"Go back to the forbidden area and I'll guard you."
When Ling Qingxue said this, the night wind was blowing, making her white dress flutter like an ice sword about to be drawn.
Chu Xuan rubbed his forehead, where the mark of the ritual was still as hot as the freshly cooked copper coin. "Master, you just finished a group of old men in the hall and didn't take a break? I'm afraid you'll get tired of your hands."
"Little poor." The woman flicked her fingers, and a wisp of ice-blue spiritual power struck him on the forehead. "Poor again, really tired hands."
The young man shrank his neck and laughed, his teeth shining: "Then Lord Lao Xian will be the door god, and I'll go in and bounce around for a few days."
The two walked side by side into the forbidden area. The crevice behind them closed quietly, like a giant beast closing its mouth, keeping the noise out. The ice crystal dome automatically lit up, and the starlight fell, making Chu Xuan's eyelashes sparkle with light. He took a deep breath, with the cold and sweet breath, like plum blossoms in the snow, and as soon as he inhaled it into his throat, the dantian lotus platform couldn't wait to spin.
"Clear the ground first." Ling Qingxue raised her hand, and the Cold Star Sword was drawn from its scabbard. With a stroke of the sword tip, an ice-blue arc swept across the ground, and the crushed ice spontaneously gathered and, in the blink of an eye, formed a flat circle, with an ice wall half a person's height standing at the edge, precisely enclosing Chu Xuan in the center, like a playground for the naughty kid.
Chu Xuan sat cross-legged, his fingertips stroking the patterns of the lotus table, and looked up and teased, "Master, can this circle be made a little bigger? I'm afraid I'll roll against the wall in a moment."
"Hitting a wall is better than hitting an inner demon." The woman flicked her finger, and the ice wall "click-click" rose three points, and tiny ice spines emerged from the top of the wall, flashing cold light. "Even if you are poor, I'll prick you into a hedgehog."
The young man raised his hand in surrender, but felt warm in his heart - he knew that this circle of ice wall was Ling Qingxue's most tender guard.
"Let's begin." Ling Qingxue took three steps back, the Cold Star sword lay across his knees, fingertip touched his brow, and a wisp of snow-colored consciousness emerged, transforming into a thin ice mist that enveloped the round platform. "I will use consciousness as a curtain to filter out the restlessness of the outside world for you, but the illusion of the inner demon, you must slay it yourself."
Chu Xuan grinned: "Don't worry, my swordsmanship is top-notch. I'll cut one at a time."
As soon as he finished speaking, he closed his eyes and formed a hand gesture.
Boom --
The lotus platform suddenly enlarges, the icy and fiery lotus blossoms slowly, the jade seal spins at the heart of the lotus, the golden and blue talisman culture as light rain falls into the sea of consciousness. The spiritual storm rose up from the ground, spinning and crashing against the ice wall, but was weakened layer by layer by the ice mist, leaving only gentle air currents that caressed the young man's hair.
Ling Qingxue stared intently, her consciousness locking to the slightest bit within the circle. She knew that from the foundation to the golden core, the hardest part was not the accumulation of spiritual power, but the interrogation of inner demons. Especially for a primordial spirit like Chu Xuan, the inner demons come more fiercely than ordinary people - they will disguise themselves as the softest weakness in his heart, delivering a fatal blow.
At the center of the storm, Chu Xuan's consciousness sank into darkness.
...
The darkness was like a tide, and in the blink of an eye, it reached the ankles, chest, mouth and nose. He held his breath, took a step, and suddenly a bluestone appeared beneath his feet, so familiar that it made his eyes heat up --
Chu family Old house, at the entrance of Fanjie Village, the setting sun was just right.
"Ah Xuan, you're back?" Mother, leaning against the door, with flour on her apron, waved at him, "The meal will be ready soon. Go wash your hands quickly."
Chu Xuan was stunned, his heart pounding as if it were being clutched by a big, warm hand. How long has it been since he heard that sound? It's been more than half a year since he left the mortal world. The flow of time in the mortal world is different. Here it should have been two or three years. He opened his mouth, and the word "mother" was stuck in his throat and he couldn't make a sound.
"What are you standing there for? Craving braised chicken legs again?" His mother smiled and tapped him on the forehead, and the touch was so real it was terrifying.
Chu Xuan lowered his head and found himself dressed in coarse linen, without the slightest trace of a monk. Deep in the sea of consciousness, the mark of the covenant flickered faintly, like a distant lighthouse, but veiled by thick fog. He was in a daze for a moment, then bit the tip of his tongue - pain, piercing the heart.
"Illusion!" He took a step back and stared fixedly at his mother, "You're not my mother, you're the demon of the heart!"
The woman's smile froze for a moment, a dim light flashed in her eyes, and her voice came and went: "Stupid child, what's the point of becoming an immortal? Come home and have dinner. When you leave, mother will weep every day. How can you bear it?"
Chu Xuan clenched his fist, his nails sinking into his palm, blood drops rolling down, but he felt no pain. He recalled what Ling Qingxue had said - the inner demon is best at magnifying guilt, and once shaken, the Daoist mind collapses.
