Chapter Three: Memories Like Smoke

“Generally, when a demon dies, their soul dissipates. Without their physical form as an anchor, their power weakens drastically—they either vanish entirely or plunge into eternal damnation, becoming mindless soul beasts devoid of reason or consciousness. But I am different. Thanks to a precious relic I acquired during my travels long ago, I managed to preserve my soul, hiding deep underground, enduring endless solitude, absorbing spiritual energy as a means to sustain my existence. Only after accumulating sufficient power could I activate the mechanism I set before death, simultaneously opening the gate of death for those greedy, foolish kin of mine. Such a process is unbearably painful—beyond your imagination. You must understand, unlike mortals, souls in the demon realm cannot easily absorb energy without their bodies. Yet I succeeded. Do you know why?”

“To seek revenge,” Shi Jun murmured.

“Exactly,” Nisu laughed bitterly, a sound laced with unrelenting sorrow and resentment. “But even now, I realize I can never truly avenge myself. No matter how many I kill, my hatred does not dissipate; it only deepens and multiplies in ways I cannot comprehend. So I am forced to repeat this endless cycle, even though this prolonged waiting and slaughter are utterly meaningless.”

Seeing Shi Jun remain silent, Nisu pressed, “Don’t you agree?”

Shi Jun shook his head.

“I knew you would still be judging me with righteous indignation, incapable of understanding my feelings,” Nisu sneered, a bitter smile crossing his lips. “And I do not expect you to understand.”

“Is that so?” Shi Jun pondered. “Perhaps… but after all, I have not endured what you have.”

Nisu smiled faintly. “You’re not so annoying after all, at least you’re honest.”

Shi Jun straightened up. “Hey, want to hear my opinion?”

Nisu chuckled dryly. “What wisdom could you possibly offer? Still, since you’re about to die, I suppose I might as well listen.”

Shi Jun smiled. “I think, deep down, you no longer truly hate those who wronged you back then. Perhaps the real hatred you feel is toward yourself.”

“Hm?” Nisu looked puzzled, then furrowed his brow, his eyes flashing fiercely, ready to speak, but Shi Jun raised a hand to stop him. “Please, hear me out.”

“Isn’t it so? Compared to those who harmed you in the past, your actions after death are no less cruel—if anything, worse. But those who died by your hand lacked the power to retaliate; otherwise, no matter how many lives you had, it would never be enough to repay them. Ask yourself: do you truly seek to wash your grievances through slaughter? Is your life so precious while your kin’s lives are worthless?” Shi Jun spoke slowly, gathering his strength.

Nisu’s expression flickered with uncertainty, remaining silent.

“Or perhaps, deep within, you are weary of this endless, aimless killing. Yet you cannot convince yourself to stop this meaningless revenge. Ultimately, you are unwilling to let go, which is why you keep repeating the carnage. But each slaughter fails to bring satisfaction or peace; instead, it breeds doubt and self-reproach. Otherwise, why question yourself so conflictedly? You won’t find answers, nor do you need to. As long as you persist in this unambiguous slaughter, you will never find true peace or release.”

“Nonsense!” Nisu’s sudden shudder at Shi Jun’s final words lingered before he shook his head and smiled faintly, as if dismissing the words. His expression grew calm, his face blank, lost in thought.

***

“Well, we’re both dying soon, so all this is just empty talk.” Nisu glanced sideways at Shi Jun. “You’re quite boring—still lecturing about grand principles when death is at hand. Who exactly are you?”

Shi Jun’s spirits had brightened after speaking for a while. He replied casually, “Do you think I want to waste time talking to you? If it weren’t for Brother Zisheng…”

“You know Zisheng?” Nisu blinked in surprise.

Shi Jun answered sullenly, “Brother Zisheng told me about your old stories, so moving that I nearly thought you were some heroic, handsome, wise demon. Turns out you’re just like this.”

Nisu pondered, then laughed heartily, clearly cheered. “Does my image seem so poor?”

Looking at Nisu’s now darkened body, where once golden pine needles had turned a dull gray-blue and fallen away, Shi Jun thought: “Your image was already problematic, and after poisoning by the Weak Water, even more so. But Brother Zisheng said you’re a tree demon, which is fitting to appear as a tree, no?”

Despite having fought on sight, the two now found themselves oddly in harmony. Shi Jun hesitated but swallowed a teasing remark, then curiously asked, “I heard you’re about to die because of me. Shouldn’t you be seeking revenge instead of chatting endlessly?”

Nisu laughed aloud, the cave echoing with his mirth before subsiding. Wiping his eyes, he said, “Interesting, you seem eager for me to kill you and get revenge. Fine!”

He raised his hand, beckoning toward the ruins of the mist that Shi Jun had just scattered. With a whoosh, a small golden box flew out, landing between them. Despite the fierce battle, the box was intact. From within came faint rustling sounds, as if something inside was struggling to escape. Nisu lifted the lid, and it sprang open by itself.

