There was once a legend
of the terrified fiend, Taotie.
It was known as the hungry, great, defiant beast
that lived on Yellow Stone Mountain.
Countless immortals had passed through this area and heard the beast's cry,
a cry that shook them to their core.
Some immortals came to investigate,
but they never returned.
Sometimes, blood would fill the air.
Then came Renewal.
He destroyed his own village out of hatred
and walked away, carrying deep regret.
He wandered through the night, uncaring of worldly affairs,
and went unseen by mortal society for three months.
Then, one day, he arrived at Yellow Mountain,
drawn by a fierce roar.
He was covered in blood,
hunted by all the immortals from the immortal continent who pursued him.
At that time, there were few sects.
Only one had been destroyed by Renewal's wrath.
Only the Five Tribes of Heaven Soul remained.
This was the first tribe in human history.
And the mortal ruler reigned during this time.
Renewal saw golden crystals scattered along a road,
leading up into a mountain valley.
He walked inside, not caring what awaited him.
Even as beasts attacked, he felt nothing;
he was too depressed to care what would come,
even if death itself approached.
He did not care for his life.
He cared only for affection.
Only for the one he truly loved.
The world hated him — who would care for him?
But then he came upon a massive cave,
bigger than two hundred trees combined.
As he stepped inside,
he could never have expected what awaited him:
Leftover skeletons.
All hung from the walls,
black bones piercing through their remains.
On the wall were six words:
*"If you found this cave with the remains of bones,
you know that we are dead…"*
Even in death, I died to warn others
of the beast that hungers, thirsting only for blood to survive.
A creature like this does not care for the world;
it cares only for its thirst.
If you do not kill, you will die a useless death —
eaten alive, without even an arm remaining.
If you are not ruthless, you will die stabbed in the back.
If you are not cunning, you will die confused and tortured by the beast for ages,
until only your skull remains.
If you are not smart, your head will be smashed in.
If you are not prepared to survive, you will be killed.
Renewal raised his head, reading the manuscript.
A smile spread across his face.
Is this a game I am playing?
He looked at the corpses hanging from the walls.
One skull had been burst open.
Renewal spoke quietly:
"If you are not smart, you will be hit by the head."
He turned to another skeleton, its ribs broken.
"If you are not ruthless, you will be stabbed in the back."
The next skeleton had only a single skull remaining.
"If you are not cunning, you will be tortured by the beast until only your head remains."
Another skeleton, twisted and broken:
"If you are not cunning, you will be trapped in confusion by the beast, and you will die."
Renewal smiled.
What does death truly mean to me?
It seemed the beast never feared death,
yet it brought death to others.
Suddenly, saliva dripped from his mouth.
He read the next words on the wall:
"If you hunger for blood, be prepared to kill one who hungers even more."
Humans kill for benefit;
animals kill because it is instinct.
Renewal stepped out of the cave and looked high above.
A massive crystal mountain stretched upward.
There ahead stood the taotie
It huge head was covered by a deep green aura,
shaped like a lion's mane of flames.
Its eyes were like deep abysses.
Its face resembled a lion,
but its teeth were covered in scales.
Its body was lion-shaped,
its black fur shining darkly.
Its teeth were like fat daggers.
The massive creature looked down.
Behind it stood a massive temple,
with floating artifacts hovering around it :
Two skeletal arms,
a skeleton body,
and a leftover piece of skull.
Pools of blood hung in the air.
Renewal looked at the artifacts.
They were the remains of the dead.
The Taoist beast stared at Renewal.
Suddenly, someone flew behind him.
A figure with black, inky skin, two white eyes, and hair as black as night.
His body was covered in deeply sculpted armor,
with two dragon heads resting on his shoulders.
"You are the next challenger of Yellow Mountain?"
Renewal smiled at him.
The sun dissolved behind clouds.
Two chairs flew toward Renewal.
He gave the man a strange look.
The man carried a chair, set down a table,
and sat.
"Hmph… you are a strange one, boy."
Renewal's smile widened.
Some teeth had fallen out; blood seeped from his lips.
*"Ahhhh… I thought the people who died, their skeletons hanging from the walls,
were only stupid fools…"*
But the man shook his head.
*"No, boy. They died because they wanted to free me from the beast's maw.
But they all died playing a deadly game."*
Renewal frowned.
"What deadly game?"
The man smiled.
*"A game of choosing the Dao Board.
But that game was stupid.
So I made a game of Stone Pavilion Chest."*
Renewal thought to himself:
You clearly mean this was created by the First Father of humanity in the mortal world?
The man nodded.
*"Oh yes… I forgot to tell you my name.
Oh, whatever.
Call me Taoti."*
Renewal held his chin.
Saliva dripped from his mouth.
"Ahh… so thirsty I am for blood."
Taotie summoned two cups made of iron,
and poured tea into them.
"Come, take a drink."
Renewal stared, expressionless.
His mouth shut, his eyes stern.
He was thinking.
