I Am Unaware That I Am the Peerless Martial God Chapter 1400: Was I the One Who Fell into the Trap
Previously on I Am Unaware That I Am the Peerless Martial God...
Cloud Star.
Thriving Luohai City bustled with crowds. At its heart rose a massive temple, drawing myriad cultivators' gazes skyward. Beams of light streamed in from every direction, signaling an epic gathering on the verge.
Before the temple's grand stairs.
Ancient Saint Luo Hongfei commanded tens of thousands of cultivators in silent vigil, his gaze brimming with awe and desire.
After an eternity of waiting.
At last, void ripples unfurled, and two figures emerged in sequence, seizing every eye like deities gracing the mortal realm!
The monk's smile radiated mercy from his eyes, while Star Master Long Tian dripped with gore. This stark opposition stunned all, compelling the myriad cultivators below to prostrate and roar in a tidal wave of acclaim!
"Welcome, Lord Star Master!"
"Welcome, Lord Star Master!"
"Welcome, Lord Star Master!"...
The tsunami of zealous cheers rang in his ears, and worshippers by the thousand filled his sight; Long Tian stood speechless, utterly unsure how to react.
Such a spectacle had once been his deepest dream.
Yet after cataclysmic shifts, the Demon Race rejected him utterly. Conquering Cloud Star entirely by fluke now rang hollow.
He lingered dazed for several breaths, bewilderment etching his face.
In this magnificent display, the agony of kin-slaying surged fiercer, battering his psyche relentlessly, stirring a whirlwind of emotions in the ex-Demon Race prodigy who once boasted genius.
Beholding Long Tian's serene demeanor, human cultivators' fervor only intensified.
The Lord Star Master had battled demons, rendering immense service to humanity, yet showed no trace of pride, not even uttering a word of his feats...
This embodies true esteem from the masses!
This captures bearing the realm's burdens!
Under this lord's watch, Cloud Star shall reclaim its splendor for sure.
Ancient Saint Luo Hongfei lifted his gaze and bowed deeply, reverence flooding his features. Nodding with uncontainable thrill, he surged emotions barely reined; he swiftly guided the throng up the vast staircase for greetings and homage!
"Lord Star Master, beholding your awe-inspiring might in that clash has broadened our horizons. Cloud Star's fortune lies in awaiting your rise—blessing all sentient beings!"
"Lord Star Master shines like the celestial moon. Demons before you can't dim one bit of your radiant glory!"
"Spot on! Lord Star Master's cultivation stands peerless, paired with a heart of justice shielding the masses. He's our era's exemplar; we'll pledge eternal loyalty henceforth!"
"The Lord crushed demons with his terrifying cultivation. Those fiends dare stir chaos? The mighty, unbeatable Demon Race amounts to zilch!"
"Fellow Daoist Feng speaks truth. Lord Star Master defends Cloud Star—who boasts invincibility, who claims victory undefeated?"
"Witnessing Lord Star Master honors my life—no regrets remain!"
...
Within mere breaths, cultivators engulfed Long Tian.
Praise erupted ceaselessly nearby. No matter cultivation, age, or looks, every cultivator morphed into rabid admirers, fanaticism blazing in their stares.
Such fervor was unheard of; Long Tian struggled to cope.
He'd dreamed of finishing Cloud Star's mission, returning triumphant to Demon Race accolades from tribal titans, perhaps even Demon Venerable's nod, securing his pivotal role at once.
Never did he foresee...
Events flipping completely.
Now, humans showered him with wild adulation, inverting his status to near-authentic human Star Master. All his toil made the pretense turn perilously real!
After all this, why does it seem he's the trapped one?
Somehow, he's twisted into a Demon Race betrayer, forced into Star Master role leading humans?
Where to even vent this madness.
I'm no goddamn traitor, no traitor!
What a damn curse!
