Chapter 128: Is It Human? Or a Demon?! (Part One)
Chapter 128: Human? Or Demon?! (Part One)
The immortal youth, with rosy lips, white teeth, and finely shaped brows and eyes, still carrying a trace of childlike innocence, stood outside the Water Element Palace. Facing a chief deity, he was polite and respectful.
“Beidou Seven Star Lord?”
The earth immortal’s avatar thought for a moment and suddenly recalled being appointed Water Virtue Star Lord long ago in the Lingxiao Palace.
The leader of the Beidou Seven Stars—the Yangming Tanlang Star Lord—had once invited him for a meeting.
This was indeed true, but because the Water Department’s affairs were so busy and riddled with flaws needing urgent repair to gain merit, he had completely forgotten.
So the earth immortal’s avatar smiled and asked, “Is it Tanlang Star Lord who invited me?”
The immortal youth bowed in response, “Reporting to the Star Lord, this humble one does not know, but my master has invited the Star Lord to the Tian Shu for a meeting.”
A flicker of surprise flashed in the earth immortal’s eyes.
The vast primordial universe divides into three realms. Among them, the Heavenly Realm contains nine heavens; above the nine heavens lies the extramundane starry sky, filled with countless stars. At the head are the Three Noble Stars—the Sun, the Moon, and Ziwei—controlled by the Star God lineage.
As one of the Beidou Seven Star Lords, the Yangming Tanlang Star Lord naturally belongs to the Star God lineage and ranks just below the Three Noble Stars, governing the Tian Shu domain.
Yet, as a heavenly lord, he naturally has a palace—the Tian Shu Palace serves as Tanlang Star Lord’s residence in heaven.
For ordinary colleagues to exchange feelings, why would they go to the Daoist foundation of the Tian Shu domain?
“Immortal youth, please wait. The Water Department’s affairs are complicated; let me handle them first.”
With a thought, the earth immortal’s avatar delayed.
The immortal youth bowed, “Not at all, I will wait here.”
The earth immortal’s avatar entered the Water Element Palace and found his true self manipulating a red star chart.
After explaining the situation, the avatar smiled, “Master, should I go in person?”
The true self, Luo Feng, put down the chessboard and sighed slightly, “You oversee here. I will personally visit the Tian Shu domain.”
Just as the Tianchen realm began telling its story, the Beidou Star Lord came to invite someone. How could fate be so coincidental?
After tidying himself and changing into a Daoist robe, he left the palace gates.
Led by the immortal youth, he stepped onto golden avenues one after another, finally arriving at the Star Light Avenue.
Countless avenues in the Heavenly Court lead to myriad heavens and worlds—the nine heavens and ten earths, the four seas and eight wildernesses—while the Star Light Avenue leads straight to the extramundane starry sky.
The Star Light Avenue bustled with immortals, demon immortals, and travelers rushing through the boundless starry void.
On one side, numerous stables housed mounts of celestial deities.
The Beidou Star Lord had long prepared a carriage, waiting respectfully.
---
Before an observatory, six jade-colored flood dragons lay prostrate, their breaths dormant yet gentle and auspicious. Though transformed dragons, they were celestial divine beasts pulling a grand and ancient carriage.
Luo Feng, careful and thrifty in the Tianchen realm, had planned to cultivate a blue flood dragon mount, while the Tanlang Star Lord already rode one.
Luo Feng couldn’t help but sigh—he was truly poor.
“Please, Star Lord!”
Luo Feng nodded and entered. Inside the carriage was a small space carved with various star beasts and bas-reliefs, reflecting the Star God lineage’s artistic style.
The immortal youth drove the carriage, urging the flood dragons to gallop.
From the observatory, the carriage transformed into a beam of white light, piercing star seas and endless void.
Under brilliant starlight, the flood dragons galloped swiftly, crossing star rivers. Divine rhythms and Dao patterns condensed into a sacred canopy, while celestial pearls transformed into flowing light cascading down.
These effects were the six-dragon carriage’s built-in spectacle—of Golden Immortal grade.
Luo Feng sighed again.
