Chapter 310: Only ... Can Defeat the Inner Demon

The sound of the wooden fish echoed, the clapper struck, and the bells jingled.

Three paper figures transformed into the forms of a young girl, an old woman, and a middle-aged matron, sitting in a circle around Youqin Xuanya. Each raised their ritual implement and chanted in unison from the Ren Jiao "Tai Qing Jing Xin Mantra."

Under the power of Jin Xian Jing immortal energy, the mantra condensed into small green characters that swirled continuously around Youqin Xuanya.

In just a moment, the pain on Youqin Xuanya's delicate face faded significantly, and her body stopped trembling lightly.

This was only treating the symptoms, not the root cause.

Li Changshou pointed at the entrance of her cave dwelling, secretly sealing the area with a barrier, then stepped forward.

He took a meditation cushion from his sleeve and sat down five steps behind Youqin Xuanya. Activating a simple spell, he carefully examined her yuan shen.

Upon this examination, Li Changshou was startled to discover...

Her mind-sea was in utter chaos, like a pot of boiling porridge, with the heart demon having grown to a severe level.

Li Changshou couldn't help but feel puzzled...

He had once assessed Youqin Xuanya as having an unblemished dao heart, unlikely to ever develop a heart demon, yet now she had proven him wrong in spectacular fashion.

Indeed...

One should never speak in absolutes or raise flags carelessly.

He decided to add this lesson to the next version of the "Stable Scripture"—it held profound warning value.

How to handle someone else's heart demon?

Li Changshou quickly formulated seven or eight plans, originally prepared for his master and junior sister, but unexpectedly, they were now being used for Youqin Xuanya...

Moreover, his current cultivation realm far surpassed hers, making this task effortless, with no risk involved.

However...

"Better to play it safe; after all, it's a heart demon, and it deserves full respect."

There was an ancient saying in the Hong Huang:

After Dao Ancestor Luo Hou fell, his demonic thoughts lingered, condensing into the Great Dao's magical barriers that hinder cultivators.

Thus, Li Changshou approached Youqin Xuanya's heart demon with utmost caution.

He raised his hand and tapped his chest seven times, activating the "Seven Stars Demon-Exorcising Yuan Protection Array" to shield his own yuan shen.

Then, he drew upon his own merits, layering his yuan shen with undergarments, a long robe, long boots, a Christmas hat, protective goggles, and a mask—fully armored.

Feeling this still wasn't enough, Li Changshou grasped the Sea God divine treasure, infusing himself with a strand of heavenly dao power. His yuan shen shone with a dazzling golden light within his body!

Time to advance!

Thus, he dispatched a wisp of his yuan shen force—about one ten-thousandth of his total—carefully entering Youqin Xuanya's undefended mind-sea, heading toward her heart demon.

In a hazy blur, clouds rose and mists formed.

Li Changshou found himself in a dim world.

This was a manifestation of Youqin Xuanya's spiritual realm, similar to a dream; her dao heart was trapped here by the heart demon.

Shouts of killing and cries of battle filled the air, with rolling black smoke everywhere and armies clashing in chaos.

Immortals dueled in the sky, while mortal soldiers fought on the ground.

Mountains of corpses piled up, rivers of blood flowed, and both sides seemed driven to madness, refusing to retreat despite heavy casualties...

Was this her heart demon? It didn't seem quite right.

Li Changshou frowned at the vivid scenes around him, detecting no aura of magical barriers.

A quick calculation revealed that these were merely scenes from Youqin Xuanya's memories.

Her dao heart was indeed trapped here.

Had this memory of a mortal war triggered her heart demon?

Li Changshou wasn't in a hurry; he was just a passive observer, wandering the battlefield in search of Youqin Xuanya.

Soon, in a corner of the battlefield, he spotted her spiritual form.

She stood at the edge of a cliff, her ice-blue dress stained with blood. Behind her were two figures huddled together, while ahead loomed vague black shadows.

This was naturally a scene imagined by Youqin Xuanya, and it was utterly tragic.

The two behind her were none other than himself, Li Changshou, and Ling'e.

Of course, these were Youqin Xuanya's imagined versions of "Li Changshou" and "Ling'e."

"Ling'e" appeared relatively fine, her robes neat except for a faint bloodstain at the corner of her mouth.

But that "Li Changshou" was covered in thousands of wounds, large and small!

More accurately, his entire form was pieced together from wounds, barely holding a human shape—he was as good as dead...

What on earth?

Couldn't she wish him well?

Li Changshou's forehead veins bulged, and he nearly turned to leave.

