Demon Lord Walks in Light

In the sky, layers of dark clouds gathered, and a spring rain fell incessantly.

The fine rain, like cow's hair, sprinkled down, shrouding Qing Mao Mountain in a thin mist.

The first floor dining hall of the inn remained deserted, with only four tables of guests.

Fang Yuan sat by the window. A gust of wind blew in, carrying with it the scent of poetry and flowers.

"The spring rain on the heavenly street moistens like suet, the grass color is seen from afar but absent up close." Fang Yuan gazed out the window, softly murmuring the line before retracting his gaze.

In front of him, the table was laden with good wine and dishes, all perfect in color, aroma, and taste. Especially the Green Bamboo Wine, its fragrance mellow yet fresh. The emerald liquid sat quietly in a bamboo cup, and from this angle, it emitted a warm, amber-like luster.

At the table closest to him sat a grandfather and grandson. They wore simple clothes and were ordinary mortals.

The old man sipped his rice wine, looking enviously at Fang Yuan's table. Clearly, the aroma of the Green Bamboo Wine had tempted him, but he lacked the money to buy it.

His grandson, meanwhile, was eating seasoned broad beans, crunching them loudly in his mouth. He pestered his grandfather, shaking the old man's arm: "Grandpa, Grandpa, tell me the story of the Human Ancestor! If you don't tell it, I'll go back and tell Grandma you came out to steal wine!"

"Sigh, I can't even have a drink in peace," the old man sighed, though a look of affection appeared on his face. He patted his grandson's head with his emaciated hand. "Alright, I'll tell it. It is said that the Human Ancestor gave his heart to the Hope Gu and escaped the encirclement of his predicament..."

The story of the Human Ancestor was the most widely circulated and ancient legend in this world.

The story the old man told went something like this.

It was said that the Human Ancestor escaped his predicament because of hope. However, he eventually grew old and frail, lacking strength and wisdom. He could no longer hunt, and even his teeth had fallen out, making it impossible to chew many wild fruits and vegetables.

The Human Ancestor felt death gradually approaching.

At this moment, the Hope Gu told him, "Human, you cannot die. If you die, your heart will be gone, and I will lose my dwelling place."

The Human Ancestor was helpless. "Who wants to die? But heaven wants me to die, so I must die."

The Hope Gu then said, "There is always hope. As long as you capture the Longevity Gu, you can gain new life."

The Human Ancestor had long heard of the Longevity Gu's existence, but he helplessly spread his hands. "When the Longevity Gu is still, no one can detect it. When it flies, it is faster than light. How could I possibly capture it? This is too difficult!"

The Hope Gu then told the Human Ancestor a secret: "Human, never give up hope. I tell you, in the northwest corner of the earth, there is a great mountain. At the summit, there is a cave, and within the cave live two Gu worms, one round and one square. As long as you can subdue these two Gu worms, there will be no Gu worm in the world you cannot capture, not even the Longevity Gu!"

The Human Ancestor was at his wit's end; this was his last remaining hope.

He exhausted all his strength and found the great mountain. Then, braving countless dangers, he climbed to the summit. At the cave entrance on the mountaintop, he had only a sliver of strength left, and he stumbled inside.

The cave was pitch black, so dark he couldn't see his hand in front of his face. The Human Ancestor walked and walked in the darkness. Sometimes he bumped into things, his head bleeding. Other times, he felt as if the darkness was vast and boundless, like another world, with nothing around him but himself.

He spent a long time, yet he could not find his way out of the vast darkness, let alone subdue the round and square Gu worms.

Just as he was falling into confusion, two voices came from the darkness.

One said, "Human, do you also wish to capture us? Go back. Even if you possessed the Strength Gu, it would be impossible."

The other voice said, "Human, retreat. We will not take your life. Even with the Wisdom Gu's help, you might not be able to find us."

The Human Ancestor collapsed weakly on the ground, panting. "The Strength Gu and the Wisdom Gu left me long ago. My lifespan is dwindling, and I am at my wit's end. But as long as there is a sliver of hope in my heart, I will not give up!"

Hearing the Human Ancestor's words, the two voices fell silent.

After a long while, one said, "I understand. Human, you have already given your heart to the Hope Gu. You will not give up, no matter what."

The other voice added, "In that case, we will give you a chance. As long as you can speak our names, we will serve you."

The Human Ancestor was stunned. To accurately recall two specific names from the vast sea of words was like finding a needle in a haystack.

Moreover, he didn't even know how many characters were in the names of these two Gu worms.

