Inner Demon

Opportunity is always reserved for those who are prepared. Ever since Hansu first joined Old Duan and his companions in hunting, she almost immediately grasped the essentials.

To deal with these formidable beasts, one must pinpoint their weaknesses. Due to the constraints of the environment, most coastal monsters possessed fierce defenses and astonishing attack strength. When a Dao cultivator sought to strike, low-grade magical tools would not even leave a mark on their flesh. Yet a single punch from the beast could easily rupture the intestines and cause grave injury.

Therefore, swiftness was crucial, and one had to target the weak spot relentlessly.

The former, Hansu managed with ease; during her decade in the secret realm, nearly all her time had been spent training her body. Her reflexes and physical strength were on par with sword cultivators and body cultivators. The latter, however, required repeated practice and observation.

The coastal monsters were vastly different from those of the Luo Star Realm, and even the encyclopedias Hansu had read failed to catalogue them fully. Thus, only through repeated probing could she discover their vulnerabilities. Once located, she would unleash her life-bound magical treasure, and her victory was almost assured.

That night, Hansu carefully stored away her spoils and returned home under the moonlight.

Unexpectedly, her relaxed mood soured at her doorstep.

"Senior Sister Jiang, you’ve returned a quarter hour earlier than yesterday. It seems you’re becoming more adept at hunting," Ji Yan was waiting at her cave entrance once again.

Hansu unconsciously frowned, ignored him, and hastened past him into her cave, only to find he followed at an astonishing speed.

"What do you want?!" Hansu was furious; her mind stirred, summoning her blade—the cold gleam flashed, barring Ji Yan's way.

"I..." Ji Yan halted at the threshold, unmoving. His expression was conflicted; several times he seemed about to speak, only to lower his head in defeat.

"Forgive me, I... I don’t know why, but whenever I see you, I feel a sense of familiarity. I can’t help but want to draw near. Sorry. But..."

Hansu saw his face twisted with distress—though her heart softened slightly, she maintained her intimidating stance. "If you have something to say, say it quickly. Don’t dither like a sheep!"

"Are you leaving soon? And... what is a sheep... is it some kind of spirit beast?"

"Uh... why do you care so much? Whether I leave or not has nothing to do with you. I can’t stay here forever; there will come a day I must depart." Surprised that he had guessed her plans, Hansu did not deny it since she'd intended to slip away in a few days to explore the Sea Domain.

"I notice you spend a quarter hour less hunting each day than the day before. I’ve heard that in the Stone Imperial Realm, Dao cultivators at the Golden Core stage who fight monsters of equal rank can return in three hours at best. Now you’ve approached that mark—it’s about time to leave."

As Hansu gradually withdrew her blade, Ji Yan's face brightened with a slight smile. "Though it’s shameless to ask, Senior Sister, could you take me along on your travels?"

"No... you should leave, or someone will come to my home looking for me." Perhaps due to her soul's origin from another world, Hansu's spiritual sense far exceeded her peers’. She sensed someone in the neighboring courtyard monitoring her with spiritual sense. Though her formations were too powerful to be breached, that presence was growing restless—likely about to storm in and apprehend these two "illicit lovers."

She had always been upright and disliked being seen as the third party disrupting others’ relationships. This was why she was reluctant to interact with Ji Yan; even if he denied his connection with Zi Huan Shan, he never truly corrected, denied, or distanced himself from her. Hansu was unwilling to wade into such muddy waters—her life was troublesome enough.

She waved her hand, activating a ban, and a surge of spiritual energy froze Ji Yan into a block of ice. She tossed him out, shouting, "Junior Brother Ji Yan, this is the first and last time! If you trespass my cave again without reason, you won’t be treated so kindly!"

She then deactivated all the formations, entered her immortal palace, and took a bath to wash away the day’s fatigue, reflecting on her next steps.

Ji Yan was not wrong. Each night, as her hunting skills grew sharper and her experience deeper, Hansu was approaching the best level of native Dao cultivators from the Stone Imperial Realm. She did not need to hunt for spirit stones, nor did she seek to advance her cultivation through slaughter.

These days, she hunted at night to hone her combat ability. During the day, she roamed Han De Street, learning about the cultivators’ lives—cultivating her mind and broadening her horizons. Yet what she sought was within reach; it was nearly time to depart.

She often pondered what path she should walk.

When she first transmigrated, she naively began her journey as a cultivator—from a greenhouse flower, a homebody of peaceful times, to an existence transcending her former scientific understanding. The playful ease turned into arduous task completion; each step was passive, accepting.

She passively accepted transmigration, was taught to draw in spiritual energy, became a Qi Refining cultivator. She passively accepted missions and completed them. Though the immortal palace and spirit beast were acquired by chance, it felt like a scheme from start to finish—they chose her, not the other way around.

Trapped in the secret realm, she gained inheritance to escape. She passively accepted healing tasks, passively ventured out to travel. Except for this recent period, her days were always dictated by others.

Thus, she waltzed into the Golden Core stage, never once considering the so-called "Dao."

Her life had always been lived for others—even her cultivation was for Aunt Chrysanthemum’s advice: only if her cultivation far surpassed Su Lu and Lu Dan Xian could she prevent disaster. But now, Su Yun Mo had been guided onto the right path. Lu Dan Xian, though becoming stranger, had yet to cause much turmoil.

