GD Ch. 1

Chapter 1: What Is the Devil?

What is the devil?

Disregarding virtues and ethics, tempting the arising of obstacles, damaging the roots of goodness, and disturbing the peace of mind. Unable to let go of attachments, unwilling to abandon narrow-mindedness, and indulging in wrongdoing without remorse—this is the devil.

On this day, upon the calm sea surface, a fisherman sat cross-legged at the bow of his boat with his arms wrapped around his knees and a pointed hat covering much of his face. 

Suddenly, the sky darkened, causing him to jolt awake. He lifted his hat to reveal a pair of dark eyes.

A black shadow darted beneath the clouds, resembling dense mist or ink spilled by the heavens.

The fisherman immediately thought it was going to rain, so he hastily pulled up the net submerged in the water. To his surprise, the catch was heavy, nearly pulling him into the water.

Sweating profusely, he strained to pull the fishing net onto the boat, finding it brimming with thrashing fish. He sighed, “How can there be so many fish? Could it be that the Dragon Palace under the sea is celebrating something?”

Indeed, there was a celebration. 

In the palace beneath the sea, adorned with gold, silver, jade, and precious stones, soft red silk hung everywhere like wisps of smoke, and pearls gleamed like night pearls scattered about. Guests filled the hall, not a seat empty. It was truly a lively scene.

Suddenly, a gust of devilish energy swept through, causing the invited immortals to panic and the seated immortals to rise. Yet, the devilish energy vanished in an instant as if it were merely a breeze without surprise. If not for the fact that all the immortals present had felt the immense devilish energy just moments before, they might have thought it was merely a momentary illusion.

All the immortals had gathered here because a dragon and a phoenix were supposed to marry, but now there was a rampant devilish energy passing through. This devil was a bit too audacious, truly fearless.

Soldiers and generals emerged from the sidelines, secretly tracking the direction of the devilish energy under the Dragon King’s command.

Among the immortals present, a faint voice spoke, “Speaking of which, it was supposed to be another member of the Phoenix Clan who was to marry.”

“It’s been a long time since anyone mentioned her,” another immortal sighed.

“On the day she succumbed to devilhood, the Heavenly Palace was shrouded in black mist, the devilish energy seemed like towering waves, obscuring much of the sunlight. Birds soared and screamed, and beasts cried out in torment from the devilish energy. Chaos reigned in the heavens and the earth, comparable to the return of the Devil Lord.” The gray-robed immortal stroked his long beard.

“That devilish energy just now was quite suspicious. Could it be that she came to disrupt the wedding?” a voice exclaimed from the side.

“Disrupt the wedding? What does she gain from that? She didn’t fall into devilhood because of the Dragon Crown Prince Mangfeng,” the gray-robed immortal who spoke earlier chuckled contemptuously.

Another immortal asked, “Then why did she fall in the first place?”

“It’s said she failed her tribulation, her cultivation destroyed. Somehow, she injured her eyes as well. Later, rumors circulated that she plotted to harm the reincarnated ancient god, ending up with her immortal bones stripped and tendons pulled. By the time the final heavenly thunder fell, she… was possessed by the devil.”

The sound of suona silenced the immortals abruptly. All eyes turned toward the red silk sedan chair adorned with gold and jade, carried by immortal maidens with smiles on their lips, swaying gracefully with every step. 

The curtains of the sedan rustled with the clinking of beads, faintly revealing the phoenix immortal sitting inside. She wore a fiery red dress, her head adorned with a red silk embroidered with golden phoenix patterns. Though her face was unseen, her graceful figure hinted at her beauty.

The gray-robed immortal lowered his voice, sighing, “If we speak of unparalleled beauty, it must be the one who has fallen into the Devil Realm. The first time I saw her, her silver hair cascaded like a waterfall, her lips cold as ice. She seemed heartless, but when she glanced at me, she gave a faint smile, stirring my heart. How unforgettable. Compared to her, this phoenix girl is merely ordinary.”

But the one who had fallen into the Devil Realm was merely a thing from a lifetime ago. Most of the immortals here to celebrate were newly ascended, never having seen such a silver-haired beauty.

As the red sedan landed steadily, the phoenix girl in wedding attire lifted the curtains, and the immortal maidens on both sides immediately assisted her, supporting her over the crimson satin toward the white jade Dragon Palace.

In the distance, the Dragon Crown Prince Mangfeng stood with hands behind his back, handsome and noble, waiting quietly for his bride to approach.

