Volume 1 Volume 7 Chapter 28

Volume 7 Chapter 28: Noisy Night (Part 3)

After Chou left Xu Qingfan’s room, he silently walked towards Yaoguang Island, where he had lived for many years. In the darkness under his hood, no one could see his expression, and no one knew what he was thinking at that moment.

When Chou reached the edge of Yuheng Island, he suddenly stopped, turned around, and looked back.

Behind Chou, next to Xu Qingfan’s house, was Ting’er’s house.

At this moment, Ting’er, dressed in white, was leaning against the door of the room, looking coldly at Chou, who was walking further away.

Since being taken as a closed-door disciple by Xu Qingfan, Chou knew that this girl, who always had a cold expression, was his elder martial sister Ting’er. Compared to Xu Qingfan’s other lively disciples, Ting’er had lived with Xu Qingfan on Yuheng Island for many years and had never left. The cultivators who later came to Rainbow Spirit Island knew nothing about Ting’er’s skills, background, or character, and elders like Dongfang Qingling and Bai Qingfu never spoke of her, making her seem very mysterious.

Throughout the years that Chou visited Yuheng Island to see Xu Qingfan, he almost always encountered Ting’er. It seemed that this elder martial sister had been quietly observing him, and these seemingly coincidental meetings seemed to be intentional on her part.

In front of this elder martial sister, who was even more mysterious and cold than he was, Chou always felt a strange sensation in his heart. He couldn’t help but think that Ting’er’s aura was very similar to Xu Qingfan’s at certain times. He could faintly sense the fluctuations of Spirit Qi, and among Xu Qingfan’s many disciples, only Ting’er seemed to have received part of his true teachings.

When Chou’s gaze finally met Ting’er’s eyes, he subtly furrowed his brow without drawing attention.

So cold.

This was Chou’s first impression of the way Ting’er looked at him.

Then, Chou turned again and slowly walked towards Yaoguang Island.

"In the past few years, this elder martial sister has looked at me with colder eyes, and the killing intent has become more obvious. What is going on? Is it because I have become a greater threat to the master?"

Chou secretly thought, and vaguely, he heard Dongfang Qingling’s voice coming from where Ting’er was.

"Ting’er, why are you out here? Come on, be good and go back inside with your aunt. We have a lot to learn today."

It was a tone like that of someone comforting a child, and in Dongfang Qingling’s eyes, Ting’er, who had lost her senses, was just like a little child who knew nothing.

As Dongfang Qingling’s voice rang out, the cold and fierce look in Ting’er’s eyes gradually disappeared, and then she returned to her usual dazed expression. Hand in hand with Dongfang Qingling, she went back to her room.

※※※※

On the other side, Chou jumped up and flew toward Yaoguang Island. The cultivators from Yaoguang Camp, who guarded the outskirts of Yaoguang Island, showed no emotion at first, but upon seeing Chou return, their cold expressions faded away. They bowed their heads and stepped aside, displaying a respectful and humble demeanor, just like how Chou was with Xu Qingfan.

However, even while remaining humble, these people still had cold and indifferent expressions, quietly forming a line in the air, resembling ghostly figures that had escaped from hell, making people feel afraid.

The reason these cultivators could come to Rainbow Spirit Seven Islands was that Bai Qingfu had carefully selected them. They had reached Lingji Stage and found it hard to break through, but they could strongly resist Zhang Xusheng’s temptations. They were all strong-willed individuals, yet at this moment they were entirely humbled by Chou, showing that he had completely conquered them.

In fact, the members of Yaoguang Camp were the weakest in the Seven Star Camp in terms of their original strength, natural talent, and the cultivation methods they practiced. Most of them were chosen from the ordinary people who joined Rainbow Spirit Island in the past ten years, and some even lacked the talent for cultivation. Yet at this moment, even with much of their strength hidden, they could still compare to Tianji Camp, all because of Chou.

