Chapter 893: Transforming into a demon

“Yao Mo, Yao Mo,” this phrase has spread everywhere.

The Demonic Dao's reputation is undeniably poor. For these utterly self-centered madmen, a bad reputation is only natural. Even a Demonic Prince, who could be called 'fair' within the Demonic Dao, is a nightmare for ordinary people. They trample all Mortals, twisting everything according to their own will.

But… why demon race?

Did the demon race do anything special?

Li Qi was extremely curious about this. He was currently looking into the Demonic Dao and even wanted to act against the Desire Realm. Therefore, given the parallel status of ‘Yao Mo,’ he was quite interested in how a third-rank Great Yao like Huodou viewed the Demonic Dao.

Huodou raised an eyebrow upon hearing this question.

Then, she suddenly flipped over and pinned Li Qi to the ground.

This startled the surrounding farmers.

Because, from her appearance, Huodou was quite young, only about sixteen or seventeen. As the saying goes, ‘a blooming maiden of sixteen.’ Compared to Li Qi, who looked like an uncle in his thirties, the two resembled an uncle and his niece.

But their Aura was completely opposite. Huodou was a typical example of ‘a graceful bearing, divine eyes, with a hint of anger in her gaze.’ Face to face, she was incredibly oppressive. Her complexion and posture were like a sun at its zenith, a full moon, or a peach blossom in spring, blooming and full of life's vibrancy.

This temperament was actually very similar to Zhu Fengdan. When Zhu Fengdan became serious, the Aura and oppressive feeling he exuded could completely overwhelm Huodou, turning Huodou from a sun into a moon.

However, Li Qi was basically the opposite. His Qi was restrained and gentle; at first glance, he looked like an easy-to-bully young man, as bland and tasteless as plain noodles without soy sauce.

So, when Huodou suddenly got up and pinned him to the ground, Li Qi frowned slightly, feeling a sense of pressure.

The pressure exuded by Huodou was not merely the kind of intimidation or terror one feels when pointed at with a weapon or facing a wild beast.

Rather, it was a more inexplicable source, like a Mortal fisherman, paddling a dugout canoe along the current, unknowingly drifting into the enormous shadow beneath a shipwreck on a dark sea—a fear and unfathomable depth.

Perhaps out of goodwill, the farmers wanted to come over and say something. After all, Li Qi had just given them a good cup of tea, and a cup of tea's kindness still needed to be repaid.

However, before that, Huodou completely shed her Human form, and a large dog with burning fur pinned Li Qi to the ground.

The farmers immediately fled. This was the heart of Shaman God Mountain; they had seen many things, so they knew what not to provoke and that someone would surely handle it.

This place was guarded by the Shaman God, and usually, countless Great Powers came and went, so someone would definitely handle it.

Suddenly, everyone around had run away.

Only Huodou's demon race body remained, firmly pressing Li Qi to the ground.

Huodou's demon race body burned with various strange fires. One could see the sudden flash of stone fire, the sudden rise of heavenly gales, and the furious flight of worldly tribulation fires, obscuring day and night, indescribable.

That fur was incredibly splendid; each strand had a different flame, and these flames intermingtwined and fused, ultimately forming Huodou's beautiful demon race body.

Well… beautiful, or rather, eerie.

Huodou spoke in her usual voice: “Look at me, boy. From this form, can you discern what a Yao Mo is? Your insight should be quite good, shouldn't it? Try to deduce it.”

Li Qi immediately concentrated, extracting the surprise of being pinned down from his thoughts, and then began his observation and deduction.

Subsequently, he saw an indescribable ‘information’ on Huodou's body.

How to put it…

The original ‘demon race’ was actually not much different from ‘Gods.’

Primitive life forms generally worshipped two kinds of things: first, natural phenomena and grand Universe forces, such as wind, thunder, fire, clouds, or stars; or various things spread across the earth, such as mountains, water veins, and oceans. These were all genuine Heavenly Gods and Di Qi (Earthly Qi), the original laws of the Universe.

The other part consisted of more concrete things like plants, animals, and rocks. In the dark, ignorant era, they were also worshipped as Gods by ignorant primitive Mortals.

However, compared to the belief in true Deities, these could even be called ignorant superstitions.

But it didn't matter. In many places, suffering people living primitive lives endured the claws of wild beasts, the scour of storms, the plunder of enemies, and other endless harms and dangers. Their fear and pleas converged in the ears of those kind ‘powerful ones,’ and thus they received protection.

