Winter was coming to an end, yet the chill of spring was biting.
The main altar of the Chigou Sect was located near the northwest sand dunes, facing the desert. The weather there was even more severe than in other places. Even the powerful Matron Wuxue was willing to hold a hot soup bowl to warm her hands.
She looked at the bleak snowy scenery outside the window and absentmindedly stroked a copper water jug as if she were holding a living creature. The table was filled with snacks and hot tea, all untouched.
“Matriarch, there is news. The Prince of Rong has reached an agreement with the Taiheng Sect and exchanged map fragments. Now both sides possess eight fragments, aligning with our Divine Sect.”
A few days ago, the Chigou Sect had just engaged in a bloody battle with the Ling Sect. The Ling Sect, fueled by unknown anger, counterattacked like a mad dog. The Red Scorpion Team suffered a third of their forces before obtaining the exclusive Buddha bead map fragment of the Ling Sect.
As a result, the Chigou Sect now possessed eight out of the fourteen fragments. They were still leading, but the Prince of Rong’s move had brought the three parties back to a tie.
Matron Wuxue showed no surprise. “The Taiheng Sect has deep ties with the imperial court. It’s only a matter of time. Xu Jingming is incapable of suppressing his ambitions; he’s probably waiting to reap the benefits of the Taiheng Sect… Inform the spies from the Rong Palace to redirect their focus on Jiang Youyue.”
“Monitor the Imperial Teacher?! Matriarch, please reconsider. If the imperial court blames us, we…”
The old woman coldly interrupted, “Forget about the Shirou; the current emperor hasn’t even tasted immortal wine. If he has any intention of intervening, what role can we, mere martial world wanderers, play? If the Emperor doesn’t care, and Jiang Youyue, a charlatan, remains a bystander, there must be hidden motives. Perhaps he’s scheming somewhere, waiting to strike from behind.”
“But—”
“My Divine Sect never touches the Imperial Tombs. Even if Jiang Youyue were to die, I would dig up his grave. If he’s alive, I’ll dare to offend him even more.”
“Yes.”
After digesting the shocking command for a while, the subordinate continued, “There’s another matter. Five days ago, in Qiwu City, Zheng Fengdao was killed by Shi Jingzhi of the Kushan Sect. It seems the Kushan Sect has no intention of collecting the map fragments and is heading back to Huilian Mountain.”
“Zheng Fengdao is dead? That boy surnamed Shi is indeed exceptional.”
Matron Wuxue chuckled. Zheng Fengdao was cunning and cautious, never overestimating himself. Killing him was no simple task; it couldn’t have been a lucky strike by Shi Jingzhi.
“Matriarch, should we not interfere with the Kushan Sect? That person…”
“No need to bother with him.” Matron Wuxue finally turned her head. “He belongs to the Chigou Sect; he can’t escape.”
“I understand, Matriarch.”
“Since that one surnamed Shi is in a hurry to return to Huilian Mountain, he probably found some clues. The Buddha Heart Formation is something I haven’t seen yet. If only I were twenty years younger…”
As she spoke, she suddenly fell silent and gazed out the window.
A thousand li away, at the foot of Huilian Mountain.
The four members of the Kushan Sect were on edge as they deliberately bypassed Yongsheng and finally made their way to Huilian Mountain.
Sect Master Shi Jingzhi indeed had a knack for medicine. Su Si, who had been the loudest in protesting, was now completely healed with no hindrance. Shi Jingzhi himself was in good health, bouncing back to life.
This time, when they infiltrated the Buddha Heart Formation, Shi Jingzhi’s state of mind was calm.
After all, Huilian Mountain was the stronghold of a reputable orthodox sect. It lacked the gloom of the Ghost Tomb and the disharmony of Yuanxian Village. It was merely a tall and simple mountain, covered in pure white snow, backed by the light blue sky. The wind was calm, the rocks were solid, and the snow rested on the green pines. At a distance, the imposing grandeur would hit one’s face, suppressing any wandering thoughts.
Even though the Buddha Heart Formation covered it, this mountain gave an indescribable sense of security.
Shi Jingzhi looked at the comforting mountain, slowly opened his arms, and let out a deep breath, as if embracing it.