When Xu Qingfan first formed the Seven Star Camp, he wanted to divide the cultivators who had relied on Rainbow Spirit Island over the years into seven groups, with five guardians including Dongfang Quan and two disciples, Shen Gang and Chou, each leading a group. However, Chou disbanded the Yaoguang Camp that Xu Qingfan had created, keeping only six or seven people, while the other cultivators were assigned to the other six camps. Over the years, Chou picked many mortals from Rainbow Spirit Island to join the Yaoguang Camp. These mortals either had very low talent for cultivation or had no talent at all, but after joining the Yaoguang Camp, they quickly reached the strength of the Condensed Core Stage or higher, without ever receiving a magic pill from Scholar Beihai to boost their cultivation or visiting Old Beggar to obtain magic tools to enhance their power, which left everyone astonished.

The way Chou chose members for the Yaoguang Camp was very unique; he glanced at some people and ignored others completely, while with some, he would stare for a long time before either walking away or bringing them into the Yaoguang Camp.

Later, according to Bai Qingfu’s investigation, the members chosen by Chou for Yaoguang Island had all experienced great tragedies in their lives and held immense hatred in their hearts. Chou chose them to join the Yaoguang Camp because he could keenly sense the hatred within them.

In the face of the humble greetings from the Yaoguang Camp members, Chou did not look at them at all; after breaking the seal of Yaoguang Island, he flew deep into the island. Over the years, Chou had either gone out to kill or closed himself off to cultivate deep within Yaoguang Island.

It was hard to believe that the members of the Yaoguang Camp quietly followed Chou, all entering Yaoguang Island without any reaction to the thick death energy in their midst.

However, just as Chou and the Yaoguang Camp members were about to be engulfed by the thick death energy of Yaoguang Island, a member from Yaoguang Island quickly flew over from Tianshu Island, bringing along five mortal teenagers.

Sensing the arrival of this Yaoguang Island member, Chou stopped moving, his body flickering in the thick black death energy. The cultivators from the Yaoguang Camp all hid behind Chou.

"Young Island Master."

The person bowed to Chou at the edge of Yaoguang Island’s overwhelming death energy; without Chou’s command, they did not dare to rise.

"What is it?"

Chou also did not intend to let the person rise, only asking coldly.

"I found five children among the latest mortals who joined Rainbow Spirit Island. They have all lost their families because of the Shura Clan, and they wish to join Yaoguang Camp."

The visitor said in a deep voice.

Among the four Grand Elders of Rainbow Spirit Island, Bai Qingfu is in charge of welcoming new arrivals, selecting suitable cultivators from the Human Alliance to come to Rainbow Spirit Island for training to strengthen its power. However, cultivators who are suitable in skills, character, and background are very rare, so Bai Qingfu also brings some talented mortals with potential for cultivation. So far, over a thousand mortals have come to Rainbow Spirit Island. Most are working hard to cultivate, but because most of the elixirs and magic tools created by Scholar Beihai and Old Beggar are provided to the Seven Star Camp, their abilities are still very weak.

Half a year ago, Bai Qingfu brought three cultivators and dozens of mortals to Rainbow Spirit Island. After hearing this, Chou sent his subordinates to select from among them.

After hearing the visitor’s report, Chou turned to look at the five young people beside him. He noticed that the five youths had expressions of coldness, determination, or indifference, each different, but they all showed a calmness and maturity far beyond their years, as if they had experienced great stories in the past.

Chou met their gazes one by one, and the youths were not afraid to meet his gaze in return. Although Chou appeared like a demon from hell, his expression remained calm.

After a long while, Chou suddenly spoke.

"I know what you want. I can give you what you desire, but first, I need to ask you some questions."

The five boys continued to watch Chou silently, not speaking, waiting for Chou to ask more questions.

"Do you really want revenge?"

Chou asked.

"Yes!"

Upon hearing Chou’s words, the five boys finally showed a change in their expressions and answered in unison, filled with determination.

"Are you willing to sacrifice everything for this?"

"Yes."

"Even if it means being shunned by the world, destined to disappear after taking revenge?"

"Okay!"

"Let me be clear with you, I have to tell you that after gaining that power, you will no longer be purely human. There will be a monster inside you, and the hatred you feel will grow many times stronger. You will not be recognized by your former friends or kind, and everyone in the world will hate you and hunt you down. At that time, I will not be able to save you, even… at that time, I will not be able to save you all, because I will also be one of those who are destroyed."

"I am not afraid."

The boys replied in unison, their voices as strong as ever.

