Chapter 8: Eliminating Demonic Qi, Encountering Taiyi Sect Disciples

Chapter 8: Eradicating Demonic Qi, Encountering Taiyi Sect Disciples

After a brief farewell, the four turned around and each went their own way.

Yuan Shao and his two companions pulled themselves together and slowly made their way toward the secret realm's exit, while Ling Xuance, having confirmed there was no further danger, sank his consciousness into the jade pendant in a flash.

His form vanished in the blink of an eye, fully stepping into the warm, tranquil lesser world.

In the lesser world, the vegetation was lush and green. At the center of the spirit field, the youth lay curled up in quiet slumber, his face pale as snow, his breathing shallow.

Ling Xuance crouched down gently, carefully gathering the sleeping youth into his arms. His hands pressed against the youth's dantian as spiritual power flowed endlessly into Lin Yu's meridians.

He meticulously combed through the youth's chaotic, sluggish spiritual energy, bit by bit nourishing the withered, curled spirit herb leaves, replenishing the power he had burned through that day.

The boundless dangers of the secret realm were completely shut out. In this small patch of heaven and earth, only he remained, quietly guarding the youth in his arms.

Time flowed on, and Ling Xuance had been in secluded meditation for five years now.

The Demon-Breaking Herb he'd spent three years searching for, combined with the lesser world's pure spiritual qi, had completely uprooted the lingering demonic qi coiled within him.

Within his dantian, the long-dormant Golden Core suddenly trembled. Accompanied by an intangible resonance of dao rhyme, the hardened core melted and reformed. Vast, majestic heaven-earth spiritual energy condensed at the center of his dantian, and a miniature nascent soul bearing Ling Xuance's exact features sat cross-legged, coming into being.

The moment the nascent soul took form, dao rhyme swirled around him, spiritual pressure climbed steadily, and his soul became perfectly attuned to the laws of heaven and earth.

With years of hidden peril eliminated in one stroke, he smoothly broke through, stepping steadily into the early Nascent Soul stage.

If outsiders knew Ling Xuance had formed his nascent soul without undergoing a tribulation, they'd surely die of envy.

The instant the breakthrough was complete, Ling Xuance withdrew his technique and opened his eyes. Moisture drifted in on the breeze, dispelling the stillness of his cultivation.

He suppressed his overwhelming spiritual pressure, rose, and walked out.

Three years had passed, and Lin Yu, relying on his unique life-granting innate ability, had nurtured the two Azurefall Spirit Lotus seeds Jin Ling had gifted him into a pond full of blooming Lian Hua.

The Taiyi Sect possessed only a single Azurefall Spirit Lotus as their sect's supreme treasure—yet in this lotus pond, a hundred blossoms now bloomed in dazzling splendor.

What outsiders could never obtain even by begging had become an ordinary sight here before his eyes.

The pond water was shallow, just barely covering his ankles.

Lin Yu stood barefoot in the warm mud of the pond, his fair feet idly splashing through the shimmering water, sending up fine crystalline droplets.

He pried open a plump, tender lotus seed with his fingers, peeled away the thin membrane, and took a small bite of the sweet flesh, his face brimming with contentment.

The familiar presence drew near, and Lin Yu immediately looked up to see Ling Xuance standing at the pond's edge.

"Brother Che! You're out of seclusion!"

Sunlight fell upon his fair, translucent profile and long lashes, scattering into fine golden motes, gentle enough to dazzle the eyes.

Ling Xuance paused at the pond's edge, gazing at the youth's vibrant, radiant appearance. "Mm, I'm out."

He walked over slowly, condensing a wisp of gentle divine sense to probe Lin Yu's dantian. Looking at the thriving life-bound spirit herb, he found not a trace of the previous overexertion.

"I told you I'm fine." Lin Yu looked up at him, eyes curving into a bright smile as he reached out and tugged lightly at his sleeve. "The Azurefall Spirit Lotus seeds work great—it didn't hurt at all."

The youth's tone was light and cheerful, but Ling Xuance still felt a lingering fear in his heart, recalling how the boy's spirit herb had withered, his face deathly pale and swaying on the verge of collapse that day.

He leaned down, raising a hand to gently wipe away the bits of lotus seed clinging to the youth's lips.

"A Yu, don't act so recklessly from now on."

"The origin of your spiritual power is the foundation of your cultivation. Overdrawing it harms your roots—if you're not careful, you could suffer lifelong damage."

He could endure any danger himself, but he couldn't bear even the slightest harm to the youth.

Lin Yu's smile faded slightly at his words. He reached out and firmly gripped Ling Xuance's palm with both hands. "Then Brother Che can't get hurt either."

"When I saw you bleeding and wounded, I couldn't think of anything else. I just wanted Brother Che to be safe."

The youth's eyes were clear and pure, every word spoken from the heart—simple yet fervent.

Ling Xuance's chest suddenly burned hot, a searing warmth spreading through his limbs and veins.

A gentle kiss fell softly—tender and lingering, without a trace of force or dominance. Lin Yu froze for a moment, then obediently lowered his gaze, standing still and docile, neither dodging nor resisting, allowing the tender kiss.

After a long moment, Ling Xuance drew back slightly, resting his forehead against the youth's, his breath warm and low, his eyes brimming with a tenderness reserved solely for him.