At the cliff's edge, the black shadows kept attacking.

The battered Youqin Xuanya held her hands in sword fingers, desperately urging a dozen flying swords to fend off the assault.

The "Youqin Xuanya" here was nearly out of immortal power, on the brink of self-collapse.

The danger of a heart demon lay in Youqin Xuanya not realizing it was all an illusion.

If her spiritual projection collapsed here or was killed by the heart demon, her spirit would be forever trapped.

Among those black shadows, Li Changshou recognized Yuan Qing, the "great warm man" she had killed in the past, the fierce Elder Wan Linjun, and the old gatekeeper...

Heart demons were essentially deep-seated obsessions.

To save Youqin Xuanya, Li Changshou only needed to clear away these magical barriers and pull her out.

But doing so would waste this opportunity for her.

—Though heart demons were perilous, overcoming one would strengthen her dao heart and elevate her dao realm.

Glancing at the "Li Changshou" lying in "Ling'e's" arms, Li Changshou's mouth twitched slightly.

"Tsk, Youqin's strong protective instinct."

How could he help her seize this opportunity?

Just then, inspiration struck Li Changshou, and he knew how to guide her.

This wisp of his spirit quietly merged into the obsession of "Li Changshou."

The disfigured "Li Changshou" trembled his lips, weakly and intermittently transmitting words into Youqin Xuanya's ear.

"Kun position advance four... cough, cough, Li, Li position retreat six...

Youqin, my junior sister... There's a fierce beast stirred below the cliff. Later, when I tell you to jump... you take me and Ling'e and jump after..."

Truly immersive acting, with flawless delivery!

Youqin Xuanya pursed her lips and nodded silently. In the midst of battling the heart demon, she suddenly unleashed a fierce counterattack, repelling the shadows completely.

Suddenly, the cliff began to shake violently. Li Changshou turned to look below and couldn't help but feel his vision darken.

A massive qilin head, hundreds of zhang wide, surged upward, and beneath the cliff was a vast pool of inky black water poison!

This entire scene was conjured from Youqin Xuanya's subconscious, including that qilin!

Youqin, really?

Why be so hard on yourself?

Li Changshou realized that if he hadn't come today, Youqin Xuanya might have used her own imagination to trap and kill herself!

Fortunately, he quickly found an escape route and conveyed it to her.

Youqin Xuanya turned, embracing "Li Changshou" and "Ling'e," and at the critical moment, soared into the sky...

Below, the enormous ink qilin swallowed the cliff whole, and countless black shadows vanished with it.

Was that the end?

Li Changshou knew it wasn't that simple; a long story still unfolded ahead.

He patiently watched it all, discovering that Youqin Xuanya's heart demon drama grew increasingly elaborate.

After escaping the cliff, she took "Li Changshou" and "Ling'e" to a mortal capital city, which was the royal city of Youqin Kingdom.

There were welcoming celebrations, singing and dancing crowds, scheming yet blurred-faced nobles, and on the high platform, the king surrounded by alluring beauties...

This seemed to be from Youqin Xuanya's childhood memories.

Soon, the scene shifted. "Li Changshou" and "Ling'e" held a lively wedding in the city.

Throughout the wedding, Youqin Xuanya stood by with a smiling blessing, watching as "Li Changshou" and "Ling'e" entered the bridal chamber adorned with red characters...

To be honest, Li Changshou was almost moved by this scene.

"Youqin's subconscious has no intent to usurp; that's actually..."

Before Li Changshou could finish his thought, the plot took a dramatic turn!

"Li Changshou" suddenly burst from the chamber and rushed to Youqin Xuanya, solemnly swearing a dao companion oath.

"Ling'e" appeared at the window, smiling with relief, and nodded gently at Youqin Xuanya, her eyes full of blessing.

Amid the surrounding applause, Youqin Xuanya and "Li Changshou" became dao companions. They left the kingdom and lived happily together, fishing and grilling fish daily, boating on rivers and lakes, and traveling the skies.

Li Changshou: ...

By now, Li Changshou finally understood that Youqin Xuanya's greatest heart demon was himself, Li Changshou.

How to save her?

If another immortal were here, they could only forcibly pull her out of this heart demon illusion.

But it was Li Changshou who had come...

First, let's see the happy life she imagined with "Li Changshou."

Every day was monotonously repetitive: sightseeing, cultivating together, with almost no physical contact, always keeping a distance of about a chi.

Pure and elegant.

Li Changshou didn't linger; after all, there were many important matters waiting outside. After a thorough observation, he began to break the illusion.