After hearing the boys’ response, Chou fell silent for a moment, then suddenly said again, "One last thing, you can put aside all your hatred for now and think carefully if it’s worth it. You have a long life ahead of you. Think about your past days, is there really nothing besides hatred? Because of your hatred, can you truly give up everything?"

After hearing Chou’s words, two of the boys hesitated for a moment and said, "We can give up for revenge."

The other three boys remained silent. After a moment, they all looked up at Chou and said, "My life is only left with hatred," "Revenge is everything to me," "I cannot let go of my hatred to do anything else."

…

Chou nodded, pointing at the two boys who had hesitated, who said they could give up everything for hatred. He told the member of Yaoguang Camp who was still bowing, "Take these two back. Their hatred is still not enough."

As he spoke, Chou Shuangxiu rolled up his sleeves and led the other three boys deep into the misty Yaoguang Island, ignoring the remaining two boys’ frustration, pleas, and cries.

※※※※

The scene inside Yaoguang Island was just like it was ten years ago, filled with dark, dead energy, and everywhere were the black cocoons formed from the evolution of Dark Crows; however, compared to ten years ago, these black cocoons were a bit larger.

But unlike ten years ago, there wasn’t a single Blood Body Demon wandering around Yaoguang Island.

Chou and the members of Yaoguang Camp silently walked deeper into Yaoguang Island. Although the landscape was strange, they did not have the desire to look around, while the three boys, entering Yaoguang Island for the first time, glanced around with curiosity, but no one around seemed willing to explain, and they didn’t dare to ask too many questions.

Chou walked in front, allowing the overwhelming dead energy to surge into his body, then twisting and mutating under the hatred in his heart, turning into his own power, constantly increasing his strength; after nearly ten years, this had become his instinct.

"Unknowingly, every time I recruit new followers, I ask them the same questions my master asked me long ago. Is it that I have been too influenced by my master? Or am I using these questions to strengthen my own hatred?"

As Chou pondered, the group had already reached the center of Yaoguang Island.

The cultivators of Yaoguang Camp scattered, each looking for a place to continue their training. Only one small man, who seemed to hold a position higher than the other Yaoguang Camp members, hesitated to leave.

"Lieqiong, do you have something to say?"

In Yaoguang Camp, there are six cultivators whose strength and intelligence, as well as their hatred, far exceed that of the other members. They are the true trusted followers of Chou, and no one except Chou and Xu Qingfan can truly understand their real abilities. In order to seek revenge, they gave up everything, even their original names, and changed them to Lieqiong, Qisha, Jiuyou, Chongshi, Huangquan Baigui, and Shier Daluo. Among them, Huangquan Baigui and Shier Daluo are the strongest.

The one who remains is Lieqiong, one of the six masters.

After a moment of hesitation, Lieqiong replied, "Just now, someone from Tianshu Camp came and said that Master Shen Gang of Island Master wants us in Yaoguang Camp to avoid closed-door training during this time and to stay alert, in case the East Sea Demon Monsters attack."

There was a hint of sarcasm in his voice; on the entire Rainbow Spirit Island, he only respected two people, one was Chou, and the other was Xu Qingfan, who created Chou. He looked down on everyone else and was obviously dismissive of Shen Gang’s instructions.

After a moment of silence, Chou said, "Let’s do as Shen Gang said. If any unexpected situation happens, I won’t be able to explain it to my master."

"Yes."

Lieqiong bowed and stepped back, while Chou brought three young boys into the center of Yaoguang Island—the spot where Little Black has evolved over the years.

Chou quietly glanced at the cocoon-shaped object with mixed colors and the "Purgatory Staff" and "Death Spirit Pearl" placed above it. A glimmer of frenzy flashed in his eyes, but it quickly faded away.

At this moment, Chou’s power is not far behind the demon Zhong Ling from years ago, and his growth speed is much faster than that of Zhong Ling. However, even if Chou’s strength reaches or surpasses that of Zhong Ling, if there were a chaotic clash between them, Chou would still definitely not be a match for Zhong Ling, because Zhong Ling possesses the "Purgatory Staff," while Chou does not.

Every time Chou sees the "Purgatory Staff" and the "Death Spirit Pearl," he feels the desire to seize them for himself, but he cannot. Although Little Black is still sleeping and evolving, Chou can clearly feel that after absorbing over forty years of death energy, Little Black’s power is still above his, likely equal to that of a human cultivator at the Astral Projection Stage. Not to mention Little Black’s countless subordinates; once the "Purgatory Staff" is taken out, it would surely awaken Little Black and his followers, and surrounded by them, even Chou would have no chance of survival.

