Chapter One: The Eternal Demonic Soul (Part I)

As that person spoke, the sudden and fierce attack abruptly ceased. The dark clouds instantly scattered, and the cave was once again bathed in bright light.

Hearing the words "Underworld," Shi Jun was momentarily stunned, and a whirlwind of mixed emotions washed over him.

Everything—every single event—was brought about by that bastard Underworld Emperor.

Under the manipulation of that Underworld Emperor who always remained hidden behind the scenes, not only Shi Jun himself, but even the people and matters around him, had been inevitably dragged into an unpredictable vortex from which no one could escape the clutches of evil.

Although on the surface Silver Hook's death had no direct connection to him, had it not been for his ruthlessness and cold indifference, he would not have come to the Demon Realm out of concern for Chiyang's safety, and the subsequent events would never have transpired. That beautiful female demon spirit would likely have continued to live happily. Even if she never understood the taste of love, she at least would not have lost her life.

Thinking of this, Silver Hook's affectionate eyes faintly appeared before Shi Jun's mind, leaving a lingering sense of melancholy in his heart.

After a moment of daze, Shi Jun let out a long sigh, pulled himself together, and replied, "What? Could it be that only people from the Demon Realm are allowed to enter here? You haven't answered my question yet. Are youaisu?"

"..."

The person did not speak immediately. After a brief silence, a cluster of green light suddenly lit up before Shi Jun's eyes, growing larger and larger. At the center of the green light was a golden-yellow hue, interspersed with countless deep and shallow green stripes that flickered and pulsed. After a while, the green light suddenly contracted, the golden-yellow light sphere in the middle abruptly expanded, and then with a flash of intense light, Shi Jun felt his vision brighten as a huge, lush pine tree suddenly appeared before him.

The pine tree was about five meters long, with each pine needle measuring five inches in length, flashing and flowing with a dazzling golden-yellow luster that illuminated the entire cave brilliantly. The trunk was thick and dark brown, its mottled bark appearing as though carved by a knife to prominently reveal an old face that gazed coldly at Shi Jun.

Looking closer at this bizarre face—its eyes were slender, and the pupils were likewise golden-yellow with no nose, while its huge mouth was tightly pursed and curved downward, looking both conceited and cold. Occasionally, a flash of its gaze was as cold as a blade, yet tinged with a hint of inexplicable anxiety and agitation.

On either side of the trunk, two slanted branches extended outward like a pair of human hands, curving backward and downward in a strange posture, resembling someone standing with hands clasped behind their back.

Beneath the thick main trunk, the roots were intricately intertwined, slowly winding along the ground like snakes, while the strange face above looked down condescendingly at Shi Jun.

For some reason, Shi Jun immediately recalled the weeping trees he had encountered earlier; they were practically identical. The only difference was that the ones he had seen in the Weeping Tree Forest were all gloomy and tearful fellows, whereas the face before him, though equally unsightly, was much more spirited and possessed far richer expressions.

***

"...To think you are merely a mortal." After observing for a moment, the tree slowly averted its gaze and shook its head, whereupon countless tiny pine needles drifted down from the canopy. "Your cultivation is mediocre. For the sake of some paltry treasure, you ultimately sacrificed the life of your beloved. Was it worth it? What is the use of putting on a hypocritical show of sorrow now? Truly damned." Its voice was soft and deep, filled with a magnetic quality that sounded inexpressibly elegant and pleasant.

"What beloved?" Shi Jun asked, somewhat bewildered by the remark.

The pine tree cast a sideways glance at Shi Jun with an expression of extreme disdain. "Forget it. It is pointless to say more to the likes of you."

With that, the pine tree's roots rustled as its body slowly shifted, pacing back and forth as if suddenly feeling thoroughly disinclined to continue. "Having not set foot in the Mortal Realm for many years, I never imagined your reach would extend so far. The business of plundering treasures and seizing wealth has actually stretched into the Demon Realm. Times change and worlds shift; it seems I, Su, have truly become a frog at the bottom of a well, with shallow knowledge."

"So you really are Su?" Shi Jun ignored the pine tree's abrupt and unreasonable words, slightly narrowing his eyes as he studied him.

The pine tree nodded. "Indeed. What of it?"

