One Sword to Immortality

Chapter 8

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Zhao Yan Qin led Xu Liao into the nearby train station. They turned past two inconspicuous corners into a surprisingly desolate train platform.

Xu Liao looked up at the nearby station sign with a slightly odd expression on his face.  This whole service line was one that he totally unheard of.

Noticing his odd expression, Zhao Yan Qin giggled. “Yes, you’re right~! This subway was built by the Million Demon Clan, and just for the demons. It links to all the commercial site attractions of the northern city and also connects the eighteen demons living sector altogether. Moreover! There are three main lines that connect to other distant cities. This train service is much more convenient than the trains for humans.”

Before Xu Liao had the time to be surprised, he noticed that the train had entered the station. Zhao Yan Qin stuffed her hand in her bag and whipped out a card. She swiftly swiped twice on the train door and pulled Xu Liao into the cabin.

The cabins were silent. Except for the two of them, the train was totally vacant. Xu Liao was taken aback. Compared to the regular city train stations, this amazingly empty train would bring tears of joy to many of those white collared workers.

The cabin seats were made out of authentic leather. In the front of every seat, there was a fixed metallic table. Upon sitting down, Zhao Yan Qin gently placed the card on the table and, in an instant, it lit up. A visual menu materialized on the surface of the table. It was actually a touch screen platform!

As she picked her card, Zhao Yan Qin flipped it towards Xu Liao and explained: “This is the demon identification card. Not only it functions as something to prove our ident.i.ty, it has additional uses. It can be used at the bank, transportation, and many other sorts of usage like activating this menu inside the train.  The owner’s aura is linked to the card, thus the card can only be activated by the owner. About the card ranks, it goes like this: Black Card being the best, followed by Diamond, Platinum, Gold, Silver, Normal, and the lowest rank being the Newcomer Card.“

Xu Liao was blown away. He never knew that there were so many uses for just a single card.  After a while, he sighed. “… I had initially thought that if there were real demons in this world, they should be living in some deep mountain at the end of the world or something like that. How would have anyone known that the advancement of the demon society would be on par with humans? Even the living standards and technology is higher than humans. What is the identification card of the humans when compared to this?”

Watching him shake his head in resignment, Zhao Yan Qin felt her pride swelling as she smiled sweetly at Xu Liao. She turned to face the metallic table and performed a few gestures on touch screen. “I have just arranged an appointment with the Kyoto Demons’ Affair centre. We can immediately start with the registration process once we reach.”

Xu Liao was speechless.

After ten minutes, they finally reached the Kyoto Demons’ Affair centre station. The moment they stepped out of the cabin, they spotted a pa.s.senger.

This particular pa.s.senger was dressed in a senior high school uniform, and looked slightly older than Xu Liao and Zhao Yan Qin. His complexion was flawless, seemingly like a prince from a fairytale.  He had an indescribable fresh and cool aura surrounding him. Gao Wen Hu was considered to be handsome, but when compared to this student,  Gao Wen Hu was practically nothing.  He was reading a book when he spotted Zhao Yan Qin and Xu Liao. Giving a light smile, he greeted both of them and made his way out of the station.

Although Xu Liao was aware that anyone who boarded the train was definitely a demon, but he couldn’t help but develop a favourable impression on the handsome young man. As they stepped out of the station, Xu Liao thought that he could pick up some pointers here in the future.

But the moment when Xu Liao exited the station, he almost tripped in shock. The station exit was actually located at the Forbidden City gate of the northern city! He was overwhelmed, his jaw refusing to shut.

(ED: The Forbidden City is a famous tourist attraction in China)

The Northern City used to be an ancient capital. The Forbidden City in the heart of the northern city is globally known as the number one ranked Royal Palace. Every day, a flood of tourists could be seen at this attraction. Even if it’s not the peak seasons for tourists, it is also always bustling with activities and required the local security to manage the crowd.

So what is with the concept of building a train station inside the Forbidden City?

Zhao Yan Qin led Xu Liao to a remote, large looking gate. After entering, they twisted and turned past corners to reach a towering, majestic palace door. Strangely, when compared to the other areas within the Forbidden City, this palace seemed to be deserted, without a soul in sight.

Xu Liao soon realized that the so called Kyoto Demons’ Affair centre was actually operating in an area of the Forbidden City. It was totally out of this world. The thought of this simply blew his mind.

Zhao Yan Qin pointed towards a banner located at the top of the palace door. She stood upright, puffed her cheeks and explained as if she was a tourist guide: “This is the Yun Xi Palace. It was not recorded in the history books of the humans. n.o.body can find any details. It can only be found in our demon history books.”

She then took a deep breath and continued: “A long time ago, the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty ruled the world. He was not only the owner of this palace, but was also a demon general. He placed a Heavenly Monument within this Yun Xi Palace, repressing the fortune of the country. After a long time, the Ming Dynasty fell to the Qing Dynasty and  the Emperor sealed it up. Until the time when the Qing Dynasty fell, was the time when the seal broke.”

Xu Liao didn’t think he could be shocked so many times in one day. He couldn’t make a sound and silently followed Zhao Yan Qin, stepping into the Yun Xi Palace.

Upon entering, the first thing he spotted was a tall monument of the G.o.ds. Its eyes were embedded with precious Lapis Lazuli jewels; the body towered over one kilometre high, piercing through the clouds, the base of the monument stretched for a hundred meters in diameter and was made out of pure white jade. It was a truly magnificent masterpiece. Unable to understand the value of these stones, Xu Liao kneeled down at the base of the monument and tried to chisel a piece of stone out.

The monument was divided into nine layers. Engravings of countless majestic birds and demons could be seen on the surface. Each of these engravings looked as if they were alive. While gazing at these engravings, suddenly, Xu Liao had a feeling that as if millions of the demon army was soaring through the skies, trying to break the nine layers of heaven to descend upon this world.

Subconsciously, Xu Liao took a step back and took a deep breath.

Zhao Yan Qin’s eyes widened in shock for a moment, then she laughed: “You.. you are not too bad! I have seen many new awakened demons fall under the aura of the Heavenly Monument. Some would even bow down or faint on the spot.”

Xu Liao forced a smile and said: “Let’s go and register first. Do you need my human identification card?”

Zhao Yan Qin took his hand and pulled him up a few steps in front of the Heavenly Monument. She faced him and said: “First, you have to test out what blood pulse you have awakened, and then we can register. If not, the identification card would not be able to categorize your type. The Heavenly Monument is a heavenly treasure that fell onto human civilization. The demons engraved on it were alive, but sealed by the heavens so they could not leave this monument. When you put your hand on the monument, try to feel if there is any connection. That would be your ancestral source. If you’re lucky, you may even discover your blood pulse inheritance and acquire a page of their unique cultivation technique.”