Nan Yan followed the celestial river’s source through the bamboo grove but soon sensed something amiss. The Soul River Heavenly Waterfall’s origin should have been close, yet she found herself circling the bamboo forest. She realized she must be trapped in a maze formation.
Unwilling to give up when so close, Nan Yan sat cross-legged, extending her five senses. Cold sweat broke out on her forehead as she grasped the true nature of her surroundings. Daosheng Heaven in Zi State was indeed formidable. Each bamboo stalk and leaf was not natural but composed of countless overlapping formations and restrictions. She had reached the limit of where a guest could venture; other intruders likely couldn’t even pass the main gate.
Still, Nan Yan persevered. After years of separation, she couldn’t turn back now. A faint Buddhist light gleamed in her eyes as she murmured, “The Dao is the source, as is my Buddha. All great paths are the Dao. Where Panyin rises, only Buddha is without thought…”
Besides the Seven Buddhas’ Karma Scripture, Nan Yan had also cultivated the Bodhi True Sutra at Chou Mountain Academy, achieving some success. Her orthodox Buddhist power expanded her senses instantly, revealing the patterns within the bamboo forest’s restrictions. As her divine sense probed, it encountered a familiar aura, and an object she carried stirred.
“The Phoenix Tail Bell?” She took out the bell her uncle had given her. Though the forest was still, the bell rang of its own accord, enveloping her in a mist-like, rosy light.
Following the bell’s guidance, Nan Yan pushed through some bamboo branches and suddenly found herself bathed in light.
Before her cascaded a dreamlike starry waterfall, slowly pouring into an endless sea of light. Behind the waterfall, a suspended path of flowing light stretched into the distance.
The Phoenix Tail Bell chimed joyfully as if sensing something. Mindful of time and potential discovery, Nan Yan stepped onto the floating light path.
The path resembled a giant tree drawn on paper, with forks every thirty or forty steps, separated by soul rivers flowing into the light sea. Soon, she lost her sense of direction.
Guided by the bell, Nan Yan quickened her pace. Eventually, she saw a glacier at the path’s end, atop which stood a white jade altar. At its center, a massive purple ice formation encased a semi-transparent coffin.
Nan Yan rushed forward but caught herself, remembering her uncle’s mention of two Yin State elders guarding this place. Where were they now?
Looking down, she noticed the seemingly ordinary white jade slabs beneath her feet were coursing with hidden light patterns. Upon closer inspection, she saw thin streams from the Soul River Heavenly Waterfall lingering, flowing through the altar into the coffin, as if nourishing something within.
As she hesitated, the Phoenix Tail Bell flew from her robes towards the coffin, striking its lid before falling. Nan Yan, startled, carefully checked for traps before approaching to retrieve them. As she bent to pick up the bell, a soul-piercing voice spoke from behind.
“You’re not a Daosheng Heaven disciple, are you?” The woman’s voice was languid, with a light, coquettish lilt that was indescribably pleasant.
Nan Yan nearly dropped the bell, turning in disbelief. On the stone steps below the coffin sat a woman’s ethereal form. Her crimson skirt faded to transparency, and her features were obscured as if by mist, save for the upturned corners of her lips, suggesting a smile.
This was a remnant soul.
Suppressing the urge to rush into her arms weeping, Nan Yan asked hoarsely, eyes brimming with tears, “Don’t you know who I am?”
“Those who come here are either Daosheng Heaven disciples or people from my Yin State,” Nan Rang replied, appearing younger than Nan Yan remembered. “Yigu did guard me for two months, but he left before I could gather enough divine sense to manifest and meet him.”
Nan Yan remained silent, lips pressed together, eyes full of tears.
Nan Rang’s remnant soul asked, “What’s wrong? Did your lover find someone else?”
Nan Yan sniffled and shook her head, unable to speak.
Nan Rang chuckled. “Then you must have gone berserk in cultivation. Want some advice? It might help.”
Nan Yan realized this remnant soul bore only Nan Rang’s appearance, not her memories. It seemed to have been barely assembled through the altar, extremely fragile. Mentioning past events might risk its dissipation.