Praises from those around him rang sweetly in his ears, yet Long Tian felt like bursting into tears with none forthcoming. With Chen Kunpeng standing right next to him, he had no option but to join the mood and squeeze out a rigid smile, which came off as quite strained.
"Heh, heh..."
Grinning on the surface, rivers of tears flowed inside his heart.
Long Tian bore his agony quietly. Every insult hurled at the Demon Race stabbed into him like sharp needles. His smile turned more and more sour, while he repeatedly clasped his fists to hide his awkwardness.
Even as Long Tian neared his breaking point, Chen Kunpeng kept grinning and dishing out motivational words.
"Benefactor."
"Having wiped out those demons and earned merit, no need for excessive humility. As the Buddha teaches: Saving one life surpasses building a seven-story pagoda. Those demons piled up heinous crimes. By sending them off, you've spared countless souls, accumulating immeasurable virtue."
"From here on, keep pushing forward to guide more demonic beings to transcendence."
"Excellent, excellent..."
What had been a brutal fight for survival moments ago was now, in this monk's telling, mere transcendence—a virtuous act. Outrageous already, yet he urged further efforts...
From those words' intent, did it mean slaughtering every last one?
Could words like that come from any human mouth?
Excellent my foot!
This monk is way too damn ruthless!
Gazing at that innocent, benevolent smile, Long Tian's mouth corners spasmed.
Trapped by circumstances, how could he reveal even a hint of oddity?
Long Tian managed an uneasy grin for several moments, then nodded submissively, staying in character as the Star Master.
"Hehe..."
"Master speaks true. Starting today, I'll redouble my efforts to transcend demonic creatures."
Little did he expect those words to hype up the nearby cultivators like they'd been pumped full of stimulants!
Under Ancient Saint Luo Hongfei's lead, they thrust their arms skyward, roaring in unison and suddenly blazing with fierce combat fervor!
"Make persistent efforts, transcend the demonic creatures!"
"Make persistent efforts, transcend the demonic creatures!"
"Make persistent efforts, transcend the demonic creatures!"
...
Their chants boomed thunderously, piercing the heavens!
Standing at the epicenter, Long Tian's heart jolted.
Oh no...
Had his offhand reply sparked humanity's warlike zeal?
If things kept going like this.
He'd truly turn into the Demon Race's deadliest foe, unabsolvable even by diving into the starry ocean. How would he survive afterward!
Was he really destined to spearhead humanity's assault on the Demon Race?
Hiss...
The deeper he pondered, the heavier the guilt weighed; Long Tian drew a covert sharp breath in shock!
Right then, caught in this unstoppable momentum.
A figure shoved through the front ranks and strode directly up to him, bowing deeply!
"Greetings, Lord Star Master!"
The voice jolted Long Tian alert.
Snapping back and focusing, he noted the arrival: plump with thin beard stubble, wearing a strange oily grin, clad in plain garb like any street vendor mortal.
In normal times, Long Tian wouldn't spare such a nobody a glance.
Yet after witnessing Yi Feng and Chen Kunpeng's horrifying might, his caution toward Cloud Star's humans had spiked. This one emerging from the throng now put him on high alert inwardly.
Not even in the Demon Race's Black Tower had Long Tian felt this grave.
He spoke carefully to probe, utmost wariness in his tone.
"Greetings to you, sir. Might I ask your origins and any counsel you bring?"
No sooner had he finished than the man beamed back.
"Lord Star Master."
"I'm merely an insignificant soul, unworthy of note."
"That said, my lineage served Star Masters across generations from antiquity. Regrettably, the line broke off a hundred thousand years past, denying me the honor of service. Hearing today of Lord Star Master's revival to purge demons, I come bearing the prior Star Master's token—the Floating Cloud Diagram."
"Felicitations to Lord Star Master on this grand deed. May the Lord guide all of Cloud Star to demon-slaying triumphs, reviving antiquity's splendor!"
With that, the fellow drew a relic from within his robes.