The Human Ancestor quickly asked the Hope Gu, but the Hope Gu didn't know either.

With no other recourse, the Human Ancestor braced himself and started guessing names. He spoke countless names, spending a very, very long time, but there was no response from the darkness. Clearly, he had guessed them all wrong.

Gradually, the Human Ancestor's vitality weakened. In this cave, he transitioned from old age to twilight years. It was like the setting sun, slowly descending, half of it already below the horizon, becoming the evening glow.

The food he brought with him dwindled, his mind worked slower, and he had less strength to speak.

The voices in the darkness advised, "Human, you are dying. We will let you go. In your remaining time, you can crawl out of the cave and see the world one last time. But you have offended us, and as punishment, leave the Hope Gu here to keep us company."

The Human Ancestor clutched his chest tightly and refused resolutely, "Even if I die, I will not give up hope!"

The Hope Gu was deeply moved and responded with all its might, emitting a pure white radiance. From the Human Ancestor's chest, specks of white light emerged.

But this white light was too weak to illuminate the darkness, and it couldn't even cover the Human Ancestor's entire body, only the area of his chest.

Yet, the Human Ancestor felt a new, intangible strength surge into his body from the Hope Gu.

He continued to speak, guessing names. His mind was muddled, and he repeated many names he had already said, wasting precious time.

Life ebbed away with time, and the Human Ancestor's lifespan was running out.

Finally, when he had only one day of life left, he uttered the word "Ju."

A sigh came from the darkness, and a voice said, "Human, I, Ju, admire your persistence. You have spoken my name, and from today onwards, I will obey your command. However, I can only capture all the Gu worms in the world when I am with my brother. Otherwise, relying on my own abilities as a single Gu is insufficient. So, give up. You are on the brink of death; you might as well use your remaining time to see the world one last time."

The Human Ancestor shook his head firmly. He seized every moment, continuing to speak, guessing the name of the other Gu worm.

Time ticked by, and he had only one hour left.

But at that moment, he unintentionally uttered the word "Gui."

Instantly, the darkness vanished.

Two Gu worms appeared before him. Just as the Hope Gu had said, one Gu worm was square and was named "Ju." The other was round and was named "Gui." Together, they formed "Gui Ju," meaning "rules."

"No matter who it is, as long as they know our names, we will obey them. Human, since you already know our names, we are yours to command. But remember, it's best not to let other living beings know our names. The more people who know our names, the more we will have to subdue them simultaneously. Now, you are the first to subdue us, state your request."

The Human Ancestor was overjoyed. "Then I command you to first capture a Longevity Gu for me."

The Rule Gu worked together and captured an eighty-year Longevity Gu.

The Human Ancestor was already one hundred years old. After consuming this Longevity Gu, all the wrinkles on his face vanished instantly, his withered limbs were filled with firm muscles again, and the aura of youth radiated from him once more.

With a powerful surge, he leaped to his feet.

He looked at his body with delight, knowing he had become a twenty-year-old youth again!

"That's all for today. Let's go home, my good grandson." The old man finished the story, and the wine was gone.

"Grandpa, please continue. What happened to the Human Ancestor later?" The grandson was insistent, shaking the old man's arm.

"Let's go. I'll tell you more when we have time." The old man put on his bamboo hat and straw cape, and then draped a smaller one over his grandson.

The grandfather and grandson left the inn, stepping into the curtain of rain, and gradually walked away.

"Rule..." Fang Yuan's gaze was distant, swirling the wine glass, gazing at the Green Bamboo Wine liquid within. He felt a deep sense of emotion.

The legend of the Human Ancestor was widely spread throughout this world; almost everyone knew it. Fang Yuan had naturally heard of it long ago.

However, whether it was a legend or a story, it was interpreted differently by different people. The grandfather and grandson just treated it as a story, but Fang Yuan could taste the profound meaning contained within.

Just like the Human Ancestor.

When he didn't know the rules, he fumbled in the darkness. Sometimes he stumbled and bumped, his head bleeding and his appearance disheveled. Other times, he was lost in a vast expanse, without direction or purpose.

This darkness was not simply black or dim; Strength Gu, Wisdom Gu, and Hope Gu could not overcome it.

Only when the Human Ancestor learned of "Rule" and spoke its name did the darkness suddenly disappear, and the Human Ancestor ushered in light.

The darkness was the darkness of rules, and this light was also the light of rules.

Fang Yuan shifted his gaze from the wine glass to the window.