Even if in the future Chou’s power surpasses Little Black’s, he still would not dare to snatch it away because behind Little Black stands Xu Qingfan. Although Xu Qingfan’s body grows weaker, Chou knows very well how powerful Xu Qingfan is from their past encounters. When Xu Qingfan does not go all out, Chou cannot last even the time it takes to burn a stick of incense. Xu Qingfan will absolutely not allow Chou to become overwhelmingly powerful.

With a sigh of regret in his heart and a flicker in his eyes, he seemed to be lost in thought. With a wave of his sleeve, the very cave where he transformed into a demon all those years ago suddenly appeared, and Chou led the three newly joined youths inside.

The three youths tried their best to suppress their fear and confusion as they entered the cave, but upon seeing the scene inside, they could not help but gasp, their bodies trembling uncontrollably.

Inside the cave lay more than ten terrifying monsters, each towering over ten feet tall, appearing as if they had no skin at all, with bloody muscles exposed before the three of them, blood continuously dripping, seemingly endless with no signs of drying up. Their faces were hideous, with green eyes and gaping mouths, and their features were otherwise absent.

These were the Blood Body Demons created by Xu Qingfan when he tried to reshape demons using that eyeball. Due to the lack of a host, these Blood Body Demons had no intelligence or desires; they only knew how to move blindly, and their abilities were unknown. Later, after Chou became the owner of that eyeball, he tried to control the Blood Body Demons but found it to be quite inconvenient. At that time, Xu Qingfan was forming the Seven Star Camp, so Chou used his own method of merging the eyeball to host the Blood Body Demons within the members of the Yaoguang Camp, still relying on hatred to drive them.

The members of the Yaoguang Camp are so powerful not only because Chou constantly provides them with elixirs but mainly because each of them has a Blood Body Demon inside them. Although the strength they display now is not hidden, their true strength reveals itself when they awaken the Blood Body Demon within them.

However, as the number of Yaoguang Camp members increased, all the Blood Body Demons at this time were created by Chou.

The three boys were so terrified after seeing the Blood Body Demon that they didn’t even notice there were two other people in the cave.

Among these two people, one looked like a celestial being with an air of wisdom, but his face was too cold and his red eyes looked both strange and scary. The other person appeared to be an ordinary farmer, strong and common, but his expression was rather indifferent.

These two were the top two experts among the six powerful followers of Chou, Huangquan Baigui and Shier Daluo.

Huangquan Baigui reached the Fake Golden Core Stage before joining Rainbow Spirit Island, and after taking two "Immortal Ascending Pills," he became the only expert in Yaoguang Camp who achieved the Real Golden Core Stage without needing the power of the Blood Body Demon. He was one of the three Real Golden Core Stage experts in Seven Star Camp. Although his skills in corpse refining were not as deep as the Zhong family’s, he found a unique way in spirit controlling. After merging with the powerful Blood Body Demon, his strength became even more mysterious.

Shier Daluo was different; before joining Yaoguang Camp, he was just an ordinary farmer without any talent for cultivation, showing no signs of greatness. The only difference was that while others reached their limit by merging with one Blood Body Demon, he managed to merge with twelve at once. Once, Huangquan Baigui felt unhappy being compared to an ordinary farmer and provoked him repeatedly. They ended up having a contest, and although the outcome was unknown, Huangquan Baigui never dared to come within ten feet of Shier Daluo again.

When Chou returned, Huangquan Baigui and Shier Daluo quietly approached him. Chou showed them much more respect, nodding at them before turning to the three boys and saying, "Follow me."

Saying this, Chou led the three boys to where the more than ten Blood Body Demons lay. Even while lying down, these Blood Body Demons were as tall as regular people.

"Close your eyes and think of the hatred in your hearts."

The three boys closed their eyes as Chou instructed, while Huangquan Baigui and Shier Daluo stood behind them, pressing their hands against the boys’ backs. After a long while, the boys slowly opened their eyes, fixing their gaze on different Blood Body Demons, no longer showing the fear they had before.

