Demons could cultivate to take human form but not all of them wanted to. Most demons focused on their true form, as it was the case for this ‘Great Horse King’ here.
The demons cultivated their human form thinking it would form a tighter link with the world’s spiritual qi. Most demons didn’t believe in it. They were of firm belief their true body would fit that role better, thus focusing on it more.
Whether human form or true form was the right way had been a heated debate among demon kind for ages. But history had proven that both paths birthed a Demon Emperor. Thus which path was right or wrong was unknown since there was no real proof.
Perhaps they were both right and wrong.
“Greetings honored guest!”
Great Horse King stood up as he neighed, just like your average horse.
Yan Wenjing was tense, sticking to Li Mo.
Li Mo’s face was flat, “I guess.”
In the face of high enough strength, any and all machinations were moot. Li Mo was not one bit afraid of this ‘Great Horse King’.
Great Horse King and Li Mo walked abreast, while the demons behind were playing a myriad of musical instruments. It was just like a grand welcoming of a bigshot.
Honored guest?
This enemy who was a second ago set on killing everything? The abrupt change of it all had Yan Wenjing and the pig demon starring off dumbly.
Great Horse King led Li Mo to his cave, quite spacious one might add. It had such a thick spiritual qi, it was like a true paradise for cultivators.
Fine wine and gourmet food were soon served. Great Horse King raised his front hooves and grinned, “Honored guest, please help yourself.”
The same fox demon Li Mo took care of a while back walked next to Great Horse King and used her delicate and white hands to serve the Great Horse King food and wine.
A demon in human form wouldn’t need a server. This ought to be the biggest difference between the forms.
Li Mo tasted the wine and his eyes shined.
“How is it, honored guest? I made it myself from the hundred hand-picked flowers growing for five hundred years on the peak of this mountain. Then left to age for another five hundred years. This wine, and I don’t mean to brag, is one of the best on Imperial Planet.“
“It really is quite good.” Li Mo admitted.
Great Horse King’s wine was quite good indeed, but when compared to Nangong clan’s Millennium Immortal Brew, it fell just a teensie weensie short.
Great Horse King’s wine went with his dishes. Li Mo drank five cups, all while Yan Wenjing was giving him the eye that he ignored splendidly.
Yan Wenjing was scared Li Mo would drink too much. If something happened to him, her safety net would be gone and she would be toast.
Great Horse King eyed Yan Wenjing, “The talents and traits on you humans sure are fickle. This here Inborn Physique, if it were any other demon, they’d be jumping her by now.”
Yan Wenjing’s face dropped.
“But here, you don’t have to fear anything. My bloodline is the purest in the East side. I do not need your Inborn Physique to purify it further.”
Yan Wenjing eased.
Great Horse King said, “Honored guest Li Mo, you seem to have a common constitution. Am I correct?”
Li Mo nodded.
Great Horse King laughed, “It’s fine even so. As long as strength surpasses the Dongfang clan, you are worthy of being my honored guest!”
Some dozen female demons came around to dance. They all had animal heads but human bodies. If one ignored the ‘wild’ top, they’d even begin to appreciate the luscious bottom.
The pig got drunk in no time at all and started blabbing off to Great Horse King., “To my knowledge, the purest demon in the East side is Golden Lion, Silver Flood Dragon, Peacock King, and Chaos Lotus. What bloodline does Great Horse King belong to?”
Thump!
Great Horse King stomped, shaking the cave.
“Little piggy, how much of demon history do you think you know that gives you the courage to run your mouth?”
“Piggy, those words you said would’ve earned you a quick death, if not for honored guest’s presence!”
“This pig takes everything for granted!”
“Ignorant pig!”
The other lowly demons around started cursing him.
With that rude and scary awakening out of the way, the pig couldn’t figure if he should sit or stand, but was shivering nonetheless.
Great Horse King glared at him for ten second or so, then waved, “Never mind, ignorance is bliss.”
“Honored guest, please.”
Great Horse King opened his mouth and the fox demon poured him wine.