The gray-robed immortal who spoke of past events in the Immortal Realm spoke again, “Honestly, if it weren’t for her descent to devilhood and the disparity in status, this Dragon Crown Prince Mangfeng would pale in comparison to her.”

“The Dragon Crown Prince is not someone you can criticize! I think you’ve been ensnared by the devil. If that witch so much as beckons, won’t you also fall into devilhood?” another immortal nearby exclaimed, his face flushed with anger.

The gray-robed immortal crossed his arms behind his back, snorting disdainfully.

Before his snort faded, a vortex suddenly spiraled outside the Dragon Palace’s protective array. The vortex was as dark as ink, shattering corals and turning fish and shrimp into blood mist. Its abrupt appearance caught the immortals off guard. It felt as if they were being suppressed, unable to muster their strength for a moment. They cried out in alarm, shouting, “It’s devilish energy! The Devil Clan is attacking!”

“The dragon and the phoenix are about to unite, and this devil dares to intrude upon the Dragon Palace?”

“Seeking death!”

Dragon Crown Prince Mangfeng, who had been standing with hands behind his back, suddenly changed his expression. He was about to step forward when the Dragon King restrained him by the shoulder.

On the other side, the bride pulled off her red veil, revealing a lovely face. She was pretty, but not stunningly so. Even among the immortal maidens, she was considered average in beauty. She furrowed her brows tightly, her eyes darting around, and slowly retreated behind her attendants.

However, before the devil soldiers appeared, a surge of devilish energy burst forth from the vortex, unexpectedly breaking through the protective array. It resembled a wisp of gray smoke, but upon closer inspection, it looked like an elongated hand, brushing past the side of the phoenix girl’s face.

The immortals hurriedly wielded their weapons, channeling their spiritual power fiercely, but they couldn’t disperse the gray smoke. They hadn’t expected the devilish energy to be so audacious and terrifying.

“Jingyi!” Mangfeng shouted.

But Jingyi, when called, froze in place. A bloody gash suddenly appeared on the side of her face, blood trickling down her fair skin. She heard a familiar voice. The arrogant and heartless voice echoed in her ear, “When will you return my sight?”

Before the astonished eyes of everyone, the bride in wedding attire suddenly conjured a sword and slashed at the gray smoke. The clustered smoke immediately scattered, carrying the devilish energy as it crashed into the surroundings, causing golden cups and jade dishes to clatter. In the blink of an eye, the horrifying devilish energy disappeared once again.

The immortals looked at each other in astonishment, unable to guess if the phoenix girl had dispersed the devilish energy intentionally or accidentally.

The Dragon King quickly apologized to the immortals, while also scolding the soldiers to promptly uncover the hidden devils lurking in the Dragon Palace.

Dragon Crown Prince Mangfeng closed his eyes and swiftly performed a spell with his hands. His spiritual awareness swept through the Dragon Palace, but he still couldn’t find the invading devil.

Meanwhile, the gray-robed immortal among the guests had disappeared without a trace.

The surroundings were in chaos—the once neatly hung red silk now disheveled by the devilish energy, jade decorations scattered everywhere, and the immortal cakes in porcelain plates no longer recognizable. If word of this incident got out, it would truly tarnish the reputation of the Dragon Clan. 

Such a joyous occasion was marred by an unknown devil, even the face of the Immortal Realm would suffer a blow.

***

After the gray smoke dissipated, it gathered again in the darkness, resembling a delicate and boneless hand. It lifted the red silk and cicada veils, and sneaked into the crevices of the jade stones spread across the floor.

The usually dignified gray-robed immortal anxiously followed the smoke while occasionally glancing back.

Wherever the smoke passed, the soldiers of the Dragon Palace fell one by one, some even turning against each other in confusion.

Soon, the path was blocked by a stone door, causing the dark gray devilish energy to halt. The gray-robed man was about to speak when the smoke crashed through the array on the door, swiftly entering the stone door engraved with runes. 

The runes on the stone door briefly glowed, but they couldn’t stop the determined smoke from barging in.

The gray-robed man intended to follow inside, but as he took a step forward, the bright light of the runes shook him violently, causing him to cough up blood. He anxiously clutched his chest, unable to do anything but stare at the door.

At that moment, a glaringly pale hand forcefully pulled open the closed stone door, grabbed the collar of the gray-robed man, and yanked him inside. The hand appeared delicate, seemingly fragile, with slender fingers half-hidden in the sleeve. Within the dark floral veil of the sleeve, one could vaguely discern a long, winding, and ugly scar running along the inside of the arm, reaching up to the shoulder. On the slender shoulder, black diabolic markings twisted like vines.

It was the devil.