Hyperdimensional Player

Chapter 330 The Child's Promise, The Birth of the Heavenly Demon!
A dilapidated temple.

Duncan, his skeletal figure sitting in a corner of the dilapidated temple, suddenly made a noise beside him. A dirty little hand reached out, and the child, about twelve or thirteen years old, covered in mud, looked at the emaciated Duncan with pity and asked softly, "Are you hungry? I have some food here."

A little beggar, who had just escaped from the north, was the only one left after his entire family was wiped out. His nickname was Lai Bao'er.

Seeing that Duncan didn't answer, he took out half a yellowish-brown lump from his tattered clothes, covered in mud and his own body grime, and secretly handed it to him, saying, "Eat it quickly, or someone will take it from you."

"You look like you're starving to death."

When Lai Bao'er spoke of being on the verge of starvation, a hint of sorrow crept into her voice.

The autumn wind is bleak, and the night wind is like a knife.

A bone-chilling cold.

Duncan slowly turned his head and glanced at the half-grown child. He raised his hands, his five fingers like white bones, the tips covered in dirt. He took the small, yellowish-brown lump in front of him, not knowing what it was, only that it could fill his stomach.

I will depart for this mortal realm, relinquishing my position of honor, and spend half a lifetime here.

Duncan was filled with murderous intent, but he smiled because of the half-yellowish bump, which made him look like a skeleton. His withered face was all wrinkled up. The half-grown child was so frightened that he shrank back and looked at him as if he had seen a demon from hell.

"Why are you feeding me?" a hoarse voice rang out.

After not speaking for three months, Duncan's throat was already dry and hoarse.

The boy, nicknamed Lai Bao'er, stared wide-eyed in surprise and exclaimed, "So you can talk!"

Duncan's hoarse voice rang out again as he asked, "Why are you giving me food?"

Lai Bao'er rolled her eyes and said, "Nonsense, you're starving to death."

"I ate a really big meal the day before yesterday."

"It's okay to go hungry for two days."

The yellow lump was covered in mud and grime, and it looked like something dug out of a swill bucket. When you broke it open, you could see some oil. It was definitely not leftovers from ordinary people. Lai Bao'er was short and could crawl through dog holes to sneak into the kitchens of powerful and wealthy people.

It wasn't even leftovers; it was what pigs and dogs ate, and Lai Bao'er secretly stole a little from the animals' troughs.

Night fell and the wind and rain returned.

Duncan reached out and grabbed his arm. A gust of wind lifted his tattered clothes, revealing the wound on his leg, caused by a vicious dog bite, which was already festering and oozing pus.

A sense of pity arose.

Duncan held the half-sized lump of yellowish-brown earth in his hand, remaining silent for a long time, his eerie, will-o'-the-wisps of eyes fixed on the boy in front of him.

The wind and rain were desolate, seeping into my very bones.

This dilapidated temple can't hide anything; the whole world is worse than a broken temple.

Lai Bao'er shrank back into the corner in fear, looking at those eyes that seemed like will-o'-the-wisps, her expression terrified, and she cautiously asked, "Have you already starved to death? Have you become the vengeful ghost they talk about?"

"If you transform into an evil spirit, do not harm me."

"I was just trying to help you."

Duncan held the dumpling of swill in his hand, slowly shook his head, and calmly said, "I am not a demon, but I am undergoing a death trial."

Life force exhausted, like a vengeful ghost.

The enlightenment between life and death is the experience of sitting in the death gate. Duncan has already seen through the human desire for reproduction, and now he wants to see through the human desire for life and death.

Over the past six months.

He traveled the world, sleeping soundly with his head on his pillow, his heart filled with malice, listening to the cries of sorrow and lamentation of all the people under heaven.

The hurdle of life and death is not so easy to overcome.

Although death is like the wind that always accompanies Duncan, his primordial spirit is actually immortal and indestructible. Even if his body dies, it is only because he has lost a human incarnation.

Therefore, his only concern regarding life and death is observing the life and death of all living beings under heaven.

The boy couldn't understand anything, but he was still scared. He limped out of the dilapidated temple, not daring to stay there. Before leaving, he looked back at Duncan, who looked like a ghost, swallowed nervously, and whispered, "You're not a ghost, so eat something first."

"Don't let him starve to death."

"I'll share some of the food I steal tomorrow with you."

good!
Great kindness!

This child is destined to be with me!

