Chapter Fourteen: Half-Demon, I Leave It to You, Senior Brother
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At the Dao Inquiry Institute, beneath an ancient pine,
a young female Daoist with luminous eyes and pearly teeth sat cross-legged.
On a stone bench, Xuanming leafed through a volume of scripture.
“The movements of the sun and moon seem to emerge from within it.
The splendor of the stars and Milky Way seems to arise from within it.”
As the morning sun rose in the east and the waning moon sank in the west, the female Daoist, who had remained motionless, finally stirred.
A mountain wind rose from nowhere, stirring the crown of the pine.
Its branches and leaves swayed, whispering and rustling.
Centered on the Dao Inquiry Institute, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth surged like the tides, pouring into Changning’s body.
Dawn and night, sun and moon, shone together.
The yin and yang energies of heaven and earth mingled and briefly steamed upward.
The two supreme stars each lowered a strand of their celestial aura, one golden and one silver. They revolved around Changning before being absorbed by her.
Crack! Crack!
Something inside her body shattered.
The aura surrounding Changning continued to rise.
Just as she was about to enter the Second Realm, her brows suddenly drew tight. Fine beads of cold sweat appeared on her fair forehead, as though she were enduring excruciating pain. Her body trembled faintly.
Yet she did not stop cultivating, much less abandon her attempt to break through. Gritting her teeth against the pain, she continued drawing in the spiritual currents of yin and yang.
Young as she was, her will was already unyielding.
Crack! Crack!
More sounds of shattering rang out.
Xuanming lowered the scripture, his brows knitting slightly.
There truly was something strange about little Changning.
It seemed that a seal was being broken.
The route along which the yin-yang spiritual currents flowed was also subtly different, as though two systems of meridians were operating within her.
One absorbed yang energy, while the other drew in yin energy.
Following the principles by which yin and yang generated and overcame each other, the two systems operated simultaneously, colliding without cease. In the process, they neutralized the conflicting substance within her, seeking common ground while preserving their differences, blending together even as each remained distinct.
Yin and yang were forming a delicate balance along a mysterious trajectory. Whether the attempt would succeed depended on Changning’s perseverance and her mastery of the Yin-Yang Foundation-Building Scripture.
---
Crack! Crack!
The sounds of shattering continued without end.
They even passed directly from within her body to the world outside.
As the seal was forced apart, a strand of peculiar aura spread from Changning, a murky mixture of purity and impurity.
Xuanming’s expression changed.
At that moment, all his earlier doubts were resolved.
He understood why Changning had failed to enter the Second Realm for fifteen years. He understood why she bore a seal. And he understood even more clearly why she possessed two systems of meridians.
It was all because she was not entirely human...
She was a half-demon!
In addition to studying the scriptures, Xuanming would sometimes read miscellaneous books to refresh his mind, broaden his knowledge, and pass the time: geography and topography, historical records and assorted tales, medicinal texts and medical classics, ancient legends, and much more. His interests were broad and varied.
After all, he read indiscriminately, without concern for what he picked up.
That was why he knew something about half-demons.
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Such beings were neither demon nor human, yet both human and demon—a special form of existence between heaven and earth.
For a half-demon merely to be born was already exceedingly difficult. To embark upon the path of cultivation was harder still.
Not only were they unwelcome in the world and rejected by all sides, but more importantly, they possessed both demonic and human meridians.
The two systems were like water and fire, conflicting with and resisting each other, nearly impossible to reconcile. As a result, half-demons had drastically shorter average lifespans and found it extraordinarily difficult to achieve anything on the path of cultivation.
Throughout history, half-demons who had set foot upon the path of cultivation had been as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns. Those who successfully established a foundation could be counted on one hand.
“The Heavenly Dao is ever-changing, and worldly affairs are full of reversals.”
“I never imagined the truth would be this.”
Xuanming stroked his beard and sighed.
No wonder Changning had made up more than a decade of innate deficiency in a mere three months. She had never been innately deficient at all—that had merely been Junior Sister Xuansu’s excuse to outsiders.
Xuansu had placed a special seal upon Changning, deceiving even him. Had little Changning not broken through today, Xuanming would still have remained in the dark.
At that moment, Xuanming felt somewhat fortunate that he had allowed the little girl to attempt her breakthrough at the Dao Inquiry Institute. Otherwise, the outcome might have been impossible to predict.
With a sweep of his horsetail whisk, his magic power flowed like water, forming a luminous bowl that inverted itself over the Dao Inquiry Institute and prevented anyone from spying upon it.
He then resumed his seat on the stone bench. Apart from watching Changning, he made no further move.
Everything that could be done had been done.
This trial could only be overcome by Changning herself.
Success would mean an open sky and boundless horizons.
Failure would leave her lost among the multitude.
The two systems of meridians were heaven and earth’s trial for half-demons.
If he intervened to help, his assistance would only produce the opposite effect, making matters worse and adding frost to snow.
Blessing leans upon calamity, and calamity conceals blessing.
Heaven and earth were impartial, granting every living being a single thread of hope.
Xuanming believed that this junior grand-disciple of his could break through her limits, surpass herself, and transform calamity into fortune.
