Chapter 356: Chapter 356: Qingi Subdues the Heart Demon Chapter 356: Chapter 356: Qingi Subdues the Heart Demon The east wind was like a seal, majestic and upright, silently gazing at the secluded mountain peaks that stacked upon one another like clouds embracing tightly together.
In the vast mountain plateau, a slender mountain proudly stood, reaching straight into the blue sky. Its towering figure fully displayed its magnificence, and just as the surrounding mountains bowed to the heavens, it suddenly erged, seemingly looking down on the firmant with disdain.
At tis it seed like the work of gods and demons, at other tis plain and unremarkable.
The mountain cliffs above looked like dark clouds pressing down, gloomy and bone-chillingly cold.
After nearly a year of construction, You Mountain had taken shape. Clouds and mists twined around the mountain peak, and pavilions stood in abundance, resembling an immortal realm of the human world.
Atop the peak, A-Jiu was reading a book while sweeping the dust in the courtyard with a broom.
“Whoosh whoosh…”
Just then, a violent wind swept in, followed by a clear and piercing cry.
A-Jiu looked up and saw a giant red bird. A trace of joy instantly appeared in its bright eyes, “The Tributor and the Hierarch have returned.”
No one in the entire You Mountain headquarters would fail to recognize the Demon Sect’s Guardian Beasts, Honghu and the Black Flood Dragon.
An Jing and Zhao Qingi and others had returned to You Mountain. Han Wenxin and Jie Lu also followed them back, whereas Qiu Lun, Duanmu Xinghua, Ouyang Ping, and other high-level experts of the Demon Sect led the Pingyang Guard to retreat towards North Field.
After all, with An Jing gone and no longer having the million Yin soldiers from the Imperial Jade Seal to contend with, Qiu Lun simply couldn’t resist the Houjin army. No one knew if the Houjin Royal Court would suddenly strike back.
Nangong Weiping stepped off the back of Honghu and said, “Let’s go, straight to the secret chamber.”
At this mont, Nangong Weiping’s presence had beco weaker than before, and she appeared particularly aged. The skin on the back of her hands was rough like the bark of an old pine tree. The rciless passage of years etched deep wrinkles on her purple face, and her originally black hair had turned gray-white. Only her eyes remained spirited, even though crow’s feet densely surrounded them.
Zhao Qingi asked with concern, “Elder Nan, wouldn’t you rest for a while?”
Nangong Weiping shook her head, “There’s no need. The urgent matter now is to use the Demon Seed to nurture you.”
An Jing stood behind without speaking. Nangong Weiping’s Qi chanism was continuously draining, and her life essence blood had beco very weak. Her end truly seed imminent; one could not know when she might breathe her last, which was why she was in such a hurry.
Subsequently, the three of them arrived in the secret chamber where Zhao Qingi was in seclusion.
The Heavenly Yang Stone that An Jing had obtained from the Russell Clan was placed in the center of the chamber. At this mont, the Heavenly Yang Stone radiated a faint red glow, and just standing beside it, one could feel the surge of scorching breath.
Zhao Qingi and Nangong Weiping both sat cross-legged above the Heavenly Yang Stone.
Nangong Weiping spoke softly, “Now recite the ‘Nine Nether Purgatory Demon Scripture,’ close the Heavenly Rush and Hundred Spirit acupoints, then channel your True Qi into the Demon Seed.”
“I understand,” Zhao Qingi replied.
She cast aside all distractions and began to operate the “Nine Nether Purgatory Demon Scripture” as Nangong Weiping had instructed, with her True Qi gathering toward the Demon Seed within her body.
At the sa ti, the Heavenly Yang Stone also emitted a faint Supre Yang Qi.
Nangong Weiping looked at An Jing and said, “Next, the Demonic Qi in my body will continuously nurture her through the Demon Seed. As her cultivation increases, her Heart Demon will beco increasingly apparent. You must intervene in ti with your breath to help her subdue the Heart Demon.”
An Jing nodded gravely, “I understand.”
This matter was of great significance and could affect Zhao Qingi’s future and life, so naturally, he would not take it lightly.
Nangong Weiping nodded slightly and then closed her eyes, starting to recklessly infuse her body’s Demonic Qi into the Demon Seed.
In the next mont, a large amount of True Qi nurtured by the Demon Seed surged within Zhao Qingi’s body, and her cultivation visibly advanced at a rapid pace.
