Demon of Dawn and Dusk

After I gave myself a quick wash, Astra and I flew over to Celestial Warrior Hall with the snake twins in tow. We took a flying magic treasure shaped like a boat. It was more than large enough to accommodate all four of us. Astra sat on one side, leaning against the railing, and I sat opposite her. Elliot piloted the flying boat, while Ellen sat next to me.

It was a beautiful day out. When we left the black desert, the world exploded with color and light. It almost overwhelmed me. After spending more than a week under the constant storm clouds that hovered above Flame Fiend Peak, it felt good to see the sun again. The wind against my skin felt refreshing. However, I wasn’t in the mood to enjoy any of it.

As we flew towards Celestial Warrior Hall, my sister explained the reason behind my behavior earlier. When demonkin awakened to their demonic natures, they lost themselves to the urges related to said demonic nature and became living embodiments of chaos.

A demonkin of murder would go on a killing spree, a demonkin of disease would start a plague, and so on. As a demonkin of hunger and desire, I would lose control and do everything I could to satisfy my hungers and desires, no matter how debauched. What I experienced earlier was mild in comparison.

“Why is this happening now?” I asked. “I thought I needed to learn the Demon Form innate ability first.”

Astra shook her head.

“Your demonic nature is guaranteed to awaken when you learn the Demon Form innate ability.” she said. “However, it can awaken before that, depending on the circumstances.”

I thought back to the hunger I felt earlier, and how it drove my actions. The thought of being like that again filled me with dread.

“How do I stop it?” I asked. “I never want to lose control like that again.”

“You can’t.” my sister stated. “You are demonkin. This is what you are. There is no stopping it. However, even if you could, you shouldn’t. You must not deny your desires. They are a part of you. To deny them is to deny yourself.” She gestured to herself, a sorrowful expression on her face. “I tried, when I went through the same thing, and I ended up harming myself. Don’t make the same mistake I did.”

I didn’t respond. While I understood the reason behind her words, I didn’t know if I could accept them. When Astra stopped me from taking her food, I tried to attack her. What if I hurt someone close to me while I was lost to my demon? I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if that happened.

“This is why you must learn discipline and control,” Astra continued. “So that you can rule your baser nature instead of being ruled by it.” She gestured to me. “However, when you first awaken, your demonic nature will overwhelm you. You’ll be like a beast, driven by your instincts and desires. The good news is that you’ll regain control over yourself after a while, though this may take some time. This is why it is imperative to make preparations beforehand. The more prepared you are for it, the less time it will take for you to regain control.”

I latched onto Astra’s suggestion as if it were a lifeline.

“What sort of preparations should I make?” I asked.

Given my behavior earlier, perhaps I would need to lock myself up and keep myself caged until I regained control of myself. If I became a wild beast as a result of my demonic nature, then it was fitting that I be treated like one.

“Stockpile anything and everything you will need to indulge your hungers.” Astra said. “You will regain control after you satiate yourself.” She grinned. “In short, run wild and indulge yourself.”

I blinked at Astra. Her suggestion surprised me, though it shouldn’t have, now that I thought about it. The disciples of Flame Fiend Hall were demons and demonic cultivators. Why would they hold their demonic natures back? As Astra said earlier, I needed to control my baser urges, but not deny them.

“You also need to bring your cultivation back into balance.” Astra said.

I frowned at her.

“What do you mean?”

“I suspect that part of the reason why your demonic nature is awakening early is because your physical refinement is much higher than your qi refinement.” Astra said. “As a divine demon, you are a dual-natured being. Your demonic cultivation is higher than your divine cultivation. Bringing them back into balance will delay your demonic nature’s awakening. We already made arrangements for you, so that won’t be a problem.”

I let out a sigh of relief. While I was less afraid of losing myself to my demon, thanks to Astra’s reassurance, knowing that I could delay things eased my anxiety. I needed time to prepare.

“Young Master,” Ellen said with a solemn expression on her face. “I will do everything in my power to aid you during these trying times.”

I looked over at her, touched by her words. I opened my mouth to thank her, but my sister spoke up first.

