Inner Demons

The news spread during the night.

On this night... far, far away, in a place called Trapped Sky Mountain, two powerful demon-monsters were fighting.

But how could the ignorant secular folk know that this matter was connected to the affairs of Trapped Sky Mountain, Weicheng, and Dongting?

All they knew was that the new Family Head, Su Zhiyuan, suddenly fainted that night.

It was said that he was unconscious for six hours. Then, in front of everyone, he sat up straight in bed. However, his entire spirit and demeanor were completely different. He had a stern face, coldly scanned the people surrounding him, and then sharply asked where the "others had gone."

At that time, there were only two doctors, four maids, and three servants around him—this new Family Head had not yet acquired enough authority to command respect. It was rumored that his gaining this position was the result of certain family members weighing the pros and cons, believing that if the internal struggle continued, the Su Family would fall, so they might as well elect a puppet and "discuss everything" among themselves.

Therefore, when this puppet fell into a sudden illness, no one was truly worried.

But things quickly changed. This Su Zhiyuan, whose temperament and tone were utterly transformed, claimed that he was Su Zhizhang. At first, everyone thought he was delirious, but Su Zhiyuan immediately revealed many secrets that only Su Zhizhang would know.

At this, people finally panicked. Those in charge of various nearby families rushed over overnight to question Su Zhiyuan.

Not only did Su Zhiyuan clearly answer questions about Su Zhizhang’s habits and hobbies, but he also revealed many important internal family secrets, involving various schemes and arrangements—many of which were unknown even to the heads of the various branches.

After two hours of this, people finally believed that the person before them, Su Zhiyuan, was indeed Su Zhizhang.

As for why this happened—Su Zhizhang told a miraculous story.

The Su Family, and even the people in the nearby prefectures, all knew the legend of how the Su Family ancestor, Su San, rose to prominence.

It was said that Su San was fishing in Dongting Lake. He cast a net and hauled up a rusty copper vase. He opened the vase, and a Water God floated out from within. The Water God called himself Tenth Prince, a descendant of the Divine Dragon. He explained that while traveling to the Heavenly Court with the Divine Dragon, he had secretly eaten a steamed white bun that the Empress prepared for the Celestial Emperor, and was thus sealed in the vase and tossed into Dongting.

The Tenth Prince thanked Su San for saving him and offered to grant him three wishes.

Su San was not a greedy person. His first wish was for the Great Qing Dynasty to be just, prosperous, civilized, and harmonious. His second wish was for the people of the Qing Kingdom to be patriotic, dedicated, honest, and friendly. His third wish was for himself, asking for some money so he could afford a wife.

The Water God Tenth Prince believed Su San was a great, good person and gave him a large amount of gold and silver treasures, which is how the Su Family rose to prominence.

Everyone knew this legend, but they only treated it as a legend.

But now, Su Zhizhang, who was possessing Su Zhiyuan... claimed he had seen the Tenth Prince again.

According to him, the pleasure boat encountered a great storm that day and capsized. He fell into the water and lost consciousness, drifting he knew not where. Then he was suddenly awakened by a call. He opened his eyes and saw a solemn and dignified divine being holding him upside down and setting him on the shore.

This divine being claimed to be the Water God Tenth Prince of the lake, a descendant of the Divine Dragon. He said he had a close relationship with Su Zhizhang's ancestor. Today, a storm arose in the lake, so he was patrolling and happened to see him drowning.

Upon asking, he learned that Su Zhizhang was a descendant of Su San. Therefore, he did not hesitate to violate the heavenly laws to save Su Zhizhang's life.

However, Su Zhizhang's body was completely ruined, and his soul could not return to its place. Thus, the Water God invited the Black and White Yama Kings. The Black and White Yama Kings checked the Book of Life and Death and said there was a person in the Su Family named Su Zhiyuan, who was a wicked person in his previous life and thus short-lived in this one. But the karmic retribution for this life was already complete, and he was about to die. It just so happened that his body could be used for Su Zhizhang.

Su Zhizhang naturally tried to refuse in every way, but the Water God would not let him. He then pleaded with the Black and White Yama Kings to extend Su Zhizhang's life.

The Yama Kings could not refuse the Water God's favor, so they captured Su Zhizhang's soul and placed it into Su Zhiyuan's body.

But the Water God had overstepped his bounds this time, interfering with life and death. According to the heavenly laws, he was to be tied to the Immortal Beheading Platform and struck dead by lightning. However, the Black and White Yama Kings argued that the Tenth Prince was simply repaying an old debt, and there were extenuating circumstances.

Therefore... if countless people in the lower realm could pray and offer incense for the Tenth Prince, and the Celestial Emperor were moved, the Tenth Prince might escape the disaster.

Su Zhizhang, who was possessing Su Zhiyuan, told this strange story, which was difficult to believe.

However, since they already believed that "Su Zhiyuan is truly Su Zhizhang," what did it matter if they believed the rest?

Thus, the Su Family people spread the story overnight, with no shortage of further exaggerated embellishments. By dawn, everyone in Su Town knew about it. The Su Family people seemed genuinely intent on "repaying the Water God Tenth Prince's" favor—not only did they inform the people of Su Town, but they also dispatched numerous servants in all directions, telling everyone they met the news.

