Redemption of a Born Demon

Chapter 126: An Unintentional Revelation: Refining Heaven and Earth to Birth the Demon Flame (Part 1)

Yang Mutong came from a prominent family in Cloud Sea. She could be said to have been born with a silver spoon in her mouth; she never had to worry about food or clothing and was blessed with a beautiful face. Not only that, she was exceptionally talented, possessing an Innate Wisdom Eye and a Martial Arts Secret Technique perfectly suited for her. Her Cultivation was smooth sailing; before the age of nineteen, she had already reached the realm of Fist Intent Soul Capturing.

Then, at her eighteenth birthday celebration, she had a fateful encounter with Yi Beidou that forged a karmic bond between them, and she insisted on staying by his side to learn from his teachings.

Her good fortune was truly profound.

"Mr. Yi, I was reckless this time. Please punish me."

Upon hearing this, Yang Mutong scrambled to her feet and bowed to Yi Beidou.

She knew, of course, that her actions had been incredibly dangerous. If Yi Beidou hadn’t intervened, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

’I’ve troubled Mr. Yi again.’

"You are profoundly fortunate, but you must not rely on it. Otherwise, it might not be a blessing, and I fear it will ultimately become a mental demon," Yi Beidou said.

The greater the talent, the deeper the mental demon. The same holds true for good fortune.

Relying on serendipity means you don’t truly understand how you achieved something. You might make sudden, great strides, but for the long-term cultivation of the Martial Arts Dao, this is a major pitfall.

Throughout history, many geniuses achieved fame in their youth. They were dazzlingly brilliant, but faded into obscurity in their later years or even died young, failing to leave a significant mark in the annals of history. Conversely, it was often the late bloomers, forged through trials and tribulations, who went on to write the most glorious Chapters.

"I will remember, Mr. Yi," Yang Mutong said.

She probably couldn’t grasp the full meaning of his words just yet, but since they came from Yi Beidou, she would be sure to commit them to memory.

"Also, your recklessness injured your opponent, incurring a karmic debt. You will personally apologize. Then, have the Yang Family offer a gift as compensation," Yi Beidou continued.

"Yes, Mr. Yi."

Yang Mutong nodded respectfully. Given her character, she would have done so even if Yi Beidou hadn’t instructed her.

And so, the Wencheng qualifying round of the Martial Hero Conference came to a close.

Yang Mutong was disqualified from the city final for attacking the referee and her opponent after the match. However, the organizing committee took into account the extenuating circumstances, ruling that her mistake was not intentional. After some deliberation, they allowed her to retain her rank as the city’s runner-up, which meant she could still advance to the provincial tournament.

The provincial tournament would be held in half a month in Da Wu City, the capital of Han Province.

After the Wencheng qualifying finals, discussions about the identity of the Mr. Yi on the judges’ panel began to spread through fan communities.

For a while, the buzz surrounding Yi Beidou as a judge even eclipsed that of the contestants, Chen Hao and Yang Mutong.

Whenever these communities discussed which contestant was stronger, fans from Wencheng would inevitably chime in with a seemingly random "Not as good as Mr. Yi." This phrase quickly became a popular meme among Wencheng’s martial arts enthusiasts.

All of Wencheng’s martial arts enthusiasts eagerly awaited the provincial tournament, hoping to see Mr. Yi on the judges’ panel once more and witness his next surprising act. Many even paid exorbitant prices for tickets just for this possibility.

But their hopes were dashed.

The provincial tournament officially began in Da Wu City. To accommodate the demand for more spectators to watch the matches live, the officials utilized Da Wu City’s largest indoor stadium, capable of holding twenty thousand spectators at once.

But when the martial arts enthusiasts from Wencheng arrived at the venue, buzzing with excitement, their gazes fell upon the judges’ panel only to be met with immense disappointment.

The man they had most eagerly anticipated seeing, Mr. Yi, was nowhere to be found.

Indeed, Yi Beidou did not take part in the provincial tournament.

He had already observed everything from the three rounds of the city qualifiers: the shifting atmosphere of the venue, the emotional fluctuations of the crowd, and the resulting influence of the magnetic fields they generated.

