Chapter 336: Ruyi

Siming stared calmly into the mirror before her. Her face was reflected in its smooth surface. The woman's slender knuckles rested on a wooden comb. Her water-like robe slipped from her arms, pooling at her elbows, revealing her delicate, snow-white arms. With one hand, she held up her hair, and with the other, she drew the comb through it, like a small boat gliding over a silver river.

Ning Changjiu watched her quietly, noticing that her hair was slightly damp. As a goddess, Siming's skin and clothes were always immaculate, yet she still bathed frequently, cleansing her body with pure water.

Ning Changjiu stared at the fruit bowl for a moment, then his gaze subtly swept around, searching for any traces of fruit peels. But Siming had clearly woken up early and tidied everything around her.

Siming noticed Ning Changjiu was awake, but she pretended not to.

Last night, he had held her hand for half the night, occasionally muttering strange words, which had greatly annoyed her. So, after Ning Changjiu's nightmare subsided, she made an exception and cleansed herself with water other than that from the Heavenly River Sacred Waterfall and the Deep Spring of the Secluded Valley.

Just as Ning Changjiu was about to speak, he heard Siming ask, "What is your relationship with Liu Xihuan?"

Ning Changjiu flinched and cautiously asked, "Did I... did I say anything last night?"

Siming glanced at his face, her lips curving slightly, and a hint of disappointment flickered in her icy eyes.

She was now almost certain that Ning Changjiu had had an erotic dream last night. This City of Ten Thousand Monsters was full of spirits, and they had traveled through mountains and forests for a long time. Perhaps he had been tainted by some unknown evil, stirring up desires hidden deep within his heart. It wasn't a major issue, but for someone at the peak of the Violet Palace Realm to unknowingly indulge in such thoughts was always embarrassing if it got out.

What's more... his desire was actually...

Siming narrowed her long, icy eyes, which held a hint of disdain. Her tongue lightly traced her lips, which were now soft and glistening with moisture. She looked at Ning Changjiu with a half-smile and said, "Don't you know what you dreamed about? Why ask me? Are you... feeling guilty?"

Ning Changjiu lowered his head, leaned against the bedpost, and gently pressed his hand to his forehead, recalling the dream from last night.

In his dream, he had returned to the Imperceptible Temple.

The Imperceptible Temple was enveloped in a dim night and faint light. He stood before the temple, looking down at Dahe Town, where lanterns slowly floated up into the night sky, becoming adornments in the Cold Moon Jade Palace.

Everything was just as it had been back then.

Ning Changjiu realized he was dreaming. He hadn't had such a dream in a long time, so he wasn't in a hurry to wake up.

Then, he looked up. Amidst thirty thousand acres of jade-like fields, a jade mirror hung high, and that familiar figure in white clothes with black hair floated in and out of his vision.

"Master..." Ning Changjiu's heart tightened.

He saw his Master's ethereal figure slowly rise in the moonlight. She seemed to stand on a silver stage in the Jade Heaven Toad Palace, breaking a laurel branch to form a sword, and turning gracefully.

"Master..." Ning Changjiu suddenly realized he couldn't recall her name.

Inner demon!

He realized it immediately.

During his inner demon tribulation in the Violet Palace Realm, his inner demon was the Nine-Headed Infant. But he knew that his true inner demon would always be the scene from his previous life, on the night of his ascension under the full moon, when the temple gates opened and his Master emerged with a sword, severing his path to immortality and ascension with a single strike.

However, the inner demon tribulation couldn't reveal true hidden secrets, so it chose the Nine-Headed Infant instead.

Could this... be his opportunity to enter the Five Paths!

Ning Changjiu's heart jolted. Although he was already at the peak of the Violet Palace, this glimmer of opportunity came too suddenly. Profound and subtle insights surged in his sea of consciousness. His heart tightened, and as his Master drew her sword and turned, he too drew the sword from his back, his expression solemn.

Since it was an inner demon.

Since it was a dream.

Then he might as well slay this inner demon in his dream!