Cautiously approaching, she played along. “Then, teach me. If someone close to me goes berserk and can’t be brought back, what should I do?”
Nan Rang: “Man or woman?”
Nan Yan: “M-man.”
Nan Rang: “Kiss him.”
Nan Yan: “…What if that doesn’t work?”
Nan Rang: “Kiss him harder. Those who’ve gone berserk often kill without blinking. Your life matters more; even if you have to deceive his feelings, do it.”
Nan Yan could now understand why the Dragon Lord sometimes gritted his teeth when mentioning her mother. She was about to change the subject when Nan Rang suddenly smiled. “Someone’s coming. Want to hide?”
“Eh?”
Nan Rang’s image vanished quickly. The coffin in the altar’s center split open, its lid rising slowly. A suction force pulled Nan Yan inside instantly.
Regaining her senses, Nan Yan found herself in a stone chamber within the coffin. In the center, a woman was encased in ice, wearing a simple dress adorned with thorns—a more serene version of the vibrant youth from earlier, matching Nan Yan’s memory of her mother.
“Mother?” Nan Yan whispered, pressing against the ice, but received no response.
She had been dead for many years.
Soon, voices approached from outside. Nan Yan held her breath and moved to the chamber’s edge, where she could faintly see through the walls.
Two elders appeared, both at the early Nascent Soul stage. Their contrasting yin and yang energies suggested they practiced complementary techniques. They bowed to the coffin.
“We, Sun You and Sun Wu, have returned from the outer States. Might we be granted an audience with the Palace Master’s spirit today?”
After a moment of silence, they sighed in disappointment. “It seems that while the Soul River Heavenly Waterfall can gather souls, the Palace Master has been dead for years. Her three hun and seven po are extremely fragile, not manifesting every time.”
The other added, “We must pin our hopes on the young lord retrieving the Vermilion Emperor’s secret treasure… If only the Vermilion Emperor’s heart hadn’t wavered. Were it not for the Palace Master’s remnant soul revealing she was ambushed by evil forces in the mortal realm, we might have misunderstood Xuanzai.”
“Indeed. Now, our most pressing task is to contact the lords of various States. Those willing to aid in exterminating the evil forces in the mortal realm’s Filth Valley will be richly rewarded by our Yin State.”
“What? Mother’s remnant soul claimed her Vermilion Emperor’s demon heart was stolen by evil forces in the mortal realm?” Nan Yan was stunned. Calming herself, she found it increasingly strange. The remnant soul hadn’t even recognized her, so how could it know about the incident in the mortal realm?
“What are you afraid of?” Nan Rang’s voice came from behind again. This time, Nan Yan noticed the difference. The remnant soul still bore Nan Rang’s appearance, but its eyes held an odd emotion. Streams of soul light connected to it, making its features clearer.
“Who are you?” Nan Yan demanded.
The remnant soul chuckled, its gaze alternating between gentle and curious. “I am the Southern Fragrant Lord, of course. As for you… Ah that face. I know who you are now.”
Its previously blurry face began to take shape, seemingly borrowing from Nan Yan’s features until it perfectly mirrored Nan Rang’s visage.
Realizing this remnant soul had developed its consciousness, Nan Yan gritted her teeth. “You’re not my mother.”
The soul caressed its face, seemingly pleased. “Sweet daughter, of course, I’m your mother… or perhaps for now, just a small heart demon feeding on soul power. Once I devour and possess her, I’ll truly be your mother.”
Chilled to the bone, Nan Yan activated the Seven Buddhas’ Karma Scripture. Her blood-tinged Buddhist power surged as she recognized the entity as demonic. With a furious brow, she struck out.
“What manner of demon dares to usurp a human form!”
The Seven Buddhas’ Karma Scripture countered all evil, causing the heart demon to shriek in pain and dissipate. However, it quickly reformed behind the ice, drawing power from the trapped soul.
“Little girl,” it cooed, “your mother hasn’t had the chance to dote on you. How could you raise your hand against me?”
Realizing it had absorbed something from her, Nan Yan maintained her composure. “Were you created by Ying Zewei? Does he not even spare my mother after her death?”