Most importantly, despite Yang Mutong’s recklessness, her actions had provided Yi Beidou with significant insight and inspiration. She had harnessed the power of the crowd, using the Human Fiend it generated to stimulate her own magnetic field. Then, by a stroke of luck, she used his Evil Qi to temper herself, elevating her magnetic field to a new level.

Since returning from Dragon Tiger Mountain, he had been cultivating at the North Suburban Villa, contemplating the relationship between man and nature and perceiving the profound mysteries of the Heaven and Earth True Qi.

But he had overlooked one crucial point: the importance of humanity in this world.

In modern civilization and human society, the masses had long become a vital component of the Heaven and Earth True Qi. They ceaselessly influenced the natural world, while the collective will and shared environment created by countless individuals, in turn, influenced everyone living within that society.

Even an Immortal could not escape this karmic web.

This was the profound reality of the mortal world.

He had seen heaven and earth, but he had overlooked humanity.

Having come to this realization, he began the next stage of his Cultivation.

He concealed his identity and aura and walked into the mortal world, attempting to experience its myriad, dazzling colors.

For over a month, he traveled to all sorts of places—not to seek out masters, but simply to observe "people."

He stayed in a hospital for several days and stood as a silent observer in a crematorium. He went to all kinds of bars, listening to the pounding music and the thrum of hormones. He slipped into weddings and even made a secret trip to Da Hai City to experience the dazzling decadence of its gambling industry. He even visited brothels, quietly observing the emotional tides within.

He was like an observer, a phantom, drifting through different places.

This world was a kaleidoscope of colors.

Yi Beidou’s understanding of the Qi Observation Skill, which the Elder Celestial Master had demonstrated during his Transformation Dao, grew ever deeper.

Yet, the more he observed, the more lost Yi Beidou became.

He could understand these emotions and the magnetic fields they generated, but he could not truly become a part of them.

The myriad changes of the world, the ebbs and flows of life—to him, they were an unsolvable puzzle.

He was born a demon. He had cultivated the Free Heart Technique, suppressing his nature for twenty years, leaving him like a blank slate. With almost no experience in worldly affairs, how could he possibly hope to understand the vast, deep mortal world overnight?

In a sense, he was completely out of step with the world.

His talent was extraordinary, but his mental demons were equally profound.

This was one of his mental demons.

Nearly two months later, as the Martial Hero Conference’s provincial tournament drew to a close, Yi Beidou returned to Wencheng.

Wencheng, Wensheng Mountain.

It was a famous public scenic area in Wencheng. With no admission fee, it saw a constant stream of mountain climbers.

At the summit of Wensheng Mountain was an observation deck that offered a panoramic view of Wencheng’s nightscape.

At this moment, Yi Beidou was standing there, watching the sun rise and set. He watched the city below as if it were twinkling with a kaleidoscope of lights.

Before he knew it, an entire day had passed. Night had fallen, the tourists had all departed, and he alone remained standing at the edge of the observation deck.

"Having a tough time, young man?"

Just then, an elderly voice broke the silence, drawing Yi Beidou’s attention.

In truth, he had already sensed the old man approaching. Even in his absent-minded state, it was nearly impossible for anyone to draw near without his notice.

The old man wore simple clothes and a pair of old-fashioned green cloth shoes. Though his face was covered in wrinkles, he spoke clearly and moved with a certain spryness.

Yi Beidou had seen this man on his way up the mountain; he ran a small, time-worn shop at the summit.

With his current perception, Yi Beidou could tell at a glance that the man was at least ninety years old. Yet his body was still robust, and he likely had at least five years of life left. Furthermore, the man carried the hardened air of a soldier, suggesting a military past.

However, for a man his age who had lived through those chaotic times, having served in the military was not at all unusual.

"Sir, how would you say one can integrate with the world and its people?"

With nothing else to do and his heart full of confusion, Yi Beidou didn’t mind having a casual chat with the old man.

The old man was taken aback by Yi Beidou’s question. ’For him to ask something like that,’ he thought, ’the troubles he’s facing must be serious.’

He had watched the young man stand there all day and had grown worried he was facing some terrible hardship. Now, in the dead of night, he feared the youth might get a dark impulse and jump from the observation deck. That was why he had come over to strike up a conversation.

’Young people these days... they may look big and strong, but on the inside, they’re all so sensitive and fragile. Over the years, I’ve seen more than one or two jump from this mountain.’