Chapter 65: If It’s a Demon Heart, You’ll Die

Chapter 65 If It Were the Demonic Heart, You Would Die

Xie Xiyi introspected, finding nothing amiss.

He meticulously examined his inner self, again and again, yet discovered nothing.

The Demonic Heart, bound tightly by chains forged from Buddha's bones, showed no signs of stirring.

As for that wayward thought, it was indeed restless, but still within controllable bounds.

Xie Xiyi didn't ask Chi Yu what he meant by "that." Since he had no recollection, he saw no need to dwell on it.

However, realizing how much time had passed, a hint of displeasure crept into him.

Xie Xiyi disliked the feeling of losing control.

He silently watched as Chi Yu rose, refreshed and invigorated, then eagerly bent down to straighten his collar. With a voice slightly hoarse yet brimming with satisfied pleasure, Chi Yu said, "Brother Xuan Ji, I apologize for disarraying your clothes."

Xie Xiyi's collar had been crumpled by Chi Yu, revealing a significant expanse of his cool, pale chest, which appeared strikingly captivating under the moonlight. After a few lingering glances, Chi Yu pulled the collar back into place and smoothed Xie Xiyi's waterfall-like black hair.

"Brother Xuan Ji, why do you never use the hair tie I gave you?" Chi Yu asked.

Xie Xiyi replied coolly, "I dislike the sensation of being confined."

Chi Yu scratched his head, puzzled. "Is tying your hair considered confinement?"

Xie Xiyi: "Yes."

Sensing Xie Xiyi's foul mood, Chi Yu grew curious. "Brother Xuan Ji, are you unhappy? Weren't you quite cheerful just now?"

Cheerful? He had no memory of it.

Xie Xiyi's mood soured further. "Was I?"

Accustomed to Xie Xiyi's habit of answering questions with questions, Chi Yu replied naturally, "Yes, we were both quite cheerful."

His face flushed again as he added softly, "I never realized Spiritual Sense could be used this way. No wonder you didn't find it comfortable before, Brother Xuan Ji."

Xie Xiyi: "Used this way? How was it used?"

"..." Chi Yu felt a touch bewildered. "In the spiritual realm, of course."

Xie Xiyi asked, "My Spiritual Sense entered your spiritual realm?"

Chi Yu: "Yes, Brother Xuan Ji. What's wrong with you?"

It finally dawned on Chi Yu. "Brother Xuan Ji, you don't remember?"

Xie Xiyi replied calmly, "I don't."

Chi Yu's pupils dilated in shock. "Huh?"

"Then you've forgotten what you said earlier too?" Chi Yu stared at Xie Xiyi and asked.

Xie Xiyi met his gaze, his eyes flickering slightly as he detected a mischievous glint emanating from Chi Yu's spiritual realm. "I've forgotten. What did I say?"

Chi Yu recounted, "You said, 'We should do this more often. I really like it.' Then I sternly refused. I said no. Brother Xuan Ji, didn't you say indulgence leads to downfall? How could you break your own principle? You said, 'Once you recognize the true intent of the sages, you'll find that the essence of righteousness lies within this heart, and you'll naturally find its usefulness【1】.' I said I didn't understand, and you replied, 'No need to understand. In short, my happiness is priceless.' Brother Xuan Ji, you're so willful! You've fallen!"

Xie Xiyi: "..."

Chi Yu: "But I still sternly refused you, Brother Xuan Ji. Let's not do such things again. I almost wet my pants."

Xie Xiyi asked, "How much of that did you fabricate?"

"Huh?"

Xie Xiyi said expressionlessly, "I'm asking how much of that you fabricated."

Chi Yu said stiffly, "...I didn't fabricate anything."

Xie Xiyi: "Tell me the truth."

After a few moments of tense silence, Chi Yu confessed honestly, "Brother Xuan Ji, I'm sorry. I made it all up. You didn't say anything—you just kept pushing your Spiritual Sense into my spiritual realm, pounding my consciousness into it like kneading rice cakes. But you were indeed very happy, holding me tightly. Your Spiritual Sense was humming a melody, seeming very pleased and comfortable."

Xie Xiyi stared at him, his handsome face now appearing somewhat dark and inscrutable. "Don't let my Spiritual Sense enter your spiritual realm again. It's a very fragile place."

Chi Yu said matter-of-factly, "It's fine. I only allowed it because it was you, Brother Xuan Ji. You wouldn't hurt me."

Touched by Chi Yu's complete and trusting devotion, Xie Xiyi's golden eyes softened slightly. He admitted frankly, "Just now, I had no memory of anything."

He didn't mind making the issue sound more serious. In a calm tone, he said, "You should know I have a Demonic Heart. Since I had no memory earlier, it might have been my Demonic Heart. If it was, you would have died."

Chi Yu instinctively retorted, "Impossible! You're the Future Bodhisattva. How could you fail to suppress the Demonic Heart?"

"Of course, I can suppress it—" Xie Xiyi paused, then added, "But there are moments of carelessness. If I say something that doesn't sound like me, you need to be cautious."