The Star God lineage truly had wealth.
The divine beasts’ speed combined with the immortal youth’s spatial secret arts brought them soon within sight of the splendid Star Realm.
A star river slowly spiraled in the void, radiating dazzling brilliance.
At its center shone seven stars, around which others circled—the masters of the star river.
Tian Shu, Tian Xuan, Tian Ji, Tian Quan, Yu Heng, Kai Yang, and Yao Guang—the seven stars formed the shape of a dipper.
Hence the name: Beidou Seven Stars.
As they neared home, the flood dragons joyfully roared. Under the immortal youth’s control, they charged toward the Tian Shu domain.
Passing through eighteen layers of heavenly thunder, thirty-six layers of yin fire, and forty-nine layers of fierce wind, they finally arrived at Tanlang Star Lord’s domain.
Perched in the firmament, overlooking demon kings below, the palace gleamed magnificently, surrounded by violet mist. Built upon celestial jade foundations and divine stone walls, it radiated immortal light, shimmering golden rays, with auspicious clouds blanketing the ground.
Celestial beasts and birds roamed freely; celestial maidens and youths filled the palaces and halls. Rolling clouds cloaked the palace, making it appear ethereal.
“How splendid, truly a wondrous realm.”
Luo Feng murmured, impressed—the Star God lineage was indeed lavish.
It made sense. The boundless starry sky nurtured countless great realms and stars, all controlled by the Star God lineage. How could they not be wealthy?
Probably surpassing even the four seas’ dragon clans.
The flood dragons halted. Two squads of golden-armored divine beings greeted them. Around, celestial officials busily attended to guests and tidied the surroundings with impeccable order.
Tanlang Star Lord waited at a distance, smiling, accompanied by six other Star Lords.
The Beidou Seven Stars gathered—what a grand spectacle.
Luo Feng straightened his robe and approached with a smile.
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In the Tianchen realm, beside the Heavenly Pool, the Yellow Bird Demon God sat upright, expression solemn.
“May I ask, High God, am I demon? Or human?!”
Demon or human.
This was a grave question: what defines a demon, and what defines a human?
Those who absorb the essence of sun and moon are demons, differing from ordinary people. Those who practice evil and delusion are demons. Some say those born from eggs and wet wombs are demons. More extreme definitions bluntly say: anything non-human is demon.
Every being holds a different definition of human and demon.
The Yellow Bird Demon God did not hide his true form. Luo Feng’s divine sense swept over, examining the Yellow Bird Demon God’s physical form.
A pure demon race, the Yellow Bird Demon God was unquestionably a demon, with demon body, demon power, and demon speech—all authentic demon hallmarks.
Yet, a demon harboring human soulfire that had not been extinguished—was that a normal demon?
Furthermore, a message had already come from the true self—an invitation from the Star God.
This was no simple matter; the water ran deep.
Feigning contemplation, Luo Feng’s thoughts whirled. Suddenly, a flash of insight struck—he recalled the human tribes in this realm.
Luo Feng seemed to understand something, grasping a clue.
If not bloodline or physical body, then it must be ideology.
But this guess was startling, causing Luo Feng to involuntarily gasp, raising the chilly snow-capped mountain’s temperature by several degrees.
After a moment’s thought, Luo Feng asked, “Why do you believe you are human?”
“High God, please watch.”
The Yellow Bird Demon God emitted strands of golden light and quickly transformed into a woman dressed in yellow.
The former Yellow Bird Demon God, now the yellow-clad woman, spoke frankly:
“I am not an innate demon god, but a postnatal demon cultivator. Shortly after my birth, I encountered disaster. A human elder saved and treated me, and I lived among the human tribe.”
“In the meantime, I gained the chance to take human form. The human elder taught me to speak human language, observe human rites, and act as a human.”
“After a hundred fleeting years, I have adapted to human life and even feel that I am human.”
“Yet, I remain a demon in body, not human, which confounds me greatly.”
“The elder who saved me said that one day I would meet a High God of the Heavenly Court and ask him this question.”
(End of Chapter)