Transmigrating as the Heart Demon of the Ruthless Sword Venerable – Chapter 25

Evil Cultivator, Demon Seed (Part 2)

Carried

Thus another day passed, and it was time for the Sword Sect disciples to depart.

            

“Everyone must follow orders and not act willfully,” the Elders commanded. The disciples responded in unison. Though Sword Sect disciples were few, numbering only about twenty or so—not as numerous as the Wuji Sect had been—their momentum was like a rainbow, and they looked every bit the part of disciples from a major sect.

Tang Wenchun mingled among this group of disciples. She glanced here and there, but her gaze ultimately settled on Yu Zhaoming.

Even though she was now but a young girl, Yu Zhaoming stood as straight as a pine, making it hard for anyone not to fix their eyes upon her. She led the group at the front, and when she occasionally paused to look back, their eyes would meet and then both would look away, as if they were strangers.

            

Along the way, Yu Zhaoming did not pay Tang Wenchun much attention. But Tang Wenchun had already carved out a place among the Sword Sect disciples, and with Bian Man’s explanations, she had gleaned a rough understanding.

They were now in eastern Qingzhou, which had been the territory of Spirit Cultivators¹ since ancient times. It was far removed from western Liangzhou, where great demons held sway, and from northern Yizhou, occupied by Evil Cultivators²—deep in the heartland of Spirit Cultivators.

Comparatively speaking, it was much safer.

            

The Elders letting the young ones organize their own return was something the major sects had agreed upon. On one hand, the Tianji Pavilion’s invitation was imminent; on the other, this was a rare opportunity to leave the sect, so it counted as experiential training.

Bian Man chattered on about all this, and Tang Wenchun actually listened carefully. Though she was currently a Heart Demon deeply bound to Yu Zhaoming, Tang Wenchun had not given up hope. She always felt that perhaps one day she would gain her freedom. And when that day came, this knowledge would be very useful.

What she had not expected was that the scene she had imagined—Sword Flight³ covering ten thousand li in a day—never materialized. Their group was actually walking on foot, crossing mountains and ridges, measuring the vastness of the land with their own flesh and blood.

            

“Wenchun, are you alright?” Bian Man looked worriedly at Tang Wenchun, who was gasping for breath.

Tang Wenchun’s temple hair was slightly disheveled, and bean-sized beads of sweat rolled down her cheeks. She was so exhausted she could not speak, only waving her hand to signal she was fine. There was no helping it—although she had obtained □□, and her cultivation had reached Golden Core thanks to Yu Zhaoming, at her core she was still an ordinary person. When it came to cultivators’ Daoyin Art⁴ and the flow of Spiritual Qi, she was completely ignorant.

That she could keep up with the main group was entirely due to the advantages of her Golden Core, plus the crude Spiritual Qi techniques she operated by instinct.

            

“Here, have some water.”

Tang Wenchun took the water Bian Man offered and gulped it down in large mouthfuls, finally feeling like she had come back to life. She caught her breath and looked at the main group growing ever more distant ahead. “Hurry and catch up with them. Don’t worry about me.”

Bian Man hesitated. “How about I tell the Eldest Senior Sister and stay with you first? We can catch up once you have recovered.”

            

Tang Wenchun shook her head. “No need to bother about me. Just hurry and catch up.”

When they had set out, she had mixed into the group and already heard the Elders announce that on this return journey, everyone’s performance would be scored and evaluated. The group leader Yu Zhaoming was responsible for half the evaluation, while the other half would come from the Shadow-Manifesting Mirror⁵ each disciple carried—after returning to the sect, the Elders would review them and assign scores.

It was enough to make one feel instantly transported back to university.

            

Tang Wenchun was not a member of the Sword Sect, so naturally she was not subject to such restrictions. She smiled at Bian Man. “Don’t worry about me. I will be fine after a short rest.”

Bian Man did not move, crouching beside Tang Wenchun. Tang Wenchun gave her another push. “Stop hesitating. Once I have rested, I will naturally catch up via Sword Flight. Don’t worry.”

Bian Man said nothing, only looking at Tang Wenchun with concern. Tang Wenchun smiled helplessly. “Are you really that worried about me?”

            

“W-who is worried about you!” Bian Man could not stand being provoked and immediately jumped to her feet.

“Yes, yes, yes, you are not worried about me. Go on. I do not want your score to drop because of me. I would feel bad about it,” Tang Wenchun said with a smile.

Bian Man hesitated for a moment, then finally said, “Then I will go. You… you must catch up.”

            

Tang Wenchun nodded. “Maybe I will catch up sooner than you think.”

Bian Man assumed Tang Wenchun was joking. She rearranged her Storage Bag and stuffed it into Tang Wenchun’s hands before turning to leave.

