198. Law of Disease
Ten figures moved cautiously through the dense forest, their breaths muffled behind masks that covered their noses and mouths. A thick green mist curled around them, eerie and unnatural.
Among them, five wore black robes with dark chest armor, their movements silent and disciplined. Three others were clad in golden armor, each bearing an emblem—one with a bird, another with a tree, and the last with a cloud.
At the center of the formation, a young man and woman in silver armor walked, guarded by the rest.
The young man glanced around, his eyes sharp despite the haze. "I thought Ancient Beast Mountain would be lifeless because of the poisonous miasma… but it's filled with animals, birds, and insects."
One of the black-armored warriors answered, voice steady. "Your Highness, the poisonous miasma is only harmful to humans."
The young woman in silver armor spoke next, her tone thoughtful. "I heard many demons hide in these mountains… and that a Demon Lord entered just four days ago."
The warrior in golden armor, the one with the tree emblem, spoke with confidence. "No need to worry. The Demon Lord will not dare harm us—not with me here. As a divine warrior of the God King of Ancestral Wood, I will ensure our safety."
The others nodded in agreement.
The young man in silver armor smiled. "Yes, with Brother Zhou Yi here, we have nothing to fear."
The young woman turned her gaze forward. "Now, where can we find the Bitter White Lotus?"
One of the black-armored warriors responded. "The barbarian tribes living in these mountains may know where to find it."
She nodded in understanding.
The young man folded his arms. "I've heard that barbarians are… not entirely human."
The golden-armored warrior with the peacock emblem smirked. "That's because they carry the blood of the Stone Race—part human, part something else."
A heavy silence followed as the green mist swirled around them, shifting like a living thing as they moved deeper into the unknown.
The man with the cloud emblem on his golden armor sighed. "I once read in an ancient book that our realm was once home to many races. But with the disappearance of spiritual energy, they all left."
The warrior with the tree emblem chuckled. "Zhu Pan, you are the complete opposite of your god. The God of Clouds never lingers in one place for long, yet you spend days buried in the divine library."
The peacock-emblemed warrior smirked. "And Fang Xin, aren't you also the opposite of your god's nature?"
The young man in silver armor turned to the warrior leading them. "Master Zhou Yi, how do the gods choose their divine warriors?"
Zhou Yi answered, his voice calm. "A warrior's internal energy must be naturally compatible with a god's divine essence. Only then can they be chosen as a divine warrior."
Before anyone could respond—
"Wait." Fang Xin suddenly stopped, his expression sharp. "I sense demon energy."
Zhu Pan instantly went on alert. "Where?" He scanned the misty terrain, his hand hovering over his weapon.
Fang Xin pointed toward a nearby hill. "There."
The young woman in silver armor narrowed her eyes and then turned to the group. "Now, what should we do?"
Here's an improved version with better flow, clarity, and atmosphere:
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A decision hung in the air—would they continue on their path or investigate the ominous presence lurking beyond the mist?
Zhou Yi's voice was firm. "We have to check." Without hesitation, he began moving toward the hill, his steps steady. The others followed, their senses sharp.
As they ascended, the fluctuation of demonic energy became stronger, thicker, and oppressive like a storm waiting to break.
Carefully, they made their way forward, staying alert. After some time, they spotted an eerie green glow emanating from the hilltop.
At the base of the hill, they finally saw him.
Seated upon a stone slab was Demon Lord Li Wen. His eyes were closed, his posture perfectly composed as he sat cross-legged, clad in a dark green robe. His short purple hair shimmered subtly under the strange glow of the flames before him.
A floating green fire burned in the air, radiating a sickly light. The moment their gazes landed on it, they felt a wave of discomfort—as if death itself was brushing against them. An unsettling realization crept into their minds: even the slightest injury from that flame could be fatal.
Then, in an instant—the green flame vanished.
Li Wen's eyes opened, revealing deep green irises as he gazed at them, unreadable and devoid of emotion.
A heavy silence followed.
