Black Myth: Starting from the Destined One
Chapter 383 - 262: Face Off!

Chapter 383: Chapter 262: Face Off!

Dongsheng Divine Continent.

Aorakan.

Mount Huaguo.

[Ding Dong, system activated, ding dong! Check-in: Immortal-slaying Calabash.]

Li Ping’an furrowed his brows upon hearing the system’s voice.

A half-meter-tall Immortal-slaying Calabash appeared behind him.

"Why have these strange noises kept cropping up recently?

Giving me benefits out of the blue?"

Li Ping’an was originally a college student from the Blue Planet, but he transmigrated to Mount Huaguo half a year ago, and the system was activated a few days earlier.

On the first day, he checked in Immortal Cultivation, reaching the first stage of the Realm: Qi Gathering.

On the second day, he checked in Demon Cultivation, reaching the first stage of the Domain: Gathering Spirit.

On the third day, he checked in Literati Cultivation, reaching the first stage of Competence: Extremely Talented.

On the fourth day, he checked in Buddhist Cultivation, reaching the first stage of the Domain: Lesser Vehicle Daoli Heaven.

On the sixth day, he checked in the Moonlight Treasure Box, to be used for escaping when encountering powerful characters.

On the seventh day, he checked in Fiery Golden Eyes, allowing him not only to see the true form of Immortals and Demons but also to discern their Cultivation.

Today was already the eighth day, and he checked in the Immortal-slaying Calabash.

Over these eight days, Li Ping’an had checked in various Cultivation Methods, as well as two treasures.

Yet he found himself in the dangerous Mount Huaguo, surrounded by Demons.

He had no choice but to conceal his human identity.

Several years ago, Mount Huaguo wasn’t ravaged by Demons.

It was a delightful place for humans.

Li Ping’an’s family were demon suppressors of Great Tang.

Generation after generation, they guarded and suppressed a legendary Devil Lord below Mount Huaguo.

Until recently, the arrival of the Dharma-Ending Age.

The entire Three Realms and four continents, including the seventy-two caves of Mount Huaguo, were suddenly filled with demons and ghosts taking forms, Demonic Qi filled the sky.

In order to survive, Li Ping’an had to absorb a vast amount of Demonic Qi.

Over time, he became something between a human and a Demon.

He sought refuge as a Demon under the cave lord, the Old Monkey Spirit of the Water Curtain Cave.

A few days ago, he almost let the Old Monkey Spirit discover him.

Thanks to checking in as a Demon Cultivator, he narrowly escaped with his life.

[System prompt: Host can enhance Cultivation by absorbing Spiritual Essence.

If you encounter an overwhelmingly powerful opponent,

in the throes of bloody battle, all four Cultivation Methods can temporarily be elevated to their highest Domains.]

Li Ping’an cursed upon hearing the system’s voice in his mind:

"Isn’t this just making me fight on full health and wave around when I’m dying?"

As soon as Li Ping’an finished complaining,

a Monkey Spirit rushed towards him from behind:

"Li Ping’an, why are you still hiding in your cave?

Disaster has struck, one of the seventy-two cave leaders, the Devil Incarnate, is coming to seize our cave.

Our ancestor and brothers have already taken up weapons and gone to face him.

You’re the only one missing!"

Li Ping’an had also heard of the notorious Devil Incarnate.

A formidable character with many tricks up his sleeve.

Upon hearing that he was to confront the Devil Incarnate,

he was so scared that he immediately picked up a steel knife and rushed out.

The Monkey Spirit quickly grabbed Li Ping’an, who was pretending to be composed:

"Li Ping’an, the entrance to the cave is that way."

"Why are you heading in the opposite direction?"

Li Ping’an replied with a wry smile,

"I’m just worried... that Devil Incarnate might die too quickly."

"Quit the chatter and hurry up to support our brothers!"

Thus, Li Ping’an was forcibly dragged out of the Water Curtain Cave by a monkey spirit with considerable strength.

As soon as he left the Water Curtain Cave,

he saw over a thousand monkey spirits facing off against the Devil Incarnate and his minions.

Li Ping’an quickly positioned himself at the very back of the line, thinking if the fight proved too difficult, he’d make a swift escape.

Two monkey spirits standing in front of Li Ping’an turned their heads and glanced at him:

"Li Ping’an, you always boast about how formidable you are.

Today, facing a life-and-death struggle with the Devil Incarnate,

why have you positioned yourself at the very back?"

Li Ping’an craftily replied,

"Isn’t this just making room for our king, the Great Sage Equalling Heaven, Sun Wukong?"

The two monkey spirits asked, puzzled,

"Sun Wukong?

Who is Sun Wukong?"

"What’s going on?

How do you not know Sun Wukong?"

"It’s bizarre!

Every time you fall asleep and talk in your dreams,

you say Li Ping’an is Sun Wukong,

and Sun Wukong is Li Ping’an.

How could you forget all that now?"

"Li Ping’an, you have a knack for talking nonsense.

But today, you must not disgrace Mount Huaguo in front of the Devil Incarnate."

Li Ping’an, looking utterly clueless, surveyed the vast heavens and earth, the endless clouds, the longevity deer and immortal foxes, the mystical birds and cranes innumerable, the ever-blooming exotic grasses and flowers, the evergreen pines and cypresses – it was indeed a paradise.

Behind him, a waterfall cascaded down like a white curtain hanging from the sky, thundering mightily.

It was the Water Curtain Cave of Mount Huaguo.

Dumbfounded for a moment, Li Ping’an fell into profound self-doubt.

"Am I the Great Sage Equalling Heaven, Sun Wukong?

Come on, really?

Are you sure this isn’t Star Lord filming A Chinese Odyssey?"

Familiar with the plot of Journey to the West, Li Ping’an knew well the story of the Great Sage Equalling Heaven.

He was born from stone, without father or mother, inherently ill-natured, possessing formidable strength, yet not using it to uphold the Orthodox Path; instead, he disturbed the peace of the heavens and earth, turning them upside down.

He wreaked havoc in the Dragon Palace, took the Sea Calming Needle, causing the Four Seas to collapse; he altered life and death in front of Yama’s Palace, showing no regard for the dignity of life.

He created an uproar in the Heavenly Palace, scorning heavenly laws, challenging the authority of divine power, and trivializing the supreme rules.

Yet, heaven’s grace was boundless, and he was shown leniency.

He was not only unpunished but also invited into the Heavenly Court, conferred with the title of Protector of the Horses, to temper his temperament.

But he remained ungrateful, stole the Peaches of Immortality and Immortal Pills, disrupted the Peach Banquet, defied heavenly authority, and his sins were grave.

The fury of heavenly might struck him with thunderbolts and lightning, flinging his soul into the Divine Furnace to be scorched by celestial fire.

Later on, the Buddha Ancestor Tathagata, with his supreme divine skills, suppressed him under Wuxing Mountain for five hundred years to eliminate his demonic nature and purify his heart.

The Buddha Ancestor’s kindness and generosity were vast; he not only forgave his manifold misdeeds but also, setting aside past grievances, released him after five hundred years, bestowed upon him the Controlling Ring Spell, and assigned him to serve Monk Tang in the quest for scriptures to the Western Heaven, allowing him to redeem his past wrongs.

And he did, under the meticulous arrangements, wearing away the obstinate and wild side of his past, shedding his malevolent energy, laying down the butcher’s knife, relinquishing his fixations, and converting to Buddhism.