Pei Du had rarely experienced moments of extraordinary joy in his life.
Living in the Pei Manor, he endured years of monotonous, arduous cultivation, along with countless gossipy remarks and deliberate provocations. Occasionally, he would hear a few words of praise. Having achieved fame at a young age, his heart had long ceased to stir because of such things.
During his studies at the academy, the thing he looked forward to most each day was catching a glimpse of Miss Xie's figure.
If he could manage to greet her or exchange a word or two, the little figure in his heart would even grin foolishly, tumbling over itself in delight.
Back then, his happiness was simple. Borrowing a book she had read, practicing a technique she had cultivated—all could make Pei Du feel a bit closer to her.
But this kind of happiness was, after all, illusory. Following the brief, secret joy was a distance as vast and insurmountable as a chasm, rendering the happiness itself impure, tinged with a faint, scattered bitterness.
Therefore, at this very moment, facing Xie Jingci's pitch-black eyes, an emotion he had never felt before surged like a tide, wildly spreading and multiplying from the depths of his heart. He was struck dizzy by this storm, almost believing he would faint on the spot, his mind utterly dazed.
He seemed to have turned completely foolish.
After Pei Du remained silent for a long while, Xie Jingci grew equally nervous, her head feeling hot. However, his utterly adorable, crimson-cheeked appearance dispelled most of her anxiety, and she couldn't help but want to hug him.
"I've said so much," Xie Jingci held back a laugh, her tone still tense and restrained, "aren't you planning to respond?"
Pei Du dug his fingernails deep into his palm.
The sharp pain confirmed it—this was not a dream.
So, when joy reaches its extreme, it doesn't necessarily turn into laughter.
A heavy, dense emotion wrapped around his heart, then exploded with a roar. The sound of his heartbeat was fast and fierce, as if soaked in cloyingly sweet honey, accompanied by the chaotic bursting of fireworks.
"Miss Xie..."
A faint redness actually rose again in his eyes. His throat moved, his voice excessively hoarse, as he asked with utmost seriousness, "Are you the real Miss Xie?"
The Guiyuan Immortal Manor was overrun with demons and evil spirits, among which were creatures capable of changing their appearance.
Xie Jingci truly hadn't expected that Pei Du's first thought upon hearing her words would be to confirm if she was truly Xie Jingci herself.
She first found it amusingly silly, but then felt a pang of sourness in her heart. Her fingers, resting on his face, traced lightly, outlining the young man's sharp, distinct facial features.
Pei Du's entire body was tense, his long eyelashes trembling slightly at her touch.
"Why does Young Master Pei say that?"
Xie Jingci retreated slightly, still staring directly into his eyes: "Could it be that the real Miss Xie would never say such things to you?"
She was accustomed to calling him "Pei Du" daily; occasionally calling him "Young Master Pei" created a sense of distance yet intimacy. Spoken crisply, it held a subtle hint of teasing.
Pei Du could hardly withstand such provocation; it felt like a cat's claw scratching at his heart. Suddenly, he heard her whisper, "If you want to know if I'm real or not... you might as well verify it yourself."
The hands on his cheeks silently moved away.
Xie Jingci took his wrist and guided it upwards, unhurriedly.
His fingers touched her jade-like cheek and, under her guidance, slowly slid downward.
His heart was in turmoil.
Yet, Miss Xie was not impatient, asking him with considerable patience, "Well? Do you think it's real or not?"
She paused briefly, her bright, sparkling eyes curving like crescent moons: "Do you want to continue?"
Pei Du did not answer immediately.
Xie Jingci was still quietly waiting for his response when she suddenly felt a wave of heat envelop her back.
Pei Du's pupils were pitch black, swirling with countless emotions she couldn't quite decipher, like undercurrents beneath a thunderstorm. A single glance made Xie Jingci's chest tighten.
His movements were cautious, first pressing against her spine, then gradually increasing the pressure.
Taking the initiative and watching Pei Du blush was one thing; being suddenly overtaken by him, becoming the one being teased, was an entirely different matter.
Xie Jingci had thought he would be flustered. Unprepared for this move, she momentarily lost her composure, swallowing the words that were about to leave her throat.
Pei Du gradually drew closer. Their black hair and clothes rubbed together quietly, emitting faint, blush-inducing sounds.
