RIIDMDR chapter 161

On the way back to the courtyard, Nan Xu found out that he had spent over a month inside the formation. Although this was much shorter than the time he had spent inside the formation, it was still far too long compared to his previous trips.

“I haven’t found the formation’s exit. I’ve been inside for almost half a year, living in constant fear that I would wake up and forget that I was in it. Fortunately, my worries didn’t come true.” As the two walked side by side, Nan Xu said this.

As for the fragmented daily life within the formation, Nan Xu didn’t need to elaborate. Those were just glimpses of past memories. If Tingchuan weren’t old and forgetful, he would be able to recall the general outlines.

Upon hearing this, Tingchuan gently patted Nan Xu’s back twice. “The past is like fleeting smoke. Perhaps when you set up the great formation, you were afraid your future self would be trapped in the past and unwilling to face reality. Therefore, you set up the western formation to awaken yourself.”

Nanxu nodded, agreeing with this possibility.

“Last time, I was inexplicably thrown out of the southern formation, and it happened again this time. I wonder if I did something to break the formation without realizing it,” said Nanxu.

Tingchuan pondered for a moment, then guessed, “A demon’s spiritual power doesn’t just exist in its physical body. A portion also resides in the world. The older and more powerful the demon, the more expansive and concentrated its spiritual power is in the demon realm compared to lesser demons. If the matter you’re dealing with is related to the demon, the demon can sense it to some extent. When you entered the Eastern Formation this time, although I was anxiously waiting, I knew you were all right thanks to that faint connection.”

Upon hearing this, Nanxu stopped in his tracks, looked at Tingchuan in surprise, and asked, “So, when I entered the Southern Formation, Jingyuan could sense it?”

“If he were awake, I’m certain he could sense it. But this time, he took a pill and fell into a deep sleep, so that’s still questionable,” Tingchuan said.

Nan Xu also thought that was reasonable. However, Tingchuan continued, “Last time, you told me you left the formation because of a tsunami. I’ve thought about it carefully. Hurricanes and tsunamis in the South Sea occur according to a pattern. That year, a tsunami didn’t occur, so what you experienced was unprecedented. The formation was set up three thousand years ago, so there shouldn’t be any memory discrepancies. I suspect Jing Yuan sensed your situation and sent you out of the formation.”

Nan Xu’s lips parted slightly. He was surprised by this explanation, but upon closer reflection, it wasn’t impossible.

“Then, when I entered the formation this time, was it you who pulled me out?” Nan Xu asked.

Tingchuan seemed to have anticipated this question and replied, “My brother’s cultivation level is far superior to mine within the formation. With Jingyuan and Yunyi present as well, there are many obstacles. If I could pull you out with my spiritual power, why would I have waited for you outside the formation for so many days?”

When Nan Xu entered the formation, he noticed Tingchuan’s exhausted appearance. He assumed it was due to the hardship of waiting for him for so long, but, thinking about it, although Tingchuan denied it, given his habits, he would have definitely tried several times.

“My departure from the formation this time was also quite sudden,” Nan Xu said.

Tingchuan could only shake his head and say, “Perhaps the answer will come later.”

The two walked down the mountain. The great formation at the summit gradually crumbled. As the last wisp of spiritual energy maintaining the array dissipated, a fierce wind swept through the mountains.

Nanxu was walking along the mountain path when he was suddenly blinded by flying dust. He quickly closed his eyes, stopped, and wiped the dust away. Tears welled up uncontrollably. He didn’t notice the abrupt change in the scenery around him, which was like riding a speeding train; one moment the scene was barely clear before the next one appeared.

When he opened his red, rubbed eyes and took in his surroundings, he was shocked. Tingchuan was no longer beside him. He was completely alone in a dark place, as if he were locked in a small, dark room and unable to move.

Just as he reached out to feel for an obstacle in front of him, the small space suddenly lit up. The scenery around Nan Xu changed rapidly, and countless sounds flooded his mind. He felt as if he were traveling through time and space or watching an immersive movie at high speed—completely immersed, yet unable to touch the scenes.

