Chapter 92: Crisis
The barrier at the Two Realms Mountain was difficult even for Xiao Mo to cross, let alone Mu Lichuan's human body. Even if he somehow made it past, facing the great demon of Two Realms Mountain, even a mighty cultivator would meet certain death—how much more so for a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator like him?
"I'm not crazy, just asking," Mu Lichuan muttered, enduring the pain as he searched for the barrier. The demonic energy seeped in relentlessly through his pores, making his very soul ache. In truth, it all came down to his low cultivation level—had he been stronger, this demonic energy wouldn’t have harmed him.
Inside the barrier, everything was pitch black, filled with dark, sinister energy. He advanced slowly, eyes closed, moving forward with great difficulty.
Mu Lichuan felt an overwhelming sense of oppression, as if all his negative emotions were surfacing. "Wake up!" Just as his mind turned to mush, a sharp voice roared in his head.
"This is the Clear Heart Mantra. Don’t let yourself be deceived. This demonic energy saps willpower and confidence, bringing out all your darkest emotions," Xiao Mo urgently transmitted the mantra into Mu Lichuan’s spiritual sea. If he succumbed to the illusion, he would lose himself, trapped until his soul withered away.
Coming to his senses, Mu Lichuan broke out in a cold sweat. What haunted him most was his mother’s death. Despite being reborn, he couldn’t change her fate—a deep regret that weighed on him as a son.
"Hurry. The longer you stay, the worse it gets for you," Xiao Mo warned sternly. This was Mu Lichuan’s trial, something no one else could resolve for him.
His cultivation had progressed too quickly, leaving his foundation unstable. The slightest mishap could ruin his potential, and that would spell real trouble.
Mu Lichuan stayed silent, focusing entirely on searching for the formation’s core. Groping in the darkness, his power of faith drained steadily, yet his steps remained firm. Gone was the earlier confusion and labored breathing—his Dao heart had grown steadier than before.
Cultivators raised in comfort, even geniuses, often faltered at the first sign of adversity. That was why so few talents in the cultivation world truly matured, their arrogance led to fatal consequences in later trials.
After what felt like an eternity, Mu Lichuan nearly forgot his surroundings.
"Found it!" He exhaled in relief.
"Throw the compass over and channel your spiritual energy into it," Xiao Mo said, equally relieved.
Mu Lichuan formed a series of complex hand seals, pouring his spiritual energy into the compass. The demon that had reached out for him recoiled with a shriek.
Drained of energy, Mu Lichuan collapsed as space twisted around him. A flash of white light later, he was out.
"Young friend." Min Yong and the brown-robed elder had waited three days and nights, their anxiety hidden beneath calm exteriors.
Mu Lichuan was completely spent. "It’s sealed…" he said weakly. He owed his survival to Xiao Mo’s Clear Heart Mantra—without it, he would have been lost forever.
Relief washed over Min Yong’s face. They tried transferring spiritual energy to the boy, only to be repelled.
Mu Lichuan took out a pill and swallowed it. A surge of spiritual energy flooded his body, beginning his recovery.
Min Yong and the brown-robed elder stood guard, though they wondered where he’d gotten such a pill. But some questions were best left unasked.
Three more days passed before Mu Lichuan opened his eyes again—just in time for his stomach to growl in protest. "Young friend, we prepared food for you," Min Yong said, offering roasted duck.
They had long since reached Bi Gu (辟谷 - fasting, no longer needing mortal food), but they knew a Foundation Establishment cultivator like Mu Lichuan still needed sustenance. So, one of them had gone down the mountain daily to buy meals.
"Thanks." Mu Lichuan grabbed the duck and devoured it. Never had roasted duck tasted so good.
Coughing from eating too fast, he gratefully accepted the bottled water the brown-robed elder handed him, gulping it down.
Practical to a fault, he cared more about filling his stomach than his disheveled state.
After two whole ducks and a bottle of water, he finally felt satisfied. "Let’s go. Next stop—Mount Le."
He had been to both places before. First, the Nine Sails Ghost Banner, then the water ghost—it all felt like yesterday.
He’d been framed because of He Chen, leading to Mi Rong’s demonic transformation. Everything revolved around him, yet it also sharpened his cultivation.
He had assumed the mortal world would be free of such things, but reality proved otherwise—darkness lurked beneath the surface.
"Young friend, wouldn’t you like a few more days to recover? The formation at Mount Sheng is destroyed, weakening Mount Le’s barrier," Min Yong advised. Their role was merely to assist, the real work fell to Mu Lichuan.
Mu Lichuan shook his head. "Let’s settle this now, so we don’t have to live in fear." The mastermind behind Mi Rong needed to be found, but tracking down a hidden cultivator in this vast world was no easy task.
Min Yong and the brown-robed elder voiced no objections. If Mu Lichuan was willing to protect the common people, it was their fortune.
Mount Le’s barrier was simpler than Mount Sheng’s. Mu Lichuan found the cave where the formation core lay and sealed it the same way. With the demonic energy gone, even the air in the capital felt cleaner.
"Bang—" Min Yong instantly erected a barrier around the three of them. Mu Lichuan was still weak, if an enemy struck now, he’d die for sure.
"All you cultivators—scram!" A hoarse voice snarled. A middle-aged man covered in black markings, like some foreign tribesman, glared at them.
Min Yong spoke politely, "Fellow Daoist, what brings you here in such a rage?" If his guess was right, this man was no orthodox cultivator. His aura reeked of demonic or evil cultivation.
"Meddling old fools! Step aside, or I won’t hold back!" The man’s hatred burned in his eyes. "I want him!"
Now he knew why his brother had died. The boy’s soul—it was the perfect feast. Devouring it would surely elevate his cultivation.
"Demon cultivator!" The brown-robed elder paled. This man had hidden well, but in that instant, his formidable power was unmistakable.
Both Min Yong and the brown-robed elder were at Golden Core Stage, yet this demon cultivator was either their equal or stronger.
"Even after all my efforts to conceal myself, you saw through me?" The man sneered. "No matter. You’re not leaving either. Hand over your Golden Cores, they’ll make fine supplements."
The two elders drew their magical tools. What had drawn a demon cultivator to Mount Sheng?
The man’s eyes reddened as he raised a scythe oozing black energy. With a vicious swing, he struck.
High-level battles came down to cultivation, energy reserves, and resources. Their fight was contained within a barrier—if it drew the attention of true powerhouses, the consequences would be dire.
"Pfft—" Min Yong and the brown-robed elder, only at Golden Core First Layer, were no match for their Second Layer opponent. No wonder he had been so arrogant.
"Ugh—" Min Yong’s face whitened. The scythe was draining their spiritual energy, leaving them defenseless.
"Die!" The man’s face twisted as he swung again, black tendrils coiling around the two elders. Their complexions turned deathly pale.
Ordinary cultivators stood little chance against such demonic energy, especially when outmatched.
"Pfft— Pfft—" Both spat blood, their faces flushing—preparing for a final, desperate move.
"You—you’re planning to self-destruct? Don’t forget, he’s still here!" The demon cultivator’s expression twisted. A Golden Core explosion would gravely injure him, it could even flatten Mount Sheng entirely. Even if he survived, orthodox cultivators would hunt him down.
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