Chapter 404: Dreamscape: Asura King
h.e.l.l’s army that numbers in the millions all advanced upon the side of the mountain.
The demon and beast king armies who had lost their weapons were unable to retaliate.
A single a.s.sault was all it took to scatter the allied army.
“There’s a few strong ones, don’t let them run away” Gu Qing Shan ordered.
His 8 commanders scattered from behind, giving chase.
A few moments later.
The demon and beast king leaders were captured and brought before him.
“You d.a.m.n —–” the demon leader tried to speak.
Gu Qing Shan swung his sword.
Both their heads flew.
“And so, we now have two more true comrades”
Gu Qing Shan declared to his troops below.
They all broke out in laughter.
And then, all the ghosts and dead disappeared.
The scenery around also disappeared.
The entire world was empty.
Only a Ghost General stood in front of Gu Qing Shan.
This Ghost General looked exactly the same as Gu Qing Shan.
It seems this is the original Ghost General.
The Great Ghost General said nothing.
It seems to have quite a bit of complicated feelings.
“It was already an a.s.sured win, why did you have to do it to this degree?” the Great Ghost General asked.
“a.s.sure win? Those words signify arrogance, but me, I’ve always been fearful and paranoid”
“Fearful and paranoid…” the Great Ghost General muttered, full of thought.
“That’s right, the life and death of my kin and comrades are in my hand, I cannot give the enemy any chance to overturn the situation”
“Then it would’ve been fine to take away their weapons, why kill them as well?”
“There’s bound to be unknown powers and abilities in the various different worlds. And the correct way to treat the unknown is with respect and caution”
“You were afraid they might have unknown means at hand?”
“Correct”
The Great Ghost General went silent, then sighed: “So it’s not the enemy’s fault but my own for being too careless”
His body slowly turned into a card.
The card flew by itself in front of Gu Qing Shan.
Depicted on the card was the Great Ghost General wearing his jet black armor with a Blade in hand, roaring to the sky.
A few words were written at the bottom of the card.
[The number one Ghost General of Huang Quan. Having been bestowed a Divine Armament armor by the Devil King, he fought the 4-realm allied army with absolute brutality and has never known defeat]
[Tricked by the schemes of the allied army, the Great Ghost General was surrounded by enemies on all sides, resulting in him not being able to aid and protect the Devil King in time. Filled with regret, he killed himself when the war ended]
[Great Ghost General, Vengeance Deck summon card, 1st rank power level]
When Gu Qing Shan read through the description of the card, the Great Ghost General looked up at him from the card.
“You are a worthy commander, follow me to the next dream” the Great Ghost General spoke.
Gu Qing Shan took the card.
Without any warnings———
The earth and sky broke apart.
The world itself was shaking without pause.
As fragments of the empty world fell and disappeared, new scenery unveiled before Gu Qing Shan’s eyes.
Gu Qing Shan found himself sitting on top of a large elephant.
Gorgeous beauties held weapons in hand stood around to protect him.
“Kuh ——”
Gu Qing Shan couldn’t help himself coughing
He had coughed up blood.
A beauty wearing a brilliantly decorated armor flew on to the elephant and knelt before him.
“King, are you fine?” the beauty asked worriedly.
“Not enough to die. A battle with the Devil King in exchange for such light wounds, worth it”
Gu Qing Shan could hear his own body speak by itself.
The beauty nodded: “We’ll make it to Saint City soon, please rest sire”
At the same time, Gu Qing Shan gained control of this body.
This body was exceptionally weakened, enough that it was hard for him to move.
Suddenly, a voice came into his ears.
“As a reward for pa.s.sing the previous dreamscape, I will help you get a bit of benefit”
This was the Great Ghost General’s voice.
As soon as the voice disappeared, a lot of images and scenery scrolled through Gu Qing Shan’s mind.
These images were chaotic and wild, but they quickly merged with Gu Qing Shan’s consciousness.
Memories!
These are memories!
Gu Qing Shan understood.
He has been infused with all the battle experience and memories of this body.
Unlike the time he became the Great Ghost General from before, the memories he received this time were exceptionally clear.
They were memories of the ancient Asura King.
——furthermore, these memories were directly related to battle.
They contain the Asura King’s experience, understanding and all.