---
Whoosh!
Several sounds of something tearing through the air rang out.
Xuanxu, Xuanyang, Xuanyin, and the others had all sensed the disturbance on Hidden Dao Peak and arrived one after another.
With the exception of Xuansu, every Daoist elder was now present.
They stood outside the luminous barrier, exchanging glances.
“Senior Brother Xuanming has actually set up such a formidable barrier. Could it be that Junior-Niece Changning is breaking through to foundation establishment? Or that Junior-Nephew Changan has broken through after first being reduced to nothing?”
Xuankong patted his enormous belly and offered his guess.
The fact that Senior Brother Xuanming had taken an interest in Changning and Changan and personally instructed them was no secret at Seeking Truth Abbey.
While envious of their good fortune, all the Daoist elders had wanted to send their own disciples here. After all, Senior Brother Xuanming was no longer what he once had been; the depth of his abilities inspired their boundless admiration.
If their disciples could receive his guidance, they would certainly benefit.
Unfortunately, Senior Brother Xuanming had refused them all.
As he put it:
“Senior Brother Xuanye fell, and Changanzi was left without a teacher. He took meticulous care of this old Daoist for six years; that is a bond of fate.”
“In the past, Senior Brother Xuanye treated me with great kindness. Taken together, these two matters mean that my instruction of Changanzi is repayment of a debt and fulfillment of a bond.”
“Little Changning is very likely someone destined for the Yin-Yang Foundation-Building Scripture. That is why this old Daoist has offered her guidance.”
“As for the other disciples, they already have all of you as their teachers. Why should this poor Daoist trouble himself with guiding them?”
“I am nearing sixty, and my energy is limited. Unless something important happens, do not disturb this old Daoist’s peace.”
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Remembering those words, the Daoist elders were left with complicated feelings.
Fortunately, they were all elders of the abbey. They soon dispelled their distracting thoughts and returned their attention to the question of who, exactly, was breaking through.
Xuanyang threw back his head and laughed heartily.
“Junior Brother Xuankong, there is no need to guess.”
“On my way here, I saw Changanzi. That boy was carrying an entire tree on his back and climbing the mountain on foot. He was drenched in sweat, and his body was torn and bleeding.”
“This must be Junior-Niece Changning breaking through to foundation establishment.”
“Though, come to think of it—”
“Senior Brother Xuanming is truly ruthless.”
“Over the past three months, Changanzi has been put through the wringer. Every day he leaves before dawn and returns after dark, relying entirely on brute physical strength for labor and cultivation.”
“He is constantly falling and ending up battered and bruised. There is hardly a patch of uninjured flesh on him, and that layer of fat is vanishing at astonishing speed. He has become an entire size smaller. Even I find it difficult to watch.”
Xuanyu spoke up. “Junior Brother, choose your words carefully.”
“Senior Brother Xuanming must have profound reasons for doing this.”
Xuanyang, a burly man eight feet tall, instinctively drew in his neck and gave Xuanyu an awkward smile.
“Senior Brother, of course I understand. I was merely making conversation since everyone is waiting here with nothing else to do.”
At that moment, Xuankong chuckled and joined in.
“Junior Sister Xuansu has always been cold and reserved. When she emerges from seclusion and discovers that her precious daughter has replenished her innate origin and entered the Foundation-Building Realm, she will surely be astonished. Her expression is bound to be entertaining.”
“When that happens, I absolutely must be there to witness it. I’ll use a projection stone to record Junior Sister Xuansu’s expression.”
Glancing at the gossip-loving Xuankong, Xuantong said enviously, “She may have remained unnoticed until now, but once she takes flight, she will soar into the heavens.”
“Junior-Niece Changning has endured a fate filled with hardship. Yet if she succeeds in breaking through this time, she will establish a superior Dao foundation. Her fortunes will surely change, and her future achievements will surpass those of every one of us.”
“I rather envy Junior Sister Xuansu.”
The moment he said this, Xuankong fell silent.
All the Daoist elders fell silent as well, even Xuanyu.
After a long while, Xuanyang said, “If little Changning successfully establishes her foundation, then even if Senior Brother Xuanming beats me black and blue, I will force my disciple in here.”
The others nodded one after another, their voices growing louder with each speaker.
“Junior Brother Xuanyang speaks wisely!”
“It must be done!”
“Fortune should be shared, and hardship endured together. I’ll go with you.”
“This poor Daoist will come along as well.”
“I am the Abbey Master. I ought to go first in this matter. If Senior Brother blames me, I am willing to bear the consequences myself.”
Xuanyin immediately said, “Then we shall trouble you, Senior Brother.”
The others understood at once and began offering their thanks.
“The capable should shoulder more. Senior Brother, you have our gratitude.”
“No wonder you can serve as Abbey Master. Your willingness to bear such a burden is admirable.”
“Rest assured, Senior Brother. I will prepare the spiritual medicines.”
Xuanyu: ...
Wasn’t the saying that the law did not punish everyone supposed to apply here?
I was merely going along with what all of you said.
For a moment, the Abbey Master of Seeking Truth was beset by gloom, crushed beneath an enormous weight of pressure.
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