The pig’s blunder was fast forgotten, and the festive mood resumed. Female demons were dancing and male demons were chatting. Li Mo and Great Horse King were having a blast while drinking. Li Mo was not even tipsy, but Great Horse King was bragging he was still sober even with that red horse face, that he could keep drinking half a ton.
When in fact, he only drank barely a cup of wine all this time.
Plop!
Great Horse King fell face first on the table, wasted.
The lowly demons around didn’t mind a bit. The dancing continued and so did the partying.
“I am just curious, really! I have no ill will at all, none.”
The pig was so scared he kept trying to justify himself.
“Let it go if you don’t know.”
“Be more sensible next time.”
“We demon care about bloodlines the most. Mentioning this to Great Horse King is taboo.”
“You’re lucky Great Horse King is magnanimous and let it slide.“
“Come on, let’s drink.”
Li Mo sat alone, drinking another cup.
With how much he could hold his liquor, he had no prob drinking so much. Yan Wenjing’s worry was unfounded.
Yan Wenjing came over, “Daddy, please drink in moderation. If you get drunk, I’m a goner.”
“I only drank a little.”
Li Mo laughed, looking at the passed out Great Horse King.
With his Celestial Eye, no amount of faking worked, and this horsey wasn’t faking at all.
In another corner, bear demon had his tongue out lapping wine as he whispered to pig, “Piggy, it’s not that we don’t want to tell you Great Horse King’s bloodline. We just don’t know.”
“Bear, what are you saying there?”
“Bear, why are you also talking about Great Horse King’s bloodline?”
“Quiet down, what if we’ll offend Great Horse King?”
“Ah~”
Thump!
In the middle of all the noise, a demon hit the pavement, hammered.
It was a winged bird-headed centaur demon.
The bear snapped, “Bird Horse King, why are you throwing the cups around? What if you wake up Great Horse King?”
The bird centaur said, “Everyone, if not for the pig saying it, I wouldn’t have mentioned it either. We all know very well Great Horse King’s bloodline is precious, but does anyone here have any clue to what it actually is?”
The noise died and silence ruled.
“Great Horse King came a hundred years ago, his stomping splitting the mountain in two. I, Bird Horse King respect the strong and henceforth stepped down and let him rule the mountain.
“Great Horse King never spoke of his bloodline and we demons value it the most. Everyone already knows of my bloodline, a part peacock and a part horse. My peacock ancestry is noble, while the horse side is worthless.”
They all watched the Bird Centaur King.
Regarding nobility, the Peacock King race was among the greatest demon lines in the East side. While the horse race had no outstanding member in the millions of years since it appeared.
“Great Horse King said he came from the West side. I once looked over its history and found that although it isn’t under demon ruling, it still had many high demons. I have searched its millions of years long history and found not a single record of powerful horse demons.”
The place grew noisy.
What did that mean? That Great Horse King was not of a noble bloodline as he led to believe!
Bird Centaur King voiced his indignation, “Just think for a second everyone. We’ve been played. Great Horse King is not a great demon descendant. He is but a plain ol’ horse demon!”
“Impossible! How then did he split the mountain in half?” The fox demon stood.
“Yeah!”
“Charming Fox is right, everyone saw Great Horse King’s immense demon qi, his stomping breaking our mountain. It’s on the level of king!”
“Absolutely!”
“Indeed.”
They all nodded at the fox’s explanation.
But the Bird Centaur King snorted, “On that day, two powerful humans battled nearby. And one of them just so happened to lose his valiant steed.
“As for whether his stomping broke our mountain, my opinion on that matter is that it had something to do with those two humans’ fight. Great Horse King’s stomp was so perfectly timed that it led us to believe otherwise.“
Bird Centaur King shouted, “This is all one huge misunderstanding. Today, I’ve had enough and had to say it!”
“What’s going on?”
Great Horse King opened his drunk eyes.
All demons looked at him with sour eyes.
Great Horse King shivered, sobering up a bit.