As a species of battle maniacs, the Asura are born, live and die in battle. And the Asura King was no exception.
Although many of the special techniques and skills are uniquely suitable to only the Asura, but the amount of battle experience is vastly different to Gu Qing Shan’s own.
He felt he had his eyes opened.
Together with Gu Qing Shan’s two lives’ worth of battle experience, this had given him a lot to study and comprehend.
Gu Qing Shan closed his eyes and began to take in the memories.
A long time later, or perhaps only a second later.
Gu Qing Shan opened his eyes and tried recalling his previous battles.
At this moment, he can actually find the various mistakes within his own attacks.
Knowing that Gu Qing Shan’s standard in battle is already extremely high, being able to find flaws in them would require eyes that transcend his own.
Gu Qing Shan from before these memories would definitely not be able to do this.
But now, he could easily point them out.
Gu Qing Shan couldn’t help but silently sigh.
Who knew just partic.i.p.ating in the Devil King selection would give a benefit like this?
Gu Qing Shan then opened his eyes and looked around.
Countless soldiers surrounded his elephant steed, protecting him as they marched.
Ahead was already the Heaven realm’s Saint City.
The elephant suddenly stopped.
Four Asura stood in front of the elephant.
They had blocked the path of the elephant.
Immediately, the entire Asura army stopped.
The commanders of the army came forward, wanting to protect the Asura King.
But as they found the four blocking the way to also be Asura, they calmed back down.
Instead a sensitive expression came onto their faces.
As Gu Qing Shan looked at the four below, some memories came.
They are the Kings of the 4 Asura tribes, second only to the Asura King himself.
“King Bali, King Suraskandha, King Vemachitra, King Rahu, why are you here?”
“You lost to the Devil King of h.e.l.l, you’re a disgrace of the Asura, no longer fit to lead us” King Rahu spoke first.
“The Asura needs a new king” King Vemachitra followed up.
“That’s right, and we want to challenge you now” King Suraskandha said.
Gu Qing Shan looked at the only Asura who still hadn’t spoken yet and asked: “King Bali, what say you?”
King Bali answered: “You should die”
A rage like never before boiled up inside Gu Qing Shan.
His body instinctively wanted to stand up.
This was the Asura’s belligerent nature.
Gu Qing Shan could even recall an Asura secret technique that this Asura body can use.
The secret technique allows him to instantly recover his strength at the cost of his lifespan.
As long as his body recovers, Gu Qing Shan feels fully capable of killing these four challengers standing before himself.
But Gu Qing Shan used everything he had to keep his rage down.
Saint City was up ahead.
According to memories, the Devil King is actually friendly with the Asura.
They’re enemies who got to know each other through battle, before finally becoming friends.
The Devil King had even personally taught the Asura King a few powerful secret techniques.
And now, the Asura King was going to meet up with the Devil King in Saint City.
Gu Qing Shan inhaled deeply and quickly a.n.a.lyzed the situation at hand with the clues he got.
“I accept your challenge”
The four Kings appeared glad.
The Asura are belligerent by nature, so how could their King not accept a challenge in front of so many tribesmen?”
But then Gu Qing Shan continued: “Let’s go then, head to Saint City first, after my wounds are healed, we will start”
The four Kings exchanged looks and didn’t move out of the way.
“According to the rules of we Asura, the four of us can challenge you at any time we wish” King Suraskandha spoke.
“That’s right, we want to win against you right here and now” King Vemachitra said.
At this time, Gu Qing Shan had completely blocked out his emotions.
He had a questioning expression on his face: “Do you know what the Devil King and I had battled each other?”
“What? Don’t tell me you’re so badly wounded that you can’t even fight?” King Bali scoffed.
Gu Qing Shan scratched his head, then thought of something.
He raised one hand and began to swore: “As heaven and earth witness, my wounds are severe and will affect my battle prowess. If I speak a word of lie, then may lightning of the Heaven realm strike me down on the spot”
Invisible wind flowed around him.
The heaven and earth had sensed it.
——this is an oath.
An oath made by the Asura King, furthermore one made in front of all Asuras, in the world of Heaven realm.
Even a single lie will end in his horrible death.
Silence.
Even after a while, nothing happened.
No lightning struck down.