Shi Jun peered inside to see a few verdant leaves trembling. “Is there a plant in there? What do you intend to do now?”

Suddenly, a tiny, exquisitely crafted wooden figure bounced out, about two or three inches tall, dressed in ancient attire. Every fold and corner was intricately carved. Its eyes were small black pearls set into sunken sockets. It hopped over quickly.

Nisu tilted his head, a bit helpless, then his gaze softened as he looked at the little figure. After a moment, he said to Shi Jun, “This is Green Speech. Before I died, I fused a part of my soul with it to create this… It’s also called a soul surrogate. Oh, what’s your name?” He suddenly laughed.

After all the fighting and talking, Nisu still didn’t know who Shi Jun was.

Shi Jun smiled. “Shi Jun. Shi as in stone, Jun as in army.”

“Not bad—stubborn and hard-headed,” Nisu rolled his eyes.

Shi Jun feigned ignoring this and asked, “What does ‘soul surrogate’ mean?”

“Simple. This treasure can absorb a person’s soul. For me, after giving Green Speech a portion of my soul, it gained life—essentially, it became a second me.”

“A second you?” Shi Jun was puzzled.

Nisu patiently explained, “My soul inhabits Green Speech, granting it consciousness and agency. It can absorb spiritual energy and cultivate on its own. Every bit of my growth strengthens Green Speech, and every advancement it makes benefits my original self.”

Shi Jun pondered and was amazed. “That’s incredible! So you have a sort of doppelganger? Then why…”

Nisu’s eyes darkened as he smiled bitterly. “When I first got Green Speech, I didn’t fully understand its nature. I just thought it was fun and put in a small part of my soul. At that time, I was beginning to study water magic. With no guidance and such practices frowned upon among demons, I had to train in secret. Green Speech understood my situation and stayed out of the way, finding a place rich in spiritual energy to cultivate. But soon, due to improper technique, the wood and water energies inside me conflicted and backfired, severely injuring me. Then the Four Elders betrayed me.”

Nisu looked at Shi Jun. “You know all this?”

Shi Jun nodded.

Nisu continued, “At the start of that battle, I didn’t fight with full strength. Though severely wounded, I wasn’t yet powerless. After all, they were my kin—some were even my friends and disciples. I couldn’t bring myself to strike hard, nor did I believe they would hunt me to extinction. I merely sought to break my limits by studying water magic, which could have benefited our realm. My actions caused no harm to others.”

***

“Right,” Shi Jun suddenly said, “Brother Zisheng mentioned this. I also saw you use many water spells during our fight—they’re your own creation, aren’t they?”

“You noticed?” Nisu’s spirits lifted at the mention of magic. “I’ve contemplated for a long time and finally grasped some means to summon water elemental power, though mastering it independently of my wood nature remains elusive.”

Shi Jun asked curiously, “You were already formidable among demons, so why pursue water magic despite knowing others wouldn’t approve?”

Nisu snorted in disdain. “Prejudice! Didn’t you just say you wouldn’t bow to fate? Why should I settle for the status quo? Why can’t I break my elemental limits and try new things? Besides humans, the demon realm is the weakest of the Five Realms. Why? Because deep down, everyone thinks less of themselves, believing they are mere lowly animals or plants, inferior in intelligence and ability to humans. Even enlightened demons long to take human form, imitating their speech and mannerisms, as if shedding their original lowliness would grant them acceptance. How can one respect oneself if one despises oneself so deeply? I fail to see what’s so bad about being a demon, or what’s so good about being human.”

Shi Jun was stunned—he hadn’t expected such thoughts. Yet he could not deny it; many demons at the public trial appeared as humans, even Brother Zisheng. Few, like Nisu, stubbornly retained their true demon forms despite their power.

Thinking this, Nisu added, “I refuse to believe in such nonsense! I don’t believe demons are inferior. The Underworld Emperor, Youxian, was the first to break the Five Element limits among the Five Realms. If he can, why not me?”

“Underworld Emperor?” Shi Jun was startled. “Why does he keep coming up?”

“What do you know?” Nisu glared. “That man has great perseverance and talent. Alone, he broke his limits and became the first in the Five Realms to master and surpass the boundaries of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. He truly is a rare genius with grand ambition. But he stands so high that most cannot reach him. So instead of recognizing his merit, people call him a dreamer and deceiver, condemning him for overreaching.”

Shi Jun frowned but said nothing.

***

Could this really be the Underworld Emperor? Youxian... that name felt familiar, somewhere heard before.

Shi Jun had always harbored hostility toward the Underworld Emperor, perhaps due to personal experience. Forcibly recruiting someone unprepared into his ranks was something Shi Jun could not accept. He hadn’t expected Nisu to hold him in such high regard.

