Translator: CinderTL
The moment the pair stepped onto the stairs, a black flash streaked past like lightning, piercing straight through the elder's back. The dark blade emerged from his chest, a section of its razor-sharp edge visible, dripping with crimson blood.
At the other end of the great halberd, Xu Sanyan gripped the shaft. With a slight twist, the elder's corpse split in two, his entrails and scarlet blood spilling across the floor.
The other elder, aghast, whipped his head around and cried out, "Holy Son, you... Ah!"
He suddenly clutched his head in agony, as if a thousand silver needles were piercing his mind. The pain was unbearable, driving him to the brink of madness.
This was the Lu Clan's Spirit Refining Force.
The great halberd flashed again, silencing his scream. The elder's massive head tumbled to the ground, still connected to two sections of his arms.
Xu Sanyan showed no change in expression after killing both men. A smile still lingered on his lips, but juxtaposed with the corpses at his feet and the great halberd in his hand, the scene was undeniably terrifying.
The old man within the discipline ruler remained silent, offering no reaction to the carnage.
Behind them, Xiang Tan immediately knelt, her voice trembling, "Senior Brother, I swear I won't say a word! I saw nothing! Please spare me, for the sake of our nights together."
Xu Sanyan slowly approached Xiang Tan, bowed, and helped her up, murmuring gently, "What are you saying? How could I ever kill you?"
A rune materialized from thin air and swiftly imprinted itself on Xiang Tan's forehead, ensuring absolute certainty.
The old man's importance demanded such meticulousness. With him, Xu Sanyan possessed the equivalent of a user's manual for the secret realm—incredibly convenient.
Stepping onto the tenth floor, the room was small, less than two zhang in length and width, yet elegantly furnished. A wooden box rested on a table at the center, while a portrait of a woman hung on the brown wooden wall.
Xu Sanyan glanced at the portrait. The woman's beauty was strikingly lifelike, her eyes seeming to pierce through time and space, meeting his gaze from afar. A slender finger gently twirled a strand of hair at her temple, a faint smile playing on her lips.
The old man stared silently at the portrait, lost in memories of the past.
After a long moment, he sighed softly, his voice tinged with resignation. "The Yaotian Holy Sect's secret technique, Subduing the Heart-Ape Method, lies within that wooden box. I personally placed it there all those years ago."
With a casual wave of his hand, Xu Sanyan used his Spiritual Power to flip open the wooden box, revealing the book inside.
[Subduing the Heart-Ape Method]
"What a peculiar name," Xu Sanyan murmured, flipping through the cultivation method as the old man explained. "I wonder what it's for?"
"The Heart-Ape refers to the restless thoughts that roam freely in the mind," the old man said. "These thoughts are like monkeys dwelling within your mind—uncontrolled and impossible to banish."
"Over time, this monkey develops its own consciousness, giving rise to inner demons. These demons become the source of internal conflict and obstacles on your path to enlightenment."
Xu Sanyan nodded thoughtfully. "So that's another way to understand inner demons."
"When the mind is cluttered with distractions, inner demons fester," the old man continued. "These demons become stumbling blocks on the path to cultivation. This secret method teaches you how to pacify, or even banish, the monkey within your mind."
"Mastering this technique will free you from the torment of your inner world, smooth your path to enlightenment, and perhaps even allow you to break through to the Peak Stage of Dao Seeking in one fell swoop, paving the way to the Soul Refinement Realm."
Xu Sanyan bowed slightly. "Thank you for your guidance, Senior."
"Heh, you brought me out here for exactly this, didn't you, kid?" the old man chuckled, having long seen through Xu Sanyan's ulterior motives. Yet he didn't refuse; this was, after all, a transaction. He would show Xu Sanyan the world thirty thousand years in the future, and in return, he would provide whatever assistance he could.
Xu Sanyan smiled faintly. There was no shame in this; he had always been one to strike only when the opportunity presented itself. Only a fool would act without a clear benefit.
The room fell silent, save for the rustling of pages as they read.
Outside, darkness had already fallen.
The eldest sister, Zuoqiu Shu, led her six companions cautiously, evading corpse demons. Zuoqiu Yi, pouting, trailed at the rear, still sulking over her sister's earlier reprimand.
