Chapter Thirteen: The Inner Demon

"Senior Brother, you and I were both taken from the mortal world by our Master. The thousands, even tens of thousands, who will be slain by the Fallen Sword Immortal in the future could very well have been us in the past."

With that, Xiao Lin slowly stepped between Tang Qianxue and Li Changhe, shielding her behind him.

"Junior Brother, I know..." Li Changhe’s sword-shaped brows furrowed deeply, as if enduring immense pain. "But there seems to be another voice in my mind..."

"That is the heart demon."

Without turning his head, Xiao Lin motioned behind him, signaling Tang Qianxue to leave quickly. "Senior Brother, Junior Brother will now transmit his energy to you, to suppress the heart demon with my righteous qi."

"Alright."

Li Changhe and Xiao Lin sat cross-legged together on the ground. The blood-red tint in Li Changhe’s pupils flickered faintly, hinting at a resurgence.

Suddenly, Li Changhe spoke inexplicably, "But Junior Brother, aren’t you supposed to purify the Fallen Sword Immortal?"

Xiao Lin retorted, "Senior Sister, why are you still standing there?"

Only then did Tang Qianxue wake from her daze and turn to flee.

She did not understand what the little qilin intended, only that staying here would only slow him down.

As Tang Qianxue’s figure gradually disappeared into the distance, Xiao Lin withdrew his gaze and replied, "The heart demon is just beginning to sprout. If it is not swiftly eradicated, it will surely harm the Dao heart. Once Senior Brother’s heart demon seed is removed, Junior Brother will proceed to purify the Fallen..."

Before he could finish, a sword suddenly appeared at Xiao Lin’s neck, its blade gleaming sharply with a chilling light.

"Junior Brother, hand over the Sword-Sealing Box to me. I cannot bear to watch you kill Master. You will surely regret it."

Li Changhe extended his other hand, his pupils again suffused with blood-red, emanating an unsettling aura.

"Hahaha!"

The Fallen Sword Immortal’s laughter rang out arrogantly. "Fool! You dare to bring up this matter again? I thought I was doomed, but it turns out I’ve planted a heart demon inside him. All thanks to you, young one!"

"Senior Brother is merely momentarily lost to delusion," Xiao Lin said calmly, lowering his head to gaze into the Universe Ring, as if seeing through countless layers to stare directly at the Fallen Sword Immortal. "Once I restore Senior Brother’s sanity, rest assured, I will make your journey through the underworld unbearably painful..."

The Fallen Sword Immortal’s eyes fixed intently on Xiao Lin. Though a formless soul without a corporeal body, at this moment it felt a chill run down its spine.

"How dare a mere Qi Refinement perfection spout such nonsense? Survive the late Foundation Establishment stage first and then talk," the words remained unsaid.

Xiao Lin’s tone was too calm, too indifferent to sound like one threatened by a late Foundation Establishment powerhouse.

It was this eerie contrast, combined with Xiao Lin’s consistent conduct, that made the Fallen Sword Immortal have no doubt about the truth of his words...

Then, whether from fear or dread, the Fallen Sword Immortal summoned its final move with all its might.

A phantom upper body manifested from Xiao Lin’s Universe Ring—a young man dressed in pristine black robes.

It was none other than Shen Wuya, the Sect Leader of Sword Mountain.

"Changhe, your junior brother is committing great treason. Why do you not subdue him at once?"

"Master..."

Li Changhe stared blankly at the phantom, then gritted his teeth and growled coldly, "Do not speak with Master’s face!"

"Shen Wuya" ignored him and said, "Changhe, you are at the late Foundation Establishment stage, while Junior Brother is merely at Qi Refinement perfection, yet he shows no fear. What does he take you for?"

Li Changhe’s mind was already in turmoil, and the words of the Fallen Sword Immortal easily diverted his attention.

Seeing Xiao Lin’s serene expression, he truly felt a trace of disbelief.