***

Shi Jun was about to inquire further, but Nisu shifted the topic back. “With that mindset, I devoted myself to water magic until the conflicting energies within me backfired. Then the Four Elders, gathering their forces, came to accuse me of crimes. Though angry, I tried to explain, but the Chief Elder wouldn’t hear it. They surrounded me and attacked mercilessly, ordering a search of my home. Soon, my place was ransacked. Ridiculous—I was still unaware, fighting back while trying not to kill them.”

Shi Jun thought: That makes sense at first, but you didn’t realize they were after your treasures. You’re old, yet so naive, not understanding the logic of ‘blaming the bearer of misfortune.’ Perhaps that’s why you grew so extreme.

Nisu continued, “Their followers searched everywhere but found nothing, so the Elders demanded I hand over the treasure. Seeing their greed, I finally understood—they didn’t care about my water magic, only the treasure! Rage surged within me, and despite my injuries, I fought the Elders and their troops.”

His voice trembled. “Those treasures were items and scriptures I collected after becoming a demon. In ancient times, the Five Realms mingled peacefully; I traveled widely, making many friends and gathering much. But when the realms fell out, information and resources dried up. Among my collection were many rare artifacts from various realms. Though merely possessions, I never prized them above all. When people requested items in bad moods, I gave them away. Though the collection dwindled, those remaining were all treasures. Word spread that I had the greatest hoard in the demon realm.”

Shi Jun asked curiously, “You gave away treasure when in a bad mood? How so?”

Nisu chuckled. “For cultivators, progress depends on insight and wisdom—it’s a long, arduous path, but the only right one. Shortcutting is taboo. Some treasures can boost cultivation quickly and seem tempting, but over time, they harm growth. Relying on luck or trickery, no matter how high you rise, is futile—it’s like forcing brute strength on a child. Strong, but unskilled.”

Shi Jun grinned. “So you don’t need to harm anyone just because you don’t like them?”

“I act on impulse and don’t care for others’ opinions. I tire of constant requests, so sometimes I do harm—it feels good. But mostly, I refuse demands, not wishing to ruin anyone. Later, I hid the treasures underground, claiming I destroyed them. Nobody believed me but dared not challenge it.”

***

Shi Jun smiled faintly, thinking: Your kindness is misunderstood. Those who get things for nothing from you only invite more to come. Rejections breed resentment. The Four Elders, despite their prowess, surely wished to rise higher. Being blocked by you naturally incites hatred, though none would say so openly. They likely hope something happens to you so they can seize your hoard. But your cultivation of Underworld magic is like handing a sword’s hilt to another while holding the blade—they would surely seize the chance to kill you.

Indeed, Nisu said, “My kin did not appreciate me. They deemed me a great sinner deserving death and struck without mercy. Only my sworn brother Zisheng risked all to save me, but with just the two of us, how could we withstand thousands? The Elders suspected my hesitation and sent deadly assassins, attacking from all sides. I was gravely wounded. Exhausting all my power, I resigned myself to death, only hoping Zisheng would escape and not share my fate... Suddenly, Green Speech alerted me.”

Nisu stroked the little wooden figure, his voice husky. “This little thing sensed danger. Though injured and my soul battered, Green Speech warned me to withdraw my soul fragment. Gathering strength this way, I might escape. But I was too weak; even reclaiming my soul from Green Speech was futile, so I gave up.”

Shi Jun recalled Zisheng’s grim account of that battle and tightened his fists, feeling sorrow and rage swell anew.

“I, Nisu, have lived upright, never harming others with a guilty conscience. I considered myself honorable, yet this is my fate. Before death, I placed a curse but left some mercy. I hoped those who heard only the Elders’ slander, not seeking my treasures, would be spared. Thus, the curse targets only the greedy.”

Shi Jun sighed inwardly: Who among us lacks greed? Humans, immortals, demons—they all stem from humanity; how could demons be exceptions? He himself depended on his mother and now sought his father’s whereabouts. Is that greed? Of course not—blood ties are sacred. Besides, if not for being forced into the Underworld Guard, he wouldn’t have sought his father.

Originally intending to ask about Green Speech, Shi Jun felt Nisu’s words carried hidden meaning. He held back, thinking: We’re all dying soon. This man is not unreasonable; his bitterness is understandable.

“Though my body is destroyed, part of my soul remains in Green Speech, allowing my life to persist in this strange way. My hatred is too deep. For revenge, I gave up reincarnation and remain here, slowly accumulating energy. Without a body, my ability to absorb spiritual energy is limited, so it takes centuries to gather enough power to trigger all mechanisms.”

Shi Jun thought: Luckily Green Speech isn’t too powerful. If you could gather enough energy in half an hour, the demon realm would already be wiped out.

Nisu seemed to sense his thoughts and smiled wistfully. “After all these years, I’m truly weary of endless hatred. Perhaps it’s not a bad thing to make a complete end today.” He handed Green Speech to Shi Jun. “Here. From today, it’s yours.”