Chapter 37: Heart Demon Trials

When breaking into the Purple Court from the Longevity realm, one faces two tribulations: the Heart Devil Tribulation and the Heavenly Lightning Tribulation. After the Heart Devil Tribulation is overcome, the demonic nature dissipates, triggering the Heavenly Lightning Tribulation.

Previously, Zhao Xiang'er's realm was feigned, so she didn't trigger the lightning tribulation.

Now, Ning Xiaoling, as a new life, was about to step into the Purple Court. As Ning Changjiu helped her break through the bottleneck, the tribulation arrived.

Ning Xiaoling stood motionless, trapped within the Heart Devil Tribulation.

Her body began to be wrapped in white spiritual threads. Each thread was distinct and incredibly resilient, impossible for ordinary swords to cut. These threads were meant to protect the tribulation-undergoer who might lose the ability to act after a sudden breakthrough.

Lu Jiajia understood Ning Changjiu's actions: he helped her break through to trap her with the tribulation.

"You can only trap her for a moment," Lu Jiajia cried out. "But once she breaks free and enters the Purple Court, who will be able to kill her? This is undoubtedly seeking your own death!"

As she spoke, her celestial sword, "Minglan," suspended beside her, hummed, as if ready to transform into a rainbow and fly away at any moment.

However, Lu Jiajia knew in her heart that the spiritual threads were so tough that she might have stood a chance when she was at full power. But now, after fighting that old fox, she had unwillingly dropped half a realm, and trying to cut them open at this moment would be as difficult as ascending to heaven.

Ning Changjiu looked at the white-clad woman, bowed deeply, and sincerely asked, "Miss Lu, may you let us go?"

"What did you say?" Lu Jiajia's expression subtly changed. "I don't know where you borrowed your cultivation from, but how much strength do you have left now? What will you do when she wakes up?"

Ning Changjiu knew time was short and he had to convince her immediately, so he didn't hide much. "My junior sister's obsession is too deep, and her actual realm is too low. Now that she's rushed into the tribulation, she'll be trapped in the Heart Devil Tribulation for a long time. I will use the Daoist Clear Heart Incantation to thoroughly dispel her demonic nature, then awaken her original consciousness and suppress the demonic nature of that demon seed."

Upon hearing this, Lu Jiajia found it incredible. How could a mere Daoist Clear Heart Incantation possibly make a personality on the verge of entering the Purple Court realm recede and become secondary?

"It's not that I don't want to believe you, but what you're describing, I can't imagine how it could be achieved," Lu Jiajia sighed.

Ning Changjiu insisted, "I am confident."

Lu Jiajia asked, "And if this demon seed is suppressed, what will Ning Xiaoling become?"

Ning Changjiu replied, "If nothing goes wrong, that Purple Court realm demon seed will be buried deep within her sea of consciousness, and my junior sister will return to her original self."

Lu Jiajia asked doubtfully, "If she reverts, what about this rolling tribulation lightning?"

Ning Changjiu calmly stated, "When I decided to save her, I already planned to confront the tribulation lightning."

A look of shock flashed in Lu Jiajia's eyes. "You calculated this step long ago?"

Ning Changjiu replied with slight guilt, "There wasn't enough time; I only predicted three outcomes. Fortunately, this is one of them."

"If your aptitude were just a little better, you'd be a true genius," Lu Jiajia said, looking at him with a complex expression, finally sighing softly, "I know you're extraordinary, but it's still hard to believe... Fortunately, it wasn't you who became demonized."

Ning Changjiu looked into her eyes and earnestly said, "Miss Lu, you will let us go, right?"

Lu Jiajia said softly, "You have shown me great kindness, so logically I shouldn't draw my sword. However, letting her leave would ultimately be irresponsible to the people of this city."

Ning Changjiu picked up the girl, who had already transformed into a cocoon. Four fluffy, illusory tails lay weakly on the cocoon, looking incredibly cute. Yet, within this adorable snow-white ball, hidden was a demon that could destroy a city or a nation once it opened its eyes.