It's just… as Li Qi knew, the outcome wasn't very good.

When true Deities descended upon the earth, bringing new faith and True Knowledge to those who worshipped them, these demon race gradually faded from the memory of Mortals. Existing ones were also called cults, illicit worship, and so on. People began to worship these True Gods with grand Divine Power, abandoning these demon race.

This was also part of the entanglement between the demon race and the Divine Path.

These animals, plants, and even rocks, collectively referred to as ‘demon race,’ are like ‘humanoids’—they are living, conscious agents. On the other hand, they are also different from ‘humanoids.’ Precisely because they possess powers of different natures, especially extraordinary characteristics, their way of acting on the senses is also different.

This difference was not a good thing.

This was weak, and it was a disadvantageous weakness.

And these original demon race were actually different from ‘Humans’; they did not possess the ‘Innate Three Treasures,’ meaning they had no ‘Essence, Qi, and Spirit.’

It was mentioned before that there are many humanoid creatures in the Universe. The reason for this is that ‘humanoids’ naturally have an advantage on the path of evolution.

Perhaps it shouldn't be called ‘humanoids,’ but rather ‘God-like creatures.’

The Human Race's body type, which is the ‘Human Body Inner World,’ is the closest form to a Heavenly God.

The heavens are round and above, and the Human head corresponds to it.

The earth is square and below, and the Human feet correspond to it.

The four seasons operate externally, and the four limbs correspond externally.

The Five Elements are within, and the five organs correspond internally. They are born of the Qi of Heaven and Earth, so the Human body is like a small Inner World, where Yin and Yang, Five Elements, Four Seasons, and Eight Sections can all circulate within one's body. (See Chapter 162 for details)

These demon race and the Human Race are naturally different.

They are not on the same level of life. Although there are some demon race who are naturally powerful, by the same token… there will also be some Humans who are naturally powerful.

As a result, creatures once revered as ‘Deities’ were relegated to the dust.

The Human Race was not to be trifled with… After ‘Shaman’ and ‘Martial’ successively emerged, these primitive life forms of the demon race were destined to not progress as smoothly in cultivation as humanoids. They had to rely on other means.

This was the birth of the original ‘demon race.’

Li Qi meticulously read, reading the body of ‘Huodou.’ The True Knowledge Dao Resonance almost ‘greedily licked’ Huodou's fur, and then, from these bodies, countless pieces of information were revealed!

This information was not told to Li Qi by Huodou, but rather deduced by Li Qi himself. Through existing and unknown information, like a puzzle, he gradually pieced together this complete picture.

It was very strange.

If Li Qi didn't know the ‘prerequisite knowledge’ and read directly, he would only get garbled text.

And if he only knew the prerequisite knowledge but couldn't deduce, then this information couldn't be combined.

One must know the premise, know the method of deduction, and then read the ‘Dao Resonance’ revealed by the Great Yao's body to obtain this True Knowledge and secrets.

This is truly… hidden so deeply.

Is this the secret that Prince Changqin spoke of?

It cannot be told, cannot be verbally transmitted. You must possess the prerequisite True Knowledge and then find the answer yourself.

Moreover, this True Knowledge… is not recorded in books, but directly engraved on Huodou's body. In other words, the secret of the Yao Mo is part of Huodou's ‘Dao.’

And this information did not end.

The next moment, this information recombined.

The demon race was thus born.

To be honest, this was all just chasing after the shadow of God.

Humans, in pursuit of God, gave birth to ‘Shamancraft,’ a method of communication between Humans and Gods. And the demon race, in pursuit of Humans, eventually gave birth to ‘Transformation,’ a method of acquiring the Innate Three Treasures in the Acquired state.

After that, the demon race began to differentiate.

Primitive life forms transformed into demon race, splitting into two branches.

One branch was dedicated to becoming ‘Di Qi (Earthly Qi).’ They wanted to become True Gods. Li Qi had encountered many such ‘Mountain Gods.’ They were all demon race, yet they wanted to cultivate the Divine Path and become part of the Di Qi (Earthly Qi). It was precisely this branch that imitated Gods and humanoids, acquiring the Innate Three Treasures in the Acquired state, eventually transforming their original bodies and gradually approaching Gods or Humans, called ‘Soul Transformation’ or ‘Human Transformation.’

