From a loser to an immortal sage

Chapter 119 A Parting Pact: Battle on the Demonic Path

I took a deep breath, trying to calm the turmoil in my heart. I looked at Wen Chen, my gaze firm, and slowly said, "I do."

These two words seemed to have exhausted all my strength, yet they also felt like a heavy burden had been lifted from my shoulders. I saw Wen Chen's tense shoulders relax slightly, and the worry in his eyes gradually dissipated, replaced by a relieved smile.

"Thank you, Xiao Yao." His voice was deep and gentle, with a slight, almost imperceptible tremor.

I shook my head. "It's what I should do." I paused, my tone becoming serious. "You just said that demonic energy is constantly seeping in, and the seal might not hold for long? What exactly is going on?"

Wen Chen's expression turned serious again. He walked to the window, gazing into the distance as if trying to see through the layers of clouds and mist to the demon realm hidden in the darkness. "This disturbance in the demon realm is unusual," he said slowly. "In the past, it was just small-scale harassment, easily suppressed. But this time..." He paused, a hint of worry in his voice, "I suspect that a powerful demon may be leading this invasion."

"A powerful demon?" My heart sank, and a chill ran from my feet to the top of my head. Although I had never seen a demon with my own eyes, I knew of their ferocity and power from ancient texts. If a powerful demon were to invade, the consequences would be unimaginable.

“Yes,” Wen Chen turned around, staring intently at me, “According to the intelligence we have so far, this time the demonic energy is purer than ever before, and its penetration speed is extremely fast. This is something that ordinary demons could not do. I suspect…” He paused, as if choosing his words carefully, “I suspect that this invasion was very likely personally directed by a demon king-level demon.”

"Demon King..." I gasped, the meaning of that word was too heavy, making me feel suffocated. Demon King, that's the most powerful being in the demon realm, possessing world-destroying power. If it really is a Demon King invasion, then the cultivation world will likely face an unprecedented catastrophe.

“So,” Wen Chen walked up to me and gently took my hand. His hand was warm and strong, giving me immense courage, “we must be fully prepared.” He looked into my eyes, his tone firm and powerful, “Xiao Yao, in the days to come, we need to cultivate even harder and improve our strength. This battle will be a tough one.”

I nodded vigorously. Wen Chen's words made me feel an even greater responsibility on my shoulders. I knew I couldn't back down; I had to fight with all my might for the cultivation world and for all the people I loved!

Seeing my determination, Wen Chen smiled with satisfaction. He took out an exquisite jade box from his storage bag and handed it to me. "This is a protective magic treasure I crafted for you, which can resist some of the erosion from demonic energy."

I took the jade box, opened it, and inside lay a crystal-clear jade pendant, radiating a soft glow. I held the pendant in my hand, and a warm current flowed through my entire body.

“Thank you…” I looked up and found Wen Chen’s gaze fixed on my neck. He gently stroked the reward I had received at the Dao Discussion Conference—the necklace woven from the silk of a thousand-year-old ice silkworm. His fingertips paused slightly, and a complex light flashed in his eyes… “This necklace…”

“This necklace…” Wen Chen’s tone was tinged with doubt as he gently stroked the cool silk, “seems… somewhat unusual.”

I looked down at the reward I received at the Dao Discussion Conference. Woven from millennia-old icy silkworms, it was icy to the touch, yet it could withstand most fire attacks and even nourish the wearer's soul. At the time, I only thought of it as a precious treasure; now, I think it might come in handy in the fight against the demons.

“It can withstand most fire attacks and nourish the soul,” I explained. “It might also be useful in fighting demons.” A thought suddenly flashed through my mind: at the Dao Discussion Conference, besides this necklace, I had received some other rewards, but I hadn’t looked at them carefully because I was in a hurry to get back. Now that I thought about it, those rewards might also come in handy.

"Wen Chen, I need to go back to my room," I suddenly said.

He withdrew his hand, looked at me, and asked with a hint of inquiry in his eyes, "What's wrong?"

“I received some rewards at the Dao Discussion Conference, but I didn’t have time to look at them closely at the time. Now that I think about it, perhaps some of them can help us fight against the demons,” I explained.

Wen Chen nodded, "Okay, I'll go with you."

Back in my room, I took out all my rewards: the Frost Silk Necklace, a gleaming short sword, an ancient book containing various strange formations, and some precious pills.

I picked up the short sword; it was icy cold to the touch, and the blade emanated a faint chill. I could vaguely sense a powerful force contained within it. I channeled my spiritual energy into the sword, and it immediately emitted a clear ringing sound. The air around it seemed to freeze. A surge of joy filled me; the short sword's power far exceeded my expectations. Perhaps it too could be a formidable weapon against the demons.

I opened the ancient book again, and it recorded all sorts of strange formations, some of which were specifically designed to counter demons. I felt a surge of excitement; these formations might be the key to our fight against the demons.

"These things might really be a big help." I looked at Wen Chen, my eyes filled with hope.

Wen Chen looked at the treasure in my hand, a hint of joy flashing in his eyes. "It seems you've gained quite a bit from this Dao Discussion Conference." He paused, his tone becoming somewhat serious. "Xiao Yao, I know you want to fight alongside me, but this enemy is extraordinary, I..."

“I know you want me to assist you from the rear,” I interrupted him, my tone firm, “but Wen Chen, I can’t just watch you go on this adventure alone. I’m a Nascent Soul cultivator now, no longer the weak woman I once was. I’m capable of protecting myself and can also share some of the burden with you.”

Wen Chen looked at me, his eyes filled with complex emotions. He knew my personality; once I made a decision, I wouldn't easily change it.

“Fine,” he finally relented, letting out a soft sigh. “Since you insist, I won’t stop you. But you must promise me that no matter what happens, you must prioritize your own safety.”