Moreover, the longer she stayed, the more she understood this world, and she began to doubt Aunt Chrysanthemum’s warnings.

Could the two of them alone really destroy the world?

As for falling into demonic ways—though there were demon cultivators here, their methods merely differed from Dao cultivators. The so-called "one thought to become a demon, one thought to become a Buddha"—some artists obsessed with painting succumbed to their desires; it was not that they were bloodthirsty or evil. Not all demon cultivators were murderous fiends.

Those she encountered recently—Immortal Lord Rong Ling, Red Jade, and Bai Nan—were all people with powers that pierced the heavens and earth. For Lu Dan Xian to overpower these figures and control the fate of countless cultivators across five realms—she simply couldn’t see how it was possible.

For now, she put these matters aside; she needed to strengthen herself. Only power could give her a sense of security. Though she had no delusions of equaling Rong Ling, she unconsciously hoped to grow stronger, ever stronger—so she could govern her own life, turn passivity into initiative, and be her own master.

So was her Dao freedom?

If freedom was her pursuit, then should she henceforth ignore the matter of supporting or opposing Lu Dan Xian and Su Yun Mo, helping when she wished, wandering wherever she pleased, living as she liked?

Ji Yan, frozen and tossed outside, was quickly rescued by Zi Huan Shan, who had been watching all along. Although he could have broken the ice shell himself with spiritual energy, he didn’t refuse her help—it was pleasant to have a girl assist him.

He enjoyed the process.

But amid his enjoyment, Ji Yan keenly sensed abnormal spiritual fluctuations in Hansu’s courtyard. Despite the layers of formations, his innate soul power was extraordinarily strong, and he detected that someone was undergoing advancement. The chaotic spiritual energy suggested the presence of a heart demon. He wished to help, but every cultivator knew that heart demons could only be overcome by oneself; otherwise, interference might do more harm than good.

He could only worry, gazing in that direction, hoping that the girl who always stirred something in him would come through safely.

Inside the courtyard, Hansu was indeed facing the trial of a heart demon. Since her spiritual vessel advanced, she had not experienced enlightenment or a breakthrough for decades. This time was not exactly enlightenment; since Immortal Lord Rong Ling had drawn in a massive influx of spiritual energy, she benefited greatly, resulting in a sudden leap in cultivation.

This was why she set out to travel—her cultivation had increased too quickly, but her mental state lagged behind. She needed to experience more, to balance her mind and avoid danger.

Her recent experiences had been rich and transformative. Not only had she improved, but the accumulated spiritual energy from repeated hunts had reached a threshold. It was time for a minor breakthrough, and tonight’s journey of self-questioning triggered this advancement. This was no ordinary breakthrough, but a perilous trial.

Since Qi Refining to Golden Core, even reaching mid-Golden Core, she had never established her Dao.

Some might argue that many people spend their whole lives muddling through—cultivating, advancing, cultivating, advancing—without a clear Dao, yet still form their Nascent Soul.

But Hansu was different; from the moment she entered this world in an unusual way, her cultivation journey was destined to diverge from others.

Under the heart demon's oppression, she felt immense pressure, blood seeping from her eyes, ears, nose, and mouth.

Her parents of her previous life, her parents of this life, fellow disciples of Yao Hua Sect, Su Yun Mo, Lu Dan Xian, and others flashed before her eyes. Some were blood-soaked, others mad—the entire Luo Star Realm barren and desolate.

Yet she stood aloof, enjoying happiness alongside Immortal Lord Rong Ling...

No, this was not what she wanted.

Though she yearned for freedom, she had not abandoned her sense of responsibility. If transmigrating to become a cultivator was not her wish, she had many ways to deal with it.

The extreme response would be suicide, choosing to escape. But was abandoning life worthwhile—just to flee from a fate imposed upon her? If so, what about Lanhe Dao Lord and his wife, who, after centuries, finally rejoiced in having a daughter?

The timid, life-loving Hansu chose to strive and live well, thus receiving the love and resources of Lanhe Dao Lord, his wife, their family, and their sect. Without these, how could she survive, let alone thrive, in this world?

But having enjoyed others’ care, she must reciprocate accordingly.

This was Hansu’s guiding principle, the belief she had always upheld.

Her attitude toward Su Yun Mo was not out of saintly compassion, nor pity for her hard-won love that was threatened. It was because Su Yun Mo treated Hansu kindly—giving gifts, welcoming her into their circle. Even if she once acted out of jealousy, she never truly wronged Hansu, and always adjusted her mindset in time.

Though she was once cruelly framed by Lu Dan Xian, Su Yun Mo did not retaliate insanely; her mindset fluctuated but always retained goodwill. This was her virtue, and Hansu admired it.

Thus, Hansu was willing to help Su Yun Mo—out of responsibility to Aunt Chrysanthemum and the sect that raised her.

Hansu could not let go of her longing for her parents in her previous life, nor the love of her parents in this one. She could not relinquish her pursuit of freedom, yet desired to fulfill her duties, help those in need, and care for those who loved her.

The path she must walk is one of compassion.

Author’s note: Deep thanks to zeng274 for the landmine!

I’ve been very busy lately, so thank you to those who keep reading. I’ll do my best to continue. If you see any plot holes or points of contention, I hope you won’t give up too quickly—either bring them up or bear with them; perhaps things will improve later.