With the help of the educated Xu Ren, Fang Yuan started to understand the people of this realm.
Based on Xu Ren's description, they were in a country called 'Da Chu'. North of Da Chu were countries like 'Da Qi', 'Da Liang' and others, and these three countries were coexisting together while having tension at the same time.
Since history, Da Chu had been here for 10 centuries and had slowly become weaker over the years. With their geographical disadvantage, it was getting harder and harder for the Imperial Court to exert their control over the country.
Of course, to those who were aware of the situation, they would know that Da Chu still had about 10 over years to go. However, there were still a few unavoidable small conflicts within the country.
"The Golden Lake Prefecture is on the shore of the Golden Court Lake. People do live here, but there are two big threats. Firstly, there were pirates. Secondly, demons would create chaos here. Out of these two, demons had posed the bigger problem!"
Xu Ren looked at Fang Yuan and let out a long sigh.
He had felt depressed for long and had no one to confide to. However, after spending so many days together, he spilt the beans.
"Oh? Why is that so?"
Fang Yuan became interested and probed further.
It seemed that the place was filled with spiritual energy. With that, demons and spirits would be attracted there, especially so since the waterways were extremely connected. If it were the Water Gods or Dragon Gods which came, it would be alright as they were already being prayed to in temples. Powerful demons would have their temples and offerings would be considered as a protection fee. Therefore, these demons and spirits would not easily attack humans.
However, for the rest of them, they were cruel in nature and only wanted to eat humans. They were not given any offerings and had to survive like insects, which meant that they could do anything they wanted.
Further probing from Fang Yuan made him realise that a demon as powerful as him would be worthy of a temple and offerings, and this made him speechless.
The power and influence of demons in this world was unbelievable.
After explaining further, he appeared sorrowful.
"If I was the official for this place, I would clear the evil demon, spirits and pirates and maintain peace in the area!"
As he spoke, Xu Ren slowly became affected by Fang Yuan. His face flushed as he exclaimed. "Eh... What did the people do to deserve the demon's pestering? When can we restore peace?"
"Husband!"
Wan'er tugged at Xu Ren's sleeves. As he became alert, he realised that two demons were blocking their way with a cunning look on their faces.
"Haha... I'll settle them!"
Fang Yuan released his Yin Spirit and revealed a normal looking man in black. With a smile, he waved his hands. "My friend and I do not feed on blood. However, in this world, it is the survival of the fittest. If the people Dao want to move up, they should not depend on demons, but strengthen themselves! The world will still revolve and the people Dao will have to adapt! If they can understand this, they will develop!"
"Survival of the fittest? The world will still revolve, and the people will have to adapt?"
Xu Ren's eyes glittered as though he had understood something. Suddenly, he got up, tidied his robes and bowed towards Fang Yuan, full of sincerity. "Benefactor, you are a genius! Although the books have not recorded anything like this before, it seems like something I can resonate with! We have to adapt to develop... Although I was still at lost at what I should do with regards to the Golden Lake Prefecture, I am clear of what I need to do now."
"Bloop! Bloop!"
In the fish tank, the Golden Red Carp spoke as bubbles floated up. "Brother, what you said is true. However, why are you helping the humans? Are you trying to be one of them? Although Xu Ren might understand it, I don't think he can put these words into action!"
"What nonsense are you spouting?"
Fang Yuan rolled his eyes. His Yin Spirit was in the form of a human and he only spoke what he thought was logical. However, the Golden Red Carp could even talk about him trying to be one of them, making him speechless.
"You should know that the dragon energy in humans is different from the dragon properties in us demons. Furthermore, I am only a weak demon. How would I dare to think of such absurd things? Am I not afraid of tribulations from the heavens?"
With the existence of the imperial order, people and demons in this realm believed in fate.
However, to Fang Yuan, it was all bullsh*t.
What was fate? It would be a mere experience for the physical body!
Even demons would be able to cultivate and become a water dragon. Naturally, they would be strengthened by the violet energy and therefore, they would not care about fate.
As for the practice among humans to provide offerings in temples, he couldn't care less about it.
After all, this practice would get them involved too much and would make them rely too much on the demons and in turn, they would be easily controlled by the demons and therefore had to consider many things. Instead, there would be much more freedom to cultivating as a demon.
"Everyone would have the ability to decide their own futures!"
As he silently sighed, he closed his eyes and continued his cultivation.
In the past few days, he had also ordered Xu Ren to go to the riverbank and retrieve the treasures which Li Luan had described the location of. Indeed, there were gold ingots, silver ingots, jade and a few spiritual pills. With those, Fang Yuan swallowed them and continued his cultivation.
As he closed his eyes, a golden pearl vibrated in his stomach and released a warm glow.
Ever since he had attempted to leap the Dragon's Gate and obtaining a hint of dragon property, he became ever more connected with the Dragon Pearl. Although he still could not absorb it, he could harness its glow to slowly change his own snake body.
'A rope can cut a tree and drops of water can cut through a rock with time. If I use my dragon property to try digesting the Dragon Pearl every day, I'm sure I will benefit from it and it will surely give me an advantage in transforming into a dragon in the future!'