"...Miss Xie."
He gently buried his head in the crook of her neck, his voice extremely low, trembling uncontrollably: "I'm going crazy."
The usually bold and unrestrained Xie Jingci, because of these seven short words, didn't dare to move recklessly anymore.
"So," she felt somewhat ticklish from Pei Du's breath, struggling to steady her heartbeat and forcing herself to ask through her shyness, "what is your answer?"
The small room fell silent for a brief moment.
However, the next instant, the response to her did not come from Pei Du's voice.
――The corridor outside had been utterly silent, but then a sharp, piercing scream erupted abruptly: "Help!"
Immediately afterward, the door was violently flung open. The intruder was not any of the cultivators from the main hall, but a cluster of ghostly flames radiating intense heat!
Pei Du focused his spirit, frowned, and in an instant turned and drew his sword, blocking the sudden attack.
"Ghostly flames."
Xie Jingci nearly fumed with anger, both resentful and annoyed: "The sword array shouldn't have collapsed this quickly."
"Something must have happened."
Ghostly flames were notorious for their elusive movements and fierce, violent nature. Pei Du's sword intent was as cold and sharp as ice; streaks of white light wove into a dense net, instantly slicing the flames into scattered fragments.
He was usually gentle and restrained, rarely using such lethal techniques. It seemed he, too, harbored resentment and was somewhat displeased.
Xie Jingci couldn't help the smile that tugged at her lips: "We should still go out and take a look."
As she spoke, her gaze shifted to the young man's beautiful phoenix eyes, her smile deepening: "The answer can come slowly. There's no hurry."
The killing intent around Pei Du had not yet dissipated, but upon hearing her words, the roots of his ears flushed fiery red once more.
Outside the small room, demonic energy surged in all directions, and intermittent cries for help could be heard. Xie Jingci frowned inwardly and hurried to the main hall with Pei Du. The first thing that rushed into their sight was the undulating shadows of the demonic creatures.
"Young—Young Master Pei!"
A cultivator spotted the two of them and called out in panic while engaging the enemy: "It's terrible! The sword array has suddenly been damaged for some reason. The demonic creatures have all broken through the formation and rushed in!"
A loud shout came from a corner: "The sword array—how long until the sword array is repaired?"
"Soon!"
Several sword cultivators beside the formation were holding their breath, concentrating, silently reciting sword incantations in their minds. Spiritual energy converged into blinding white light, gradually filling the damaged gaps in the sword array.
Xie Jingci felt her head spinning: "How could the sword array suddenly be damaged? Because the demonic energy outside is too strong?"
"That shouldn't be the case."
Pei Du shook his head: "Outside the sword array, the sword energy can block the incoming tide of demons. It's difficult for it to cause significant damage to the formation itself. I estimated with a few senior brothers and sisters that, if everything proceeded normally, we could hold out for four to five days."
"Then—"
"If the sword array is damaged, the problem must lie within the formation itself."
A cool, youthful voice suddenly spoke up. Xie Jingci followed the sound and saw Chu Zheng walking over slowly.
"Remember? Among these disciples, someone has been possessed by an inner demon."
Xie Jingci's heart stirred.
The inner demon should have left immediately after destroying the Heart-Protecting Mirror, but was forced to stay due to the sword formation.
It wanted to leave, and the person it possessed undoubtedly also wanted it to depart swiftly—if the cultivators present discovered anything amiss and located the inner demon, that person would unquestionably become a condemned sinner, utterly disgraced.
Demonic energy can corrode divine artifacts and also has the effect of damaging formations. If that person could secretly approach the formation and inject demonic energy, they could create a breach for the inner demon to slip away swiftly.
To protect their own reputation, they wouldn't hesitate to place so many people in such a perilous, life-threatening situation...
A cold glint flashed in Xie Cijing's eyes as her gaze shifted, passing over the overlapping figures, to land on the main hall's entrance.
This time, Pei Yu wasn't cowering in a corner as before. Instead, he stood at the forefront, leading the charge, cutting down the surging evil beings with his sword, playing the part of a righteous path leader flawlessly.
His cultivation had already reached the Nascent Soul stage, and as the designated next head of the Pei family, his status among the cultivators had always been considerable.
