This world, like a Divine Kingdom, was a creation of Kekao’s own powerful Spirit. And now, soone had invaded this spiritual world of his, one as unyielding as steel.
His eyes narrowed slightly as he slowly looked toward the rift that had appeared in the Brahma World.
Gray mist poured from the rift, gradually twisting and coalescing into a human form.
It was a man whose entire body seed shrouded in mist. His face and build were indistinct, yet strangely, one could still perceive the shifting expressions on his features.
"In this world, not many mortals can establish a spiritual connection with over such a vast distance. You are one. The last was in Donghua, a man nad Zhang Dongwei."
The hazy figure’s lips curved into a smile as he slowly stepped out of the gray mist, like a Nightmare erging from a bad dream.
’Zhang Dongwei...’
Expressionless, Kekao slowly rose to his feet from atop the giant peacock.
"I’ve always been able to sense it—a vast, gray, ominous cloud looming over this world’s spiritual magnetic field. It’s impossible to touch, impossible to probe. One can only gaze up at it from a distance. That Nightmare-like cloud... It seems you originate from it. Or rather, that cloud *is* you."
"One of the Twelve Celestial Demon Ancestors, the master of nightmares and fear. Might I ask your na?"
Kekao said slowly to the gray, hazy figure.
"Truly a rare being, the likes of which are seldom seen. You’ve erased the sensations of your physical body to create your own world within the void of the spiritual magnetic field. Among the mortals of this era, you may not be the strongest in terms of combat power, but when it cos to understanding the world’s deepest mysteries, few can compare to you."
"Compared to Donghua’s current God of the Human Path, who carries the National Fortune upon himself, your path is closer to the Celestial Dao. In comparison, I admire you more. You are worthy of knowing my na."
"In the past, you could have called ’Mo.’ As for now, I would prefer you call ’Doctor Nightmare.’"
The hazy figure said lightly.
"Doctor Nightmare... So you’re the main culprit behind the global turmoil back then? To think that even in that era, you already possessed the ability to escape the Pure White Dream Realm and walk the earth."
"Back then, you took the opportunity to incite war and chaos throughout the world. It wasn’t just to accelerate the revival of the Celestial Demons, but to hasten your own escape."
"I can feel that within that pure white expanse, all the world’s goodness is gathered: purity, innocence, romance, love, hope, kindness, compassion, piety..."
"And so, you sought to dissolve the power of that pure white with ambition, war, greed, slaughter, and hatred."
Kekao said lightly.
"As I thought. Being closer to the essence of the Celestial Dao, you can perceive more of its secrets."
"Well then, since you can sense all that, you should also understand what we represent to this world."
Mo, or rather, Doctor Nightmare, said with a light chuckle.
"A malignant disease and a venomous tumor."
Kekao said.
"Or, evolution and opportunity, wouldn’t you say?"
Doctor Nightmare said.
"I can feel that you are incompatible with this world. You don’t belong here. You bring nothing but invasion and conquest, so how could there be any true sense of belonging or goodwill? Certain nations of this world have already demonstrated this point profoundly. Colonizers preach civilization and freedom, but everywhere they go, they leave only suffering, oppression, and humiliation."
Kekao asked.
"Your perspective is ultimately too narrow. On this planet, in this universe, true goodwill has never existed. On the contrary, the cold, indifferent Laws of nature and the cosmos lean more toward what you would call evil. The strong can trample the weak, and the weak must draw power from the strong to beco stronger, until one day they can trample the strong underfoot."
"It’s a never-ending cycle. The essence of evolution is a cycle of hatred. So-called goodwill and morality are nothing more than cages built by the weak out of fear to restrain the strong. They are the shackles of self-limitation."
Doctor Nightmare said lightly.
"It seems you have no real understanding of humanity, of Cultivation, or of us."
"If the instinct for evil were truly the most powerful force in the world, then all forms of Cultivation—be it asceticism, the Martial Dao, or any other path—would share a single essence."
"And that is to use a tiny candle fla to suppress the boundless darkness, to use a flicker of goodwill to restrain endless evil."
"To find a miracle in the impossible."
Kekao said calmly.
"That doesn’t sound like sothing a practitioner would say. I thought that for soone closer to the Celestial Dao like you, the rational desire for a higher realm would outweigh your humanity."
Doctor Nightmare said, shaking his head.
"This is why I say you don’t truly understand us. The first principle of our practice is ’to be cruel to oneself, but show love to others.’ In the midst of endless pain and darkness, what keeps us from becoming twisted is a heart that can perceive ’goodness.’ Therefore, the Celestial Dao I cultivate is the one that gives life to all creation."
"Besides, it is precisely my rational desire for a higher realm that tells this: all gifts from others co with a price tag, secretly attached."
Kekao replied.
"It seems we won’t be able to reach an agreent today."
Doctor Nightmare said with a sigh.
"We were already on different sides. Our dispute with Donghua stems from an internal struggle for leadership within the human race."
"I will not interfere in internal disputes. But when it cos to external enemies, I share their stance."
"Furthermore, I have always believed that I can reach the apex of this world’s void on my own, just as I once climbed, step by step, to the peak I stand on today."
Kekao said softly.
"A pity. I’m afraid you won’t live to see that day."
Doctor Nightmare said, his voice full of regret.
BOOM!!
Then, endless gray mist erupted violently from his body. Everywhere it spread, the Brahma World, once like a Divine Kingdom, was rapidly corrupted. In the wake of the gray mist, everything turned into a Nightmare.
"You’re too confident. Still bound by the Pure White, how much of your power can you truly exert from such a great distance?"
Kekao’s expression was perfectly calm.
"Legend has it that the Creator God, Brahma Heaven, was born within a Golden Egg. Inside was nothing but chaos, until Brahma Heaven split it in two, giving rise to the concept of heaven and earth."
"I have always been curious. In that instant of creating heaven and earth from chaos, what was the first ’existence’ that Brahma Heaven saw?"
"Later, when I first carved out my own world from the endless darkness, I finally understood what that first ’existence’ was at the mont the world took shape."
A faint smile touched Kekao’s face, which resembled that of the god Brahma Heaven. He slowly extended one of his many arms and made a gentle swipe in front of him.
HUMMM!!
It was as if the scene of him creating the Brahma World from within the darkness had returned, blindingly bright.
"He saw the sa thing I did. It was light."
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