Chapter 10: The Secret of Shentu Zhuojia
Li Luoning sat next to Mi Xingzhe, trying to control the chaotic spiritual energy surging throughout Mi's body with his own inner power. After some time, Li took a deep breath, checked Mi's pulse by placing his hand on it, and gently touched his forehead to ensure he was alright before slowly rising to his feet.
Yun Qingyi, who was standing by, looked on with concern. Upon seeing his master stand, he quickly approached to check on Mi.
"Xingzhe? Xingzhe?" Yun Qingyi called out softly, gently pushing Mi's arm.
Before long, Mi's eyelashes fluttered, and he slowly opened his eyes.
"Awake?" Li Luoning asked, as Yun Qingyi helped Mi lean against the bedside.
Mi looked bewilderedly at the two people in front of him, seemingly having no recollection of what had happened the previous night.
"Why are both of you in my room?"
"Last night, you almost blew up the entire Mirror Cloud Residence. It must have been the Immortal Herb taking effect. Master and I have been here watching over you all night. Thankfully, you are awake now," Yun Qingyi explained.
"Ah? I didn't hurt you or Master, did I?" Mi asked, concerned.
"No, Master and I are not so fragile. But you, you've been unconscious for most of the day. It's good that you're awake now," Yun Qingyi said, looking tenderly at his junior fellow disciple.
"Do you feel any discomfort?" Li Luoning asked calmly.
Mi tried moving his neck and felt around his body, noticing that something in the region of his heart felt different from before. After rubbing his dry eyes, he suddenly felt a surge of power.
"My eyes, they're very hot," Mi said, continuously rubbing his eyes.
"Come here, let me see," Li Luoning said upon hearing this, pulling Mi closer to inspect him.
As Mi slowly opened his eyes, a fleeting golden glow emanated from his deep-colored pupils.
"...This is... the Celestial Golden Elixir!" Upon seeing the glow in Mi's eyes, Li Luoning was initially startled, then quickly placed his hand on Mi's pulse and summoned spiritual power to probe something at Mi's heart, before exclaiming in amazement.
Mi's eyes opened again, and a golden mark flashed briefly through his pupils, with an undetectable golden pattern hidden behind his neck.
"Ah?" Mi blinked, and his eyes returned to their original color.
"It seems the Immortal Herb not only helped to form an inner core but also unleashed such powerful energy within you. Indeed, you have a profound connection to the celestial gates," Li Luoning said, nodding with joy, his smile reflecting his inner happiness.
"What is the Celestial Golden Elixir? Is it... something very powerful?" Mi asked, his face filled with confusion.
"Master, are you saying that now Xingzhe not only has an inner core but also a golden core?" Yun Qingyi asked, his eyes twinkling with excitement.
Li Luoning nodded approvingly, "Exactly."
"Brother Qingyi, is this golden core a really powerful thing? You both seem even happier than I am," Mi still seemed puzzled.
"Of course, it's a wonderful thing. Across the entire Liao Yin Immortal Realm, people with a Celestial Golden Elixir are exceedingly rare. This thing is mighty powerful. If you diligently cultivate, you might even become more powerful than me," Yun Qingyi said, his face beaming with joy.
"How many people have it?" Mi asked curiously.
"Let me think. According to records, those with the Celestial Golden Elixir include the Celestial Master, Uncle Mu Han..." Yun Qingyi explained, recalling the details.
"So few people?" Mi counted on his fingers, then asked.
"Do you realize how rare and high-level this Celestial Golden Elixir is? Even the War God Qingyuan only possesses an ordinary celestial elixir. What you have now is truly a treasure," Yun Qingyi became increasingly excited as he spoke, indicating Mi with a sideways glance.
Mi followed Yun Qingyi's gaze—Master? Could Master also have the Celestial Golden Elixir?
Mi turned to look at Li Luoning, his eyes filled with curiosity and confusion, as if asking, "Brother says you have a golden core, is that true?"
Li simply smiled and nodded slightly, confirming it.
Thinking that he possessed a Celestial Golden Elixir as powerful as Li Luoning's, Mi felt somewhat overwhelmed and bowed his head in silence.
