Rebuilding the Dao Heart
It smiled gently at Fu Buci's face, raised its extremely long and thin forelimbs, and walked towards her step by step, saying in Fu Buci's voice, "Du'er, I've been looking for you for so long, come back with me."
It reached out its hand to her, a hand stained with blood—all of it Fu Buci's blood!
The other Chaodu's eyes stung with tears, his heart filled with hatred, and only one thought remained in his mind: Kill it! Avenge Buci!
She suddenly drew her Langyue sword and thrust it at it, but was forced to stop halfway, unable to move.
It's so cold...
She slowly lowered her head and discovered that her body was covered in thick ice!
She vaguely remembered something, and a familiar voice suddenly echoed in her mind: "The monster you saw is fake, it doesn't exist."
The other Asakawa watched the monster getting closer and closer, yet becoming increasingly transparent, and slowly widened her eyes.
"This is an illusion," the voice said again.
"Du'er, I miss you so much!" The monster reached out its hand with sharp nails toward her cheek. She instinctively tried to dodge but couldn't. She could only watch helplessly as the translucent hand got closer and closer to her before being suddenly severed by a sword flashing with lightning.
The monster clutched its wound and roared, glaring fiercely at the sword before dissipating into a bloody mist.
The other one shook its head and gasped for breath, as if it had been suffocating underwater for a long time and had suddenly surfaced.
She looked up: before her was another version of herself, wielding the mighty sword; it was she who had just severed the monster's arm.
The other one, Chao Du, paused, enduring the biting cold, and asked urgently, "Wasn't that monster an illusion? How could you see it and cut off its arm?"
Asakawa raised an eyebrow: "Oh? You only cut off its arm? I can't actually see what it is, but judging from your eyes, it looks like it's about to hurt you, so I tried to draw my sword to see if I could kill it. That way, I might be able to help you get out of the illusion faster."
"But if it's an illusion, it's fake, how did you cut off its arm?" The other Asakawa was still confused and sneezed from the cold. "It's so cold..."
Chao Du snapped her fingers, causing the thick layer of ice on her other self to shatter and fall away, replaced by a layer of warm spiritual energy. Then she thought for a moment and said, "Well, I'm not really sure either. Maybe it's because you were almost awake just now, but you couldn't distinguish the boundary between illusion and reality, and you overlapped the two; or maybe you trusted me and thought my sword could hurt the monster in the illusion, and it really did. If you encounter this situation again next time, you can just call me and tell me its location, like three steps away from you, and we'll try to see if we can get rid of it directly."
Another one, Chao Du, brightened up: "Great! But speaking of which, how come I suddenly saw that monster again?"
Asakawa was also thinking about this problem. Not long ago, when his other self watched the sunrise, the demonic energy on his body was a little weaker, but just now after he started cultivating resonance, the demonic energy on his body became more and more intense, and he even saw that "monster" again.
The problem seems to lie in the resonance, but Chao Du himself has cultivated this method for many years. It not only calms the mind, making it very suitable for his other self's current situation, but it also greatly increases the speed of accumulating spiritual energy... That's right, spiritual energy! Could it be because of spiritual energy?!
Chao Du suddenly remembered: spiritual energy cannot coexist with demonic energy, because spiritual energy will be polluted by demonic energy.
In this way, the spiritual energy that the other Chaodu gains during the resonance will not only fail to suppress her demonic energy, but will also be corrupted into demonic energy, making her more likely to lose control!
Asakawa gasped, "It was my oversight; I didn't consider that just now."
Asahi told his guess to the other Asahi.
“I’m used to this method, but I didn’t expect it to be unsuitable for your current situation. I’m sorry,” Chao Du apologized. The other Chao Du held her hand and smiled, “It’s alright. We don’t know how to eradicate demonic energy. It’s normal to take some detours and encounter some obstacles on the way we try.”
Asaka was a little surprised. She found that her other self had really changed. This time, she didn't need to comfort herself; instead, she was the one comforting herself.
Another Chaodu winked at her and laughed, "You were the first person to ascend to immortality, so I want to be the first person to go from demon to immortal. I can't give up because of this little setback."
