Chapter 210

As mist spread and seeped into the small courtyard, the Dao-robed youth suddenly opened his eyes and said gravely: "Bad—there's someone else in the courtyard!"

The eunuch Fu Suolin, standing in the shadows, sneered: "These people may be ruthless in their actions, but they're still from the orthodox path—they left far too many unnecessary survivors. Our men, based on the testimonies of the Jingzhu Temple monks, have sketched the appearance, stature, combat style, and cultivation method of the giant who came wielding a sword."

"The prime suspect is the swordsman Pei Min, who has risen to prominence recently."

"He can enter the Princess Yuzhen Shrine and has a master-disciple relationship with another female swordsman, Lady Lady Gongsun. It's suspected she introduced him to Princess Princess Yuzhen. Yesterday, a poet named Li Bai arrived in Chang'an to study swordplay under him."

"These three may be the key!"

Liu Liu Luogu chuckled: "If that's true, the Daoists really went to great lengths!"

"No matter how meticulous and painstaking the orthodox path may be, can they rival your cunning, Liu Liu Luogu?" Fu Suolin sneered. "Forty years ago, I had just been castrated and entered the palace as a lowly, insignificant servant. Someone arranged for me to receive this Eight Mutilations, Seven Sorrows Art. At that time, An Lushan was merely a frontier general, constrained by the then Heavenly Demon Chancellor."

"Thanks to this art, suited for those of us who are maimed, I rose in the palace. An Lushan gained the Emperor's favor for participating in the plot to remove Li Li Linfu. When you came to me that day, I was truly stunned!"

Fu Suolin sighed softly: "The Eight Mutilations are deafness, blindness, muteness, madness, lameness, castration, and hunchback. The Seven Sorrows are widowhood, widowerhood, orphanhood, loneliness, poverty, meanness, and ugliness. The Eight Mutilations, Seven Sorrows Scripture draws from the Supreme Dao Scripture's principle: 'The Dao of Heaven diminishes the excess and supplements the deficient.' It trades bodily mutilation and karmic suffering for heavenly compensation, forging astonishing supernatural powers."

"When I first received this scripture, I had nothing—I was the lowest servant in the palace, stripped of my manhood. I thought this scripture was Heaven's compensation to me!"

"Though I knew the higher my cultivation, the more wretched I would become, I still couldn't let go of this chance. We who have nothing have nothing left to lose! We have no descendants—only by climbing to the top and enjoying wealth and glory can we honor ourselves and what we've lost!"

"Back then, I only wanted to become a minor palace official, living in comfort with a little status and power. Then I'd stop practicing this heretical art, adopt a son, and live out my days in the palace."

"Who in the palace didn't come this way?"

Fu Suolin fell silent for a moment. Pain and struggle flickered in his eyes, but he didn't want Liu Liu Luogu to see them—he closed them.

He sighed softly: "But the scripture you gave me was missing this passage—'Those who cultivate this art shall endure all earthly sufferings, with no liberation!'… What a cruel heart, what a vile art. It turns everything I sought to grasp into sand slipping through my fingers, no matter how hard I try."

"The Eight Mutilations are merely surface. The Seven Sorrows are the essence."

"The harder I strive to hold on, the faster what I desire slips away. Behind every moment of wealth lies karmic deficiency. The closer someone is to me, the faster they die—each becoming a sacrifice to fuel my cultivation."

Fu Suolin's face twisted: "This art is said to be a heretical lineage of the Supreme Dao!"

"More demonic than demonic arts, more evil than demons—is this the Dao?"

"To stop it from devouring the fortune of those around me, I must maim my own body—to use the Eight Mutilations to block the Seven Sorrows… My adopted son was just this tall."

Fu Suolin raised his hand to indicate the height of a child around seven or eight.

At that moment, his face contorted in agony: "He called me Father, was filial, and came from my hometown. After my concubine died, he grew weak, yet every time he visited, he maintained proper etiquette. In all my years in the palace, I saw he was the only one who truly respected me."