"As for the spiritual realm earlier, you shouldn't have let me touch it. It's the core of a cultivator's practice—the most sensitive and precious part. The Spiritual Sense exists outside the spiritual realm to protect it from external attacks. If someone invades your spiritual realm, the consequences could range from impaired cultivation to death with their cultivation destroyed. Don't let anyone touch it—not even me. I won't touch your spiritual realm. That's a boundary we must respect."

"But," Chi Yu looked at Xie Xiyi, "I don't believe you would harm me, Brother Xuan Ji."

Xie Xiyi said, "That wouldn't have been me."

Chi Yu's playful expression faded, replaced by a serious tone. "Actually, I've thought about what your Demonic Heart is, Brother Xuan Ji. For most cultivators, inner demons arise from their minds and can even turn against them. But you don't call it an inner demon—you call it a Demonic Heart. And from what Xiao Qiu said, you've had it since childhood. Perhaps the Demonic Heart is your true core, and your current thoughts and consciousness are later-developed aspects that rely on it to exist."

"If that's the case, Brother Xuan Ji, then the current you is what most cultivators would call an inner demon. Throughout history, the inner demon stage is the hardest to pass. Countless cultivators have fallen because of it, which only proves how terrifying inner demons can be. More importantly, you've almost never lost control. As an 'inner demon,' you're far stronger than the so-called 'true self.' So what is there to fear?"

Xie Xiyi gazed at his face and said calmly, "That's a specious argument."

Chi Yu curved his lips into a smile, his lively energy returning. "It's not a specious argument. I know it was you earlier, Brother Xuan Ji—it couldn't have been the so-called Demonic Heart."

Xie Xiyi said, "I will not enter your spiritual realm."

Chi Yu replied, "Then I don't know. But it couldn't have been the Demonic Heart. You said if it were, I would have died. But I'm still alive."

Xie Xiyi changed the subject. "Enough. Let's go back."

"Okay."

When they returned to the encampment, Xiao Qiu chased after them and asked, "What were you two doing?"

Chi Yu said, "I was helping His Highness with Visualization."

Xiao Qiu grumbled, "You didn't have to hide it from me. It's not like I haven't seen it before."

Chi Yu laughed heartily. "Naturally, we had to hide it from you because it's not for your eyes."

Xiao Qiu looked at them suspiciously and murmured, "Brother Aotian, I think you two are becoming stranger and stranger—like Du Ya and his Emperor."

Chi Yu was taken aback and quickly said, "Don't talk nonsense! You know they're a couple. Brother Xuan Ji and I are just fellow disciples."

Xiao Qiu remarked, sounding sensitive: "Because the way you two are feels very similar to how that emperor is with Brother Du Ya. When you two talk, I simply can't get a word in edgewise. It's the same when Du Ya talks with his Majesty—none of us can interrupt, as if there's some kind of barrier."

Xiao Qiu was actually a bit jealous of his highness, because he was still immature and his cultivation wasn't high enough to be of help to Brother Aotian in cultivation. He could only watch helplessly as the two grew very close.

This jealousy made him feel somewhat ashamed, thinking he shouldn't feel this way toward his highness, because at the same time, he also cared deeply for his highness. His emotions were very complicated.

Not being able to break into their dynamic made Xiao Qiu anxious, especially now with the addition of this reckless demon. He felt himself becoming less and less important.

Ah, maybe it's because he's still a child that he has so many distracting thoughts. Or perhaps it's precisely because of these distracting thoughts that his cultivation can't progress.

All these thoughts in Xiao Qiu's mind vanished after Chi Yu, left speechless, cupped his face and kissed him. "Xiao Qiu, how could you think that way?"

Chi Yu coaxed him skillfully, "When we two talk, your highness can't get a word in either." After saying this, he kissed him on the cheek again. "Don't overthink it, okay? Overthinking isn't good for cultivation."

Xiao Qiu's face flushed red, and he was instantly comforted, perking up to say, "I understand, Brother Aotian."

He walked away, touching his kissed cheek.

Chi Yu noticed Xie Xiyi's gaze and smiled. "Brother Xuan Ji, why are you looking at me like that? Do you want a kiss too?"

His eyes sparkled with mischief, giving him a lively, spirited look.

Xie Xiyi averted his gaze and said calmly, "Don't spoil him too much. People only get greedier. Before, a single kiss could comfort him, but now he needs more. What about in the future? Will you have to give him your heart?"

Chi Yu replied, "There's no helping it. He's at that age, so he's bound to be more sensitive. But saying that we're like Brother Du Ya and the emperor is really nonsense."

Xie Xiyi: "Like what?"

"..." Chi Yu said, "Brother Xuan Ji, I've told you before—Brother Du Ya and his Majesty are a pair. They're cut-sleeves, a couple."

Xie Xiyi said coldly, "It has nothing to do with us."

Chi Yu: "..."

It felt like Brother Xuan Ji had said this before.

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