Deal With the Devil

Da Hai stared into the night sky. The primitive heavens was vastly different from the ones humans saw. A black black void that was itself, a reflection of the starry skies. The sea god appreciated the beauty the three hundred and sixty five celestial bodies brought, they always made for an amazing sight.

Turning around, Da Hai examined his own luck with the world. His partnership with the Heavenly Dao was at this point, rocky at best. Even the Sea Eye was treated more as the dragon's job than his own.

In truth, the will of the world was quite frustrated with Da Hai at this point in time. It wasn't overly optimistic about his chances.

Currently, its situation was that two opposing wills existed inside it. If both grow to a point where they overwhelm it, it will be at their mercy.

At the current enlightenment levels of the Dao and Devil ancestors, this seemed more and more like an inevitability.

"Hello, how are you this evening," Da Hai suddenly said.

He stood alone in the air, no one was near him. The waves beneath him were gentle. The time since the Sea Eye's formation and the death of Zulin was enough for the turbulent waves to restore to a stable liveable environment.

Da Hai's gaze slanted sideways as to his immediate left. A circular whirl of energy manifested to his left. It formed the vague shape of a man whose features were unidentifiable.

"Not going to form any features?" Da Hai asked.

The man, if it could even be called that, lacked any indication of age or gender beyond the masculine muscle and bone features. It lacked genitalia and nipples, which along with the missing facial features made it all the more disturbing.

Standing side by side with this being, this construct of the Heavenly Dao, Da Hai couldn't help but feel small. The primordial Qi that this being possessed couldn't be measured by him. It was an enormous void of infinity that was beyond his infinity.

The Heavenly Lord quickly calmed himself and allowed non of those feelings to show. He turned to address the Heavenly Dao.

"My friend, I seek a favour," he said.

The construct tilted its head and crossed its arms. It appeared as if it was very unimpressed with Da Hai's words.

"You are displeased, I understand," Da Hai said gently. Using words such as immature, or impatient or even explaining himself was useless. It wouldn't care nor would it listen, placates are the only route to go.

"I am willing to give back much of the karma I earned to you. The incense merit can also go to you, I have no need of it. But in return I wish for you to help me find someone…no something," Da Hai bargained.

The construct of the Heavenly Dao adopted a thinking position. Its fingers tapped the bottom of its featureless face's chin. No extra movement was made as it delved into contemplation.

Da Hai silently waited for the Heavenly Dao. If he was being honest with himself, he did not think the Heavenly Dao will go along with his plan, at least not initially.

It was both incredibly possessive and self centred. Its personality was a strange one, Da Hai would compare it to a child. Easy to placate and equally easy to displease.

The Heavenly Dao's construct placed both arms behind its back and nodded. Seems it has accepted Da Hai's plea. This was good, this means Da Hai could move along his schedule.

The Heavenly Dao's construct faced Da Hai. Although its expression could not be discerned, Da Hai could tell it was waiting for him to tell it what he wanted.

"Can you help me locate this," Da Hai holding out his right hand. An image of a circular piece of jade appeared in his palm hovering mere inches above.

The construct was taken aback. It questioned Da Hai about the necessity of the jade. Its questions were reasonable and understandable for Da Hai, hence he answered.

"As I am now, direct conflict with Hongjun is inevitable. With my personality, then Luohu eventually as well. This is a precaution, in the event I fuck up along the way and lose, then this will be my inside man," Da Hai replied.

The Heavenly Dao appeared conflicted. It was very unsure of what to do. This was his among most prized possessions, his avatar in the flesh. But at the same time, Da Hai was offering back the merit he took.

The Heavenly Dao examined the Heavenly Lord before him. As a superior being, the sea god can and most likely had hid things from him. But he had proven somewhat trustworthy so far. He did fix the Sea Eye very quickly after all.

He'd also trained one of the sovereigns to an exceptional level. The dragon was proving to be very beneficial for the world. At least for now, the dragon is someone he wanted to keep.

Could the Heavenly Lord produce something similar? If so, then this would be a worthy investment.