As this thought arose, the spiritual power within him immediately erupted with unstoppable force, creating a roar like mountains and seas. His vibrating robes crackled like thunder, and his long, flowing hair danced like a furious gale!

This power... Ning Changjiu clutched his sword and suddenly looked up. He immediately realized he had returned to the peak of his cultivation in his previous life.

This was the pinnacle of the Five Paths, half a step to legend! The Great Dao was within reach!

Ning Changjiu felt the power within him. He was confident that as long as he held this sword, he could sever all inner demons!

The young man drew his sword and, amidst thunderous roars, shot through the air, striking towards the moon.

The outcome was also predictable.

Like Siming, Ning Changjiu was endowed with power beyond his peak, yet he was still utterly defenseless against the figure in the moon.

Hours later, Ning Changjiu knelt on one knee, gasping for breath and leaning on his sword. He struggled to look up, staring at the figure, as if transported back to his previous life, his grip on the sword almost unsteady from despair.

Being unable to defeat his Master was not despair, nor was failing to overcome his own inner demon the true nightmare.

The most terrifying thing was...

The sound of a wooden door scraping against the ground echoed in his ears—the sound of the temple gate opening.

Ning Changjiu looked back. It was a scene that made his heart tremble and his scalp prickle!

The disciples from the temple walked out.

But the first one to emerge... was actually Zhao Xianger!

Xianger wore a red dress he had never seen before. Her exquisite face exuded an indescribable grace and ethereal quality. Amidst her intricately braided dark hair, a delicate golden crown enhanced her majestic and sacred aura.

She descended the steps, her red dress trailing on the ground. She tilted her head slightly, and her clear black and white eyes reflected only the moon.

Next, a graceful figure with dark hair, white robes, and an ancient sword at her waist emerged from behind her. The woman's face was gentle and serene, her figure elegant and lithe, like a lotus from the Jade Pond, yet also like a powerful sword, as refined as jade and as vibrant as a rainbow. It was Lu Jiajia!

"Jiajia... Xianger..." Ning Changjiu whispered softly, a sense of foreboding washing over him.

Zhao Xianger and Lu Jiajia stood under the moonlight, amidst countless lanterns. Zhao Xianger took out her red umbrella, and Lu Jiajia drew her Minglan sword.

"Xianger... Jiajia..."

Ning Changjiu's eyes widened. He then saw Siming, with silver hair and dark robes, slowly emerge from the temple. She wore a divine robe outlined with silver patterns, her jade-like face divine, as if she could ascend into the wind at any moment.

"Xueci..."

Ning Changjiu didn't understand what was happening.

Why had his senior brothers and sisters become...

Then, Ning Xiaoling also walked out of the temple. She was no longer a small fox but had returned to her original charming and lovely appearance. She looked up, her face as serene as her Master's, illuminated by the moonlight.

Behind her stood a woman in red. She was beautiful and cold, holding a sword, like a blood-stained ghost after a massacre. It took Ning Changjiu a moment to recognize her as Shao Xiaoli. Her demeanor at that moment was similar to Xianger's, yet one seemed to stand among the heavens, while the other seemed to be at the gates of the underworld.

Next came a beautiful young girl with short hair, dressed in a tight combat suit, appearing somewhat mischievous and haughty.

It was Liu Xihuan, whom he had parted with not long ago.

They all drew their swords. Especially Liu Xihuan's silver sword, though far away, had a mysterious connection with him.

Ning Changjiu softly murmured their names.

Finally, another young man in white walked out of the temple—it was himself!

Ning Changjiu realized this was a dream; otherwise, how could he have such a panoramic view? He tried his best to convince himself it was a dream. Because...

These women, with whom he had deep ties and who haunted his thoughts, began to ascend with their swords!

Ascend...

"Don't ascend... don't ascend!" Ning Changjiu remembered the tragic state of the Dragon Keepers. Even though he knew it was a dream, his eyes were bloodshot, and he cried out heartbreakingly.

But they couldn't hear him.

They flew towards the moon; though seemingly approaching him, it felt more like they were drifting further away.