Zhao Qingi’s cultivation was at the peak of the Three Qi Grandmaster, only a step away from the Grandmaster Realm of Four Qi. With the nourishnt of Demonic Qi, one of the Five Qi within her, the Corporeal Qi, was climbing steadily.
Climbing the Corporeal Qi to its proper place signifies the Grandmaster of Four Qi.
For an ordinary master to reach the Grandmaster of Four Qi, it would take at least several decades of accumulation. But now, with a massive amount of Demonic Qi nurturing from the Demon Seed, this supply of essence—it was purer than both the essence of a volcano and the essence of thunder and more in harmony with her.
In just a few hours, the Corporeal Qi above her head had ascended into place.
Grandmaster of Four Qi!
And the intense nurturing from the Demon Seed was not yet over; in fact, it beca even more violent, like a volcanic eruption.
This fierce Demonic Qi poured out from the Demon Seed, rushing towards Zhao Qingi’s Dantian.
As An Jing stood by, he couldn’t help but marvel at the remarkable nature of the Heart Demon Seed Path Great thod, which allowed for mutual nurturing through the Demon Seed to enhance one’s cultivation. Indeed, if Nangong Weiping had intended to, she could have absorbed the cultivation within Zhao Qingi through the Demon Seed.
It appeared as though Nangong Weiping had no malicious intent toward Zhao Qingi after all. It seed he had initially suspected an honorable person of dishonorable intentions.
“The ‘Nine Nether Purgatory Demon Scripture’ is already miraculous enough. If I could obtain the complete ‘Naless Heart Scripture,’ it would undoubtedly be even more formidable.”
Looking at his hand, An Jing mused, “After returning to Yujing City this ti, I must gather the complete ‘Naless Heart Scripture.’
With Zongzheng Huachun in seclusion, his strength was bound to make leaps and bounds, and An Jing also needed to improve his own as soon as possible.
How terrifying the complete ‘Naless Heart Scripture’ must be, An Jing was very curious as to its potential.
Above the Heavenly Yang Stone, Zhao Qingi received substantial nourishnt from the Demonic Qi, her cultivation climbing at a visible speed, while Nangong Weiping’s Qi chanism grew weaker and weaker.
Ti slipped through the fingers like sand, and unknowingly a day passed.
At this mont, nightfall shrouded You Mountain in darkness, leaving only the sounds of insects and birds chirping in the soft breeze.
In the secret chamber, Zhao Qingi’s cultivation kept soaring, but behind her appeared a clump of pitch-black flas so dark that they did not embody any other color.
These flas seed to hold a peculiar allure, as An Jing gazed at them, it felt as though his entire brain had beco light and airy, and his divine soul had left his body, floating up to the sky.
Zhao Qingi’s will continued to rise and condense, and once her will returned to its rightful place, she would be able to reach the realm of Five Qi Returning to Origin.
Just one step away from the Land Immortal Realm, for a Five Qi Grandmaster.
Given Zhao Qingi’s current age, coupled with today’s troubled world, reaching the Land Immortal Realm was almost a certainty.
Nangong Weiping took a deep breath, gathering the last of the Demonic Qi within her body, ready to surge into Zhao Qingi.
Her cultivation was at the Great Grandmaster Realm, and this mouthful of Demonic Qi was the essence of her cultivation. Its Qi chanism was astonishingly powerful and the key to the nourishnt process.
Once this Demonic Qi was provided, Zhao Qingi’s Heart Demon would instantly reach the Great Success Realm.
“Be careful,”
Nangong Weiping said, and then she let the Demonic Qi within her flow without reservation towards the Demon Seed.
Boom!
In the next mont, Zhao Qingi’s body erupted like a volcano, her cultivation skyrocketing with the mountain-shifting sea-overturning Demonic Qi reverting back to her, and the will behind her was also climbing rapidly.
The Five Qi Returning to Origin was imminent.
But just as her will was about to coalesce, she felt a piercing pain in her brain.
Everything before her seed hazy as if she saw Zhao Shizai and his wife being killed by Jiang Shang. She also saw An Jing lying on the ground as well, spitting blood continuously, breathing his last breath.
Zhao Shizai was dead, and An Jing also died at Jiang Shang’s hands… All of this felt as if it had truly happened, the previous experiences nothing but a fleeting dream.
Reality and fantasy, no one could tell which one was real.
Her parents were dead, and so was An Jing….
In an instant, a fla ignited in her heart, growing fiercer by the second.
