Chapter 210: Saved Again—Willpower Stands, But One Needs Inner Strength

With this old ginseng, Mother’s illness will definitely be cured!

Limping and bruised, Yu Xian completely forgot the pain in his fractured bones. His eyes were locked on that ancient ginseng with uncontained joy. He rushed forward, reaching out to harvest it.

But just as he was about to grasp it, a pale hand stopped him, seizing his wrist.

Yu Xian paused slightly, raising his eyes in confusion.

A figure stood before him—white robes fluttering like snow, long hair drifting with the wind.

She gazed at Yu Xian, held his wrist gently, and softly said, “Xiao Xian, it’s time to go back.”

“Mother…”

He couldn’t clearly see her face, but the aura she exuded was familiar—too familiar. It was the breath of his mother.

The figure slowly released his wrist, brushing his cheek with a tender touch and whispering again, “Go back…”

Go back…

Go back…

Go back…

The figure gradually faded, the soft voice echoing in all directions as if etched in the wind.

Yu Xian stood on the withered ground, stunned. “Mother?” he called out again, confused.

“Yu Xian… all is illusion… only the self is real…”

Just as he was about to chase after the fading figure, another voice began to echo in his ears, growing clearer as if from the depths of a dream.

“All is illusion… the self is real…”

“Yu Xian! All is illusion! The self is real!”

The words grew louder, eventually booming like thunder across heaven and earth!

The entire world began to distort and blur!

Yu Xian suddenly jolted, enlightenment flashing in his eyes. His body rapidly matured, restoring to his true form within moments.

His spiritual body now stood in his sea of consciousness, facing a powerful spiritual entity—the old ginseng now revealing its true form!

“Who woke you up!? How did you awaken!?”

The spirit twisted violently, transforming into a fierce middle-aged man. He stared at Yu Xian, incredulous.

The illusion he set up should’ve nailed this human cultivator’s weakness!

He should’ve pounced on the ginseng and walked straight into death.

Why had he stopped at the last moment?

The woman’s voice outside had already been fully blocked—how?

This spirit of the Heaven Demon—split from the main body and stronger than an average Greater Demon—roared, “Impossible!”

Yu Xian’s spirit remained calm, his eyes full of reflection.

How did I awaken?

Of course, I was called back…

The elm pendant saved me again!

In that illusion, he had relived the memories of his childhood—trapped and utterly unaware.

If not for the pendant’s energy jolting his spirit, allowing him to manifest a willful thought that took on the form of his mother, he would’ve fallen right into the demon’s trap.

Two Heaven Demon Cores.

Red Peony collected them swiftly, sticking one to her forehead and absorbing it into her body. Her aura surged stronger—one step closer to fully restoring her Golden Core peak state.

Zhou Qingyuan, lying unconscious nearby, had stopped trembling, but he still hadn’t awoken. His sea of consciousness needed more time to stabilize.

Red Peony ignored him and returned to Yu Xian’s side.

He remained standing silently, eyes closed, seemingly at peace—as though he were merely resting, not battling a Heaven Demon inside.

Su Xiaoduo watched anxiously and turned to Red Peony. “Master! Senior Brother isn’t possessed. Please help him!”

“Help?”

Red Peony glanced at Yu Xian and said coldly, “I’ve done all I could. I haven’t reached Nascent Soul stage—I can’t probe his sea of consciousness. Now, he must rely on himself.”

Su Xiaoduo bit her lip, said nothing more, but the worry in her eyes deepened.

Senior Brother Yu will definitely overcome this!

Inside Yu Xian’s Sea of Consciousness.

His spirit stood firm, unmoving, as the Heaven Demon gnawed at him—but couldn’t tear away even a shred.

His sea had been shaken before, causing some damage. Thus, he couldn’t clash head-on with the Heaven Demon now.

Instead, he continuously circulated the Ice Heart Purifying Mantra, stabilizing his mind. No matter how fiercely the demon attacked, it couldn’t breach him.

A pure battle of patience, willpower, and endurance had begun.

But Yu Xian had always been resolute.

Time, however… he lacked.

Calmly, he said, “Though I am weak, my will is firm. You cannot consume my spirit. And if you don’t leave now, once the expert outside is free, you’ll surely die.”

“You!? Who do you think you are!?”

The Heaven Demon roared, “You’re just a mid-stage Foundation cultivator! I’ve devoured dozens like you! I’ll tear your spirit to pieces!”

“Oh? Then let’s see who breaks first.”

Yu Xian didn’t waver.

The demon went even more berserk—until suddenly, it screamed: “AH! My spirit—half of it is destroyed!”

At that very moment, Zhou Qingyuan had destroyed the other fragment of its spirit!

“Oh? So your other two fragments are gone already?”

