In that instant, they realized the truth.
“He’s not human. He’s also… a true demon…”
The three demons were stunned, unable to understand how Lin Mo had hidden his true nature. Lin Mo wasn’t surprised that they mistook him for a true demon. The system had said it before: if he completely suppressed his spiritual energy, he would become a demon.
“Now then, aren’t you all going to attack together?” Lin Mo sneered coldly.
The remaining three demons no longer dared to underestimate him. They attacked Lin Mo together, striking in unison. Facing their coordinated assault, Lin Mo could barely parry their attacks each time. It had to be said—true demons were incredibly powerful in battle. If they had been human cultivators at the same level, even facing three at once, Lin Mo could have easily dealt with them. But in this battle, the three demons exchanged blow for blow with him.
When Demon Lord Meiyan brought Yan Ruyu here, both were stunned. “He’s actually not human—he’s a demon…” Meiyan said, her face filled with disbelief. The perception of demonic energy would never deceive her. Though Lin Mo hadn’t transformed into a demon physically, the demonic energy swirling around him was something only true demons could possess. Yan Ruyu, on her side, was equally shocked.
But what she couldn’t understand even more was—how could Lin Mo break through from Foundation Establishment all the way to the Divine Transformation stage in such a short time? Back then, she had proposed that even if Lin Mo could reach Divine Transformation within ten years, it would already be an impossible feat. Yet Lin Mo had achieved it in just two and a half years. His cultivation speed was simply beyond comprehension. She couldn’t understand what exactly Lin Mo had gone through during this time, nor why he would come to the demon realm, fighting all the way to Meiyan Demon Lord’s estate to rescue her. And how had Lin Mo recognized that Lin Xiang’er was their daughter?
All of this—every part of it—was simply beyond belief. In truth, ever since Lin Xiang’er was born, Yan Ruyu had felt a small sense of doubt. Within Lin Xiang’er’s bloodline, the demonic side was more pure. Back then, she didn’t understand where the issue lay. But now that she had seen Lin Mo, she understood. “He’s not a true demon—he’s a half-demon.” These words were directed at Demon Lord Meiyan.
“Half-demon?” Meiyan frowned. “You’re quite impressive, managing to find a half-demon body in the human lower realm.” A half-demon—meaning the child of a human and a true demon.
Yan Ruyu gave a bitter smile—she hadn’t known back then that Lin Mo was a half-demon. Everything he had shown at the time was entirely human. She didn’t know how he had concealed his half-demon bloodline—not even she had noticed. Yet this unintended mistake had actually benefited her, allowing Xiang’er to inherit even more demonic blood.
On Lin Mo’s side, he too had noticed Yan Ruyu. But now, she no longer carried that unreachable aura she’d had the first time he met her. That deathly pale face, the chains on her hands and feet, and the four hooks piercing through her body from behind made her look rather pitiful.
“Yan Ruyu, it’s been a while. You’re looking pretty miserable.” While fending off the attacks of the three demons in front of him, Lin Mo mocked her as he spoke.
Upon hearing this, a strange feeling surged in Yan Ruyu’s heart. She recalled when she had first met Lin Mo—back then, he had been a boy who spoke to her with extreme caution at every turn, someone she could have crushed like an ant. But now, he had grown to the point where even she was no longer his match.
Even she herself wasn’t confident that she could face the attacks of Demon Lord Meiyan’s four Divine Transformation subordinates and still gain the upper hand. Yet Lin Mo managed it—and could even spare the effort to chat with her.
Hesitating for a long while, Yan Ruyu finally asked, “Have you seen Xiang’er?”
“I’ve seen her. I like her quite a lot. It was Xiang’er who asked me to come save you. What’s this? Seeing your future husband come to save you—aren’t you a bit moved?” Lin Mo teased.
Strength was capital. If it were back then, he wouldn’t have dared speak to Yan Ruyu in such a way. But now, he truly had the qualifications. Yan Ruyu felt somewhat embarrassed at his words. As someone who had always held a high status, no one had ever dared treat her with such a casual tone. Yet, she didn’t dislike it.
“Flirting in front of this Lord—do you two really have no regard for me?” Demon Lord Meiyan finally spoke. At this point, she could see that her four most favored subordinates had already fallen into a disadvantage. If the fight continued, they would undoubtedly lose. Even she had to admit—Lin Mo was truly powerful.
