He Transmigrated Into The Body Of A Useless Little Disciple, Whose Innermost Thoughts Were Overheard By Demonic Master! - Chapter 9

Gu Xingchen had been keeping a close eye on Lin Mingsi, flashing over the moment Lin Mingsi moved. He gripped Lin Mingsi’s wrist tightly, smiling as he sent a voice transmission: The little junior brother is in the middle of a spar; Senior Brother, do not interfere.

Lin Mingsi exerted his full spiritual power to break free. Gu Xingchen accepted the impact without changing his expression; even as blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, he did not release Lin Mingsi’s wrist, merely smiling as he looked at him. Even if Lin Mingsi were to hack off his hand today, he would not allow him to save Xie Rong.

Lin Mingsi was frantic, his eyes pleading as he looked toward Xuan Yue, transmitting a desperate request: Master, I beg you, please save the junior brother.

Several other Great Ascension cultivators in the hall also turned their attention to Xuan Yue, curious to see if he would intervene. If Xuan Yue saved Xie Rong, it would prove much. Lin Mingsi was anxious; he did not know if Xuan Yue would act. Having been his first disciple, he knew better than anyone that while his master appeared gentle, he was actually cold and detached. If anyone had claimed the Master followed the path of heartlessness, he would likely have believed them.

Xuan Yue originally had no intention of interfering. However, he could not be certain if Xie Rong’s death would affect the divine soul contract hidden in his sea of consciousness. With a faint sigh, he flicked his sleeve.

Xie Rong had just been struck by the shockwave of the talisman’s explosion. Just as a sense of confusion and impending death washed over him, he felt a gentle surge of spiritual energy pulling him backward. Xuan Yue used his power to bring Xie Rong in front of him. As he withdrew his energy, he noticed Xie Rong losing his footing and falling toward him. Habitually, he kept a barrier of spiritual energy within half a meter of his body, expecting Xie Rong to be deflected. Thus, he remained seated, unmoving.

The next second, Xie Rong fell directly into Xuan Yue’s arms.

Xuan Yue looked at Xie Rong with shock and disbelief, though he quickly composed himself before anyone could notice. His spiritual barrier had been useless against Xie Rong! The moment Xie Rong’s body made contact with him, the Demonic Bone that had been clamoring within him for years suddenly went silent. Ever since he could remember, he had been tortured by that bone; he had never experienced such a state of lightness and ease, as if he were floating on the clouds.

Xuan Yue ignored the people in the hall, desperate to verify his theory. Using the excuse of helping Xie Rong up, he grasped his wrist. As his fingers touched the skin of Xie Rong’s wrist, his entire sea of consciousness trembled. The Demonic Bone within him was like an enemy encountering its nemesis, retreating into complete dormancy. All the demonic energy in his body quieted down, all because of his physical contact with Xie Rong.

He had fought this demonic energy for thousands of years, knowing its terror and persistence well. He had searched for millennia, traveling through countless dangerous secret realms and nearly losing his life abroad, all to find something to suppress that bone. As long as the demonic energy remained, ascension to the Upper Realm was impossible. Xuan Yue found the workings of the world truly profound. He had always avoided physical closeness, fearing others would discover the demonic energy within him. Yet now, a living person could suppress his Demonic Bone.

Xuan Yue tried releasing Xie Rong’s wrist and found the Demonic Bone remained dormant. He could not describe his current emotions, but he knew one thing: he must have Xie Rong. As long as he discovered why Xie Rong could suppress the Demonic Bone, he could eradicate it completely.

When Lei Ze saw Xuan Yue reach out to help Xie Rong up, his pupils dilated in shock, and he squinted slightly. Xuan Yue, who always shunned physical contact, had actually made contact with a man. Lei Ze surveyed Xie Rong, recalling a phrase Xuan Yue had said when he first accepted him: “Of all the disciples, I find him the most pleasing to the eye.” He had not taken the words seriously at the time, but seeing Xuan Yue so defenseless and physically close to Xie Rong, he realized that “pleasing to the eye” likely meant he was deeply fond of him.

Once Xie Rong stood straight, he was filled with the exhilaration of having cheated death and bowed respectfully to Xuan Yue. “Thank you, Master.”

Master smells so good, but his robes are cold, and his fingers are colder than my own body temperature. Is the body temperature of a Great Ascension cultivator different from an ordinary person? His chest is also very hard; I think I bumped my forehead on it, and it still aches a little. It is no wonder he is a Great Ascension cultivator; his physical body is as hard as a magical artifact. Master is indeed beautiful and kind-hearted; even though I embarrassed him, he still saved me. I must repay this life-saving grace by serving him like an ox or a horse. Even if Master does not need me to do anything, I must not forget this kindness today. If a person forgets how to be grateful, they will eventually become cold and heartless, losing their humanity.

Xuan Yue listened to the stream of thoughts, looking at Xie Rong thoughtfully. Xie Rong’s world was too small, which was why he had such childish thoughts. If he were exposed to a wider world and more people, he would not be so naive. Xuan Yue felt conflicted—was it better for Xie Rong to grow up slowly, or to stay this naive and foolish?

Lin Mingsi, his face cold, pushed away Gu Xingchen’s hand and stood beside Xie Rong, checking to see if he was injured. Seeing that Xuan Yue’s attention was no longer on him, Xie Rong shook his head to signal he was fine. Lin Mingsi led Xie Rong to bow to Xuan Yue before they returned to their seats.