Yu Xian smiled. “No matter. You’ve got two left. Take your time—we’re not in a rush.”

“You—damned human! Why is your spirit so resilient!?”

The Heaven Demon was breaking down. After another frenzy of attacks, it finally screamed, “You win! I’m leaving!”

It could no longer afford to stay—any longer, and it risked total destruction if the woman outside took action.

With a shriek, the demon’s spirit turned into a thin line and fled Yu Xian’s sea of consciousness.

Outside.

Red Peony calmly watched Yu Xian. The moment his brow twitched, she moved instantly, pointing at him.

He screamed in agony, rolling on the ground as spiritual energy erupted wildly from his body.

His mental defenses must have been broken. His screams were filled with regret, torment—worse than death.

The “ruthless” often seem unshakable—some even kill their parents, spouses, or children to prove their heartlessness.

But once regret rises from within, even illusionary guilt becomes an unstoppable tide.

Only truly emotionless or innately evil people can be called truly “ruthless.”

Being evil is not easy—it requires killing the heart first.

Extreme good and extreme evil are both unreachable for the ordinary.

Back to Zhou Qingyuan.

He had once seemed completely ruthless—killing anyone he once loved.

But under illusion, he was easily broken—regret, guilt, self-blame crushed him.

He was now a wreck—howling, rolling, bleeding from every pore.

Red Peony looked at him coldly. He wasn’t even as mentally strong as Yu Xian.

True conviction is walking your path to the end, no regrets.

Good or evil—it doesn’t matter. What matters is unwavering resolve.

She still had to save Zhou Qingyuan.

First, if his body were taken over, it would cause massive trouble.

Second, despite his motives, he had truly helped her—giving her time to recover.

Debt is debt—Red Peony always settled accounts clearly.

Her path was resolute.

Without hesitation, she approached and pressed his forehead. “Zhou Daoist Brother! Now’s the time—strike! Kill! Shatter it all!!”

Zhou Qingyuan’s body trembled and halted, his mental self-harm finally stopping.

Red Peony said flatly, “If you claim heartlessness, then destroy everything. Zhou Daoist Brother—strike, strike, strike!”

“KILL!!”

Zhou Qingyuan screamed, blood tears flowing again. From his brow burst a spirit fragment—the Heaven Demon!

“You beast! You killed even your parents!!”

It tried to split and escape.

But Red Peony had long been waiting—her flower basket captured it mid-air, reducing it to two thumb-sized crystalline cores.

That motherly figure wasn’t real.

It wasn’t the elm tree spirit still alive.

It was just a thought—Yu Xian’s own will.

A fragment of his consciousness, not ensnared by the illusion, took shape as someone most precious and called his main spirit back.

And those words—”all is illusion, only the self is real”—were Red Peony chanting Ice Heart Purifying Mantra, stabilizing him from outside.

Without the pendant and Red Peony, Yu Xian would’ve been devoured.

After all, he was only a mid-Foundation cultivator—his will strong, but his strength too low.

In the end, strength, cultivation, and power are the foundation.

Spirit is just a bonus.

That’s why the poor often appear mentally weak.

But when someone gains wealth or status—their spirit becomes unshakable!

Willpower alone isn’t enough when you lack bottom line strength.

What is bottom line?

It’s the real, tangible support behind you—resources and power.

Confidence comes from substance.

Without it, no matter how strong your heart, your spirit will waver.

You don’t lose because your will is weak—but because you lack 底氣—your inner reserve.

Clothes make the man—what you wear is material, not spiritual.

“Even if you’ve awakened, your spirit is weak! I’ll devour you yet!”

The Heaven Demon shrieked, about to launch one final all-out attack.

Yu Xian stood still, calm as ever.

He chanted:

“Ice Heart Purifies Spirit, The Self is Truth, Soul Unmoved—Ten Thousand Demons Cannot Invade!”

With his words, a spiritual barrier formed like armor, blocking the demon’s attacks.

Outside, Red Peony kept her finger on his brow, softly chanting the mantra—passing the technique to Yu Xian.

Whether he could comprehend it, withstand the demon, would depend on his own fate and ability.

Everything happened within just three breaths.

Red Peony finished the mantra, withdrew her finger, and said coldly:

“Little Grass, watch him. If he’s possessed—kill him immediately.”

Su Xiaoduo flinched, then whispered, “Yes…”

She looked at the still, motionless Yu Xian.

He won’t be possessed… Senior Brother’s will is like steel—he won’t lose to a mere Heaven Demon!

Red Peony had already rushed to Zhou Qingyuan’s side.

At this moment, Zhou Qingyuan was still rolling on the ground.

His spirit wasn’t weaker than the demon’s—but one moment of losing his resolve had nearly doomed him.