I Pick up a Lost Godhood

The Pure Land was divided into two layers. The first layer was this vast world, where the clans of the Demon Race lived scattered about. Suspended in the sky above the center of this first layer was a city—the home of the Demon Race’s Royal Family, a place they called the Other Shore.

It was a massive floating city. Directly beneath it was an open-roofed Holy Hall, from which one could teleport directly into the city above.

The Holy Hall was simple yet majestic. Eighteen enormous stone pillars soared high, engraved with countless images that seemed to recount the history of the Demon Race. In less than half a day, five people had already arrived.

They were Mengg Lord, Lightning, and Desire Spirit of the Demon Race; this was their territory, as familiar as their own backyard, so their journey had been swift. The other two were the Dragon Princess, Linglong, and the only human, Mingren.

Mingren stood alone, admiring the reliefs on the pillars and the murals on the walls. It was clear the Demon Race was deeply hostile toward him for the brutal beating he’d given the Lord of Punishment. As the leader of the Demon Race’s younger generation, Mengg Lord remained relatively composed. Lightning, however, was filled with indignation, glaring as if he wanted to kill Mingren on the spot. Desire Spirit wore a skin-tight, sea-green outfit that, in truth, didn’t cover much at all. The vast expanses of her snow-white skin created a powerful visual impact, and combined with her beauty, the effect was absolutely lethal. Snake Demons revered sex as a form of worship. During the tournament, Desire Spirit had "tasted" her fair share of humans; the Snake Race’s method for enhancing their Demon Power was similar to the Dual Cultivation of Human Cultivators, only their draining of a partner’s essence was far more aggressive. This was why females of the Snake Race were stronger than the males.

Desire Spirit was the number one beauty of the Demon Race—though from a human perspective, she might be considered the number one harlot. Many of the powerful young experts of the Demon Race had slept with her, which in turn nourished her, leaving her as tantalizing as a dew-kissed flower. Her entire being exuded an aura of pure Charm.

Unfortunately, in Mingren’s eyes, she was less captivating than the stone pillars.

"Desire Spirit, don’t you go near him! He’s an enemy of the Demon Race!" Lightning was clearly unhappy with the look in her eyes.

"Even enemies can be turned into friends, you know. For the sake of friendship between the Demon Race and humanity, I’m willing to sacrifice myself."

Desire Spirit spoke, her voice melodious and tinged with a hint of coyness, yet her words were shockingly direct. She truly possessed a soul-stealing charm, but unfortunately for her, the target wasn’t buying it.

Lightning’s anger flared even hotter at her words. Mengg Lord shot Desire Spirit a look. "Don’t cause trouble."

Desire Spirit pouted. She had done it on purpose; waiting around was just too boring. ’Getting Lightning and Mingren to fight would at least be entertaining,’ she thought. ’What a dull bunch.’

Desire Spirit was clearly not one to sit still. Her gaze, glinting with mischief, landed on the motionless Linglong. "Linglong, my dear, you’re so beautiful. Is there a man you have your eye on? Your big sister here is quite the expert in these matters, you know. Let me tell you..."

Linglong merely glanced at Desire Spirit, and the Snake Demon’s words immediately died in her throat.

It was a look of pure, undisguised contempt.

Dragons and snakes were considered somewhat related, but unfortunately, in the eyes of the Dragon Race, the Snake Race was utterly beneath them. For Desire Spirit to approach Linglong with such a topic was simply asking for trouble.

Her Dragon Power radiated a clear hierarchical pressure. Dragons held a natural dominion over snakes; no reason was needed. It was only because the Dragon Race had not associated with the Demon Race for so long that Desire Spirit had gotten a little too comfortable.

Not far away, Mengg Lord snorted coldly, and only then did Desire Spirit regain control of her body. ’I can’t believe a single glance from Linglong could paralyze me,’ she thought. If Mengg Lord hadn’t intervened, who knew how much more embarrassing it would have gotten.