…

He clearly saw the dream he once had. The sky was bright and the breeze was gentle. The wind swayed the reeds by the water. Yun Yi plucked a reed and held it in his mouth. He turned to look at Nan Xu and said vaguely, “Little demon, did you know there’s an island in the middle of a lake in the demon realm? It’s inhabited by reclusive humans who didn’t go to another world with their people.”

“Oh? Where is it? Perhaps that’s my homeland,” the white-faced little demon asked curiously.

Yun Yi took the reed out of his mouth and gave Nan Xu a sly smile. “You smell strongly of demons. If you lie and say you’re human, you’ll be kicked out of the island.”

The little demon retorted, “Don’t talk nonsense! I’m not a demon.”

Seeing his stubborn expression, Yun Yi laughed heartily. “Really? I’ve heard what humans look like. They’re different from you.”

The little demon lowered his head, lost in thought. After a long while, he murmured, “I am human.”

Seeing his displeasure, Jing Yuan scolded Yun Yi: “Yun Yi, you…” “Why argue with him about this? If he says they’re human, then they’re human.”

Before Yun Yi could respond, Tingchuan, dressed in a long blue robe, calmly said, “The humans on the island in the middle of the lake vanished long ago. Don’t tease him with this.”

Yun Yi glanced at Ting Shu, who had been watching their argument with gentle eyes. He was eager to find an ally. “Ting Shu, as a healer, you understand the difference between demons and humans best. Do you think this little demon has a demonic scent?”

Ting Shu raised an eyebrow slightly when he heard his name. He only smiled faintly and offered no answer.

Unable to out-argue them all, Yun Yi awkwardly shut his mouth.

…

The scene shifted, and Nan Xu found himself on a plain once again, surrounded by large, round houses with mushroom-shaped roofs. Ting Shu examined a middle-aged demon who lay on a straw mat by the door with an ashen face.

Yun Yi squatted beside Ting Shu, unusually quiet and undisturbed, with his knees drawn up to his chest. The little demon sat on the other side, listlessly pulling dry grasshoppers from the mat. It was unclear when he had learned this skill. Four or five plump grasshoppers had already piled up at his feet, leaving a hollowed-out corner of the mat.

Just then, Jingyuan and Tingchuan approached them side by side from afar, each holding a lotus leaf. Jingyuan also carried a lotus flower. As they drew closer, the little demon could see that the lotus leaves were rolled into cups, filled with clear water.

Tingchuan and Jingyuan simultaneously offered him water from the lotus leaves and asked in unison, “Want some water?”

The little demon was indeed thirsty. His lips were peeling from the sweltering heat. He looked left and right. The water shimmered gently among the lotus leaves, making his throat dry up. Just as he was about to drink the water, Jingyuan hurriedly said, “I picked a lotus flower for you, too. It’s the prettiest one in the pond.”

The little demon stared at the lotus flower. It was beautiful. But before he could look at it long, a lotus seedpod caught his eye. It was emerald green, and its seeds were plump. A piece of it accidentally fell from Tingchuan’s sleeve.

“What’s that?” The little demon reached out to grab Tingchuan’s sleeve.

Tingchuan tried to pull his hand back, but the little demon was too fast. His sleeve was grabbed, and two lotus pods were pulled from it. The little demon smiled triumphantly and said, “You wanted to freeload behind my back.”

Tingchuan said helplessly, “Yes, you found out. This water is my apology.”

The little demon put the lotus pods in his bosom, then took the water from Tingchuan’s hand. He drank it from the edge of the lotus leaf. The water was cool and sweet, seemingly carrying the fragrance of lotus leaves—truly delightful.

…

The scene changed again. This time, dark clouds covered the sky, and torrential rain poured down. Several demons huddled together under the low eaves to avoid it.

Most of the space in the collapsed pavilion was occupied by fallen wooden beams, leaving only a small, slightly tilted area for them to shelter in. Little Demon and Ting Shu stood behind Yun Yi, Jing Yuan, and Tingchuan. Each of them was taller than the last, and together they formed a solid wall, preventing a single drop of rain from falling in.