Although the Blood Body Demons are made from the blood and flesh of living beings, their strengths vary greatly. Factors include how much energy is used to create each Blood Body Demon and the strength of the body that provides the blood and flesh. A cultivator’s ability to merge with a powerful Blood Body Demon depends on their physical condition, willpower, and level of hatred. After a few incidents where members of the Yaoguang Camp fused with Blood Body Demons and their bodies exploded, Chou, Huangquan Baigui, Shier Daluo, and others developed a method to detect their compatibility.

When Chou saw the three boys’ eyes fixed on the Blood Body Demon, he nodded slightly. With a wave of his hand, the three boys fell into a deep sleep. With another wave, they floated to a special formation that Xu Qingfan set up during Chou’s transformation. Then, Chou extended his hands, sharp like eagle claws. As he moved his fingers, the bodies of the three Blood Body Demons burst apart, turning into thick streams of blood mist that surged towards the three boys.

"Ah…"

"Ah…"

"Ah…"

Even in their unconscious state, the intense pain from the transformation still made the three boys cry out in agony.

At that moment, a powerful aura suddenly rose from the ground above. This aura was both cold and noble, elegant yet ruthless, causing the three people in the underground chamber to shudder.

As this aura spread across Yaoguang Island, countless similar auras erupted, though they were not as grand as the first and lacked its noble and majestic feeling. Yet, they carried the same sense of indifference and cruelty.

Under Chou’s protective barrier, two dim crimson lights suddenly glowed. While Shier Daluo and Huangquan Baigui looked on in shock, unable to understand what was happening, Chou knew that Xu Qingfan’s spirit pet Little Black, along with its many terrifying Dark Crows, had finally awakened from a long slumber after absorbing the essence of death for over forty years.

※※※※

After Chou left, Xu Qingfan slowly closed his eyes.

Forty years ago, when the "Holy Spirit Buddhist Relic" and the "Demonic Pearl" merged, Xu Qingfan realized the three thousand Heavenly Ways of both righteousness and evil. Because their natures are completely opposite, they have been in constant conflict for these forty years. Although Xu Qingfan has been trying to adjust them, he can only use some basic Heavenly Ways of righteousness and evil now without causing any conflict.

However, Xu Qingfan believes that both the demonic path and the righteous path are different understandings of the origin of Heavenly Way. As long as there is enough time and energy, it is possible to combine these two Heavenly Ways into one. With Xu Qingfan also practicing Zhang Xusheng’s demonic cultivation method, he might become the person closest to the origin of Heavenly Way among all cultivators when the three Heavenly Ways merge in the future, or even reach the Unity of Sky and Earth.

This method may be the most likely way to achieve the Unity of Sky and Earth. However, since ancient times, the righteous, demonic, and evil paths have been incompatible and opposed to each other. Who would practice all three?

Apart from himself, Xu Qingfan only thought of Zhang Xusheng. Zhang Xusheng comes from the righteous path, has secretly practiced the demonic cultivation method, and is now a master of the evil path. Forty years ago, when Zhang Xusheng fought against Immortal Zizhen and others, he also used a highest cultivation method that combined righteousness and evil. On this path, Zhang Xusheng has undoubtedly gone farther than Xu Qingfan.

However, even with this most likely method, achieving the Unity of Sky and Earth is incredibly difficult. At least now, after forty years of merging the Heavenly Ways of righteousness and evil, Xu Qingfan has not even merged one-tenth of them, and what he has merged is still the most basic of the two Heavenly Ways.

The road ahead is long. Although Xu Qingfan has a goal now, what he urgently needs to solve is the problem of the "Qi of Demonic Death" in his body that keeps growing.

Just as Shen Gang said, Xu Qingfan’s cultivation has been rising, but his body has been getting worse.

Before the great achievements of "Indefinite Sutra" and "Substitute for Heaven," most of Xu Qingfan’s power came from "Formula of Life and Death." However, it became very difficult to improve using the usual methods. Though Xu Qingfan tried hard, he could only watch as the "Flourish Qi" remained stagnant while the "Qi of Demonic Death" grew stronger rapidly.

During these ten years, as the "Qi of Demonic Death" within him grew larger, even when combining the powers of "Flourish Qi" and "Formless Qi," Xu Qingfan found it hard to keep them in check. The strength of the "Qi of Demonic Death" had come very close to his limit of control. As the conflict between the two sides intensified, Xu Qingfan’s body began to weaken more and more.

