“Chier, tell me, where did you acquire such spiritual power?” The more Huo Wuji examined Ji Yang, the more astonished he became.
In the world, there are forty great Dao paths. Twenty belong to the Qian path, which is pure and focuses on restraining human desires, attaining pure Qian energy, and seeking immortality. The Kun path, being turbid, aligns with human desires but isn’t entirely demonic. It encompasses human ingenuity in crafts, mechanics, alchemy, and array formations. However, these auxiliary schools rely on external forces. Among the Kun paths, only the demonic way offers the possibility of breaking through to the void.
The Tianxie Dao represents the pinnacle of demonic cultivation. While not as dominant as the Daosheng Tian, which governs thirty-six great Dao paths, it still boasts nine supreme demonic cultivation routes capable of achieving divine transformation. As the son of the Prison Demonic Marquis, Li Chi should have followed his father’s cultivation path. Why would he suddenly switch to another?
Nearby, Yin Ya silently cursed his luck. He had underestimated the realm of divine transformation cultivators and prepared himself for the possibility of his spiritual body being dispersed if discovered. However, Ji Yang responded smoothly.
“When Father reached the late stage of divine transformation, he struggled with the second decline. His spiritual light often flickered, so he urged me to travel extensively. During a perilous encounter in the Small Mountain and Sea Secret State, I witnessed the Styx River pouring from the sky. Since then, I’ve had a mysterious insight, gradually departing from Father’s teachings.”
Upon hearing this, Huo Wuji’s doubts instantly vanished. Moved, he said, “Indeed, your father struggled with the second decline of the celestial realm. Chier, your fortuitous encounter makes you a once-in-a-century prodigy in our Si State. It would be a shame to waste your talent competing for the Emperor’s position. Once I’m free, I’ll recommend you. Within ten years, I’ll certainly help you form your Nascent Soul.”
The surrounding divine transformation cultivators, mostly demonic practitioners, had been closely observing. One spoke up, “This child, so young, has already reached the state of mysterious insight. He might not only match us in the future but could even forge his path. Huo Wuji, your Si State has great potential. Does this child have a Dao partner? I have a distant niece with an extremely yin constitution. Would you consider her?”
Pleased by the friendly overture, Huo Wuji’s face brightened. “Chier is in his prime. Would you like me to arrange a Dao partner for you?”
“Not yet,” Ji Yang replied, lowering his gaze. “However… I do have someone in mind.”
At this moment, Nan Yan’s mind was in chaos. She desperately wanted to drag Ji Yang into a dark room for interrogation. Hearing his suggestive response, she couldn’t help but turn her head away, unsure how to face him now.
“Ha ha! I’ve heard that the female cultivators from Yin State are indeed the most beautiful,” Huo Wuji laughed, deliberately raising his voice. “Once we’re out of this forsaken place, I’ll snatch a few for you. Master Yigu, as the ruler of Yin State, shouldn’t you recommend some suitable candidates to my nephew when he visits? Show some hospitality!”
Nan Yan’s heart skipped a beat… Her uncle was indeed here!
From a black stone island supported by seven bronze pillars, two floating islands away, a calm voice responded, “Yin State doesn’t welcome malicious guests. A hundred years of punishment is no small matter. Friend Huo, you’ve wasted many years here in a body-snatched form, with only two or three-tenths of your power remaining. Please, show some restraint.”
“Hmph!” Huo Wuji, who had been body-snatched years ago, had struggled to recover his cultivation in the demon-sealing array. He had fallen from mid-stage divine transformation to early-stage and was often mocked by other cultivators. He snorted coldly and turned to Ji Yang, “Nephew, quickly release my seal. I need to teach this arrogant scholar a lesson!”
With the punitive bronze pillars in place, he dared not kill Nan Yi outright, but he could still attack and teach him a lesson from afar.
Ji Yang nodded slightly, seemingly about to release Huo Wuji’s seal, when he suddenly said, “Uncle, I recently acquired a zither while passing through Mao State. After leaving with you, I may never have another chance to come here. I’ve heard that Master Yigu’s zither skills are unparalleled in the world. I’d like to seek his guidance. Would that be possible?”
Hearing that Ji Yang wasn’t immediately releasing his seal, Huo Wuji grew displeased. “What’s so important that you need to learn right now?”