“Ying Zewei…” The heart demon grew excited at the name, its eyes gleaming with greed. “Yes, I was born from his heart. He made a bet with me… to become the Southern Fragrant Lord. If I could disturb his dao heart, I could consume him – a near-divine level of cultivation…”
Nan Yan bit her lip until it bled. “And if you lose the bet?”
The demon’s fervor vanished, replaced by malice. “He’s been trapped here for years. If he manages to kill me in the end… tch, watching the host slay their heart demon and ascend… it’s not pleasant.”
Nan Yan’s pupils constricted as she finally understood why Ying Zewei had taken her mother away. Trapped by his heart demon for years, he needed to kill Nan Rang again to truly let go of his mortal heart.
What kind of twisted mind could conceive such a thing?
Sensing Nan Yan’s roiling hatred, the heart demon giggled. “I’ve just manifested and I’m terrified of him. Dear daughter, you share the grudge of a murdered mother. Shall we join forces? We’ll pretend to be a family. His Dao heart can’t resist such a beautiful dream. You won’t even need to lift a finger.”
“Stop using my mother’s face to say such vile things,” Nan Yan snarled, her bloodshot eyes blazing as she unleashed her Buddhist power. “Seven Buddhas’ Punishment, Seal the Demon and Purify the World!”
A thunderous chant filled the air. Outside the coffin, the two Nascent Soul cultivators saw a thousand-armed Guanyin materialize above, accompanied by the Southern Fragrant Lord’s cries of pain.
“Who’s in the coffin?” they shouted, attempting to break through the Guanyin image. Suddenly, the entire Soul River Heavenly Waterfall stalled. The soul river that had flowed into the light sea emitted dark rays, and all the souls meant to rest there seemed drawn by some force, wailing as they struggled to escape.
“The soul river is reversing? How is this possible?!”
Inside, Nan Yan completed the demon’s seal. The heart demon raged, “You dare stop me from absorbing soul power? How long can you maintain this? The Southern Fragrant Lord will be mine!”
Nan Yan realized that without her timely intervention, this Nascent Soul Fifth Tribulation heart demon could have grown terrifyingly powerful in moments.
Coughing and clutching her throat, Nan Yan quickly took some pills before rushing to Nan Rang. Though unable to break the ice, she gazed at her mother longingly.
“Mother, wait for me… I’ll return and bring you home.”
As the two Nascent Soul cultivators broke open the coffin, Nan Yan darted out.
“Wait, I’m—”
Fearing for Nan Rang’s safety, the cultivators attacked without hesitation. “Thief! Do you dare profane our lord’s sacred body? Die!”
Just as they struck, the entire Soul River darkened. Amidst howling winds, an oppressive ghostly aura filled the air. Nearby soul river tributaries were drawn in, entangling the two Nascent Soul cultivators.
Simultaneously, Nan Yan felt an arm around her waist as she was swiftly carried away. A voice, tinged with anger and mockery, spoke in her ear.
“Ah Yan, you’re so daring. Sealing the heart demon of the cultivation world’s number one just like that.”
Nan Yan tried to look up but was pushed down, carried under an arm as the wind whistled past. Back in the bamboo forest, she weakly raised her head with a smile. “Shao Cang, wasn’t I impressive?”
“Impressive indeed. If that heart demon hadn’t just gained consciousness and couldn’t use its full power, you’d be the one trapped now,” Ji Yang closed his eyes, recalling his panic upon finding only Song Zhu earlier.
Ji Yang’s usual jests were often false, but when he wasn’t smiling, it was the opposite.
Aware of her mistake, Nan Yan lowered her gaze. “I just never imagined his heart demon would be my mother. Is he so afraid of the world knowing he fell for a mortal? Must all who seek the Dao cut off their emotions to achieve immortality?”
“Not necessarily,” Ji Yang said coolly. “I’m different from him. Not only do I admit I like you, I want to shout it from the rooftops. I wish the whole world knew.”
Nan Yan had given up on asking him to mind his words. “…Then will you listen to me and convert to Buddhism?”
Ji Yang: “No.”
…Nan Yan’s frustration with him only grew.