NOVPUB
Chapter 102: The Heavenly Demon
The man sitting inside the pavilion was the same one Aldrian had seen in his vision at the Temple of the Heavenly Demon in Dual Peak Horns City. His long black hair was like the night sky, His handsome face was unblemished, and he wore a clean red-and-black robe with the symbol of the Heavenly Demon on his back. His eyes were closed in meditation, seemingly indifferent to Aldrian’s arrival.
Aldrian stood at the entrance of the pavilion, patiently waiting for the man to finish his meditation. After a few moments, the man slowly opened his eyes, revealing red eyes that seemed to pierce directly into one’s soul.
As Aldrian locked eyes with him, a sudden pain seized his head. Grasping it with one hand, he was overwhelmed by a flood of images, as though unknown memories were resurfacing. The man simply stared at Aldrian, offering no help, but once Aldrian managed to regain control, the man smiled.
"You’ve finally come. Why don’t we have a chat?" the man said. With a wave of his hand, two glasses and a teapot appeared in front of him.
Aldrian observed these with a thoughtful expression before walking into the pavilion and sitting across from the man. He tried to gather information about him, but the man’s voice interrupted his thoughts.
"I know you’re trying to uncover my name and other details, but you won’t find anything," the man said.
Aldrian was shocked. This man knew about his hidden abilities? Did he also know his other secrets, including the true source of his power? He checked the information again—and it was true.
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Age : ???
Race : ???
Cultivation : ???
Cultivation technique : ???
Attack techniques : ???
Defense technique : ???
Movement technique : ???
Supporting technique : ???
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Aldrian didn’t know what to make of it. His Eyes of Heaven had never failed him before. Was it because the man in front of him was too strong? Or was there something else?
"I know you have a lot of questions, but I can’t tell you everything right now. Maybe I’ll answer a few." the man said.
Aldrian was stunned but only sighed. For the first time, he understood what others must feel when he could easily read their thoughts. The man gave a faint smile as he looked at Aldrian, though a brief, sorrowful expression flickered in his eyes, vanishing so quickly that Aldrian barely noticed.
"I really miss those moments," the man thought.
The two sat in silence, but it wasn’t uncomfortable—it was a serene, calm silence, free from tension or complex emotions, at least on the surface. After a few moments of wordless quiet, Aldrian decided to break the silence.
"Do you know me? Have we met before? I can’t explain it, but I feel like I already know you... and yet, I don’t. It’s confusing." Aldrian asked.
The man, still expressionless, replied calmly, "Do I know you? The answer is yes and no. Have we met? The answer is yes... and no."
Aldrian frowned in confusion. What kind of answer was that? Noticing Aldrian’s confused expression, the man’s mouth t formed a smile, but then Aldrian asked another question.
"Do you know the origin of my power? Do you know what I am?" Aldrian asked. He felt human, but his abilities and capabilities were far beyond anything a human should possess. "Do you know who I really am?" He was sure he was Aldrian Aster, the son of his father, Aldrey, and his mother, Irene. But all those visions had planted seeds of doubt about his own ’real’ identity.
The Heavenly Demon remained silent, his expression unreadable. Aldrian couldn’t see any change in his eyes and found himself completely unable to read this man at all.
"You will find out for yourself in the future," the man finally said.
Aldrian sighed. It seemed he would have to uncover the truth about himself on his own. He picked up the teacup, gazing at the tea for a moment before taking a sip. His eyes widened the instant the tea touched his tongue.
"This is amazing! I’ve never tasted a tea with such potent effects and a refreshing feeling like this." He felt his body revitalize, and the problems that had plagued his mind seemed to fade away. His face showed complete contentment as he set down the cup, only to throw out another question.
"Are you really the Heavenly Demon?"
If he couldn’t get answers about himself, he could at least ask about the man in front of him. The man continued to stare into Aldrian’s eyes before finally speaking.
"I am."