Ji Yang took out the Bing Jiu zither and plucked a string. A haunting note, reminiscent of ancient echoes, resonated through the air.
“This is the zither in question,” he said.
Huo Wuji’s eyes widened instantly, and the surrounding divine transformation cultivators, their divine sense locked onto the scene, exclaimed in surprise.
“The Bing Jiu! How did you acquire this zither?!”
Ji Yang calmly explained, “Years ago, Daosheng Tian sent this zither to Mao State and placed it in a Buddhist temple for those with affinity to comprehend. I played it when I passed by, and now it belongs to our State.”
Huo Wuji burst into laughter. “Nan Yi! It seems someone dislikes you, even discarding the zither you gifted. Don’t you want to take a look? I never expected Chier to be skilled in the zither as well. Your father truly has a talented son, bringing great joy. I’ll wait here while you go seek Master Yigu’s guidance.”
Eager to provoke Nan Yi, Huo Wuji couldn’t pass up this opportunity and urged Ji Yang to proceed.
“I wouldn’t dare disobey Uncle’s command,” Ji Yang replied.
Nan Yan and Yin Ya quickly moved to follow, but Huo Wuji suddenly spoke again.
“You two low-level cultivators, where do you think you’re going? Come back.”
Nan Yan froze, then responded with a blank expression, “The Young Lord is currently obsessed with the zither. Whenever he plays, someone needs to attend to him. I’m responsible for burning incense.”
Suspecting something odd about these two, Huo Wuji turned to Yin Ya. “And you?”
Yin Ya replied, “… I fan him.”
One burns incense, the other fans. It seemed plausible.
While Huo Wuji was momentarily stunned, Nan Yan and Yin Ya seized the opportunity to fly beyond his island’s domain, closely following Ji Yang towards the black stone island where Nan Yi resided.
Nan Yan felt a sense of urgency. As they rounded a reef, she caught sight of a figure sitting quietly between the seven bronze pillars.
It was immediately apparent that this was a gentleman of great courtesy and temperament. Unfortunately, his eyes were lifeless, indicating his inability to see. He could only navigate using his divine sense. As Nan Yan and the others approached, his fingers hovered over the zither strings, seemingly lost in thought.
If his sight were restored, his eyes would closely resemble her mother’s. Nan Yan felt a surge of emotion but remained silent, aware of the divine transformation cultivators surrounding them.
Yin Ya transmitted a message, “Why not use the release order now? Those cultivators can’t reach us here.”
“It’s not advisable,” Nan Yan replied. “Although they can’t leave the black island, their divine sense could easily crush us. I’ll communicate with him using zither language first.”
“You know zither language?”
“Not fluently, but I can manage.”
Ji Yang placed the zither flat, about to begin, but suddenly paused. He looked at Nan Yan’s complex expression, hesitated, then transmitted, “Ah Yan, give me your wooden fish.”
Puzzled, Nan Yan retrieved a wooden fish from her spatial pouch. “Will this do?”
“Yes,” Ji Yang took it and asked, “Do you have more?”
Nan Yan handed over three in total, increasingly confused. Finally, Ji Yang asked, “No more?”
“No, why would I carry so many wooden fish?”
“Good,” Ji Yang said, then promptly threw the wooden fish into the sea.
Nan Yan: “…”
Nan Yan: “Why did you throw away my wooden fish?”
Ji Yang turned away from her accusatory gaze, placed the Bing Jiu zither on his lap, took a deep breath, and played a flowing melody.
After just three notes, Nan Yi snapped to attention, looking perplexed. After a moment’s hesitation, he placed his Tingkuang zither flat and began to accompany Ji Yang.
Though Nan Yan wasn’t usually versed in music, she found herself captivated. While Ji Yang’s playing had been calming and pleasant, Nan Yi’s performance transported her to a different realm, as if she were entering an ethereal mountain landscape.
The Tingkuang and Bing Jiu were renowned zithers. All the divine transformation cultivators in the demon-sealing array listened intently, exchanging admiring comments.
“I’ve heard that when the ‘Virtuous Sound Twin Wonders’ played together, those who listened all advanced in cultivation, increasing their ability to resist heart demons by thirty percent.”