"What's wrong? You now have an inner core, and it won't dissipate into nothing. Isn't that something to be happy about? Why the long face?" Yun Qingyi asked, puzzled.
"I... don't want this Celestial Golden Elixir," Mi muttered.
"Don't want it? What are you saying?" Yun Qingyi could hardly believe his ears.
"Why not?" Li Luoning asked, puzzled by Mi Xingzhe's refusal.
"Because... I just don't want it," Mi Xingzhe murmured, his head bowed low. He did not voice his feelings of unworthiness; he simply felt undeserving of such a rare treasure of the world.
"Brother Xingzhe, are you being foolish? Do you realize how many yearn for the Celestial Golden Elixir and cannot obtain it? Even I am envious. How can you dismiss it so casually after receiving such a gift? Master went through great lengths to secure this inner core for you. Aren't you worried that such a casual refusal might dishearten him?" Yun Qingyi gently patted Mi's shoulder as he spoke.
"Xingzhe, why exactly do you not wish to keep the Celestial Golden Elixir?" Li Luoning asked again, his tone more serious this time, not understanding Mi's reluctance.
Li Luoning couldn't understand—was the boy foolish? To have such a precious golden core and yet show no sign of happiness on his face.
"I..." Mi hesitated. It wasn't that he didn't want it; in fact, he wanted it more desperately than anyone else.
But the thought of his origins, raised by beggars as an abandoned child, being slow in learning and always ridiculed and bullied for his emptiness and foolishness, had ingrained in him a deep-seated belief that he was undeserving of anything valuable. His experience as a wanderer told him that possessing nothing valuable meant no one would try to take it from him, thus sparing him from further beatings.
He didn't want the golden core because he was afraid; afraid that whatever he gained would be easily taken from him. Better not to possess it at all than to have it taken away.
"Xingzhe, you shouldn't feel such a burden. With a little cultivation and practice, you can benefit the lives of many. What's not good about that?" Yun Qingyi tried to console him.
"Could this golden core be stolen?" Mi Xingzhe slowly raised his head and looked at Li Luoning with concern.
Seeing the worry in Mi's eyes, Li Luoning felt a pang of heartache. It was clear that Mi was afraid of losing the things he gained—likely a fear developed from being bullied during his days as a wanderer.
"Yes," Li Luoning admitted honestly.
"Could I give it to someone else?" Mi asked weakly.
"It's possible," Li replied.
"Is it too late to remove it now?"
"If it is forcibly removed now, you would turn to nothing," Li Luoning said, his voice unusually stern.
Hearing this, Mi's pupils dilated. He just wanted to be like everyone else, not realizing he would receive something so precious. If he couldn't protect it, he might even lose his life. This thought made him clench his fists in nervousness.
"But..." Li Luoning continued, "If you diligently practice and attain magical prowess, you naturally won't need to fear it being stolen."
It seemed Li was purposefully breaking the news in parts, causing Mi's emotions to fluctuate greatly.
"But I, I don't know anything," Mi said, revealing his deep-seated feelings of inadequacy.
"You can learn. What are you afraid of with Master here? Plus, if there's anything you wish to learn in the future, I can teach you. Rest assured, with your Master and senior brother by your side, both you and your golden core are safe. We will always protect you," Yun Qingyi encouraged him warmly.
"But, but, I, I'm too foolish... I can't learn..." Mi's inherent sense of inferiority, coupled with years of physical and emotional hardship, made it hard for him to believe he could excel at anything, let alone protect such a rare Celestial Golden Elixir.
"Nian'er~," Li Luoning called out gently.
This was the first time Li Luoning had called Mi Xingzhe by this name, and the first time Mi had heard his master use such a familiar term since he had joined the sect, causing him some confusion.
"Master... Master, are you calling me?" Mi asked in disbelief.
"Yes, the name I have chosen for your cultivation is Yun Wan Nian, and 'Nian'er' is your informal name within our sect. Do you like it when I call you that?" Li Luoning asked again gently.
Mi nodded slightly: "I like it!"
