Inner Demons

And in these days, the Dongting (Lake/Cave) was not peaceful either. It’s just that the unrest near Trapped Sky Mountain was a surging tide, while in the Dongting, a hidden undercurrent was flowing.

First, the Taoist priests near Weicheng became busy. But they weren't busy dealing with the Dongting Restriction (Formation/Barrier); instead, they were busy setting up checkpoints. The checkpoints of the Taoist priests were different from the tollgates of the secular government. The government’s checkpoints were set on the roads, only prohibiting ground traffic. The Taoist priests' checkpoints, however, were set in the sky—all passage, whether sky or ground, was prohibited. Just like when the Taoist priest in Weicheng painted the sun in the sky, numerous cultivators who had reached the Manifestation Realm and could fly through the air soared up, writing down all sorts of peculiar talismans.

These talismans bore the distinct personal characteristics of each cultivator, yet they could also cooperate with each other. Thus, a massive, three-dimensional Restriction covering the entire space appeared. But though this Restriction was large, it was far from comparable to the Dongting Restriction. Even a secular person affected by the power of this Restriction would only feel slightly chest-tight.

Because this Restriction was not originally meant to restrict people’s actions.

It was for finding a wandering Spiritual Soul (Ghost/Wandering Soul).

Linliang Zi and the former Fei Yunzi had killed Kun Wuzi. But a cultivator of the Great Accomplishment Profound Realm naturally possesses some terrifying methods. Even with the Life-Death Tiangang Great Array, using the power of a hundred thousand vengeful Spiritual Souls to instantly annihilate the unsuspecting Kun Wuzi... it seemed a trace of his Spiritual Soul still remained.

Naturally, this remnant Spiritual Soul could not be allowed to escape.

This Restriction could not forbid people, but it could be used to detect a remnant Spiritual Soul. "Kun Wuzi" wanted to get rid of the potential trouble as quickly as possible to prevent future complications.

But who knew this Restriction became... a search that lasted for several days, with no results.

A Taoist priest who gains the Dao Heart at the peak of the Manifestation Realm enters the True Realm and then the Profound Realm, where they can study more powerful magical methods. This means that the gap between the True Realm and the Profound Realm mostly lies only in the strength of their Spiritual Power and the thoroughness of their understanding of Daoist Arts.

If Li Yunxin were to explain this matter, he would say that the True Realm is like an elementary school student who skips class every day to play games. And the Profound Realm is an elementary school student who listens attentively, reviews diligently, and even attends tutoring classes after school.

But in the final analysis, they are both just elementary school students.

Therefore, "Kun Wuzi" roughly knew what kind of method the former Sect Master of Langya Grotto-Heaven would use to preserve a trace of his Spiritual Soul, and also knew how far it could travel per day and how to hide—if he didn't understand these things, how would anyone dare to kill a Daoist Orthodoxy Profound Realm cultivator right under the noses of many cultivators!

But strangely... it's like running into a ghost.

He just couldn't find that trace of Kun Wuzi's remnant Spiritual Soul anymore!

Thus, the newly appointed Sect Master of Langya Grotto-Heaven was temporarily distracted by this matter.

Meanwhile, that Li Shan was busy paying attention to Li Yunxin's whereabouts. Since he had already decided to do some things, he had to bring all the details into his control. Unfortunately, the original Li Shan was not a trusted confidant of Li Yunxin, so the only clumsy method he could use was to have many aquatic Demons and monsters lurking near Jun Mountain. Ostensibly, they were ready to be summoned at any time, but in reality, they were monitoring Li Yunxin's movements.

He also knew that Li Yunxin had a way to get out of the Dongting Restriction—but there were also Taoist priests guarding that area.

These two senior and junior martial brothers were actually both employing a human wave tactic. But the problem was—

"They are guarding the wrong place," Li Yunxin shook his head.

He stood in the corridor of the Jun Mountain Central Hall, facing a hundred-foot cliff and the Dongting scenery. The mountain breeze blew through the corridor, and the small bronze bells hanging from the flying eaves chimed one after another, creating quite a pleasant sound.

"That day, when I took those lake Demons out of the Restriction, I was careful. I didn't unlock the seal on their five senses until we reached the forest, and I took them out for more than ten miles before letting them go—otherwise, to transport two or three hundred people out, why would it take so much time." Li Yunxin stood in the corridor with his hands behind his back, looking at the distant scenery, and shook his head again, "I felt back then that there might be a problem, and sure enough, a problem arose. Now the Daoist Orthodoxy people are guarding the place where those Demons woke up, thinking I'll come out from there—you tell me, among us, is someone acting strangely?"

These words were addressed to Old Daoist Liu.

Old Daoist Liu was also in the corridor, leaning on a rattan chair with a jade screen back. The chair only looked like it was made of rattan, but it was actually neither metal nor wood, clearly a treasure. The old Daoist loved this chair and carried it wherever he went these days. Sometimes Lady Hong laughed at him, but he only chuckled and said, "It's good to be able to use a celestial object properly," and didn't bother arguing with that little girl—

Although this "little girl" might be even older than his great-grandmother.

