Starting Cultivation During a Trip-Chapter 147 - 108: Traces of Evil Gods! Old Nine Barbecue House
Humans are inherently born with five hundred more years of Dao practice than spirit monsters, which means that a spirit monster cultivates, its primordial spirit reincarnating repeatedly, and it takes five hundred years to reincarnate as a human.
Reaching this step, reversing the path to become an immortal, the distance to longevity is still elusive.
Therefore, in ancient times, many spirit monsters sought shortcuts, directly attempting primordial spirit possession to occupy human bodies.
That is what demons are.
To act abnormally is to be a demon, to act against reason is to be human.
"It’s impossible for spirit monsters to transform into humans by themselves... those who refine horses and worship the Immortal Family eventually end up being possessed by a human body, unable to even be human in the end." Old Yu said lightly.
Like mentioned in the Legend of the White Snake, that white snake cultivated for a thousand years under Qingcheng Mountain before transforming into a human form; where her human form came from is unknown.
Because of this, Daoist sect masters may tolerate spirit monsters in the mountains but view demons as evil.
Any demon must have occupied a human body, disrupting the natural order, and often committed bloodshed.
"Mountain spirit monsters, once their primordial spirit occupies a human body, transforming into a demon, the body will inevitably display some changes." Old Yu stared at Zhang Fan’s computer screen.
This article by the Thousand-Year-Old Demon also mentions the unique aspects of demons. Even if they have a human body, because their primordial spirit is a mountain spirit monster, their bodies will gradually show characteristics of spirit monsters.
For example, a fox spirit might have a fox odor, and some might grow a fox tail.
For instance, a snake demon, whose former self was a mountain python, might develop scales on its skin surface.
As they increase their adaptability to the human body, they might be able to hide or suppress these traits, but in specific environments or conditions, they will still reveal their true form.
Just like Bai Suzhen, who supposedly had a thousand years of Dao practice, a cup of realgar wine could expose her true form.
"Demon..." Zhang Fan pondered.
Even though he now cultivates, has seen many masters, and even dealt with heretics like the Wuwei Sect.
Yet demons to him still seem like legends only existing in film and television.
Mountain spirit monsters are common, while demons are not.
After all, the former arduously cultivates in the mountains, awakening intelligence, born and bred naturally, which is beyond reproach.
But the latter must take that crucial step, which has not been allowed since the founding of the state.
"Eighty years ago, after the great tribulation of the Daoist sects, almost all old demons over three hundred years old were eradicated." Yu Fu sighed.
"Is being over three hundred years old enough to be called an old demon?" Zhang Fan couldn’t help but ask.
"A demon is born from spirit possession, disrupting the order of creation, naturally facing more tribulations than ordinary cultivators. Surviving over three hundred years is already very rare."
Yu Fu glanced dismissively, somewhat speechless, wondering where all the thousand-year-old great demons in this world were!?
"That’s true." Zhang Fa nodded.
Tribulations are originally the Elixir of Immortality, unknown to ordinary people, who amuse immortals with laughter.
Daoist cultivation refines the primordial spirit, theoretically living longer than ordinary people, but once the Dao heart arises, the demonic aspect follows, so from the day one steps into cultivation, the road of tribulations never ends.
Thus, most cultivators eventually fall into tribulation.
Ordinary cultivators are already like this, let alone demons!?
Nowadays, one can essentially cause the extinction of any species, so living past three hundred years indeed qualifies one as an old demon.
"Nowadays... real demons are increasingly rare. After the founding of the state, a nationwide investigation was conducted." Yu Fu lowered his voice.
"Ordinary demons are registered, with household records made."
"Ordinary demons? Are there second-class demons?" Zhang Fan detected the key point.
"If there were truly ’second-class’ demons, even cultivators would find them hard to encounter." Yu Fu glanced sideways, speaking lightly.
"Old Yu, you seem to know more about demons than about people." Zhang Fan teased.
As soon as he finished speaking, Jiang Hu next to him choked on a mouthful of water and started coughing violently.
Yu Fu remained silent, merely staring intently at Zhang Fan.
"Old Yu, have you ever seen a real demon?"
At that moment, Zhang Fan asked.
Even as a Daoist, he was extremely curious about demons.
"I have seen them." Yu Fu nodded, speaking nonchalantly, "I advise you not to be too curious; every demon is trouble, and encountering them may not be a good thing."
"I would indeed like to encounter one, but where is such an opportunity?" Zhang Fan smirked, then changed the subject: "Right, primordial spirit possession, you mentioned there are two types of people who excel in this?"
"The other type is the Wuwei Sect."
As soon as these words were spoken, Zhang Fan raised an eyebrow, a gleam of light flashing in his eyes.
Among the world’s Daoist sects, throughout history, if anyone is mentioned to have researched the primordial spirit to an extent almost demonic, the Wuwei Sect comes to mind, with no second thought.
The Wuwei Sect, regards the primordial spirit as the Great Medicine, stealing vitality amid killing intent.
In their view, all things in the world, only that innate primordial spirit, at this moment, seeks the Elixir of Immortality—a lifeline from Heaven’s Providence to all living in the Red Dust.
Heaven has bestowed it, and not taking it is a great sin.
Because of this, they have no taboos, not only using the primordial spirit as medicine but often possessing bodies, like taking over a nest.
"Primordial spirit possession is a great taboo, both damaging harmony and violating ethics; though not prohibited within the Daoist sects, it involves numerous details..." Yu Fu said gravely.
Legend has it that back then, Iron Stick Li, due to an out-of-body experience, was mistakenly believed by his disciple to have become an immortal, and his body was burnt; without a fleshly shell, he would inevitably become a lost wandering soul with time. In desperation, he possessed the body of a beggar who had died not long before.
The Wuwei Sect, however, does not bind themselves by such scruples.
"Precisely because they have no taboos, once they possess, it’s equivalent to having a new identity, so masters of the Wuwei Sect hide very deeply and are extremely difficult to detect." Yu Fu said grimly.