Chao Du also took her hand and smiled, "Then let's continue, but the cultivation method needs to be improved. Let me think... By the way, when you watched the sunrise today, the demonic energy on your body actually faded. What were you thinking at that time?"
Another person looked at the "Golden Crow" that was still flying upwards and recalled: "At that time, I thought that the past seemed like a dream that had ended, and the future was ahead. With you and early to bed and early to rise with me, it should be a good future."
Asaka's heart stirred slightly, and she recalled the time when her other self successfully controlled her strength because she wanted to touch two little birds that had been reunited after a long separation, and the monster that her other self repeatedly saw... All of these were related to her heart.
Chao Du suddenly had a new inspiration: perhaps eradicating demonic energy is not about external things like elixirs and magic treasures, and even the method of cultivation is secondary; the key lies in the heart.
Cultivators who fall from immortality to demonhood due to the shattering of their Dao heart may find that the key to rising from demonhood to immortality lies in rebuilding their Dao heart.
Rebuild an unbreakable Daoist heart.
But how easy is that?
An unbreakable Dao heart requires going through countless trials and tribulations, experiencing the coldness and warmth of human relationships, and remaining steadfast, even growing stronger and more solid. This cannot be achieved by simply cultivating in seclusion in the deep mountains.
She needs to re-enter the world and cultivate her Daoist heart amidst the myriad aspects of life and the impermanence of the world.
Chao Du paced slowly, pondering a suitable way to bring her into the world. Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck her, and she had an idea, but she needed to prepare for this method.
"Let's continue our cultivation." Chao Du took out a jade ring, which was carved with interlocking, ever-flowing water patterns.
She raised her hand and drew a talisman on it with her spiritual energy, then handed it to her other self: "This is the Spirit Gathering Jade Ring. I modified it so that the spiritual energy you absorb when you resonate with heaven and earth can be stored here. Firstly, this spiritual energy will not be polluted into demonic energy, so you can continue to practice resonance to calm your mind and suppress demonic energy. Secondly, this spiritual energy may come in handy in the future."
"Thank you for your trouble." The other Chao Du carefully accepted the jade ring and immediately put it on his waist.
Asakawa laughed and said, "Why are you being so polite with me? Shall we try again next time?"
Another Chaodu tried again. After careful observation, Chaodu found that the demonic energy on her body had become lighter this time, so she must have succeeded.
As the sun rose higher, the two chariots began their next lesson: practical application.
On the way back to the sect from the cliff, another Chaodu kept glancing at Chaodu, hinting with his eyes: Aren't you going to teach me some powerful new moves first? Or will you teach me during sword practice this afternoon?
Asakawa glanced at her other self, who couldn't hide her excitement, and heard her thoughts. She smiled and asked, "Want to learn my unique and invincible new move?"
Another Asakawa immediately cheered, "Yes!"
Chao Du nodded, and a thin booklet appeared in his hand. He handed it to another Chao Du, whose eyes were full of expectation, and said with a smile, "Learn it. If you learn this sword technique, you can become the number one in the world, invincible, and then transcend demons and become an immortal, living as long as the heavens."
The other Asahi, who had been full of expectations, looked at Asahi suspiciously, and the more she looked, the more she felt that Asahi's smile was like that of a cunning fox.
"Something feels off..." another Asahi muttered as he took the booklet and looked down at the cover, which had four large, flamboyant characters: "Dream Sword Technique".
Another Asakawa: "...Pfft." He was amused.
Chao Du laughed: "There is no such invincible sword technique. Anyone who says there is is a liar. To become a master, sword technique is not the most important thing. In my opinion, practical experience and spiritual energy accumulation are more important than sword technique."
Another Chao Du thought for a moment and nodded: "Indeed, the sword technique you used in the Waiting Immortal Tower was not too complicated, but your spiritual power was strong enough. Even a single sword aura had great power and could kill several large demons at the same time."
Asakawa nodded, snapped his fingers, and the invincible "Dream Sword Technique" booklet scattered into a handful of pink petals. Another Asakawa raised his hand and scattered them cleanly.