Between shock and numbness, a sword pierced through his chest. He realized it belatedly.

It was his Master's sword.

The dream shattered.

After Ning Changjiu woke up, he looked at Siming's figure and felt an immense sense of relief—thankfully, it was just a dream.

Strange, why would he dream of such a scene?

Had the inner demon deep within his consciousness become so stubborn? Or was it because he was close to her that he couldn't help but recall that lingering shadow? Ultimately, he was simply too preoccupied.

"Why aren't you answering? You haven't forgotten what you dreamed about, have you?" Siming asked with a faint smile.

Ning Changjiu mumbled, "I really can't remember."

Siming sneered, further confirming her suspicions.

Indeed, it was a dream worth a thousand gold coins in that moment, with so many people in it... Haha, truly impartial, accepting anyone who comes!

As Siming thought this, she almost used the comb as a sword and struck Ning Changjiu's chest.

Ning Changjiu said, "Perhaps I was caught in some nightmare. From now on... I should be more careful, and never be overconfident."

"Mhm," Siming replied dismissively, certain in her heart that it was a clumsy excuse from Ning Changjiu.

Ning Changjiu, seeing her poor attitude, assumed he had done something improper last night. He looked at the perfectly straight red thread and asked, "This thread hasn't moved, so I didn't do anything out of line last night, did I?"

Siming was still angry about having her hand held all night, but Ning Changjiu's question prevented her from telling the truth, as it would be too embarrassing. After all, she had clearly had opportunities to pull away. She had even meticulously straightened the red thread afterward to cover up the truth... Thinking of this, Siming felt even more aggrieved!

"You, desecrate a deity? Delusional!"

She slammed the wooden comb onto the table, making the mirror tremble.

Ning Changjiu was startled but didn't dare ask further. He got up, put on his outer robe, walked behind Siming, took the comb, and slid it through her silver hair.

Ning Changjiu glanced at the fruit bowl then averted his gaze, not pressing the matter.

Her silver hair was meticulously combed.

Siming slowly stood up and said coldly, "Next time you book an inn, if you dare choose one with only one bed again, I'll nail you to the ceiling to sleep!"

Ning Changjiu somehow felt he had done something wrong last night, and out of guilt, he didn't refute her harsh words.

Rolling up the geomancy map, the two left the room and began their search within the inner city of the City of Ten Thousand Monsters.

Ning Changjiu and Siming circled around Treasure Elephant Mountain, where they were staying, but saw nothing. Ning Changjiu was, however, captivated by the mountain's splendor.

At the foot of Treasure Elephant Mountain, verdant pines and cypresses thrived, shrouded in auspicious mist and smoke. Below, water flowed like a ribbon, and distant mountains stretched like painted scrolls. At the summit, several majestic halls adorned with gold leaf gleamed like jade-tiered palaces, radiating golden light. Beyond the jade steps and golden stairs, six grand halls and six palaces were neatly arranged, appearing like towers of magical artifacts under the sunlight. In the center of the mountain stood a statue of a great grey wolf demon, holding a mace and draped in a yellow robe.

"It's nothing but a superficial display of peace," Siming scoffed, dismissing Treasure Elephant Mountain with disdain.

After they left Treasure Elephant Mountain, Ning Changjiu opened his sword-eyes and looked back. There were no divine temples or palaces to be seen; all that met his gaze were dark, eerie mountain gates and cave dwellings.

At the foot of the mountain, they encountered two demon wolves chasing each other. The one in front was much leaner, clutching a struggling grey rabbit in its mouth. The one behind, more robust, leaped onto the front wolf's back in a few bounds, pinning it violently to the ground. The startled rabbit escaped, but was immediately caught by a wolf's paw, its sharp claws piercing it, killing it instantly.

The smaller wolf lay on the ground, emaciated and barely alive. It thought of its hungry pups at home, and a look of despair crossed its face. The larger wolf looked at it, its eyes again filled with greed; it wouldn't hesitate to kill its own kind.