Ten years ago, Xu Qingfan would only turn into a demonic state when necessary, to think clearly and to blend the understandings of the Heavenly Way from both good and evil. But now, Xu Qingfan often found himself uncontrollably slipping into that state, and the Qi of Demonic Death seriously threatened his own consciousness.

In fact, over the past three years, Xu Qingfan had been on the brink of being controlled by the "Demonic Death," but at crucial moments, for some unknown reason, the "Qi of Demonic Death" would always lack power, allowing Xu Qingfan to turn the situation around.

As he approached the plan he had set, a year ago, Xu Qingfan finally made the firm decision to change his current situation. Otherwise, when the plan began in the future, if the Qi of Demonic Death suddenly erupted and went out of control, or if his body suddenly collapsed, it would bring him and Rainbow Spirit Island to a certain doom.

Xu Qingfan’s plan was simple: to seal a part of the "Qi of Demonic Death" within him, cutting off most of its connection and restoring balance between the two powers.

It sounds easy, but sealing one’s own power is like fighting against oneself, making it hard to inflict damage. Moreover, "Qi of Demonic Death" and "Flourish Qi" are inherently linked; they are different yet arise from the same source. Trying to seal part of the "Qi of Demonic Death" would also be influenced by "Flourish Qi."

Most importantly, this action is like drinking poison to quench thirst. If the "Qi of Demonic Death" breaks through the seal in the future, the demonic energy could erupt even more violently, and it might control Xu Qingfan in an instant.

However, to face the upcoming challenges in the best condition, Xu Qingfan had no choice but to do this.

In fact, over the past year, Xu Qingfan has tried four times, but each attempt only made his injuries worse without any success.

This is the fifth attempt.

As Chou left, a sudden mist spread around Yuheng Island, filled with flickering colorful lights. Xu Qingfan was using a secret technique to completely seal Yuheng Island.

Then, Xu Qingfan slowly closed his eyes, sitting cross-legged on the bed, and his hands moved in a special gesture.

Next, large clouds of black and white mist began to spread from Xu Qingfan’s body, and the black markings on his face appeared and disappeared.

"Flourish Qi" and "Qi of Demonic Death" come from the same source, but Xu Qingfan was using "Formless Spirit Qi" to seal away the Qi of Demonic Death.

As Xu Qingfan slowly moved most of the "Qi of Demonic Death" and "Flourish Qi" into his body, he left only the excess "Qi of Demonic Death" inside. Xu Qingfan began to carry out his sealing plan.

Although he only left the extra "Qi of Demonic Death" in his body and has now trained the "Indefinite Sutra" to a level that can withstand a master at the late Nascent Soul stage, sealing this extra "Qi of Demonic Death" was still extremely difficult.

Xu Qingfan was doing his best to control the "Qi of Demonic Death," trying to compress it into a mass and keep it still within his body. However, as the "Formless Spirit Qi" surrounded it, the "Qi of Demonic Death" continued to move restlessly within Xu Qingfan, constantly clashing with the "Formless Spirit Qi."

Suddenly, Xu Qingfan’s body shook, a large amount of blood flowed from him, and his face became even paler. The clash of the two Spirit Qis had hurt Xu Qingfan’s body again.

It seemed that having an equal amount of "Formless Spirit Qi" was difficult to suppress the "Qi of Demonic Death." With no other choice, Xu Qingfan, ignoring the injuries inside him, moved some of the "Qi of Demonic Death" outside again, preparing to seal it in two parts.

Once more, Xu Qingfan controlled the "Formless Spirit Qi" to push against the "Qi of Demonic Death." This time, with the advantage in numbers, it went smoothly. Although the "Qi of Demonic Death" struggled, it was gradually being suppressed by the "Formless Spirit Qi."

Just as this part of the "Qi of Demonic Death" was about to be sealed, an unexpected change happened.

It seemed that sensing the crisis, the "Qi of Demonic Death" and "Flourish Qi" that had been released into Xu Qingfan’s body before began to uncontrollably rush back into him. Xu Qingfan tried hard to resist with the "Flourish Qi," but the "Qi of Demonic Death" was too strong. The "Flourish Qi" found it very difficult to stand alone and could not delay until Xu Qingfan finished the sealing.