The two stayed together in the peaceful, undisturbed lesser world. Only when both were at their peak condition did Ling Xuance speak softly, discussing their next course of action.

"A Yu, after we leave, let's go to the Taiyi Sect."

Lin Yu's face scrunched up slightly at the words, a hint of conflict showing.

Ling Xuance saw it clearly and asked softly, "You don't want to go?"

Lin Yu lowered his gaze, picking at his fingertips, and muttered, "It's just..."

"That day you were hurt, and they were right there but didn't protect you. I don't like them."

The image of Ling Xuance gravely wounded that day was etched into his heart, leaving him with a lingering grudge against Yuan Shao, Jin Ling, and Qing Yi.

Ling Xuance reached out and ruffled his hair, patiently soothing him.

"It was simply bad timing on their part—not deliberate."

"That day, the demonic beast's furious aura sealed off the battlefield. No one could get close to help. It wasn't their fault."

He carefully untangled the knot in the youth's heart.

"The Taiyi Sect's lotus-infused spiritual energy is the best match for your life-attributed spirit root, greatly benefiting your cultivation. And with a major sect's protection, you'll always have a stable place to call home."

Lin Yu listened, looking up at Ling Xuance, hesitating for a moment.

"Alright then, I'll listen to Brother Che."

As long as he could stay by Ling Xuance's side, anywhere was fine.

Ling Xuance stabilized his nascent soul aura, and with a thought, his form instantly departed the peaceful lesser world, returning to the secret realm.

By now, the great battle in the secret realm had long concluded. The miasma had dispersed, the sky was clear, and no dangerous beasts blocked their path.

He leisurely stepped out of the secret realm's boundary.

After leaving the mountains, Ling Xuance didn't rush toward the Taiyi Sect. Instead, he wandered slowly through the mortal towns along the way, letting Lin Yu in the lesser world see the outside world.

This was Lin Yu's first time seeing the outside world since arriving in this realm, and since he had no need to interact with others while in the lesser world, he was genuinely curious about everything outside.

Street-side sugar cakes, soft candied fruits, delicate paper kites, exquisite wooden carvings—any little mortal trinket Lin Yu cast more than a glance at, Ling Xuance bought it all.

A gentle evening breeze all the way, carrying the ordinary warmth of everyday life.

Months later, they arrived at the sect town at the foot of Taiyi Sect.

The town was built against the mountain, and the cultivators who passed through were mostly genteel and proper, bearing the orthodox aura of the sect—presenting a scene of peace and calm.

But the moment they stepped into the bustling streets of the town, the air seemed to freeze.

A cold, clammy aura of malevolence spread from the depths of the alleyways, drowning out the pure spiritual energy that filled the town.

It was demonic cultivators—their turbid aura thick and condensed, their methods sinister and ruthless, fraught with hidden peril.

The lively sounds of the crowd gave way to screams as the townsfolk fled in terror, the appearance of the demonic cultivators shattering the town's tranquility.

Before the demonic cultivators could strike, several graceful white figures shot out from both sides of the street—all young disciples clad in the regulation robes of Taiyi Sect.

With solemn expressions and swords in hand, they placed themselves firmly between the fleeing civilians and the demonic cultivators, barring their way.

"Retreat quickly! Stay clear of the miasma!"

The leading disciple commanded, his sword aura flaring as he drew his blade, rushing to meet the rampaging demonic cultivators.

The remaining disciples followed closely, working in pairs to hold back the demonic cultivators' attacks while staying true to the sect's vow to protect the people.

Ling Xuance stood quietly at the end of the street, showing no sign of rushing to help. His Nascent Soul spiritual sense spread across the entire area, meticulously sweeping through the shadows of the alleyways, scanning every inch for any concealed presence.

His battle-hardened instincts told him never to act rashly—he had to first confirm there were no lurking demonic cultivators or hidden ambushes nearby.

The battle grew increasingly tense.

These Taiyi Sect disciples were mostly at the mid-to-late Qi Refining stage, few in number, while the demonic cultivators opposite them numbered four in total.

Though the disciples fought with flawless teamwork, their cultivation was simply not enough. After several clashes, their robes were stained with blood.

Only after confirming that there was not a trace of hidden demonic aura left in the entire town—every danger in plain sight—did Ling Xuance step forward calmly.

A cold, clear white light broke the deadlock as his Nascent Soul pressure spread out, bearing down upon the entire street.

The Taiyi Sect disciples, who had been struggling to hold on, their eyes lit up at the sight, their taut nerves suddenly relaxing.

Seizing the opportunity, the leading disciple shouted sharply, "Form the formation!"

The remaining wounded disciples shifted positions, stepping in precise sect footwork, their sword auras interlinking to form Taiyi Sect's unbreakable protective-killing lotus formation.

With the formation activated, the disciples' combat power multiplied, trapping the demonic cultivators at the formation's core and completely sealing off any route of escape or evasion.

Standing outside the formation, Ling Xuance raised his hand to condense a sword, his pure spiritual power transforming into a sharp edge. Every strike landed precisely on the demonic cultivators' weak points, his high-level Nascent Soul might crushing the Golden Core evil cultivators.

The turbid aura the demonic cultivators relied on to wreak havoc crumbled effortlessly before Ling Xuance, dissolving and dispersing in an instant.

—Author's note