Suddenly, he heard a voice, and his eyes widened slightly.
"Oh, poor soul… what is happening to you?"
The man asked as he drank.
Renewal spoke aloud:
"Just thinking… where to go next after I play a game with you."
The man continued drinking.
*"Fool… you cannot escape.
You are bound from the first moment we met,
because Taotie would kill you if you tried to leave."*
Renewal looked up, confused.
*"You're clearly stupid," he said.
"After I defeat you, fool."*
The man froze.
"Ahh… this beast has such confidence."
Suddenly, he asked aloud:
"Do you believe in hope… without blood?"
Renewal raised his head.
"What is that?"
The man continued drinking.
*"Ahh, little boy… there was a legend of a noble hero,
a man of great achievement.
He was tall and handsome,
with vast wealth and many accomplishments.
Yet he did not feel complete.
He longed for something to fulfill his life.
The village hated him.
Everyone despised him,
for he was the image of Nezha, one of the Nine Rulers.
Even so, he cared for the village as if it were his own.
But one day, he grew uncooperative and angry,
for the village did not accept him.
Without remorse, he sought to slay them.
It was a bloody battle.
The village cursed him, calling him every imaginable name,
but he only laughed.
He lay in the middle of the city,
blood pouring into the sky.
*"I will kill you all for this absurd stupidity!
I will be free, like a truly free person!"*
The entire village was eradicated.
He wandered for three months,
without a single soul to show him compassion.
Who knew what became of him?
Had he survived? Who knows.
Had he become good? Who knows.
But he always asked one thing:
Why does everyone hate me?
Renewal laughed quietly.
Ahhh… aha… aha…
Ahahahahahahaha!
Ahahahah!
Renewal stretched his hand forward.
Blood began to fall from his palm.
"This is the blood of all my village. By the way, father!"
The man shivered.
Renewal?
Renewal stood.
He tore his sleeves, left and right.
A torrent of blood poured out,
as the sound of screaming could be heard as blood spread across the floor.
Even the beast was shocked to its core.
"Oh father! I finally teach you."
*"I did not kill them because they hated me!
I made that story up!"*
Renewal looked into the man's eyes.
*"I am hungry for blood to survive.
I am hungry for wisdom.
I am hungry to be cunning.
I am hungry to be ruthless.
Is this beast hungry to devour me?
The beast and I are not so different.
We both kill for hunger!"*
Ahahahaha!
Renewal sat down.
He continued:
"Do you have any questions?"
The man fell to the ground, shaking with fear.
Even the mighty beast trembled behind him.
Then the man began to age rapidly.
His beard grew down his neck,
and his hair turned gray.
He stood there, almost bare and frail.
Renewal saw a massive artifact:
a shield with a face etched in its center.
This was the Changing Face Artifact.
The man shouted:
*"Why… why… why?
Why did you kill my village for such nonsense?"*
The beast froze.
This was the ruler of the sect, the only survivor.
"You tracked my footprints… how?"
Renewal smiled.
*"Ahahaha… I am hungry, father.
I killed mother too. She is dead as well."*
The leader of the sect yelled:
*"Was it because we treated you badly?
Because you were a danger to the village?
Why would you kill us for blood?
I thought you wanted revenge for how we treated—"*
Bam.
Renewal slammed his foot down.
The man struggled to breathe as Renewal continued:
*"I will be honest, Father.
I wanted nothing more but… oh, swirled up in unwanted revenge for how you treated me,
and it was like I was a plague.
I wanted to be free of it all: pain, shame, and regret.
I wanted a good father,
a good mother,
but you guys hated me to the point of not treating me like a son."*
Renewal looked away as more blood fell between his fingers.
*"But then I found out why you hated me.
I have an evil Soul Force,
something unnatural to humans.
With normal soul core formation,
I have a blood Soul Core formation.
What was a flaw to a human…
I thought you guys would help me with this, then you guys became distant for good reason that I understand.
Then I became hungry for blood.
So I kill because I am wise, so I can see another day.
If you are not wise, you would be a fool.
I kill because I am ruthless. If I wasn't ruthless with the village, I would have suffered.
I kill because I am cunning.
If you are not cunning, one would ruin everything.
I kill because I am brave. I have the resolve to end the whole village for hunger.
And unlike you, I was prepared to die.
I know when I turn against you,
the only person who would love me is me!"*
*"Now I am the monster the village feared.
Me and Taotie's hunger are not different.
Unlike Taotie, who is hungry only to survive,
I enjoy it, though I despise it. For survival's sake…"*
Ahhh, father!
Suddenly, he grabbed his father's head,
his nail stabbing inside his flesh.
"I will fulfill that desire, father!"
To kill.
The great, mighty Taotie looked for the first time, scared.
As it took some steps back, trying to comprehend what was happening,
its face turned pale.
The mighty Taotie, who only cared about its own greed
and would even eat its own body to satisfy its own hunger,
had never truly been hungry.
But Renewal… he was the true Taotie,
far hungrier, with blood.