Free Web NovelChapter 601: Chapter 89: The Debate of Man and Demon (Part 2)
The Sect Leader asked, "But even so, they still cannot be considered human, can they?"
"That depends on how you define the word ’human.’ What kind of creature can be considered human? Two eyes, one mouth? Then among cultivators, those who have opened their Celestial Eye and cultivated Garrulous Spirit would be expelled from humanity. For ordinary people, we can still provide a relatively accurate biological definition, but when it comes to cultivators, it’s already very difficult to accurately define the term ’human.’ So, what right do we have to say they are not human? What aspect of them does not belong to humanity?"
The Sect Leader was momentarily speechless.
In fact, similar questions have long been debated in human society. Generally, it might be fine for regular humans, but at the level of cultivators, the physiological differences are often far greater than those between humans and other creatures. Some cultivators can forge their physical bodies into small mountains tens of meters high, while conversely, there are dwarves that are only half a meter tall. As for internal organs, they are even more diverse; many cultivators have refined original organs, with meridian circulation and apertures vastly different from other cultivators.
In this situation, the term ’human’ becomes overly broad, so generally speaking, the definition of human can only trace back to the origins, judging from the state of a cultivator before embarking on the Immortal Dao to determine if they belong to humanity.
But this also has its problems because some bloodlines have extended over a thousand years in certain family sects, and after generations of effort, they have already fundamentally changed from ordinary humans. Physiological differences are also greater than between humans and other creatures. Should these thousand-year families also be expelled from humanity?
So in reality, the definition of human is currently muddled, just a mess, but no matter how muddled, treating two Painted Demons as humans is indeed...
Zhao Chenlu said, "In fact, defining humanity means different things to different people. Perhaps for many, the Demon Race and humanity are absolutely incompatible, but for that time on the Xiangzhou Continent, no one looked more like humans than those two Demon Race individuals. No matter what organs they had inside or what appearance they had after shedding their disguise, it didn’t matter. What mattered was what they did and what they changed."
The Sect Leader said bitterly, "Perhaps even without them, there would be others..."
"Then it would be others who received the continent’s favor. The Laws of Heaven and Earth do not care about motives and possibilities, only results. From the results, the ones who single-handedly created the new era of human civilization were precisely those two Demon Race individuals, so acknowledging their human identity is only right. Just like in Shen City, where certain Spirit Monsters that actively integrate into human society are considered similar, those who contribute should be rewarded, which is the most basic rule. Human civilization is built on such a feedback mechanism."
Zhao Chenlu paused and continued, "Moreover, according to the records in the Holy Record, after the ceremony was completed and they underwent the baptism of the Fire of Civilization, the two original Demon Race individuals could no longer resist. After months of seclusion, they confirmed one thing: although their physical structure still retained some Demon Race characteristics, over time, they would only become more human. The baptism by the Fire of Civilization was both recognition and constraint, restricting them from ever returning to the life of the Demon Race."
The Sect Leader was silent for a long time before speaking, "This constraint, why not see it as a good thing? The Demon Race is extinct, and human civilization is rising. As saints of human civilization, isn’t it better than being a middle-rank Demon Race?"
Zhao Chenlu laughed, "Old man, you’re considered a saint of the present age, yet you ask such unrefined questions. If it were you, in a different position, could you confidently become a saint of humanity? Despite the timid and weak nature of the Painted Demons, they were crafted by the Demon Emperor himself, and basic loyalty is still present."
"But now, the one they could be loyal to no longer exists."
Zhao Chenlu said, "And who is the reason for their nonexistence? This is an enmity deeper than a parent killer’s. If it were you, could you, just because your parents are gone and cannot be resurrected, smile at the enemies who destroyed your family?"
Of course, it’s impossible, even if the Painted Demons are known as the most timid race in the Demon Race, fundamentally, they cannot do it.