Aldrian had suspected it and almost certain of the man’s identity, but hearing the confirmation still made his mind tremble. The figure before him was the creator of demonic cultivation, the God of demonic cultivators, a top expert from the past whose legend continued to be told through generations.
"Now it’s my turn to ask questions," the Heavenly Demon said.
"What did you feel when you met me?"
Aldrian didn’t understand why the Heavenly Demon was asking such a question, he fell silent, pondering for a moment. What did he feel? He recalled the first time he saw the Heavenly Demon in his vision, battered and wounded. The memory stirred something deep inside him.
"When I saw you battling the unknown, my heart ached, and I felt angry I couldn’t describe," Aldrian replied.
The Heavenly Demon smiled, though Aldrian couldn’t comprehend its meaning.
"Good," the Heavenly Demon said, taking a sip of his tea.
"What do you think of this place?" he asked again.
Aldrian looked around. Everything was white, the only colors came from their robes and the pavilion. He then glanced at his reflection in the surface of the tea before picking up the cup.
"It feels serene in a way I’ve never experienced before. But at the same time, there’s a strange sense of déjà vu. I don’t know how to explain it... It feels like this place is part of my memory, but also not."
The Heavenly Demon nodded at Aldrian’s response.
"Good."
They both drank their tea in silence before Aldrian asked again, "Why ’the Heavenly Demon’?"
"What do you mean?" the man replied.
"Why did you choose the name ’Heavenly Demon’?" Aldrian wondered. The name seemed so contradictory. From the hints left on the stone tablet, it looked like the Heavenly Demon had some kind of conflict with the Heavens, yet he also acknowledged the Heavens as the ruler and the force that created the universe’s system. Wait... system? Aldrian’s mind tried to grasp something, but it felt both near and distant, just out of reach.
The Heavenly Demon noticed Aldrian’s puzzled expression but answered nonetheless.
"It wasn’t me who gave myself that name. Someone else did." He closed his eyes, his thoughts drifting into past memories of a time when he and that ’person’ frequently met each other. Aldrian saw that the Heavenly Demon was in his own world and didn’t disturb him, instead processing what he had just heard.
"Someone else gave him that name? He doesn’t seem bothered by being called a demon. Could that person have been close to him?" Aldrian thought, pushing the question aside for now. He asked another.
"Who were you fighting? How could someone as strong as you have been hurt?"
The Heavenly Demon smiled.
"I can’t tell you, but in the future, you’ll discover the answers to all your questions, and I hope that when you do, it brings clarity to what you seek. For now, don’t concern yourself with these matters, it’s too early for you to know."
Aldrian sighed inwardly and let the topic go. There were so many things he wanted to know, but if no one would tell him, he would have to find the answers himself. He believed that, in the end, he would discover what he had been searching for all along.
The Heavenly Demon suddenly looked off into the distance, his expression becoming solemn.
"They’ve sensed something. It seems our meeting will have to end here." He then returned his gaze to Aldrian’s eyes.
"I don’t think I have much time left. I’m not sure if we’ll meet again, so listen carefully. From here on, you’ll face many obstacles on your way to your ’worthy place.’ But with your abilities and capabilities, I believe you’ll overcome them without much difficulty. However, remember this—when you come to understand the events of the past, never blame yourself. I’ll say it again—never blame yourself. I hope we can meet again someday."
Without waiting for Aldrian’s response, the Heavenly Demon waved his hand, and the surrounding scene began to crack like glass.
Aldrian could only watch as the world around him shattered like glass. But before everything crumbled entirely, he saw it—a giant eye staring at the Heavenly Demon. In that split second, the aura and pressure made him feel a feeling that he had sometimes already forgotten...fear.
Although it lasted only a split second, he felt a terrifying existence that was beyond comprehension. His body almost trembled in response to his racing heart, but then it stopped. He gritted his teeth, he felt humiliated, he felt belittled. His face shifted from cold sweat to an expression he had never worn before...absolute rage.
"HOW DARE YOU DISTURB ME!"
