190. The Truth
Moon River – Aboard the Floating Ship
Wan Cai stood on the double-decker ship, floating motionlessly in the middle of Moon River.
They had rented the boat for a week, and from today onward, it would serve as their base of operations.
If Li Wen didn't attempt to cross the river within this time, they would abandon their post and search for him elsewhere.
His gaze swept across the moonlit waters.
Scattered throughout the river, small patrol boats drifted, carrying Demon Hunting members.
Each boat held two hunters, their sharp eyes scanning the surface of the river as they methodically patrolled the area.
Despite his original resolve, Wan Cai found his motivation fading.
Hunting Li Wen no longer felt like a worthy pursuit—because deep down, he knew the truth.
He was no match for Li Wen.
The only reason he was still alive was that Li Wen had chosen to spare him.
Had Li Wen truly wanted to kill him back then, he would have never escaped.
Through Zhen Li Si, Wan Cai also learned far more about demons than he ever had before.
A Great Demon that had escaped from the instinct to devour humans was essentially unstoppable by ordinary warriors.
No human—no matter how powerful—could match such a being.
The only ones capable of hunting a Great Demon were divine creatures of equal or greater rank.
With that knowledge, Wan Cai questioned whether waiting here was even worth it.
If Li Wen chose to cross the river, even within their patrol zone, would they truly be able to stop him?
Or was this all just a waste of time?
His grip on the wooden railing tightened, his thoughts uncertain as he gazed across the dark, rippling waters.
Despite his uncertainty about the mission, one thing kept playing in his mind, refusing to leave.
Once this mission ended, Wan Cai planned to step down from his role as Demon Hunter Commander.
He had already made up his mind—he would travel to the Frozen Wasteland for further training.
Most people believed that the Innate Realm was the absolute limit of human strength.
But a select few—including Wan Cai—knew that this was not true.
The reason was simple:
Cultivation techniques only went up to the Innate Realm, but the potential of the human body did not end there.
To unlock the body's hidden potential, a warrior had to push themselves beyond their limits.
It was a dangerous gamble—one either rebirthed like a butterfly… or perished in the process.
His family had proof that it was possible.
One of his uncles had succeeded, unlocking his latent potential and advancing to Innate Master Warrior.
Throughout history, several of his ancestors had managed to break past the Innate barrier—all through training in the Frozen Wasteland.
His family's internal energy was fire-based, making the Frozen Wasteland the perfect proving ground.
The freezing temperatures would either extinguish his fire—or make it burn even hotter.
His true ambition wasn't just to become an Innate Master Warrior like his uncle.
He wanted to become the first human to step into the Innate Grandmaster Realm.
The highest recorded breakthrough in human history had been Innate Great Master.
If Zhen Li Si was correct, then if he reached the Innate Grandmaster, he would finally be able to fight Li Wen as an equal.
Wan Cai no longer desired to kill Li Wen.
Because now, he understood the truth—even if he succeeded in eliminating Li Wen, Yuan would never love him.
Instead, she would hate him forever.
His thoughts were interrupted by the breathtaking view of the sunset.
As he admired the scenery, his eyes caught movement—a white pigeon soaring toward the ship.
A small letter was tied to its leg.
The bird flapped its wings gracefully, entering Li Si's room through the open window.
Wan Cai watched in silence, knowing the letter likely held important news.
The ship's deck was calm, and the Demon Hunters began switching shifts, moving efficiently through their routine.
As he listened to the faint footsteps behind him, he turned his head—Zhen Li Si was approaching.
For a while, neither of them spoke.
They simply stood side by side, gazing at the western part of the river, where the setting sun bathed the waters in a brilliant shade of orange.
Finally, Li Si broke the silence.
"We should return."
Wan Cai said nothing at first.
Last night after his mind cooled down, he understood—
Li Si hadn't come here to hunt Li Wen.
She had been sent by the Goddess for a different purpose.
Because the Goddess already knew…
That none of them—neither he, Li Si, nor the Demon Hunters—stood a chance against Li Wen.
Wan Cai Knew.
The Goddess of the Moon had sent Zhen Li Si for one reason—
Because she knew that Li Wen would never harm Yuan's elder sister.
But perhaps, the Goddess wasn't the only one involved.
His father, Wan Hui, may have played a hand in this as well.
By sending Zhen Li Si, Li Wen would hesitate—not only to attack her but also to harm Wan Cai and the Demon Hunters accompanying them.
Their mission had never truly been about capturing or killing Li Wen.
It was about fame.
Once Li Wen left for the Ancient Mountain Range, the story would be carefully spun into a legend.
By the very next day, rumors would spread throughout the Wei Dynasty:
> "The Goddess of the Lake's Divine Warrior, Zhen Li Si, and Wan Cai of the prestigious Wan Family from Taigong City joined forces to battle the Great Demon Li Wen. Though heavily wounded, the demon managed to escape into the Ancient Mountain Range."
This false narrative would be highly beneficial.
Especially for Wan Cai—
Because next year, when the elections for the Head of the Demon Hunters were held, his name would stand out among the contenders.
For a while, Wan Cai remained silent, staring at the river.
Then, he turned to Zhen Li Si, his voice flat.
"Why?"
He didn't need to explain.
They both knew the meaning behind the question.
Because Zhen Li Si was fully aware that this so-called hunt for Li Wen had never been real to begin with.
Zhen Li Si spoke calmly. "I received a letter from the Goddess. She says that if we wish, we may return. Your father has also agreed."
Wan Cai's expression remained unreadable. "So my father's ambition for me to become Head of the Demon Hunters is extinguished?"
Zhen Li Si glanced at him, but she wasn't surprised that he had figured out the truth.
"I don't know about your father's true thoughts," she admitted. "But the letter mentioned that after the Goddess visited my father, she found something troubling.
My father fell ill after Li Wen's demon energy burst from his body—he was unable to recover for three days, and then black spots began appearing on his skin.
After healing him, the Goddess discovered that the cause was Li Wen's demon aura.
Upon examining the aura further, my master concluded that Li Wen is not just a Great Demon… but a Demon Lord."
Wan Cai stiffened. "A Demon Lord?"
Zhen Li Si nodded gravely. "Demon Lords are immortals. They are eccentric and unpredictable. Li Wen may have shown mercy once—but that does not mean he will show it again."
A heavy silence followed.
Wan Cai clenched his fists. "Then… even if I reach the Innate Grandmaster Realm, I still won't be able to defeat him."
Zhen Li Si's gaze didn't waver. "No. You won't."
Wan Cai exhaled slowly, then looked out at the river, where the Demon Hunters were still patrolling.
"Then there's no point in keeping them here."
His decision made, he turned and shouted across the deck:
"Everyone, come back!"
As the hunters began returning to the ship, Wan Cai turned to Zhen Li Si once more.
"Then… why would Li Wen need to escape to the Ancient Mountain Range?"
Zhen Li Si shook her head. "I don't know. But the Goddess said that Li Wen must leave Wei Dynasty territory."
Zhen Li Si met his gaze. "Then we leave now?"
Wan Cai shook his head. "The Demon Hunters are exhausted. We've been chasing Li Wen for nearly a week. Let's hold a banquet tonight—to celebrate my departure from the Demon Suppression Palace. Tomorrow morning, we'll leave."
Without waiting for her response, he turned and walked away, disappearing below deck.
Zhen Li Si watched him go, her thoughts shifting to Wan Hui.
"All of Uncle Wan Hui's ambitions… will crumble to nothing."
As night fell, the last of the Demon Hunters climbed back aboard the ship.