“You really are an opportunist.” Astra said in a biting tone. “She’s just saying that because it’s clear that lust is one of your hungers.”

I blinked at my sister, before I turned towards Ellen and narrowed my eyes at her.

“Is this true?” I asked.

“Yes,” Ellen said without an ounce of shame. “However, I meant what I said. I will do everything in my power to help you.” She gestured to Elliot. “My brother and I are yours. It is our duty to serve you. Make use of us.”

Elliot nodded, but remained focused on piloting the boat and didn’t say anything.

“Thank you, Ellen,” I said. “Elliot.”

While it was clear that Ellen planned on using this opportunity to her advantage, I felt the sincerity of her words. She meant what said.

“I suppose it could have been worse.” Astra said with a sigh. “At least we won’t have to bring in an outsider. When I lost control of myself, they brought me to the Towering Oak Palace.”

I stared at her. Towering Oak Palace? While I knew the names of the Seven Great Northern Sects, I didn’t know the names of the countless smaller sects and clans that occupied the Northern Region. I assumed that this Towering Oak Palace was one such sect.

“They’re a sect whose techniques and arts focus on carnal pleasures, though there is more to them than that,” Astra said with a smirk. “They’re the male counterpart of the Flowering Blossom Palace.”

My cheeks flushed red and I looked up to avoid my sister’s eyes. She laughed.

“You’ll need to grow a thicker skin, Little Demon,” she said. “You’ll never grow as a cultivator if you keep getting embarrassed over the littlest things.”

I didn’t respond and remained silent for the rest of the journey.

Celestial Warrior Hall occupied a mountain, imaginatively called Celestial Warrior Peak, some distance away from Flame Fiend Peak. In many ways, this mountain was the complete opposite. For one, it was an actual mountain instead of a volcano. Celestial Warrior Peak was also taller than Flame Fiend Peak, but thinner. Its sharp peak seemed to pierce the sky as it pointed to the heavens. Life flourished all over the mountain, making it look like a paradise on earth.

This was no doubt because of the abundance of divine qi in and around the mountain. There was so much that I could feel it even from a great distance. It deserved to be called Celestial Warrior Peak, since it was a holy land. The divine qi nourished the divine part of me, which I had neglected ever since I joined Flame Fiend Hall. The hunger inside me grew weaker. It didn’t disappear, but it grew easier to control. I sighed with relief. Yes, coming here was a good idea.

Buildings dotted the side of Celestial Warrior Peak, each one a work of art. Even the smallest one was grand and majestic. Various gardens and other decorations also adorned the mountain. There would be no doubt in the minds of anyone who beheld them that Celestial Warrior Peak was the abode of immortals.

“Beautiful.” I murmured.

Ellen, who sat by my side, nodded.

“Indeed, Young Master.”

As we drew closer, I saw figures moving about the mountain. A few walked, but most flew around on flying magic treasures. When we almost reached Celestial Warrior Peak, a familiar figure rose up from the mountain and flew towards our boat: Cultivator Raphael. Within seconds, my future brother-in-law reached us.

“Darian!” he said, landing in the boat and putting his own flying magic treasure in his storage ring. “What a sight for sore eyes! It’s been too long. I’ve missed you.”

“Greetings, Cultivator Raphael,” I said, giving him a slight bow.

He clicked his tongue in displeasure.

“Tsk! Why the formality? You and I are going to be family soon. Call me Big Bro.”

I pursed my lips and refused to respond. A part of me resented Cultivator Raphael for taking away my Big Sis, even though I knew that made no rational sense. This was why I kept addressing him as “Cultivator” instead of “Big Bro”.

“Hey!” Astra said with a pout. “Where’s my greeting?”

Cultivator Raphael grinned at her.

“Sorry about that, Love.” he said. “Let me make it up to you.”

With that, he embraced my sister and kissed her. Ugh. I turned away. No wonder my sisters overreacted to the idea of me being in a relationship. I understood where they came from now.

“Is everything ready?” Astra asked after they pulled away from each other.

