The pet of the Ten Thousand Souls Demon Lord looked just as eerie as its master. From afar, it resembled a massive, moving pool of sludge, but upon closer inspection, one would realize it was a monster formed by countless souls gathered together.
The pet carried the resentment of millions of departed souls. To boost its strength, the Ten Thousand Souls Demon Lord had tortured those souls repeatedly—the more hatred they generated, the stronger the pet became.
Ordinary cultivators’ wills struggled to resist the malice of millions of souls. Those with weaker divine souls would descend into madness merely by approaching. Thus, when the reinforcements arrived and beheld the horrific scene, they all drew in sharp gasps.
Fortunately, the pet hadn’t moved. It wasn’t unwilling; rather, a long saber as massive as a mountain had pierced through its body, pinning it firmly in place and confining its influence to the immediate area.
“The Sect Master of Ember Edge Sect nearly sacrificed half her cultivation to suppress it, but her hold won’t last long. Please, Immortal Venerable, slay this demonic creature,” the people from the other immortal sects said as Yun Heng arrived, their postures straightening with newfound confidence.
No matter if it was the Ten Thousand Souls Demon Lord or some soul-devouring monster, none of them could stir up trouble in the presence of Yun Heng Immortal Venerable.
The monster seemed to sense the danger. Amid its body of countless souls, two clusters of crimson flames ignited—likely its eyes.
“Roar!” The monster bellowed, its body slowly shifting despite the saber impaling it. Crimson “tears” streamed from its “eyes.” These tear-like droplets didn’t seep into the ground but spread through the space like ink in water, even rippling the fabric of reality.
A red flash streaked by, and everyone who saw it—willingly or not—felt excruciating pain deep in their minds. Frenzied whispers echoed in their consciousness, sending many rolling on the ground, clutching their heads in agony.
Yun Heng’s face paled slightly, a trace of blood coloring her eyes, but those fragmented voices paled in comparison to the murmurs of her Heart Demon.
Buzz!
A surge of sword intent pierced the heavens and earth. Bone-chilling frost and snow spread along its path, blanketing the monster’s location in ice within moments.
The monster split in two, the frost sealing the wounds to prevent its foul innards from leaking out.
While the monster rampaged, several furtive figures sneaked into Ask God Sect. They bypassed the crowded peaks with clear intent and headed straight for the remote Cloud Mist Mountain.
Over the years, Cloud Mist Mountain’s weather had turned extremely harsh, deterring anyone from approaching—which suited these ill-intentioned intruders perfectly. With Yun Heng lured away, they could ascend without fear of discovery.
“Is the Ten Thousand Souls Demon Lord really imprisoned here? A mighty Demon Lord reduced to this… tsk tsk, how tragic,” one intruder remarked with a mix of emotion and mockery. He didn’t seem there to rescue but to kick a man while he was down.
“Isn’t that perfect? With Yun Heng suppressing him, we can snag his treasure more easily.” Even if the Ten Thousand Souls Demon Lord had barely scraped into the Pseudo True Immortal Realm through external means, that “pseudo” prefix didn’t diminish his ability to crush Golden Immortals effortlessly. The higher the realm, the vaster the gap between major stages—perhaps even greater than the distance between heaven and earth.
Many coveted his treasure before, but none dared challenge him. Now, things were different. The Ten Thousand Souls Demon Lord was Yun Heng Immortal Venerable’s prisoner, reportedly hacked to pieces repeatedly. His strength must have plummeted, and with her restrictions in place, even an ordinary person might kill him now.
Securing his treasure was akin to obtaining a ticket to the True Immortal Realm. How could the other two Demon Lords or the Demon Domain’s forces not covet it?
After decades of dormancy, someone finally couldn’t resist making a move. The treasure was one-of-a-kind; hesitate, and regret would gnaw at their guts forever.
They lacked the ambition—or ability—to refine the entire Ask God Sect like the Ten Thousand Souls Demon Lord. Even the other two Demon Lords just wanted to grab the loot and flee.
Boom!
Thunder suddenly cracked across the sky outside. Inside the cage, Wen Qiwu shuddered. Ever since her senior sister left, an unease had gnawed at her.
Crack…
She seemed to hear footsteps outside the door?
Boom!
Lightning flashed again, clearly silhouetting several shadowy figures on the window.
Demonic Qi!
Wen Qiwu recalled the massacre of her sect by demon cultivators years ago, her heart clenching instantly.
Was her senior sister away from the sect? If she were here, these people wouldn’t reach this place—unless… this was deliberate on her part.
Whoosh!
Suddenly, the sound of a blade piercing flesh rang out, blood splattering onto the window.
Boom! Someone unleashed a spell, the explosion making Wen Qiwu’s ears ring. Fortunately, the room’s outer barriers ensured the interior remained unaffected no matter how fierce the battle outside.