Gu Qing Shan shrugged: “As you have seen, this King doesn’t speak a word of lie”
All Asura silently nodded.
Challenging the Asura throne is a divine and sacred ritual.
When their King had openly declared himself to be heavily wounded, even if a challenge takes place, it wouldn’t serve to show the might of the new King.
——-and such a challenge wouldn’t be accepted by the Asura tribe in the first place.
The four King’s expressions changed.
Refusing to accept the battle so righteously and openly, this has never happened before!
“But you lost to the Devil King! I will not recognize you as our king” King Vemachitra spoke.
“Right!”
“You are no longer King”
“Abdicate by yourself!”
The three other kings joined in at the same time.
Gu Qing Shan laughed.
He raised the Asura King scepter by his side, saying: “I can give this to you, but there is only one Asura King…”
The four kings then exchanged looks, hesitant.
Gu Qing Shan continued: “Then how about we pick out a new King right here and now ———I completely agree with this”
“Come, our tribesmen are all here, which one of you is the strongest, show us”
He lightly tossed the scepter forward.
The Asura King scepter squarely landed in front of the four tribes’ Kings.
This scepter represents the highest honor and absolute authority within the Asura.
King Vemachitra stared at the scepter, speaking in a low voice: “I will be King, the three of you back down”
“You? Just with your pathetic skills? Ridiculous!” King Suraskandha refused.
“I’m still here and you all still want to compete for the throne?” King Bali spoke.
King Vemachitra angrily roared: “Very well, all the tribesmen are here, let me show them just who is the strongest!”
King Rahu suddenly spoke: “All of you stop! Do not fall for his schemes”
He continued: “The Asura King wants us to kill each other!”
The four Kings turned to look at the Asura King.
Gu Qing Shan laughed louder.
“The scepter is right there. Without the courage to even pick it up, you still dare to name yourself Asura King?”
He stood up, declaring: “At the time I became King, I won against 79 challengers”
The Asura all became rowdy.
This was the truth, every Asura remember that historic moment well.
It was an exceptional fight for the throne.
“Tell me, has the Asura tribes ever had a King that doesn’t dare to fight?” Gu Qing Shan continued to ask in a booming voice.
“Never!”
“There are none!”
“No King is afraid of battle!”
All the Asura loudly answered.
“For the last hundred thousand years, the fight for the Asura throne has always been won through blood and fire, has this ever changed!?” Gu Qing Shan asked again.
“Never!”
All Asura answered in unison.
Gu Qing Shan then sat back down on his elephant steed.
He looked down at King Rahu and spoke with a casual tone: “If you don’t dare to battle, then get out of the fight for the throne”
King Rahu had nothing else to say.
Because everything he said is the truth.
This was an open plot. (1)
And I can’t even attack him, because he’s already given up the throne.
If I won’t compete for the throne and instead go after a crippled abdicated man, I’ll be the humiliation of all Asuras.
Thinking that, King Rahu became furious.
He’s still an Asura in the end.
“Very well, I’ll climb onto the throne first THEN deal with you!”
King Rahu spoke with a grim expression on his face.
Gu Qing Shan smiled and gestured King Rahu to pay attention around himself.
King Rahu turned around.
The other three Kings were looking at him full of fighting spirit.
On his elephant steed, Gu Qing Shan’s voice came.
“Let the battle commence”
Note:
(1) open plot: The word “plot” in Chinese is “阴谋” or Yin Mou, which literally translates to “negative plot”. Because of this, there’s a concept called “杨谋” or Yang Mou – “positive plot” that is the twin of “negative plot”. Essentially, an open plot is one where even if the enemy knows it’s a plot, they can’t help but follow through with it, lest they face even worse consequences, whereas a normal plot can be dealt with once you find out about it.
Examples in this novel:
Plot: Gu Qing Shan luring the Demon Lord and Soul Devouring Arachna near the Forgetting River to switch places with them. If either of them knew about Gu Qing Shan’s [Shadow s.h.i.+ft], they could’ve kept their distance and his plot would’ve failed.
Open plot: Gu Qing Shan’s interrogation of the black-robed skeleton back in Reality. He open tells the skeleton what he’s going to do, but the skeleton have no choice but to comply because he will face a fate worse than death/sleep if he doesn’t.