Sensing Mu Xuanling’s nervousness, Nan Xuyue smiled and withdrew his hand. “If you don’t want me to tell anyone, I’ll keep your secret,” Nan Xuyue said gently.
Mu Xuanling looked at him in surprise and softly said, “Thank you…”
“No need to thank me,” Nan Xuyue lowered his eyes, his voice tinged with sadness and regret. “You helped me before, but when you needed me most, I wasn’t by your side.”
When he met her, it was during the darkest days of his life. He thought he had lost everything, but a little girl was leaning on his wheelchair, covered in wounds, yet still looking at him with bright eyes and a cheerful voice, saying, “Young Master Nan, you were born with everything. Now you’ve just lost a little bit, but you’re still better off than many others. Don’t be sad.”
He said, “My legs are broken. I can never walk like a normal person again.”
She pulled up her patched trousers, revealing thin ankles with tight, dark red bell anklets that seemed to be stained with blood, the iron rings almost cutting into the bone.
She said, “Young Master Nan, we’re the same. Walking hurts me a lot too, but I guess I’ve gotten used to it over time.”
He said he had lost all love.
She pouted and said, “Nobody loves me either, but I don’t like them anyway. I want to keep all my affection for myself. Hmm… how about I share some with you? I can like you a little, but would you dislike me for being a half-demon?”
She happily exclaimed, “Young Master Nan, you smiled! You look so handsome when you smile!”
Nan Xuyue thought that there was still someone in this world who could give him a little affection. Even just a little felt precious to him.
He said to his father, “Father… can we take that demon slave with us?”
Nan Wujiu impatiently shook off his hand, his brow furrowed with irritation. “Don’t waste my time with nonsense.”
In the end, Nan Xuyue couldn’t take her away. Many years later, when he finally had the power to do so, she was already gone.
Nan Xuyue looked at Mu Xuanling before him, with a different face but the same eyes, and sighed, “I’m already happy that you remember me.”
It’s just that the little girl who once said she would keep all her affection for herself had given her love and her life to someone else. Sitting on the edge of the bed, holding her hand for these few hours, he had been thinking for a long time. He thought that Xie Xuezhen must have done something he couldn’t do.
And he, he hadn’t done anything at all. He had only received her salvation when he was at his most painful, so what right did he have to ask for more from her?
So when he saw Mu Xuanling’s lost and bitter expression, he told her the truth – it was Xie Xuezhen who had carried her back from the snow.
Sure enough, she cheered up. What a simple girl.
“Young Master Nan, you’re so kind,” Mu Xuanling said gratefully.
Nan Xuyue smiled, “So you only have a little bit of affection for me, right?”
She laughed awkwardly. “But Young Master Nan, you now have the affection of many people.”
But I only want yours.
Nan Xuyue didn’t say it. He was considerate and wouldn’t put people in difficult positions, especially not someone he cared about.
So he said, “Yes, thank you for those words you once said to me.”
Xie Xuezhen, whether he was avoiding himself or Mu Xuanling, didn’t go back to see her. He stayed up all night and only learned from Nan Xuyue the next day that Mu Xuanling had woken up, but was still weak and needed some time to recover.
“That’s good,” Xie Xuezhen nodded slightly, then said, “I’ve summoned the members of the Immortal Alliance to the Hall of Righteousness for a council. You should come too.”
Nan Xuyue was slightly taken aback and said, “But I’m not a member of the Immortal Alliance.”
“Your insight into formations far surpasses others,” Xie Xuezhen said decisively. “Let’s go.”
Seeing that he had already turned to leave, Nan Xuyue followed.
Before reaching the Hall of Righteousness, they could already hear arguments from afar.
“Island Master He spends his days consorting with demons, perhaps he has forgotten his identity,” Su Ningzhen said coldly. “Among us, you’re the most likely to be in league with the demon clan.”
“Sect Leader Su, you’re attacking the person, not the issue. I don’t need to reason with you,” He Xianwo sneered. “If you can defeat me, let’s fight outside Yongxue City. If you can’t, see how many in this hall stand with you?”
Su Ningzhen said, “Do you all agree with what I’ve said?”
Fu Yuanting smiled wryly, “Without evidence, we shouldn’t fight among ourselves and hurt our unity.”
Su Ningzhen said, “Better to kill by mistake than to let a traitor go. He Xianwo’s desire to defect is too strong. In the war against the demon clan, he’s more harmful than helpful.”
He Xianwo: “Heh.”