Duncan smiled faintly, like a white-boned bodhisattva in a boiling sea of ​​blood. A touch of bloodlust flashed in his eerie eyes, startling the half-grown child so much that he staggered. The wind and rain outside were cold, and he dared not go far. He found a big tree and huddled in a corner to wait for dawn.

Anyway, he dared not go back. Duncan looked too scary. He was all skin and bones, like a dried-up corpse.

A red sun rises in the east.

The setting sun is like blood.

The sunrise on the horizon had an eerie red hue, as if it symbolized something ominous.

Lai Bao'er woke up shivering. He was covered in raindrops and was mostly wet. He felt dizzy and weak. He looked down at the wound on his leg and saw that it was already oozing pus and blood.

The vicious dog bit him, and he had no way to treat the wound. He could only bandage it haphazardly, and as time went on, the wound began to fester.

"What if this leg becomes crippled?"

"I'm afraid I won't live much longer either."

The young boy gave a sad smile and murmured, "If I had known, I would have spent the night in that dilapidated temple. He wouldn't have eaten me, would he?"

Just die.

There's no point in living in this world; dying is the best way to go find your parents.

His parents are waiting for him to come home.

Lai Bao'er struggled to his feet. He wouldn't speak lightly of life or death until the very last moment. His life had been bought with the lives of his parents and sisters. They wanted him to live, so he would try his best to live until the very last moment.

A thunderous sound of galloping hooves rang out.

Lai Bao'er heard the shrill screams coming from afar. His face instantly changed, and he exclaimed in terror, "Oh no! The Khitan dogs are here to raid our territory again!"

The New History of the Five Dynasties, Appendix 1 on the Four Barbarians, records: "They allowed their barbarian cavalry to plunder in all directions, which was called 'hunting for grain'."

Since the fall of the Tang Dynasty, the Central Plains has successively experienced five short-lived dynasties: the Later Liang, Later Tang, Later Jin, Later Han, and Later Zhou. Each dynasty lasted an average of only ten years. Frequent wars led to the "extinction of fire and the desolation of towns and villages" in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River.

During the Later Jin Dynasty, Shi Jingtang ceded the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun to the Liao Dynasty, leaving the Central Plains and North China without a protective barrier.

The Liao army raided southwards many times. When they captured Bianjing (now Kaifeng) in 947, they massacred the city. Historical records state that "the able-bodied died on the blade, and the old and weak were left to die in ditches." To this day, the bones of countless old and weak people still remain in the ditches.

When Duncan passed through Kaifeng, he slept on the countless bones there, using them as a pillow, to test his resolve to face life and death.

The Central Plains were plagued by war for many years.

Throughout North China, "granaries were empty and fields were barren," and refugees "sold their children and left corpses on the roads."

Local military governors also levied exorbitant taxes. For example, An Chongrong, the military governor of Chengde, "seized the people's wealth to fund his army, to the point that people even resorted to burning corpses for firewood." During the Later Han Dynasty, taxes in Hebei reached as high as 70% of the harvest, forcing people to abandon their fields and flee.
escape!
Without hesitation, Lai Bao'er took off running. Human legs can't outrun a horse's legs, but he had to escape. His parents risked their lives to help him escape from Youzhou back to the Central Plains, and he couldn't be captured and used as livestock again.

He was originally from Yandu, a scholarly family, whose ancestral home was the capital city in later generations.

Iron cavalry galloped forward.

Hundreds of Khitan cavalrymen came into view. They had a mocking expression, eagle eyes and wolf-like gazes, and distinctive shaved heads. They wore round-necked, narrow-sleeved robes. Whenever they raided the fields, Khitan officers would send their troops to plunder the countryside, taking people and valuables with them. The cavalrymen were as swift as the wind, and many of them were skilled archers. Even martial artists would have to temporarily avoid their sharpness.

Among these Khitan cavalry were also experts, who practiced the Azure Wolf Howling at the Moon Technique, which was created by imitating the hunting of wolf packs. They were extremely skilled in combined attacks. Their archers also practiced Tengri Divine Archery, and were called Arrow Guards. Their arrows shot out like shooting stars chasing the sun, infused with true energy, making them impossible for even martial arts masters to defend against.

Many of their martial arts skills came from the descendants of the Five Barbarian Tribes, such as the Tuoba and Murong, and even some from the lineage of Lamaism.

Several riders charged toward Lai Bao'er.