"Junior Brother, give me the Sword-Sealing Box," Li Changhe’s immortal-like face twisted with a hint of ferocity. "Senior Brother does not wish to harm you. Even if your Asura Heaven-Sealing Art is perfected, it does not mean you can truly defeat me."

One second.

Xiao Lin gave no reply for one second, and Li Changhe suddenly struck, attempting to snatch the Universe Ring from his finger.

Finally, Xiao Lin moved.

Without any divine skill or secret technique, simplifying to the extreme, he struck a palm directly at Li Changhe’s heart.

Attack where the enemy must defend!

The strike came too fast, too fierce. Li Changhe, in his current state, had no time to think and could only react instinctively, changing from snatching to striking, colliding palms.

Bang!

Xiao Lin was blasted flying.

Li Changhe immediately looked down at his palm in astonishment, realizing that Xiao Lin’s strike was merely a feint with no strength behind it.

"Junior Brother..."

"Well done, Changhe."

The voice of "Shen Wuya" drifted from afar.

Li Changhe shouted angrily, "Shut up!"

The Fallen Sword Immortal really did shut its mouth.

Because it had just breathed a huge sigh of relief.

Li Changhe’s palm had not truly struck Xiao Lin down. It was only because he sensed something wrong and hurriedly withdrew power.

Not to mention the late Foundation Establishment stage, even the early Foundation Establishment stage is a realm far beyond Qi Refinement perfection—how could the latter stand a chance?

This young man’s calm and collected manner was nothing but self-deception.

Yet, for some reason, the Fallen Sword Immortal still felt a trace of unease.

It said, "Young one, I advise you to hand over the Sword-Sealing Box. Your Senior Brother is deeply afflicted by the heart demon. If you truly fight, there is a chance he might mistakenly kill you..."

The Fallen Sword Immortal suddenly fell silent, watching Xiao Lin casually brush dust off his robes.

Such composed demeanor truly provoked it.

"Young one, death is near, yet you still dare to be arrogant!"

Xiao Lin glanced at the Fallen Sword Immortal and suddenly laughed.

If he were not arrogant, how could he win more favor from the audience?

For this moment, he had endured the Fallen Sword Immortal’s incessant nagging for so long.

He even willingly let Li Changhe blast him away with a palm—all to justify himself.

At this moment, everything was just right.

"Senior Brother."

From a short distance, Xiao Lin lifted his eyes to look at Li Changhe. "If this were the old you, how could you not realize that Junior Brother would never strike you? You are too deeply ensnared by the Fallen Sword Immortal."

Li Changhe wanted to explain but was soon overwhelmed with a splitting headache, only able to repeat, "Give me the Sword-Sealing Box..."

Xiao Lin paid no attention and drew his sword, holding the Immortal Exterminator.

‘??????’

‘Isn’t it Brother Lin? Are you really going to fight?’

‘Charging headlong into battle like this? Even Gu Jianyao couldn’t beat him.’

‘Could it be...?’

"Senior Brother, you once said you felt a threat after my cultivation was perfected," Xiao Lin said calmly. "But I say, that was not a feeling—it was..."

"Reality."

With that, Xiao Lin’s figure flickered and appeared before Li Changhe.

The sword followed his thoughts!

The tip pointed straight at the heart.

But Xiao Lin’s speed was swift, while the sword was not swift enough.

Anyone could react in time.

Li Changhe’s expression turned ice-cold. He no longer relied on instinct but drew upon years of battle experience, neither blocking nor evading.

The spiritual power and sword intent of the Qi Refinement stage barely scratched him!

Li Changhe struck with a single sword aimed at Xiao Lin’s dantian to lock his spiritual power and seal his cultivation.

Unexpectedly, Xiao Lin did not dodge or evade either.

Li Changhe was stunned and instinctively withdrew about thirty percent of his strength.

Yet Xiao Lin remained unflinching.

No matter how much power Li Changhe reduced or exerted, Xiao Lin only softly uttered a word.

"Seal."

The word was spoken.

Sword intent dispersed, spiritual power vanished!

Li Changhe’s cultivation was not stripped.

But in that instant, he fell into mortality!

*Puchi—*