novelapdf #501 - The inner demon
#501 - The inner demon
The woman in red, Dai Qianmo, wore a slightly reproachful expression, her delicate nose upturned as she said, "What an unromantic man! Instead of comforting me and soothing my heart at a time like this, he goes into a state of enlightenment. Truly a cultivation maniac.
However, the will to enlightenment is a rare opportunity, so I won't disturb him."
As she spoke, her body shifted slightly, and her forbidden armor instantly materialized, as if she had donned a suit of armor, heroic and extraordinary.
At this moment, the yin and yang energies flowed within her body, and her strength increased another notch. In the past, she only absorbed yin energy, and although her strength was great, it was somewhat skewed. Now, with the union of yin and yang, it was as if she had broken through the fog.
She marveled, "So that's how it is. Fortunately, I have remained chaste for a thousand years, and finally met such a man of yang energy.
Otherwise, I really wouldn't have gained so many benefits."
Dai Qianmo now stood beside Li Chengfeng, and a Dao aura quietly enveloped her as well.
She carefully sensed Li Chengfeng's Dao aura, hoping to find her own enlightenment within it.
This was precisely why, when others were in a state of enlightenment, guarding beside them could, to some extent, allow one's own mind to receive a trace of inspiration.
The two had just finished a great battle, their hearts surging and faces flushed.
At this moment, the yin and yang were perfectly united, and she involuntarily entered a mysterious state, feeling only a sense of tranquility and a sudden surge of understanding.
Those chaotic thoughts instantly dissipated, and she wandered with Li Chengfeng's Dao aura, allowing her own Dao aura to be completely opened, which in turn allowed Li Chengfeng to more smoothly comprehend the Dao of Yin and Yang.
And she also gained many benefits from it, the Dao aura fed back deeply infecting her mind.
The spring breeze gently caressed, the yin and yang energies intertwined, and Li Chengfeng explored within this delicate balance, like a Buddhist practitioner seeking the unity of mind and all things.
This chance encounter with the woman in red, Dai Qianmo, allowed the two to treat each other with sincerity, their hearts connected, and they comprehended the mysteries of destiny in the intersection of yin and yang, and the power within their bodies surged.
As a Core Formation cultivator in the middle stage, he knew that his own cultivation methods were still in need of improvement, so he had an idea: why not use the legendary Perfect Dao Cloud Deduction Technique, combined with the Earth Treasury Temple's peerless Buddhist technique, the 'Nine Yang Art,' and the red-clothed woman's 'Nine Yin Art,' to jointly create an unprecedented masterpiece?
The woman in red, Dai Qianmo, in order to obtain the forbidden armor, had to impart the essence of her own cultivation method, and these two methods, one yin and one yang, were like the division of heaven and earth, the difference between man and woman, perfectly matching the current situation.
However, to truly achieve the union of yin and yang, a neutral technique capable of harmonizing the two was still needed.
His eyes were like torches, and he recalled the unique method of the Earth Treasury lineage in the Demon Sect—the 'Earth Treasury Sutra.' This scripture not only contained Buddhist compassion, but also the profoundness of the Demon Sect. The three techniques were interdependent, and the artistic conception of the union of Buddhism and Demonism was about to emerge.
As these techniques flowed within his body, countless thoughts flashed through his mind. He carefully dissected them, slowly deduced them, and his Dao heart became more and more firm.
The principles of yin and yang, the Dao of heaven and earth, the distinction between man and woman, all manifested here. And as a lineage of the Demon Sect, the Earth Treasury style contained a hidden threat of inner demons within its union of yin and yang.
Normally, his inner demons were suppressed due to the strength of his soul, but at this moment, with the improvement of his realm and the fusion of techniques, the shadow known as the 'Earth Treasury Inner Demon' quietly emerged.
This inner demon was identical to him in appearance, but with a cruel smile, foreshadowing the difficult test at the time of breakthrough.
However, Li Chengfeng knew that although inner demons were strong, they were also an indispensable磨砺 (mó lì – grinding stone / trial) on the path of cultivation.
He closed his eyes and concentrated, using his supreme will to resist the invasion of the inner demons, vowing to forge an even stronger Dao heart in this contest of mind and demonic thoughts, and to melt these three techniques into gold within his body.
Ordinary inner demon trials are nothing more than illusions of past shadows, luring you deep into the quagmire of emotions or the abyss of desires until you cannot extricate yourself and disappear黯然 (àn rán – dejectedly / dispiritedly).