The method was straightforward.

He once again infused his spirit into "Li Changshou," and while strolling with Youqin Xuanya, suddenly pulled her into an embrace, skillfully reaching out with an "An Lu Shan claw"...

"Junior sister, we're alone here, and we like each other. Why not complete the rites?"

Youqin Xuanya froze, then instantly broke free and leaped several zhang away, frowning at "Li Changshou."

"Senior brother... what rites?"

Li Changshou gave an "evil" smile, loosening his robe's collar and exuding a roguish air.

"Junior sister, don't speak; just let me handle it."

Youqin Xuanya's face flushed, her eyes showing a hint of confusion.

Li Changshou seized the chance to have the three paper figures speed up their recitation of the Jing Xin Mantra, while in the heart demon illusion, he pushed his greasy performance to the limit!

"No, you're not Li Changshou!"

Youqin Xuanya suddenly regained her clarity, shoving Li Changshou's hands away and leaping into the air. She was enveloped in immortal light, radiating golden beams!

She shouted firmly:

"Li Changshou is gentle and courteous; he would never act so rudely toward me! Who are you?"

"Ha ha ha ha!"

"Li Changshou" laughed wildly, his form swelling and transforming into a mass of ferocious black gas, revealing the heart demon's true form.

With that, Li Changshou timely withdrew from "Li Changshou" and continued observing cautiously.

Youqin Xuanya showed resolute determination and attacked the heart demon decisively. After a fierce battle, good triumphed over evil as expected...

When Youqin Xuanya beheaded the heart demon, the entire illusion shattered instantly.

A moment later, in the cave dwelling.

Youqin Xuanya slowly opened her eyes, her stunning face flushed, and the dwelling was once again empty except for her.

It was as if she had awakened from a dream, her face still red from its contents, her heart racing. She pressed her collar with her hand.

"Li Changshou wouldn't..."

She suddenly slapped herself hard and whispered in rebuke:

"Youqin Xuanya, how could you be so unworthy, harboring such thoughts of letting Ling'e yield to you!"

Hidden in the mountain wall, Li Changshou overheard and chuckled to himself.

Shaking his head, he used earth escape to quietly leave Broken Heaven Peak, as if he had never been there.

This junior sister...

Truly lived up to her "toxic" reputation.

In summary, what defeated her heart demon wasn't some unyielding will or indomitable spirit, but...

A young girl's pure and shy affection.

However...

"Just that?"

Li Changshou grumbled internally, slipping back to his pill room and hiding his true body according to "Rule Number Six." He began to wait quietly.

Li Changshou was waiting for Dong Mu Gong to visit the Sea God Mansion, and for that battalion of heavenly soldiers to be in place.

His time at Youqin Xuanya's had only taken two hours; in the heart demon illusion, time flowed like in a dream.

With his immortal sense, he could detect Youqin Xuanya muttering to herself in her cave before resuming her closed-door cultivation.

"She should be fine now, right?"

Still uneasy, Li Changshou wrapped a wisp of his immortal sense around her wrist.

That was all the help he could offer.

Sweeping his immortal sense over the sect, Du Xian Men was bustling, with tribulations occurring frequently.

For this batch of disciples, the sect had decided who would stay and who would go.

In a few months, Du Xian Men would send a group of "elite talents" to the Three Thousand Worlds and the Five Divisions of the Hong Huang.

These disciples, having mastered their arts, would continue cultivating outside and spread news of Du Xian Men's founding ceremony wherever they went, attracting more promising immortals to join.

This was the typical recruitment model for most immortal sects.

With limited resources, sects couldn't take in endless disciples.

From a cohort of, say, a thousand, only a small elite group could choose to stay in the mountains or go out for training; the rest had to leave and propagate the sect's teachings...

Li Changshou waited another four days before Dong Mu Gong finally rode the clouds to the Sea God Mansion, having already assembled one hundred thousand Tian He water troops for Li Changshou to take command.

Though one hundred thousand wasn't a huge number, it represented direct military authority for Li Changshou, which was extraordinarily significant.

When Li Changshou followed Dong Mu Gong to the Tian He and saw the handsome young man standing at the river's edge, leaning on a nine-tooth rake, he smiled.

Dong Mu Gong laughed and said, "Sea God, that's the Tian He water troops' deputy commander appointed by His Majesty, Bian Zhuang.

I've heard rumors in the Heavenly Court that Bian Zhuang has a Ren Jiao background, so he's perfect for you to command."

Li Changshou: ...

See? That's how rumors start.