It knew Pangu's knowledge in its totality and Hongjun's as well from hat it'd glimpsed. Luohu's seemed to contradict somewhat but not enough to differentiate from the path prophesied.

Though it didn't know Da Hai's stance on those events, it did agree with Hongjun's view of them. They were a necessity that went on to create the ideal world in which it could thrive. An unchallengeable army, a race of unlimited potential, supreme deities under its command. By the end, it had never been stronger. Even the most powerful of would be rebels was subdued and converted into a monk.

The construct nodded. It held out its palm and pushed the information into Da Hai. This man could definitely do it. If it can empower its chosen son and set him on the right path, then Hongjun's puppeteering act will inevitably fail.

"Thank you," Da Hai said. He cupped his hands and saluted the construct. His show of respect pleased it greatly. It waved its hand as a, "You may go", gesture.

Da Hai nodded and walked away. Under the cloak of night and his own water movement techniques, Da Hai became a stream of liquid that moved into the distance. The Heavenly Dao construct dispelled as the Heavenly Lord left, no longer interested nor paying attention.

…

Da Hai moved quickly, with his current strength, it only took him a week to see the beach. His watery form was devoid of reflections of any kind. He moved as if he belonged to another dimension of space entirely.

To use a modern analogy, it was as if he was an image crudely photoshopped into another background. Something about him just didn't belong.

Yet at the same time, contradictory to the previously mentioned effect, Da Hai was like a natural part of the world. A stream that was a fundamental part of the universe that could not be separated from it without damaging the foundation of creation.

"Hm?"

Da Hai materialised mid air. He was right in front of the east continent shore which was his destination. Currently, he stood slightly atop the water without touching the waves.

"What a saturated fiendish aura," Da Hai muttered. His senses were going haywire. The power he was picking up was someone he was hostile towards yet hadn't had much interaction until now.

"Devil Ancestor," Da Hai's gaze met another figure who was standing on the beach.

Luohu was as handsome as when he'd first seen him all those years ago. His blatant dismissal of him was still vivid in his memories.

But to Da Hai, his physical appearance didn't matter. It was his divine sense that was seeing him for what he truly was.

Luohu was to put it simply, the epitome of the Dao. The head of the Dao or just simply that which all things branch from. He could sense laws of fire, water, wind, sword, axe, mind, soul, heart, formation, destruction, space etc.

He was like an all encompassing celestial being whose work were the origins that all things arose from. It was unlike Hongjun who felt more like a transcendent Dao that was on the cusp of expanding into all encompassing creation.

Luohu's Dao was like a Dao that's been pushed into the all encompassing state by an incalculable amount of others.

"Devil Ancestor," Da Hai greeted coldly.

"Hm?" Luohu seemed to take notice of Da Hai at this exact moment. "Ah, daoist Da Hai, long time no see," he smirked.

"I was just wondering about how to approach the east sea, divination is so scrambled around these parts. wasn't even aware they had a sovereign until the whole incident, heh," he said jovially.

'Oi, aren't you a bit too familiar?' Da Hai felt the urge to punch the man to smithereens. He then pondered the godsend's words. It made sense, godfiends are ancient creatures with an infinite lifespan. Their sense of time is a bit warped compared to mortal creatures.

To a godfiend, even ten thousand years would be a short nap.

"What's with that look?" Luohu raised his eyebrow. "This is the first time we're properly talking if I recall. And I do have a pretty good memory."

"Why are you here?" Da Hai all but growled. His nails dug into his fingers so as to control himself. His breath became very regulated almost like he was a mortal beginning the path of cultivation again.

"Not much, saw the whole shebang with you and the old fart. Was funny seeing him humiliated like this. Did you know he's throwing a tantrum in the north right now?" He chuckled.

"You did good annihilating his avatar like that," Luohu praised clapping.

"Why are you here?" Da Hai demanded.

"Like I said, not much, merely debating how to explore the east sea," the Devil Ancestor shrugged.

"I'll rephrase that question, what are you doing here?" Da Hai demanded. His Qi flared up making his hair float. The water in the distance began rolling in a violent manner.

Contrary to expectations, Luohu smirked and held his hands up to surrender. "Not here to fight. As for why I'm here? Well I simply wanted to meet you."