The earlier dispute was merely a minor interlude. Faced with a life-or-death crisis, many had cast aside their disdain and schadenfreude, standing by his side.
It was worth noting that the sword in his hand was not Zhan Yuan, but the former Ming Guang.
While Ming Guang was also an exceptional weapon, compared to the divine artifact Zhan Yuan, it seemed less remarkable. It was said that the life-bound sword he obtained in the Sword Tomb didn't suit him, and Pei Fengnan, left with no choice, had sought out this razor-sharp Ming Guang for him.
What was this called?
Abandoning one's rightful wife, using money earned by a mistress to curry favor with one's goddess, only to end up with nothing, rejected at the door.
Truly laughable.
Pei Yu's sword techniques were fiercely sharp, each move brimming with killing intent. Wherever he went, a foul wind followed, accompanied by sprays of blood.
He seemed to have heard that address of "Young Master Pei" and turned around accordingly.
Pei Du.
Today, risking himself, willingly placing himself in such danger, what he was absolutely determined to achieve... was to ruin Pei Du.
The gathering consisted entirely of righteous cultivators. At first glance, aside from Pei Du, no one else could possibly be the source of demonic energy.
Yet no one knew that, back in the Ghost Tomb, when he had tried to frame Pei Du by luring a demonic tide, he had been careless and was ambushed by an evil entity, tainted by demonic energy.
Bai Wan doted on him immensely. Upon learning of this, she secretly sought out a renowned physician without leaking a single whisper.
The physician's skills were naturally superb. The demonic energy in his marrow, meridians, and blood was completely purged, leaving not a trace. Only Pei Yu himself knew one place remained.
His hidden inner demon.
Pei Du was born with a Sword Bone, his comprehension of sword arts far surpassing ordinary people. Pei Fengnan had long been dissatisfied with his own sons' mediocrity. After adopting Pei Du, he poured almost all his attention onto him.
He was a shameless thief.
Stealing the glory, the attention, the boundless prestige that should have been his... even the sword that should have been his.
That's right.
If Pei Du didn't exist, with Pei Yu's own talent and temperament, given a few more years of dedicated cultivation and another visit to the Sword Tomb, Zhan Yuan would surely have submitted obediently, recognizing him as its master.
As long as Pei Du didn't exist, his life would have been smooth sailing, a steady climb upward.
Therefore, doing everything possible to remove that stumbling block wasn't so-called "malice," but perfectly reasonable—if one doesn't act for oneself, heaven and earth will condemn them.
This obsession became an inner demon, quietly taking root deeper and deeper within his heart, unbeknownst even to Pei Yu himself.
By the time he became aware of it, demonic energy had already entered his body, attaching itself to the inner demon.
This matter absolutely must not be known by others.
An inner demon was a grave affair. Even Bai Wan lacked the ability to help him eliminate it. If Pei Fengnan caught wind of it, he would be finished.
Pei Yu decided to rely on his own power to eradicate it without anyone noticing.
And the best, fastest method for that was to drag Pei Du into the mud, turning him into a despised waste.
When he arrived at the Guiyuan Immortal Manor, something latched onto him.
It wasn't afraid of sword energy. It followed beside him, whispering, claiming it had a way to help him purge the inner demon and leave Pei Du isolated and helpless.
"As long as the Heart-Protecting Mirror is corrupted, the secret realm will fall into chaos. When panic ensues, if you publicly point out that Pei Du carries demonic energy, even without evidence, those cultivators will become suspicious of him."
It said, "Think back to that day on the cliff in the Ghost Tomb. Wasn't it also just a few words from you that left him unable to defend himself?"
In moments of crisis, people often become like a dense swarm of bees, their thoughts muddled by the tide of the group, emotionally following the mainstream.
As long as he took the lead in stating his stance, he could set the final direction for this tide.
"I have here a long-lost Purification Demon Talisman, capable of detecting the source of demonic energy."
Seeing his interest, the voice continued, "Don't be in a hurry to use it. I am attached to you and would be detected by this talisman. After I leave, you can activate it under the pretense of searching for demons. At the same time... inject your demonic energy into Pei Du."
It spoke with a hint of laughter, "Your demonic energy is hidden within your inner demon and won't be sensed by the talisman. Imagine, when the entire secret realm is searched, only Pei Du is found to harbor demonic energy. How will the others view him? He won't be able to defend himself."
