Chapter 86

Chapter 86: Could It Be a Heart Devil?
Fang Cheng Lang’s voice was low and hoarse, carrying a strange chill that made Cui Jue’s heart turn cold as he asked: “A’Jue, do you believe in karma?”

He fell silent for a moment, then forced a smile and said: “Senior Brother, why do you ask that?”

Seeing his expression, Fang Cheng Lang knew he did not believe. He let out a faint sigh and said: “I just had a dream.”

Cui Jue was startled.

Cultivators who comprehend the Heavenly Dao must cast aside all stray thoughts and keep their hearts clear. Only cultivators whose minds are not pure will dream.

First Senior Brother had always been the one among their fellow disciples whose pursuit of the Dao was the firmest. How could he be troubled by a dream?

Fang Cheng Lang seemed not to see the change in Cui Jue’s expression and went on: “In the dream, I was myself, yet it was as if I was not myself…”

Cui Jue could not hold back and said: “First Senior Brother, dreams are false.”

Fang Cheng Lang gave him a faint glance and said: “Before today, I also half believed and half doubted. But in this dream, besides me and Little Six, there was also you. Tell me, did you and Little Six have a quarrel over the Herb Garden?”

Shock flashed through Cui Jue’s eyes, but he quickly returned to normal and said: “I did scold Little Zhao over the Herb Garden. Thinking back now, I probably misunderstood her. Little Zhao told you about it, didn’t she?”

Although it was true that the spirit herbs in the Herb Garden had been poisoned, Cui Jue believed Yu Zhao had definitely not done it on purpose, so he generously took the blame on himself.

Fang Cheng Lang shook his head, the corner of his mouth curling up in a smile that was filled with endless sorrow as he said: “No, she did not tell me anything. I saw it in the dream.”

In the dream, Yu Zhao was covered in wounds as she knelt before him and Cui Jue, her eyes blood red as she laid out their prejudice against her.

Yu Zhao had also brought up the Herb Garden, saying the poisoning of the spirit herbs was not her doing, but Cui Jue had never been willing to believe her.

Fang Cheng Lang no longer wanted to recall what had happened next.

Whenever he thought about it, he felt as if his heart was being carved out.

Cui Jue said: “First Senior Brother, that was only a dream…”

Cui Jue could not understand Fang Cheng Lang’s pain and despair. It was only a dream; it proved nothing.

“That was not a dream!” Fang Cheng Lang growled.

That was a warning given to him by the Heavenly Dao!

Looking at Fang Cheng Lang’s expression, as if he had fallen into madness, Cui Jue frowned.

He suspected that First Senior Brother’s Dao heart was unstable and that he had given rise to a Heart Devil, to the point of confusing dreams with reality.

Fang Cheng Lang seemed to suddenly lose all his strength and shook his head helplessly as he said: “Forget it, go back.”

Cui Jue had spent many years in Closed-Door Cultivation and did not know what had happened to Yu Zhao. He could not understand.

“First Senior Brother.”

Cui Jue hesitated, wanting to say something but stopping.

However, Fang Cheng Lang no longer wanted to pay attention to him, so Cui Jue could only leave helplessly.

After returning to his room, he was restless, Fang Cheng Lang’s expression and words echoing over and over in his mind.

Could it be possible that what First Senior Brother said was true?

The moment this thought flashed through his mind, Cui Jue ruthlessly crushed it.

[Impossible. A dream is just a dream. How could it become reality?]

[First Senior Brother must be troubled by a Heart Devil, that is why he lost his mind. I should refine a furnace of pills to help relieve his worries.]

With this idea in mind, Cui Jue immediately started searching through his Storage Space.

…

In an abandoned cave.

Yu Zhao sat cross-legged, playing with the Violet Illusion Teapot in her hands.

After a while, as if she had made up her mind, she took a deep breath and slowly poured her spirit power into the Violet Illusion Teapot.

Familiar smoke rose into the air and quickly formed the figure of a female cultivator in red.

Her expression was wild and proud, her chin lifted high. Just standing there quietly, she naturally gave off an air of despising all under heaven.