At this moment, Old Daoist Liu was thoroughly enjoying the mountain breeze, and his thoughts became lively. He knew that sometimes when Brother Xin asked him a question, it wasn't necessarily because he had no clue himself—it was just that Brother Xin liked to talk things over with trusted people, clarifying his thoughts as he spoke, and then inspiration would appear.

So he narrowed his eyes, thought for a moment, and said, "Brother Xin mentioned it before. You found our Lady Sanhua a bit suspicious. And you found that Yu Family's Young Master Yu Meng also a bit suspicious."

"Our San Hua hasn't been seen much these days, but I know she went to play in the lake. You see her hiding something, but she also loves to play. If you ask me, she has a bit of a child's temperament. If I had to suspect, I wouldn't suspect her. It's that Yu Family's Young Master—you also sent him out with you. If you ask me, he's also a suspect. Furthermore, there's that Li Shan you subdued..."

"So, there are no definite clues," Li Yunxin turned around, and in his hand was an object.

It was the Lucid Jade Slip.

He tossed the jade slip in his hand and laughed self-deprecatingly: "Actually, I'm afraid of hardship... and I don't really like to study. When I was young in the mountain village, I didn't understand anything, and my parents taught me so brilliantly that I learned fast. But now... if I hadn't taken the shortcut of becoming a Demon, I don't know when I would have truly cultivated to the True Realm."

"They are all looking for this thing. If they really got a good look at it... they would surely be disappointed. Old Liu, guess what is inside this thing so far."

Old Daoist Liu knew that the item in his hand was the Lucid Jade Slip. He also learned from Li Yunxin that the Lucid Jade Slip was the "Supreme Treasure of the Dao of Painting" and the "Relic of the Painting Saint." As he was originally an Artificer and was now a legitimate Painting Daoist, he did not dare to show any disrespect to the Ancestral Master's object—the moment Li Yunxin was tossing this treasure in his hand just now, he couldn't help but sit up straight and stare intently, afraid that Brother Xin might accidentally drop and break it.

He thought for a moment and swallowed, "I dare not guess, I dare not guess."

Li Yunxin sighed: "So far... the parts I can read are all about cultivation. But this kind of thing is not as good as giving me a few secret manuals to cultivate myself. Guess again what the method for True Realm cultivation of 'Spirit Soul Manifesting True Body' talks about—what kind of nonsense is it talking about?"

"There's only one sentence—Believe the True is True. F**king believe it's true—is he fooling ghosts?!"

Old Daoist Liu's face changed color when he heard this, thinking to himself, Brother Xin, no matter how bold you are, how can you curse the Ancestral Master?

But these words were also inappropriate to say to Li Yunxin, so he could only silently apologize for Li Yunxin in his heart, terribly afraid that a bolt of lightning would strike down from the clear sky.

Li Yunxin griped and complained. But he still jumped onto the railing of the corridor, sat with one leg crossed, and activated the Lucid Jade Slip. After activating it, he began to mutter and read—which in Old Daoist Liu's eyes, was pure blasphemy.

Sometimes he would smile strangely, as if he understood perfectly.

Sometimes he wouldn't speak, only frowning. After frowning for a while, he would start muttering curses to himself again, making the old Dao Heart panic.

As Li Yunxin read, Old Daoist Liu stood guard for him, preventing others from seeing the jade slip. After a whole afternoon like this, Li Yunxin finally stood up and sighed, "It really is fooling ghosts."

The old Daoist heard him mention the 'Spirit Soul Manifesting True Body' method earlier, knowing he was studying it. Hearing his unhappy tone now, he knew the progress was not good.

So he intentionally comforted him: "The Spirit Soul Manifesting True Body that Brother Xin mentioned, wasn't that the method that Yue Yunzi used back in Weicheng?"

—In Weicheng, when Li Yunxin impersonated Yazi, the Dragon's Son, Yue Yunzi once used his clone to step out of the Profound Light Precious Mirror and talk in detail with Li Yunxin. And Qingliangzi, whom Li Yunxin had killed earlier, also mentioned that he once fought a great battle with the Spirit Soul Avatars of Li Yunxin's parents a thousand miles away.

Li Yunxin nodded: "That's the thing. True Realm people can do it—they've already Mastered it. Their own Spiritual Soul can briefly split into another self, who is also a genuine self. But it's difficult to cultivate, and not everyone can succeed. I wanted to try this just now, thinking it could help, but inside here—"

Li Yunxin looked disdainfully at the Lucid Jade Slip: "What kind of rubbish is it talking about!"

The old Daoist, afraid he would start cursing the Ancestral Master again, quickly comforted him: "No need to rush, no need to rush. Since it is a difficult method to cultivate, it is always better to take it slowly. Brother Xin has high comprehension and good talent. If you don't succeed in one day, then two days; if not in two, then three days. You will eventually succeed."

Li Yunxin heard these words, blinked, and looked at him strangely: "Huh? I have already succeeded."