"I won't beat around the bush. Da Hai or whatever you liked you call yourself, you're clearly not the Da Hai I knew. But, I can say that you're stronger," Luohu said stroking his chin.

"You praise me too much, senior Da Hai was someone who completed the Dao and reached the great principle of primal chaos," Da Hai said shaking his head.

"Yet he would've lost to Hongjun's corps of evil. This is an avatar of mine, my Avatar of Seven Emotions. Its strength is comparable to any of Hongjun's corpses. And I am fully confident in beating Da Hai, you less so," he said.

Da Hai glared at Luohu who appeared merely genuine in his praise. The sea god relaxed slightly but kept his guard up. The Devil Ancestor continued to talk, it was like he was obsessed with his own voice.

"See, now that you've entered Hongjun's shit list, he'll be after you. Trust me, I've known the guy for many Yuanhui and he's the vindictive sort. What's more, he's already got a few high tier godfiends under his employ. So as his natural enemy, I'll extend my courtesies. Bottom line is, I want you in my sect," Luohu said.

"No!" Da Hai said flatly.

"Not even a moment of consideration?" Luohu raised his eyebrow. "I can see your Dao is one you've built from scratch, I can offer some guidance as a show of good faith."

"You have nothing worth listening to," Da Hai made to walk away but Luohu stood in his way.

"Have I offended you somehow fellow daoist?" He said sounding almost confused.

Da Hai stopped. His blond hair swayed over his face. His pupils constricted and he glared at Luohu. The image of his friend's body, skewered on this man's spear came to mind.

Sensing danger, Luohu backed away from Da Hai leaving a trail in the sand. The sea god's hand was outstretched at where Luohu's body used to be.

"We've never had any enmity between us," Luohu said in a warning tone. "Is this how you treat those who approach you with courtesy?"

"What would you know of courtesy? Murderer!" Da Hai spat. His right hand grabbed the air, forming a sword of water in his hand. He slashed at Luohu who flew into the sky and landed on the grass on the hill beyond the beach.

"Murderer? I am unfamiliar with the term," Luohu confessed.

Da Hai's nostril's flared. He was about to attack again before stopping himself. He'd slipped into English by accident. That's right, the godsend's language didn't have a term for murderer.

"Hongyun, my brother in all but blood. The greatest friend a man could ever know," Da Hai spat pointing the water blade at Luohu. "You killed him."

The Devil Ancestor looked genuinely confused. He tilted his head as if he was trying to wrap his mind around what Da Hai was saying. "Yes, I killed him," he said.

But he didn't mean it in a, "so what", way. Rather, he was just stating a fact. It was as if he was just talking about the weather and not the murder of another.

"Are you angry about that?" Luohu asked. "Why? He wasn't your Dao companion was he?"

"No," Da Hai shook his head. "He was my friend, and you killed him."

Now Luohu appeared more confused than ever. It was only with his Dao did he began to comprehend Da Hai's speech's meaning. "That's a very mortal way of thinking," he deadpanned.

"He was in my way," Luohu defended. "For my Dao to continue he had to be removed. You know this, you're a fucking godfiend," he said incredulously.

"And you're more fiend then god," Da Hai spat.

"I do not understand what you're playing at fellow daoist," Luohu said. "But the offer still stands, the Devilish Dao will welcome you anytime. I'll be on this beach waiting for your answer. Don't take too long though, when the old fart comes back, I'll have to leave."

Da Hai scoffed and shook his head. He turned his back on Luohu and walked away. "It's a waste of breath just talking to you," he muttered.

He left the godfiend on his lonesome and walked away. Each of his steps crossed millions of kilometres and he never looked back. He'd nearly started another war before he was ready. Being attacked from two sides will not bode well for his current situation.

He'd have to call in Zulong for backup and he didn't want to trouble the dragon with his own issues.

Da Hai looked up at a rising cliff he'd reached. He stood at the bottom and looked up. He jumped and floated to around the middle of the natural feature.

He ran his hand along the rough rocks feeling the rich Primordial Qi within. Then he started digging.