If Lin Mo were allowed to continue growing, then once he reached the Integration stage, even she might not be able to deal with him. By then, he would undoubtedly pose a serious threat. Thus, she changed her mind—Lin Mo could not be allowed to live. Today, he must die here.
In the next moment, Demon Lord Meiyan joined the battlefield. A long spear formed from demonic energy appeared in her hand, emitting an overwhelmingly terrifying power as she hurled it straight at Lin Mo.
“Opening with a finishing move already?” Lin Mo muttered coldly. Without hesitation, he unleashed the Seven Killing Sword Technique. A massive stream of black sword energy clashed against the long spear. The immense power caused the surrounding ground to tremble, and within moments, deep pits began to form as dust billowed into the air.
Soon, the enormous black sword energy began to dissipate, ultimately shattered by the demon qi-formed spear, which then continued flying toward Lin Mo. Seeing this, Yan Ruyu couldn’t help but cry out, “Be careful!” Lin Mo knew as well that now was the time to use his trump card. In the next moment, the demonic energy around him began to swirl. His eyes turned completely blood-red, and the Liuli Sword was fully enveloped in blood qi. With a light wave, a massive stream of blood-colored sword energy descended from the sky, devouring the spear.
Demon Lord Meiyan’s eyes widened in shock. At this moment, Lin Mo gave her an incredibly dangerous feeling. “What’s going on with this kid?” she thought.
On Yan Ruyu’s side, she too was stunned—not by Lin Mo’s strength, but by the fact that he had truly mastered the sword technique she had once left behind. Around Lin Mo’s body, she felt a sensation that was deeply familiar. Her thoughts were suddenly pulled back to the battlefield of the great immortal-demon war a hundred years ago.
Back then, as the Holy Maiden, she had fought alongside their ancestor Chu Tiange against the cultivators of the immortal path. Truth be told, the overall strength of the demon realm was weaker than that of the human realm. But their ancestor Chu Tiange was simply too powerful. In the days leading up to the great war, his cultivation had skyrocketed mysteriously in just a few nights, and even she had no idea why. Though she could clearly sense his condition wasn’t right, she didn’t think too much of it. Chu Tiange alone had forced the five sect masters of the top-tier immortal sect to retreat repeatedly.
Even the Sword-obsessed Ancestor of the Lingjian Sect couldn’t withstand Chu Tiange’s attack when he entered the battlefield. As for them, the subordinates, they only needed to help the ancestor block the assaults from the five great noble families of the upper realm. At that time, even after giving it her all, she still lost to a single move from the Lin family patriarch’s of the upper realm.
Just when she thought she was surely going to die, a slash of sword energy cut off the Lin family patriarch’s fatal blow, then saved her and instantly brought her to a location outside the battlefield. That person had somehow used a cultivation technique to conceal his appearance.
She was astonished by the man’s strength, but still voiced the doubt in her heart: “You’re not from the demon realm—why would you save me?”
The man didn’t answer her question. Instead, he inexplicably said, “At this moment, you’re actually kind of adorable.”
As soon as he finished speaking, he patted her head, leaving her completely baffled.
“Who exactly are you?” she pressed on.
The man simply smiled and said, “Don’t worry about who I am. Chu Tiange will be sealed by me. I’ll leave you a sword technique—pass it on to someone you believe can make it famous across the world.”
After saying that, the man disappeared. Yet she still felt a bit baffled. How could Ancestor Chu Tiange possibly lose? But the truth of the matter was just that. Her ancestor had lost and was truly sealed by that mysterious rogue cultivator who had suddenly appeared.
Originally, in this war between immortals and demons, the demon realm should have claimed final victory, but it was abruptly ended by this unknown rogue cultivator. The one who sealed her ancestor ultimately vanished without a trace, as if they had entered final meditation and passed away.
What could be confirmed was this: without that person’s intervention, she would have undoubtedly died.
Her thoughts returned to the present as Yan Ruyu fixed her gaze on Lin Mo. The feeling he gave her now was incredibly, incredibly similar to that rogue cultivator who had once appeared and sealed her ancestor…
Author’s Note: I can only spoil one thing—
In the nine hundred and ninety-nine world lines of Lin Mo’s reincarnations, Yan Ruyu had died. Only in this current world line—where Lin Mo has regained his real memories—has there been a change. Those of you who’ve seen Steins;Gate should understand what a “world line” means. Lin Mo’s 999 reincarnations are equivalent to 999 different world lines. The current world line is the one on the correct track.