Zhao Chenlu said, "If previously disguising as saints was a survival necessity, barely explainable as a slow revenge or enduring shame for patience, but what followed couldn’t be explained. The recognition given by the Fire of Human Civilization was a mockery that even the Painted Demons found hard to bear."
The Sect Leader asked, "But according to historical records, after the establishment of the Saint Sect, they diligently presided over work for decades. During this time, what were they thinking? Realizing that their actions had deviated from the stance of the Demon Race, surely there was... a way to rectify it, right? Given their power at the time, they could completely steer human civilization’s progress astray without anyone knowing, or at the worst, choose to hide away and not aid their enemy in rebuilding civilization."
Zhao Chenlu raised his head, pondered briefly, and said, "Generally, that’s true. In the Holy Record, they often considered this. But every time they wanted to withdraw, something would always come up, whether it was certain family sects facing hardships in pioneering or conflicts within the sect that couldn’t be reconciled, the Sect Leader always had to personally intervene. Every time they encountered these situations, they would unconsciously forget their original intent. Until the matter was perfectly resolved, they returned to the Myriad Forms Garden, beating their chests in regret."
"Is this the Fire of Civilization’s... curse on them?"
"In the Holy Record, they always concluded this way, blaming their predicament on the continent’s punishment and curse toward the Demon Race. But in reality, the Burning Blood Script had long exposed their true thoughts. Every time humanity faced immense hardship, their genuine worries surfaced uncontested." Zhao Chenlu Su flipped to a page in the latter part of the Holy Record, "When Feiyan Mountain collapsed, two pioneer teams simultaneously fell into the abyss, and the two Sect Leaders led a rescue effort for seven days, finally saving people from despair. This event is mentioned briefly in the main text, but the Burning Blood Script clearly records their awkward worry and urgency at the time."
The Sect Leader couldn’t understand the Burning Blood Script but could imagine the situation then.
If not for a genuine concern for humanity, those two Demon Race ancestors couldn’t have received wholehearted recognition from everyone.
"But why would they genuinely care about humanity’s safety? Was this distortion of their mindset influenced by external forces?"
Zhao Chenlu said, "I’m not sure. Possibly it’s due to the suppressive power of the Laws of Heaven and Earth, or maybe they went too far in their self-modification when initially disguising as humans. Of course, it’s more likely because... after losing the Demon Emperor, the Demon Race lost its position to unite the masses, and the Demon Race would unknowingly go with the flow. Like when you raise a dog for a long time, affection naturally grows; those two Demon Race individuals were also compelled emotionally."
"Emotionally compelled, the Demon Race?" The Sect Leader chuckled bitterly, "Hard to believe."
At this moment, Wang Jiu also spoke.
"The Demon Race indeed possesses emotions, but individual emotions completely submit to the Demon Emperor’s instructions and the instinct to kill... After the battle between Immortals and Demons, the Demon Emperor was killed, and no one issued any instructions to the Demon Race, so they naturally returned to their original chaotic nature. Yet, the Painted Demons are the least aggressive and most intensely survival-driven among the myriad Demon Races. And a survival-driven race usually has richer emotions."
"That’s the case, so whether it’s a coincidence or a force in the unseen guiding all this to happen, overall, the story of the Saint Sect’s founders ends here, and the subsequent events, you probably already know."
The Sect Leader nodded, indicating there was no need to elaborate further.
After long years, the two First Generation Sect Leaders finally chose to journey into the Primordial as the continent calmed.
They went to the Golden Cloud Peak, found the ruins of human civilization at the War God Hall, saw the bodies of their kin, and then left behind that shocking word of ’hate.’
"So that’s how the word ’hate’ is to be explained... As Demons, yet becoming saints of the Human Race, searching their entire lives for a belonging they never found, their life’s end concluding at the War God Hall filled with the corpses of their kin... An experience deserving more than just the word ’hate.’"
"That’s the story of the Saint Sect’s founders. This journey indeed has not been in vain."