As Chao Du walked, he said, "There are no shortcuts to learning swordsmanship. You already have a foundation in swordsmanship, but learning more techniques would be a burden for you right now, and could even restrict your thinking and actions. It would be better to first get a feel for the game through actual combat, improve your combat experience, and then fill in the gaps in your skills."
Another Asakawa: "That makes sense, but who am I supposed to spar with? It can't be you, can it...?"
Asakawa nodded with a smile: "Yes, don't you want to?"
“I’m just afraid I’m too clumsy and will startle you…” Another Asakawa carefully observed her expression.
Chao Du shook her head helplessly: "You, you're clumsy and I'm clumsy too, so let's not blame each other. But right now, your opponent is someone else, and I have other things to do, so I can't keep practicing with you." She took out the Scroll of Reality and Illusion and transformed the six vacant small buildings around her into spiritual energy and put them back into the painting, clearing a large open space.
Another Chao Du looked around and asked, "Why have they changed so much? What's going on?"
“These buildings aren’t used often, let’s turn them into training grounds.” As Chao Du said, he placed his palm on the scroll of illusion and reality, and two small fish busily sketched out a picture: a dense forest, with paths, traps, monsters, and humanoid assassins vaguely visible within.
The line drawing fell into the open space, and then was filled in with color by spiritual power. In the blink of an eye, a large forest training ground appeared on the mountaintop.
"This is the starting point, and the destination is on the other side." Chao Du patted his other self on the shoulder with a smile. "Go, the faster the better. There's a reward if you can get there before an incense stick burns out."
Another Chaodu immediately charged in with great enthusiasm, carrying the Langyue Sword.
Traps hidden beneath fallen leaves, concealed weapons hidden among dense foliage, monstrous creatures lurking behind trees, and a lone, undefeated opponent standing across the road...
When the other woman arrived at the finish line looking disheveled, the sunset had already disappeared, leaving only the moon waving to her.
When Asahi, who was waiting at the finish line, saw the resentful look in the eyes of another Asahi, he didn't dare to say anything for a moment.
Another man, Chao Du, leaning on his scabbard and carrying his sword, forced a smile: "Isn't this a bit too difficult... How could we possibly reach it in the time it takes for an incense stick to burn?"
Chao Du hesitated, then silently used the Scroll of Illusion and Reality to restore the training ground. He then conjured a water mirror for her to see, reminding her, "Don't blink."
Before the other Asakawa could understand what was going on, Asakawa's figure had already disappeared. The next moment, her figure appeared in the water mirror, and Asakawa was standing at the starting point waving at the water mirror.
Then, the figure in the water mirror rushed into the dense forest like the wind.
One move. Facing all the traps and the attacking opponents, she used only one move!
The water mirror couldn't even keep up with her speed; only afterimages remained in the mirror, along with slowly crumbling remains behind them.
Extremely fast speed, extremely concise and precise attack.
The other Chao Du almost forgot to breathe, his eyes filled only with that flowing, ethereal, and chilling afterimage.
As the sound of sheathing the sword rang out beside him, the other Chao Du suddenly came to his senses: a stick of incense was more than enough for his other self!
Asakawa observed her expression and carefully considered his words: "I believe you can achieve this level in the future, but there are still some areas that need improvement, such as increasing your speed and accuracy. Also, you haven't had any real combat experience in a long time, so it's not bad that you were able to complete it all on your first try. Just practice more."
Chao Du patted her shoulder and smiled, "I believe in you. You don't need to be afraid or worried. Give yourself some time and take it slow."
Another Asakawa: "...Hmm! Then I'll try again!" She gripped the sword and strained, but her wrist trembled slightly.
Asawa observed her condition and asked, "Are you tired?"
Another Asawata: "Well, a little, but I can..."
Chao Du smiled and shook his head, looking at the bright moon in the sky, and said gently, "It's already evening, why don't you rest for a while and continue tomorrow? Don't exhaust yourself, take it slow, you have plenty of time."