Pei Yu couldn't deny he was tempted.
And it was an impatient, restless kind of temptation.
Everything proceeded extremely smoothly. He lingered near the main hall, waited for the voice to tell him Pei Du had arrived, then drove his demonic energy to invade the Heart-Protecting Mirror, throwing the secret realm into utter chaos.
However, he never expected that Pei Du would take the lead in setting up a sword formation.
The voice residing within him couldn't leave, so the Purification Demon Talisman couldn't be used. What infuriated Pei Yu even more was that all the cultivators sided overwhelmingly with Pei Du, choosing to believe him.
It shouldn't be like this.
He trembled with rage, but the voice of unknown origin spoke leisurely, "Don't panic. As long as you destroy the sword formation and help me leave, everything will proceed according to the original plan. There won't be any mistakes."
If the sword formation was destroyed, evil beings would surely swarm in.
But since he had already made the first mistake...
Then for this second one, he might as well follow through.
The shrieks and laughter of evil beings filled the air incessantly. Unable to contain his excitement, Pei Yu fought off enemies while raising his voice to speak, his tone noticeably elevated: "Everyone! I was searching my storage pouch earlier and found a treasure. It might be of great use in finding the mastermind behind this incident."
He hadn't been this confident and decisive before. Who knew what method he had thought of. Given that nothing good ever came from his mouth, Xie Cijing instinctively felt something was wrong the moment he spoke.
"During my travels, I once discovered the legendary Purification Demon Talisman in some ruins. I heard it can trace the source of demonic energy and dispel evil beings."
Pei Yu said, "Since we can't find any clues, why don't we try using it?"
...Purification Demon Talisman?
Xie Cijing had never heard that name before.
Pei Du didn't spare him a single glance, drawing his sword to repel the evil beings.
The Guiyuan Immortal Manor had now become an inescapable hell.
The sword formation blazed with white light, illuminating the thick, swirling black tide surrounding it. The mist stretched endlessly, dyed in an eerie hue of interwoven black and red. The figures of the demonic creatures were bizarre and uncanny, densely gathered outside the formation's perimeter.
Now, a crack had split open in the formation. The demonic creatures were ecstatic, swarming forward like a school of fish crossing a river.
Without the protective restriction of the heart-mirror artifact, each demonic creature was at least at the Golden Core stage of cultivation. Many disciples were wounded and bloodied, unable to fight back.
Even at such a critical moment, Pei Yu's foremost concern was still to drag Pei Du into the fray at the first opportunity.
"Everyone, hold on a little longer! The sword formation will soon be able to—"
The female cultivator's voice was gradually drowned out. Amidst the howling gale surrounding them, a deafening, ear-splitting roar suddenly erupted.
—The sword formation, which had only had a small breach moments before, was violently shattered by a dark shadow. A sinister wind howled, and malevolent energy surged. Xie Jingci (Cici) looked up in horror to see an enormous skull wreathed in ghostly flames.
"What… what is that thing?!"
The cultivator closest to it stumbled backward, face pale: "That thing… it's at least at the peak of the Nascent Soul stage!"
Peak Nascent Soul.
There weren't many Nascent Soul stage cultivators present, and most of them were injured. Faced with such a behemoth, resistance was impossible, and even escape was out of the question.
A female cultivator spat out a mouthful of blood, holding back her reddened eyes as she expended her last wisps of spiritual energy to repel a demon. She cursed vehemently: "Which bastard was it that broke the sword formation?! Now we're all going to die here, are you happy?! If I get out of this alive, I'll kill you first!"
"It's hopeless! We're doomed!"
"Peak Nascent Soul… Is there anyone here at the peak of the Nascent Soul stage?"
Another person stammered, "Second Young Master Pei! I remember you're at the Nascent Soul stage, right?"
Pei Yu gritted his teeth, a vein throbbing at his temple.
It was true he was at the Nascent Soul stage, but after the previous fierce battle, his spiritual energy was nearly depleted. Facing that monster head-on would be tantamount to seeking death.
From the moment he entered the secret realm until now, it was the first time a feeling of belated fear arose in his heart.
These demonic creatures were advancing with ferocious momentum, like starving ghosts who hadn't eaten in ages. Even he had no confidence he could eliminate them all.