“Those who block my path will die!”

A terrifying pressure filled the cave, sending fine specks of dust rippling outward. Yu Zhao’s Dao robe fluttered wildly without any wind.

Yu Zhao’s pupils trembled.

Even from such close range, she still could not find any flaw in the illusion. It was as if a living Senior Expert stood in front of her.

Yu Zhao thought for a moment but did not stop, continuing to pour spirit power into the Violet Illusion Teapot.

As the spirit power in her body gradually dried up, the Violet Illusion Teapot remained unchanged, as if it had reached its limit.

Yu Zhao’s brows drew together.

This situation was actually within her expectations.

If the Violet Illusion Teapot had other divine abilities, Furong would have explained them in detail at the Blackwater City Auction, and the starting price would not have been only two high-grade spirit stones.

But Yu Zhao felt that this Violet Illusion Teapot definitely was not so simple. She could not mistake the aura of the Illusory Tide Art.

Thinking of this, her mind stirred. She formed a seal with one hand and sent an Illusory Tide Art spell into the Violet Illusion Teapot.

A flash of spiritual light shot out and sank into the Violet Illusion Teapot.

In an instant.

Golden light blazed forth.

The dark cave was suddenly bright as day.

The golden light stabbed at Yu Zhao’s eyes, making them ache, so she instinctively closed them.

When she opened them again, the golden light had vanished and the Violet Illusion Teapot was calm, as if everything that had just happened had only been her illusion.

Just as Yu Zhao was feeling puzzled, a young woman’s domineering voice rang out in the cave: “Fated one, we finally meet.”

Yu Zhao was greatly shocked and stared in horror at the red-clothed young woman’s illusion that had suddenly spoken.

The young woman in red was arching her brows, looking Yu Zhao up and down with a half-smile.

After a moment, she nodded in satisfaction and said: “Water Spiritual Root, excellent comprehension. You are the perfect candidate to cultivate the Illusory Tide Art.”

Yu Zhao was silent for a while, then cupped her fists in salute and said: “I greet Wanderer Bright Moon.”

Wanderer Bright Moon laughed and said: “You are quite quick-witted. Are you not afraid this wisp of my remnant soul will seize your body and cultivate anew?”

Yu Zhao raised her head to meet her eyes, her voice steady and firm as she said: “Since Wanderer Bright Moon could create the Illusory Tide Art that is free of desire and attachment, you would not do something like Body-Seizing.”

One who is ruthless does not let likes and dislikes harm their body and always follows what is natural without forcing it.

To have desires in one’s heart yet not be controlled by them, to remain calm and unmoved, that is the Ruthless Dao.

“Excellent. You have already grasped half of the true meaning of the Ruthless Dao.”

Wanderer Bright Moon clapped her hands and laughed, full of relief.

“Ever since I created the Illusory Tide Art, I swore to find a disciple who could inherit my will. Yet people eat the grains of the world and are bound by the seven emotions and six desires, and in the end cannot break free. Because I could not find a disciple who matched my heart for so long, I too gave rise to desire…”

Wanderer Bright Moon’s words rang in Yu Zhao’s Sea of Consciousness like a warning bell.

It is said there are three thousand Great Daos, all leading to the same end.

In the Cultivation World, one often hears of cultivators ascending by way of the Sword Dao, or ascending through the Blade Dao, and even some who ascend through the Confucian Dao. Yet there are hardly any tales of someone ascending through the Ruthless Dao, which shows how difficult it is to cultivate.

Even Wanderer Bright Moon, who created the Illusory Tide Art, had in the end given rise to resentment in her heart and died when her lifespan was cut off.

Yu Zhao felt a faint ache in her heart for her, but her expression did not change.

[Even if the road ahead is endless, I will not be afraid!]

Wanderer Bright Moon suddenly asked: “What is your name?”

“Yu Zhao.”

Wanderer Bright Moon repeated her name several times: “Yu Zhao, Yu Zhao, Yu Zhao… A good name.” She smiled slightly and said: “Yu Zhao, are you willing to become my personal disciple and from now on call yourself a disciple of Wanderer Bright Moon?”