Once Xie Rong left, Xuan Yue turned his gaze toward Xiao Xifeng in the hall. Xiao Xifeng’s master, also a Great Ascension cultivator, sighed with regret: “My disciple’s spiritual roots and talent are quite excellent, but his mental state is far too lacking.” Everyone present could see that Xie Rong was Xiao Xifeng’s heart demon; only by killing Xie Rong could he succeed in his breakthrough. Xuan Yue had personally intervened, so the possibility of Xiao Xifeng killing Xie Rong was now zero.

Struck by his master’s spiritual power, Xiao Xifeng was forced to regain his senses, only to realize his breakthrough had failed. His face turned deathly pale. He knew that after this failure, he would become a cast-off. Neither the sect nor his family would waste resources on a “failure” with seeds of demonic energy in his body. He might not even leave the Xuan Tian Sect alive today. Xiao Xifeng felt a deep sense of indignation; had Xuan Yue not intervened, Xie Rong would have died under the talisman attack. He would have cleared his heart demon and successfully reached the Golden Core stage. He had merely been sparring with a fellow disciple, yet Xuan Yue had interfered.

No one dared to criticize Xuan Yue, as everyone saw that Xiao Xifeng’s talisman was intended to kill. This was no ordinary spar; it was a premeditated murder. Xiao Xifeng tried to speak, but the pressure of his master’s spiritual power pinned him to the ground, making it difficult to even breathe.

“Venerable Xuan Yue, my disciple has caused you trouble. I beg you not to hold it against him.”

Xuan Yue looked at Shi Enyang. They had no real friendship, but they were acquaintances through sect business. “Venerable Shi, you are too polite. It was merely a spar between juniors; my intervention was perhaps unfair. This match goes to your disciple.”

Shi Enyang smiled, though no one cared about the result. Xiao Xifeng had failed his breakthrough and suffered a backlash, leaving his foundation ruined. Shi Enyang looked coldly at Xiao Xifeng in the hall. “Considering the time we spent as master and disciple, break our ties today, and leave on your own. Your future fate depends entirely on your own life.”

Sensing the pressure lift, Xiao Xifeng first glanced at Xie Rong, then gritted his teeth and kowtowed to Shi Enyang, his voice raspy and unpleasant. “Thank you for not killing me, Master. I will remember this for as long as I live.”

Xie Rong watched the scene, utterly confused. What is going on? Master said the match went to him, so why is he kowtowing to thank him for not killing him? What is wrong with Venerable Shi? Why is everyone acting as if this is natural? Is it not just a spar? Did I cause Xiao Xifeng to be expelled from the sect?

Xuan Yue listened to the stream of thoughts, realizing Xie Rong’s memory issues had flared up again. He had no idea what a heart demon backlash meant for an ordinary cultivator. Xie Rong watched Xiao Xifeng limp away and finally turned to ask Xuan Yue, “Master, Brother Xiao won the spar, so why is he being expelled from the sect?”

The question drew curious glances from everyone in the hall. Xuan Yue rubbed his temples as the demonic energy within him began to stir again—touching Xie Rong had only calmed it for the duration of a stick of incense. Lin Mingsi, knowing Xie Rong’s sea of consciousness was flawed, immediately sent a voice transmission to explain.

Little Junior Brother, do not be afraid. Xiao Xifeng failed his breakthrough and suffered a heart demon backlash; seeds of demonic energy have been planted within him. Unless he encounters a heaven-defying opportunity, he can no longer continue on the path of cultivation. During the ancient war between immortals and demons, the demon race formed their own realm. Demonic cultivators hate us, and immortals and demons have been enemies for generations. No sect in the cultivation world can accommodate a cultivator with seeds of demonic energy in their body. If you or I were to develop such seeds, we would be executed on the spot. Venerable Shi only expelled him; letting him leave on his own is actually an act of mercy.

Little Junior Brother, your sea of consciousness is flawed and your memory is severely damaged. Master will likely not hold this against you, but you must not speak so recklessly again.

Xie Rong listened to the transmission, looking at Lin Mingsi in sheer disbelief, his heart filled with shock. What? Suffering a heart demon backlash creates seeds of demonic energy, and those seeds result in immediate execution? The cultivation world hates demonic cultivators that much? But the world has both spiritual and demonic energy; aren’t they both just forms of energy? Everyone is just trying to grasp the good fortune of the heavens to achieve immortality. It is just a different method; why is one more noble than the other? Can there be no good people among demonic cultivators, and no bad people among immortals? Since when is good and evil decided by whether one practices demon arts or immortal arts? Is the cultivation world’s fear of demons not a bit too extreme?

Xuan Yue, hearing these thoughts, could not help but fix his gaze on Xie Rong. It was truly absurd; Xie Rong actually believed immortals and demons were equal. If others knew of this idea, the entire cultivation world would have no place for him. At that moment, a sudden and intense thought surfaced in Xuan Yue’s mind: he did not like this innocent version of Xie Rong; it irritated him. He wanted Xie Rong to grow up and become a qualified cultivator, or at least someone he found pleasing. He looked at Xie Rong as one might look at a white lotus in a dirty pond. He did not want to protect this lotus; he only wanted to press it into the mud. Why should everyone else be covered in filth while Xie Rong remained pure and clean? It was uncomfortable to look at; it would be better if he became just like everyone else.

The people in the hall, initially surprised by Xie Rong’s ignorance of common sense, understood once Lin Mingsi explained the damage to his consciousness. Many looked at him with regret. Lei Ze was also curious, sending a divine soul transmission to Xuan Yue: What is wrong with Xie Rong’s sea of consciousness that even you have no solution?