"Am I going to fail again?"

Xu Qingfan sighed inwardly. Although he was still striving to seal the "Qi of Demonic Death" within him, he could already foresee that soon the "Formless Spirit Qi" would be scattered by the "Qi of Demonic Death," and the two forces of "Qi of Demonic Death" would unite again, causing his body to suffer heavy damage once more.

However, just then, a sudden change occurred.

Just like before, when the "Qi of Demonic Death" tried to control Xu Qingfan but suddenly lost strength, the "Qi of Demonic Death" outside Xu Qingfan began to weaken in its impact on the "Flourish Qi." As the defense of the "Flourish Qi" became stronger, Xu Qingfan finally had the time to seal this part of the "Qi of Demonic Death" inside him.

"What happened? Why has the ‘Qi of Demonic Death’ outside suddenly weakened?"

Xu Qingfan felt puzzled, but he did not have time to think. He began to seal the ‘Qi of Demonic Death’ inside him with all his strength.

※※※※

At the same time, outside Xu Qingfan’s house, Ting’er was quietly standing in the ‘Qi of Demonic Death’ released by Xu Qingfan, with her eyes closed, absorbing a large amount of the demonic energy within it.

And Dongfang Qingling, who had always taken care of Ting’er, had mysteriously fallen into a deep sleep for a long time.

If Xu Qingfan were to see Ting’er’s clear eyes at that moment, he would be very surprised. When had Ting’er regained her senses?

Unfortunately, Xu Qingfan was fully focused on sealing the ‘Qi of Demonic Death’ inside him, so he was unaware of Ting’er’s presence or that each time the ‘Qi of Demonic Death’ was about to control him, Ting’er was shouldering the pressure for him.

It had been forty years since Ting’er lost her senses. During these forty years, Xu Qingfan had always hoped that Ting’er could understand the Heavenly Way to the extent of her own power, so that she could regain her senses. He not only cared for Ting’er with Dongfang Qingling but also spoke to her continually to help her understand the meanings of words and to enhance her comprehension of the Heavenly Way.

In fact, Xu Qingfan succeeded. Thirty years ago, the lost Ting’er had already developed an understanding equal to that of an ordinary person. She could understand everything Xu Qingfan said. Fifteen years ago, after many years of Xu Qingfan’s teachings, her understanding of the Heavenly Way finally reached a level where she could control her inner power, and she gradually regained her original memories and senses.

But at the moment Ting’er regained her senses, she saw Xu Qingfan and Dongfang Qingling together. Even though Ting’er wanted Xu Qingfan to notice only her and had only thoughts of him, she had to admit that the scene was so harmonious. Xu Qingfan and Dongfang Qingling looked at each other, caring for one another, and they seemed so familiar and natural together.

Especially the way Dongfang Qingling looked at Xu Qingfan made Ting’er feel an endless rage inside her. She thought Dongfang Qingling took away Xu Qingfan’s attention from her, and her heart was filled with unease. To keep her place in Xu Qingfan’s heart, she was willing to do anything.

When Xu Qingfan left, an endless magic fire rose around Ting’er, and before Dongfang Qingling could react, it was about to turn her to ashes.

When Ting’er’s understanding of the Heavenly Way reached a level where she could control her own power, her strength was already at the peak of the Golden Core Stage, and the attack of the magic fire was incredibly strong. How could Dongfang Qingling, who had not yet broken through to the Golden Core Stage, withstand it?

However, just when Dongfang Qingling, with a sorrowful smile, closed her eyes waiting for death, countless memories surged in Ting’er’s heart.

The scene of Dongfang Qingling gently teaching her to read and write…

The scene of Dongfang Qingling, covered in wounds from her bites, softly comforting her…

The image of Dongfang Qingling telling her stories before she slept…

Dongfang Qingling’s red face, recounting Xu Qingfan’s experiences to her when she had not yet gained her senses…

Little by little, it became the past twenty-five years of her life.

Suddenly, Ting’er realized that, although she was still filled with a desire to kill, she simply could not bring herself to harm Dongfang Qingling.