She took a few steps back, a smile spreading across her face. "Heh, even the proudest woman has to serve a man eventually. I’m actually looking forward to seeing it."

Linglong turned to face her, but Desire Spirit just giggled coquettishly and darted back. Lightning immediately stepped in front of the Snake Demon, a clear warning that the Dragon Race shouldn’t think they could bully the Demon Race.

Just then, two lithe figures descended from the sky. Two more from the Dragon Race had arrived; Celestial Dragon and Purple Dragon touched down at almost the same time.

The sight of Celestial Dragon and Purple Dragon’s physiques nearly made Desire Spirit drool. ’The Dragon Race is full of handsome men and beautiful women,’ she mused. ’The heavens really aren’t fair.’

Celestial Dragon and Purple Dragon bowed respectfully. "Your Highness."

Linglong gave a slight nod and said no more. She was never one for many words. Celestial Dragon and Purple Dragon took up positions a short distance away from her.

Lightning glanced at Desire Spirit. "These wooden blocks have none of the passion of our Demon Race!"

Desire Spirit rolled her eyes at Lightning. "Can’t a girl want to try something new?"

Lightning took the jab but just grinned, not minding in the slightest. That was just how Snake Demons were; if she acted any differently, she wouldn’t be a Snake Demon. Besides, Desire Spirit’s skills in bed were legendary.

Mingren remained serene, unaffected by the wait. If they had a long time, he would admire his surroundings slowly. If it was short, he would admire them quickly. It didn’t matter if he couldn’t see everything. He seemed interested in everything, yet simultaneously interested in nothing.

Footsteps echoed as another human arrived. Jii Wanli surveyed the people in the great hall, a faint smile on his lips. He found a stone pillar, sat down, and began to wait quietly. Not even a full day had passed yet.

Jii Wanli had always enjoyed observing people. Mingren, of course, was on his mental blacklist, though only ranked third. ’This isn’t because he’s weak,’ Jii Wanli mused, ’but because of his disposition. He walks a different path than I do.’ At the same time, Jii Wanli felt a little fortunate; the enmity between Mingren and Wang Meng was a significant advantage for him.

Wang Meng was number two on his blacklist. Number one had yet to arrive: Lin Jinghao.

The Demon Crown Prince had also enjoyed immense prestige during the tournament. Unlike Mingren and Wang Meng, he had the powerful backing of the No Illusion Demon Sect. To make matters worse, he even had supporters within the Star Alliance—a fact Jii Wanli found deeply troubling.

’Fortunately,’ he thought, ’everyone’s chances here are equal.’

Night fell. Human Cultivators continued to arrive in succession. Bu Qingyun appeared, a Long Sword on his back, his posture dashing and upright. As a representative of the Classical School of Saint Cultivators, Bu Qingyun was known for his meticulous self-discipline, but it looked as though he had just been through a battle.

Under the watch of the Star Alliance, the Demon Race wouldn’t dare kill these Cultivators. But whether one could pass through their territory smoothly depended on their mood. They were bound to create a few small problems for travelers.

The Pure Land was exceptionally beautiful at night. Looking out from the Divine Hall, one could see a lush, verdant world that was remarkably serene.

More people continued to arrive. Upon seeing who was already present, the newly arrived Cultivators would flash a proud smile; clearly, they had ranked among the top fifty. It also seemed that a few of the more famous names had yet to appear.

This included, in fact, the top human contenders: Wang Meng and Lin Jinghao.

Dawn broke, but the two still had not shown up. The night had passed in silence. Although many present were human, they were also each other’s greatest rivals. At this stage of the Battle of the Other Shore, everyone was an opponent.

The Dragon Race had Linglong, the Demon Race had Desire Spirit, and the Human Cultivators, of course, had their own outstanding Female Cultivators. Ling Fei and Longyue arrived. As more people gathered, acquaintances began to chat idly, waiting for the deadline. Those who had not yet come would have to hurry; the cutoff was nightfall.

The sand in the hourglass, feeling none of their urgency, continued to flow at its steady pace.