The leading Khitan cavalryman, seeing that he was limping, said in Khitan, "This man is probably lame; there's no use in taking him back."

They only abducted the able-bodied and young; the old, weak, sick, and disabled were all considered a burden.

One of them had a violent and cruel expression. He looked at Lai Bao'er, who was fleeing for her life, as if she were a frightened rabbit being hunted. He casually took out his bow and arrow and said with a cruel smile, "You think I should shoot his left leg first?"

"Should we shoot his right leg first?"

After entering the Central Plains, the Khitan cavalry often tortured and killed civilians for amusement, in order to intimidate others. Women were raped and sold into slavery, and any able-bodied men who dared to resist were killed without mercy.

Behind these riders was another person, whose hands were bound by long ropes, and whose back was covered in blood. He had long since died, having been dragged to death by the horses.

call out!
An arrow shot out.

The Khitan cavalryman acted casually, yet with the skill of a divine archer, striking Lai Bao'er's right leg with a sharp arrow.

The beggar fell to the ground instantly, without uttering a sound. He knew that the more pitiful and mournful he cried out, the more he would provoke the ferocity of the Khitans, allowing them to torture him for their amusement.

It whistled through the air.

The Khitan cavalryman seemed to feel he had lost face, so he raised his whip and lashed out, determined to make the beggar wail and beg for mercy.

Lai Bao'er seemed to hear a whooshing sound, closed his eyes, gritted his teeth, and awaited death. *Buzz*.

But in an instant, a figure appeared as if by magic, imperceptible to the naked eye, standing behind him as if by magic, with fingers as white as bone, gripping the whip, and eyes like burning ghost fire staring at the Khitan cavalry in front of him.

The horses were startled and neighed wildly.

The Khitan cavalrymen's expressions changed drastically. Looking at the emaciated figure before them, they couldn't tell if he was a human or a ghost.

"kill him!"

The leading Khitan officer had a gloomy expression. With a wave of his hand, his iron cavalry galloped out. Several men drew their powerful bows, channeling their inner energy into the arrows, which shot out like meteors chasing the sun, emitting a sharp whistling sound.

Duncan slowly closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, a strange, blood-red light appeared, like double pupils.

A palm strike shot out from the air.

The Khitan officer at the forefront was annihilated, his entire body exploding in mid-air. Blood mist rose and condensed, as if a demon had descended upon the world. The blood mist actually flowed into the skeletal figure through his limbs and bones.

—To bring the dead back to life and restore flesh to bones.

One of the supreme secret techniques of the Demonic Sect, the ultimate skill of the Blood Refining Sect, the Blood God Great Art, also known as the Blood Scripture.

They steal lives and feed on blood.

The emaciated figure seemed to have flesh growing back on bones, even the withered skin had become plump, as if the enemy's essence and blood had been transformed into nourishment for his own body, allowing his body, which had been like a withered skeleton for the past six months, to regain its vitality.

What a horrifying sight!
The Khitan cavalrymen were terrified and lost their will to fight instantly. They turned to flee, but a terrifying suction force appeared and pulled two Khitan figures directly from their horses.

Dragon-Capturing Skill.

Duncan remained standing still as the two Khitan cavalrymen fell into his palm, instantly turning into skeletons. All their essence and blood were refined by the Blood God Technique.

His body began to be filled with qi and blood, and he had regained some of his human appearance.

"Evil ghost!"

"Devil!"

The Khitan cavalrymen were terrified. Before they could even gallop away, the ghostly figure reappeared, appearing out of thin air above them. A palm strike of extreme strength and yang energy descended from the sky, instantly turning the cavalrymen into pieces of flesh. Wisps of blood vapor turned into mist, flowing into their bodies from their limbs and bones.

Once the Blood God Technique reaches the third level, one can plunder essence, qi, and blood through the limbs and bones to nourish and restore one's own depletion.

This supreme secret technique must be cultivated in conjunction with the Heavenly Demon Undying Body.

"you……"

Lai Bao'er looked at Duncan, who had transformed from a withered skeleton into a handsome and dashing figure, swallowed hard, and said tremblingly, "Are you a god?..."

Duncan looked at the little beggar who had fallen to the ground, his eyes calm and still. After a moment of contemplation, he said indifferently, "I suppose so."

"Yes and no."

He has not yet fully comprehended the Dao Realm and cannot become a terrestrial immortal, but if we were to talk about his true form, he should be considered a demon god of this world.