Since joining the Kushan Sect, Su Si had been worried about the mental state of the master and disciple. “…What is the Sect Master doing?”
Yin Ci glanced at the desolate figure of his cheap master and couldn’t help but smile. “I guess he’s thanking the heavens that he no longer has to deal with those evil and sinister things.”
Having passed through the Ghost Tomb and the forbidden area, even Yin Ci himself wanted to change his mood.
Su Si didn’t see the forbidden area of Yuanxian Village, so he couldn’t understand for a moment. “Is that so? I’ve heard people say that Huilian Mountain is vast and harbors many monsters. We’ve lost our inner force, and if we encounter inner demons, we’ll definitely have a hard time.”
Shi Jingzhi turned around upon hearing this. “I have said before, the Buddha Heart Formation was created by the monks. Even if it’s mysterious, it probably can’t be that mysterious. Besides, inner demons, which are invisible and intangible, at most torment one’s spirit. There’s no need to worry excessively.”
His words carried weight and depth, but Yin Ci could detect a hint of self-comfort in them.
As they approached the foot of the mountain, it became increasingly clear that the Jianchen Temple was sealed off. A row of arhat stone sculptures, half a person tall, sat around the mountain, exuding a threatening aura. The stone statues were seven steps apart, each with a unique shape and vivid expression, without a trace of snow on them.
Colorful Buddhist banners were placed between the gaps of the stone statues. The banners swayed with the cold wind, making a rustling sound that induced drowsiness.
With angry eyes, the arhats faced outward, while the Buddhist banners fluttered. The two complemented each other, forming a fence that rejected everything, encircling the entire mountain.
The group didn’t recklessly cross the boundary; they circled cautiously around Huilian Mountain and finally found an entrance. The monks didn’t seal off the mountain completely but placed two large stones in front of a dangerous area in the back, creating a conspicuous stone gate for the enclosure.
The two massive stones stood solemnly, with the left one inscribed with “No Bodhi Tree1” and the right one with “The clear mirror is not a stand2“. The characters were powerful, and the sense of rejection was even stronger than that of the arhat Buddhist banners—as if an unseen giant stone hung at the top, bearing the words “Do Not Act Recklessly”.
1This is a line from the poem “Bodhi” by Huineng. It refers to the concept that the state of enlightenment or awakening (represented by the Bodhi tree) is not confined or limited to any specific form or object. It signifies the idea that the ultimate truth or realization transcends materiality and can be attained regardless of external conditions.
2Another line from the poem “Bodhi” by Huineng. It refers to the mind or consciousness is like a clear mirror that reflects reality without distortion. It emphasizes that the mind itself is not a fixed or substantial entity but rather a dynamic and illuminating faculty that can perceive the world as it truly is.
On the other side of the gate, the majestic mountain scenery remained.
Being in the shadow of the mountain, the view inside the formation became clearer. The stone steps were covered with a thin layer of snow, leading deep into the mountain. The stone pavilions were meticulously designed and perfectly placed. However, there were some peculiarities that differed from the ordinary—headless stone statues stood in the mountains, covered in vibrant green moss, contrasting greatly with the desolate winter scenery and appearing particularly out of place.
The stone statues were exquisitely crafted, depicting people of all ages and genders. Despite lacking heads, their movements still conveyed a festive atmosphere.
The four members of the Kushan Sect hesitated for a long time in front of the stone entrance, rather unkindly pushing forward the weakest member.
Lord Bai, being prodded by Shi Jingzhi with a flag, swayed and shook as it crossed the massive stones. Every two steps, it would turn its gaze back to intimidate the others.
Entering the Buddha Heart Formation for the first time, Lord Bai didn’t show any abnormalities. However, after half an incense stick, its two antennae slowly stood up. Suddenly, as if it had seen something incredibly terrifying, the whole goose collapsed into the snow, playing dead.
This was perhaps the legendary inner demon.
But the goose itself was unharmed, and it didn’t struggle violently to break free. This formation was likely safe.
Yan Qing pondered. “My experience is the simplest. I’ll go and test it out first.”