After Tang Wenchun quietly watched Bian Man’s retreating figure grow distant, the tension in her body loosened, and she lay back on the grass.

            

Tang Wenchun was not joking. She would just lie here motionless, and once the distance was great enough, she would naturally return to Yu Zhaoming’s Sea of Consciousness… At that point, Yu Zhaoming would hear her voice anyway, so she could just have Yu Zhaoming find a secluded spot and release her again.

It was just that she could not help feeling somewhat unwilling…

She clearly had Golden Core cultivation, yet when it came to walking, she was not even as good as Bian Man at the Foundation Establishment stage… let alone comparable to Yu Zhaoming.

            

If things continued like this, she would never be able to surpass Yu Zhaoming.

“Methods to break free from the Host…”

Yunzhongjun’s words echoed in her mind. Tang Wenchun closed her eyes and pressed her lips tightly together.

            

“Kill the Host and take their place.”

Yunzhongjun’s smug expression appeared in her mind. Could there really be only one method? No, that was not right—she had said there were two methods… Besides this one, there should be another.

It was just that Yunzhongjun’s character was impossible to read—good or bad—and she had no idea what demands Yunzhongjun might make of her in the future.

            

Tang Wenchun sighed heavily and closed her eyes, not daring to think further.

Rustling footsteps sounded. Tang Wenchun opened her eyes and tilted her head slightly to see Yu Zhaoming approaching slowly. Yu Zhaoming looked down, and her light brown eyes seemed darker because of the angle.

“If I were an enemy, you would have died countless times already.”

            

Tang Wenchun stared blankly. “I have no quarrel with the world. Who would want to kill me?”

“Does being killed require you to be wicked?” the girl replied. She reached out, her fingers stopping as they touched the green forehead band. “Perhaps it is because you carry something others desire, or perhaps it is because of a single word, a single smile. Or perhaps—they wish to kill, so they kill. Killing requires no reason.”

Tang Wenchun was silent for a moment before saying, “But is this not the territory of Human Cultivators⁶?”

            

Why did she have to say such frightening things, as if everyone harbored ill intent, like they were all great demon lords?

“Human Cultivators are human. Humans have eight joys and eight sufferings⁷—each and every one can bring endless strife,” Yu Zhaoming answered. She looked down at Tang Wenchun. “Are you going to keep lying there?”

Tang Wenchun pressed her lips together and sat up. “Did you come to find me?”

            

Yu Zhaoming had always been straightforward. She nodded. “Yes.”

“Why?” Tang Wenchun asked. She was clearly Yu Zhaoming’s Heart Demon; Yu Zhaoming clearly had no need to concern herself with her. As long as the distance was great enough, she could return to the depths of Yu Zhaoming’s Sea of Consciousness at any time.

…Yet Yu Zhaoming was clearly on guard against her as well. Though Yu Zhaoming was straightforward, she was not foolish—she had never told Tang Wenchun that she could actually hear her words within the Sea of Consciousness.

            

The two of them would, just as Yunzhongjun had said, sooner or later end up in a life-and-death struggle.

Yu Zhaoming fell silent. She seemed disinclined to speak, but Tang Wenchun locked her gaze firmly onto Yu Zhaoming’s eyes. Casting aside her earlier social death shyness, she stared into Yu Zhaoming’s eyes, stubbornly demanding an answer.

“…I thought you did not want to return to me,” Yu Zhaoming finally said. She spoke vaguely, clearly because of the Shadow-Manifesting Mirror.

            

She did not trust Tang Wenchun and did not tell her the truth, but she also did not seem to fully trust her own sect, concealing the fact that Tang Wenchun was a Heart Demon.

Tang Wenchun let out a heavy breath. For a moment, she did not know what to say. Finally, she looked up at Yu Zhaoming. “Just… why…”

“Why what?” Yu Zhaoming was clearly puzzled.

            

“I…”

Tang Wenchun started to speak but stopped. In the end, she swallowed her doubts. She was a Heart Demon—for someone to go this far over a debt of gratitude, was that not too much? But then again, what right did she have to say such things?

Tang Wenchun sulked to herself for a moment, then stood up. Yu Zhaoming stood before her, turning her back. “Get on.”

            

“I…”

“This way is faster,” Yu Zhaoming replied. “I observed earlier that you do not know how to use Spiritual Energy. I will teach you in a moment. Study diligently—once you have learned, I will not carry you anymore.”

Tang Wenchun stared blankly at Yu Zhaoming, finally unable to hold back any longer. “Yu Zhaoming! Are you an idiot! Who am I to you! Are you not afraid that once I learn, I will kill you?”

            

“You cannot kill me,” Yu Zhaoming replied, her expression serious. “If I feared you becoming stronger than me and hid things away, how would I face those even stronger than me in the future? The weak swing their blades at the weak. The strong only swing their blades at the stronger. The one I must swing my blade toward… Tang Wenchun, since you come from me, should you not understand me best?”

