Chapter 50: Brother Xuan Ji, Let’s Visualize!

Chapter 50: Brother Xuan Ji, Let's Visualize!

Visualization is a convenient method of cultivation, and the concepts within it are highly nuanced. Chi Yu had some basic understanding; the most famous is the Nine Stage Contemplation, which involves visualizing nine repulsive stages of a corpse to sever attachment to the physical body and desires. It is a form of impurity contemplation【1】. Throughout history, many eminent monks have created mural artworks on this subject, making it a solemn and important practice.

Thus, when Chi Yu heard the Crown Prince say this, although he was somewhat puzzled—wondering what in his mouth was worth visualizing besides the forbidden curse—he didn’t dare say anything more.

He obediently continued to hold his mouth open, allowing him to "visualize."

*No matter the situation, he’s always serious about cultivation*, Chi Yu thought. *Even looking at a forbidden curse can reveal methods of cultivation.*

His gaze fell on Xie Xiyi’s face, which was solemn, his golden eyes seemed to darken, clearly indicating a critical moment. Chi Yu didn’t dare disturb him at all. His Adam’s apple kept moving as he swallowed—

He couldn’t help but think, *at times like this, Brother Xuan Ji doesn't find him dirty. It shows that when it comes to cultivation, some boundaries can be set aside.*

Xie Xiyi didn’t know what he was thinking, only that after he said those words, the tall youth in his shadow obediently kept quiet, even trying to open his mouth wider to allow Xie Xiyi’s fingers easier access.

*So well-behaved*, Xie Xiyi thought, and the Demon Heart became restless again—wanting to bully Long Aotian until he cried.

Xie Xiyi slightly furrowed his brows, focusing to suppress the Demon Heart deep within his spiritual realm.

This Demon Heart of his was a detestable thing filled with destructive desires and savagery, more vicious than demons at its worst.

Xie Xiyi couldn’t eliminate it; it was something innate to him, as if he depended on it to exist. He could only suppress it through cultivation—contemplating its root, it seemed this Demon Heart was his true nature.

But as the Crown Prince of Great Xia, he absolutely could not allow the Demon Heart to control him, nor could he allow himself to appear inelegant.

That he was sent to Luopo by Ruo Ku might not have been entirely without his own insincere willingness.

Only through studying Zen could he truly suppress this Demon Heart. He simply hadn’t expressed such intentions; at its core, he was unconvinced.

*How could he allow himself to be controlled by a Demon Heart?*

Xie Xiyi’s fingers absentmindedly withdrew, his wet fingertips tracing Chi Yu’s plump lips, making them shiny.

Chi Yu’s lips tightened slightly, his teeth clenching tentatively as he asked, "Brother Xuan Ji, are you done?"

He felt somewhat uneasy but couldn’t quite pinpoint why.

This confusion and doubt were evident on his face.

Xie Xiyi finally came back to himself. He withdrew his hand and said calmly, "Today’s visualization is over."

He paused, taking out another handkerchief. "Clean up."

Chi Yu took the handkerchief and wiped around his mouth, his lips, and his chin. His unease immediately dissipated, replaced by curiosity. "Brother Xuan Ji, what were you visualizing? Was it the forbidden curse?"

As he spoke, he grew slightly nervous again. "Brother Xuan Ji, you said yourself the forbidden curse is no good. Don’t learn it."

Xie Xiyi said casually, "The ocean remains constant—this is truth. The waves rise and fall, impermanent—this is delusion. The minds of sentient beings, stirred by external reflections, rising and falling without constancy, are all delusive minds【2】. This is what I visualized."

He continued thoughtfully, "Great wisdom is attained through repeated contention with one’s own restless energy and various delusions."

After saying this, he curved his lips into a slight smile and said to Chi Yu, "Long Aotian, a part of my delusive mind is within you, so it’s necessary for you to take responsibility. Allow me to continue visualizing like this in the future."

Chi Yu listened with reverent respect, a sense of responsibility welling up inside him. "Don’t worry, Brother Xuan Ji, I've got this—but, can you really visualize so much just from looking at a tongue?"

Xie Xiyi said, "The pure comes from the impure, brightness from darkness. With intention, all things can be visualized."

Chi Yu: "..."

*Let me see who’s subtly insulting me.jpg*

Chi Yu said angrily, "Brother Xuan Ji, I allowed you to visualize, and you still think I’m dirty!!!"