The clamor ended in moments.
The door creaked open. Wen Qiwu stared intently. If it were enemies, they’d have to open the Bird Cage first to kill her—and once free, who killed whom remained uncertain.
The killing intent surging through her vanished without a trace upon seeing the figure at the door.
Senior sister!
Though the monster’s rampage was in the East Zhao Domain, far from Ask God Sect, the round trip took time. The demon cultivators had chosen the site carefully: far enough to draw Yun Heng but close enough she couldn’t return swiftly.
They thought their plan flawless, preparing to search room by room—until an unexpected arrival.
The Demon Domain’s ploy to lure the tiger from the mountain had succeeded once before, costing Yun Heng a price she still couldn’t face. Facing a similar scheme now, how could she not keep a close eye on their movements?
Yun Heng entered, covered in blood—all of it her enemies’. She dragged a battered but still-speaking body by the hand.
Wen Qiwu barely had time to relax before noticing something off about her senior sister’s eyes.
At some point, blood had suffused Yun Heng’s gaze, turning her pitch-black pupils a deep crimson.
Yun Heng’s scarlet eyes paused upon seeing the little one in the cage. She tried to smile reassuringly, but the faint curve of her lips betrayed no mirth.
“Cheep cheep!”
The crisp bird call seemed to soothe the soul. Yun Heng struggled free from the hazy bloodlust, clarity returning somewhat.
She glanced at the body in her hand and the blood on herself. To avoid frightening the little one, she stepped back outside.
Having overextended her immortal power to rush back, Yun Heng lacked the strength to interrogate the demon cultivator. She summoned the Punishment Hall Master and handed him over.
“He’s a confidant of the Bone-Eroding Demon Lord. Interrogate him thoroughly,” Yun Heng said, forcing herself to stay conscious.
“Understood.” The Punishment Hall Master nodded but eyed Yun Heng with concern. “Sect Master, are you alright? Shall I fetch the Medical Immortal?”
Yun Heng shook her head, but her body betrayed her. These hundred years had drained her vitality; the Soul Demon’s influence was the final straw. She swayed and collapsed before taking two steps.
The Medical Immortal had anticipated this, lingering nearby after Yun Heng departed. Sure enough, not even the time for one incense stick passed before she was summoned.
“She’s already in such a state… and now this Soul Demon’s influence on top of it. That Ten Thousand Miles Divine Travel Technique drained too much of her immortal power. If she keeps this up, I won’t bother treating her!” The Medical Immortal, who hadn’t checked on Yun Heng in days, fumed upon inspection. “Wasn’t her junior sister raised by her own hand? How is the gap so vast!”
She preferred obedient patients like Wen Qiwu who followed orders to the letter. This one gave her a headache just looking at her.
“Medical Immortal, the Sect Master bears heavy responsibilities. That Soul Demon caused untold casualties; surely she…” The Punishment Hall Master tried to defend her, only to meet the Medical Immortal’s icy glare.
“Responsibilities? Hmph. She knows exactly how she ended up like this. Cloud Sect Master’s illness can’t be cured—unless…” Unless the one who perished from soul dissipation could return to life.
Yun Heng’s affliction was never physical but in her heart. She had to overcome it herself; no one else could help. Yet the Medical Immortal had witnessed Yun Heng’s changes over the century. Having seen such cases before, she feared the Immortal Venerable’s time was near.
She sighed and placed a pure white jade Peace Buckle by Yun Heng’s pillow from her sleeve—a ward against the Heart Demon, she hoped.
“I’ve dispersed the Soul Demon’s influence. Let her rest now,” the Medical Immortal said, departing. The Punishment Hall Master followed quietly, closing the door.
The room fell silent again, save for the sleeper and the White Dumpling shedding tiny tears.
Crack.
Wen Qiwu heard a faint sound. Blinking through tears, she traced it to the Peace Buckle by her senior sister—it had shattered!
Faint black Qi cloaked the broken talisman, like a taunt from some entity. The Heart Demon was cunning indeed, fooling even the Medical Immortal!
Medical Immortal, come back!
But she was long gone.
Wen Qiwu tried to peck the Bird Cage’s lock open, but it would likely shatter her beak first.
The black Qi enveloping her senior sister thickened, spreading outward while devouring her vitality. Strangely, it skirted Wen Qiwu, as if foul sludge recoiled from a purifying treasure.
[Do you want to wake her?]
Wen Qiwu’s tugging at the lock halted. A gentle female voice echoed in her mind.
Yes! Can you help me?
Wen Qiwu didn’t know who it was, but she instinctively felt drawn to her.
Before she could make sense of it, darkness claimed her vision. She instinctively activated the secret technique, extracting her consciousness. A warm, unfamiliar power enveloped her, merging her into the black Qi.
