Transmigrating as the Heart Demon of the Ruthless Sword Venerable – Chapter 27
by Little PandaEvil Cultivator, Demon Seed (Part 4)
Yu Zhaoming, come back quickly!
“Hahaha! Are you trying to kill your fellow cultivators!”
That person—or perhaps it could no longer be called a person—that monster let out a piercing laugh, suddenly launching into the air and attacking the Sword Sect members from above. Though the Sword Sect disciples’ faces paled slightly, they showed no fear and shouted in unison.
“Go!”
In an instant, several swords launched forth with considerable momentum.
The monster twisted in a manner impossible for any normal human, spinning several times in midair before crashing down—landing squarely on its back. The Sword Sect disciples rejoiced at the sight and thrust their swords forward.
But the monster’s head suddenly rotated one hundred eighty degrees, flashing a sinister smile at the Sword Sect disciple, biting down on the sword blade and yanking it back viciously.
This scene was deeply unsettling. Tang Wenchun trembled with fear.
“Ahhh! My sword! My wife! Let go of my wife!!”
But when the Sword Sect disciple’s scream rang out, it instantly dispelled that eerie atmosphere. Tang Wenchun breathed a sigh of relief, casting a grateful glance at the Sword Sect disciple whose eyes were red as he furiously played tug-of-war with the monster.
Even though this monster defiled your wife, it saved my life!! Thank you, brother!
Then Yu Zhaoming arrived and pierced straight through the monster with a single sword thrust. The monster emitted several cracking sounds and collapsed to the ground, motionless.
The Sword Sect disciple let out a cry, hastily withdrew his sword, pulled out a cloth strip and scrubbed it vigorously, then embraced the sword with tears streaming down his face.
Laughter came from all around: “You’ve killed someone! Sword Sect disciples must never turn their swords against their own kind unless the person has committed unforgivable crimes. How pitiful this person was—what did he do wrong? Yet you killed him, you killed him!”
The laughter rose and fell, shifting between male and female voices, as if many people were watching simultaneously, whispering and letting out piercing mockery. The mist obscured their vision, making it seem as though the fog was teeming with enemies, discouraging anyone from entering to investigate.
Yu Zhaoming ignored the laughter. She drew her sword and gently prodded the corpse lying on the ground, slowly teasing out a fine thread from the body, then lowered her head to touch the corpse.
“It’s human… the body still has warmth,” Yu Zhaoming said softly, though whether it had been alive before this, she could not determine. She glanced at the waist token on the corpse, flicked it with her sword into her storage bag, then turned her head to gaze silently at the mist.
“What are you going to do?” Tang Wenchun came closer, her entire body covered in goosebumps—she only felt a semblance of safety when near Yu Zhaoming.
Yu Zhaoming turned her head, her gaze falling on Tang Wenchun’s face. Tang Wenchun’s face was pale, her expression tinged with fear. Her heart demon feared bugs, feared mice, feared many things—surely she would also fear something like this.
Yu Zhaoming thought this, then lowered her eyes to the tip of her sword. After a moment, she said, “I am going into the mist.”
“What?!” Tang Wenchun’s eyes widened in shock. “This mist confuses the mind—what are you going in there for?”
“We have already become each other’s prey. But guess—why doesn’t he attack directly, instead resorting to such crude methods to destroy our spirits first?”
Yu Zhaoming’s voice came through, calm and unwavering, clearing the fog for Tang Wenchun.
“You’re saying his cultivation might not actually be that advanced… at the very least, he doesn’t have the confidence to kill all of us?” Tang Wenchun’s eyes widened.
“Correct. Not only is his cultivation unimpressive, I suspect the range of the mist isn’t very wide either.” Yu Zhaoming nodded with a faint smile. Though her heart demon feared this and that, at least she was still quite intelligent.
Tang Wenchun frowned. “That won’t work—you’ll be affected by the mist too. How about I go instead? I’m not affected by the mist, and if anything happens, I won’t… um, I’d also have more confidence.”
Yu Zhaoming looked at Tang Wenchun in surprise. She had thought she’d hidden the fact that she was affected by the mist quite well, yet Tang Wenchun had noticed. Her heart demon was more perceptive than she had imagined.
Moreover, she hadn’t expected that this heart demon who feared everything would still possess such courage.
Yu Zhaoming considered for a moment, then shook her head. “No need. I will go—you stay here and protect them.”
Tang Wenchun let out an “eh,” not expecting Yu Zhaoming to assign her such a task.
Yu Zhaoming’s expression turned serious. “Your cultivation is the same as mine—you are the strongest among them. Watch over them, protect them, and I will find the culprit.”
“But…” Tang Wenchun hesitated. Her combat experience was truly limited—aside from fighting Yu Zhaoming in the Sea of Consciousness, there was only the Divine Tomb. After obtaining her body, Yu Zhaoming no longer came to fight her, and she had been living a slacker existence, coasting through each day. Suddenly being handed such a massive responsibility—she felt she could not bear it.
