Chapter 1688: The Arrival (Part Two)

Since the day he gained awareness, he had wondered what kind of man his father was. Because he was surrounded by the tall, handsome men of the demon race, he had gradually built a perfect image in his mind.

As he grew older and realized how proud and discerning his mother was—and how she ignored even the most elite demon generals—his mental portrait of his father became even more grand. He imagined a man of peerless charm and talent, for only such a man could capture his mother’s heart.

But the man before him was a far cry from the “talented man and beautiful woman” pairing he had envisioned.

When he first saw Mu Guyue return, he had wondered if she were an impostor, his aura turning cold and predatory in an instant. It was only after confirming her identity that he felt the sheer impossibility of the situation; cultivators returning from the upper realm were nearly unheard of.

When she told him that “the man” would be coming to take them to the Immortal Spirit Realm, his emotions became a tangled mess. He had always wanted to know who the man was. Learning that he was a human from the Desolate Moon Continent made him imagine a top-tier powerhouse of legendary grace.

He had been restless for days, wanting yet fearing the meeting. He was an adult now and understood that his mother must have decided to keep him hidden. He knew they hadn’t been abandoned; it was likely the conflict between their races that kept them apart. But being a Black Demon himself, he didn’t know how to face a human father. He remembered the taunts of his childhood—that he was a child with no father. That was his deepest wound.

And the cause of it all was the man before him!

Mu Guyue watched the two of them staring at each other in silence. She stood to the side, looking like an outsider to the scene.

“You… you are that man?”

After a long silence, Mu Sha spoke hesitantly from the air. Li Yan continued to observe the son he had known about for so long. Mu Sha’s cultivation was at the peak of the Initial-stage Nascent Soul. Li Yan also sensed a familiar aura from him, despite this being their first meeting.

“Yes, it is I!” Li Yan regained his focus, a smile touching his eyes as he nodded. He didn’t get angry that the boy didn’t call him “Father.” They had never met; had he been in the boy’s shoes, he wouldn’t have been affectionate either. That would have been truly strange.

“Why have you only appeared now?” Mu Sha asked bluntly. He was a demon, and their nature was to be direct about their likes and hates. He had no intention of hiding his thoughts.

“My cultivation was too low. Coming here would have been a death sentence,” Li Yan replied.

Mu Sha nodded; it was as he thought. The conflict between the races had separated them. But as sharp as he was, his experience was mostly in combat and formations. His depth was nothing compared to Li Yan’s; Li Yan’s understanding of the human heart was far beyond anything Mu Sha could learn in many years.

Mu Guyue, however, understood the true meaning behind Li Yan’s words. His cultivation had been low. Even if he knew of Mu Sha’s existence, if he had come to the Black Demon tribe then, she would have been the first to kill him.

‘Even with your own son, you set traps and hide the truth in your words!’ Mu Guyue thought. She remained a passive observer, but she couldn’t help but critique him in her mind. Yet, she also knew Li Yan wasn’t lying; Mu Sha simply didn’t understand the context.

“This time, you will ascend to the Immortal Spirit Realm with me and your mother. You will have better cultivation resources there. Even in daily practice, the heavenly laws and spiritual energy are many times stronger than in the mortal realm!”

Li Yan wasn’t about to let the boy lead the conversation. He cut straight to the point.

“I wish to temper myself further in the lower realm. Peace breeds mediocrity!” Mu Sha shook his head.

“The upper realm is far from peaceful. The environment is simply better. Do you know how many cultivators search for an ascension node and never find one? How many die during the passage? Even your mother and I have no absolute certainty of a safe return!”

Li Yan remained calm. Mu Guyue had already told him the boy might not want to leave yet.

“That is because you can only use Nascent Soul level power in the lower realm. You cannot exert your full strength during ascension. I have heard that Spirit Transformation cultivators can use their deeper understanding of laws to suppress Nascent Souls, but that is merely hearsay!”

Mu Sha shook his head again. Li Yan understood what he was getting at. It seemed the boy didn’t quite respect this sudden “father.” Whether it was a grudge or resentment, he wanted to see Li Yan’s strength for himself.

Mu Guyue remained silent, not even letting her aura flicker. Demons worshipped strength. From the day they were born, they had mountains in their hearts—goals they needed to climb and surpass. For many, the first mountain was their father.

Mu Sha had never seen Li Yan, so he had built a monument in his mind. Now that he saw him, the disparity left him unwilling to use the word “Father.” The man might be strong, but he didn’t seem as imposing as the Demon Commanders he respected.

“Very well. I also wish to see your true cultivation. You may use your full strength. Otherwise, you will not have a single chance!”