Little Demon and Tingchuan each carried a package. Little Demon looked anxiously at the pouring rain outside. “This is the seventeenth demon we’ve encountered who went mad during cultivation. Why haven’t we heard of such a thing in the demon realm before?”

Yun Yi wiped the rain from his face and replied, “The demon realm didn’t used to have so many mad demons. At most, there was one every hundred years.”

Little Demon frowned. “But only half a year has passed.”

“My brother sent me a message saying that about seventy or eighty demons have gone mad in the past six months. He said we should be extra careful when traveling,” Tingchuan said.

Ting Shu sighed. “But I checked. Before they went mad, they didn’t change their cultivation methods. From childhood to adulthood, the entire clan has been the same.”

The little demon was puzzled. “Whether or not it’s related to cultivation methods, the problem lies in…”

“Currently, there are five near-gods in the demon realm who are just a step away from entering the path of immortality. However, the spiritual energy of the demon realm cannot sustain five great demons simultaneously. Rumor has it that they are constantly fighting in private, and their cultivation methods have leaked and spread throughout the demon realm. Demons are vying to study them,” Jing Yuan said somberly.

Upon hearing this, the lesser demons huddled under the eaves fell silent. Apart from the lesser demons, the rest were all outstanding offspring of powerful clans, each renowned in the demon realm. Having received the purest education from childhood, they had unique insights into cultivation and naturally understood that each demon aspiring to mastery needed their own method. Attempting to alter or break through without preparation would plunge them into an abyss.

However, many demons in the demon realm achieved their cultivation through chance. They only knew to seek better methods without considering whether their bodies could bear the burden.

The seventeen demons they encountered were all from minor clans and were suffering from cultivation deviation. Even with the combined strength of their entire clans, they might not be able to discern the validity of their cultivation methods, let alone prepare for the impending calamities. After a long pause, the little demon asked doubtfully, “Is that cultivation method real or fake?”

“None of us have seen it. How would we know?” Yun Yi replied.

Tingchuan continued, “Even if we had seen it, we wouldn’t be able to tell the difference.”

The little demon nodded thoughtfully. He wasn’t a demon and didn’t understand their cultivation methods. From the moment he was born, spiritual energy had been ingrained in his mind like eating, drinking, and sleeping—it was instinct. No one from his clan had taught him how to cultivate or reach higher realms. Therefore, he never considered himself a demon. He couldn’t cultivate like a demon. Even with all his might, he couldn’t improve at all. His spiritual energy seemed inexhaustible, yet he couldn’t manifest it at all.

The little demon asked doubtfully, “But what’s the point of revealing it like this in their struggle?”

“I’m more convinced those cultivation techniques are genuine,” Jingyuan said. “If they hadn’t revealed them themselves, all the cultivation techniques circulating in the demon realm would be sinful. If they spread them themselves, it’s all a matter of a single thought, whether they want to unite the demons or plunge the demon realm into endless chaos. Probably no one wants anyone blocking their path to enlightenment.”

“The herbs will get wet. Squeeze them closer together. If water gets in, the efficacy of the prescription will be greatly reduced,” said Tingshu.

The seventeenth demon they encountered was afflicted by a qi deviation and still retained some sanity. Although Ting Shu’s needles saved his life, they severed his spiritual meridians¹Meridians (经脉) are the energy channels in the body where qi flows. They connect the organs and let qi circulate for health, martial arts, or cultivation., requiring immediate treatment. However, the prescription was missing a crucial ingredient, which is why they were in this desolate wilderness.

Upon hearing this, the little demon clutched his bundle tightly. “Being a demon isn’t so bad. Why force it?”

His words were undeniably naive and almost laughable. They managed a forced smile. The demons with the least desire are the ones best able to preserve their true nature. Perhaps those near-divine demons once understood this principle, but as they ascended to higher realms, those initial thoughts vanished with time.

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  Meridians (经脉) are the energy channels in the body where qi flows. They connect the organs and let qi circulate for health, martial arts, or cultivation.