“You could also choose not to care,” Yu Zhaoming said. “But Bian Man and the others might all die here.”
Tang Wenchun snapped her head up to look at Yu Zhaoming, her almond eyes filled with utter disbelief. “You—you’re actually threatening me?”
You look so honest and upright, yet you resort to threats?
The corners of Yu Zhaoming’s lips curved into a faint smile. “I am telling the truth. I cannot force you. But given the current situation, my going to root out the person behind this while you protect them is the best arrangement. I can only seek your help. But you also have the right not to help me—it’s just that not helping naturally means bearing the consequences.”
Tang Wenchun gritted her teeth, grinding them slightly. “You’re… quibbling.”
Yu Zhaoming said nothing, as if tacitly agreeing. She gently turned her sword hilt, then looked up at Tang Wenchun. “What is your answer?”
Tang Wenchun gnashed her teeth. “What else can I do!”
Yu Zhaoming nodded and gathered the other disciples. “I am going into the mist. Fellow Daoist Tang will protect you here—there is no need to worry.”
The disciples paused only briefly before quickly assenting.
Yu Zhaoming drew her sword and was about to leave when Tang Wenchun grabbed the hem of her garment. Yu Zhaoming turned to look at Tang Wenchun. Tang Wenchun had puffed out her cheeks, still looking angry. “You have to come back as soon as possible! You can’t die! And don’t go too far!”
Though every instruction stemmed from Tang Wenchun’s own self-interest, there was still an unmistakable sense of intimacy and concern.
The other disciples exchanged glances. After a while, one of them whispered, “Eldest Senior Sister, please be careful too.”
Yu Zhaoming paused in surprise. She looked toward that disciple—he appeared to be in his twenties, his face flushed red as he stammered, “Even though Eldest Senior Sister’s cultivation is profound, you… you still need to be careful.”
He was the first to speak up, and the other disciples followed in agreement, offering words of caution one after another. These impoverished sword cultivators even pressed various bottles and jars of healing pills and spiritual medicines into Yu Zhaoming’s hands.
Yu Zhaoming smiled and waved her hand. “No need—keep them for yourselves.” After speaking, she glanced at Tang Wenchun once more and bowed to her. “My fellow disciples are in your hands.”
Tang Wenchun’s heart was full of complicated feelings. She nodded and released her grip.
Yu Zhaoming walked forward. Ahead of her, sword qi crisscrossed, shredding the mist on the path ahead to pieces. Behind her, the mist swiftly gathered again, gradually blocking the way back and swallowing her silhouette.
Tang Wenchun watched quietly as Yu Zhaoming’s figure was obscured by the white fog, her heart filled with countless complicated thoughts.
“Fellow Daoist Tang.” Bian Man tugged at Tang Wenchun.
Tang Wenchun gave Bian Man a puzzled look. Bian Man’s eyes were sparkling, as if she had discovered something. “You really do have an unusual relationship with Eldest Senior Sister, don’t you? Instructing her like that.”
Tang Wenchun answered as if it were obvious. “We are unusual… Also… she’s only seventeen. To take such risks at such a young age.”
Seventeen—in Tang Wenchun’s world, not even graduated from high school yet. An age where even dating would make you feel guilty!
Bian Man’s eyes grew even brighter, but as she gazed at the white fog, her voice dropped. “But what you say is also right, Fellow Daoist. We always thought of Eldest Senior Sister as invincible, the pillar of our generation—we kept forgetting her age…”
Before Tang Wenchun spoke, the disciples had seemed accustomed to Yu Zhaoming’s role as Eldest Senior Sister, never once questioning her decisions. Only just now did someone suddenly realize what Yu Zhaoming had been shouldering all along, standing at their forefront.
Just as Bian Man’s heart was filled with complicated, indescribable emotions, Tang Wenchun suddenly grabbed her by the back of her collar and hurled her backward. She raised her long sword, colliding with a sharp needle from ahead, producing an ear-piercing clash and sparks.
Tang Wenchun looked at the figure before her—it could no longer be called human. Its eyes were tightly sewn shut with silk threads, its head lolling to one side. Its clothes were in tatters, revealing limbs marked with obvious stitching.
A foul stench emanated from this thing. Tang Wenchun couldn’t help but hold her breath, cursing inwardly. She exerted force with her arm, and the monster retreated, standing suspended in midair with its limbs pulled extremely wide, like a puppet1 hanging from strings.
No—this was a puppet, though not the kind made of wood, but one assembled from stitched-together human limbs.
When Yu Zhaoming was here, it wouldn’t come out. The moment Yu Zhaoming left, it came out to disgust her!
Tang Wenchun felt her stomach churning, on the verge of vomiting at any moment. She turned her head—the other disciples’ faces were equally pale.
“Fellow Daoist Tang, let us help you!”
“Don’t come over here!!” Tang Wenchun shouted urgently. “There are threads all around.”
“Hehe, hehehe, I truly didn’t expect you to notice.” The puppet tilted its head, grinning in Tang Wenchun’s direction. Its voice grew even louder. “Is this how Sword Sect disciples are—always hiding behind others?”