“Even with all the power of pills and spirit stones, one can at best increase spiritual power, but against the heart demon barrier, there’s no solution.”
“I never thought I’d hear two sacred zithers played together in my lifetime. Perhaps this place isn’t so dull after all.”
Just as everyone was deeply immersed in the music, a thunderous crack resounded, followed by an overwhelming divine sense of pressure directed at Nan Yan and her companions.
Huo Wuji’s voice cut through the air, “That’s the Night Lament! You’re not my nephew Li Chi! Who are you?!”
The divine sense of a divine transformation cultivator was incredibly sharp. Nan Yan felt as if a devastating force was about to crush them. Fortunately, Nan Yi plucked a string, transforming the previously solemn and classical melody into a charge of iron cavalry, instantly shattering Huo Wuji’s divine sense attack.
“Nan Yi, you—!” Huo Wuji finally understood. The small island around him churned with waves in response to his anger. “You stole my Si State release order! I won’t rest until one of us is dead!”
The chains behind him shook violently, and runes lit up on the seven punitive bronze pillars. Arcs of lightning traveled along the chains towards him.
Huo Wuji let out an agonized scream, forced to his knees. He had to sit and regulate his breath, but the venomous look in his eyes was chilling.
After repelling Huo Wuji, Nan Yi casually strummed his zither, creating a barrier to isolate them. He then stood and asked, “Huo Wuji is known for his brutality. Pay him no mind. Which one of you… which one is my sister’s descendant?”
His voice trembled slightly at the end.
Nan Yan, having witnessed his tragic story throughout her journey, felt a lump in her throat. She dispelled her disguise and said, “Uncle.”
Nan Yi stood up abruptly, stumbling a few steps towards Nan Yan. “Twenty years… I thought it would be quick, but my sister already has a child. Child, what’s your name?”
Nan Yan stepped forward to support Nan Yi’s hand. “I took mother’s surname. She named me Nan Yan, but you can call me Ah Yan, Uncle.”
Divine transformation cultivators could perceive minute details and blood ties couldn’t be faked. Nan Yi felt both bewildered and overjoyed.
“Ah Yan… good child. This demon-sealing array is so dangerous. How could your mother allow you to come here?”
“…”
Seeing his reaction, as emotional as a mortal’s, Nan Yan hesitated to speak.
Suddenly, Nan Yi felt an ominous premonition. “What’s wrong? Is Elder Sister still angry with me? I asked the Dragon Lord to gather information, and he said she was in seclusion. Don’t you even know about this?”
“My mother…” Nan Yan closed her eyes and said hoarsely, “passed away ten years ago.”
Dark clouds obscured the sun above, and a fine, mournful rain began to fall on Nan Yi’s brow.
“Impossible,” Nan Yi instinctively denied, growing more panicked. “Father once hunted a nine-headed phoenix bird to forge a Vermilion Emperor’s Demon Heart for Elder Sister. He even asked the Dao Sovereign to personally add supreme restrictions. After the Dao Sovereign’s ascension, no one in the world could break it. As long as this heart remains, Elder Sister should be immortal, able to live for ten thousand years.”
As long as the Vermilion Emperor’s Demon Heart existed, even if Nan Rang’s primordial spirit shattered, she could be reborn from it.
Nan Yan, who had believed her mother was beyond saving, suddenly felt hope ignite within her. “Really?!” she exclaimed.
“What if the Vermilion Emperor’s Demon Heart is lost?” Ji Yang interjected.
Nan Yi looked at Ji Yang in shock. “What do you mean by that?”
Ji Yang could feel Nan Yan’s gaze gradually filling with anger, but he continued, “I once saw a vision of the past in Filth Valley. Someone cut out Southern Fragrant Master’s heart and cast her down the cliff of Filth Valley. There are countless evil curses below; the killer must have wanted her to die without hope of reincarnation.”
“…”
“Senior, you’ve achieved Divine Transformation. Surely you can tell whether I speak the truth.” Ji Yang produced the Silver Shark Pearl as evidence.
Nan Yi’s beloved listening hound fell to the ground, covered in dust. He smiled bitterly and said with anguish, “I don’t believe it. Before Elder Sister left, she took Jiao Niang’s Silver Shark Pearl. She said… she was going to find someone to seek a chance of reincarnation for Jiao Niang.”