In the Late Stage, the path of ‘Dragon Transformation’ also emerged because the demon race discovered that the True Dragon also possessed, or rather, even stronger Innate talent. This branch of the demon race was a more traditional demon race, with both good and evil, but generally hoped to break free from their Innate shackles and move towards a higher distance.

In terms of ‘physical body,’ they approached Gods and Humans.

The other branch was unwilling to have any further connection with the Gods and Humans who had once inflicted wounds upon them, even seeking revenge.

They pursued power to an extreme, power for revenge against Gods and Humans, and were unwilling to acquire the Innate Three Treasures. Whether it was Human Transformation or Soul Transformation, they refused, considering it a disgrace.

They maintained their original bodies, cultivating with their ‘inferior’ bodies.

Compared to the Dao-like bodies of Heavenly Gods and humanoids, their bodies were too poor. Cultivation was slow, and it was difficult to comprehend the world.

For the Human Race to cultivate to the ninth rank, it only took a few months for those with high talent, while they often needed decades of arduous cultivation. The difficulty was simply not on the same level.

If the body was not good, then they would lean towards the spirit.

Compared to Humans and Heavenly Gods, although they did not have bodies with excellent Innate talent, at least… they had the same soul as them.

Of course, their souls were actually different.

The Human Race and Heavenly Gods are born with high-level intelligence, but most demon race do not even have this. They must rely on fortunate Opportunity and diligent cultivation to possess the same high-level intelligence as Humans, and sometimes even less than the Human Race.

The demon race has always been a symbol of stupidity. A ninth-rank demon race might be tricked by an ordinary Human Race as a fool. In fact, such incidents are not uncommon, and similar stories are widely circulated.

But no matter what, the spirit was the closest gap between them and the Heavenly Gods and Humans. So, they maintained their original form and began to specialize in the ‘spirit’ aspect.

At this time, a branch of Dao Orthodoxy extended a helping hand to them.

“Yao Mo—” Li Qi blurted out.

When the demon race imitated humanoids and Acquired the Innate Three Treasures, these demon race were the common types of Yao Gods and Earth Spirits.

And… if they abandoned the Innate Three Treasures and completely embraced the power of the mind, these demon race were Yao Mo.

So, the question arises.

Is this the nature of the demon race?

What is the essence of the demon race?

Although ‘animism’ and the belief that all things are demon race are their fundamental concepts, and the demon race even consider themselves natural itself, under this concept, why are the demon race the demon race?

The concept of demon race is incredibly broad. From the products of plants and animals transforming into demon race, to super celestial bodies like return to ruin and neutron stars Awakening their sentience, all can be called demon race.

So, what exactly can be called a demon race?

Li Qi didn't quite understand before, but now, looking at Huodou's body, he suddenly understood.

“The ancient saying goes, ‘Abandoning the norm makes one a demon race,’” Li Qi murmured.

When the heavens defy the seasons, it is a disaster; the cold and heat change places.

When the earth defies its nature, it is a demon race; all things lose their original character.

The meaning of the word ‘demon race’ is abnormal, losing one's original nature. The meaning of words like ‘bewitching’ is “abnormally beautiful.” There is also the word ‘eerie,’ which simply means ‘abnormal and strange phenomenon.’

All things lose their nature, abandoning the norm makes one a demon race.

Then, let's pair it with another character that often appears with ‘demon race,’ which is ‘Hua’ (化, transform).

When living beings become demon race, it is called ‘Yao Transformation.’

And the signature ability of the demon race is called ‘Transformation.’

Every demon race can choose ‘Transformation’ once in their lifetime, capable of various changes. Common ones include Human Transformation, Soul Transformation, and Dragon Transformation.

This is an extremely rare and profound complete transformation technique that can be performed in the low-rank period, astonishing in its degree of change, even comparable to the seventy-two transformations of the Heavenly Dipper and Earthly Fiend.

When a demon race is in a low rank, they can achieve a super transformation state that a fourth-rank Demonic Dao practitioner can achieve. Through the peculiar method of ‘Transformation,’ they can change their race and even acquire the other party's Innate talent. Even things like the Innate Three Treasures can be obtained.

This level is as miraculous as an orthodox Shaman being able to communicate with the Four Symbols and obtain the Four Symbols Divine Qi to construct an Inner World at the ninth rank.

However, the Shaman can do it because the Shaman Gods acted and paved the way for their descendants.

So… can the demon race transform at the ninth rank for the same reason?