Chapter 726: Extra 2: The Demon Thought Buried Deep in the Heart

This evening, we chatted for a very long time.

After everyone dispersed, Xiao Jiu placed the Soul-guiding Lamp in the west room beside my spirit tablet, letting my soul rest peacefully.

She specifically instructed: "Wan Wan, you heard everything we said in the living room just now; Zhan Jiaoe's current situation is truly like oil on fire, as long as you endure, Zhan Jiaoe will eventually be cornered, and when that happens we can deal with her without delay."

I nodded firmly: "I know, I won't act rashly."

Xiao Jiu continued: "These days Zhan Jiaoe will surely try every means to drag your soul into the Nine Abysses; logically, the Soul-guiding Lamp should protect you, but nothing is absolute—if you ever feel anything off, you must tell me immediately."

I replied in agreement repeatedly.

After finishing her talk with me, Xiao Jiu lowered the black cloth above the Soul-guiding Lamp.

The Soul-guiding Lamp was completely covered by the black cloth, shielded from outside interference; I immediately sat cross-legged and entered meditation to cultivate.

I heard Xiao Jiu's footsteps leave the west gate and stop in the main hall.

Outside, Liu Qiye strode into the main hall and immediately bumped into Xiao Jiu.

Liu Qiye seemed somewhat angry: "Xiao Jiu, I understand you don't want others to interfere, but you won't let me interfere either—what do you take me for? You guys charge ahead on the front lines while I stay home doing nothing; what will Shan Shan think of me as a father? A timid turtle?"

Xiao Jiu snorted with laughter: "Āyàn, you're overthinking; I could never really let you idle—I have a more important task for you."

Liu Qiye's tone changed instantly.

The anger just now vanished completely; he even seemed eager to try: "What task? Speak!"

"In the Nether Realm, various forces cooperate and check each other; where there is great ambition, there are also figures like the City God and the Seven Halls Yama who maintain close ties with us and stand on our side."

Xiao Jiu said unhurriedly: "When the real fight begins, the forces of the Nether Realm will have to pick sides; I want you to go ahead and contact them, then through them reach more departments—I don't need them to do anything for us, I only need them to hold their position."

Not participating is already a great help to me.

"There is another more important matter you need to do quickly." Xiao Jiu paused, then continued: "I need you to announce the recall of all Feng Clan members and the rebuilding of the clan genealogy as widely and as soon as possible; those who return within three days will be entered into the genealogy without blame; those who return within seven days will have their blood relations within three generations verified; those who return within half a month will have their nine clans checked; those who do not return after half a month will be considered to have voluntarily relinquished their Feng Clan membership, for all eternity, never to rejoin the Feng Clan."

Although Xiao Jiu's voice wasn't loud, the main hall and west room are separated by only one wall, so I heard her clearly.

Those words made my heart sink inexplicably.

Even Liu Qiye was stunned.

After a while he said: "Xiao Jiu, are you really going all out this time? Do you know what consequences spreading this news will bring?"

"I have certainly given this deep thought." Xiao Jiu said: "The phoenix is the king of birds; among the Three Realms and Six Paths, the ultimate belonging of all bird species is the Feng Clan; the Feng Clan has been destroyed for many years, breeding great ambition in many of its members; now I want to reclaim authority in such a short time, which will inevitably provoke a counterattack from some members."

"This move is indeed risky, but I have waited over a year and can wait no longer; Shan Shan's first trial was my negligence, causing over twenty members to be wiped out; this news will soon spread to every corner of the Three Realms and Six Paths and will be seized by those with ill intent to stir trouble."

"Even if I didn't make this decision, the members who would rebel would have already risen by now; Āyàn, I must protect the Feng Clan for Shan Shan."

Hearing this, I couldn't help but feel a little envious of Shan Shan.

Liu Qiye's paternal love is fierce; whenever Shan Shan suffers any injustice, he steps forward for her immediately.

But Xiao Jiu's maternal love is deep and enduring.

She loves Shan Shan, so she will give her all for her.

If I ever have a child……

I shook my head violently: "Pah pah pah, Fu Wan, what are you thinking?"

Leaving aside that you are now merely a wisp of soul; even if you later return to your physical form, you are nothing more than a seven-leaf lingzhi.

The offspring of seven-leaf lingzhi……

Thinking of this, I suddenly realized something.

Once everything settles, if I fortunately survive, what will become of me and Zhao Zixun……?

I am a seven-leaf lingzhi, while he is a war god who descended from above to undergo tribulation.

After his tribulation succeeds, his shattered war soul will fully return to its place, and then he will have to return to the heavens above?

No matter what I do, it seems I and Zhao Zixun are ultimately destined not to be together.

However, according to what Zhao Zixun said, this tribulation of his is precisely an emotional tribulation.

If we are truly destined not to achieve fruition together, how could he succeed in his tribulation?

This seems like a paradox.

But upon further reflection, I suddenly thought of a terrifying possibility.

What if…… Zhao Zixun's tribulation this time is not for achieving fruition?

What if he is cultivating the Ruthless Dao in the heavens above?

Then I……

I dare not think further.

Fu Wan, your soul body is inherently weak; now is precisely when you are vulnerable to inner demons; Zhan Jiaoe hasn't arrived yet, so you must not let your own random thoughts disturb your mind.

Over in the main hall, Xiao Jiu and Liu Qiye are still muttering something, they are carefully arranging things.

I stopped listening and devoted myself entirely to cultivation.

What I didn't expect was that, in fact, the inner demon may have already been planted in my heart by Zhan Jiaoe.

I simply hadn't thought of that point before, so it had no opening.

And now, I have thought of it.

The inner demon then drills out from that crack; the memories I buried deepest in my mind keep surging, striking my brain, making it impossible for me to truly calm down.

Still that torture rack; I remain bound upon it.

Zhan Jiaoe pinches my chin; that corpse-like face almost touches my nose; a faint corpse stench blows onto my face, making me want to vomit.

Zhan Jiaoe laughs wickedly, lowers her voice, and says word by word: "Fu Wan, why do you think the exalted war god from the heavens came to the mortal realm to undergo tribulation? And why did he happen to meet and entangle with you?"

"Could it be that you believed his lies, thinking he truly came for an emotional tribulation, and that you two are destined to achieve fruition?"

"Fu Wan, I have protected you too well, which made you so naive; out there, a foul man merely crooks his finger, and you rush after him without hesitation."

"Failing to teach you well is my fault as your master; today I will let your master tell you exactly what kind of person Zhao Zixun is, and what ulterior motives he harbors toward you……"