In the Nine Steps of Dragon Transformation Formula, there would be a huge breakthrough required after every 3 transformations.
From a carp to a snake, it was called Carp Leaping over the Dragon's Gate. After success, he would gain some dragon properties and would no longer be restricted to the water.
At the 6 transformations, from the giant venomous snake transformation to the horned dragon transformation, it was another huge breakthrough, called Dragon Transformation Stage. There would be tribulation from the heavens at this stage!
Fang Yuan guessed that the tribulations were a form of returning the favour! After all, after taking in spiritual energy for cultivation, they have to be some form of retribution.
"Cultivation can be split into internal cultivation and external cultivation. With the Dragon Pearl, I should be able to fulfil the internal cultivation of the Dragon Transformation Stage... However, there is still a tribulation that awaits!"
Fang Yuan was lost in his thoughts. "Based on the rules of reality which governs this realm, with karma, one would be able to reduce the intensity of the tribulation... of course, it would only reduce the intensity but not remove it completely. It is still up to the individual to survive the tribulation..."
Suddenly, he opened his eyes as though he had thought of something. "Heavenly karma can be used to reduce the intensity of the tribulations. People karma, on the other hand, can be used to reduce the intensity of people tribulations... Previously, the Water God of Qi Lake had inadequate powers. Although he had enough heavenly karma and was able to delay the day of the heavenly tribulation, he did not have sufficient people karma. With the powerful people tribulation and the fact that his body was weak, he could only go down... However, since he had enough heavenly karma, he would be given a chance to try again... Wait a minute, I seemed to have become the people tribulation of the Water God, as I have taken his backup Dragon Pearl with me... This Water God is really unlucky!"
"However... People! Do they refer to humans as people or demons as people?"
Fang Yuan was stunned.
This was the question as to who would rule the world and how the world would revolve. If understood, he would benefit from it.
Initially, the power and influence of demons would make them the people of the realm.
However, the Water God of Qi Lake had offered protection to many fishes and creatures living in the lake and even distributed his wealth before undergoing his tribulation. If demons were the people, then he should have quite a lot of people karma instead.
"Therefore... there is only one explanation. The god had identified the people wrongly?"
Fang Yuan was utterly shocked. "Although the demons are powerful, humans would be the last ones standing?"
It was unclear, to begin with. As he slowly understood everything, he realised the truth of the world.
Even a strong demon like the Water God of the Qi Lake couldn't break through. This was because it was too early for him to know.
With the demons having everything their way, how would the other species dare to fight against them?
However, since Fang Yuan was from another realm, he had a different point of view and could instantly see through the confusion.
"The demons would fall and the humans would prosper; this would be the trend in this world!"
"The fact that everybody's Yin Spirit was in the form of a human was an explanation for the trend of the world, and not for convenience and standardization sake!"
Fang Yuan's eyes glittered.
"Rumble!"
At this time, there was an explosion heard. Normal people would be shocked but Fang Yuan felt fear.
"Eh? Something's not right?"
Xu Ren pulled the curtains. Sunlight filled the carriage and a gentle breeze caressed his face. "Why would there be a lightning strike out of nowhere?"
He was a mortal, and so was his wife. Both of them shivered in fear.
As for Li Luan, she froze in the fish tank as though she could feel the power from the heavens.
"To detect something even before it happened..."
Fang Yuan acted as though he was shocked, but smiled inside. "It seems that my prediction is correct... There must be a few unique people in this realm who are able to see this fact. Some of them would create trouble while others would remain in hiding, waiting for the perfect opportunity to gather all the tribulations and make use of it to form the Killer Tribulation!"
This was Fang Yuan's chance.
Even though he had the realm evidence and had come from another world, he was still a demon. If he were to do something out of the ordinary, he had to make sure that it was 10 times more extreme than the usual! A 100 times!
With the Killer Tribulation in place, everyone's fate would be intertwined and it was his time to perform.
"It seems that... I'll still have to support the people!"
Fang Yuan snickered, but this time, he looked at Xu Ren with a different expression.
Fang Yuan originally wanted to make use of him and abandon him after he had reached the Golden Court Lake. However, it seems that he would have to continue to use him even after reaching the Golden Court Lake.
"Just now... what happened?"
Li Luan hid in the fish tank and curled up into a ball.
As the thunder roared, she could feel the power of the heaven tribulation.
In front of a powerful thunder like that, even the strongest version of her would crumble into powder!
"Did someone anger the heavens? If that is so, why are the tribulations not happening?"
After a long while, nothing happened in the vicinity. Li Luan mustered her strength and composed herself as she looked at Fang Yuan with a weird expression.
This demon was extremely powerful and could even transform from a carp to a snake. This was something never heard of.
Furthermore, after spending many days with him, Li Luan could feel that the power and energy within him was not something a simple poisonous snake could harness. These were signs of an increase in dragon properties.
The speed at which he was gaining his dragon properties was shocking.
It was possible for someone to believe that Fang Yuan was the one who angered the heavens.
However, the snake was upright and looking upwards into the sky with a shock expression, but was unharmed. With that, Li Luan became confused.