“Not quite.” Cultivator Raphael said. He looked at me. “You need to meet with Hall Master Jericho before you can become an honorary disciple of Celestial Warrior Hall.”

I glanced over at Astra, who frowned. Something told me that this wasn’t part of the arrangements my sisters made.

“Why?” I asked.

“Hall Master Jericho decreed it himself.” Cultivator Raphael said. “Don’t worry, I think Hall Master Jericho is just using this as an excuse to meet with you, Darian.”

I frowned. Why would the hall master of Celestial Warrior Hall have an interest in me? Was it because I was a divine demon? That made the most sense.

“Why?” Astra asked.

Cultivator Raphael shrugged.

“I don’t know.” he said. “That was just the impression I received.” He looked at me. “You’ll know more after you meet with him.”

I shrugged.

“In that case, what are we waiting for?” I asked.

Cultivator Raphael grinned.

“That’s the right attitude.” he said.

He directed Elliot to take the flying boat towards the main hall, which was located near the peak. It was the biggest building on the mountain, with a stone courtyard located right in front of it. Several disciples of Celestial Warrior Hall lingered in the courtyard. Like with Flame Fiend Hall, most of them were in the Foundation Establishment realm, though I noticed a few in the Golden Core realm as well.

Elliot landed the flying boat in the stone courtyard, close to the main hall, before placing the boat in his storage ring. Our arrival attracted a lot of attention. I looked around. Most of the disciples wore indifferent expressions. They were curious about us, but nothing beyond that. However, I noticed a few who appeared hostile towards us.

Why? Was it because we were demonic cultivators? Or was it because of something else? As far as I knew, Celestial Warrior Hall and Flame Fiend Hall were friendly towards each other. The engagement between Astra and Cultivator Raphael strengthened the relations between the two halls even further.

Cultivator Raphael led our group towards the main hall. However, just before we reached it, a group of disciples moved to block our path. There were seven of them. Most were in Foundation Establishment, but the three in the lead were Golden Core cultivators. Despite being in the same large realm, all three were weaker than Astra and Cultivator Raphael.

“What is the meaning of this, Junior Brother Edwin?” Cultivator Raphael demanded.

The lead disciple, Cultivator Edwin, smiled at my future brother-in-law. However, there wasn’t anything friendly about his smile.

“I was simply curious about these guests of yours, Senior Brother Raphael.” Cultivator Edwin said. “It’s not often that we see disciples from Flame Fiend Hall here on Celestial Warrior Peak. Please, introduce them to us.”

I resisted the urge to snort. I doubted he was motivated by curiosity. Something else was going on.

“That is none of your concern, Junior Brother Edwin,” Cultivator Raphael said in a cold voice. “And they are not my guests, they are guests of Hall Master Jericho.”

When he said that last part, he pitched his voice to carry throughout the rest of the courtyard. The other disciples in the area whispered to each other when they heard this. The disciples who followed Cultivator Edwin started to look nervous.

“So move out of the way.” Cultivator Raphael said. “By impeding our progress, you are disrespecting Hall Master Jericho.”

Cultivator Edwin’s smile grew strained.

“You wound me, Senior Brother Raphael.” he said. “I merely wished to greet your friends. There is no need for such hostility.” He paused. “Unless you have something to hide.”

The whispering around us grew a little louder.

“Hide?” Cultivator Raphael said with a snort. “Are your ears mere decoration? I already told you why they are here. Move out of the way. This is your last warning. Otherwise, don’t blame me for being impolite.”

At this, Cultivator Edwin’s expression became unsightly and he dropped all pretenses.

“You dare threaten me?” he said. “You may be the young master of Clan White Wing and Elder Rowan’s disciple, but that does not give you the right to treat your fellow disciples with such disrespect.” He released his aura. The snake twins and I stumbled back, but Astra and Cultivator Raphael remained unaffected. “It seems that we must teach you some manners, Senior Brother Raphael.”

I tensed. It looked like a battle was about to erupt. While I had faith in Astra and Cultivator Raphael, I wasn’t sure if the snake twins and I would fare so well. Foundation Establish and Qi Condensation cultivators had no place in a fight between Golden Core cultivators.