Then, Xu Qingfan noticed something was wrong and hurried back, capturing the dazed Ting’er. As she watched Xu Qingfan anxiously checking Dongfang Qingling’s injuries, Ting’er suddenly realized she did not know how to place herself between Xu Qingfan and Dongfang Qingling.

She hated Dongfang Qingling and did not want anyone to share Xu Qingfan’s attention, but Xu Qingfan’s care for Dongfang Qingling was deep, even Xu Qingfan himself did not know how deep, yet Ting’er could sense it keenly.

When Xu Qingfan wouldn’t let Dongfang Qingling continue to take care of Ting’er, Dongfang Qingling’s insistence and her gentle gaze towards Ting’er remained the same; Ting’er knew she could not harm Dongfang Qingling.

Seeing Xu Qingfan’s confused expression, at that moment, Ting’er, who had never known how to deceive, suddenly understood how to disguise herself.

She pretended to be someone who had not yet regained her senses. She did not know why she did this, she only felt that this was the only way to find her place between Xu Qingfan and Dongfang Qingling.

This disguise lasted for a whole fifteen years.

Recently, Xu Qingfan could no longer suppress the "Qi of Demonic Death" within him. With Ting’er’s keen sensitivity to demonic energy, she quickly noticed that every time the "Qi of Demonic Death" tried to take control of Xu Qingfan, she would use a secret magical technique to make Dongfang Qingling faint and then absorb the demonic energy from Xu Qingfan’s "Qi of Demonic Death" to relieve Xu Qingfan’s burden.

Because of this, Xu Qingfan was able to suppress the growing "Qi of Demonic Death" over the years. Although he was puzzled about why the "Qi of Demonic Death" always became weak at critical moments, he just thought it was because it hadn’t grown strong enough to fully control him. Ting’er’s disguise was so convincing that Xu Qingfan became used to Ting’er’s mindless state. He had doubts, but he never considered that Ting’er had regained her senses.

Over the past year, Xu Qingfan tried to seal away the excess "Qi of Demonic Death" in his body. Ting’er, not understanding Xu Qingfan’s intentions, anxiously guessed in the shadows. After observing four times in a row, she finally figured out Xu Qingfan’s goal and began to secretly share the burden with him once again.

It was hard to tell how much time had passed, but as more and more death energy flowed into her body, Ting’er felt her mind begin to blur. It seemed the demonic energy she had accumulated was once again exceeding her control. If this continued, she would become lost in the endless demonic energy, losing her senses and being controlled by instinct and power.

The mind she had worked so hard to regain…

Ting’er thought about the pain Xu Qingfan had suffered from the "Qi of Demonic Death" all these years. She sighed softly but resolutely continued to bear the pressure for Xu Qingfan, feeling regret for the mind that was about to be lost again.

However, just then, Xu Qingfan finally finished sealing that part of the "Qi of Demonic Death."

Feeling the "Qi of Demonic Death" and "Flourish Qi" rushing back into Xu Qingfan’s body, Ting’er, who sensed that Xu Qingfan would soon awaken his six senses, did not dare to stay any longer and quickly rushed toward her room.

"Bang****bang****bang…"

Just as Ting’er entered her room, a melodious bell sound came from the location of the "Clear Heart Hall" on Tianshu Island.

Inside "Clear Heart Hall," there is a big bell made by Old Beggar and others. This magical item is used to send messages to the cultivators in Rainbow Spirit Seven Islands, calling them together or warning them. It can also unleash powerful sound wave attacks on enemies.

Right now, the bell is ringing quickly, signaling an enemy attack. This is the highest level of warning, meaning the attackers’ strength is at least equal to that of the Rainbow Spirit Seven Islands.

Could someone really attack the Rainbow Spirit Seven Islands? Who are these people? How did they find the location of the Rainbow Spirit Seven Islands?

Ting’er was shocked. Although she had not been involved in the construction of the Rainbow Spirit Seven Islands over the years, she knew about their strength, secrecy, and the countless traps set up outside the islands.

Through her window, Ting’er looked out towards Yuheng Island and saw that while she helped Xu Qingfan seal the "Qi of Demonic Death" inside him, countless demon beasts had surrounded the Rainbow Spirit Seven Islands. All around, she could see the glowing red and green eyes of the demon beasts, filling the sky and land endlessly. As they moved, they stirred up huge waves heading quickly towards the Rainbow Spirit Seven Islands.