Chapter 110: Heart Demon

Darkness receded like a tide; Shi Ran snapped her eyes open to find herself standing on a blood-colored wasteland. Three waning moons hung in the sky, their purple, red, and green light intertwining, dyeing the land an eerie hue.

"Could this be... my master's Heartbeat Barrier?" Shi Ran lowered her gaze to her hand, discovering a blood mark similar to the one on Ling Xiao's forehead appearing on her palm.

In the distance came a child's wail. Shi Ran followed the sound and, in the middle of the wasteland, saw a boy about four years old clutching a sword longer than his height, sobbing, "I want my mother, she'll come!" The boy had thick brows and starry eyes, his gaze full of stubbornness—indeed, it was the young Ling Xiao.

"Mother... will come..." the young Ling Xiao's voice hoarse, clutching the long sword tightly. Shi Ran stepped forward, realizing her own silhouette was nearly transparent, yet it still caught Ling Xiao's attention; he looked toward her position and said, "Whoever you are, get out at once!"

What terrifying power—Shi Ran gasped, that even at such a young age he could still see her; indeed, Master truly lives up to his reputation!

The scene shifted: young Ling Xiao was impaled by a long sword, while a woman in green robes stared at him coldly, saying, "In your next life, be reborn well!"

Ling Xiao stared at the woman, unwilling yet uttering no complaint, merely trembling as he gripped the corner of her robe: "Mother, don't leave Xiao'er..."

The woman, however, turned and walked away without a hint of hesitation.

Between heaven and earth, it seemed only Ling Xiao remained.

Shi Ran wiped away her tears, but her heart felt struck by lightning. She had always thought Ling Xiao was a genius of the immortal sect, never imagining he was actually a demon realm offspring. Over the years, how had he concealed his demonic aura so well under the eyes of the seven sects? The vision suddenly warped, and she was pulled into another memory—

Seven-year-old Ling Xiao knelt before the gate of the Floating Dream Sect, a broken Dragon Roar Sword before him. Qingchen Immortal Venerable said coldly, "Ling Xiao, your demonic energy has run amok, killing more than ten members of the Su family; by law you deserve death. Considering your youth and ignorance, I sentence you to ninety-nine demon-binding chains, from which you shall never be freed."

Young Ling Xiao knelt ramrod straight, having bitten his lip; blood dripped down his chin: "Disciple... willingly accept the punishment."

Shi Ran's heart clenched. She reached out to touch that stubborn back, but her fingertips passed through the illusion. The scene shifted again, this time to the familiar peak of the Floating Dream Sect—

"Is this the newcomer?" Youthful Ling Xiao frowned at the girl brought up the mountain, asking, "Why must I take her as a disciple?"

Qingchen Immortal Venerable had already calculated the day of his return to the void, and truly could not set his mind at ease over this half-immortal, half-demon disciple; he held on until now, coughing a few times with deep meaning: "Her constitution is unique, able to contain demonic energy. Should you lose control again in the future..."

The memory fragment snapped shut. Shi Ran trembled all over, realizing she had been nothing but a "vessel" prepared for Ling Xiao from start to finish. A warm droplet fell on the back of her hand; she lifted her head and saw the blood moon dripping blood rain.

"Finally understood?" the Heart-devouring Demon's voice came from all directions, "You are nothing but a living sword sheath, even your name given by him—Shi Ran, 'to bestow a feeble life,' how fitting."

Shi Ran wiped the blood rain from her face and suddenly laughed: "So what? My master taught me swordsmanship, imparted the Dao heart, taught me to read people's hearts and distinguish loyalty from treachery—he is the finest master...." She spoke faster and faster: "He... even shielded me from heavenly tribulation, and now he's jumped with me into the soul-devouring miasma!"

Ling Xiao's figure emerged from the blood rain. He was entwined by chains, eyes tightly shut, the blood mark on his forehead flickering. The true form of the Heart-devouring Demon was burrowing into his seven apertures; with each increment that seeped in, a chain snapped.

"Master!" Shi Ran lunged forward, only to be rebounded by an invisible barrier. She suddenly recalled an ancient text: within the Heartbeat Barrier, only power of the same source can break it.

Gazing at the blood mark on her palm, Shi Ran gritted her teeth and slit her wrist. Her blood turned into threads; the moment they connected with the blood mark on Ling Xiao's forehead, the barrier shattered with a boom. She flung herself forward and embraced Ling Xiao, feeling two forces violently colliding within him—pure sword qi and brutal demonic energy.

"As recorded in volume thirty-six of the ancient text..." Shi Ran whispered close to Ling Xiao's ear, "The purpose of a sword sheath is not to seal the blade, but to nurture its edge." She formed seals with both hands; the vermilion imprint blazed with a piercing red light: "With my body as the sheath, I will absorb my master's demon!"

Pain like ten thousand arrows piercing the heart. Shi Ran felt her meridians forcibly stretched as violent demonic energy surged into her body along the blood marks. Just as she was about to collapse, a cool spiritual energy enveloped her—Ling Xiao had awakened.

"Silly girl..." his voice hoarse, his finger lightly touching the cracked vermilion mark on her brow, "I haven't even given you your sword yet—how dare you act recklessly?"

The Heart-devouring Demon let out a piercing shriek: "Young Prince! Do you truly intend to betray the demon realm for this vessel? Don't forget your father, who clings to life in illness, awaiting your return!"

Ling Xiao's gaze hardened; the Dragon Roar Sword suddenly flew into Shi Ran's hand. The moment the blade touched her blood, an icy-blue light shot skyward, revealing a wholly crystalline long sword—its body like ice essence, its hilt entwined with Ling Xiao's pattern—none other than the legendary Ice Stream Sword.

"Now you have your own sword." Ling Xiao grasped her sword-wielding hand; their spiritual power merged, and the Ice Stream Sword burst forth with unprecedented radiance: "Let us slay this demon together!"

The Heart-devouring Demon horrifiedly discovered it could no longer read their thoughts. Wherever the Ice Stream Sword's qi passed, the blood-colored wasteland shattered like glass. In the real world, the black mist shrouding the blood moon was cleaved by a single sword, and myriad eyes burst simultaneously.

"Impossible!" the Heart-devouring Demon screamed, "How could a mere sword sheath..."

Shi Ran did not withdraw her sword; the Ice Stream Sword pierced the final demon eye: "I am not a sword sheath—I am Ling Xiao's disciple, Shi Ran!"

Heaven and earth fell silent. Where the demonic energy dissipated, the original bone-white road was revealed. Ling Xiao suddenly spat a mouthful of black blood, dropping to one knee. Shi Ran rushed to help, but he reversed his grip and seized her pulse gate.

"Master?"

"The method of transferring demonic energy is extremely perilous." Ling Xiao's violet eyes deep, "You now carry my demonic energy within you; you must immediately..."

Before his words finished, thunderous drumming came from the castle direction. Twelve blood-colored banners rose, embroidered with the same insignia as the mark on Ling Xiao's forehead. A resonant voice echoed through the demon realm: "Welcome the young master's return to his station!"

Shi Ran gripped the Ice Stream Sword tightly, noticing that its blade had somehow become covered in blood-colored patterns. She looked at Ling Xiao's pallid face and suddenly realized the true trial had only just begun.