However, just as it seemed as if our two groups would come to blows, Astra let out a loud yawn. The tension in the air dissipated somewhat.

“Are you finished with your posturing?” Astra asked. “You people always resort to the same tricks. At this point, it’s gotten so boring that I start to fall asleep every time it happens.”

Cultivator Edwin’s face turned red.

“You…!” he said.

Astra ignored him and looked at me.

“There are some who don’t wish to see Celestial Warrior Hall grow closer with Flame Fiend Hall,” she explained. “They vehemently opposed my engagement with Raphael.” She gave Cultivator Edwin a smirk, before turning back towards me. “They couldn’t stop it from happening, so now they resort to petty tricks like this. They attempt to provoke our disciples and when we react, they act all offended and threaten us. It’s the same song and dance every time.” She turned back towards Cultivator Edwin. “However, they’re nothing more than cowardly dogs, all bark and no bite. Give them a taste of true strength, and they run off with their tails between their legs.”

When she finished speaking, Astra released her aura. I felt it before, back when we lived in her old immortal cave. However, that was nothing compared to what I felt now. Astra’s aura felt overwhelming and oppressive, like a raging wildfire that threatened to burn down everything around it. Cultivator Edwin’s aura felt weak and feeble in comparison.

At the same time, Cultivator Raphael released his aura. His was as strong as Astra’s though it felt different. If Astra was a blazing inferno, then Cultivator Raphael was a heavenly light. However, his light wasn’t warm and welcoming. It was harsh, merciless, and unyielding.

The Foundation Establishment cultivators in Cultivator Edwin’s group all collapsed in the face of such power, and even the Golden Core cultivators stumbled back. However, the snake twins and I remained unaffected.

“Well?” Astra asked, her voice full of scorn. “I thought you were going to teach my fiancé some manners. Where did all that bravado go?”

Cultivator Edwin gave her a hateful glare, but didn’t respond. In fact, I didn’t think he could. The pressure from Astra’s aura overwhelmed him. Despite also being a Golden Core cultivator, he was much weaker than my sister. Then again, Astra said that she had the strength to be an elder of the Dawn and Dusk Sect when we first met, so I wasn’t that surprised.

“Apologize for your impertinence,” Cultivator Raphael said, “and we may consider letting you go.”

“Or don’t.” Astra said. She raised her arms and demonic qi coated her hands, forming wicked looking black claws. “It’s been too long since I’ve had any fun.”

Cultivator Edwin’s group blanched at this. I remembered Cultivator Harlow’s reaction when I introduced my sister to her. She called Astra the Black Claw. I was beginning to see how my sister earned that title. The demonic claws of hers looked ready to rend and tear through anything and everything.

In that moment, another aura appeared out of nowhere and washed over the stone courtyard. It was gentle, but unyielding. No one could resist it, not even Astra and Cultivator Raphael. This aura snuffed out theirs, like the tide washing away a castle made of sand. It felt similar to Cultivator Raphael’s aura, though it was on a whole different level. If Cultivator Raphael was like a heavenly light, then this aura was a light that encompassed the entire sky.

“Enough.” a voice said. It sounded soft, yet it filled the entire courtyard. “Cease your bickering at once.”

All of the disciples of Celestial Warrior Hall in the courtyard bowed towards the main hall. This included the Foundation Establishment cultivators who were a part of Cultivator Edwin’s group.

“Yes, Hall Master Jericho.” they all said in unison.

“Darian Wind Dance, son of the Frenzied Fiend,” the voice said. I started when it addressed me directly, “Come. Join me for a cup of tea.”

With that, the aura disappeared. Its sudden absence caught me off guard. I felt odd. It was as if the sun’s light and warmth had just disappeared.

“Let us continue on.” Cultivator Raphael said. “We shouldn’t keep Hall Master Jericho waiting any longer.”

He gave Cultivator Edwin’s group a hard look. They moved out of the way without saying a word. However, that didn’t stop them from throwing hateful glares our way. My intuition told me that this wasn’t the last time I would have to deal with their ilk.