Ning Changjiu thought in silence for a moment, then looked up and said, word by word, "Then I will demand repayment for my kindness."

Lu Jiajia, clad in white, descended on her sword to the ground. She slowly walked over to Ning Changjiu, gazing at his delicate face and clear eyes, as if trying to discern some secret within him.

"You can take her, but I will inform the Sword Sect. If you fail to achieve what you intend, the Sect Master will personally slay her with a sword in the future."

Finally, Lu Jiajia nodded reluctantly.

Ning Changjiu breathed a sigh of relief, bowed again, and smiled, "Thank you, Miss Jiajia."

Lu Jiajia's delicate brows furrowed, clearly sensitive to the address. She scoffed, "You don't need to thank me. In truth, I currently lack the ability to cut open this cocoon. Rather than waiting for her to break through, it's indeed better to let you try."

Ning Changjiu gently nodded and said, "Then, please help me mediate with Zhao Xiang'er."

Lu Jiajia shook her head. "I can't stop a wild girl like Miss Xiang'er. She's determined to kill that old fox. Whatever I explain, she probably won't listen. All I can do is let you go. You'll have to find a good place to hide yourselves. If Princess Xiang'er truly finds you, I won't be able to help."

Ning Changjiu nodded. "That's enough, thank you."

Lu Jiajia suddenly smiled. "Princess Xiang'er is also skilled in calculation. I'm actually curious to see who is superior between you two."

Ning Changjiu gave a wry smile. "If I were to see her now, I'd probably only dare to walk around her."

Lu Jiajia, rarely playful, remarked, "You two are quite a match."

Ning Changjiu gently shook his head, offering no reply.

Lu Jiajia glanced into the distance and said, "Hurry and go, Zhao Xiang'er is coming."

Ning Changjiu, with some difficulty, carried the large, resilient white cocoon and ran in the opposite direction of Lu Jiajia's gaze. There were many empty courtyards in the imperial city, and it wouldn't be hard to find one with careful searching.

Lu Jiajia suddenly turned back and asked, "One last question: As far as I know, you've only known your junior sister for about a year. Why are you putting so much effort into saving her?"

Ning Changjiu smiled. "My junior sister is so adorable; I couldn't bear to see her turn into a monster."

Outside the imperial city, the Blood Feather Lord gazed at the night sky, his expression mournful.

After the seals were lifted, he had initially wanted to follow the old fox into the city to kill, but then he saw the pillar of light from the palace in the distance, sparked by the fight between Zhao Xiang'er and the old fox. Feeling the destructive aura emanating from that light, he was terrified and fled far away.

After the rain stopped, he watched the imperial palace from afar for a long time, until the clouds parted and the moon appeared, once again bathing the entire imperial city in a faint silver glow, like a layer of lifeless frost.

"Alas... Old fellow, I didn't expect you to go before me. That woman, Zhao Xiang'er, is truly terrifying. If I leave without saying goodbye this time, she might just skin me alive if we meet elsewhere later." The Blood Feather Lord ruffled his feathers. After all, he was somewhat related by blood to the old fox, and now that the old fox was dead, he felt a subtle sense of it.

In the past, he had indeed often thought that if he ever gained freedom, he would do everything to get revenge on Zhao Xiang'er. But now that the old fox was dead, his last bit of spirit was gone.

Zhao Xiang'er would only grow stronger in the future; he would simply hide as far away as possible...

The Blood Feather Lord sighed, muttering to himself, "This old fellow was an esteemed demon king after all. I wonder if he hid any treasures in a cave or secret realm... He's dead, and he didn't even leave a will or anything. It's truly a dilemma for a grand-disciple like me. No, wait, what grand-disciple? The one who's alive is the boss!"

His expression was arrogant. No matter how miserable the past ten years had been, he was finally free.

