Chapter 117: I Am the Heart Demon
Lu Yang entered a mysterious state where he felt every acupoint in his body brimming with spiritual energy, his internal circulation merging with the external spiritual energy, exchanging spiritual energy with each inhalation and exhalation.
His heart was more peaceful than ever, benefiting from refining the benefits brought by the Kui ox, feeling his body steadily becoming stronger.
“It’s best to see how things go.” Yun Zhi glanced at Lu Yang, who was cultivating, and didn’t disturb him. She went alone to the pine forest, leaving the puppet to protect Lu Yang.
It was deep into the night at Heaven’s Gate Peak, with only Yun Zhi and Lu Yang there, making it exceptionally quiet. Yun Zhi walked among the mountains like a fairy treading on clouds.
Then Yun Zhi saw her noisy master and the elders trapped inside the cave.
Their voices could be heard from a distance.
Yun Zhi sighed, knowing that what was meant to happen, would always happen.
She entered the cave, contemplating whether to release them.…
Inside the cave, the high-ranking officials of the Dao Seeking Sect gathered.
“I knew my Senior Brothers and Senior Sister are kind-hearted people, unwilling to see me here alone, specially coming in to accompany me,” Daoist Non-Speaker was grateful, but the upward curl of his lips couldn’t be hidden.
“Especially Second Senior Brother, who appears to be breaking the formation on the surface but actually came because he saw my loneliness, bringing everyone to accompany me!”
Grandpa Ba immediately felt the malicious stares of his junior brothers and sisters, feeling immense pressure.
He tried to stay calm and said, “Everyone, don’t panic. This is just a seal set by Junior Niece Yun Zhi, not her in person. As long as we all work together, we can surely overcome this difficulty and break the seal!”
“Think of the Dao Seeking Sect’s Nine, think of how you hold high positions now. What difficulty can stump us?”
In their youth, they roamed the world, slaying demons and eliminating evil, leaving a formidable name across the Central Continent. “The Dao Seeking Sect’s Nine” was what people called them at that time.
In the cramped cave, the Dao Seeking Sect’s Nine united once again.
“Second Senior Brother, how exactly can we leave this place?” Grandpa Ba glared at Daoist Non-Speaker menacingly. He came to watch the fun but ended up being part of it.
Daoist Non-Speaker chuckled, how could he easily let everyone leave after they had come to accompany him?
He said seriously, “I’m not ashamed to say that Little Yun’s cultivation has long surpassed mine. The purpose of her setting this seal is to motivate me to cultivate diligently and break through my limits.”
“So, to break the seal, we must surpass our limits and exceed ourselves!”
Everyone realized the seriousness of the situation. Surpassing oneself sounds easy but is incredibly difficult to achieve.
Daoist Non-Speaker had already thought about the development of events: everyone would try to break the seal one by one, and after being repelled, they would likely become disheartened. At that moment, he would claim he had an epiphany and needed to meditate for three days. After three days, he would pretend his aura had surged and perform a spectacular sword technique to strike the cave entrance, just as the seal was naturally released. His Senior Brothers and Senior Sister would then marvel at his insight.
A perfect plan!
“Since that’s the case, as your Second Senior Brother, I must take the lead and attempt first!” With the Grand Elder absent, Grandpa Ba was the eldest, and he wanted to set an example.
The others watched Grandpa Ba with anticipation, but he felt he probably couldn’t break the seal and it would be embarrassing, so he turned and said, “Step back, I have a unique technique that I prefer not to perform in front of others.”
Everyone obediently retreated to the deeper part of the cave, where they couldn’t see the entrance.
Seeing everyone back away, Grandpa Ba took a deep breath and flicked a few seeds from his sleeve. Accompanied by his murmured incantations, the seeds instantly turned into robust vines that struck the cave entrance, glowing faintly as thunder erupted, shaking the heavens and the earth.
These were the rare Purple Thunder Vines, said to be born from bathing in heavenly tribulation, carrying the mark of heaven and earth from birth, possessing a fraction of the tribulation’s power.
After a bombardment, the cave entrance remained unchanged, the seal untouched.
“Hmm?”
Through the smoke, Grandpa Ba saw a figure, furrowing his brows.
As the smoke cleared, Yun Zhi’s figure was revealed.
With his vast experience, Grandpa Ba immediately understood what was happening.
This must be his own heart demon. Hadn’t Ninth Junior Brother said it? To break the seal, one must surpass oneself, and to do that, one surely must defeat their heart demon.
“I thought I had let go, believing it was good for the younger generation to be stronger than the old. It seems I haven’t truly let go!” Grandpa Ba was filled with fighting spirit.
With this thought, Grandpa Ba didn’t hesitate any longer and attacked Yun Zhi with all his might.
Yun Zhi had intended to check on the elders to see what they were doing and consider whether to let them out, only to be met with Grandpa Ba’s barrage upon reaching the entrance.
Yun Zhi had no choice but to counterattack, extending her delicate hand, her bracelet jingling. With a palm strike, she sent Grandpa Ba flying.
Grandpa Ba was caught by Third Elder and the others after flying a great distance.
“Second Senior Brother, what happened to you?”
Grandpa Ba coughed twice, his eyes showing a hint of fear. He shakily pointed towards the cave entrance and said, “Be careful, Ninth Junior Brother didn’t lie to us. Junior Niece Yun Zhi has set a heart demon seal. To break the seal, we must resolve the heart demon!”
Daoist Non-Speaker murmured to himself, confused about this heart demon.
Third Elder, never one to use his brain much and naturally believing whatever Grandpa Ba said, also tried and encountered Yun Zhi. When Yun Zhi defeated five Sect Masters at the Immortal Sect Conference, she became a heart demon for the older generation, making them question what they had cultivated for thousands of years. Third Elder was no exception.
Like Grandpa Ba, upon seeing Yun Zhi, Third Elder prepared for battle and, similarly, was sent flying with a palm strike.
“Such a formidable heart demon!”
Fourth Elder, Fifth Elder… up to Eighth Elder, one by one, the elders tried and were all defeated by Yun Zhi.
Daoist Non-Speaker, puzzled, approached the cave entrance and, seeing Yun Zhi, finally understood. This wasn’t some heart demon; it was clearly Little Yun herself guarding the door!
“Little Yun?” Daoist Non-Speaker tentatively called out.
Yun Zhi emotionlessly responded, “I am the heart demon.”
After speaking, she didn’t give her master a chance to react, striking him and turning to leave the cave.
Treating herself as a heart demon and attacking on sight, and he still wants to come out? Just meditate quietly for three days.
…
Lu Yang slowly opened his eyes, feeling a warm current in his body, now only a step away from a breakthrough.
By then, Yun Zhi had already returned to her seat. Lu Yang, seeing Yun Zhi sitting across from him, couldn’t tell if it was his imagination, but he felt that Eldest Senior Sister seemed somewhat pleased.
“Eldest Senior Sister, is there something that made you happy?”
“No,” Yun Zhi responded as coldly as ever.
(End of the chapter)