“A-Zhao, after this incident, Miao Miao has declined further, and I am old. My progress on the path of cultivation is nearing its end. From here on, the burden of Miao Miao rests on your shoulders.”
“Teacher Uncle…” Seeing Song Feng’s expression filled with sorrow, Chong Zhao didn’t know what to say.
“In three months, if you win the ‘Wu Tong Martial Banquet’ and claim the Wu Tong Sword to gain admission to the Celestial Palace for training, Miao Miao may one day rejoin the Three Mountains and Six Sects.” Song Feng patted Chong Zhao on the shoulder, gazing at the jade slips in the hall with a sigh.
“Don’t worry, Teacher Uncle. I will do my best.” Chong Zhao replied solemnly.
In the far north of the demon realm, amidst a thousand miles of ice, where the land lay frozen year-round, dangerous beasts congregated. Yet, now, all was silent; not a creature dared make a sound, for deep within the icy plain stood the magnificent, imposing Snow Hall.
The cold moon cast a chilly glow, and the rear hall lay utterly silent, as the hall master loved quiet, and none dared step into his private quarters. On the desk, a wooden figurine of Long’er Donkey jumped around, only to be flicked back each time it tried to leave the table.
Long’er Donkey, after the one hundredth and eighth failed attempt, prepared to try again. With its spiritual power sealed by Fan Yue and restrictions set around the desk, Long’er knew it was pointless but continued simply for fun, since no one was watching.
A red glow flashed, and Fan Yue appeared in the hall. Long’er froze mid-leap, instantly collapsing onto the table to play dead, a model prisoner-donkey.
A golden pig flew out from Fan Yue’s sleeve, its face beaming with excitement.
“Finally, you’ve retrieved Long-san! Hurry up, refine him!”
Long’er, listening in, perked up, wide-eyed, as it saw a Bodhi heart flame flickering in Fan Yue’s palm.
Fan Yue waved his hand, conjuring a complex, ancient array on the ground. Flames rose within it as Fan Yue stepped into the formation and sat in silence. The fire instantly burned away his shirt, revealing a bare torso marked by seven star-shaped scars etched into his chest like carvings. These stars connected by a thorny, sinister pattern that pierced into his heart.
As the full moon hung high, Fan Yue barely began the process of refining the Bodhi heart when he coughed up blood, his face pale as paper. The golden pig, now lying comfortably atop Long’er Donkey, watched without surprise, crossing its legs.
“Really, you pushed yourself, using only half your power under the restraints. If you’d waited another day to recover, Xie Bodhi would have been no match. But instead, you went and signed a soul contract with her, using your own heart’s blood. Not only that, you helped save those two disciples. My lord, have you lost your senses?” The golden pig chided, kicking Long’er Donkey’s head in emphasis.
Fan Yue glared coldly at the golden pig, who pursed its lips and muttered, “Didn’t you say I couldn’t talk about it? Look at you, all injured, and she didn’t even care. All she thought about was her childhood friend. I know you saw her sneaking off with a piece of the Bodhi wood…”
Before it could finish, a red light struck the pig, sending it tumbling with stars in its eyes, silenced at last.
Flames surged within the ancient array as Fan Yue pressed the Bodhi heart against his chest, letting it gradually merge with one of the stars, fading the dark thorn pattern. Closing his eyes, he began to meditate and refine it.
Under the bright moon, the golden pig and Long’er Donkey watched tensely as he refined the Bodhi heart. Just as the heart fully merged with the starlight, a sudden flash within the array caused Fan Yue’s expression to shift. A red glow enveloped him, and he disappeared without warning.
The pig and donkey sprang up simultaneously, exchanging a look. The donkey blinked in confusion and asked dryly, “Did… did the Bodhi heart eat him?”
“You’re the one who’ll get eaten by it, you crow-mouthed fool.”
“Then where did he go?”
The golden pig sighed deeply as if realizing something. “Women… truly a curse…”
On an outer island of Miao Miao, Bai Shuo, who had been busy all night, sat on a small stool, yawning as she monitored her cauldron while refining the Bodhi heart.
The Bodhi wood was a divine tree. If Sect Leader Song Feng detected its aura, the nonsense she and A-Zhao had come up with would never fool him…
The old turtle, sleeping soundly on its back in the corner, snored like a lullaby. The only sound in the herb garden was the crackling of the fire, creating a desolate peace. Bai Shuo leaned on her hand, stirring the firewood, lost in thought, then gave a wry smile.
“To think we risked our lives together, and he just leaves without even a word… Monsters really are heartless…”
Lost in thought, Bai Shuo pricked her finger on a splinter, letting out a small yelp. A bit of blood pooled at her fingertip, which she paid little attention to. But as sparks flickered from the cauldron, one struck her forehead. She quickly brushed it off, unknowingly smearing her blood across her brow. The dark moon marking from the water cave briefly flashed, absorbing her drop of blood in an instant.
Unaware of all this, Bai Shuo mumbled, “Leaving in such a hurry… He could have at least let me check his pulse. Even if he’s a demigod, after sacrificing his own heart’s blood, there’s no way he wouldn’t be… Agh!”
A red light burst forth as something heavy crashed into her, shattering her small stool to powder and leaving Bai Shuo dizzy.
“What in the world…?!”
She struggled to push away the weight on her. Her hand touched something both cold and warm, and when she looked up, she saw a bare torso and a face that was both familiar and strange.
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