Outside, the sky was overcast and dim, the green mountains stretched endlessly, and the fine rain fell like mist. Closer by, stilted bamboo houses extended one after another. On the road, two or three pedestrians, their feet covered in muddy rain, were either wearing grey-green straw capes or holding yellow oil-cloth umbrellas.

Fang Yuan summarized in his heart: "This world is like a grand chessboard, and all living beings are pieces, operating according to their own rules. The seasons have rules, spring, summer, autumn, and winter cycle in order. Water has rules, flowing downwards. Heat has rules, rising upwards. Humans naturally have rules."

"Everyone has their own position, desires, and principles. Take Gu Yue village, for example. Servants have cheap lives, masters have noble lives; this is the rule. Therefore, Shen Cui wants to attach herself to the powerful and wealthy, striving to escape her slave status. Gao Wan tries every means to please his master, acting arrogantly with his master's influence."

"As for my uncle and aunt, they are inherently greedy and want to swallow my parents' inheritance. The Academy Elder's main role is to cultivate Gu Masters and maintain their position within the academy."

"Everyone has their own rules, every profession has its rules, and every social group has its own rules. As long as one understands these rules, they can remain objective. They can move from darkness to light, navigate within it, and act with ease."

Fang Yuan then thought about his own situation, his mind already strategizing: "For Gu Yue Mo Chen, the person in power of the Mo family, it's about maintaining the prosperity and interests of his own lineage. Mo Yan seeking trouble with me is already breaking the rules. To maintain family honor, he definitely won't make a move against me. He might even offer me compensation."

"In fact, the Mo family is powerful. If they were to be truly angered by the damage to their reputation and wanted to punish me, I would be powerless to resist. However, Gu Yue Mo Chen is afraid. He's not afraid of breaking the rules himself, but of others following suit and also breaking the rules. If elders interfere in the disputes of the younger generation, the situation will escalate. If it affects the higher-ups, it will be a huge threat to the entire village. Gu Yue Mo Chen's worry stems from the fear that in future disputes, someone might target his grandson, Gu Yue Mo Bei. His lineage has only this one male heir; what would happen if he died? Perhaps even he himself is unaware of this fear. He just subconsciously wants to maintain the rules."

Fang Yuan's eyes were clear, seeing through the entire matter from beginning to end as if it were laid bare.

Gao Wan was not surnamed Gu Yue; he was an outsider, a servant.

What was the big deal if a master killed a servant? In this world, it was normal.

Fang Yuan killed Gao Wan. Gao Wan's death was not the key; the key was his master, the Mo family behind him.

"However, I sent a box of dismembered bodies this time. I estimate Gu Yue Mo Chen will interpret it as a compromise and a threat. This is exactly what I want him to understand. If nothing unexpected happens, the Mo family will not pursue Gao Wan's death. Of course, if my aptitude were one level higher, an 'B' grade, the Mo family would feel threatened and, citing damage to their reputation, would suppress me as a future threat," Fang Yuan sneered inwardly.

Strength could be relied upon, and weakness could also be exploited.

Although Fang Yuan was currently in the midst of the situation, a pawn, his heart understood the rules, and he had the heart of a player.

Most ordinary people were like Gu Yue Mo Chen or the Academy Elder; they only knew their own rules and were ignorant of other fields. It was extremely rare for someone like Fang Yuan to grasp the overall situation and master the rules!

To understand the rules, one had to go through a period of fumbling in the darkness, wandering and confused, just like the Human Ancestor.

At such times, Strength Gu, Wisdom Gu, and Hope Gu were not very useful. It required the expenditure of time and personal experience to gain wisdom.

The Human Ancestor was able to speak the names of the Rule Gu by spending time, attempting countless times under the shadow of death.

Fang Yuan's mastery of the rules was also the result of his five hundred years of experience from his previous life.

Since his rebirth, he was confident he could forge a brilliant future. This was not because of the Spring Autumn Cicada's reappearance, nor because he knew of many secret realms and treasures, nor because he grasped the general direction of the future.

It was the life experience of interacting with people accumulated over five hundred years in his previous life!

Just as the Human Ancestor, by mastering the Rule Gu, could easily capture all the Gu in the world!

Fang Yuan, by mastering Gui and Ju, could stand above all, his gaze penetrating the complexities of the world. He could either meticulously unravel matters or get straight to the point. He stood tall, looking down with a smile, seeing the people of the world as mere chess pieces, following their respective rules and advancing step by step.

The darkness was the darkness of rules, and the light was the light of rules.

And the reborn Demon Lord was already walking in the light.