Xie Xuezhen walked into the hall just as a great battle was about to erupt. A chill entered from outside, freezing the air.
Everyone bowed and said, “Sect Leader Xie.”
Xie Xuezhen walked past everyone without a glance, went to the main seat, and turned to face the various sect leaders and elders.
“What the demon clan hopes to see most is cultivators harboring ill thoughts, breeding demons in their hearts,” Xie Xuezhen coldly swept his gaze over those who had been arguing earlier. “Everyone here has practiced cultivation longer than I have. Surely there’s no need to explain this principle.”
Su Ningzhen frowned slightly and bowed, “Thank you for your guidance, Sect Leader.”
Xie Xuezhen didn’t look at her again and said seriously, “The person Fu Lansheng captured yesterday, I believe everyone has thoroughly investigated. He’s just an ordinary cultivator who has completely lost his memory. He doesn’t know why he came to Yongxue City. From various signs, he should have been possessed by a heart demon.”
Fu Yuanting said, “I heard from my son that he had an accomplice who escaped at the time, so at least two demons have infiltrated Yongxue City.”
Demons have no physical form but can possess others. However, they also have limitations. When possessing someone, they’re affected by yang energy and their demonic energy dissipates. Moreover, they can’t possess the same person for more than twelve hours, or that person will die from demonic energy attacking their heart. When Fu Lansheng bound that person with the spirit-binding lock, the heart demon possessing him had already slipped away, leaving behind only an unknowing shell.
“Have you examined the scene? Did you find anything suspicious?” Xie Xuezhen asked.
Everyone shook their heads.
Xie Xuezhen looked at Nan Xuyue again: “The reason I invited Manor Lord Nan today is because he’s most proficient in formations. Manor Lord Nan, can you see any clues from the formation?”
Nan Xuyue hesitated for a moment, then said cautiously, “Setting up a formation requires objects rich in spiritual energy. Formation symbols are written with cinnabar and placed in specific positions. Once the conditions are met, the formation naturally takes shape. A two-way transmission formation requires an enormous amount of spiritual power, but this person used seemingly ordinary spirit stones for the formation, and the cinnabar used for the symbols is common. However…”
“Please speak freely,” Xie Xuezhen gestured for him to continue.
“The formation symbols written on the spirit stones with cinnabar all have a similar slant angle. If I’m not mistaken, that person must have deliberately used their left hand to write, fearing their handwriting would be recognized,” Nan Xuyue explained slowly.
Xie Xuezhen’s eyes flashed: “This suggests that the person’s normal handwriting is familiar to us.”
The people in the Hall of Righteousness looked at each other, suspicion growing between them.
Nan Xuyue took out a yellow talisman from his sleeve, with a formation symbol drawn in cinnabar, and said, “I trouble everyone to write down this formation symbol with both their left and right hands.”
For cultivators, writing talismans isn’t difficult, and their divine bodies are far from ordinary. Even those who have never used their left hand can easily do things with it. The strength and dexterity of both hands are not far apart, but handwriting, formed over years and years, will inevitably show a great difference between the left and right hands.
The people in the hall quickly wrote down the formation symbols. After comparing the right-hand writing, none matched. But when comparing the left-hand writing, Nan Xuyue paused.
“This handwriting is identical to that on the formation,” Nan Xuyue raised the yellow paper in his hand.
Everyone’s expressions changed: “Whose is it?”
Nan Xuyue’s gaze turned to Venerable Fajian.
“Venerable Fajian, do you have any explanation?”
No matter who it was, people wouldn’t be so surprised, because Venerable Fajian was the oldest and most respected among them all. But Su Ningzhen quickly remembered something and exclaimed, “That day, it was Venerable Fajian who used the Enlightening Voice to detect that something was wrong with Sect Leader’s spirit aperture!”
Venerable Yinian looked at his most respected elder with disbelief, his hands clasped together but slightly trembling: “Uncle Master, why…”
Venerable Fajian’s withered face showed no extra expression, his eyes as calm as an ancient well. He clasped his hands and said slowly, “I did not set up the formation.”
He Xianwo frowned slightly: “Could there be some misunderstanding here?”
Su Ningzhen had always been at odds with He Xianwo, and now that the evidence pointed to Venerable Fajian, while she already suspected He Xianwo, seeing him speak up made her even more certain that these two were in cahoots. Su Ningzhen sneered, “Two demons were let in by the traitor, and they might be possessing someone among us right now. Otherwise, why would Island Master He speak up for the suspect?”