She felt so much hatred, wishing to tear everything to shreds; Zhao Qingi’s entire body was engulfed by boiling flas, her expression monstrous and fierce.
Seeing this, Nangong Weiping turned to An Jing and said, “She has fallen into her Heart Demon, and your biggest Heart Demon is her, so you must use your Qi to guide her out.”
An Jing nodded slightly, “I understand.”
Perhaps since Zhao Shizai and his wife passed away, Zhao Qingi had co to regard An Jing as her only kin.
The more unwavering a person’s will is, the stronger their Heart Demon becos.
And throughout history, only those with a firm will can beco experts, can cultivate the ‘Nine Nether Purgatory Demon Scripture’ to Great Success, and will spawn Heart Demons.
This has beco a closed loop, a trap for the strong.
The Heart Demon becos stronger with stronger opponents.
An Jing pointed a finger, channeling the True Qi from the ‘Naless Heart Scripture’ towards Zhao Qingi’s forehead.
Feeling that familiar breath, Zhao Qingi’s expression eased slightly, and the flas behind her also retracted quite a bit.
But after dozens of breaths, the flas stead up once more, even more violently than before, and their aura forced An Jing to retreat again and again.
Bang bang bang bang!
Nangong Weiping stood up and retreated to the corner of the secret chamber. At this mont, she had already given all her cultivation to Zhao Qingi through the Demon Seed, reducing herself to an ordinary person.
An Jing’s brows were tightly knitted, as his involvent seed to make the Heart Demon even more powerful.
Seeing this, Nangong Weiping couldn’t help but say, “Her will is too strong.”
Zhao Qingi’s will was extrely tough, even to a terrifying extent. The fact that she was able to make it to the Sealing Demon Well, where many masters had failed to reach, was a testant to that.
Her will was too strong, hence her Heart Demon was formidable.
Originally, Nangong Weiping had hoped that An Jing’s Qi would help Zhao Qingi subdue her Heart Demon, but now, it had the opposite effect, strengthening it instead.
An Jing’s brow twisted into a ‘川’ shape, “So what do we do now?”
Nangong Weiping said solemnly, “It’s up to her now.”
An Jing clenched his fists, suddenly feeling a surge of nervousness in his heart.
He knew that Zhao Qingi was now completely consud by her Heart Demon, and to truly subdue it, she had to rely on herself.
And this path was also one she had insisted on taking herself.
At this ti, due to the assault of that single breath, everything around Zhao Qingi beca fractured and shattered.
But she did not step out, and instead, the surroundings turned into darkness.
An expanse of vague ti and space, a boundless sea of people.
Falling into darkness wasn’t scary, what was terrifying was not knowing you were engulfed by it.
This is like a giant cage, not imprisoning people, but hearts.
Zhao Qingi watched as the darkness encroached upon her, and involuntarily, she rembered every bit and piece of the past – those tis that were once mostly beautiful in her eyes, constantly erging in her mind….
However, under the invasion of the Heart Demon, she could not tell what was real and what was fake.
It was as if everything she had experienced was false, a dream, or perhaps what she was experiencing now was the dream, and the visions constantly erging in her mind were the reality.
At this mont, her inner heart had completely fallen into a whirlpool of struggle.
Just as Nangong Weiping had expected, the more powerful a person’s will, the more they would fall into the clutches of the Heart Demon.
What is a Heart Demon?
Heart Demons arise unconsciously, as re emotions of one’s own self.
“Husband….”
Zhao Qingi looked at her own palm; she felt that everything she had experienced was false, but even if it were false, she couldn’t let it go.
“Brother, I knew you wouldn’t leave .”
“I just want to be your wild grass, impossible to burn away, sprouting again with the wind.”
“Tell anyone else and it won’t work.”
“But I am not anyone else.”
……
Past scenes flickered through her mind, the scenarios growing more and more illusory, gradually turning into bubbles.
What was once real now seed so elusive.
Moon in the well, flower in the water, everything in a dream ultimately turned out to be nothing.
Yet she couldn’t bear to part with it.
Even though she knew it was all false, her heart still held a trace of reluctance.
“If everything is false, then let it be false,” she murmured.
Zhao Qingi glanced at her palm and then raised her head, allowing her body to slowly lt into the darkness.
If everything was false, then she would let herself fall into this fake world.
If he no longer existed in reality, then what aning was left in everything else?
Crack! Crack!
In a daze, she could hear the sound of sothing shattering.