The relic from antiquity resembled a chess piece. Delicate etchings of floating clouds decorated its exterior, wrapped in a holy radiance that enveloped it completely. It appeared as if myriad starlights had gathered inside, prompting gasps of amazement from the nearby throng.
Right away, the cultivators burst into wilder, more fervent cheers, driving the ambiance to its feverish peak!
"Exterminate the evil demons, restore our glory!"
Gazing at the unexpected gift, Long Tian stood utterly stupefied.
"This..."
He never meant to truly claim the role of Cloud Star's Lord; survival was his sole aim.
Why on earth would anyone abruptly offer him the heritage badge like this?
Should he take it, he'd genuinely turn into the Lord of Cloud Star. Was he destined to guide humanity against the demon race? A proud demon genius compelled to serve as a human Star Lord?
What in the world was happening!
As Long Tian wavered in hesitation, Pork Rong thrust the badge straight into his grasp.
The instant that followed.
Four silhouettes emerged from the masses, prostrating together with roars that rattled heavens and earth!
"Respectfully welcoming the Star Lord!"
"We are the Star God Guards, eternal protectors of the Star Lord. Henceforth, we pledge to trail Your Excellency in purging the vile demons, shielding you with our very lives!
Their booming declarations echoed far and wide, unleashing a fearsome pressure that rippled outward.
An inscrutable aura emanated from each of those four, forcing surrounding cultivators to retreat in shock and reverence. Even Long Tian was left dumbfounded.
Upon closer inspection, a chill crawled up his scalp!
Holy crap...
From where had these four mighty humans appeared? He couldn't even fathom the extent of their cultivation!
Beings of such overwhelming might sought to guard a phony Star Lord like him?
What was he to do now?!
Silence abruptly blanketed the scene, as a reverent and majestic air began to permeate quietly.
Tens of thousands of eyes fixed upon him, bearing down an immense pressure unlike any before.
Refusing these folks could raise suspicions about his true identity. Exposure might come instantly, dooming him on the spot. Yet accepting meant committing fully to this treacherous road, forever branding him a demon race betrayer.
Between the two, pretending onward offered at least a faint hope of living.
After several breaths of tormented deliberation.
Long Tian weighed the gains against the losses, though the words weighed like mountains on his tongue. His throat worked silently a few times before he forced out a response fitting the grand mood.
"Uh..."
"Then, then from now on, let us work together with one heart to exterminate the demon race."
These words had barely left his lips.
A tsunami of cheers exploded from thousands of cultivators, unleashing the humans' pent-up war fervor in full!
Amid the avalanche of jubilant roars.
Clutching the badge, Long Tian's thoughts swirled in chaos. Vaguely, he sensed he'd shot himself in the foot. Some invisible hand seemed to propel him along, leaving him adrift like rootless duckweed.
Contemplating the days ahead—braving the demon race's fury and the Demon Venerable's horrors—tears welled in Long Tian's eyes. Amid the cultivators weeping in rapture, his face blended seamlessly, as though he belonged to their kin.
What a shame.
Joys and griefs across races could never align.
The wilder the frenzy around him grew, the deeper the isolation gnawed at Long Tian's soul.
It's finished.
I'm utterly doomed...
When war ignites between the races later.
The moment demon leaders uncover him, he'd be the first crushed to powder and scattered to the winds!
Long Tian sought only to feign his way to safety. He never dreamed his pretense would turn authentic, completing the act and etching his traitor status in stone.
Even less did he anticipate the humans' sudden surge of battle spirit, sealing off his every escape.
This time, he was done for completely.
Dwelling on his grim destiny, Long Tian tilted his gaze skyward in bitterness. Tears streamed down his face in a flawless 45-degree trail, brimming with utter helplessness and desolation.
Observing from a distance.
Pork Rong curved his lips in a subtle smile, slipping away after fulfilling his task into the crowd's embrace.