Suddenly, a tiger's roar echoed through the forest. The wild wolf was startled, snatched up the rabbit, and immediately fled. The other wolf, however, did not survive; its bones were broken, and after staggering a few steps, it stumbled and fell, unable to rise again.

Ning Changjiu stood before the fallen wolf demon and asked with a sigh, "Is this what they call the Pure Land of Ten Thousand Monsters?"

Siming said, "They were born here. How can they leave?"

"What would happen if they escaped?" Ning Changjiu asked.

"A curse," Siming replied, saying nothing more.

Ning Changjiu couldn't help but recall the two demon corpses on the boat in the Sea of Misfortune, and he shook his head gently.

In the forest, rustling sounds arose as a silver-grey owl flapped its wings and flew. A hungry tiger, its bones protruding, emerged partially from the woods. On a distant high cliff, a leopard surveyed the area, searching for traces of prey. The place where they lived was a mix of dense forest and open plains; the air throughout the valley was humid, and the overall color scheme was dim.

Those dwelling beneath these major peaks were either demons whose intelligence had not yet awakened or those with savage dispositions. They were not qualified to live on the high peaks and could only lead lives of savagery and uncertain survival here.

The path between Treasure Elephant Mountain and Lion Camel Mountain was not far. Along the way, Ning Changjiu saw several burnt-down ancestral halls. There were no statues of gods or Buddhas inside; instead, numerous small demons jostled noisily, occupying the prayer rooms and dividing them into cramped spaces just large enough to house themselves.

The demons capable of living in these ancestral halls were already quite strong.

Once they reached the Profound Realm, they could contend for the right to live on the higher peaks.

As they walked along the dark green mountain path, Ning Changjiu heard a crisp gong sound. He looked up and saw a small mountain rising ahead, named Patrol Mountain Peak. On the peak, a small demon was beating a gong, playing drums, and singing. Beyond this peak lay the renowned Lion Camel Mountain.

Siming's figure flashed, appearing behind the small demon on Patrol Mountain Peak. She pointed her finger from a distance, knocking it unconscious, then searched its sea of consciousness for information.

Siming floated over to Ning Changjiu and said, "There are two demons on Lion Camel Peak, the Green Lion and the White Elephant. According to the small demon's memory, these two were once notoriously evil demonic leaders. Just as they were about to devour a city, they were enlightened by a sage and prevented from entering the demonic path."

"However, that Green Lion doesn't seem to have nine heads," Siming added.

Ning Changjiu wasn't concerned about this; after all, even the spirit turtle itself didn't seem to care.

The two ascended Lion Camel Peak.

At the foot of Lion Camel Peak, numerous shattered statues of gods and Buddhas lay scattered. Ascending the stone steps, their view broadened significantly past the halfway point. Here, a few temples remained, but all the idols worshipped within were demons. Unlike the ghost temples outside, the divine statues in these temples were benevolent and harmless, yet merely inactive.

Ning Changjiu suddenly stopped and looked towards an old temple nestled among the many fluttering banners.

In front of the temple, a monkey with paper talismans plastered all over its face sat cross-legged, muttering something.

Upon seeing Ning Changjiu, its expression brightened, and it immediately said, "Customer, it's you again! The path to Lion Camel Peak is fraught with danger. Would you like a divination?"

Ning Changjiu recognized it; it was the bob-tailed monkey that had initially vied to be their guide at the entrance.

Ning Changjiu looked at its tattered Taoist robe and the bamboo stick container it held, and said skeptically, "I didn't expect you were actually a swindler."

The little monkey grinned and said, "How can you say that? Though driven by necessity, I truly possess unique skills... Customer, come, have a divination! Hurry up and shake the sticks; I still need to go back to the outer city to perform fire-hoop jumping with my brothers."

Ning Changjiu looked at this multi-talented monkey, then glanced at Siming and asked, "Should we get a divination?"

The little monkey immediately said, "My fortune-telling for relationships is incredibly accurate!"

Siming's expression hardened, about to retort. Ning Changjiu looked at the little monkey and quickly asked, "Can you tell fortunes for anything else besides relationships?"

