Peerless Demon Immortal

Since ancient times, battles between demons and humans have never ceased. Ten thousand years ago, a life-and-death struggle erupted, claiming countless immortals and demon immortals. Cultivators and the demon tribe suffered heavy casualties. After a century-long war, humans emerged victorious. The powerful demon immortals either perished or vanished. Without these protectors, the demon tribe became the target of cultivators’ slaughter.

To prevent the demon tribe from rising again, cultivators never ceased their attacks. Eventually, the demon tribe went into hiding, disappearing from the continent. However, cultivators did not stop their pursuit. Finding the hidden demon tribe was not easy, and occasionally they could only find little demons who had just begun their cultivation.

Thus, cultivators officially became the rulers of the continent.

Ten thousand years later…

At the northernmost edge of the continent lies a primeval forest known as the Demon Forest. A large part of the demon tribe originated from here, hence the name.

The Demon Forest stretches endlessly, with countless ancient trees towering and blocking out the sun. In front of the forest is a massive, bottomless chasm, a hundred kilo wide and stretching infinitely.

Deep within the chasm, blade winds constantly blow, making eerie howling sounds, thus earning the name Howling Ghost Valley. No one knows how it formed, but it is said to have existed before the battle of humans and demons. The blade winds are so fierce that no one dares to challenge them. Once, an immortal, confident in his power, attempted to force his way through, only to be torn apart by the winds, leaving not even his immortal infant behind. Since then, no one dared to try again.

The blade winds have a cycle, disappearing for one year every century. Cultivators use this time to enter the Demon Forest and hunt the demon tribe. However, since the demon tribe went into hiding, cultivators have achieved little, sometimes not even finding a single little demon. They vent their frustration on demon beasts, as demons are also cultivated beasts.

At this moment, the Demon Forest remains tranquil, with clear skies and the fragrance of flowers. Occasionally, the roar of a beast or the startled flight of birds breaks the silence.

Deep within the Demon Forest, at the entrance of an unremarkable cave, an old man sits on a stone, kindly watching a monkey in front of him.

The old man has long white hair draped casually behind him, eyebrows hanging down to his shoulders, and a face etched with the marks of time. Only his eyes shine like stars. He wears simple, coarse clothes that haven’t been washed in years, making the original color indistinguishable. Upon closer inspection, one can see a tail behind the old man, revealing that this seemingly amiable elder is actually a demon tribe member, whom cultivators would kill without hesitation.

The old demon looks up at the blue sky, his eyes flickering with thoughts unknown. After a while, he lowers his head and looks at the monkey again. The little monkey meets the old demon’s gaze, tilting his head with big eyes full of confusion, sensing something unusual about the old demon today.

The old demon reaches out to pat the monkey’s head, smiling kindly, “Ape spirit, you’ve been by my side for so many years, yet I’ve done nothing for you. Are you dissatisfied?”

The little monkey seems to understand the old demon’s words, raising his hands and bouncing around, making unintelligible sounds.

The old demon seems to understand, chuckling, “You little rascal, always so restless.” He pauses, looking into the distance with deep eyes, as if seeing through the layers of the forest to the invisible stream of air rising into the sky. “The blade winds of Howling Ghost Valley will stop in ten years, and my time is running out. I must hurry.” He looks at the ape spirit again, his eyes filled with care and a hint of reluctance.

Hearing this, the ape spirit starts to cry out, a trace of panic in his eyes. He jumps around the old demon, climbing up and down his body, clearly understanding the meaning behind the old demon’s words.

The old demon sighs, ignoring the ape spirit’s cries, slowly extending his hand. A powerful pressure descends on the ape spirit, causing him to collapse to the ground, eyes filled with fear. He cannot comprehend why the old demon, who has never been angry with him, is now so rough. As the large hand approaches, he recalls the old demon’s words, wondering if…

Before the ape spirit can think further, the old demon’s hand grips his head, and a vast ocean-like energy flows into the ape spirit’s body. In the next moment, the ape spirit finds himself unable to control his body, sitting cross-legged.

Panic sets in for the ape spirit. Though smarter than most monkeys, he doesn’t understand what the old demon is doing. Losing control of his body, he instinctively tries to resist, but his small frame is no match for the old demon. No matter how hard he tries, he cannot regain control.