Shi Jingzhi nodded, giving way. Yan Qing looked at the two massive stones on both sides and cautiously stepped into the formation. As soon as he entered, Yan Qing looked around, then glanced at Lord Bai, his expression gradually becoming strange.
Su Si’s heart tightened. “San Zi, what did you see?”
Yan Qing: “Well… I’ll stay for a while and then tell you.”
Another half of an incense stick passed, and suddenly Yan Qing looked at his own hands, revealing a bitter smile. Then he took a step forward, walked out of the stone entrance, and immediately returned to the formation.
“I probably understand what’s going on. You can only see the anomalies once you’re inside the formation. It’s hard to explain it all at once. Why don’t we all come in and take a look?”
Seeing that Yan Qing was in a normal state and could come and go freely, Su Si followed suit, followed by Shi Jingzhi. Yin Ci observed from the outside for a moment before finally joining them.
Upon entering the formation, they instantly felt a chilling sensation, as if a bucket of ice-cold water was poured over them. Unfortunately, they didn’t have time to savor it, as their attention was completely drawn to the strange sights before them—
After a hundred years, the legendary Buddha Heart Formation unfolded once again before the visitors, revealing its full appearance.
The headless stone statues remained in the distance, covered in vibrant green moss. However, near the stone statues, there were peculiar “bare branches”. They were dimly grayish red in color, with a texture that resembled both wood and flesh. They were so thick that three people couldn’t wrap their arms around them. These strange objects pierced straight into the depths of the sky, with no visible end. The only thing known was that the higher they went, the thinner these objects became, swaying gently with the wind.
Thousands upon thousands of these “bare branches” covered the entire Huilian Mountain, stretching endlessly. Looking up, the group seemed to be surrounded by a grayish-flesh-colored towering forest.
Yin Ci repeated his master’s words leisurely. “The Buddha Heart Formation was created by the monks, so it probably can’t be too sinister.”
Shi Jingzhi was sweating profusely. “…Maybe we should first confront our inner demons.”
The situation with Lord Bai was also quite eye-catching.
A roasted goose floated behind the dejected Lord Bai. Its skin was brightly colored and translucent, with juices mixed with dripping fat, emitting a steaming heat that dispersed with the wind.
Could this be considered an inner demon? If it truly was an inner demon, this inner demon looked rather delicious. No wonder Yan Qing hesitated to describe it directly—it was a bit amusing.
Seeing that everyone had calmed down, Yan Qing said calmly, “The Buddha Heart Formation not only seals off our inner force but also allows our inner demons to take form. However, it’s difficult to express the phenomenon of ‘inner demons taking form’ in words.”
“Your ‘inner demons’ need time to manifest. First, let’s focus on what I’ve experienced. My mind is still clear, without any strange emotions. I can only… see these things, nothing more.”
The contrast of white snow and grayish branches made the orange-roasted goose particularly conspicuous, but the other three people only noticed Yan Qing now.
Unlike outside the formation, Yan Qing had many wounds on his body. Those injuries didn’t look like they were caused by sharp weapons but rather like they were inflicted by fists, kicks, and burns.
Yan Qing noticed the gazes of the others and smiled indifferently. “My father loved alcohol. Those were just trivial matters from my childhood. Don’t mind them.”
He raised his wrist to let everyone see the main point.
A blurry and fleshy handcuff dangled from Yan Qing’s wrist. The handcuff seemed to be made of someone’s tendons, bloodily twisted into a single strand. Scattered eyeballs were hanging from it, arranged in an intricate manner, resembling berries growing on a vine. Each eyeball had a crimson pupil that occasionally rotated, looking around in all directions.
Shi Jingzhi: “…”
He quickly stepped out of the stone gate and took a few breaths outside the formation. When he returned, there was a change in Sect Master Shi’s eyes. He looked towards Huilian Mountain with a tinge of resentment, as if what stood before him wasn’t a lifeless mountain but a faithless person who had deceived his heartfelt emotions.
“Perhaps it’s just my own peculiar inner demon,” Yan Qing said, covering the eyeball handcuff with his sleeve, trying to comfort the others. “Look, Su Si doesn’t have something as extreme as this.”
“Isn’t this extreme?!” Su Si nearly screamed.