"I can bear it." He spoke hoarsely, his voice trembling, but not taking a step back, "for my way home is not to stop here, but to truly go back with the strength to protect you!"
The phantom woman, with a distorted face, lunged forward, her figure turned into black mist, and screeched: "Then stay with me!"
Chu Xuan roared, clenched his palm, and transformed his ice and fire spiritual energy into a long knife, slashing it down with one slash
"Smash it!"
The black fog was cut in two, crying like a baby, and then blown up. The darkness split open, revealing an ice-blue curtain outside. Just as Chu Xuan was about to take a step, he heard another shout behind him --
"Xuanzi! Why are you running so fast? You guys are waiting for you to slack off!"
By the small river at the entrance of the village, Er Gou, Tie Shuan and Da Niu were waving at him, smiling brightly. Chu Xuan's heart tightened and the tip of his knife trembled - this was his toughest companion in his youth, the stick that had shielded him from the village bullies.
"Why bother to become an immortal? Let's catch fish and drink wine together. How carefree!"
"Yeah, you're gone. Who will take us to steal the honey dates from Aunt Li's house?"
The boys came around, with their arms around each other, and their body temperature was real. Chu Xuan's eyes were burning, but he held the hilt tightly, his knuckles pale. He knew that if he took one more step forward, he would be trapped in a deeper illusion, unable to extricate himself.
"I'm sorry." He said in a low voice, his blade turned, and the cold light burst, "I have to go to a higher place and take you to fly later, not to make you cry!"
The light of the blade was like snow, and the young man's figure was cut into shards, and before it dissipated, he showed a relieved smile - as if his true companions were cheering him on.
Darkness broke down again, revealing more ice-blue curtains. Chu Xuan panted, cold sweat rolling down his forehead, but dared not stop - he knew that the most brutal hurdle was yet to come.
...
Outside the circle, Ling Qingxue suddenly opened her eyes, her icy eyes flashing with fear: "A chain of inner demons?" Without hesitation, she pressed her finger to her brow, and a wisp of pure Daoist power turned into an ice-blue stream of light, passing through the ice curtain and vanishing into Chu Xuan's body.
"Chu Xuan, remember --"
"I am here, the clouds are behind you, and the mortal world is beneath your feet!"
"If it can't be cut, step on it!"
The sound, like the clear sound of ice and snow, cuts through the fog and reaches the center of the storm. Chu Xuan's spirit lifted and he looked up to the sky and let out a long howl --
Come on! Who else!"
The darkness was shattered by the whistling, revealing its last face --
The young self, patched up, with a stubborn look in his eyes, clutching half a hard bun in his hand, grinned at him:
"Hey, future me, don't look back, don't stop, don't -- forget -- Ben!"
Chu Xuan's eyes instantly flushed, but he raised his biggest smile: "Don't worry, I can't forget!"
He opened his arms and embraced the young phantom tightly. In the next moment, the phantom turned into rain of light and rushed into his heart - the heart of Dao was as firm as a rock, without any gaps!
Boom --
The storm subsided, the lotus platform bloomed, the jade seal rose into the sky, and the golden blue light soared into the sky, smashing the ice dome and piercing the night sky --
Outside, Ling Qingxue looked up, her icy eyes reflecting the beam of light, and the corners of her lips curved gently: "It's done."
Inside the light column, Chu Xuan slowly opened his eyes, and the ice and fire in his eyes faded, turning into a clear expanse - like the night sky after rain, with stars shining brightly. He rose, stepped out of the ice wall, and stretched out his fist at Ling Qingxue: "Master, I'm back."
The woman raised her hand and touched him lightly, her icy eyes smiling: "Welcome home."
The beam of light shot up into the sky and lasted for half a cup of tea before slowly closing down, like a river of stars drawn from silk, all sinking into Chu Xuan's dantian. On the lotus pedestal, a pigeon egg-sized golden elixir spun gently, interwoven with ice and fire patterns, with a pale golden edge like a golden thread drawn on the lotus seed, noble and flamboyant.
Chu Xuan clenched his fist, the air was pinched into a faint crackling sound, and he raised an eyebrow at Ling Qingxue: "Master, can I strike ten now?"
With a flick of her ice sleeve, she struck him on the forehead without hesitation: "Just formed?" The real golden pill is still nowhere to be seen."
"Oh, I know, the road has to be taken step by step, and the food has to be eaten bowl by bowl." The young man rubbed his head, laughing his teeth out of his eyes, "well... When will the sugar-coated haws promised by the master be fulfilled?
Ling Qingxue snorted, but her ears turned red quietly: "When Kunlun returns, I'll go to the mortal world market with you."
Chu Xuan's eyes lit up and he went even further: "Then I need a bowl of tofu pudding with chili!" "
"... As you please." She turned her face away, but the corners of her mouth couldn't be suppressed.
...
The two returned to the forbidden stone chamber. The ice walls were broken, but the ground was as smooth as new, as if it had been wiped by a giant hand. Ling Qingxue raised her hand, and the Cold Star sword turned into light and flew out, hanging at the top of the stone chamber, scattering a silver glow that replaced the ice crystal for illumination. Chu Xuan sat cross-legged, took a deep breath of the spirit with the scent of snow, suddenly remembered something, took out the Messenger Jade slip and sent a message to Lin Hao -
"Senior Brother Lin, go to the mortal world for me and buy two strings of sugar-coated haws, the biggest and the reddest, and charge the money to my account."