But Li Chengfeng, on this mission, was actually directly facing a real-life version of a super villain. This kind of scene is only occasionally encountered by Nascent Soul experts, and is by no means a simple illusionary trick, but rather an inner demon born from the heart and materialized.
Although he was only in the middle stage of Core Formation, the resentment and karma accumulated from past killings nourished this inner demon beast, lurking quietly, and finally seeing the light of day.
Li Chengfeng looked at this inner demon, a faint smile appeared on the corner of his mouth, and he nodded, "Good fellow, my inner demon, looks quite handsome, just what I wanted."
The inner demon looked surprised, as if his lines had been stolen: "This... isn't this what I should be saying? Shouldn't I be using these words to shake you?!"
Li Chengfeng smiled even more brilliantly: "Haha, I've been waiting for your arrival. I want to make you my partner, cultivate together, fight side by side, and let your existence become my second sword on the battlefield, bearing those darkness, sins, and karma for me."
Hearing this, the inner demon trembled, gritting his teeth and saying, "Li Chengfeng, your move is really ruthless, making me your shield? Hmph, it sounds good, but it's not that easy to do!"
Li Chengfeng leisurely replied, "I've been preparing for a long time. If it weren't for the mysteries of Buddhism and Demonism coexisting, and the generation of yin and yang, how could you have easily appeared? Now that you've appeared, don't even think about escaping easily."
His words revealed an unquestionable determination and confidence.
The Earth Treasury Inner Demon sneered repeatedly, provocatively saying, "Don't be so boastful! Let me show you the true power of my inner demon!"
With that, he suddenly waved his demonic hand, instantly conjuring countless phantoms, each one the appearance of someone Li Chengfeng had killed, swarming towards him.
Li Chengfeng didn't even lift his eyelids, and said lightly, "A group of亡魂 (wáng hún – departed souls) is all that is, why bother disturbing my peace again?"
Before the words fell, it was as if space-time was distorted behind him, and a river of history suddenly appeared, like a silver ribbon surrounding him, turning into an indestructible moat.
The Yellow Springs water surged in the river, and Li Chengfeng lightly waved his hand, turning the power of the Yellow Springs into a clear spring, merging into the long river.
Those phantoms, upon touching the long river, were like fallen leaves returning to their roots, ruthlessly swallowed by the Yellow Springs water, disappearing without a trace.
Above the long river, an邪灵 (xié líng – evil spirit) sat cross-legged, laughing wildly, its huge mouth opened, actually sucking all the remaining inner demon phantoms into its mouth, appearing not yet satisfied.
Its eyes, filled with evil energy, stared closely at the Earth Treasury Inner Demon, viciously saying, "I want to enjoy this delicacy alone! Since the master let you in, you are my meal!"
After speaking, the evil spirit actually wanted to break free from its restraints, reaching out its tentacles straight at the inner demon.
The Earth Treasury Inner Demon was terrified, he never expected to fall into such a desperate situation in the first round, and regretted it in his heart, hurriedly turning around to escape.
Although the inner demon was derived from the most evil part of the human heart, it also inherited Li Chengfeng's敏捷 (mǐn jié – quickness / agility) and caution, knowing that he was no match, so escape was the best option.
However, a天罗地网 (tiān luó dì wǎng – net of heaven and earth) had already been laid down, and nine chains burst out of the air, like灵蛇 (líng shé – divine snakes / intelligent snakes) entwining the inner demon's body, firmly binding him.
At the other end of the chains, nine great blood shadows roared ferociously, each containing terrifying power, and a gentle tug caused the inner demon to let out a miserable scream, unable to move.
The inner demon muttered in disbelief, "How is this possible? I am neither实体 (shí tǐ – entity / substance), nor虚无 (xū wú – nothingness / emptiness), how can you bind me? This defies常理 (cháng lǐ – common sense / natural law)."
Li Chengfeng smiled without saying a word, and said softly, "How would you know that the禁制 (jìn zhì – restriction / prohibition) and array I researched were designed to deal with such ethereal things?
For example, that天命师 (tiān mìng shī – diviner), who can carry out secret assassinations across thousands of miles, relying only on capturing气息 (qì xī – aura / breath);
And like that神念虫 (shén niàn chóng – divine sense worm) imprisoned at the bottom of the sea, even a wisp of神念 (shén niàn – divine sense / spiritual thought) is also firmly bound by chains. Those chains are not实体 (shí tǐ – entity / substance), but are transformed from禁制 (jìn zhì – restriction / prohibition). How could you, an inner demon, perceive such mysteries?"