Chapter 5: The Truth Hidden by the Heavenly Path
==============================
Cold Moon was a whirlwind of emotions, like a wild ocean tossing her thoughts around.
Her ingrained beliefs were like sturdy dam walls, being hammered by waves of shock from the outside world.
Why on earth do the Monster Race instinctively transform into human form?
All this time, animals and plants in the mountains, rivers, and seas lived in mindless harmony, relying solely on instinct.
Nurtured by the essence of the sun and moon and the spirit of the Earth, they suddenly woke up one day, blessed by the heavens with intelligence.
From that moment, they were no longer simple beasts that devoured flesh and bl**d, nor were they aging trees that couldn’t budge an inch. They had become the spirits of all things, the essence of heaven and earth.
And the only distinguishing trait was their refined and realistic forms after transforming.
Was it simply because they thought humans were superior?
Only by resembling humans could they clear the gap between their former lowly selves and who they wanted to be.
This situation was even more apparent among female demons.
Including herself, there was a period when she was completely obsessed with the beauty and smooth skin of human women.
The demonesses poured an immense amount of energy into their appearances, as if the closer they looked to beautiful human women, the more noble they felt, the more powerful their magic seemed.
As the Second Great King, she was particularly attentive to her looks, fearing to unintentionally reveal any flaws related to her true form while hanging out with her fellow demons.
Was all this wrong?
Not just Cold Moon.
The crowd of demons listening to the Great King appeared utterly bewildered, their faces frozen in shock.
Because Cold Moon’s words had thrown their basic understanding of being a demon into disarray. If even the instinct to transform was wrong, what the heck did it mean to be a demon?
All their hard work to grow stronger—was it all in vain?
They were completely lost.
Once the foundational beliefs that shape thought are shaken, it’s a tremendous blow to a person.
Luckily, the Great King didn’t make them suffer for too long, as her next words left them even more stunned and speechless.
“Why is this happening?
Because, according to the Heavenly Path, humans are inherently superior to demons.
So once the Monster Race gained consciousness, the only way forward was to mimic humans, marking our evolution from lowly beasts to advanced humans.
As we strengthen ourselves, demons can even fully transform into humans and live among them.
This is the root that the Heavenly Path planted in our bl**d.
Everything is a misdirection.
In this king’s view, transforming is merely a tool for the Monster Race, a disguise, not our ultimate goal.
Our true form is our essence;
We, the Monster Race, have been abandoning our roots for too long!
During the battle between White Feather City and Cold Wind City, the demons fought amongst themselves like humans, rarely revealing their true forms.
Great Demons only remembered to revert to their powerful forms when fleeing for their lives, or when they had to unleash their full strength.
Most of our daily cultivation is done on the basis of human forms; a lot of the time, especially for top-tier Great Demons, their human cultivation surpasses their original forms.
So what advantage do these shape-shifting demons have compared to humans?”
A deep silence enveloped the room.
Cold Moon’s words were so outrageous it felt like their brains were about to combust.
But this wasn’t the end.
“Transforming into human forms in hopes of enhancing our realms through human cultivation isn’t wrong.
But have you ever thought about our many shortcomings as demons?
The wisdom of humans lies in their legacy.
Many humans start their cultivation journey at the tender age of five or six, rapidly advancing through centuries of accumulated experiences. By their teenage years, many humans can step into the threshold of cultivation.
Humans can quickly and efficiently produce a massive number of cultivators.
Now, let’s look at us demons.
We lack written language, we lack a legacy— even when we gain consciousness, we stumble forward relying only on trial and error.
And let’s not forget the terrible environments we demons survive in; countless little demons cling to life, where would they find time to ponder cultivation?
The number of demons breaking through to become Great Demons is scant; it’s all about luck or coincidence.
Thus, even the few Great Demons lucky enough to cultivate their human forms are rare gems.
How can the Monster Race compare to the Human Race?
Since we donned human clothes and learned their behaviors, demon girls have begun to think that having fair, smooth, and delicate skin represents nobility and beauty.
We’ve forgotten our original intentions,
We’ve forgotten the days when we lived in the jungle.
This is all part of the Heavenly Path’s design,
To keep our Monster Race perpetually at the bottom of the three realms, enslaved by the other two races.
Four hundred years ago, our rebels were suppressed by the human and demon races collaborating.
And today, I am here to tell you.
To change all of this, we must return to our origins.
Only by recalling our fierceness, swiftness, athleticism, and ferocity in hunting everything, can we uncover the solution.
That’s right, as demons, our advantage over humans lies in our original physiques.
Only by removing all distractions, returning to our true forms for cultivation, and boldly revealing our bodies can we possibly stand at the peak of the three realms one day.
Once upon a time, I too was like you, subjugated by fate and the Heavenly Path, believing humans were inherently superior.
But now, I disagree.
As long as we, the Monster Race, master the art of cultivating our true forms, and do not rely on our transformations, we will one day utterly surpass humans.
The true path of the Monster Race is to elevate the essence of life using the most primal methods, and one day, we will break free from our cocoons and become butterflies, renowned throughout the ages.
At that time, with your newfound power, transforming back into human forms will be almost effortless.
So now, during this heavenly upheaval, when demons and monsters run rampant, it’s time to usher in a prosperous era for the Monster Race.
Would you…
like to follow me, your king?”
Silence reigned, with only the sporadic crackle of torches burning in the night filling the air.
The crowd looked dumbfounded, their expressions a mix of shock and awe.
They had never thought the truth of the world could be like this.
No wonder there had been earlier celestial signs; it was a warning that the king must not reveal the secrets of heaven.
But the king boldly defied destiny,
Unreservedly revealing the truths that the Heavenly Path had deliberately hidden from them.
Given the tumultuous history and current reality of the Monster Race, any smart cookie could see the Great King had stripped the Heavenly Path bare,
Exposing the rules governing this world for the very first time.
Ah, is it any wonder the Monster Race has been oppressed repeatedly?
Is it any wonder they are inherently looked down upon?
It’s because the Heavenly Path is terrified of the Monster Race at its core, which is why it has set countless shackles to control us.
“Boom!”
As enlightenment dawned upon the crowd, the skies rumbled with thunder and lightning, and the winds howled.
But at that moment, the demons felt no more fear.
The celestial signs felt more like a reward for their awakening.
“Thud… Thud…”
They knelt once more around Cold Moon, pressing their foreheads to the ground, their arms almost glued to the earth.
“Willing to follow the Great King! To build a prosperous era for the Monster Race!”
In that moment, tears streamed down their faces.
……
……
P.S. That’s it for today’s triple update. See you tomorrow!