Upon hearing this, Lai Bao'er's expression turned excited, and her whole body trembled as she looked at the man in front of her who had transformed from a withered skeleton into a god-like figure.

Duncan looked down at the person in front of him and asked, "Do you want to learn martial arts?"

Lai Bao'er seemed not to hear. He looked up, extremely excited, at Duncan in front of him, and said in a trembling voice, "My father often sighed before he died, that perhaps only a god could save this world and its people..."

"Since you are a deity, can you save all the people in the world?"

Duncan looked stunned.

His displayed strength was astonishing, but the boy in front of him seemed oblivious, only asking if he could save the people of the world.

In the eyes of mortals, gods are the ones who save people from suffering.

A true demon is also a true immortal.

There is already far too much suffering in this world.

Duncan pondered for a moment, then slowly nodded and said, "Okay."

Lai Bao'er's expression grew increasingly excited, his whole body trembling. He had finally met the immortal his father had spoken of. His father was right; indeed, only an immortal could save the people of the world. So he looked up, his face full of hope, as if making a wish, and asked, "Then can you bring peace to the world?"

"I want to go back, back to Yandu."

Youzhou, Yanjing, later Beiping, the capital.

The hometown of the Han people of the North.

A place that haunts my dreams.

Looking at the blood and pus flowing from the little beggar's leg, Duncan slowly nodded and said, "Okay."

"Don't you want to learn martial arts from me?"

"You're dying."

Last night, the little beggar said he was starving to death, but today he is terminally ill, and the wounds from the vicious dog bite will soon take his life.

Lai Bao'er slowly shook her head, a hint of understanding in her expression, and said softly, "I don't want to."

"Immortals believe in fate and destiny."

"If I ask you to teach me martial arts, you will not grant my wish."

"They say that if you meet a deity, you can make three wishes."

"Can you grant me one more wish?"

Duncan remained silent for a long time before slowly nodding.

Lai Bao'er's breath grew weaker and weaker, and her voice became hoarse as she asked, "Can you feed everyone in the world?"

"I saw too many people starve to death during my escape."

"My mother was eaten by them to save me... They were so hungry they weren't even human anymore..."

A loving mother rescued her son, but they were trapped by starving people, so she shared the food with them.

The poor boy still had a kind heart and was willing to share his food with him.

Duncan was finally moved.

The mental fortitude cultivated through six months of traveling the world crumbled suddenly, as if the sky had fallen and the earth had caved in.

The man was filled with murderous intent!
Heaven and earth are turned upside down!

The celestial phenomena seemed to have changed, causing countless Taoist masters to tremble with fear.

The Purple Star is stirring, the constellations are descending upon the world, and the calamity of heaven has already appeared.

When the black dragon was born, dragons and snakes rose from the land, and the earth-shattering chaos began again.

At this moment, the combined killing intent of Heaven, Earth, and Man was unleashed, and everything was beyond redemption.

Duncan channeled a stream of true energy into the little beggar's body, sustaining his life. After a long silence, he sighed softly, "This is a bit difficult, but it's achievable."

Lai Bao'er finally revealed a smile, and said in a hoarse voice, "You are a god, you cannot break your promise, otherwise you will not be able to attain enlightenment."

"I don't ask you to teach me martial arts, I only ask you to grant me three wishes."

The little beggar's pupils were slightly unfocused as he murmured to himself, "Father was right after all."

"There really are gods in this world who can save...all the people..."

Iron cavalry galloped forward.

Hundreds of Khitan cavalrymen rode in from afar, and seeing the corpses by the roadside, they ordered an attack without hesitation.

Duncan slowly put down the little beggar in his hands. He used his true energy to protect the other's heart meridian and lock the three fires in his body. Even the ox-headed and horse-faced demons of the underworld could not take away his soul. Only Miss Sun could cure this kind of illness. He could only prolong the life by pouring in his true energy, but he could not cure it.

A sea of ​​blood surged to the heavens.

The demonic energy surged.

Ignoring the hundreds of Khitan cavalrymen in front of him, Duncan took out a yellowish-brown lump from his sleeve, covered in mud and dust. Such a thing would never have been offered to him before, let alone eaten.

But it tasted better than clay, so Duncan put it in his mouth, chewed it, and swallowed it.

The vow has been made!

A child's promise, a child's vow, can lead to enlightenment!

I am the Great Free Heavenly Demon Lord!

………………

(End of this chapter)