"But he's about to die. I could only drip molten tin into my ear canals… I became deaf… and forged the demonic foundation to break through the Tongfa realm… Ha!" Fu Suolin laughed wildly. "But in the palace, what is Tongfa?"

"A deaf man at the Tongfa realm still cannot survive."

"One day, because I was deaf, I didn't hear the overseer's orders. I was dragged into the water dungeon and tormented. My son secretly brought me food… to do so, he had to flatter the palace perverts… But I, I could only eat the barley cakes he brought!"

"While shedding tears, I broke through my cultivation…"

"That day, I formed my Golden Core overnight, aged rapidly, became crippled… I finally left the water dungeon, accepted your 'help,' and gained a little power in the palace. But… I truly became a solitary man. No heirs… no heirs, ha ha!"

Liu Liu Luogu looked at Fu Suolin, trembling and crazed, and suddenly felt a chill.

He too knew the Eight Mutilations, Seven Sorrows Scripture Fu Suolin cultivated!

The Daoist Eight Mutilations, Seven Sorrows Scripture does not devour the fortune of those around it—this kind of heretical danger.

It seeks perfection through mutilation, hones the spirit through suffering. It is an art of engagement with the world; once cultivation is complete, the Eight Mutilations naturally shed, the Seven Sorrows are overcome, and one attains a perfected body.

It is a grand heretical lineage of the Daoist path, created to enlighten the suffering of the world. The current Sect Master, Li Xiao Xie Xuan, is a high cultivator nearing Nascent Soul. One of An Lushan's most feared men!

The Eight Mutilations, Seven Sorrows Scripture he secretly smuggled into the palace originated from one of the most mysterious demonic lineages—the Can Mo Sect!

He still doesn't know whether An Lushan obtained the Can Mo Sect's inheritance, or whether the Can Mo Sect used An Lushan as a vessel to transmit it into the palace.

But seeing Fu Suolin's momentary loss of composure and madness, he realized that though the Eight Mutilations and Seven Sorrows appeared gone, they had forged a mad, cruel demonic nature.

This demonic nature sent chills even through Liu Liu Luogu!

He whispered: "The Dao of Heaven diminishes the excess and supplements the deficient. Human Dao is different—it diminishes the deficient and serves the excess… I've already given you the method to complete the demonic art. You may now enjoy wealth and glory, no longer fearing the Eight Mutilations and Seven Sorrows!"

"Wealth and glory… ha ha!" Fu Suolin laughed several times, his laughter filled with mockery.

"What is wealth and glory? The highest power in the world belongs to the Emperor. Isn't An Lushan just trying to become the new master of this splendid, mighty Tang Empire?"

Liu Liu Luogu's expression changed. Fu Suolin whispered: "Don't worry—I'll keep my promise. This glorious age means nothing to me. Everything I've gained was paid for with suffering. I owe the Tang nothing. On the contrary, it owes me!"

He gritted his teeth, trembling: "So I hate the Tang! I don't care what you plan. The Emperor is far above me—I care nothing for him. I only want to reach the top! My fellow eunuchs all devoutly follow the Buddhist path, seeking rebirth. But I don't want rebirth—I want this life!"

"I will become a demon!"

"I will become immortal like the Empress, doing as I please!"

Fu Suolin smiled with a profoundly demonic expression: "As long as you provide for my cultivation, I'll still relay palace secrets truthfully!"

Liu Liu Luogu, watching Fu Suolin's momentary lapse and the demonic nature now exposed, vaguely guessed his cultivation might be on the verge of another breakthrough—hence his loss of control. Yet in that glimpse, he saw the boundless darkness forged by Fu Suolin's Eight Mutilations, Seven Sorrows.

He thought in alarm: "The Can Mo Sect's inheritance is truly heretical!"

"Perhaps even if the Li Tang dynasty doesn't fall into the hands of the General, it will fall into those of these eunuchs!"