“What do you mean hiding behind others! I’m not even human!” Tang Wenchun shouted back.
Thus the indignant Sword Sect disciples fell silent, and the puppet fell silent too.
Taking advantage of this moment of silence, Tang Wenchun wiped the sweat from her forehead and turned to look at the Sword Sect disciples. “What are you standing there for! Calm down! Flying swords2!!”
In an instant, swords flew forth in unison, thrusting toward the puppet. Tang Wenchun also plunged into the mist. As she swung Luoze, it trailed a wash of ice-blue, and the spider-silk-thin threads snapped one after another.
The puppet could no longer support its body and fell to the ground. It emitted cracking sounds. “I’m angry, I’m angry!!”
Tang Wenchun narrowed her eyes, mercilessly letting out a mocking laugh. “So what if you’re angry? Isn’t that just impotent rage? I can say it too—I’m so angry, I’m so angry!”
Though she was speaking, her eyes remained alert, scanning left and right.
The puppet let out an angry roar and violently grabbed the ground. Countless threads burst forth from its body, about to entangle Tang Wenchun, while even more threads bypassed her, sweeping toward the Sword Sect disciples behind her.
“Not good!!”
Tang Wenchun hastily dodged to stand in front of the Sword Sect disciples. She planted her feet, brought two fingers together, tucked her thumb beneath, and shouted: “Lin Bing Dou Zhe, Jie Zhen Lie Qian Xing3.”
In an instant, a diagram of the Nine Stars and Eight Gates unfurled beneath her feet, spinning rapidly and shielding the Sword Sect disciples.
“Is this… the Six Ding and Six Jia Formation4…”
The Sword Sect disciples exchanged glances, but when their eyes fell on Tang Wenchun’s face as she firmly protected them, they all fell silent.
Tang Wenchun felt sweat dripping from her forehead. As their spiritual energy clashed, Tang Wenchun already understood that her opponent was an early Golden Core cultivator. Though logically inferior to her own mid-Golden Core cultivation, in the midst of combat, Tang Wenchun felt the opponent was subtly gaining the upper hand.
If only she had trained with Yu Zhaoming for a few more days… Truly, just as you regret not studying when you need knowledge, you regret not getting beaten enough when it’s time to fight!
Sweat had already slid down to her neck. Tang Wenchun gripped her sword even tighter. This was her first time using a technique, and she had no idea how reliable the incantation Yunzhongjun had given her actually was. If the incantation broke, the demon qi surrounding her body would be impossible to explain—it would be lucky if the Sword Sect disciples behind her did not stab her in the back.
So… Yu Zhaoming! Where exactly are you right now!!
The author has something to say:
Tang Wenchun: Only seventeen, even dating would make you feel guilty… eh, why did I say dating!
Yu Zhaoming: …
Tang Wenchun: Come back quickly, I can’t hold on!
Yu Zhaoming: I just left
Tang Wenchun: I can’t leave you（in the physical sense）
Note: The Six Ding and Six Jia Formation is a protective formation from Daoist legend, originally the treasured guardian formation of the Maoshan sect, later becoming the treasured guardian formation of the Orthodox Unity sect. According to the records in 《Shangqing Lingbao Dafa》: “Dingchou extends my life, Dinghai restrains my soul, Dingyou subdues my spirit, Dingwei repels my disasters, Dingsi delivers me from peril, Dingmao delivers me from misfortune; Jiazi protects my body, Jiaxu preserves my form, Jiashen secures my destiny, Jiawu guards my soul, Jiachen stabilizes my spirit, Jiayin nurtures my true self.” From this, one can see the protective duties of the Six Ding and Six Jia.
Used here as a protective formation, wipes sweat
Note 2: The Nine-Character Mantra is “Lin Bing Dou Zhe, Jie Zhen Lie Qian Xing,” also known as the “Six Jia Secret Incantation,” originating from 《Baopuzi·Inner Chapters·Volume 17·Ascending and Crossing》, fifth paragraph: “When entering a famous mountain, on a Jiazi removal day, use five-color silk strips of five inches each, suspend them on a large rock, and whatever you seek will be obtained. It also says: when entering a mountain, one should know the Six Jia Secret Incantation. The incantation says: ‘All soldiers and fighters, form ranks and advance.’ These nine characters should always be secretly recited, and they will ward off all evils. The essential Way is not complicated—this is what it means.”
Footnotes
- A construct or spliced corpse manipulated by spiritual silk threads in combat; distinct from wooden puppets, these are assembled from human body parts.
- A telekinetically controlled sword wielded remotely in combat by sword cultivators.
- The Nine-Character Mantra, an ancient Daoist incantation ('All soldiers and fighters, form ranks and advance'). Also known as the Six Jia Secret Incantation, it is used to ward off evil and activate defensive formations.
- A Daoist protective formation derived from the Nine-Character Mantra; named after the twelve celestial generals (Six Ding and Six Jia) who serve as divine guardians in Daoist cosmology.
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