Inner Demons

“Don’t be afraid.” In the dim light, the Taoist priest said to a black cat under the table, “The Daoist Orthodoxy is here to eliminate great fiends and demons, and won’t pay too much attention to a small thing like you.”

The Taoist priest looked about thirty years old, with an ordinary face. He wore a Taoist robe that flowed like water and shimmered with a bright luster when he moved, and the sound of wind accompanied his speech.

But the wind sound was not coming from his throat; it was coming from outside the window.

The room was small and simply furnished. It had a bed, a table, and a stool. The walls, door, and windows were all formed from solid rock. But there was no paper on the door or windows, and the fierce wind roared in, passing through every crack in the room, trying to lift every object.

However, the bed, table, and stool were also condensed from rock. The gale labored in vain, only to howl and rush out again.

The Taoist priest seemed accustomed to such an environment. He paced two more steps in the gale and said, “The Daoist Orthodoxy is not without precedent for taking demons as guardian spirit beasts of the mountain. You have cultivated the Celestial Heart Orthodox Law, and have reached the Illusory Realm in only a few months since attaining the Dao—that is good talent. If you fully disclose the daily affairs and all the details of Li Yunxin’s actions, it will be a great service to the Daoist Orthodoxy. By then…”

The black cat under the table suddenly spoke human words in a soft, gentle voice: “Stupid Taoist priest. You let me go down the mountain first, and I’ll tell you everything, all right?”

The Taoist priest did not acknowledge this. Instead, he stroked his beard and said, “That Chicken Spirit is in another quiet room, and has already said everything that needed to be said. Although his head is small and his cultivation level is low, he is much more sensible than you. But his appearance is not very pleasing, lacking dignity and grace. You call yourself Sheriff Fairy—though it is nonsense, you are born beautiful and refined, more like a cultivator than that Chicken Spirit.”

“Now this poor Daoist is questioning you again, asking you to repeat it, only to cross-reference the facts, and to see your sincerity and repentance. Whether you speak or not, we already know the general outline of the matter. This is your last chance—if you remain so obstinate and unrepentant, that chance will go to the demon next door to you.”

“Stupid Taoist priest. The trick you are using, the Great King is immeasurably more clever than you about it. Just save your breath.” The black cat closed its eyes again and rested its head on its front paws. After a while, it couldn't help but say, “Heh, so stupid.”

The Taoist priest said no more. He stared at her coldly for a moment, pushed the door open, and walked out.

There was no sound as the stone door turned, but the wind outside instantly grew louder. The door closed, and the wind diminished—the black cat remained quietly under the table, with no intention of leaping out the window or the door—in fact, the door and windows had no paper and were not locked. Even an adult could easily slip out.

The Taoist priest stepped out, treading on the void. Below his feet, the sea of clouds surged, and overhead, the bright moon hung high.

This was because there was no flat ground outside the room’s door; it was suspended in the air. Hundreds of meters below the Taoist priest was the sea of clouds—a sea of clouds formed by the condensation of water vapor due to the extreme height and cold. On some nights, this cloud sea would dissipate, allowing one to see what was below.

The horizon would show a distinct curve, and everything looked so tiny. On the pitch-black earth, there were only scattered, weak points of light, and those lights could only shine for a short time in the darkness. As the night deepened, the whole world fell into complete darkness.

The Taoist priest knew that those small points of light were the largest and most prosperous human cities in this known world. Yet, compared to the vast earth and the profound darkness, the power and presence of the worldly people seemed so insignificant.

The Taoist priest had never descended the "mountain," and thus could not imagine what a pathetic life that was, and what a pathetic group of people they were.

From birth until now, for a total of forty-six years, he had lived on Cloud Mountain. There were many cultivators like him—born within Cloud Mountain, cultivating within Cloud Mountain, and ascending within Cloud Mountain. They were interested in the sea of clouds, the scorching sun, and the bright moon, and uninterested in anything beneath the sea of clouds.

Only the most ambitious and the least ambitious would descend to the mortal world. Either to undergo Tribulation, or to enjoy worldly glory. Yet, in the eyes of the Taoist priest, the "glory" of the mortal world could not compare to a pot of moonlight on Cloud Mountain.

Cloud Mountain was right behind him. But he could not see the full view of Cloud Mountain at the moment.

Because Cloud Mountain was so massive.

It is said that it was formed from a giant fish named Kun a long, long time ago. That great fish swam and churned in the Grand Void Universe as its ocean. Later, it grew tired and stopped above the sea of clouds in the Celestial Sphere, falling into a deep sleep. Celestial Beings then performed spells and divine powers upon it, transforming it into this Cloud Mountain for cultivators to reside on.

It is also said that perhaps one day this Kun will wake up. Perhaps in billions of years, perhaps tomorrow.

The Taoist priest liked this saying. It kept a sharp sword constantly hanging in the hearts of cultivators like them, preventing them from becoming lax.

The room where the black cat was located was on the rock face of Cloud Mountain, at the very bottom of Cloud Mountain. That room was to Cloud Mountain as a grain of sand is to a gigantic whale. The shape of Cloud Mountain did indeed resemble a fish. The Taoist priest had never seen its full view, but he had read the texts.

His current location was probably the fish tail, the place where wrongdoers were imprisoned in the Thirty-Six Grotto-Heavens. He stood in the void for a moment, then flew up diagonally into the fierce wind. Before long, another person flew over from the other side, and the two met under the moonlight.

The newcomer was a Taoist priest in the same attire, and of a similar age.

The Taoist priest who had questioned the black cat walked side-by-side with him, silent for a moment, then said, “Obstinate and unrepentant. In my opinion, it would be best to execute them.”

The newcomer shook his head, his voice intermittent but clear in the wind: “Kun Wuzi Sect Master said, they must not be killed, nor tortured. They might have other uses.”

“One is a demon of the Illusory Realm, and the other is a demon of the Intent Realm. If they were cultivators on this Cloud Mountain, they would not be allowed to leave the Grotto-heaven,” the Taoist priest said disdainfully. “What use could they possibly have? Could it be that they are to be used later as…”

“It is exactly as you think.” The newcomer nodded. “The Sect Master’s original instruction was to keep these two demons. If that Li Yunxin cannot be restrained in the lower world, these two demons could perhaps be used to threaten him.”

The Taoist priest’s eyes widened in disbelief when he heard this: “Cannot be restrained? A demon who is the incarnation of a Painting Daoist, and was just in the True Realm—how could he 'not be restrained'?”

“The Sect Master always has his reasons. We should just follow the instructions,” the newcomer said, with some helplessness in his tone as well.

The two flew straight up into the moonlight.

Compared to the entire Cloud Mountain, they were like two specks of dust beside a gigantic whale. (To be continued.)

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