Inside the secret chamber.
Zhao Qingi’s expression had returned to normal, peaceful and serene, her delicate features captivating. The dark flas around her began to retract rapidly.
In an instant, the secret chamber beca very calm.
Seeing this, Nangong Weiping revealed a hint of surprise in her eyes, exclaiming with delight, “She succeeded, she has subdued the Great Success Heart Demon.”
She had originally thought that An Jing’s thods might backfire, plunging Zhao Qingi into the clutches of the Heart Demon, but to her astonishnt, Zhao Qingi had managed to subdue the Heart Demon on her own.
This was simply incredible.
An Jing too narrowed his eyes, then heaved a heavy sigh of relief, a faint smile appearing at the corners of his mouth.
Zhao Qingi had truly subdued the Great Success Heart Demon.
Now, Zhao Qingi’s breath had stabilized, and her Dantian was absorbing the enormous amount of Demonic Qi from Nangong Weiping. Following this, there would be no more crises in her cultivation, and it would rapidly improve.
An Jing and Nangong Weiping stepped out of the secret chamber.
Nangong Weiping looked at the vast sea of clouds and said, “Next, the young lady’s cultivation will be sufficient to reach the realm of a Five Qi Grandmaster.”
An Jing spoke softly, “Digesting such a trendous Qi chanism may require a lot of ti.”
Nangong Weiping nodded, sounding sowhat weary, “This old body is a bit tired, I will go back and rest.”
No one can escape the poison of ti; one can only let it invade their limbs and penetrate their internal organs, causing a gradual aging.
An Jing said, “Elder Nangong.”
Nangong Weiping paused in step, “What is it?”
An Jing earnestly said, “I will make every effort to obtain the blood of the Yellow Dragon, to give you so more years to see this world.”
Nangong Weiping smiled, “To this old body, it’s no longer important. I’ve grown tired of the Jianghu of this world; now it’s your world.”
A breeze fluttered by, lifting her silver hair, and in her eyes was only tranquility.
An Jing shook his head, “As long as we can live, everyone should go on living, and live well.”
Nangong Weiping paused for a mont, then said, “You’re right.”
As long as one is alive, everyone should continue to live, and live well.
After speaking, Nangong Weiping slowly walked into the distance.
An Jing was seated in ditation at the entrance of the secret chamber, silently guarding Zhao Qingi.
Unbeknownst to him, several hours had passed, during which Yu Qiurong had co by twice to deliver so simple als before leaving.
An Jing said to himself, “Getting my hands on the ‘Beidou Seven Stars Technique’ is of the utmost importance right now, and it is only in the hands of the Zhenyi Sect Leader. It seems I will inevitably have to fight Xiao Qianqiu.”
What An Jing needed to do now was to quickly enhance his own strength, whether by collecting the ‘Naless Heart Scripture’ or breaking through to the realm of a Five Qi Grandmaster, either way could rapidly increase his power.
However, An Jing guessed that if he could complete the ‘Naless Heart Scripture,’ there was a high chance it would naturally bring his cultivation to completion, allowing him to reach the level of a Five Qi Grandmaster directly.
As the Sect Leader of the Zhenyi, Xiao Qianqiu, who had sohow obtained the complete ‘Jade Emperor Scripture,’ should now be the master of the Mystical Sect. It stood to reason that he wouldn’t easily hand over such a treasure of the Mystical Sect like the ‘Jade Emperor Scripture’ for others to cultivate. Therefore, it wouldn’t be easy for An Jing to obtain the ‘Beidou Seven Stars Technique’; the only thod would be to forcibly take it from him.
“Son-in-law!”
While An Jing was lost in thought, Li Fuzhou hurried over.
An Jing asked, “What’s the matter?”
Li Fuzhou quickly replied, “The Imperial Hospital has diagnosed the condition of the Human Emperor as critical, and he is estimated to have less than a month to live. At this ti, Zhao Country’s Great Marshal of Army Sui Xin has suddenly ceased action, the Xuanyi Guard and various martial experts from the Great Yan Martial World are converging towards Yujing City. Moreover, Houjin and so experts from Zhao Country are sending covert scouts towards Yujing City. The State Preceptor Xiao Qianqiu has also received a secret letter from the Crown Prince Zhao Chongyin, heading in the direction of Yujing City.”
An Jing’s eyebrows furrowed tightly as he said, “Is Zhao Zhiwu really near his end?”