Compared to the delicious roasted goose and the eyeball handcuff, Su Si’s inner demon was relatively straightforward, ordinary to the point of being somewhat incomprehensible—half an incense stick had passed, and Su Si suddenly fell to the snowy ground. His lower body twisted together, transforming into a thick, black snake tail.
With his facial features and tear mole, he looked exactly like a snake demon from a storybook.
Poor Su Si, who had been a two-legged human for twenty-one years, had no idea how to move like a snake. He lay paralyzed next to Lord Bai with his tail extended straight out, resembling a frozen dead snake.
So far, although the transformations were strange, the group could still barely accept them.
According to the order in which they entered the formation, it was now Shi Jingzhi’s turn for his “inner demon to take form”.
Shi Jingzhi stood still, his eyes tightly closed, not daring to move a muscle. After a while, he opened one eye and scanned the surroundings—no floating objects, no strange flesh handcuffs, his limbs were still the same, and there were no signs of any distortion.
Upon receiving this result, Shi Jingzhi’s expression changed dramatically from his usual demeanor. He planted his flag and frantically searched his body with his hands, but found no changes.
…How is this possible?
His inner force had been sealed. How could the Buddha Heart Formation only be half effective?
Shi Jingzhi’s face turned grim. He had long harbored the intention of using the Buddha Heart Formation. If this formation could truly draw out his inner demon, he might have discovered the cause of his abnormality. But the Buddha Heart Formation didn’t show any reaction, and Yan Qing’s inner demon was more alarming than his.
In an instant, the cold wind around him seemed to lose its temperature. Shi Jingzhi placed a hand on his chest, feeling his heart pounding.
Could his uncontrollable desires simply be his “true nature”?
First, his emperor father, then his emperor brother. He had been so successfully confined, like a wild beast with its fangs removed, raised on crushed flesh until now. One couldn’t truly say whether they were suffering or not if they were someone who hadn’t truly lived.
It made sense. What could someone who hasn’t truly lived understand about inner demons?
For some reason, Shi Jingzhi instinctively looked at Yin Ci, as if trying to grasp something. However, upon seeing his disciple’s condition for the first time, Shi Jingzhi’s heart trembled once again, overwhelmed with a profound sense of sadness.
Yin Ci stood at the entrance of the stone gate, gazing vacantly into the depths of Huilian Mountain. Several translucent shadow arms embraced him from behind, resembling malevolent spirits from stories.
Those palms interlocked with each other on Yin Ci’s chest, while the ends of the arms twisted together behind him, forming an exceptionally thick “chain”. The other end of the shadow chain was hidden at the edge of the grand formation, without revealing its complete form.
Looking at Yin Ci’s expression, he seemed completely indifferent to his own inner demon. “If Brother Su can still move, we might as well venture a little deeper. There’s a pavilion up ahead, which would be a better place to rest.”
Yin Ci ignored the dense cluster of arms on his body and took a few steps forward. He moved away from the entrance, and a portion of the ghostly chain was dragged along with him.
Su Si and Yan Qing both took a breath almost simultaneously, while Shi Jingzhi remained silent; his heart slowly growing colder.
“A’Ci, come here. Your hairband is a bit crooked. Let me fix it for you,” Shi Jingzhi said softly, suppressing the tremor in his voice.
Sect Master Shi’s eyes stared fixedly at Yin Ci, stepping back as he spoke, gradually moving further away from the entrance of the grand formation. Yin Ci seemed accustomed to Shi Jingzhi’s occasional outbursts of concern. He couldn’t be bothered to refuse and calmly walked over to Shi Jingzhi’s side.
As Yin Ci approached, Su Si hugged Lord Bai, struggling to roll away, and even Yan Qing took a few steps back.
However, Shi Jingzhi stopped his retreat.
When Yin Ci stood in front of him, Shi Jingzhi lifted a lock of Yin Ci’s black hair and looked into his dim pupils.
For the first time, Shi Jingzhi had this feeling—he should have focused on his own emptiness, but seeing the scene in front of him, he couldn’t help but want to restrain Yin Ci, to force his disciple’s past out at that very moment.
His heart was torn between himself and others, nearly splitting into two.
After what seemed like an eternity, Shi Jingzhi spoke again. Surprisingly, he found that the more bizarre the situation became, the more his voice steadied on its own.
