed my eyes in despair. Then, a strange wind swept through. The python suddenly loosened its grip, and I collapsed weakly to the ground, feeling as if my lungs would burst. At that critical moment, Zhang Lei appeared with the white tiger and saved me once again. I looked at Zhang Lei gratefully, unsure how to thank him. Twice rescued—I clearly needed to be more vigilant.

The snake and tiger battled fiercely. Zhang Lei said, “The tiger lives here in this forest. I enjoy a carefree life, so I spend most of my days in these woods.”

Gradually, the white tiger began to lose ground. Zhang Lei summoned it to retreat, but another gust of wind swept through, carrying a flurry of leaves. The wind was so strong I couldn’t open my eyes. When it passed, the python lay dead in a pool of blood, its body pierced by leaves. An elderly man in white appeared before us.

Zhang Lei stepped forward, cupping his fists in greeting. “May I ask if you are Master Xiaoxiangzi?”

The old man paused, surprised. “You recognize me?”

“I know your famed technique—Chasing Wind, Catching Shadows. Please, accept me as your disciple.”

Zhang Lei explained he had long intended to seek a master, and Xiaoxiangzi’s reputation on the Divine Demon Continent was unmatched. Thus, he hoped to enter his tutelage.