[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-pure-yang":3,"chapter-pure-yang-pure-yang-chapter-111":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Pure Yang!",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2267211,4427,"Chapter 111: The Evil Spirit","pure-yang-chapter-111",111,"\u003Cp>Humans are naturally endowed with five hundred years more Dao cultivation than spirits, meaning that spirits must undergo five hundred years of reincarnation before they can be reborn as humans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even at this stage, reversing the natural order to become an immortal remains elusive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, driven by this hollow hope, many ancient spirits sought shortcuts, directly seizing human bodies through soul possession.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That is what a demon is.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To defy nature is to be a demon—to become human outside the natural order.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Spirits cannot transform into humans on their own… those who cultivate horse forms, worship Immortal Masters, ultimately end up having their bodies seized, losing even their humanity.” Old Yu said calmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As in the Legend of the White Snake, that white serpent cultivated for a thousand years beneath Mount Qingcheng before taking human form—where her human body came from remains unknown.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Precisely because of this, Daoist masters may tolerate mountain spirits, but regard demons as evil.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Any demon must have seized a human body, disrupting the natural order, and often bears bloodshed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mountain spirits, once their souls possess a human body and become demons, inevitably undergo some physical changes,” Old Yu stared at Zhang Fan’s computer screen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This thousand-year-old demon’s article also noted demons’ peculiar traits: even with a human body, their spirit, being that of a mountain spirit, gradually develops spirit-like characteristics.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For example, fox spirits may emit a fox-like stench, and some grow fox tails.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For example, snake demons, once mountain pythons, may develop scales on their skin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As they adapt to their human forms, they may suppress these traits, yet under certain conditions or environments, they still reveal their true nature.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as Bai Suzhen, famed for a thousand years of cultivation, revealed her true form at a single sip of realgar wine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Demon…” Zhang Fan mused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even now, having cultivated and encountered many masters—even dealt with heretics like the Wuwei Sect—he still viewed demons as mere legends from films and TV.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mountain spirits are common; demons are not.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The former cultivate in solitude, awaken to spirit, born naturally from heaven and earth—nothing to condemn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the latter must take the most critical step—one forbidden since the founding of the nation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Eighty years ago, after the Daoist Great Calamity, nearly all demons older than three hundred years perished,” Yu Fu sighed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Three hundred years is enough to be called an old demon?” Zhang Fan couldn’t help asking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Demons are born from spirit possession, disrupting creation’s order. Their calamities far outnumber those of ordinary cultivators. Living beyond three hundred years is already rare.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Fu gave him a look of exasperation—how could there be so many thousand-year-old demons in this world!?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s true,” Zhang Fan nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Calamities are the elixir of immortality; mortals fail to understand the gods’ laughter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Daoist cultivation refines the soul; logically, cultivators should live longer than ordinary people. Yet once the Dao heart awakens, demonic forms arise—thus, from the day one steps onto the path, calamities never cease.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most cultivators ultimately fall to calamity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ordinary cultivators suffer this fate—how much more so demons!?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These days, every species can be driven to extinction; surviving three hundred years truly qualifies one as an old demon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Nowadays… true demons are vanishingly rare. After the nation’s founding, a nationwide census was conducted,” Yu Fu lowered his voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Most demons are registered and given household status.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Most demons? So there are second-class demons?” Zhang Fan caught the implication.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If there truly were [second-class] demons, even cultivators would rarely see one,” Yu Fu glanced at him, speaking lightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Old Yu, you understand demons better than you understand people,” Zhang Fan teased.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No sooner had he spoken than Jiang Hu choked on his water and burst into coughing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Fu remained silent, staring fixedly at Zhang Fan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Old Yu, have you ever seen a real demon?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Zhang Fan asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even as a Daoist, he was deeply curious about demons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I have,” Yu Fu nodded, dismissively. “I advise you not to be so curious—every demon is trouble. Getting involved won’t bring you luck.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’d love to get involved—if only I had the chance,” Zhang Fan smirked, shifting topic. “By the way, you said two types of people master soul possession?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'd love to provoke them, but where's the chance?\" Zhang Fan snorted, then changed the subject: \"By the way, you said there are two types of people skilled in soul possession, right?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he spoke, Zhang Fan’s brow lifted, a sharp gleam flashing in his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Throughout Daoist history, if anyone had studied the soul most deeply—approaching demonic mastery—it was none other than the Wuwei Sect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Wuwei Sect treats the soul as the supreme elixir, stealing life from the midst of slaughter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In their eyes, all things are born of heaven, yet only the primordial soul holds the key to immortality—this is heaven’s one thread of hope left to mortals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Heaven has granted it; to refuse it is a grave sin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, they recognize no taboos: they harvest souls as medicine and frequently seize bodies, usurping them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Soul possession is a grave taboo—it harms heaven’s harmony and violates ethics. Though Daoist sects don’t outright forbid it, they impose strict rules…” Yu Fu said gravely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Legend says Iron Crutch Li’s soul left his body, and his disciple, mistaking him for an immortal, burned his corpse. With no vessel left, he would have become a lost wandering spirit—forced to possess the body of a recently deceased beggar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It is said that back then, Iron-Crutch Li’s soul had left his body, and his disciples mistakenly thought he had ascended, burning his corpse. With no physical vessel left, he would inevitably become a masterless wandering spirit; with no other choice, he resorted to soul possession—yet even then, he took over the body of a beggar who had just died.