“Elder Sister only said she’d return soon. I thought she had temporarily fallen into demonic cultivation, but I never imagined she would lose her heart until now… Even Elder Sister has been reduced to such a state because of me.”
“Father was right. My soul is easily wounded, harming others and myself. I shouldn’t have followed the Consort Mother’s orders and forcefully embarked on this path of immortality.”
After a long, sorrowful silence, as the rain began to thin, Nan Yi finally asked, “Who is the killer?”
Ji Yang, however, didn’t specify: “I couldn’t see clearly. We’ve already obtained the Release Order on our way here. Senior, if you ask about the killer, are you determined to leave this Great Array of Demon Sealing?”
Nan Yi closed his eyes in silence for a moment before responding, “The city I massacred back then belonged to Chen State. I deserve death for that crime. It was only thanks to Elder Sister’s efforts, the Dragon Lord’s understanding, and my friends bearing the name of favoritism that I was allowed to live on.”
If he were to leave the Great Array of Demon Sealing of his own accord, all the previous maneuvering by his family and friends would be in vain.
“My sins are already grave. I dare not seek forgiveness from anyone in this life. However, my elder sister was innocently killed. The murderer must pay blood for blood. This matter brooks no hesitation. After avenging her, I will go to the Hall of Justice to accept my death sentence.”
Nan Yi’s resolve to die was within Ji Yang’s expectations. He continued, “Senior, your sense of responsibility is admirable. However, if you insist on accepting death, what will become of A-Yan? Southern Fragrant Master had only this one daughter. Would you leave her alone to face the storms of life? No one is perfect, Senior. You should consider your choices carefully.”
His words gave Nan Yi pause. He smiled bitterly, “It seems I’m at an impasse. Your sharp tongue reminds me of a young man I once knew, though he was my friend’s talented disciple. You… hmm?”
As the Silver Shark Pearl returned to its original owner, its residual power gradually dissipated. Nan Yi hesitated but slowly confirmed his suspicion.
“The demonic aura you just released… I thought you were pretending to gain Huo Wuji’s trust, but you’re a demon cultivator.”
Looking at the three newcomers again – a demon cultivator, a monster cultivator, and Nan Yan, a Buddhist cultivator – Nan Yi wanted to say something but didn’t know where to begin.
“Uncle,” Nan Yan had been holding back since learning Ji Yang was a demon cultivator, but now wasn’t the time to address it. Suppressing her emotions, she said, “We came here for two reasons: first, to find you, and second, to ask if you know about a lineage of celestial foxes beneath this Great Array of Demon Sealing?”
Somewhat comforted by the presence of his sister’s bloodline, Nan Yi then noticed Yin Ya’s complex expression. After a moment’s recollection, he recognized him: “It’s you.”
“That year when I surfaced, you let me go, allowing me to escape the Great Array of Demon Sealing,” Yin Ya said with furrowed brows. “But I’m not thanking you. You’ve killed countless of my kind. If you still try to stop me from saving my people, I won’t back down.”
Nan Yi reminded of Jiao Niang, said softly, “I’ve spent years here eliminating demons to repay my friend’s kindness. If the celestial fox clan swears a blood oath not to do evil, I’ll let them go. However, the Great Array of Demon Sealing has thirty-six major paths above and below, sealed layer upon layer. Although you’ve come prepared, you’ve underestimated the power of heaven-born Dao. You’ll only return in defeat.”
“Uncle, we didn’t come here expecting to release them all at once. We just want to try,” Nan Yan pleaded.
Nan Yi, being an uncle for the first time and naturally soft-hearted, hesitated for a moment before nodding: “Since A-Yan asks, you may go to the central Demon Sealing Mountain. That mountain was created by the Dao Sovereign from an otherworldly stone. It receives heavenly light above and anchors the deep sea below. If this mountain is destroyed, myriad demons beneath the sea will bring calamity to the world. If you only wish to rescue the celestial fox clan, go to the 117-zhang mark at the Dui position. There’s a statue of the celestial fox clan’s fox god there. But remember, do not touch the statues of other myriad demons. I’ll set up a Qin barrier to protect you. If the array retaliates, you won’t die, but you’ll be transported to other dangerous places.”