A gentle voice, like a spring breeze, soothed her tense nerves. The other woman, Asakawa, let out a deep breath and relaxed: "Okay, so what's next?"
Asakawa asked, "Do you want to play the piano or paint? Or you can go fishing or sleep, anything that can calm your mind is fine."
Another person thought for a moment: "Fishing? I'm afraid I won't be able to control my strength and will make a mess of playing the piano or painting. As for sleeping... I feel like I can't sleep."
Chao Du nodded: "Then let's go fishing."
The two arrived at the Pink Lotus Lake and retrieved two fishing rods, two fish baskets, two deck chairs, and some fish food from a small hut by the lake where miscellaneous items were stored. They then went to the lakeside pavilion to start fishing.
Another man set up his fishing rod at Chaodu, gazing at the bright moon over the lake, the jade platform in the lake, and the winding narrow bridge. He recalled his dream from that day, and the spirited young man Fu Buci in the dream.
There's no going back.
He will never be seen again, not like that person.
Another Chao Du looked lost in thought. He glanced at her and, in an attempt to distract her, said, "By the way, I'm planning to recruit a few new disciples for our Immortal Hidden Sect. How about you become the vice sect leader and lead the new disciples in their cultivation?" This was an important step in helping her rebuild her Dao heart.
Another Chao Du, his attention diverted, asked in surprise, "I'm going to be the vice sect leader and mentor new disciples? Can I even manage that...?"
She looked down at the demonic runes on her hands, shook her head with a wry smile, and said, "Who would want to listen to someone who has fallen into demonic possession? Besides, with my current novice level, how can I possibly mentor new disciples? Wouldn't that just be harming them?"
Chao Du said, "Don't worry, I'll help you. If there are any you can't take care of, I will. But I feel you should be able to take care of most of the disciples, because the new disciples I plan to recruit this time are 'us from back then'."
Another Asakawa turned to look at her in surprise, her gaze shifting slightly: "Us back then?"
Asakawa nodded, gazing at the shimmering, moonlit lake with a tender, nostalgic look in her eyes: "Yes, back then, all we knew was that we wanted to pick up a sword. We didn't understand anything else. We stumbled and bumped into walls everywhere, getting hurt as we went. We were determined to move forward, but we were so lost that we couldn't even tell where the 'road ahead' was. We would even break down in the middle of the night and cry into our pillows..."
The other woman looked at her in surprise, incredulous: "You cried in the middle of the night too?!"
Chao Du shrugged: "I told you long ago that we are one person. Although we still haven't figured out where our differences started, if it's about knowing Fu Buci, we met him at the same time and by the same circumstances, so there shouldn't be such a big difference... Let's not talk about him. Anyway, this time, the new disciple I want to recruit may not even know how to use a sword, or may be confused and not know where the road ahead is, but that's okay. As long as they have the courage to keep moving forward, that's the only requirement for entry."
Another thought stirred within Asakawa: she felt this condition was also meant for her; no matter what predicament she was in, as long as she had the courage to keep moving forward, that was enough.
Another Chao Du smiled with relief: "That sounds great. So when are we going to recruit? By the way, what about the Immortal Alliance? Sects have to report to the Immortal Alliance when recruiting, but our relationship with the Immortal Alliance is currently..."
Chao Du calmly said, "Don't worry, I've already sent the sword spirit to gather information. Speaking of which, it seems the Immortal Alliance doesn't intend to make a big deal out of what happened the night before last. Many people don't know about it. No rush, I'll try to contact the Immortal Alliance again and see how things go. We didn't intend to be enemies with the Immortal Alliance, and the Immortal Alliance may not want to be enemies with us either."
The two continued fishing while chatting. When Chao Du caught his third fish, the other Chao Du's fish basket was still empty.
If you look into the water, you'll see that the fish are all gathered around Chaodu, practically lining up to bite the hook.
Asakawa: "...Maybe it's because these fish were created with my spiritual power that they're more affectionate towards me. How about we find a place with real fish and continue fishing?"
The other Asaka sighed in relief. She had originally been indifferent, but seeing how much her other self wanted her to catch a fish, she was willing to try again. Would that make her other self happier?