Third Brother Zuoqiu Hui sighed helplessly and slowed his pace to walk beside his seventh sister, whispering comfortingly, "Little sister, Eldest Sister is only looking out for you. Even if we ignore the fact that you've only known that boy for two days and know nothing of his character, his mere affiliation with the demonic sect makes him unworthy of your friendship."
Zuoqiu Yi turned her head away, huffing, "Third Sister, you just don't understand him!"
"I don't understand, but do you? What can you possibly learn about someone in just two days?" Zuoqiu Hui retorted, her frustration growing. Why can't she see reason?
"He's different. He'd risk his life for me. And... and..."
"And what?"
"And he has a kind heart."
Zuoqiu Yi recalled the incident in the drum tower. Lin Fan had clearly had the chance to kill those two men, yet he had spared their lives. Wasn't that proof of his inherent goodness?
"Are you even listening to yourself?" Zuoqiu Hui rolled her eyes. "He's a disciple of the demonic sect! How can you call him kind-hearted?"
Zuoqiu Yi stubbornly defended her position, her neck stiff with defiance. "He is kind-hearted! Besides, not all demonic sect disciples are evil. You can't just believe rumors. Lin Fan said their holy son is a good person—respectful to his elders, caring toward his junior brothers, and never needlessly taking lives."
Zuoqiu Hui stared at her in disbelief.
If she hadn't witnessed Xu Sanyan's ruthless betrayal of Zuoqiu Shen firsthand, she might have believed it.
"Do you know how our seventeenth uncle's son, Zuoqiu Shen, died?"
"Zuoqiu Shen is dead?"
"Yes, the Xu Sanyan you claim 'never does anything wrong' is the one who killed him."
"This... how is that possible?" Zuoqiu Yi's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Why do you think they're called the demonic sect?" Zuoqiu Hui pressed, sensing her sister was starting to listen. "It's because they specialize in acts that defy heaven and violate morality."
Though Zuoqiu Yi still pouted, she no longer resisted as fiercely as before.
Leading the way, Zuoqiu Shu breathed a sigh of relief. She had been terrified that Zuoqiu Yi would sneak away again when she wasn't looking.
Sixth Sister Zuoqiu Zhen gazed at her eldest sister's back, unconsciously mimicking her every move.
Meanwhile, Qin Manyang, bored out of her mind, hid in a corner of the attic, quietly watching the corpse demons occasionally flitting past in the distance.
"Why hasn't he come out yet? Could he have died in there?" she muttered under her breath.
Suddenly, a faint figure appeared in the distance, its red qipao strikingly visible against the darkness.
Qin Manyang's gaze swept over the figure, and she shuddered, abruptly recalling Xu Sanyan's earlier warning:
"Do not make eye contact with it."
She immediately averted her gaze, only observing the figure through the corner of her eye. As it drew closer, she saw it slowly approach the attic where she was hiding...
Qin Manyang's heart leaped into her throat, her fingers instinctively clenching into fists. A bone-chilling coldness seeped into her body, and the overwhelming Yin Qi nearly drowned her.
What is this thing?!
Qin Manyang screamed inwardly. Despite her Dao Seeking Realm cultivation level, she couldn't muster even a shred of resistance.
It was like the primal suppression of a predator over its prey in the food chain. A quail, targeted by a tiger, could only futilely bury its head in its chest, praying the tiger wasn't hungry.
Qin Manyang had completely lost track of time. After an eternity, the Yin Qi gradually receded, and her stiff body regained a sliver of sensation.
Only when the female ghost with the red veil had drifted far away did she dare cautiously lift her eyelids, watching helplessly as it floated into the drum tower.
"Oh, my mother..."
Not until the crimson figure vanished completely did Qin Manyang finally exhale a long breath. This thing was too terrifying; its oppressive aura even surpassed that of the Hall Master!
"Holy Son, I'm sorry, but this old lady's gotta run. That ghost thing is too scary. Good luck to you!"
Qin Manyang flexed her stiff limbs. She couldn't risk staying here any longer. If she encountered that thing again, she might not be so lucky next time.
(End of the Chapter)
---
📖Read (HB) on Pa.treon@CinderTL - c250. [+2]
🔑Early Access at $5.
✍Translated (6) Series, (4.1K+) Chapters, (5.8M+) Words.