Residual Hatred

When Chen Weichen arrived, Xie Lang was still making hand seals for the thunder spell, the thunder rumbling in the sky but not striking down, while he took another step towards the heart demon as if in a trance.

The two young disciples beside him were rapidly casting talismans to attack the heart demon, but their cultivation was too shallow to block its momentum.

The black energy spread over Xie Lang's body as he kept his eyes tightly closed, his brows furrowed, looking like he was enduring pain.

The young disciples turned their heads and saw someone coming - looking like a powerful figure. They hurriedly grabbed this lifeline, not even bothering with respectful titles: "Quick, save the Sect Master!"

A golden light appeared on Kong Ming's body, the Buddha's seal vaguely taking shape, ready to attack the heart demon - they already knew that the heart demon world and the human world were opposed to each other, so the closer the techniques were to the Heavenly Dao, the more they could restrain these things coming from the heart demon world, like the Daoist thunder spell of "carrying out the Dao on behalf of Heaven", and the Buddhist "compassion" seal for subduing demons.

"Wait a bit more," Chen Weichen watched Xie Lang, "see how long he can hold out."

The black energy on Xie Lang grew more and more intense, while at the same time, the outline of the heart demon became more and more like a pitch-black person.

Despite his desperate resistance, he still uncontrollably walked step by step towards the heart demon, while the heart demon also approached him step by step.

Closer and closer.

The young disciple's lips trembled, his face pale: "It will be too late. The day before yesterday, Disciple Shen was like this. When he and the demon merged, he went crazy, had a fit, and then stopped breathing."

The heart demon reached out its hand, probing towards Xie Lang's left chest.

Xie Lang's lips were tightly pursed, his face pale. His eyelids trembled as he tried hard to open his eyes, breathing with difficulty, but he couldn't break free. Two lines of bright red blood flowed from his eyes.

The pitch-black hand passed through the gray Daoist robe, and he shuddered violently.

The young disciple muttered: "No..."

At the critical moment, another hand silently passed through the heart demon's back.

The heart demon's movements stagnated.

It made a hoarse "heh heh" sound from its mouth and began to tremble violently.

The two young disciples looked back in surprise and uncertainty.

They saw a person in black robes fluttering behind the heart demon, expressionless.

Black energy swirled around his body. His originally handsome brows and eyes, with his long hair hanging down and a wisp of black energy at the corner of his eyes, added a chilling evil aura and murderous air, making it hard to distinguish between human and demon for a moment.

Xie Lang fell forward softly and was supported by Ye Jiuya, who placed him in a nearby pavilion.

It was a full half day later before Xie Lang woke up.

When he woke up, Chen Weichen's hand was making some gestures on his chest.

At this time, he had not changed back to his original appearance. He was still wearing a black robe with dark silver patterns. Even his skin was a few shades paler than usual. His eyes were black and deep, and his cold, pensive expression made Xie Lang shiver: "You..."

"He wanted to enter here," Chen Weichen placed his hand on Xie Lang's left chest where his heart was, "thinking that afterwards, he could be like you, but unfortunately..."

Xie Lang knew he had escaped a disaster. Cold sweat slid down from his temple: "You saved me?"

Chen Weichen turned his head away.

Xie Lang followed his gaze and saw the pitch-black thin chains binding the ferocious-looking heart demon. It struggled desperately but was tightly locked and could not break free no matter what.

A voice without much inflection asked: "What did you see?"

The young sect master calmed his breathing, closed his eyes, and opened them after a long time, saying: "I saw many years ago, when I went down the mountain, the village was gone. There was fire everywhere. Corpses lay across the road. Some were stabbed to death, some were trampled to death by warhorses. Black blood splattered on the walls. I took a horsetail whisk and went home - my father's corpse was at the door, my mother was in the well."

His eyes were blank, as if he was once again in the midst of the smoke and blood: "I continued walking inside. Things were shattered all over the floor. The house to the south had already caught fire. Qingyuan alone crawled out of the house, swaying. Her fur was burnt in a large patch, and her ears were also injured. She was still young at that time. When she saw me, she softly called out..."

Xie Lang opened his mouth, but could no longer make a sound. His eyes only reddened, and two lines of tears slid down his cheeks.

After a long time, he continued: "I wanted to run away, to wake up, but I couldn't escape no matter what. My master taught me, saying that the affairs of the world are impermanent, that life and death are destined, not to dwell on them, not to hate... I thought I had long forgotten, but-"

Chen Weichen placed his fingertips on Xie Lang's forehead. His fingers were cold, causing Xie Lang to slowly come back to his senses.

"I miss them, I hate so much..." Xie Lang finally closed his eyes again. This time it was not unconsciousness, but because he was too mentally exhausted and fell asleep.

Chen Weichen tidied Xie Lang's lapels and looked at the bound heart demon.

He recalled again last autumn, when the group was outside Jinxiu City. Xie Lang mentioned his past, glossing over it lightly, only saying his family died in the war, that it was not much of a sad thing, that he had long transcended it.

--- But that desire to transcend, that unwillingness to look back, did not dissipate with over a dozen springs and autumns of pure-hearted cultivation. Instead, it was deeply, deeply buried in the heart demon world.

"Let your sect master rest well." Chen Weichen instructed the attending disciples of Qingjing Temple, "Since I have come here, the other scattered heart demons will not dare to come again. Let him not worry for now."

The disciples could not figure out his background, only knowing that this person was very powerful. Although the black energy on his body was very much like a heart demon, he had come together with Sect Master Ye and Great Master Kong Ming, and stood on the side of their own sect master. They respectfully gave their thanks.

"Also tell him that we are taking the heart demon away. Although his cultivation level has dropped, it is not impossible for him to advance another level by taking this opportunity."

The disciples responded affirmatively and sent them off.

When taking out the token to enter Zhichen Temple, Chen Weichen stopped in his tracks.

When Ye Jiuya looked at him, Chen Weichen's gaze was evasive, his eyelashes slightly lowered.

"I'm not going," he said, "my cultivation has recovered, and Zhichen Temple has nothing to do with me. I can't stay by your side for long anyway."

Ye Jiuya asked: "Where are you going?"

"To the South Sea to take a look at the Heart Tempering Mirror." He said.

"Be extra careful." Ye Jiuya saw the bound demon behind him, and recalled what the demon he encountered in Jinxiu City had said about "just wearing a human skin". He finally realized why Chen Weichen appeared in this form twice, and the unease he showed when facing him - this person had also said that he was "something unsightly".

In the end, he added, "No need to worry too much."

"Thank you." Chen Weichen smiled faintly. When he appeared in this form, his tone and expression seemed much colder than usual.

"It's bound by me. As long as I don't transform back, it won't come out. You can use it with ease." He gave a few more instructions, and finally said, "Brother Kong Ming, Lord Ye, farewell."

Kong Ming pressed his palms together and bowed to him, "Until we meet again."

Chen Weichen should have gone in the other direction, but he hesitated, his gaze lingering on Ye Jiuya.

After a moment of silence, Ye Jiuya said to him, "The sword conference and dharma conference are set for August."

Chen Weichen nodded to him, "Alright."

Only then did he turn around and head south.