Volume One: The Kingdom of the Endless Night Chapter Sixty-Two: Could He Be an Immortal Descended to the Mortal World?

Jiang Wang and Xie Wuxing watched as the elder surfaced from the water. Xiao Shinian silently fixed his gaze on Jiang Wang.

This man was definitely suspicious.

Recalling how he deliberately provoked Wuhou before Huncheng and then suddenly unleashed immense power, it was either a concealment of strength or something else entirely.

Xiao Shinian felt he had faintly uncovered a small secret about Jiang Wang.

The elder’s legs still submerged in the river, he lifted his eyes to Jiang Wang and said, “Wuhou was defeated by you because it felt fear and retreated without a fight. But if it truly went berserk, no one in Huncheng could stop it, that’s my belief.”

“But in an instant, your cultivation leapt to the Zao Xue Realm, though briefly… it seems Wuhou didn’t lose without cause.”

Jiang Wang smiled. “Never underestimate others at any time, or you will suffer greatly. You are already gravely injured, the outcome decided. Do you want to flee like Wuhou or fight to the death and die here?”

The elder looked at him deeply and said, “I’ve remembered you.”

Jiang Wang replied, “I’m not attracted to men.”

His words carried a double meaning as he silently glanced at Xie Wuxing.

Xie Wuxing looked puzzled, wondering why he was being looked at.

The elder’s voice grew serious. “I want to leave, and you cannot stop me.”

Jiang Wang chuckled, “I never intended to stop you.”

The elder raised an eyebrow. “You really plan to let me go?”

Jiang Wang solemnly said, “You promised to kill me in one move, then I would let you go. But you never managed it.”

The elder was momentarily stunned, then realized Jiang Wang had no intention of stopping him but rather planned to keep him there!

Lowering his head to escape, he prepared to plunge into the river.

Jiang Wang drew his blade, a fierce wind suddenly rising.

Simultaneously, Xie Wuxing also drew his sword.

Only Xiao Shinian watched quietly.

But no blood stained the river’s surface; the elder’s body burst like a bubble beneath Jiang Wang’s blade.

Xie Wuxing frowned. “What’s going on here?”

Xiao Shinian said calmly, “Obviously, this was not his true form.”

Xie Wuxing was shocked. “An external spirit?”

Jiang Wang was silent for a moment before saying, “I had guessed earlier. The Zao Xue Realm cleanses the spirit, making it pure and flawless, allowing the soul to leave the body. Likewise, great demons also possess souls.”

Xiao Shinian said nothing, as he was not well-versed in these matters.

Jiang Wang had only heard this from the Night Roaming God and suspected the elder’s flashy but hollow demonic aura.

Xie Wuxing said gravely, “Cultivators forge the Yellow Court, with up to three possible. They can form three types of souls. The lower gods have 40% of their original power, middle gods 60%, while the upper gods match their original strength.”

“Demons’ souls differ. Though they cannot attain all their Dao, demons who can form souls are at least at the ‘seeing god’ level ten.”

“Just the external soul alone carries terrifying Dao power, likely far stronger than Wuhou!”

Jiang Wang thought that such a great demon could easily destroy Huncheng, but had not done so, so its purpose must be far more complex than simply killing immortals.

Though the demon seemed incredibly powerful, immortals were meant to be stronger. If it was truly about killing immortals, even if the elder was strong, it might still not be enough—unless the newly born immortal was very weak.

But if that were the case, the demon could have simply razed Huncheng. Why bother pinpointing the immortal’s location?

Xiao Shinian casually dismissed the so-called talisman array and said, “After only a few days in Huncheng, so much trouble has come. This place might be unfavorable to me. Being stronger than Wuhou and far surpassing it is very different. I have to consider whether to leave.”

Jiang Wang was respected by those seeking immortals, and Xiao Shinian was no exception.

The once quiet bamboo grove had turned chaotic, which was why he had come to the East Market to relax, only to encounter another great demon.

He felt rather weary.

Before Xie Wuxing could say anything, Xiao Shinian broke through the void and left.

The East Market returned to its original calm. The white mist gradually dispersed, revealing Xiaoyu’s anxious figure.

In her sight, the young master on the river suddenly disappeared without reason, yet she could still sense his aura. Though certain he was there, she could not find him and nearly burst into tears.

Jiang Wang comforted her gently.

He glanced toward the tavern where Akong was still eating, as if nothing had happened.

Jiang Wang was speechless.

Such a simpleton.

Luo Xianshan said gravely, “Let us return home and discuss in detail.”

Shu Ni and Ning Shisi followed.

The town’s government sealed off the East Market. The seekers of immortals were still shaken, their enthusiasm waning. They had gained nothing after all this time and faced danger repeatedly; it was too frightening.

The young woman on the painted boat watched Jiang Wang’s departing figure and thought how he truly kept his promise.

She sensed the elder’s great power. Although she did not know why they suddenly vanished, the absence of the elder’s figure strongly suggested he had been eliminated.

Recalling Jiang Wang’s performance on the boat, her expression grew serious. He was clearly hiding his true strength; perhaps he was stronger than she had imagined.