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Precisely because they recognize no taboos, once they possess a body, they gain a new identity—making their masters deeply hidden and nearly impossible to detect,” Yu Fu said gravely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since the founding of Daoist lineages, led by the Zhang family of Longhu Mountain, the Daoist community has launched nine [Mountain-Breaking Temple-Toppling] campaigns spanning two thousand years—yet failed to eradicate the Wuwei Sect entirely, precisely because of their soul possession ability.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When their trail is exposed and calamity strikes, they use [soul possession] to escape like a cicada shedding its shell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A new body means a new identity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He could be right beside you, and you’d never know.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is what makes the Wuwei Sect truly terrifying… they utterly disregard rules,” Yu Fu whispered solemnly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“New body, new identity…” Zhang Fan murmured, a sudden alertness rising in him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Indeed. Sixty years ago, after the death of the world’s greatest master, [San Shi Dao Ren], the Wuwei Sect vanished overnight—leaving not a single trace…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The means behind it speak for themselves.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Fu paused, then added: “They vanish utterly—omnipresent…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’d be unsurprised if I were told one of the Ten Great Daoist Sects harbored a Wuwei master.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Put it this way—if you told me there were masters of the Wuwei Sect among the top ten Daoist sects, I wouldn’t find it strange at all.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Jiang Hu couldn’t help asking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though it sounded like a joke, the implications were terrifying—if true, unthinkable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How would I know?” Yu Fu shook his head—he wasn’t from any of the Ten Great Sects.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet the possibility was high. After the Zhang family of Longhu Mountain fell, the greatest threat to them was the Ten Great Sects—no, Nine Great Sects—representing the pinnacle of Daoist power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I were the enemy, I’d infiltrate from within.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But you cannot entertain such thoughts, let alone voice them—if you do, hearts will unravel, and that would be the greater disaster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wuwei Sect…” Zhang Fan fell silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The true Wuwei Sect was far deeper and more terrifying than he’d imagined.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Wuwei lineage and the mountain-sea demons and ghosts are both masters of taboo-breaking soul possession—thus…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In ancient times, most demons and ghosts in the world were allied with the Wuwei Sect,” Yu Fu said gravely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They built temples on mountains, established monasteries by rivers, dominated all demons and ghosts, gathered incense from the four seas, swept across the six directions, and subdued the Dao of the cosmos.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Fan recalled the description of the Wuwei Sect—this was no empty boast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At its peak, the Wuwei Sect’s power was immense: it divided the incense offerings of the world and brought mountain-sea demons and ghosts under its wing—no wonder the Zhang family of Longhu Mountain united all Daoist sects to launch nine Mountain-Breaking Temple-Toppling campaigns just to oppose them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Now you understand… soul possession is not the true path.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Fu pointed at the post on Zhang Fan’s screen, speaking earnestly: “Whether Wuwei Sect or demon—encountering either is never good.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I hope you never encounter one in your life.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he spoke, Yu Fu turned and walked away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Old Yu…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Zhang Fan suddenly called out to Yu Fu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What else?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“After the soul leaves the body, if it wishes to endure, are there only two methods: sealing and possession?” Zhang Fan asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ten years ago, he used the Divine Splitting Method to divide his soul into three: the Good Spirit remained in his body, the Evil Spirit sealed in the Xiong family ancestral hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Correct… only these two methods,” Yu Fu nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What if… I mean, what if a soul receives no external aid and cannot be sealed—must it possess a body to endure?” Zhang Fan’s thoughts raced.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Theoretically, yes. But soul possession carries great risk—not every body is compatible. Sometimes, soul and flesh reject each other, harming the soul…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Old Yu clearly knew much about soul possession—he spoke with ease. “Also, frequently changing vessels causes soul damage. Mild cases lead to mental confusion or insanity; severe cases… are beyond reckoning.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soul possession is extremely difficult to master; even if mastered, the success rate of adapting to a new body is only three in a thousand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soul possession is extremely difficult to cultivate; even if one succeeds in cultivation, the probability of surviving the adaptation of the new vessel and completing the possession is only three in a thousand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then you gain a new identity. Amidst the sea of humanity, only you know your greatest secret.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Fu’s voice echoed long in Zhang Fan’s ears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Evil Spirit…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Zhang Fan’s mind held only one thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Please, don’t have possessed a body—if you did, how could I ever find you in this sea of people!?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a soul, the Evil Spirit is incomplete and imperfect—if it possesses a body, who knows what changes it might undergo!?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a soul, an evil spirit is inherently flawed and imperfect—after possession, who knows what changes it might undergo!?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Zhang Fan… Zhang Fan…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Jiang Hu’s voice pulled Zhang Fan back to reality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More latest popular novels at \u002Fp>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s wrong?