The two set off immediately, carrying their belongings down the mountain to a nearby lake.
Another woman, while setting out her things, kept her gaze fixed on the surrounding dense forest. She whispered, "Is it just my imagination? I feel like something in the forest is watching me..."
“It’s not an illusion, there are over a hundred pairs of eyes watching this way.” Chao Du calmly put down the deck chair and fish basket, and set up the fishing rod. “But don’t be afraid, they’re just small monsters, and after the fight last night, they shouldn’t dare to come over. Let’s keep fishing.”
Another person, Chao Du, suddenly realized: "So the fight last night had this effect. It wasn't a waste of time."
The two continued fishing, and the fish gathered around Asakawa again, avoiding the side where the other Asakawa was.
Another woman looked at the group of fish and laughed, "They're quite clever." She smiled, but her expression held a hint of melancholy.
Chao Du quickly thought of a solution: "I've got it! Let's both conceal our auras, that way we'll look the same to them."
Asaka focused his mind and concealed his aura, the orderly school of fish around him was immediately thrown into disarray, before slowly dispersing.
Chao Du took out another necklace and personally put it around the neck of his other self: "This way, others won't be able to sense your presence, and in their eyes, you will be unfathomable."
The other fisherman was amused, and the two continued fishing. This time, the fish were much more evenly distributed, with new fish appearing in both baskets from time to time.
Another woman, Chao Du, became increasingly interested. While waiting for the fish, she looked at the tranquil lake and suddenly remembered something: "Speaking of which, there is such a peaceful lake in this desolate gray mountain range. Are there no monsters or demonic cultivators living in it?"
Chao Du smiled and said, "He used to, but he's gone on a long trip now."
"...You mean, the dragon from last night?!" another Chaodu exclaimed in realization. "So this is his lake?"
Chao Du nodded: "Dragons like water, so he probably lives here. Those little monsters in the dense forest are probably his subordinates?"
"We are not worthy to be his subordinates..."
A trembling, aged voice rang out, and the two Chaodu turned around to look, only to find a demon emerging from the dense forest.
This demon has a human head and a deer body. It's clear that its cultivation level is very low, and it hasn't even fully mastered human form yet, but its hair and eyebrows are already completely white... It's probably nearing the end of its lifespan.
A fawn rushed out crying toward him, only to be stopped by the other deer demons.
Looking at the fearful and wary eyes of these demons, Chaodu said helplessly, "Don't be afraid, I don't intend to hurt you."
There was no letter from the demon.
Only the old deer demon walked step by step up to her, his expression so resolute that he seemed to have no intention of returning alive.
He stared at Chao Du and asked, "May I ask where our En Yao has gone?" His eyes were filled with cold hatred and murderous intent.
Chao Du smiled and said, "He's going to save people, um, save demons. He'll be back in a few days."
"Really?!" The old deer demon's face lit up with surprise, and excited cheers echoed through the dense forest.
The old deer demon, barely suppressing his excitement, pressed, "Will En Yao really come back? Didn't you chase him away last night?"
"No, I just told him the whereabouts of the demon he's been looking for, and that he'll come back." Chao Du looked at the group of simple-minded little demons and asked curiously, "Why do you call him the En Demon? Did he save you?"
The old deer demon was overjoyed and wept. Upon hearing this, he wiped away his tears and nodded, saying, "Back then, we were enslaved by an evil demon. It was the benevolent demon who saved us, protected us, and taught us cultivation... It's just a pity that our cultivation level was too low. Last night, the benevolent demon wouldn't let us go with them, so we could only watch helplessly..."
Chao Du understood: "So you're planning to risk your life to assassinate me today?"
The old deer demon froze.
Chao Du waved his hand: "Go back. Your En Yao will be back in a few days. While he's away, I'll protect this place. You can continue as you always have."
The old deer demon was completely stunned, and it took him a while to come to his senses: "...You know En Yao?"
Asakawa: "Well, I originally knew the demon he was looking for, but now I also know him. Let's hurry back, that little deer demon is getting impatient."