The old Daoist didn't react for a moment and was stunned. In that brief time, he heard another Li Yunxin say from behind him, "When have you ever seen me cultivate a method—that took more than two days?"

The old Daoist turned his head... and it was indeed another Li Yunxin.

Old Daoist Liu was stunned for a while longer, then said in disbelief, "Didn't Brother Xin say... this method is difficult to cultivate?"

Li Yunxin burst out laughing, spreading his hands: "Otherwise, why would I be called a genius?"

The old Daoist sighed in his heart, thinking, If you act like this... you're easily going to lose friends, you know.

After another day, Bai Yunxin came to visit. She and her little maid had been wandering in the lake these days. Those who knew the inside story guessed she was trying to retrieve the Dragon Soul—but only thought she hadn't yet found where the Dragon Soul was.

Only Li Yunxin knew it was because of his previous promise—asking her to cooperate with him to delay taking the Dragon Soul, so he would have time to set up some things. In return, he promised to resolve the marriage arranged for her by her adoptive father, Peng King.

Evidently, the several major incidents Li Yunxin had caused near Weicheng had given Bai Yunxin some confidence in him, and she actually did as he asked.

Li Shan watched as Bai Yunxin entered the Jun Mountain Ziwei Palace Central Hall and then talked with Li Yunxin all night. By the second day, when neither Li Yunxin nor Bai Yunxin showed up, Li Shan became slightly anxious—fearing that Li Yunxin had already left the Dongting Restriction and gone elsewhere.

But just as he was anxious, he saw that Lady Hong came out of the front hall of Ziwei Palace.

Lady Hong had built a small wooden pavilion near the white sand beach of Jun Mountain to commemorate the time she first met Li Yunxin, and this pavilion later became her place to relax when she felt gloomy.

She was originally the princess of this Dongting and should be the current person in power. But the entire Dongting knew that the Lord of Dongting did not cherish this daughter much, even treating her as an object. And now, with a great Demon like Li Yunxin taking up residence in Ziwei Palace...

This Lady Hong truly became a figure that no one paid attention to.

But today, Li Shan was only focused on this Lady Hong—he watched from afar and saw the beauty approaching again with wine. In the wooden pavilion, she first stared blankly into the distance for a while, and then began to drink.

Thus, he knew she was sad again.

He even overheard some words Lady Hong said to herself while drinking. Although it was only fragments of speech, Li Shan's intelligence allowed him to deduce... it was because of that Bai Yunxin.

Bai Yunxin was currently still in Ziwei Palace, and she was chatting happily with Li Yunxin. How could that Lady Hong tolerate such a thing? Yet, she couldn't flare up in front of two great Demons, so she could only escape to drown her sorrows in wine.

Li Shan felt slightly relieved.

In this manner, another morning passed.

Lady Hong became drunk from the wine and fell asleep in the pavilion. But Li Yunxin and Bai Yunxin had not yet emerged, so Li Shan became anxious again and planned to find an excuse to barge in and report something.

But as luck would have it... a stroke of good fortune came knocking.

That Lady Sanhua, who was close to Li Yunxin, returned from her travels, he knew not where. Seeing Li Shan furtively poking his head out of the water from afar, she suddenly felt playful. She was also half of the Dragon Clan, and although she was only in the Illusory Realm, in terms of physical toughness, she was not inferior to Li Shan.

So she jumped into the water and immediately dragged Li Shan out. She said he looked funny, and since she was extremely bored in the hall, she told him to go to the hall to play with her.

This was exactly what Li Shan wanted.

So he pretended to be obedient, acting as if "San Hua is a fairy lady beside the Great King, so I dare not be presumptuous," and willingly followed her into the hall.

Thus... his heart finally settled down.

Entering the Central Hall, he saw Li Yunxin sitting properly opposite Bai Yunxin. However, they were not kneeling in the ancient manner, but sitting comfortably in rattan chairs.

Next to them were Old Daoist Liu and Bai Yunxin's little maid. The four of them were gathered around a table, playing something he didn't know. Li Shan peeked from afar, and although he didn't want to concern himself with what they were playing, he heard that Li Yunxin occasionally excitedly shout, "I knew you were a loyal minister," or frustratedly yell, "Capture me! Don't leave me for the rebel," or sigh, "Why am I the internal spy again," and similar phrases—

As he listened, his heart began to race again...

Could it be that these four had sensed something was wrong and were systematically checking everyone?!

Unfortunately, before he could investigate further, San Hua dragged him to a corner of the Central Hall and forced him to play with her. San Hua's 'play' was not a good kind of play... it was a competitive wrestling, like how cats play-fight with each other. This Li Shan had to carefully humor her, afraid that she would get angry and kick him out, while also having to restrain his Manifestation Realm peak strength so as not to hurt her... how could he have the mind to listen to what Li Yunxin and the others were saying!

As a result of this playing... he ended up playing for a whole day.

And this was precisely the first day of the grand gathering of Demons at the Trapped Sky Mountain of the True Realm Great Demon, Evil King.

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