Especially this giant monster that had suddenly appeared.
It was all the fault of that inexplicable voice.
Yes… it was all its fault. If it hadn't sought him out, none of this mess would have happened, causing him to drop a stone on his own foot.
He hesitated, not speaking, his mind a whirlwind of thoughts. Just as he was planning to find an excuse and feign injury to avoid moving, he heard an unprepared exclamation from beside him: "Young Master Pei, Miss Xie—!"
A fierce gust of wind swept past.
Pei Yu looked up, unable to believe his eyes.
Eerie flames spilled from the skull's eye sockets. Its skeletal jaws gaped open, spewing forth raging inferno from its maw.
Ghostly flames were unlike ordinary fire, emanating a greenish-black hue. Even a glancing blow brought excruciating, bone-piercing pain.
Pei Du's movement technique was extremely swift, like an unsheathed sharp sword. The sword energy in his hand hummed, faintly gathering into the imposing form of a pale dragon. As he sidestepped to evade the ghostly flames, he suddenly swung his sword. Instantly, cold light splashed forth, like a porcelain vase shattering, releasing a clear, shimmering radiance.
Xie Jingci (Cici) moved at his side. Compared to Pei Du, her footwork was even more elusive, silently dodging several ghostly flames. Wherever her blade light passed, it left behind a faint, blood-tinged shadow.
Blade light and sword shadows merged, creating a devouring force. A fierce gale whipped up all around. Amidst the shifting, uncertain light and shadows, they actually forced the monster to retreat step by step.
In such chaotic combat, rashly stepping forward to assist would only add unnecessary trouble for them.
However, inspired by their offensive stance, the cultivators who had moments ago been disheartened suddenly fell silent, gripping their magical instruments tightly once more.
"It's bad! The monster broke the formation too violently; the other sections are affected too!"
"I'll go to the east side!"
"I'll head south—hey, you, stop crying, come with me quickly!"
For a moment, spiritual energy surged tumultuously. The howls of demons, the clang of blades and swords, and the roar of the sinister wind created an unending cacophony. Amidst the surrounding clamor, a piercing, furious roar suddenly erupted.
The skull's cultivation level far surpassed everyone present. Although Pei Du and Xie Jingci (Cici) could engage it in combat for a time, having lost too much spiritual energy earlier, they gradually fell into a disadvantageous position.
Especially Pei Du.
To establish the sword formation, he had nearly exhausted all his strength. Although he had taken restorative pills afterward, he was still not at his usual level.
The monster's anger grew under the relentless attacks, and the ghostly flames burned ever more fiercely.
Pei Du's spiritual root was of the water element, most effective in countering such flames. To destroy the demonic core, they could only rely on his spiritual energy.
Xie Jingci (Cici) desperately fended off the waves of attacks. Seeing that he was gradually approaching the demonic core within the skull's maw, she gritted her teeth, silently reciting an incantation to divert some of the onslaught for him.
The inferno was like blades.
Pei Du swallowed the metallic taste of blood in his throat; his fingers gripping the sword hilt trembled slightly.
The demonic fire was exceptionally fierce. The long sword was already scorched with cracks, not much power remaining. To shatter the demonic core, he had no choice but to exert all his strength, pouring his spiritual energy into it.
...By then, he would likely suffer a backlash, severely damaging his cultivation.
But this was the only solution.
The ghostly flames gnawed wantonly at his bones. Though he couldn't turn back, a girl's silhouette vaguely flashed before Pei Du's eyes.
He had already... thought of his answer for her.
The young swordsman stood amidst the raging flames, his long eyelashes slightly lowered as he exerted force in his hand.
Just as he raised his arm, amidst the incessant wails in his ears, a familiar, clear, spring-like hum suddenly rang out.
Pei Du paused slightly, looking up.
"That's..."
Someone cried out in a trembling voice, "Zhan... Zhan Yuan Sword!"
A divine sword possesses a spirit.
At this critical moment, the long sword originally sealed with a restrictive curse and firmly bound at Pei Yu's waist began to tremble violently.
The trembling grew more and more intense, more and more ferocious. The young master in brocade robes hurriedly tried to hold it down, but only saw a flash of cold light, humming like a dragon's cry.
That sword, shackled with heavy restraints...
It shot out of its scabbard, hurtling toward the figure within the flames!