The old deer demon, with tears in his eyes, expressed his gratitude profusely before staggering back into the dense forest, where the other demons cheered and gradually dispersed.
The two fished for a while longer, and when the sky began to lighten, they released the fish from their baskets back into the lake. Then they returned to the cliff of the Immortal Hidden Sect to wait for the sunrise.
While waiting, Asahi spoke up: "Last night I saw Yuzo and... another person."
Another person, Chao Du, asked in surprise, "How did you see us? Weren't we fishing last night?"
Chao Du: "I've left clones in both the Immortal Alliance and the Azure Cloud Immortal Palace. It's confirmed that the Immortal Alliance doesn't want to be our enemy, and You Cang has agreed to let our Immortal Hidden Sect recruit people and will even help with publicity. However… do you know how Fu Buci plans to handle your matter?"
Another woman shook her head. Thinking of him still made her sad, but there was also a sense of relief she had never felt before: "He certainly wouldn't say I've fallen into demonic possession. Maybe he'd say I'm sick and can't be seen by people? But anyway, not many people care whether I show my face or not."
Asaka sneered, "Not only that, he also plans to find you a substitute."
Another man, Chao Du, frowned deeply: "A substitute? To replace me? What does he want to do? Right, he's wanted to replace me for a long time. A substitute is someone he can manipulate at will, including... offering to divorce me and make way for his new wife?!"
Asakawa nodded: "Isn't this a pretty good method?"
Another Chaodu looked at Chaodu in astonishment. Chaodu gazed at the increasingly bright sea of clouds and smiled faintly: "So I plan to learn from him. I asked Youzang to tell Fu Buci that if he dares to find you a substitute, I dare to find him a substitute. If he dares to find a new wife, the Immortal Alliance will dare to change its leader."
Another Asawata: "...!"
The golden crow spread its wings and flew out of the sea of clouds, its golden light instantly covering the cliffs, somewhat dazzling. Another Chao Du covered his eyes, but tears slid down his cheeks.
Chao Du continued, but his voice was more hesitant than before: "Last night, in order to gather information, I met with another person who wants to join the Immortal Hidden Sect."
Another person, Chao Du, exclaimed in surprise, "Who is it? We're just about to recruit new disciples, why don't we send her?"
Chao Du coughed lightly: "She is, Su Rourui."
Another Asakawa: "…………"
She said with difficulty, "Su Rourui...why don't you want to reconsider?"
After a pause, she turned her head to the side and sighed, "If you really want her to come in, then let her in."
Chao Du shook his head and said, "The choice is yours. I understand you don't like her; she hurt you deeply in the past. But if she is willing to completely sever ties with Fu Buci, apologize to you in front of everyone in the cultivation world, give up her identity as Fairy Rouhua to join the Immortal Hidden Sect, and spend the rest of her life atoning for her sins, are you willing to give her a chance?"
Another Asawata was shocked: "She can do that?"
Asakawa nodded: "She said it herself last night."
Another person hesitated for a moment, then nodded: "If she can really do it, then we can give her a chance."
Chao Du: "Okay, then I'll tell her to apologize to you in front of everyone when we officially recruit new disciples."
Another person named Asawa thought about the scene and felt a chill run down their spine: "It wouldn't be awkward if it were in front of so many people... Speaking of which, when are we officially hiring?"
Chao Du nodded: "Alright, then let her apologize to you privately. I plan to set the time for five days from now, mainly because we need time for the cultivation world to know about this."
"...It'll be quite a spectacle then." Another Asakawa exclaimed, standing up and stretching, his eyes bright with energy. "Alright, time for today's training! Let's try to be even faster than yesterday!"
Five days passed quickly and fulfillingly, and in the blink of an eye, it was time for the Immortal Hidden Sect to recruit new disciples.
The two people set off after watching the sunrise at Chaodu.
Another person, sitting on the white jade crane, asked, "So, where are we going to recruit people?"
Chao Du pointed into the distance: "Zanmei City, which is closest to our Immortal Hidden Sect, must be quite lively by now."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com