He had often heard that only family members used such nicknames, and he had never been called so tenderly before.
"If you like it, I will continue to call you that. I know what you're worried about. But you must understand, you are not foolish. Previously, as an ethereal body, it was difficult for you to learn and act like ordinary people. Now that you have this golden core, it will compensate
for all the deficiencies within your body and will improve every aspect of you as you continue your cultivation," Li Luoning explained, his gaze firm and reassuring.
"So, you mean I could become smarter?" Mi Xingzhe caught on to the key point, his voice tinged with a mix of hope and disbelief.
"Not only smarter, but it may also awaken abilities you never knew you had. Perhaps one day, you could even surpass your master," Yun Qingyi chimed in, encouraging him further.
"Ah? How could I possibly... surpass Master?" Mi looked at Li Luoning, searching his face for confirmation or denial of such a possibility.
Li Luoning simply smiled gently, not directly answering but offering a supportive expression.
"However..." Li Luoning paused, then turned to look at Mi seriously.
"The fact that you have a golden core must not be shared with others. Human nature is unpredictable, and you must always guard against potential threats. Do you understand?" Li Luoning advised solemnly.
"I understand," Mi nodded in agreement, absorbing the gravity of his master's words.
The narrative then shifts to a darker setting:
In the depths of the night at the Wuming Demon Mountain, the Demon Lord Li Minghan dismissed his attendants and returned to his private chamber. He removed the black cloak draped over his shoulders and slowly approached a painting hanging on the wall. Lifting the painting, he revealed a hidden ring pull.
Gently pulling it, a secret door beside him opened with a creak. Li Minghan casually picked up a candle and entered the dark, chilly passageway.
Deep within the passageway was a heavy iron door. With a slight flick of his fingers, the door swung open, revealing a dimly lit chamber.
"Brother, long time no see," the masked voice of Li Minghan echoed coldly.
A disheveled man was chained within the dark dungeon, his visage gaunt, his eyes hollow with anger, and his robes, though rich, were disarrayed from long confinement.
This man was the true ruler of the demon realm, Shentu Zhajia.
"Li Minghan, you despicable fiend, I once considered you a close brother, yet you treat me thus, killing my father, usurping my throne, stealing my kingdom. Li Minghan, you greedy, thieving cur!" Shentu Zhajia's eyes blazed with uncontainable fury, the chains unable to suppress his raging desire to tear Li Minghan apart.
"Why such anger, brother? I merely borrowed your identity as the Demon Lord for a while. Once my goals are achieved, I will, of course, return the title to you," Li Minghan said nonchalantly, playing with a lock of hair and seemingly indifferent to Shentu Zhajia's anger.
"If I ever escape this dungeon, I will tear you limb from limb," Shentu Zhajia ground out through clenched teeth.
"Ah, brother, after all this time, your temper hasn't changed at all. Besides, I've explained many times—I never intended to harm the old Demon Lord. He simply pushed too far, and I just needed the power of your demon realm," Li Minghan said with a light laugh, making a menacing gesture in the air.
"You!" Shentu Zhajia was at a loss for words, his emotions boiling over.
"You'd best stay put here, brother. After all, the people of the entire demon realm and the Vanli Valley rely on your survival. But you need to behave, otherwise... I can't guarantee I won't do something drastic," Li Minghan said, his eyes gleaming ominously, his tone slow and menacing.
"Li Minghan, if you dare harm my demon kin, I swear I'll flay your skin and drink your blood, ensuring you meet a gruesome end," Shentu Zhajia bellowed, his voice echoing thunderously in the chamber.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk... Brother, you really are spoiling the mood. I've come all this way in my busy schedule. Why must you be so irritable? Seems like you'd better off asleep," Li Minghan said, and with a flick of his finger, a dark spell shot into Shentu Zhajia's forehead, knocking him unconscious.
Watching Shentu Zhajia collapse to the floor, Li Minghan stepped forward, waved his hand, and levitated Shentu Zhajia gently onto a nearby bed.
Li Minghan approached the bedside, pulled the blanket over Shentu Zhajia, and whispered, "Brother, don't blame me."
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