For a moment, he couldn't tell whether introducing the Can Mo Sect into the palace was a blessing or a curse for An Lushan; he even considered the eunuchs in An Lushan's inner circle who cultivated the Eight Mutilations, Seven Sorrows Art—his own future court, being prepared for his ascension.

Liu Liu Luogu had met An Lushan's most trusted Can Mo disciple—a eunuch with the humble name Li Zhuer, small, cold, and utterly unremarkable.

Liu Liu Luogu had never given him a second thought. But now, seeing just a glimmer of demonic nature in Fu Suolin, he felt profound fear.

But now was not the time to dwell on this. Though the Can Mo Sect was like the most venomous poison worm, it had not yet become a great threat; yet the day An Lushan's grand plan would be unleashed was at hand.

Liu Liu Luogu summoned a trusted guard outside the door and turned to leave. The "nourishment" provided for Fu Suolin's cultivation in the inner chamber was brought out: a girl, no more than eighteen or nineteen, holding her beloved pipa, tiptoeing slowly from behind the curtain.

She glanced curiously around, saw a man in common linen robes with his back turned, and spoke in a clear, lark-like voice: "I am Ying'er. I shall play for you a tune once performed by Niannu before the Emperor!"

Saying this, she began the prelude, softly preparing to sing.

Only then did Fu Suolin turn his head. His face was smooth, beardless, cold—easily recognizable as a eunuch.

Ying'er's face turned instantly pale. Many eunuchs in Chang'an visited Pingkang Lane, but most merely summoned entertainers for banquets; few kept them overnight. Those who brought girls to secluded mansions like this usually did so for "horse-riding"—taking concubines home or to private villas for pleasure.

Eunuchs summoning entertainers often had perverse tastes, but if they held banquets or kept them in brothels, they wouldn't go too far. But here, in this secluded mansion, if they tortured her to death, no one would care.

At that moment, Ying'er remembered her mother's greedy smile as she left, the strange look in her eyes.

Her hands trembled slightly, barely holding the pipa steady—the opening notes already faltered!

Fu Suolin smiled, a smile reeking of blood: "You're afraid?"

………

A piercing scream echoed from the courtyard. Outside, Liu Liu Luogu remained unmoved. The courtyard was sealed by talismans—no matter how shrill the scream, it wouldn't reach beyond. As for the one screaming, he regarded her as insignificant as an ant—not worth his concern.

But the Dao-robed youth outside suddenly swept his sleeve. Countless mists churned, gathering in his palm, forming a pure Yang Taiyin Zhenhuo. He declared decisively: "Someone is inside…"

The black-robed demonic cultivator grabbed him: "The time hasn't come. If we act prematurely, you won't be able to defeat the one inside!"

The Dao-robed youth cried anxiously: "There are priorities! We can't afford to wait!"

The black-robed demonic cultivator whispered: "If you ruin the Master's grand plan, even soul annihilation will be too light! You've only just regained consciousness—why risk it again?"

The Dao-robed youth pushed off his Dao cap: "I've never been a puppet. I choose the righteous path!"

The stern nun beside him gave the Dao-robed youth a approving glance and smiled: "Good! Such cruelty toward women—I can't bear it!"

The serene monk and the drunken wine-drinker both smiled faintly. The monk clasped his hands: "Even if I descend into the Nine Heavens of Darkness, I shall walk the righteous path!"

The wine-drinker gripped his long sword—the Heavenly Thunder Taiyin Zhenhuo blazed…

The young black-robed demonic cultivator sighed: "Fine… We'll share the burden together! I'll go with you. Worst comes to worst—we'll be soul-annihilated… In this life, loyalty comes first!"

He reversed his grip on his long blade and slashed out a blade-light as clear as a mountain stream, instantly slicing into the courtyard. In the same instant, the others outside rushed forward, resolutely charging into the courtyard.

The figures moved with blinding speed. Liu Liu Luogu had barely shouted: "Who is it?"

When he saw, beneath the setting sun, a blade of faint crimson light—devoid of any demonic aura, firm and fearless—slicing straight toward him…