As the ape spirit struggles, a warm current flows from the old demon’s palm. At first, it feels like a small stream flowing through his body, like soaking in a hot spring, a sensation he quickly grows to enjoy.

Immersed in this feeling, he forgets his struggle for control. His once frightened eyes gradually calm.

Gradually, the stream thickens, the temperature rises, and soon he feels as if he’s in boiling water. Intense pain radiates from every part of his body, contorting his monkey face in agony. He wants to scream but finds he cannot.

The energy continues to surge through the ape spirit, each moment feeling like an eternity. But it doesn’t end there. As he suffers, another powerful energy invades his mind, causing him to faint.

Meanwhile, the old demon emits a faint purple glow, clearly his demonic power. Though insignificant to him, it causes the ape spirit immense pain.

As night falls, the old demon retracts his demonic power, looking at the unconscious ape spirit with satisfaction. Yet, having completed the transfer, the old demon seems to have aged significantly, his once bright eyes now dim, his white hair losing its luster.

The next day, the ape spirit stirs, slowly waking. As consciousness returns, a sharp pain in his head makes him cry out.

Fortunately, the pain soon fades. He rises, shaking his head, suddenly feeling much clearer. His mind is filled with new knowledge.

Once the pain subsides, a sense of comfort envelops him, prompting a stretch that results in a series of crackling sounds.

“You’ve finally awakened.”

A frail voice startles the ape spirit, making him turn sharply. His pupils contract at the sight.

The once vigorous old demon now leans weakly against the cave wall, his hair hanging down, eyes cloudy. The ape spirit, now enlightened by the old demon’s inheritance, instantly understands.

He rushes to the old demon, using his monkey paws to smooth the elder’s hair, tears welling in his eyes, knowing the old demon’s time is short.

The old demon, seeing the tears, smiles kindly, “Silly child, I’ve lived nearly ten thousand years, and that’s enough. Having you by my side at the end is more than I could ask for. And I’ve found someone to inherit my skills. Heaven has been kind to me.”

The ape spirit opens his mouth to speak, but the old demon interrupts, “I don’t have much time. Listen to me. Since you’ve received my inheritance, I am, in a way, your master. Though the demon tribe lacks human formalities, I have a favor to ask.”

The ape spirit nods quickly, tears finally flowing as he watches the old demon grow weaker.

The old demon takes a deep breath, his cloudy eyes seemingly seeing through the forest to Howling Ghost Valley, “The demon tribe is hidden, the continent ruled by cultivators. To prevent our resurgence, they hunt us relentlessly. The demon tribe hides in the Demon Forest, and without Howling Ghost Valley as a natural barrier, we would have been wiped out. Yet, after so many years, we still cannot rival humans. Do you know why?”

The ape spirit shakes his head. The old demon sighs, “During the battle of humans and demons, countless Great Sages and demon immortals fell, causing many demon inheritances to vanish. Without these, our cultivation is slow, as we must rediscover methods ourselves. Demons are not as intelligent as humans, making this process even harder. Humans, though also heavily affected, retained many inheritances. They are naturally smarter, so rediscovering cultivation methods takes them less time.”

Pausing, the old demon catches his breath, then continues, “I participated in that battle, but I was weak and fled after being severely injured. I ran for ten thousand years, and during that time, I found a classic in a cave, detailing demon cultivation methods. I was overjoyed and began cultivating immediately. But I soon realized this classic was extraordinary. I spent every moment of the past ten thousand years studying it, yet my limited talent prevented me from reaching higher realms. Now, my life is ending, so I pass it to you, hoping you can reach the supreme realm mentioned in the classic, lead the demon tribe against the cultivators, and reclaim our land.”

The ape spirit nods eagerly, and the old demon smiles with relief. Suddenly, his body emits a gentle purple light, and luminous stars drift away. In moments, the old demon dissolves into countless stars, disappearing.

The ape spirit watches the old demon fade away, overwhelmed by emotions. Sadness engulfs him, and tears flow freely.

He cries for a day and night, until his voice is hoarse, tears dry, and energy spent. Finally, he collapses on the stone where the old demon once sat, falling into a deep sleep. A lone purple star, seemingly the old demon’s final touch, lands on his face. Feeling this warmth, the ape spirit’s expression becomes peaceful.