The other side replied almost instantly, his voice excitedly splitting: "All right! Junior Brother Chu, you're going to confess your love? !"
Chu Xuan laughed and was about to reply when the jade slips were snatched away by Ling Qingxue Bing. The woman said indifferently, "Buy two more jin of osmanthus cakes and bring them along."
Lin Hao opposite: "??"
Ling Qingxue added, "Record Chu Xuanzhang."
Chu Xuan: "..." Master has gone astray.
...
Jokes are jokes, but serious matters must not be neglected. When the hour of midnight arrived, Ling Qingxue sat cross-legged opposite Chu Xuan. With a touch of her fingertip, the ice-blue spiritual energy turned into fine threads and wrapped around the young man's wrist as if a safety belt had been fastened to his pulse. She lowered her voice, with unquestionable seriousness: "Next is the most crucial step of condensing the pill - breaking the embryo into a pill. The heart demon will fight back again, and it will be even more sinister than before. I will lend you the power of the Dao Heart, but the sword to slay demons must be done by yourself."
Chu Xuan stopped laughing and nodded: "Understood."
They both closed their eyes at the same time. The ice and fire spirits converged and turned into a mist that enveloped the stone chamber. With breaths, the spiritual energy tides rose and fell, like gentle waves, gently lapping against the lotus platform. However, only half a stick of incense --
Buzz!
The lotus platform shook violently, and fine cracks appeared on the surface of the golden pill, as if struck hard by a hammer. With a "boom" in his mind, Chu Xuan fell into darkness again.
This time there was no village, no companion, only a desolate battlefield. The sky was shattered, the earth was charred black, and the air was filled with the smell of blood and fire. In the distance, a figure was chained through and suspended in mid-air --
It turned out to be Ling Qingxue!
Her white dress was stained with blood, her icy eyes dim, but her voice remained gentle as ever: "Chu Xuan, save me..." "
Chu Xuan's heart felt as if it were being clutched by a big hand, and the pain made him bend down. The other end of the chain turned into countless black spears and pierced the woman's heart --
"No!"
He roared, and the ice and fire spirit power turned into a huge blade, slashing at the chain. The blade fell, but the chain did not budge; instead, it tightened more and more, and Ling Qingxue's face turned paler.
"Save me... Why don't you come and save me?"
"Didn't you say you would protect me?"
"Go away and leave me alone..."
Each sentence pierced Chu Xuan's heart like a knife. His eyes were bloodshot, but he clutched the hilt of the knife, and suddenly looked up to the sky and let out a long howl
"Enough! I believe you, the hell!"
The blade crumbled with a crash, turning into a sky full of light. Chu Xuan clasped his hands together, and his ice and fire spirit power spun wildly, condensing into a translucent little sword - that was the prototype of his Daoist heart, carrying the dust of the mortal world, carrying the aroma of his mother's noodle soup, carrying the laughter of his companions, and carrying a lamp of Ling Qingxue in the snowy night.
"My Daoist mind can cut mountains and rivers, and protect the human world!"
"Give me - break!"
The small sword fell, the chains broke inch by inch, Ling Qingxue's phantom showed a relieved smile, transformed into a shower of light that rushed into his heart. The dark battlefield crumbled with a crash, revealing the outside ice blue light curtain.
...
Inside the stone chamber, Ling Qingxue suddenly opened her eyes, a trace of bright red flowing from the corner of her mouth, but she did not wipe it and stared intently at the boy opposite her. All around Chu Xuan, the ice and fire spirit power turned into a tornado and frantically swept into the lotus platform. With a "click", the golden pill body shattered completely, and a brilliant golden light rose slowly --
Golden elixir, done!
However, mutations occur suddenly! A tiny crack appeared on the surface of the golden pill, as if torn by an invisible hand, and could crumble at any moment. Ling Qingxue's face changed abruptly. Without hesitation, she pointed to her own brow, and a wisp of primordial Daoist force turned into an ice-blue meteor and sank into Chu Xuan's dantian --
"Stay calm!" I'm here!"
The ice blue power wrapped around the golden pill, and the crack stopped spreading instantly. Chu Xuan regained consciousness and felt the gentle yet firm support of the woman. He took a deep breath and slowly guided his spiritual power to wash the surface of the golden pill over and over again. The crack healed and eventually turned into a fine, hair-like, ice-blue line, as if drawing a beautiful lace for the golden pill.
The golden Dan spun gently, giving off a soft glow, blending ice and fire, with pale gold at the edge, noble and flamboyant. Chu Xuan opened his eyes, and there was a clear view in them, like the night sky after rain, with stars shining brightly. He rose up, took a step in front of Ling Qingxue, raised his hand to wipe the blood from the corner of her mouth, and said in a hoarse but firm voice, "Master, I'll protect you from now on."
The woman smiled in her icy eyes and nodded gently: "All right."