"Oh, right, didn't I rescue a black cat yesterday? I wonder how it's doing now."
Chen Huai'an got up, about to check the shoebox.
The black cat inside—still dizzy from being kicked earlier—perked up immediately when it heard movement. It braced itself to act cute and cozy up to Chen Huai'an.
Just then—
Bzzz—!
His phone on the coffee table buzzed with a notification.
Chen Huai'an sat back down on the sofa.
The black cat, heart sinking, flopped back down inside the box.
---
[Your electronic girlfriend is under attack by a heart demon!]
Chen Huai'an's expression changed. He opened the game and saw Li Qingran sitting cross-legged on the bed in meditation. Her face was pale, brows tightly furrowed, beads of sweat clinging to her cheeks and forehead. Her lips were dark, her glabella clouded with yin energy. Her beautiful face was filled with pain.
"Heart demons at the Qi Refining stage?" Chen Huai'an was confused.
He'd read plenty of cultivation novels—heart demons usually only showed up at major bottlenecks in higher realms.
Never during Qi Refining.
He opened Li Qingran's status window. A debuff explained:
[Heart Demon Taking Root]: Heart demons are not bound to cultivation level but stem from inner 念 (obsessions/thoughts). Obsessions, malice, greed, etc., can all manifest into heart demons. They may arise naturally from a cultivator's experiences, or be induced by demonic cultivation methods. To eliminate a heart demon, one must sever the source of their 念.
"So that's how it works… Then what is Li Qingran obsessed with?"
Chen Huai'an recalled her backstory.
Besides the betrayal and death of her parents, the greatest blow on her cultivation path had to be the humiliation she suffered at Chixiao Peak—perhaps even the whole Qingyun Sect was a nightmare for her.
But knowing the root of the problem was one thing—resolving it was another.
Still remembering this was a game, Chen started frantically tapping through the menus for the top-up screen.
The game had a particularly annoying trait: only the most basic shop functions were visible. Any premium recharge mechanics—like "guardian mode"—were hidden unless triggered by plot events.
So annoying!
It's like they're trying to act virtuous while clearly being pay-to-win.
"Whatever. Can't find the option—when in doubt, use 'Heavenly Fate Divination'!"
Chen opened the game's customer support interface.
This fate divination costs ¥100 and will apply a temporary 'Luck Deficit' debuff. Proceed?
"Proceed!"
---
In the Cangyun Realm, storm clouds surged.
"Hiss—! That great being is at it again! He already performed a divination at noon—and now again in the afternoon?!"
"Is something big about to happen in the Cangyun Realm?"
"There were already two anomalies at Wanquing Mountain—first the divine pill, then the surge of light. That expert's fate readings must be related!"
"The Central Continent Secret Realm is about to open… what a chaotic time!"
---
Mount Jianmen, Wanjian Pavilion.
Sect Master Su Qinian stood atop the peak, white robes fluttering, silver hair flying, arms folded over his sword. His eyes squinted toward Wanquing Mountain, exuding the air of a peerless master.
That elegance lasted about three seconds.
The next second—
"Damned Qingyun Sect! To hell with you and your lucky stars! Does Wanquing Mountain get all the good fortune?! Just you wait! When the Central Secret Realm opens, I'll make sure you pay!"
"Sect Master!"
A Wanjian Pavilion elder landed beside him.
"There are two major issues!"
Su Qinian calmed himself, stroked his beard with the demeanor of a sage. "Speak."
"…We're broke."
"Huh?" Su Qinian froze. "No spirit stones? Go mine the back mountain."
"It's… all mined out…"
"What the hell?! Already?!"
He'd suspected last month the mines were running low, but this was too soon.
"Well… I'll figure something out. What's the other matter?"
"Our guardian beast… is in heat. It's threatening to destroy all the back-mountain spirit herbs if it's not allowed to mate."
Su Qinian's mouth twitched.
To breed it, they'd need to pay Wan Beast Sect a hefty fee. But if they didn't let it out, it would go berserk.
He subconsciously reached for his sword.
Zzzinng—!
The sword trembled in fear.
"Tell that beast… if it can't hold it in, I'll castrate it myself!"
"What?!"
"I don't care! Tell it the sect has no money! One more tantrum and I'll have it gelded!"
The elder left, face pale.
Clearly, things were dire.
Su Qinian, now alone, stared off the cliff again, face calm…
…but his right hand had quietly slipped into his storage pouch, feeling around for his night-ops outfit.
"Guess I gotta find some cash…"
---
[Fate Divination complete!]
Li Qingran must return to Qingyun Sect and sever her karmic ties with Chixiao Peak to overcome her heart demon.
Due to heart demon backlash, her cultivation is about to regress. Use 'Pulse-Opening Needle' and the free 'Supreme Heart-Protection Pill' to stabilize her state.
You've received the status: 'Luck Deficit' – 24 hours.
---
"Wait… a supreme-grade pill for free?!"
Chen Huai'an was stunned.
Even when required by plot, this game never gave out freebies like this. It felt… suspiciously generous.
A flash of blue light.
A shining Supreme Heart-Protection Pill appeared on his table.
---
Meanwhile, at Qingyun Sect—
Chixiao Peak.
Second disciple Xiao Yifeng had just returned to his cave, gleefully pulling out a pill furnace.
"Finally got my hands on a Supreme Heart-Protection Pill! I couldn't figure out the crafting method with lower-grade ones, but this time, I'll crack it!"
While the sect had the recipe, refining quality pills was another matter. Everyone had their own techniques, and elite alchemists guarded their methods fiercely.
Xiao Yifeng was a rare talent who could reverse-engineer pills by analyzing them.
"Once I decipher the recipe, junior sister will admire me even more!"
He reached into his storage pouch…
…and turned pale.
"What?! Where's my pill?!
Where are all my spirit pills?!
MY SUPREME HEART-PROTECTION PILL?!"