The Ghost Crown Prince, Wu Wang, arrived. In truth, he had been lurking nearby for some time and was in no hurry to enter. He had even taken the opportunity to secretly eliminate an old enemy of the Ghost Sect. ’How could I miss a perfect chance for revenge like that?’

Zou Chuang and Xie Tianhua of the Taiyin Sect arrived as well. Not seeing Wang Meng, they couldn’t help but frown.

"What is Wang Meng doing?" Zou Chuang said. More than half the allotted time was gone. With Wang Meng’s strength, he should have been here by now. Zou Chuang and Xie Tianhua hadn’t rushed; Xie Tianhua had calculated their timing carefully, believing it was better to be cautious within the Pure Land.

"Heh, with Martial Uncle Wang’s strength, there’s no need to worry at all," Xie Tianhua said with a chuckle.

"Xie Tianhua, you’re a leading figure in the Taiyin Sect. Why are you sucking up to that Wang Meng fellow? Have you no shame?" Wu Wang said in a strange, insidious tone.

Killing intent flashed in Zou Chuang’s eyes. His methods were always simple: he threw a punch.

BANG—

Wu Wang caught the punch, drifting back lightly. "Zou Chuang, if you’re that eager to die, I’ll be happy to send you on your way!"

Xie Tianhua smiled and stepped in to stop Zou Chuang. "Brother Wu, your words truly make me feel ashamed."

Wu Wang gave a sinister laugh. "Heh, so you do know shame. The Taiyin Sect is the third-largest sect in the Star Alliance. Why lower yourself like this? You’re a strong contender for the future Sect Leader position. This sort of behavior doesn’t look good."

Wu Wang was a classic pot-stirrer, and he made no effort to hide it. He was deliberately trying to sow discord right in front of Zou Chuang. It was obvious that the future Sect Leader of the Taiyin Sect would be chosen from between Zou Chuang and Xie Tianhua. Whether it would work or not, he figured he might as well plant a seed of doubt.

Zou Chuang stared coldly at Wu Wang. His personality was simple and direct: you were either a friend to be acknowledged or an enemy to be eliminated. There was no in-between.

The onlookers were all figures who stood at the apex of the Small Thousand Realm, and they watched with interest to see how Xie Tianhua would respond.

But Xie Tianhua just shook his head. "Alas, it seems my bootlicking skills are still lacking if even you could see through them. I must strive to be more sincere in the future."

Wu Wang was stunned. Staring at Xie Tianhua, who looked as if he were genuinely critiquing himself, he was at a complete loss for words. ’How can someone like this exist?’ he thought. ’He’s a big shot in the Taiyin Sect, yet he insists on acting like Wang Meng’s lackey. Is he crazy?’

"You win!" Wu Wang grunted. What could he say? The man treated acting subservient like it was a dream job.

"Heh, is this what they call being so shameless you’re invincible?" Desire Spirit murmured with a light laugh, her eyes roaming. She found every person here quite interesting.

Xie Tianhua’s composure was impeccable. He genuinely didn’t care what any of them said.

Sometimes, ignorance is truly bliss.

By noon, twenty-five people had arrived. Finally, Lin Jinghao made his appearance.

The Demon Crown Prince’s face was flushed, as if he had been drinking. In fact, he did smell faintly of wine.

"You seem to be in fine spirits, Brother Lin. To find a place to drink even here."

SNAP—

Lin Jinghao snapped open his Zhe fan. "The Demon Race is so hospitable! The wine was excellent, too, if a little weak. With fine wine and beautiful women, it would have been rude of me to refuse."

Mengg Lord glanced at Lin Jinghao. "You passed through the Wine Demon’s Lake of Wine and Forest of Meat?"

"Is that what it’s called? All I know is there was fine wine and beautiful women. A wonderful place."

Desire Spirit and Lightning were no longer smiling. Mengg Lord nodded slightly. "Impressive Cultivation. The Nine Luminaries Cyan Dragon Body truly lives up to its name."