This Great Yan Emperor was also a Martial Arts Emperor, and although not as eminent as the Grand Ancestor who founded the nation, he too was a renowned and majestic monarch. He had quelled the disturbances in Yujing City alongside Lv Guoyong and had even broken through to the Great Grandmaster level, striking awe throughout the land.
Such a monarch on the verge of death—how could An Jing not be astonished?
Li Fuzhou said gravely, “This seems to be true; the four imperial physicians from the Imperial Hospital have all diagnosed him. Zhao Zhiwu’s Essence Blood has been depleted and his Essence greatly damaged. Even if he consus Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, it would ultimately be in vain.”
An Jing took a deep breath and said, “It seems I need to make a trip to Yujing City.”
If the Great Yan Emperor’s demise was truly imminent, then Yujing City would undoubtedly be plunged into a bloody struggle for succession. If Zhao Chongyin ascended to the throne of Human Emperor, then, given his nature, he would temporarily stabilize both the Demon Sect and An Jing himself. Once the situation under heaven beca clear, the first thing he would do would be to eliminate any threats.
Since it was likely that An Jing would have to pretend to cooperate with Zhao Chongyin, it would be better to nip the danger in the bud and support Zhao Xuening to beco the new Human Emperor, ensuring that An Jing could deal with Zongzheng Huachun without any worries.
Li Fuzhou nodded and said, “Are you going to Yujing City? The court has completely descended into chaos. The Crown Prince’s faction is not only resurging, but the situation is getting worse. The calls for Crown Prince Zhao Chongyin to ascend the throne are becoming more vehent; it’s said that the secret letter sent to Xiao Qianqiu was from Zhao Chongyin himself.”
Having been in Houjin, An Jing was sowhat inford about the general situation in Yujing City, but he wasn’t entirely clear on the details. Now, hearing Li Fuzhou’s report, he fully grasped the situation.
Indeed, as the Crown Prince, Zhao Chongyin did possess so skills, at least in the art of political manipulation, which was in no way inferior to Zhao Zhiwu’s.
Most of the civil and military officials in the court had already thrown their support behind Zhao Chongyin, just waiting for Zhao Zhiwu to pass away and Zhao Chongyin to claim the throne.
Even though many could see that Zhao Zhiwu probably did not intend for his throne to pass to Zhao Chongyin, everyone understood one fact—a new emperor would bring his own courtiers.
After Zhao Zhiwu died, Zhao Chongyin’s succession had the highest legitimacy and conford most to the interests of the current Great Yan Dynasty.
Besides him, who else could ascend the throne?
Princess An Le?
She was but a re woman after all!
An Jing mused, “Has Su Tianze been found?”
Not long ago, Su Tianze, the Five Qi Grandmaster who served Zhao Chongyin, vanished without a trace; no one knew where he had gone, and it was rumored that even Zhao Chongyin himself was looking for him.
Su Tianze was one of the few Five Qi Grandmasters in the world, and although he had been defeated by Qin Shan, which made him arguably the weakest Five Qi Grandmaster of the ti, he was nonetheless a Five Qi Grandmaster. No faction dared to underestimate him.
Thus, the disappearance of a Five Qi Grandmaster naturally prompted investigations from all sides.
Li Fuzhou replied, puzzled, “No, the man has vanished as if into thin air, and it seems that Zhao Chongyin has also co up empty-handed.”
An Jing said softly, “The disappearance of this Five Qi Grandmaster is not simple.”
Li Fuzhou spoke gravely, “Indeed, he practices the ‘Bridal Dress Technique.’ Even if he were to die, he could turn soone else into a Five Qi Grandmaster before his demise.”
An Jing nodded slightly and said, “Therefore, I am wondering whether he disappeared on his own or if soone captured him.”
Li Fuzhou’s eyes narrowed as he said coldly, “If he was captured, that would be truly alarming.”
That would an soone managed to abduct a Five Qi Grandmaster within Yujing City without anyone noticing. How many in the world could achieve such a feat?
An Jing took a deep breath and said, “Let’s not think about it for now. We will head to Yujing City. Go and call Qiurong over; I have so instructions for her.”
With Zhao Qingi still in seclusion in the secret chamber, she would need a powerful protector. An Jing could only leave with peace of mind if not only Honghu and Black Flood Dragon were there but also Yu Qiurong personally standing guard.
“Yes.”
Li Fuzhou bowed his fist and then turned to leave.
……..
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