The ignorant commoners might think, "The Su Family Master truly wants to repay his debt of gratitude." However, those with more knowledge, such as the government officials, saw a different meaning—

Putting aside whether this "Su Zhizhang" was real or not. Even if he was fake, the fact that the Su Family people released such news meant that the internal struggle had indeed stopped. The ignorant commoners only saw the miraculous story, but they saw deeper—the Su Family was using this method to announce that the family's power structure was stable. By spreading the news everywhere now, they intended to discourage those with ulterior motives or ill intentions.

The message itself was absurd, but... this was likely just the Su Family trying to "convey a stance."

Since the situation was stable, the officials could no longer enjoy the show. Furthermore... the advisors beside them had spoken some candid, albeit "unpleasant" but "highly useful," truths to these masters.

For example, the officials of the prefecture had not received a few benefits from the Su Family over the years.

But when the Su Family suffered a great disaster a few days ago, they did not help but allowed all sorts of troubles to stir up the situation—if it were a common family, the masters would not need to care about their feelings. But the Su Family was such a top-tier powerful family, and there were precedents of disobedient local officials being secretly or openly pushed out. It would be unwise to offend such a family.

Therefore... they had to do something to show their attitude.

—For instance, if the Su Family wanted to mobilize those ignorant villagers to do something like "prayer for blessings" or "protection," they should not interfere.

Some accepted this advice, but others refused to comply. However, those who refused soon found that things were no longer under their control—

By the time dawn broke, many people swore that they had been visited by the Water God Tenth Prince in a dream the night before. He said he had saved Su Zhizhang and was now undergoing lightning punishment, and he hoped they could offer incense and pray for him, as he would eventually protect the region and bestow many blessings upon them.

These people were spread across all directions, numbering nearly a hundred in a rough count, and they were not the Su Family people from the high-walled manor, but ordinary villagers from various places who seemed to have no connection with the Su Family.

This tactic might seem naive and ridiculous to some, yet... in the short span of a few hours, from the third watch of the previous night until the next morning...

Countless people were indeed incited.

It was not only because of "the Su Family's strange tale" or "the fact that people had truly dreamed of the god," but also because the Su Family announced that every household willing to offer incense and pray for the Water God Tenth Prince would be given one tael of silver.

...How many households were there among the over two million people in these four prefectures and sixteen counties?!

The Su Family was spending money like this, nearly emptying their entire family fortune! At this point, even the most rational person had to try to believe... that it was truly because Su Zhizhang sincerely wanted to repay his debt of gratitude!

Consequently...

Thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of people's incense-based Vow Power, thanks to this terrifying, all-or-nothing power of mobilization, began to continuously converge into Dongting Lake...

Into the body of the "Tenth Prince Li Shan."

And at this moment, "Li Shan" was somewhere on the edge of Dongting Lake—he dared not return to Jun Mountain.

But if they already suspected him, it didn't matter now—the surprise attack would be launched soon. Moreover, he had received news from the hidden contact at Trapped Sky Mountain...

Li Yunxin had been killed by Yazi.

A shocking and unbelievable piece of news.

Both Li Shan and "Kun Wuzi" found it hard to believe this was true—the stronger Langya Grotto-Heaven Sect Master, the real Kun Wuzi, had also suddenly died. But that was the result of Fu Liangzi's secret management and arrangements. In fact, to trace it back further, one could say it had been planned for forty-six years—since the day he infiltrated the Daoist Orthodoxy.

However, the matter of Li Yunxin...

He had run to Trapped Sky Mountain himself. Even with their combined efforts, the Dragon's Son Yazi had gone there. But would a cunning and insidious person like Li Yunxin truly die like this?!

Therefore, Li Shan and Kun Wuzi met again and reached a conclusion that was difficult for them to accept.

That Li Yunxin... had likely perfected the Spirit Soul Manifesting True Body technique.

He used the True Body formed by his Spiritual Soul to go to Trapped Sky Mountain, and that Spiritual Soul True Body was then killed.

But this also meant that Li Yunxin's main body was not in Dongting. An Accomplished Master Realm cultivator's True Body cannot leave the main body by more than thirty li. If Li Yunxin's clone reached Trapped Sky Mountain, his main body must be within thirty li of Trapped Sky Mountain.

This was a conservative deduction made under the condition of being unwilling to believe that Li Yunxin had truly died just like that.

In that case... the plan must continue.

If Li Yunxin was dead, it ensured absolute safety. It was only a minor pity that they couldn't capture him to force information out of him.

If Li Yunxin was not dead and only the clone was killed, then things would be even smoother—the main body would suffer immense damage and a sharp drop in cultivation if the Spiritual Soul True Body was killed. Even if Li Yunxin was still a True Realm, he would be an extremely weakened True Realm. And by capturing everyone in Dongting, he would absolutely be unable to cause any significant disturbance.

Therefore, at this moment, Li Shan stood on the water surface of Dongting Lake, subtly savoring the strange pleasure of the innumerable weak faith Vow Power from the Dongting vicinity converging into his body.

He was already at the peak of the Manifestation Realm.

Now...

He felt he was about to become the second True Realm in this lake.

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