The little monkey tentatively asked, "What do you want to divine?"

Ning Changjiu had completely lost faith in it. This small demon, neither fully ape nor fully monkey, had mediocre bones and average talent. It was likely a low-ranking demon in the City of Ten Thousand Monsters, only slightly stronger than the unevolved beasts living in the wilderness.

Ning Changjiu treated it as an act of charity. He threw a few copper coins to the bob-tailed monkey demon and said, "Just draw a random stick."

"Alright!" The monkey demon grinned, its eyes gleaming as it took the copper coins. It immediately sat up straight, closed its eyes, shook the divination sticks, and muttered incantations.

Ning Changjiu closed his eyes and thought for a moment, then, with a hand pressing his sleeve, casually drew a stick. When he held it upright, he saw the inscription:

"For endless longevity, seek the white deer; for eternal youth, ask the jade toad."

Ning Changjiu looked at the inscription, puzzled.

White deer, jade toad?

The latter might have some meaning, perhaps connected to his Master, but what was the white deer?

The little monkey rubbed its hands and chuckled, "Customer, would you like an interpretation of the stick? My interpretations are even cheaper than drawing the sticks..."

Siming listened to the inscription, and a hint of disappointment appeared on her face. She said coldly, "This kind of charlatan will just take an inch if you give them a foot. Why bother with it?"

The little monkey knew this was a formidable presence not to be provoked, so it could only smile ingratiatingly, clasp its hands, and beg for mercy.

Ning Changjiu had to say, "No need. The stick is a good one; I can interpret it myself."

With that, he put away the bamboo stick.

After they left, the little monkey took off its hat, patted its chest, and breathed a sigh of relief. It pulled the copper coins from its sleeve, bit them, and was overjoyed. This money was more than it could earn by jumping through fire hoops for seven days. "Ah, people from outside are easier to fool," it thought. "Things used to go wrong all the time, but is my luck finally turning around now?"

The little monkey carefully collected the copper coins, immediately changed into its performing attire, and swung from tree to tree, hurrying towards the outer city.

On the way, it hummed a tune, too carried away with itself to notice the giant python coiled in the tree above.

By the time it noticed, it was too late. The python's head shot out, its jaws wide, biting towards the monkey demon.

Although the giant python hadn't yet achieved demon status, its strength and speed were astonishing. For an ordinary monkey, it would have been instantly fatal. Fortunately, the little monkey still possessed some demonic power. It mustered all its protective spiritual energy and collided violently with the python. Its body was flung backward, swinging through several vines before stabilizing, but the copper coins, still warm in its sleeve, along with the cylinder of bamboo sticks, scattered and fell into the mud pit, slowly sinking.

The little monkey squatted on the tree trunk, mouth agape, its demon eyes staring down at the few churning crocodile-dragons in the mud pit, its heart pounding wildly.

It remained dazed for a long time, then laughed miserably.

The old demon Taoist who had given it these divination sticks hadn't lied after all. Misfortune and hardship, a life full of disappointments... Where in this world was there such a thing as a change of luck? This was its inescapable fate.

At this thought, it wished it could just jump into the mud pit and become food for the crocodile-dragons. But then, thinking of something, it sighed deeply, gritted its teeth, wiped its eyes, cursed the giant python, rolled up its damaged clothes, and took a detour.

It looked at the dense, wild jungle, its heart dead. It finally reached the outer city, but the performance had already begun. The spot it had worked so hard to secure was now lost due to its lateness. The hundred-faced fox demon, the troupe leader, glared at it and said, "Why are you here now? To cause more trouble?"

The monkey demon rubbed its hungry stomach. Just as the hundred-faced fox demon was about to slap it away, it said earnestly, "Great Immortal, please give me another chance. I... I can make people happy!"

The hundred-faced fox demon sneered at it.

"What if you can't?"

"If I can't, I'll perform stepping on knives!" the monkey demon vowed.

On the stage, the fire hoops were set up. Below, countless guests, including local renowned demons and many visiting merchants and cultivators, watched.