Except for the three in golden armor, the rest instinctively bowed to the Demon Lord. The divine warriors, however, merely offered a respectful salute.
Fang Xin spoke first, his voice calm yet measured. "Demon Lord, apologies for disturbing your practice. I am Fang Xin, Divine Warrior of the God King of the Ancestral Wood."
Zhou Yi followed. "I am Zhou Yi, Divine Warrior of the God Lord of Birds."
Then Zhu Pan. "I am Zhu Pan, Divine Warrior of the God Lord of Clouds."
The young man in silver armor stepped forward. "Demon Lord, I am Wei Xuan, Seventh Prince of the Wei Dynasty."
Beside him, the young woman introduced herself. "I am Wei Hong, Sixteenth Princess of the Wei Dynasty."
The rest, clad in black armor, remained silent. Their identities were irrelevant—for if the Demon Lord wished them dead, their names would not change their fate.
Li Wen remained seated, his gaze impassive. "Who is so gravely injured that a lineup of three divine warriors has entered the Ancient Beast Mountain just to retrieve a lotus?"
Here's a smoother and more immersive revision:
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A flicker of unease passed between the group. How had the Demon Lord known their purpose?
Wei Xuan's mind raced. Had news of his uncle's injury leaked? No—if their enemies had discovered it, they would never have been able to mobilize a Demon Lord against them. That was beyond their influence. More likely, Li Wen had simply overheard that they were searching for the Bitter White Lotus and deduced its purpose. But still, the uneasiness in his mind remains.
After a brief silence, Wei Xuan forced himself to answer calmly. "My uncle needs this medicine to heal." At this moment, their fate was no longer in their own hands—it rested in the Demon Lord's. If Li Wen truly meant to stop them, there was nothing they could do but accept it.
Li Wen's deep green eyes darkened slightly. "Mother's side or father's side?"
The question made Wei Xuan exhale in quiet relief. So, the news hadn't leaked after all.
Wei Hong spoke up, her voice steady. "Mother's side. My uncle was injured attempting to advance to the Innate Grandmaster realm."
Li Wen remained silent, but inwardly, a thought took root. So, there are realms beyond the Innate Warrior.
Only two days ago, in Pian Ran's throne chamber, he had sensed something unusual—one of the demon hunters had surpassed the initial second rank but had yet to reach the intermediate second rank. It had puzzled him then, but now the pieces were beginning to fit together.
Wei Xuan straightened, a trace of pride slipping into his tone. "There are three realms beyond Innate—Master, Great Master, and Grandmaster." His chest swelled slightly as he added, "My uncle was wounded when he failed to break through to the Innate Grandmaster realm."
Li Wen's gaze sharpened. "And how does one advance beyond the Innate realm?"
Zhu Pan stepped forward, his tone measured. "Without spiritual energy, Innate Warriors are normally unable to progress any further. However, in moments of life-threatening danger, some break past their limits, unlocking a hidden potential that pushes them into the Master realm."
He paused before continuing, "After studying these cases, warriors discovered that intense combat—especially near death—helps them surpass their boundaries. But since life-or-death battles between Innate Warriors are too risky, the forbidden lands became the key."
Li Wen listened in silence as Zhu Pan explained further. "The dangers within these lands force warriors to the brink, allowing them to reach the Master realm. Some even progress to the Great Master realm. These places also contain unique energies that aid their advancement."
Wei Hong spoke with quiet determination. "If my uncle succeeds in breaking through to the Grandmaster realm, he will be the first human to ever reach it."
Zhu Pan nodded. "That is why we chose to help. After learning of his condition, we realized that the Ruined Abyss's energy had damaged him. The only thing that can restore him is the Bitter White Lotus."
Li Wen observed them from his perch on the hill. They had revealed more than necessary. He hadn't required such an in-depth explanation, yet they had offered it freely.
Without a word, he waved a hand—dismissing them.
Taking his gesture as permission to leave, the group quickly turned and departed.