He Xianwo’s face immediately darkened, as the looks from others towards him also carried some suspicion.
“Sect Leader Su makes accusations without any evidence. Could it be that you’re guilty yourself and trying to divert attention?” He Xianwo gripped his wine flask tightly, his whitened knuckles revealing his inner anger.
Su Ningzhen said, “Yesterday, when the formation appeared, one of my disciples sensed a flash of demonic aura there. How could there be a demonic aura in Yongxue City? Apart from Island Master He, who’s inseparable from demons, who else could it be?”
This wasn’t the first time Gao Qiumin had mentioned demonic aura, and now with this corroboration, it seemed to further confirm He Xianwo’s suspicion.
He Xianwo stared coldly at Su Ningzhen, suddenly bursting into laughter, though his laugh was as sharp as a blade, full of killing intent and edge. “Hahaha… Sect Leader Su, you’re as slanderous as ever, unable to distinguish right from wrong. If the Immortal Alliance is full of such ignorant villains, then please excuse me from participating!”
With that, He Xianwo slapped the table and used the force to fly outward. Seeing this, Su Ningzhen immediately threw out her World-Cleansing Dust, blocking He Xianwo’s path.
“Showing your true colors now, trying to escape?” Su Ningzhen fully unleashed her divine form’s energy, and the World-Cleansing Dust transformed into steel needles flying towards He Xianwo.
Xie Xuezhen frowned as he watched the two start fighting. These two had long-standing grudges due to the death of disciples, and had never been on good terms, but never before had they lost control like today, unleashing their divine form’s energy and attacking each other without restraint.
Fu Yuanting and Duan Xiaorong exchanged a glance, their expressions serious. Venerable Fajian’s identity was in question today, so it wasn’t appropriate for him to step in and mediate. Even Venerable Yinian, who was also a leader of the Xuantian Temple, could only stand aside silently. The Sect Leader hadn’t yet recovered his spiritual power, so the only one who could stop the two from fighting fiercely was Bijiao Palace.
Duan Xiaorong’s figure flashed, blocking the way between the two. She didn’t dare to be careless and used her divine form’s power to protect herself, taking a blow from each of them. She said in a deep voice, “Fellow Daoists, with a great enemy before us, please consider the bigger picture and don’t fight among ourselves.”
Su Ningzhen said coldly, “It’s precisely because of the great enemy before us that we must first secure our internal affairs before dealing with external threats!”
Duan Xiaorong was older and more skilled in cultivation than both of them and ordinarily, they would show her some respect. But today, having completely fallen out, it seemed they were in a fight to the death.
Fu Yuanting’s inner anxiety grew stronger. He glanced at Venerable Fajian, who had his eyes closed and remained silent, then at Venerable Yinian, who looked worried. He had no choice but to turn to Xie Xuezhen for guidance.
“Sect Leader Xie, please take control of the situation.”
Xie Xuezhen had been coldly observing from the beginning. He stood with his hands behind his back, his bright and sharp phoenix eyes seemingly observing and contemplating something. Only now did he speak: “Heart Demon Formation.”
Fu Yuanting was stunned: “What?”
Xie Xuezhen said, “The two demon cultivators who infiltrated Yongxue City have already set up a Heart Demon Formation without anyone noticing. Everyone in the Hall of Righteousness is now within this formation.”
Su Ningzhen and He Xianwo, both amid their fury, were suddenly taken aback, their killing intent diminishing slightly.
As cultivators who had slain countless demons, they were well aware of the Heart Demon Formation. Legend had it that all demons had the power to communicate with others’ heart demons. The more distracting thoughts and evil intentions in one’s heart, the stronger the heart demon would be, and the easier it would be for demon cultivators to invade, possess, and ultimately turn one into a puppet or cause death. The more powerful the demon cultivator, the more heart demons they could communicate with, thus forming a Heart Demon Formation. Although they couldn’t possess everyone simultaneously, they could jump and transform between different people’s heart demons. Each heart demon under their control would become their stepping stone, allowing them to access these people’s perceptions, while those being controlled remained unaware.
“We are Divine Form Venerables. How could demon cultivators possibly control us with a Heart Demon Formation?” Su Ningzhen questioned doubtfully.
“Because these are no ordinary demon cultivators,” Xie Xuezhen said coldly. “I fear it’s the physical form of one of the Three Demon Gods, the Demon of Obsession, who has personally arrived.”
