Chapter Forty-Five: Descent into Madness

When Lin Fan spoke, the entire Godslayer Squad froze.

“Demon?”

“Has he… become a demon?”

Everyone wore a confused expression, even Mo Buzhi was unsure of Lin Fan’s meaning.

“Are you joking? Our Daoist sect exists to slay monsters and exorcise demons. How could we become demons ourselves?” Dao Wanqian was especially perplexed.

“Demons and gods,” Lin Fan murmured, “are merely different forms of life. I must tell you, if you wish to challenge gods and demons, the human body alone will never suffice.”

“You will each find your own path, transcend the limits of human existence, and become either gods or demons.”

“With the power of gods and demons, we protect Great Xia.”

“The Godslayer Demonbane Technique can absorb divine power, but it cannot change the level of life itself. Unless one opens the path to godhood on their own, they will always be restricted by the limits of the human body.”

“Demi-god is the utmost limit.”

“To become a true god, one needs a divine core.”

“To become a demon, one needs a demon seed.” Lin Fan weighed the jet-black stone in his hand, glowing with a blood-red sheen. “By absorbing this stone, you gain the power of a demon.”

For a moment, everyone’s breaths became rapid.

“But I won’t hide it from you. After becoming a demon, you will walk with darkness. Under the taint of demonic power, you may become a monster consumed by violence and slaughter.”

“Moreover, after becoming a demon, you will face a trial.”

“Demons differ from gods; they have no followers, only apostles. They can mark any being weaker than themselves with a demonic brand, making them their apostle—even some gods can become demon apostles.”

“This becomes a craving, a desire innate to all demons.”

“So, if you become a demon and cannot wield that wicked power for Great Xia, you may instead become an enemy of our nation.”

“If that happens, I must kill you.”

Lin Fan looked around at everyone.

Instantly, the mood grew heavy.

This demon seed was an opportunity for anyone, but also a peril!

The power of a demon rivaled that of the gods—but one could also lose their mind and become a vile creature of darkness.

“Why don’t you use it yourself?” Dao Wanqian suddenly asked.

Lin Fan lowered his gaze. “I have my own path.”

In his previous life, Lin Fan had walked the road to godhood!

Those who forge their own path to godhood or demonhood are far stronger than those who merely inherit a divine core or demon seed.

And Lin Fan’s path was the mightiest of all.

The Road of the Asura God!

Now, Lin Fan was waiting for that path to reveal itself.

“I’ll do it!” Dao Wanqian took a deep breath.

Lin Fan shook his head. “You can’t. The Daoist mindset you cultivate is incompatible with the demon seed.”

Just then, the bandaged Wang Hu, wrapped like a mummy, spoke up. “Let me!”

“You?” Lin Fan was a bit surprised.

Wang Hu grinned. “I’m nothing special. I know you all train internal martial arts, but I alone practice Xingyi Quan, an external style.”

“I never cultivated any inner state, so there’s no conflict with the demon seed.”

“Heh.” Wang Hu scratched his head. “As for the demon’s desire… well, who cares? Worst case, you’ll just kill me if I go astray.”

Lin Fan was silent for a moment.

He knew Wang Hu hadn’t said everything.

Among them, only Wang Hu specialized in external martial arts.

As the saying goes, ‘ten months to learn boxing, ten years to master the art.’

It means boxing can be learned quickly and is powerful—ten months can make you proficient.

But true mastery of martial arts techniques takes years, even a decade.

Once mastered, the internal styles of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism, with their supporting cultivation methods, far surpass the brute strength of external styles like Xingyi Quan.

Wang Hu knew well: though he hadn’t held back the team yet, once everyone cultivated the Godslayer Demonbane Technique, he’d soon be left behind.

Though Xingyi Quan was renowned, it could never compare to the internal arts supported by Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism.

With Wang Hu nervously awaiting his fate, Lin Fan nodded. “Alright.”

But Lin Fan continued, “I know what you’re thinking, but I’m not giving you the demon seed because I fear you’ll hold us back.”

“It’s because I trust you—you can wield this power against gods and demons!”

“And not be dragged into the abyss by it.”

Lin Fan looked at this straightforward, boisterous man.

Through flesh and blood, Lin Fan seemed to see a pure, crystal-clear heart.

Wang Hu grabbed the stone, then began channeling the Godslayer Demonbane Technique to refine it!

Boom!

The demon seed shook violently, igniting with a burst of black and crimson aura.

That aura reeked of evil.

Like a venomous serpent, it surged into Wang Hu’s nostrils!

In the next moment, Wang Hu’s skin writhed, as if something rampaged inside him!

His once smooth skin turned jet black, streaked with crimson lines that pulsed and danced!

A roar of agony burst forth—Wang Hu let out a tiger’s cry, his bloodshot eyes blazing like fresh wounds.

In that instant, his life twisted!

He felt himself plunging into darkness!

Crack!

Bones shattered, his already burly frame swelling further—he grew to four meters tall!

Two sharp horns suddenly sprouted from his forehead, fierce and intimidating!

Yet his crisis was not over—cracks spread across his body, black blood oozing out, as if he might shatter at any moment!

His body could barely withstand the surge of power, on the verge of collapse!

After all, this was a forced leap in the level of life.

“Hold on!” Lin Fan pressed his palm to Wang Hu’s back, channeling his demi-god Godslayer Demonbane power into Wang Hu’s body.

Wang Hu felt himself about to shatter in endless darkness, but then, a warm current flowed through him, the pain gradually faded.

Finally.

Wang Hu’s body stopped breaking.

But he did not awaken; eyes closed, he lay on the ground, the black blood forming a huge cocoon around him, enveloping him tightly.

“This…” Dao Wanqian was worried—he could barely sense any life within the cocoon.

“He’s not dead,” Lin Fan sat down exhausted, “but he won’t wake up for a while.”

Lin Fan understood Wang Hu’s state.

He was battling the darkness!

This man became a demon, but refused to sink into darkness—and darkness wouldn’t let him go.

When he awakens, he will either be an evil demon hunting apostles, or a Demon of Great Xia, wielding demonic power to defend the nation.

“May you find your way back in the darkness.”

“We’ll wait for you.”

Lin Fan stood weakly, gently touching the massive cocoon.