He threw the handkerchief aside, rushed over, grabbed Xie Xiyi’s wide sleeve, and wiped his wet neck vigorously. "Call me dirty? I’ll really give you something dirty."

Xie Xiyi looked down at his sleeve, now damp with Chi Yu’s saliva, but surprisingly felt no irritation. Instead, he felt a slight pleasure. "A simple Dust Cleaning Spell can clean it. Are you a three-year-old child?"

Chi Yu released his sleeve and said, "If I can disgust Brother Xuan Ji for even a moment, it’s worth it."

Xie Xiyi thought, *he didn’t feel disgusted at all.*

He tucked the handkerchief stained with Chi Yu’s saliva into his sleeve’s spatial storage. This, too, was material for visualization and couldn’t be discarded casually.

"Um." Xiaoqiu said weakly, "Brother Aotian, did you forget about us?"

Chi Yu looked at him and said naturally, "No, how could we forget you?"

Xiaoqiu said with a hint of resentment, "I’ve noticed that whenever you’re with His Highness, I become like background scenery—naturally becoming part of the background. When you talk, I can’t get a word in."

Chi Yu laughed heartily. "You care about that? It’s normal. Don’t worry, when I talk to you, His Highness can’t get a word in either. He can only blankly say things like, 'Are you too idle? If you’re too idle, go cultivate/practice swordplay. You talk too much,' and so on."

Xiaoqiu thought about it and realized it was true.

Xie Xiyi didn’t seem annoyed either. He walked to the other side as if nothing had happened, sat down cross-legged, and began deep meditation.

After Xie Xiyi entered meditation, Xiaoqiu walked over to Chi Yu and lowered his voice. "Brother Aotian, I think there’s something off about our lord."

Chi Yu: "Hm? What’s off?"

Xiaoqiu said, "You know, our lord actually has a Demon Heart."

Chi Yu: "I know. What about it?"

Xiaoqiu hesitated but still whispered, "This is a secret. I’m only telling you."

Chi Yu glanced at the little demon in his arms. Xiaoqiu said, "Brother Aotian, make him fall asleep."

Chi Yu took out a sleep spell talisman and slapped it on the infant’s head. The baby soon closed its dark, slightly purple eyes and fell into a deep sleep.

Xiaoqiu then said, "Our lord’s Demon Heart is no ordinary matter. When he was eight, Chan Master Ruoku revealed he had this Demon Heart and said he would fall into hell and establish a supreme demon kingdom. Such an absurd prophecy, yet our Emperor didn’t expel him because our lord himself has some issues. I don’t know the details, but he occasionally loses control, and when he does, things happen."

He set the stage before getting to the point. "We came to Luopo three years ago. Before that, our lord had no intention of coming here. So why did he suddenly decide to come? It’s because he lost control and nearly killed his mother. Although the news was suppressed, it’s not exactly a secret within our family."

Chi Yu was stunned and asked keenly, "Xiaoqiu, what are you trying to tell me?"

Xiaoqiu muttered, "My intuition is usually quite accurate. I feel that when our lord was visualizing you, it was the Demon Heart emerging. Maybe it wasn’t our lord who wanted to visualize you—it was the Demon Heart. If that’s the case, I’d think our lord is potentially dangerous. Of course, our lord is very powerful, with high cultivation, even reaching the Second Dhyana Ābhāsvara Realm. But as long as he doesn’t become a Bodhisattva, that Demon Heart can’t be removed, and there’s always a chance it will resurface."

Chi Yu’s heart stirred. "Could it be your misconception? I don’t think Brother Xuan Ji would want to harm me."

Xiaoqiu said, "I know, but the Demon Heart is the most unreasonable thing. It makes our lord unlike himself. He has deep affection for the Emperor and Empress, but when the Demon Heart emerged, didn’t he nearly kill the Empress? Brother Aotian, it doesn’t matter if I’m killed by our lord losing control. Although I’m his cousin, I’m also his servant. He is my master. If the ruler wants the subject to die, the subject must die. I would only feel happy dying for him. But Brother Aotian, I think you should still be cautious around our lord. I’m so afraid you might die."

Chi Yu fell silent. He reached out, pulled Xiaoqiu into his arms, and gently patted his back. In a soft voice, he said, "Don’t be so pessimistic yet. You have to trust your lord. Do you think he would be easily controlled by the Demon Heart? I won’t die. You know I have many secrets. In any case, I won’t die. Brother Xuan Ji has this Demon Heart, which is likely the biggest obstacle to him becoming a Bodhisattva. I want to help him transcend, so this Demon Heart is also my target. I’ll find a way to help Brother Xuan Ji remove this Demon Heart."

