Finally, once the last of his exhaustion left him, he realized how childish he had been. Who on this plane was perfect? Who didn’t do morally questionable things? Sometimes there was no right or wrong answer. What mattered was whether you were willing to do what it took to get what you wanted.
Chapter 4: Initiation
Small drops of water formed on Cha Ming’s skin as Silverwing descended through the clouds, revealing lush greenery with a large neighboring city. This expanse of wilderness, filled with both humans and demons, was the Evergreen Battlefield, one of the few areas along the North-South border with ongoing skirmishes.
Despite the area being mostly jungle, large mounds that resembled small mountains jutted up from the earth. They weren’t rocky like proper mountains; instead, they were covered in greenery, lakes, and bogs. Human combatants roamed these lands, making careful use of the hazardous—and often poisonous—terrain to launch ambushes or fortify their positions. They largely avoided dense demon populations, who had no interest in petty squabbles between good and evil.
Silverwing landed just outside a military encampment located on the north edge of the jungle. “Looks like this is my stop,” Cha Ming said to Huxian, hopping off the large bird’s back.
And mine as well! Gua said, hopping off with him. Huxian, Lei Jiang, and the mist that was Mr. Mountain remained on the large falcon’s back.
We’ll be in the North in one demonic territory or another, Huxian said. We’ll need to find a place with dense natural energy for each of us if we want to reach the initiation realm.
“Initiation?” Cha Ming asked. “Like a senior initiating a junior?”
Something like that, Huxian said. Demons are of nature, so it is nature itself that must initiate. By occupying a location with dense demonic energy like this one, a demon can draw the power into himself and condense an initiation mark.
“Take care out there,” Cha Ming said, waving. He wasn’t worried for the fox’s safety, since there were few creatures on the plane that could cause him problems.
Will do, Huxian said,
“Let me know if you need anything,” Cha Ming said. “I’ll drop everything to come help you if you need it.”
Same, Huxian said. He hesitated, then leaned in. You should know something, Cha Ming. There’s something happening out there, something wrong.
“Like a world war?” Cha Ming asked, perplexed.
Worse, Huxian said grimly. He looked to Silverwing and the others, who nodded back. Even the joker Lei Jiang didn’t offer a hint of a smile. We’ve started losing dominion over some demons, he continued. Inexplicably, and uncontested. There’s only one explanation for that: They were killed. Many tens of thousands over a short period of time.
I’ve also lost influence over my demonic mountain west of the Song Kingdom, Silverwing squawked. No one replaced me. It’s like the demonic energy just vanished. Things like that don’t just happen overnight.
Cha Ming frowned. “Could it all be a coincidence?”
Maybe, Huxian said reluctantly. But do you remember that time near Westvale Wall where Wang Jun warned us not to go further?
Cha Ming nodded.
Well, I scouted further. I didn’t like what I saw there. If I’m right… Well, let’s just say it doesn’t matter who wins the war.
“What was it?” Cha Ming asked.
It doesn’t help if you know, Huxian said. Its name is meaningless. Just know this: If you ever see a creature of darkness covered in horns, a creature that is unkillable and swallows all, don’t fight it. You can’t kill it, and it will never stop. Run like your life depends on it and hope someone stronger takes care of it. As mortals, we don’t stand a chance.
Dramatic message delivered, Silverwing flapped his massive wings, propelling him and the other two far into the sky.
Hopefully it’s nothing, Cha Ming thought. He shook his head and looked to the south. Another wave of fighters was rushing into the battlefield. Cha Ming looked to Gua and summoned 720 sigils of various elements, which shifted into a concealment formation like the one he’d used on Jade Moon Planet. The man and the demon flew into the humid jungle, and Cha Ming ignored the foreboding feeling that gnawed at the back of his mind.
I’ll be entering demon territory here, Gua said. They’d reached the center of the Evergreen Battlefield. Here, there were demons aplenty. A poisonous bog covered ten square miles to the west. I’ll be fine, but an ugly human like you would get attacked on sight.
I think your sense of aesthetics needs work, Cha Ming said dryly, noticing a wart-covered serpent slithering in the brush beside them.
I think your face needs work, Gua said.
Cha Ming was about to retort, but then he noticed something on Gua he hadn’t seen before: lipstick. Did the demon really care about his appearance?
Take care, and don’t die, Gua continued. Huxian would be sad if you did.
Violet demonic energy oozed out of the ground. It turned brown and murky as it surrounded the toad, then melted back into the soggy earth below with Gua in tow.
I wonder how Huxian deals with that narcissist? Cha Ming wondered to himself. As he walked farther south, he took careful note of both the plants that surrounded him and the demons that lurked about. Now and again, he discovered shallow bodies of water covered in thick carpets of leaves and dirt. Anyone unfortunate enough to step there, whether demon or human, would sink into a poisonous trap where thousands of tiny demons waited.
You know, this concealment formation is good and all, Sun Wukong said from inside the Clear Sky World, but you’re missing out on some prime training time. His spirit appeared beside Cha Ming. The red-bearded man, who now wore a red tail and a thin silver crown, walked through the jungle, expertly avoiding trees and branches as they zoomed past them.
You mean the Seventy-Two Transformations Technique? Cha Ming asked. How in the heavens did Wang Jun find out about it?
Sun Wukong shrugged. No
