Longevity, starting from being a chicken raising servant Chapter 2563: 257: The Highest
Previously on Longevity, starting from being a chicken raising servant...
Void Demon Realm.
The crimson domain throbbed like a living heart, pulsing softly while it absorbed Chaos Origin Substance from the outside. This immense essence nourished the budding domain.
Right at that instant, two silhouettes appeared silently in front of the domain.
One wore a green robe, carrying a calm and detached air; the other possessed utterly plain features.
They were Wang Ba and Xiahou Demon.
Standing next to Wang Ba without any sign of subservience or pride, Xiahou Demon gave a concise explanation of the Void Demon Realm:
“The cultivation methods passed down through generations in the Void Demon Realm are symbiotic with the domain’s rules, and are the most suited Dharma for this realm. They can use the void to disguise reality, deceiving the heavens. Thus, although our Void Demon Realm appeared to crumble under the surprise attack of the Supreme True Buddha, we preserved the domain’s origin. Once the conditions are ripe, it can reverse its decay and evolve this domain anew.”
Gazing at the domain, Wang Ba gave a slight nod and promptly inquired, “Where is Shen Fu? Where is he now?”
Hearing this, Xiahou Demon displayed no astonishment and promptly gazed into the domain ahead, shouting loudly:
“Shen Fu, come out.”
The very next moment, a figure darted out from the blood-red domain.
His previous white monk robe was now swapped for a blue-gray garment, neither clerical nor secular, his striking face now bearing hints of plainness and detachment.
Emerging from the domain's depths and spotting Wang Ba, a spark of delight flashed in his eyes, though he first paid respects to Xiahou Demon.
With a grin, Xiahou Demon waved dismissively, turning first to Wang Ba:
“Taoist Friend Taiyi, I have matters to attend to, so I won’t linger.”
Then, glancing at Shen Fu, he offered advice:
“You should have a good conversation with Taoist Friend Taiyi, after all, you two haven’t had the opportunity for a proper chat over the years.”
Wang Ba nodded faintly, unconcerned by his leaving, Shen Fu assented, and Xiahou Demon vanished without a sound.
Once Xiahou Demon departed, Shen Fu relaxed completely, hurrying to land in front of Wang Ba, eyes fixed on the recognizable form, dropping all pretenses shown to outsiders, his gaze brimming with delight:
“Senior Brother!”
As he drew closer, he hesitated briefly, his expression steady yet his emotions churning inside, compelled to bow deeply before Wang Ba.
In that fleeting second, it felt like he had journeyed back many years, to when he was merely a Qi Refining novice cultivator. After every venture, he would pay homage to this brotherly presence like a son to a father.
Those days, each stride felt overwhelming and treacherous. Looking back now, they shone as life's warmest memories.
This instant mirrored that bygone time perfectly.
Even after facing endless trials and surviving countless brushes with death, his spirit exhausted from it all, the fortune of reuniting with the figure he revered above all was the pinnacle of his existence.
Wang Ba's rigid face softened like melting frost, as he observed the other, detecting the pristine and unblemished Demonic Qi in his presence, a sense of harmony and peace washing over him, and he nodded approvingly.
Recalling the other's grueling ordeal squeezed between the Supreme True Buddha and Xiahou Demon, the perils and terrors endured, a wave of compassion surged within, myriad thoughts bubbling up, yet only simple words escaped:
“You’ve had a tough time these years.”
“Senior Brother’s path was the hardest of all.”
Shen Fu shook his head lightly, his words earnest.
At these words, Wang Ba offered no false modesty, glancing over Shen Fu again, then nodding in approval:
“In great danger and opportunity, being caught between the Supreme True Buddha and Xiahou Demon was perilous, yet you gained support from both sides, advancing far beyond ordinary cultivators. It seems you have already forged your own path.”
“However, Xiahou Demon of the Void Demon Realm ultimately has impure thoughts. I am still uneasy about you staying here. Are you willing to return? If you wish, Xiahou Demon won’t dare oppose.”
He offered no lavish vows or arrogant declarations, yet his steady voice hid profound assurance.
Shen Fu harbored no doubts about Wang Ba's prowess, but after a brief reflection, hesitation flickered across his features, and he ultimately shook his head:
“Should you need me, I will give my utmost effort. I understand your goodwill, Senior Brother, but I fear I may disappoint you.”
A slight frown creased Wang Ba's brow at this:
“Do you fear Xiahou Demon’s obstruction? Or is there some unavoidable hardship? Let me have a look!”
He extended his hand toward Shen Fu, who permitted the inspection of his Primordial Spirit, and moments later, Wang Ba withdrew it in bewilderment:
“Strange, your mind hasn’t been altered…”
In response, Shen Fu hid nothing from Wang Ba, shaking his head as he explained:
“It’s not the teacher’s fault.”
“I knew that from the moment he accepted me as his disciple, his plan was to shape me into the future Buddha Lord, secretly snatching the destined fortune of the Supreme True Buddha.”
“Yet in the end, he opted to favor the inheritance of the Void Demon Realm above everything.”
“This reveals that for a demon like him, only his cultivation method is truly demonic—his heart is not.”
“Besides, he rescued me, passed on the Dharma, and offered me chances—this binds us with karma.”
He halted for a moment, his eyes growing faintly distant, as though another memory surfaced, before he continued:
“Back in the Little Cang World days, despite being part of the Demon Sect, I never truly embraced its path. Still, my own deeds weren't purely righteous, which caused my endless doubts and wavering. At heart, I rejected this demonic way, yet after years observing so-called Buddhas and demons, I've grasped that their divides don't arise from cultivation methods.”
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