Zhan Yuan was of a cold nature. It traced a clear, icy-white arc through the air, like the first beam of cold light at dawn, shattering the spreading aura of death and black tide.
A faint smile touched Pei Du's lips.
This was his old comrade, who had fought alongside him countless times.
It had returned.
The cold light belonging to Zhan Yuan was unstoppable.
Awe-inspiring sword energy condensed into walls of ice, like a formidable array, a roaring dragon in motion—
This one sword strike was all that was needed.
The ghostly flames retreated in panic. The long sword plunged deep into the demonic core.
As sparks flew everywhere and the demonic creature let out its death throes, everyone couldn't help but close their eyes.
Pei Du landed on the ground along with the remains of the skull.
Fortunately, with Zhan Yuan's assistance, although his face was bloodless, he didn't suffer the fate of having his meridians damaged.
Everything that had just happened far exceeded everyone's expectations. It was a good while before a cultivator murmured, "Dead... it's dead?"
"Of course it's dead!"
The person next to him rapped him on the head, voice choked with tears: "We're not finished yet!"
"Zhan Yuan Sword, that was Zhan Yuan Sword, right? I heard that after Young Master Pei fell into the abyss, his lifebound sword was taken by the Pei family... The sword truly does have a spirit!"
These words were all true, but to certain ears, they inevitably left a sour taste.
Pei Yu knew the skeleton was a tough opponent. He had originally planned to watch Pei Du play the hero and make a fool of himself, but never expected that with Zhan Yuan unsheathed, it was he himself who ended up looking like a clown.
He couldn't wait any longer.
"Has everyone forgotten? There's still a major task we haven't completed."
Pei Yu's entire body was trembling as he pulled out the Purge Demon Talisman from his robe: "The evildoer hasn't been found yet. Now that the evil demon has been repelled, it's time for my talisman to—"
Before he could finish, he suddenly heard a derisive snort.
"Purge Demon Talisman? Never heard of it. Who knows if you're just trying to fool us."
Meng Xiaoting, her face splattered with blood, raised her chin slightly towards him: "I have a more straightforward piece of evidence in my possession. I wonder if everyone would be interested in taking a look."
Long Xiao silently handed her a silk handkerchief.
This time, even Xie Jingci was at a loss, willingly playing the straight man for her: "What evidence?"
"The sword formation trapped the heart demon here. It definitely wants to get out."
The young girl grinned: "How to get out? By destroying the sword formation, of course! I had long since prepared and hidden a memory stone in the main hall."
Although Meng Xiaoting was lazy, she wasn't stupid.
Back then, after finishing healing Cici and hearing Chu Zheng's words, her first thought was that the heart demon would never just wait for death; it would want to escape as soon as possible.
With just one memory stone, uncovering the identity of the mastermind behind it would be a piece of cake.
A gentle breeze brushed through the disheveled hair at his temples.
Pei Yu was like a portrait that had suddenly lost all its color.
Xie Jingci gave her a mental thumbs-up.
Meng Xiaoting.
Forever the legend!
"Speaking of which, what exactly is this Purge Demon Talisman?"
Mo Xiaoyang stepped forward to join the commotion, glancing at the talisman in Pei Yu's hand: "I've never heard this name before. Could it be a long-lost ancient divine— Huh?"
He suddenly stopped mid-sentence. Xie Jingci sensed something was off and asked curiously: "What's wrong?"
"The characters written on this talisman... seem to be from our Ghost Realm's script."
Mo Xiaoyang scratched his head. Seeing Pei Yu standing there frozen, he picked up the Purge Demon Talisman, examined it carefully, and his eyes went wide.
Meng Xiaoting's interest was also piqued. She leaned in, craning her neck to look: "Quick, quick, quick! What's written on this talisman?"
Mo Xiaoyang: "Uh—"
"What's written here is, 'There's no such thing as a Purge Demon Talisman'."
Mo Xiaoyang read the characters on the front with a complicated expression, enunciating each word slowly. After finishing, he flicked his wrist slightly, turning it over to the other side: "'You actually believed that, you fool'."
The scene became extremely awkward for a moment, and the main hall was filled with a merry atmosphere.
"In any case," Meng Xiaoting gave a light cough, "Shall we all take a look at the memory stone together?"