After a pause, he added, "Didn’t you hear what your lord said earlier? If it were the Demon Heart wanting to visualize me, how could it say things about truth and deluded minds? Brother Xuan Ji was seriously cultivating. Don’t overthink it."

In Chi Yu’s warm embrace, Xiaoqiu’s anxious heart slowly relaxed, though he felt somewhat dissatisfied because the demon between them prevented Brother Aotian from holding him fully.

Xiaoqiu suppressed the urge to toss the demon aside and nodded obediently. "I understand. Brother Aotian, please don’t mention any of this to our lord."

Chi Yu laughed, "I know, you’re such a blabbermouth, you've spilled everything about His Highness to me."

Xiao Qiu whispered, "I only told you, Brother Aotian. I'm afraid you might get hurt by His Highness’s Demon Heart."

Chi Yu asked curiously, "Why do you think it's the Demon Heart?"

Xiao Qiu thought for a moment and said, "Because just now, I felt like the way His Highness looked at you was a bit scary, as if he wanted to bite you."

Chi Yu laughed dismissively, "Maybe you misread it."

Hearing this, Xiao Qiu wasn't so sure either, "Perhaps..."

Wu Yunsu was still left with Xiao Qiu. Chi Yu returned to his cushion and sat down to cultivate.

Before starting, he reached into his mouth and touched his tongue, feeling only its slippery softness, utterly clueless what there was to visualize.

It was quite impressive that Brother Xuan Ji could visualize so much from it.

However, as Chi Yu recalled what Xiao Qiu had said, he suddenly realized something he had overlooked for a long time—

*Given Brother Xuan Ji's personality, how could he end up like Xie Xiyi in the end?*

*Was it because of the Demon Heart...?*

*As the antagonist, was Xie Xiyi taken over and controlled by the Demon Heart?*

Chi Yu's eyes suddenly lit up. It hit him—he had a plan: as long as he helped Brother Xuan Ji in his cultivation, once Brother Xuan Ji's cultivation advanced, he would naturally be able to suppress that Demon Heart.

To save him, the first step was now clear.

He must assist Brother Xuan Ji in visualization, help him attain enlightenment, boost his cultivation fast, and become a Bodhisattva of the Anuttara Buddhist School!

Convinced he’d found the way, Chi Yu was overjoyed and more driven in his practice.

Not long after, when Xie Xiyi woke from deep meditation, he saw Chi Yu already waiting beside him, his eyes twinkling like stars, a deep dimple appearing as he smiled and said, "Brother Xuan Ji, let's visualize!"

First time’s practice, second time’s natural. Chi Yu wasn’t the shy type. He sat down beside Xie Xiyi, opened his mouth, and said, "Go on, visualize, Brother Xuan Ji."

Xie Xiyi: "..."

He was a little taken aback by his eagerness.

His gaze fell on the soft, red tip of his tongue, and his golden eyes darkened almost imperceptibly.

Chi Yu considered himself quite sensitive to others' expressions and glances—otherwise, he wouldn't have felt that Wu Yunsu's gaze was full of affection.

And the reason he never once doubted Xie Xiyi's visualization of him was that Xie Xiyi's golden eyes held no affection, only pure dedication and hunger for cultivation.

Thus, Chi Yu genuinely wished to help him—even though he still didn't understand what there was to visualize.

Xie Xiyi reached out his finger and slid into Chi Yu’s mouth. It was still soft and slippery, with a temperature slightly higher than body heat, like a warm, inviting nest.

Xie Xiyi carefully sensed these distinct sensations and suddenly said, "Close your mouth."

Chi Yu: "Huh?"

He blinked, confused but didn’t question it. He tried closing his mouth, and that long, slender finger was now inside his mouth.

His tongue moved unconsciously, and he ended up licking that long finger.

Xie Xiyi turned his focus inward; that stray thought quivered again, rousing the Demon Heart once more, making him continue unknowingly, "Keep licking."

Chi Yu: "..."

*This is kinda weird.*

*He paused, thoughtful.*

But as he looked at Brother Xuan Ji's face, calm and composed, as if engaged in some profound research.

*Alright then.*

Chi Yu moved his tongue, gently licking the finger in his mouth.

Author's Note:

1: After contemplation, tried a different finger

【1】【2】Quoted