“Miss Bai, it’s such a relief you’re safe!”

A scholar ran back again.

Bai Chuanling shook her head in exasperation. How annoying.

...

In the residence of the Marquis of Xunyang:

Luo Xianshan’s face was stern. “Although Wuhou has the Dao power of the Zao Xue Realm, it only barely glimpsed the gate and hasn’t formed a soul. Some great demons, due to their nature, cannot see godhood even if their Dao is profound. But any demon who forges a soul is no ordinary foe.”

Jiang Wang said nothing.

Xie Wuxing slammed the table. “Demons covet Huncheng. If we only defend passively, disaster is inevitable. Since Jiang killed its soul, that demon must be injured. In my view, we need to take the initiative to eliminate threats quickly!”

Luo Xianshan said, “That demon sent only its soul here. Its true body might be near Huncheng or thousands of miles away. Finding it would be near impossible. How can we strike proactively?”

Jiang Wang stroked his chin thoughtfully. “If all the experts in every realm are slaying demons, one Wuhou appearing is understandable. If there were a stronger being, that’s unlikely.”

“However, it’s more probable the demon sent a fragment of its soul to sneak into Huncheng, which means its main body is far from the city.”

Luo Xianshan nodded. “That’s probably the case.”

Xie Wuxing said irritably, “So we just wait for the demons to attack again?”

Jiang Wang smiled. “Regardless of the demons’ purpose in attacking the city, the rampaging great demons elsewhere serve to draw attention. They’re either slain or persist stubbornly, waiting for stronger cultivators to appear and be slain again. They cannot ravage endlessly.”

“Though it’s easier to attack than defend, Huncheng’s advantage is that it’s easy to defend but hard to assault. The great demons don’t come in person and aren’t like cultivators who forged the upper Yellow Court, whose souls possess the full Dao. I could kill that one once, so naturally, I can kill it a second time.”

Jiang Wang slumped into a chair and spoke lazily. “Once the Kutan situation is settled, even if that great demon shows up, the Sword God will block it. There’s no need for unnecessary worry.”

Shu Ni, silent beside him, looked disdainful. It sounded reasonable, but Jiang Wang was clearly lazy, wanting to shift the trouble onto others.

...

Fifty miles west of Huncheng:

The calm river surface rippled.

A mountain-like figure appeared, the elder sitting upright with a somewhat gloomy expression.

On the shore, earth heaved, revealing Wuhou’s upper body. “You lost too?”

Coldness flickered in the elder’s eyes. Wuhou felt as if struck by lightning and hastily said, “River Lord, please don’t be angry. I misspoke; it was unintentional!”

The elder closed his eyes, speaking gravely, “Though only a fragment of my soul, it holds half my Dao power. Carelessness is carelessness, but there’s no point discussing it now. The one wielding the sword is extraordinary, possessing strange methods. That scene resembled a talisman array but was far more complex.”

“Jiang Wang...” The elder opened his eyes again. “This man is very strange. I faintly sensed a trace of demonic aura from him—though very weak and fleeting, my perception does not err. His ability to suddenly boost his cultivation suggests either an anomaly or great support.”

Wuhou cautiously said, “I felt the same, though I did not detect any demonic aura. I was certain he was an ordinary mortal, yet he suddenly unleashed tremendous power. Could he be the immortal born in Huncheng?”

The elder said, “Everyone knows we intend to kill immortals, but in centuries, where have we seen any? Without immortals, how can there be ‘killing immortals’?”

“Our Lord Candle God has long since exterminated immortals. Even those hiding in the world are old immortals. To me, the so-called ‘immortal born in the world’ is nonsense.”

The elder was unwilling to accept that Jiang Wang might be the immortal born in Huncheng.

The world is full of wonders; Jiang Wang was just special. To directly link him to an immortal was too ridiculous.

Moreover, even a weak immortal is not comparable to ordinary cultivators or demons. If so, the one who died would not be the soul. Even if he barely survived, he would have been gravely wounded.

Not like now, where only the soul dissipated, causing minor damage to his vital energy.

Looking at Wuhou, the elder said solemnly, “I have acted in Huncheng. I must hide for a short time or the Sword Pavilion’s guy will detect me. If they realize, our plan will fail completely.”

Wuhou nodded, watching the elder’s figure vanish beneath the river surface.

The River Lord was a great demon who had lived long.

Legend said he followed Lord Candle God in battle and was sealed here by a true immortal.

Time passed swiftly; centuries later, few knew of this. Only scant records remained in ancient texts alongside immortal legends.

But important figures in the Sui Kingdom surely knew of the River Lord. If exposed, it would confirm immortals’ existence to all cultivators, who would then rush to Huncheng, potentially attracting powerful indifferent entities.

The River Lord’s Dao was not at its peak, which was dangerous.

Yet, the rampaging great demons would eventually wane. If not for two blockers appearing in Huncheng, this would have ended long ago. Now, even knowing time was short, they could only wait.

Wuhou was somewhat resentful.

His desire to devour Jiang Wang and Xiao Shinian grew stronger.