Shi Jingzhi carefully adjusted Yin Ci’s white jade hairband, and his words were filled with heartache. “A’Ci… You can’t see. Why didn’t you say anything?”
This person’s expression remained indifferent, walking as usual, perhaps understanding the path through the flow of air. There was only one flaw in Yin Ci’s behavior, a flaw that was truly fatal and couldn’t be concealed no matter how he disguised it.
Yin Ci’s inner demon wasn’t just those chain-like ghostly hands.
They had initially only seen those hands because Yin Ci’s inner demon was too massive—so massive that it only revealed its complete form when Yin Ci was ten zhang away.
The ghostly hands were connected, forming a chain of shadows. The further back it went, the more translucent shadow hands there were. Eventually, they intertwined and slid like the belly of a slug, appearing in an opaque black color. Looking further up, an immensely huge, half-decayed human head came into view.
Not including the base of the ghostly hands, the height of the fragmented human head was about nine zhang, comparable to three layers of city walls stacked together. The head was inverted with no lower jaw, and the facial features had all decayed into enormous cavities, revealing empty interiors.
Overall, the massive inner demon resembled a peculiar, ever-burning lamp; the kind that was unearthed from a ghost tomb.
In half of the skull, there was indeed a cluster of fire.
That flame was the opposite of any ordinary fire in the world—pure black and chilling. It flickered gently, absorbing all surrounding light. The nearby “bare branches” seemed to respond to it, swaying more noticeably.
Perhaps this thing shouldn’t be called a “lamp”—”a perpetual dark lamp” would be more accurate. Su Si and Yan Qing’s hair stood on end, and they retreated further away—just approaching this colossal entity was enough to make one feel extremely uncomfortable.
In comparison, the ghostly hands and shadow chains were like strands of hair. As Yin Ci moved, the shadow chains slowly dragged the headlamp along. It seemed as if Yin Ci was dragging a mountain with his own body, which was somewhat comical at first glance.
Under such an inner demon, Yin Ci still maintained a calm and composed expression, which could only mean “unable to see”.
Shi Jingzhi repeated the question once again, his throat dry and painful. “You can’t see, right?”
Everyone’s reactions were strange. Even if Yin Ci couldn’t guess with complete certainty, he could still figure out a good portion of it. He lowered his eyes for a moment and gave out a “Mm”, then responded in a disciplined manner. “Indeed, I can’t see. It must be the interference of the Buddha Heart Formation. It doesn’t hinder my movements, and my sight will return after leaving the formation… That’s all. I don’t want to trouble Shizun.”
He paused for a moment. “It seems that my inner demon is much more prominent than others.”
More than just prominent, this inner demon was exceptionally abnormal. In terms of size alone, it could be seen from the peak of the mountain. If it weren’t for the fact that the monks weren’t in the formation, they probably would have tried to suppress it by now.
Shi Jingzhi gazed at his disciple before him with a thousand words trapped in his chest. He had always been skilled in social interactions, but at this moment, he couldn’t find any words to say.
Yan Qing and Su Si were both twenty-one years old. Leaving Yan Qing aside, Su Si had already experienced some of the most challenging hardships. Yet all he grew was a snake tail.
His own disciple was only twenty years old. Could it be that since Yin Ci came of age, he had been living in the eighteen layers of hell? Shi Jingzhi looked at the immensely huge human headlamp, not feeling fear for the moment but only an icy sense of trance.
What kind of experiences must a person go through to develop such an inner demon?
Shi Jingzhi had always believed that as long as they maintained a good relationship, Yin Ci would eventually open up to him—between a master and disciple, they would definitely confide in each other. It was only a matter of time.
Now, he was no longer certain.
There was a moment when Shi Jingzhi had a cold intuition.
What stood before him seemed to be not a human being but a lightless abyss.
The author has something to say:
Inner Demon (Physical)
…Of course, I wouldn’t write about normal inner demons (^ρ^)/
Shi Jingzhi: ??? How is it possible the only normal person is me?
Our inner force has been sealed, and Yin Ci, as the village’s hope, had to go blind (…
Adventures, well, they can never go smoothly.
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