I nodded solemnly. "I promise you."

“Next, we need to discuss a strategy for dealing with the demons.” Wen Chen said, walking to the table and unfolding a map. He pointed to a black dot on the map and said, “This is the place where demonic energy has infiltrated the most…” His voice suddenly stopped, his brows furrowed, and his gaze fixed intently on the black dot on the map. “Strange…” he muttered to himself, “Logically, this shouldn’t be…”

Wen Chen tapped his finger on the map; the area marked in black seemed to devour the surrounding light, appearing exceptionally eerie. "Logically speaking, there shouldn't be such dense demonic energy here," he said, his brow furrowed, a hint of confusion in his voice.

I also leaned over for a closer look. This area on the map was located at the border between the cultivation world and the mortal world. Logically speaking, demonic energy shouldn't have been able to infiltrate here so easily. "Could there be some kind of passage we don't know about?" I guessed.

Wen Chen shook his head. "We haven't discovered any passages to the Demon Realm yet. Moreover, the demonic energy is infiltrating too quickly; it has spread to such a large area in just a few months."

"What do we do now?" A sense of unease welled up inside me. We knew very little about the Demon Realm; it was like walking in the dark, completely unaware of what dangers awaited us ahead.

Wen Chen pondered for a moment and said, "I've decided to first find some seniors who have had contact with the Demon Realm. Perhaps they can provide some useful information."

I nodded. "Alright, knowing yourself and your enemy is the key to victory. So where do you plan to look?"

“I’ve heard that there was once a senior named Xuanji Daoren who ventured deep into the Demon Realm and escaped successfully. Although he has been living in seclusion for many years, perhaps he knows something we don’t,” Wen Chen said, a glimmer of hope in his eyes.

"Okay, I'll wait for you to come back here," I said.

Wen Chen looked at me, his eyes filled with worry, "Xiao Yao, you..."

“I know what you’re trying to say,” I interrupted him. “I’ll take care of myself. You be careful too.”

Wen Chen nodded, said nothing more, and turned to leave the room.

After he left, I returned to my room and laid out all the rewards I had won at the Dao Discussion Conference on the table. The Frost Silk Necklace emitted a faint chill, the short sword gleamed coldly, the ancient books recorded various strange formations, and the elixirs exuded a refreshing fragrance.

I picked up the short sword, infused it with spiritual power, and the blade emitted a clear ringing sound, as if the air around it had solidified. The power of this short sword far exceeded my expectations; perhaps it truly could become my weapon against the demons.

I opened the ancient book again and carefully studied the formations recorded within. Some of these formations were specifically designed to counter demons, and might become the key to our fight against them.

Besides these, I also have some other magical treasures and cultivation resources. I organized them all and put them in my storage bag for future use.

After finishing all this, I sat cross-legged on the bed, closed my eyes, and began to cultivate. I knew that the battles to come would be incredibly difficult, and I had to improve my strength as much as possible in order to survive.

Night deepened, and the room was quiet except for the sound of my steady breathing. My heart was filled with worry about the unknown battle, but also with anticipation of fighting alongside Wen Chen. I slowly opened my eyes, looking out at the dark night sky, silently praying: I hope everything goes well for Wen Chen… Suddenly, a rapid knocking broke the silence of the night. My heart skipped a beat, and I got up and went to the door…

"Who?" I asked warily.

"It's me, Wen Chen." Wen Chen's familiar voice came from outside the door. I felt relieved and quickly opened the door.

"Why are you back so late?" I asked, puzzled. Looking at his travel-worn appearance, a sense of unease rose in my heart.

“Things have changed,” Wen Chen said gravely. “I’ve found Xuanji Daoist, but he…”

My heart skipped a beat. "What's wrong with him?"

“He has passed away.” Wen Chen’s tone was tinged with regret. “However, he left a letter for me before he died.”

Wen Chen took a letter from his pocket and handed it to me. I took the letter and carefully opened it. In the letter, Xuanji Daoist described in detail the situation in the Demon Realm and how to deal with the demon invasion. He also mentioned that the Demon Realm was brewing a huge conspiracy, with its target being the cultivation world.

"It seems the situation is more serious than we thought," I said gravely.

“Yes,” Wen Chen nodded, “Xuanji Daoist left behind something that might be helpful to us.”

As Wen Chen spoke, he took out a black stone from his storage bag, the stone emanating a faint demonic aura.

"What is this?" I asked curiously.

"This is the Demon Realm Stone, which can help us conceal our presence and enter the Demon Realm," Wen Chen explained.

"Entering the Demon Realm?" I was shocked. "That's too dangerous!"

“I know,” a resolute glint flashed in Wen Chen’s eyes, “but we have to do it. Only by understanding the true situation of the Demon Realm can we find a solution.”

I was silent for a moment, then finally nodded. "Okay, I'll go with you."

I know this is a perilous journey, but I cannot back down. To protect the cultivation world, to protect our shared home, I must fight alongside Wen Chen.

Over the next few days, Wen Chen and I studied the letter left by Xuanji Daoist and the Demon Realm Stone, and prepared to enter the Demon Realm. We also informed Qingfeng Daoist, hoping he could accompany us.

Master Qingfeng readily agreed and expressed his willingness to help us to the best of his ability.

Three days later, the three of us arrived at the border between the cultivation world and the demon world.

All I could see was darkness, and the air was thick with a nauseating stench. I took a deep breath, trying to suppress my unease, and looked at Wen Chen and Daoist Qingfeng beside me. Wen Chen gripped my hand tightly, giving me a reassuring look, while Daoist Qingfeng held his whisk, his gaze resolute.

"Let's go," Wen Chen said, taking the lead into the darkness...