The preceding monkeys smoothly leaped through the fire hoops, earning considerable applause.

The bob-tailed monkey demon also jumped onto the stage. It staggered a few steps, then reached the fire hoop.

"Where did this wild monkey come from? It can't even walk steadily."

"A monkey's tail is for balance; of course, it's unsteady if it's broken."

"Can this wild monkey jump through fire hoops? Don't let it get roasted!"

The monkey demon scratched its head and ears on stage, looking around nervously, clearly afraid of the fire hoop. It let out several strange cries, seemingly unevolved, and tried to escape, but was pulled back by the trainer. A few cracks of the whip sent it rolling on the ground, crying out pitifully, as if begging for mercy. It then shakily got up and returned to the fire hoop.

Many previously inattentive guests were now intrigued by this scene, wondering if this little monkey could actually perform.

The monkey demon gazed up at the fire hoop, then leaped, barely clearing the first one before falling to the ground. It struggled for a moment before shakily getting back on its feet.

Sparse applause rose from the audience. The monkey demon puffed out its cheeks, gathered its courage, and jumped through four more fire hoops consecutively, receiving lukewarm applause. Before the last and highest hoop, the monkey demon paused. It closed its eyes, gritted its teeth, and leaped abruptly, pulling its legs up in an odd posture in mid-air. Though its body cleared the hoop, its backside unfortunately caught fire.

"Aiyah! Aiyah! Aiyah!" Its fur ignited, and it shrieked loudly. After landing, it frantically patted the fire on its backside, scrambling across the stage and wailing incessantly.

The audience applauded continuously, with cheers filling the air.

Backstage, the fire on the monkey's rear was put out, though a large patch of fur was scorched. The hundred-faced fox looked at it and nodded slightly, "Hmm, not bad this time. I won't hold your tardiness against you. But if you dare delay again next time, I'll skin you alive!"

"I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare! Thank you, venerable Fox Immortal, for giving me this chance," the little monkey demon groveled obsequiously.

The hundred-faced fox shook a few copper coins from its folding fan and tossed them to the monkey demon. The monkey demon, thinking of the previous applause from the audience and looking at the pitiful coins in its palm, bowed to the fox demon as if worshipping a Bodhisattva, then left alone.

It walked dejectedly through the streets, afraid of losing its money again. It spent all of it on three warm steamed buns. It stared at them for a moment, then muttered to itself, "Three buns... one for each of those two little ones, and I'll still have one left... Finally, something good happened today."

No sooner had it spoken than several audience members happened to walk out. They stared at the monkey. Silence fell between them.

"Aha, so it wasn't a wild monkey after all!"

"How dare it put on an act and trick us!"

"And I even gave it money!"

"Catch it!"

The low-powered monkey demon was startled and ran for its life.

By the time it stumbled back to its small mountain cave, the monkey demon was exhausted. It wiped its dust and blood-stained face, looked at the two remaining steamed buns in its arms, and touched its empty stomach. Suppressing a sob, it spent a long time forcing a smile before re-entering the cave.

"I'm back," it called out, straining its voice.

Two small monkeys peeked out, observed for a moment, then ran out, clustering around its knees and chattering.

"Stop chattering, you two little nuisances," the monkey demon said with a fond laugh, looking at the two adopted little monkeys. It handed them one bun each and smiled, "The buns are still warm, eat them well. Oh, don't look at me like that, I ate plenty outside. Today, Papa even hunted a big snake, but I accidentally burned my backside when skinning and roasting it. Papa is very powerful, it's nothing serious. You're still too young to eat meat, but when you grow up, Papa will cut off some snake meat for you. It's delicious, hehe."

The little monkeys had also been hungry all day. Hearing the monkey demon, they immediately began to gobble down the buns.

The monkey demon watched them, a relieved smile on its face.

"Don't worry about Papa, Papa was just hunting..." The monkey demon stroked their heads and softly said, "Although Papa is very powerful, there's always a chance of failure when hunting. So, just in case—and I mean *just in case*—if this city ever collapses, and I tell you to run, you must never look back."