Shi Jun gently clenched his fists, then sensed the warm glow radiating from the silver bead in his palm. His throat instantly felt as though something were lodged in it, and only after a long moment did he reply indifferently, "Actually, whether you are Su or not matters very little to me."

"Oh?" Su raised an eyebrow, gazing at him coldly.

"Because you killed my friend." Saying this, Shi Jun lowered his head to gaze at the silver bead, and a moment later, slowly pulled out his pouch and placed her inside.

Silver Hook could not just die in vain, especially since she had suffered fatal injuries precisely to save him. The mere thought of this caused a sharp ache to twist in Shi Jun's chest.

"True, I killed her. So what?" Su smiled with surprise, wearing a "what can you possibly do to me" expression.

Shi Jun also smiled, staring intently at Su without speaking.

***

In life, Su had dominated the Demon Realm for many years, and very few individuals ever caught his eye. Although he had been dead for thousands and hundreds of years, a shred of his soul remained undissipated, and relying on his peerless cultivation, he was still able to stir up bloody storms within the Demon Realm; the deadliness of his methods could well be imagined. Yet for some reason, the seemingly delicate and frail young man standing empty-handed and casually before him possessed an inexpressible dignity and bearing that made it impossible for him to harbor contempt. The nonchalant, slightly mocking smile on Shi Jun's face only made him feel extremely displease, and no matter how he looked at it, this abruptly appearing human youth was thoroughly obnoxious to him.

"Originally, I had no desire to speak further with you. However, out of consideration for the deep affection that the dead woman bore for you, I will make an exception and offer you a reminder—though she died because of me, the true murderer is actually yourself." Su observed Shi Jun's expression with a malicious smile. "Or rather, your greed."

Shi Jun listened quietly with a poker face, thinking to himself that although he had never intended to seize this creature's treasure, Silver Hook had indeed entered this place because of him. To say that she was killed by him was not entirely without reason.

Ever since Shi Jun returned from the Underworld, his temperament had somehow grown increasingly unyielding. Many things no longer stirred him as easily as they once did, yet the death of Silver Hook this time had dealt him a massive shock—perhaps because of her face, which bore such a striking resemblance to Chiyang's? Only in the presence of Chiyang remained the Shi Jun of old, though he himself was entirely unaware of this fact.

When Su had set up the treasure hoard before his death, his original intention was to avenge himself. Feeling that he had died unjustly, he had sworn a vicious oath to slaughter every member of the demon race who coveted the treasures he left behind. It was just that the traps he laid were so formidable that this was the first time in many years anyone had actually penetrated the cave where he lay in eternal sleep. Now, seeing an uninvited guest like Shi Jun, his long-sealed memories awakened once more. The resentment that had accumulated over a long period slowly welled up in his heart, and feeling a sudden surge of disgust at the sight of Shi Jun standing blankly in a daze, he slowly said, "As expected, you too have come for my treasure. Splendid!"

With that, he waved his "hands," and following a rustling sound, more than ten rows of massive bookshelves laden with books and various bottles and jars suddenly materialized out of thin air within the cave, accompanied by dozens of huge wooden cabinets and a small box no larger than a palm, which appeared to be cast from pure gold.

"These are all rare treasures I collected while traveling through the five realms during my lifetime, along with cultivation manuals, pills, alchemy supplements, and items to enhance spiritual power. How do you find them?"

Shi Jun glanced briefly at the hoard, the corners of his mouth lifting into a smile. "What do you expect me to do? Hug your legs, weep with gratitude, and beg you to bestow these treasures upon me?"

Su seemed oblivious to the mockery in Shi Jun's words, his gaze growing increasingly icy. "A mere mortal youth of the human realm actually dares to covet these meaningless worldly possessions... Your audacity is not small. Did you think that by entering this cave, I would simply allow the likes of you to cart away my belongings? What a pipe dream! Very well, I shall let you keep vigil over my treasure for all eternity!"

His speech was extremely slow, his voice soft, refined, and deliberate. Yet unexpectedly, his expression shifted the very instant the words left his mouth. Without waiting for his voice to fade, his body swiftly drifted backward, both "hands" raised high before slamming downward with immense force—

The entire cave suddenly shook violently. A shrill, piercing shriek burst from the depths of the earth, and the originally hard and smooth ground fractured into countless pieces in an instant. Massive boulders violently erupted upward, hurtling toward Shi Jun like a torrential downpour...