He flapped his wings, shaking off the water droplets clinging to his feathers. He leaped from a high branch on the cliff and flew into the depths of the dark, dense forest. The Zhao kingdom relied on its perilous mountains, and within them were many spiritual cultivation sanctuaries that had not yet been unearthed. If he could find one and cultivate diligently for several decades, it wouldn't be impossible to return to his former realm.

But not long after, he flew back to the same branch, his bird eyes filled with shock.

Just moments ago, he had truly heard a dying message—the old fox's last words to him.

Within the imperial city, Zhao Xiang'er's slender figure landed on the long street. She had a neat ponytail and wore battle-appropriate soft armor, holding the ancient red umbrella in her hand. She surveyed the utterly destroyed street and the collapsed pavilions on either side, then her gaze fell upon the tall, white-clad woman.

"Sister Lu, where are they?" Zhao Xiang'er asked.

Lu Jiajia replied with a hint of apology, "That little fox was more formidable than I imagined. Her escape technique was extremely subtle; I couldn't stop her. However, she should still be within the imperial city at this moment."

Zhao Xiang'er lowered her head, her gaze sweeping along the broken street, her nostrils twitching as if searching for clues. Her eyes wandered as she asked, "What about that young Daoist? Is he still alive?"

She had asked casually, knowing that once someone became demonized, they lost all kinship and wouldn't leave anyone alive. But Lu Jiajia's answer caught her off guard.

Lu Jiajia replied, "He's still alive, taken along by the little fox, who was holding him captive."

"Hmm?" Zhao Xiang'er was slightly surprised, puzzled. "Such deep affection between senior and junior siblings, is that real?"

Lu Jiajia sighed, "Thinking about that now is meaningless."

Zhao Xiang'er nodded. "Indeed, we must find that little fox as soon as possible, or else if the demon seed completely merges, the trouble could become immense."

Lu Jiajia asked, "Did Your Highness anticipate this situation?"

Zhao Xiang'er pondered for a moment, then earnestly replied, "I had considered the demon seed. For that, I specifically searched through information about all households in the imperial city within the Imperial Preceptor's mansion. No one possessed the innate spiritual essence of a fox demon. Wandering Daoists travel the world with unpredictable whereabouts, leaving few records. I never imagined that this almost impossible scenario would still come to pass."

Lu Jiajia nodded. "That's true. One can only say that old fox was incredibly lucky."

Zhao Xiang'er gently shook her head. "Failing to prevent this unlikely outcome was my oversight."

Lu Jiajia asked, "What if that little fox enters the Purple Court realm?"

Zhao Xiang'er fell silent for a moment, then a faint smile suddenly appeared at the corner of her lips. She looked at Lu Jiajia and said earnestly, "As long as she is below the Five Paths realm, I will fight with my life today to kill her."

Lu Jiajia looked at the killing intent shimmering within her clear, beautiful smile and asked doubtfully, "What deep-seated enmity do you have with that old fox?"

Zhao Xiang'er calmly replied, "No personal grievances."

In her heart, she was convinced that this was a major test prepared for her by her mother.

Lu Jiajia looked at the girl, now clad in soft armor, with an imposing and heroic spirit in her eyes, and said sincerely, "You shouldn't remain in this mundane world. Otherwise, you would be far beyond just the Immortal Access realm right now."

Zhao Xiang'er smiled softly. "Don't worry, Sister Lu, my Immortal Access realm can fight like a Longevity realm; it's very powerful. As for why I haven't broken through the realm yet..."

Her voice trailed off, and a faint look of worry suddenly appeared on her delicate, pretty face. She wrung her wrists, saying helplessly, "I've been burdened with shackles since birth, and it's quite a struggle for me."

Meanwhile, in a tightly shut residence somewhere in the imperial city, Ning Changjiu quietly slipped in, carrying the girl wrapped in white threads on his back.

He looked at the silently sleeping girl within the translucent cocoon threads and softly recited the most widely circulated Daoist invocation, the one his senior sister had chanted when she first greeted him:

"May boundless blessings befall the Heavenly Venerate."