Once they vanished into the mist, Li Wen extended his hand. The swirling green miasma around him coalesced into a small sphere, pulsating with toxic energy.
The Ancient Beast Mountain was a forbidden land as well.
Closing his eyes, he let his spirit extend outward, attuning itself to the deadly green miasma, seeking to unravel its mysteries.
After the group disappeared into the mist, Li Wen remained seated on the stone slab, his fingers slightly curling as he concentrated. Could he control the miasma?
The mention of forbidden lands and the energies contained within them lingered in his mind. Was the Ancient Mountain Range also one of these forbidden lands?
Raising his gaze southward from the hilltop, he could faintly see the towering silhouettes of distant peaks. The Ancient Mountain Range had earned its name from these very mountains in the south.
The Wei Kingdom and the surrounding nations were encircled by formidable barriers—each a forbidden land of its own.
To the North lay the Frozen Abyss, where bone-chilling temperatures made survival nearly impossible.
To the East roared the Thunder Sea, where relentless storms and divine lightning swallowed anything that dared to venture too far.
To the West stretched the Barren Desert, an endless expanse of scorching heat and shifting sands that concealed ancient horrors.
And to the South loomed the Ancient Mountain Range, shrouded in poisonous miasma and untamed wilderness.
The harsh conditions of these forbidden lands might have deterred humans, but neither demons nor divine beings were bound by such limitations. And yet, even among the strongest of their kind, no one had ever crossed them.
It wasn't just the environment that made them impassable—it was the fierce beasts that dwelled within.
Among these creatures, some possessed strength equal to a Demon King, and their energy was so overwhelming that even gods and demons risked injury to their very essence. Crossing the forbidden lands was not impossible.
But without absolute necessity, who would dare take such a risk?
Closing his eyes, Li Wen focused on the swirling miasma, allowing his spirit to extend outward. If the Ancient Mountain Range truly was a forbidden land, then perhaps...
It held power even he had yet to understand.
Li Wen knew he could not fully grasp the energy of the poisonous miasma without first comprehending the source of the plague itself. His goal was to discern the difference between the miasma's energy and demonic energy.
Focusing his full attention, he allowed himself to attune to the swirling mist. Time passed, but then—he felt it.
A connection.
A subtle thread linking the poisonous miasma to the Law of Plague.
A question surfaced in his mind: What is a plague?
The answer came instinctively. A disease. A bacterial infection.
Realization struck like a sudden spark—plague was merely one aspect of a greater whole. The Law of Disease.
With that, his path to becoming a Demon King became clear.
All Demon Kings, upon ascending, comprehended a path that strengthened their innate law. It was what set them apart from lesser demons.
The Demon King of Laziness, for example, had embraced the Path of Wisdom. Though he was known for his sloth, his understanding of wisdom led to countless innovations that advanced human civilization. Before his ascension, humans had been scattered into primitive tribes, living as hunters and gatherers.
But his inventions had transformed them—tribes became kingdoms, survival became progress.
And now, Li Wen could see his path to Demon King taking shape before him.
Why had he only discovered his path after trying to understand the poisonous miasma?
Because the miasma was not truly poisonous.
The swirling green mist was not a mere toxin—it was alive. The miasma was composed of fungal spores, their vibrant color an illusion of toxicity. Those who inhaled them did not suffer from poison but instead fell victim to a fungal disease.
The human civilization in this world in medieval times and their disease research is not adequate or can be said it is Nil. Priests can heal all illnesses and if they get sick they blame their sickness upon demons. So, they think the miasma is poisonous.
Demons and Divine Creatures did not pay any attention to disease because they were immune to most diseases and their power could fight against the disease if they felt sick.
Disease.
The realization settled deep within him. The miasma was not separate from his power—it was an extension of it. It belonged to the Law of Disease.
He had unknowingly stepped onto the very path he sought.
After he completely understood the Law of Plague, he could return here and deepen his understanding further.
And when he did—his ascension to Demon King would be inevitable.