The person who understood her best might be her Heart Demon. But unfortunately, Tang Wenchun was merely a transmigrated impostor, and what Tang Wenchun understood was the Yu Zhaoming of many years later—the one who had become a Sword Venerable, who seemed fearless in all things.

Not this current Yu Zhaoming, who seemed to harbor heavy thoughts. Not this seventeen-year-old girl who could kill her, yet took such care of her.

            

Tang Wenchun slowly let out a long breath. She bit the soft flesh inside her mouth and slowly climbed onto Yu Zhaoming’s back.

The girl was only seventeen, and her back was still slender. Her clothes were so thin, yet when Tang Wenchun pressed against her, she could feel the warmth of her body heat seeping through the fabric, gradually warming Tang Wenchun’s own body.

The faint trace of cold fragrance brushing past her nose reminded Tang Wenchun of the scent of falling snow—cold, yet very clean.

            

How could it be like this?

If only she were not Yu Zhaoming’s Heart Demon.

Tang Wenchun thought this, eyes lowered, as Yu Zhaoming’s voice sounded in her ears: “Empty the heart, solidify the body, seek the light of lead; within the moon, clearly see the sun. Pierce through turbidity and clarity on the path of rising and descending—naturally, when the elixir ripens, fragrance pervades the body… The pure is the light and clear…”

            

Yu Zhaoming’s voice was long and unhurried, reciting slowly. Tang Wenchun swayed gently with her footsteps, as if this road were endless, with only Yu Zhaoming’s voice for company.

Unfortunately, even the longest road has an end. Sounds of commotion came from the distance. Yu Zhaoming’s footsteps paused. Tang Wenchun could faintly hear the clashing of weapons. She patted Yu Zhaoming. “Let’s go! We will take Sword Flight over.”

Yu Zhaoming set Tang Wenchun down, and the two took Sword Flight. From afar, they could already see the striking white garments.

            

It was the Wuji Sect disciples they had seen before.

Yu Zhaoming’s expression turned stern. Tang Wenchun had already landed on the ground and rushed to Bian Man’s side. The others also spotted Yu Zhaoming, their faces immediately brightening as they called out, “Eldest Senior Sister.”

“What happened?” Yu Zhaoming responded, sweeping her gaze over her fellow disciples. Seeing that although they looked indignant, none were injured, she breathed a sigh of relief.

            

“Eldest Senior Sister! We just saw them beating a green-robed disciple and truly could not stand by, so we tried to stop them. But they said we were meddling in their business.”

The disciples spoke up one after another, their faces revealing their displeasure.

“This is Wuji Sect business!” The crowd parted, and the youth Tang Wenchun had seen before strode forward. He looked Yu Zhaoming up and down. “Is this how your Sword Sect teaches its disciples? Meddling in other sects’ affairs?”

            

“That disciple was nearly beaten to death by you, and you call that ‘business’?” a disciple shouted.

The boy in white, seeing this, did not even turn his head. He beckoned behind him. “You, come here. Tell these people whether they are meddling in your business!”

Tang Wenchun looked behind the youth and saw a green-robed boy crawling over step by step. His clothes were caked with mud—so much so that the original green was no longer visible. His face was a mess of bruises, and the corners of his eyes had split open with bloody gashes, a truly ghastly sight.

            

He lowered his voice, head bowed. “Yes. I… I am doing this voluntarily. They meddled in our business.”

The boy in white snorted. “How about this—you can stop staying in our Wuji Sect too, so they cannot say we are bullying mortals.”

“No, no!” The green-robed disciple hastily kowtowed to the boy in white. “Everything is voluntary! I beg Thirteenth Young Master’s mercy—please do not drive me out of the Wuji Sect!”

            

The boy in white laughed aloud and shot a triumphant glance at the Sword Sect group. “See? He is doing this voluntarily. Mind your own business.”

His tone shifted as he laughed heartily. “Let’s go!”

The others turned to look at Yu Zhaoming. “Eldest Senior Sister, then we…”

            

Yu Zhaoming withdrew her gaze from the green-robed disciple who was stumbling and struggling to his feet, and shook her head at the others. “We set up camp here today. We will avoid them.”

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The author has something to say:

“Empty the heart, fill the belly, seek the light of lead; within the moon, clearly see the sun…” is from the “Three Talents” section, Chapter Four, of the Qiti Yuanliu, and can be considered an incantation for cultivation methods.

            

Tang Wenchun: I just cannot figure it out!

Yu Zhaoming: Hmm, do you want to get on?

Tang Wenchun: …I do!

            

(Softly) Please leave reviews, please leave reviews

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