Chapter 40 Overcoming Inner Demons
Not long after Li Chang'an was born, his biological parents wrapped him in swaddling clothes and threw him onto the side of the road.
It was winter then, and babies less than a month old wouldn't survive long in the freezing cold.
Fortunately, he was picked up by his adoptive parents who were on their way to the market the next morning.
His adoptive parents had been married for two years without having children, so after finding him, they raised him as their own child.
They hoped he would live a peaceful and safe life, so they named him Li Chang'an.
When he was two years old, his adoptive parents had their own child, but despite this, they never mistreated him.
Li Chang'an never knew that he was an adopted child.
When he was six years old, some annoying adults in the village told him about his origins, saying that his adoptive parents had their own biological child and would definitely not treat him well or want him anymore.
Li Chang'an burst into tears, packed his things, and secretly left.
He thought that since his parents would abandon him sooner or later, he would leave on his own and not let his parents ask him to leave.
But he hadn't gone far when his parents caught up with him.
They didn't scold or hit him for running away from home. Instead, his mother held him and cried for a long time, and his father found the annoying adult and gave him a good scolding.
The night he returned home, his mother said to him, "Chang'an, don't worry. Even if your father and mother have a younger brother, we will never stop loving you. You will always be our most beloved child, and our family's little lucky star."
"Your father and I never had children. It was because of you that we have Changning. You brought him into this world, and your father and I are very grateful to you."
Little Li Chang'an choked up, firmly remembering her words.
He is their lucky star.
However, not long after that, less than a month later, the family of four went to the county town for a trip. On their way back, the bus overturned and fell into a ravine because the driver was fatigued.
At the moment the car overturned, his parents shielded him and his younger brother in their arms.
My father was the most seriously injured; he stopped breathing not long after the bus crashed at the bottom of the cliff.
His mother comforted him, but in the end, Li Chang'an still heard his mother say, "Chang'an, we can't be with you anymore. You must live well, take care of your younger brother, and live well..."
After that, he never spoke again.
However, the younger brother was also injured by the broken glass and stopped breathing shortly after being rescued.
At that time, Li Chang'an was lying on the rescue stretcher with his younger brother in his arms. He heard his brother's breathing becoming weaker and weaker, and he heard his brother say that it hurt so much and that his brother was the only one left in the family. He said that his brother had to protect their home.
Li Chang'an held him tightly, crying and begging him not to sleep, pleading with those around him to save him again, to save his last remaining family members.
But no one could save them.
Including the driver, there were more than 20 people in the car, but only Li Chang'an survived.
Many people in the village said that he was too unlucky, and that he brought misfortune to everyone on the bus and to his own family.
He was no longer the family's lucky star, but the sinner who brought them death.
...
The sharp, sword-like spider legs stopped no more than ten centimeters from the face.
The spider demon tilted its head in confusion, looking at the person in front of it.
It spoke in a human voice: "Aren't you going to hide?"
Li Chang'an watched it quietly.
He didn't hide, nor did he need to hide at that time.
The Seven Stars of the Alliance arrived quickly and sealed the spider demon.
Only Grandpa Huang and Grandma Li died; they were the two people who were the best to him after his parents died.
He died protecting him.
The spider demon retracted its legs, a black mist enveloped it, and it transformed into human form.
It wasn't the human form of the spider demon from my memory, but another "Li Chang'an".
He looked at Li Chang'an and asked, "You're not hiding because you know you'll be rescued, or because... you want to die?"
Li Chang'an lowered his eyelashes and did not answer, only saying, "You are my inner demon."
“Yes.” The inner demon nodded.
The cultivation materials on this platform say that inner demons are manifestations of past obsessions.
However, not many people break through to the Golden Core stage, so there isn't much discussion about inner demons.
Li Chang'an suddenly laughed.
"What are you laughing at?" the inner demon asked, puzzled.
“I am laughing…” Li Chang’an took a deep breath and laughed, “So after all these years, I still haven’t let go of these things.”
He raised his eyes and looked straight at his inner demons. "But I won't die just because I can't let go of these things."
It wasn't just because of his family's advice; more importantly, he still had some grudges to settle.
“It would be easy to be defeated by you and run away from everything.” Li Chang’an raised his hand and circulated his spiritual power. “But I don’t want to let them down. I want to live a responsible and honest life.”
Seeing the golden light emanating from his body, the inner demon frowned: "You've remained conscious the whole time, and my mind hasn't been corrupted!"
If one is truly trapped in this illusion of inner demons, one's spiritual power will only be devoured by it, how could one possibly gather such a powerful force!
“I always knew it was fake,” Li Chang’an said slowly, “but I’m really grateful to you for letting me see them again.”
Memories are constantly worn down by the years, and those who left never came back to his dreams. Their faces have long since become blurred and less vivid in the irresistible passage of time.
But just now, he saw them again, so clearly.
With a cultivator's memory, this time, he will remember it for a very long time.
"Thank you." Li Chang'an said solemnly, gathering his spiritual power in his palm and slamming it fiercely towards the inner demon.
"You...!" The inner demon's eyes widened, but before he could finish speaking, a burst of golden light shone before his eyes and rushed towards him.
Golden light, like flowing water, enveloped a cloud of black mist, gradually swallowing it up.
Li Chang'an was also blinded by the golden light. At that moment, he felt the spiritual energy in his body gently flowing to his dantian. Then, he seemed to see a golden bead.
He successfully formed his golden core.
When Li Chang'an opened his eyes again, he saw the scene in the mountain god's cave and couldn't help but secretly breathe a sigh of relief.
Then he saw the sword spirit and the black sword standing under a giant tree not far away.
Li Chang'an chuckled, relaxed, and leaned back against the tree behind him, teasingly saying, "Don't tell me you were there to kill me at any moment."
The sword spirit glanced at him indifferently and said only, "The tribulation clouds are coming. Be prepared."
Calamity clouds!
Li Chang'an quickly sat up straight.
Successfully forming the core means he has broken through to the Golden Core stage and it's time for him to undergo tribulation.
The heavenly lightning contains the most powerful force. Last time, after his tribulation, he gained two acres of inferior spiritual soil. This time…
Li Chang'an suddenly stood up and flew rapidly towards the outside of the Mountain God's Cave using his qi.
The cave of the mountain god was somewhat dark inside, but the entrance was brightly lit.
When Li Chang'an touched the ground with his toes, brightly colored, glowing little flowers bloomed on the dark ground.
Soon, the darkness turned to light, and Li Chang'an closed his eyes slightly. The next second, he arrived at the exit of the Mountain God's Cave.
The sky was dark and gloomy, and the spirit birds on the mountaintop were chirping. He smiled, and once again used his qi to fly up to the East Floating Island.
Large swaths of golden thunderclouds have gathered in the higher cloud layers.
Li Chang'an looked up and saw a golden light flash across the clouds of tribulation. He then turned to the tea tree and said, "I'm sorry, I hope I didn't implicate you!"
"What?!" The tea spirit exclaimed in surprise, but instinctively cast a spell to protect its true form, the tea tree: "Are you going to undergo tribulation here?! Hey, I don't want to get struck by lightning for no reason—"
Before he could finish speaking, golden lightning struck down with a deafening roar.
"Boom!"
-----------------------
Author's Note: [Lop-eared rabbit head] Thank you so much, little ones, for all the nutrient solutions! Thank you so much, Mumu, for the thunderbolt! *kissing sounds*
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