The Hall of Righteousness fell silent.
A strange, cackling laughter echoed from somewhere, seeming both near and far.
“Sect Leader Xie, you understand me so well. I’m truly honored!”
Duan Xiaorong felt that the voice seemed to come from nearby on her left. Her mind shook, and she swung her sword to her left, aiming for Su Ningzhen’s chest. Su Ningzhen reacted extremely quickly, her World-Cleansing Dust swirling to block Duan Xiaorong’s sword.
“Elder Duan, what is the meaning of this!” Su Ningzhen questioned harshly.
“The voice came from you,” Duan Xiaorong looked at Su Ningzhen warily.
Xie Xuezhen said, “The Demon of Obsession can freely change positions among the heart demons he controls, but it’s not so easy to possess a Divine Form body. His goal is to disrupt our judgment.”
He Xianwo had gradually calmed down and said, “The so-called obsession refers to being unable to let go, clinging to something tenaciously. If there are emotions in one’s heart that cannot be released – fear, worry, regret, doubt – as long as one can’t let go, it can become an obsession. As long as there’s one obsessive thought, it can be captured by the Demon of Obsession, continuously growing and causing one to lose their mind, becoming manipulated.”
Fu Yuanting immediately understood the Demon of Obsession’s motive. “He had already set up the formation waiting for us to fall into his trap. Sect Leader Su’s suspicion towards Island Master He, and Island Master He’s hatred towards Sect Leader Su, are both obsessive thoughts, so they are the most deeply controlled by the Demon of Obsession.”
He Xianwo continued, “Elder Duan now has fear in her heart.”
Everyone began to examine themselves, wondering if they had any obsessive thoughts.
Xie Xuezhen’s cold voice attracted everyone’s attention: “From that formation talisman onwards, he had already planted doubt in all our hearts.”
Xie Xuezhen looked at Nan Xuyue: “Am I right?”
Nan Xuyue quietly looked at Xie Xuezhen, his handsome and gentle face wearing a friendly smile, but those clear and profound eyes grew increasingly dark and deep, making it difficult to look at them for long.
“Sect Leader Xie has good eyes. When did you start to notice?” Nan Xuyue asked, “Did I do something wrong?”
Xie Xuezhen frowned almost imperceptibly and said, “Do I need to tell you?”
Nan Xuyue: “…”
He Xianwo laughed out loud: “Hahaha, demons do have problems with their brains. Oh no, I’m wrong, demons’ problem is that they don’t have brains. Sect Leader Xie would explain to us in detail to help us understand our situation and how to deal with it. Explain to you? Heh, should we tell you how to improve next time?”
The Demon of Obsession was also frustrated. He felt he had hidden so well but was still discovered. Xie Xuezhen should have boasted a bit more, but saying nothing at all did seem more like Xie Xuezhen’s personality.
“Nan Xuyue” took two steps back and sneered, “So what if you’ve discovered it? You’ve still fallen into my demon formation.”
Xie Xuezhen’s brow furrowed with gravity. The Demon of Obsession’s methods were insidious and very troublesome, but the one who came with him might be even harder to deal with. The Demon of Desire had been injured by Mu Xuanling before, so the Demon of Obsession’s companion was most likely the Demon of War.
The Demon of War’s power was second only to the Demon Lord, and as for that mysterious Grand Priest Sang Qi, Xie Xuezhen didn’t even know his true strength. With the wisdom of the Demons of Obsession and War, they certainly couldn’t have come up with the method of using formation talismans to plant doubt, sow obsessive thoughts in everyone’s hearts, and form a Heart Demon Formation. Sang Qi must have been behind this.
Xie Xuezhen cautiously drew his sword. “Nan Xuyue” glanced at it and smiled, “Unable to summon Juntian, your spirit aperture is indeed damaged.”
“You’re stalling for time,” Xie Xuezhen saw through the Demon of Obsession’s calculations, seeing the latter’s expression change slightly.
As time passed, doubts grew uncontrollably in everyone’s hearts. The heavier their obsessive thoughts became, the stronger the Demon of Obsession’s power would grow. The members of the Immortal Alliance would become suspicious of each other, unable to cooperate effectively, like scattered sand. This was exactly the Demon of Obsession’s goal.
“So what,” the Demon of Obsession’s smile faded as he said coldly, “I’m now possessing Nan Xuyue’s body. You can’t touch me.”