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The boss hasn’t been around these two days. Want to go to ‘Contentment Brings Joy’ later?” Jiang Hu suggested.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Where did the boss go these two days?” Zhang Fan asked in return.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He apparently went with someone from Zhenwu Mountain to the Dao Alliance!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Jiangnan Dao Alliance meeting!?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Fan fell silent. That was an official organization—so it must have been about the commotion at the Eastern Suburb Cemetery that day, related to the Thirteen Zodiacs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Swoosh…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Zhang Fan’s Chaoxin notification lit up. He clicked to open it—it was Jiang Lai’s chat window.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Did you get into a fight?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A simple question, followed by a fox emoji with a giant question mark.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, I was just along for the ride. The boss and Wen Jie were the ones who fought,” Zhang Fan replied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Swoosh…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as he sent the message, Jiang Lai replied with an emoji: a roaring man shouting “Liar!” twice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Fan smiled faintly, looked up at Jiang Lai’s desk, where she was intently staring at her screen, as if waiting for his reply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll treat you to dinner after work.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Meat!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No problem!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Fan replied, adding a smiling emoji.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Evening arrived; night fell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Old Town District, Xiangliu Street, No. 101.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Laojiu Hotpot BBQ.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ever since Xiong Sanqi brought Zhang Fan here once, he’d fallen in love with this barbecue spot. Though remote, it was quiet, and its meat—fifteen yuan per plate—was tender, juicy, and unmatched.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Old Nine…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Fan pulled back the curtain with Jiang Lai, stepped inside, and greeted the bald old man behind the counter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiong Sanqi said his father used to come here often when he was young; the owner was called Old Nine, so Zhang Fan naturally called him the same.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You brought a girl along.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Old Nine’s gaze sharpened as he scanned Jiang Lai from head to toe, lingering a moment when their eyes met.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sit down.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Old Nine gestured.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Order something…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Fan glanced around—the restaurant’s business was as quiet as ever; besides their table, there was no one else.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sometimes Zhang Fan even wondered how Old Nine had kept this old shop running all this time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Any dietary restrictions?” Zhang Fan asked Jiang Lai, considerately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No garlic.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Eat meat without garlic? Half the flavor’s gone,” Zhang Fan couldn’t help saying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No offal, no green onions, no vegetables…” Jiang Lai thought, then added.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Just meat?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mm-hmm!” Jiang Lai nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fifteen plates of meat, then,” Zhang Fan said, keeping it simple and placing the order.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moments later, fifteen plates of grilled meat and sauces arrived.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Fan flipped the meat with tongs; Jiang Lai held her chopsticks, waiting for the meat to land in her bowl. In moments, all fifteen plates vanished into her stomach.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Still hungry?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Just enough to fill the gaps,” Jiang Lai said without looking up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Old Nine, another fifteen plates.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the iron tray, meat with seven parts lean and three parts fat sizzled, oil dripping, filling the room with aroma.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Fan flipped the meat with his tongs, then suddenly asked: “Jiang Lai, do you know where you’re from?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I do,” Jiang Lai nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Where?” Zhang Fan’s eyes lit up—he instantly recalled the past he’d seen in the Star Chart calculation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Longhu Mountain!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“As I thought!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment those three words left Jiang Lai’s lips, Zhang Fan’s heart felt as if gripped tightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What else do you remember?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t remember.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Fan paused his movements, narrowed his eyes: “Are you messing with me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Grill the meat.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Lai pointed at the iron tray.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Fan snorted, picked up the cooked meat with his tongs, and placed it in her bowl.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You told me to wait for you,” Jiang Lai said, head down, eating meat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Aren’t I back?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not this you,” Jiang Lai shook her head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Jiang Lai, you’re not a demon, are you!?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Zhang Fan suddenly spoke—he’d always felt Jiang Lai wasn’t quite normal, ever since Zhenwu Mountain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re not human,” Jiang Lai put down her chopsticks. “I’m full.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not an ordinary demon.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Fan shook his head. “Old Yu said some unusual demons are from Class Two.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Go home.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As she spoke, Jiang Lai stood and walked straight out the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wait up for me!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Fan paid the bill and called out: “Old Nine, I’ve paid!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before he finished speaking, he “swooshed” out after her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moments later, Old Nine shuffled slowly out from the kitchen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Eat, eat.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Old Nine muttered to the empty room, then walked to the messy table and began cleaning up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Class Two? Interesting!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",2593,"2026-06-19T21:05:40.312Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","c0defdf234a718ee173de9514cb83903ba963e660ceac49bc3ebda11cef6dc14","pure-yang-chapter-112","pure-yang-chapter-110",520,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fpure-yang-cover.jpg"]