Xie Xuezhen said, “Xuantian Temple’s Heart Sutra can dispel heart demons, yet you’re so confident we can’t do anything to you. It seems your companion is indeed within Xuantian Temple.”
Hearing this, the Demon of Obsession’s face darkened further. The Immortal Alliance members simultaneously turned their gaze towards Venerable Fajian, suddenly realizing that Venerable Fajian’s eyes had turned crimson at some point. His grey hemp robe moved without wind, his sleeves billowing, as a terrifying aura surged out like a mountain flood. The surrounding tables and chairs were instantly shattered.
The people around had already moved away, except for Venerable Yinian, who didn’t retreat a step. He was struck in the chest by the spiritual power, coughing up blood, but continued to chant. A faint golden light emanated from his palm, like the rising sun, growing increasingly intense and shooting toward Venerable Fajian.
Venerable Fajian’s crimson eyes were struck by the golden light, immediately shedding tears of blood. He let out a fierce shout, and surging spiritual power once again attacked Venerable Yinian, interrupting his chant. Venerable Yinian spat blood and flew backward, crashing heavily to the ground.
Venerable Fajian opened his eyes, still streaming with blood tears, his aura climbing steadily, like a demon god descending to the world, making people tremble with fear. As a Divine Form cultivator with five hundred years of cultivation, Venerable Fajian’s strength far surpassed everyone present. Even Xie Xuezhen wasn’t confident he could defeat him. Now, Venerable Fajian’s strength seemed even greater than before, and Xie Xuezhen’s heart sank.
“It’s the Demon of War,” Duan Xiaorong’s face paled as she retreated to Fu Yuanting’s side. “The Demon of War’s battle prowess already surpasses Divine Form. Has he now possessed Venerable Fajian’s body?”
Fu Yuanting secretly clenched his fists, suppressing the fear in his heart. Since entering the Divine Form realm, he hadn’t truly fought in a long time. But looking at Venerable Fajian’s imposing aura before him, he knew he had no chance of victory. However, once fear entered his heart, it would be captured by the Demon of Obsession, and that thread of fear would grow stronger. The more afraid he became, the more he would shrink from battle and weaken.
Venerable Fajian tore off the string of beads around his neck. Eighty-one black beads floated in the air, then began to spin rapidly, colliding with each other and creating fine sparks. Everyone could only see blurred shadows, barely able to track the beads’ movements. The next moment, countless beads shot out in all directions.
Everyone used their spiritual power to create protective shields in front of them, but the power contained in those beads was so terrifying that it shattered the barriers in just a moment, striking several people in the abdomen before returning to Venerable Fajian’s side.
Xie Xuezhen saw a bead flying towards him, but in an instant, a hand grabbed his wrist, and a golden light enveloped him. The next moment, the scene before his eyes had changed.
Xie Xuezhen turned his head to look at Venerable Yinian, who was holding onto him.
“Sect Leader Xie, my Uncle Master has fallen to demonic cultivation. I have no power to stop him, and with your spirit aperture not yet recovered, I fear you’re no match for him. I could only take you away from the Hall of Righteousness first,” Venerable Yinian said, coughing up a trace of blood, his face filled with sorrow and anguish. “I never imagined Xuantian Temple would face such a calamity. How could Uncle Master be so foolish!”
“So Venerable Yinian is also skilled in transmission formations,” Xie Xuezhen’s voice was as calm and cool as ever as if nothing could surprise or frighten him.
Venerable Yinian wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and said, “By engraving the formation on a magical tool and activating it with spiritual power, it can be triggered. But because this is only a simple transmission formation, it can’t take people very far.”
“We’re still in Yongxue City,” Xie Xuezhen sensed the familiar temperature and the scent carried by the wind. “You’ve gone to such lengths to bring me here, surely there must be something you want me to see.”
Venerable Yinian’s gaze gradually grew cold: “Sect Leader Xie doesn’t seem surprised.”
“There were two people from the Xuantian Temple present. I had no reason to suspect only Venerable Fajian and not be suspicious of you at all,” Xie Xuezhen said calmly.
Venerable Yinian smiled, then suddenly struck out with his palm towards Xie Xuezhen’s chest. Xie Xuezhen raised his sword to block, but couldn’t withstand Venerable Yinian’s full-force attack. His body was forced back several yards, his expression changing slightly as a trace of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth.
Venerable Yinian clasped his hands together, his face seemingly kind and benevolent, and said slowly, “Your spirit aperture indeed hasn’t recovered. Since you’ve guessed it, it doesn’t matter anymore.”