Chapter 8: Demons in the Mind

Trembling, Na Sa kept her head bowed and didn’t even dare to breathe. The tyrannical and bloodthirsty aura radiating from Mo Jin, this man recognized as a demon even among demonic cultivators, was not something most people could bear. Scarlet eyes looked at her as if she was already dead, and before he turned around, she was.

Even ashes were not left behind. There was only a trace of a black and heavy smoke drifting out from the clothing which fell to the ground.

He stared fiercely at He JiYang, many words unsaid. However, she didn’t dare to meet his gaze. Instead, she ate some medicinal pills to quickly stabilize the most serious wounds. Fortunately, there wasn’t any permanent injuries, and she could recover from this with a few months’ effort.

On the side, the girl He JiYang had wanted to save was shivering, too frightened to even scream. When Mo Jin swept his gaze over her, she felt her heart stop.

Noticing this, He JiYang shakily moved slightly in front of her, guiltily ignoring the ticking time bomb beside her that continued glaring with fierce red eyes.

“You can take this.” She said, forcing a smile as she took out a few mortal coins and low-level spirit stones. The girl looked wide-eyed at her, tears dripping down.

“Thank you. Thank you.” Rather than reaching for the items, she launched herself at He JiYang and clung to her legs, crying. Heavy sobs shook through her whole body, laced with uneasiness towards her future.

Her family had sold her to the slave traders. Her village had been poor, so she only had basic literacy. She was weak, and only had this body of hers. Where could she possibly go now?

Many times, she had cursed her own beauty. If she were ugly, at least she could scrape by to survive. However, with her face and lack of strength, she could only be a target for others. She had already been fought over several times before entering this city.

Her pride was bone-deep, and she was unwilling to live this type of life. Yet every time she tried to disfigure herself, she could never bear to do it to the end.

She also knew what it meant for He JiYang to give her the coins here. It meant that was the extent of the grace she would give.

He JiYang sighed softly, crouching down and silently patting the girl’s back as she cried.

“I’m sorry. I really can’t help you further.” He JiYang said, after the sobs quieted. “I can’t offer you any shelter, hide yourself and run.

The girl shook her head, the accessories in her hair still dangling. Her eyes were as red as a rabbit’s.

“No, I can’t accept your apology. You have already saved me once. This grace, I, Nie Lan, will never forget.” Although she wasn’t a cultivator, only a fool wouldn’t know how difficult the battle had been for He JiYang and how much she suffered. One her knees, she bowed formally as a show of gratitude and respect.

He JiYang looked at her admiringly as she helped Nie Lan stand. This type of person with a strong sense of gratitude who was unwilling to burden others even in their time of desperation was rare. She sighed again.

“We’ll be in the city a few more days. Come back to the inn with us first.” Hearing her words, Nie Lan’s eyes sparkled. Maybe there was hope. She didn’t want to trouble her benefactor, but it was true she didn’t have any other options. Furthermore, she was confident that she would work like an ox and be loyal to death if they really took her in.

He JiYang had nearly died in the fight just now, so she immediately sat down to absorb the effects of the medicinal pills just now. Mo Jin also closed his eyes beside her, trying to calm his mind. Nie Lan, unsure of the situation, obediently waited beside them. After a while, He JiYang got up.

They casually looted Na Sa’s storage pouch before the three of them walked back together. Beside her, Mo Jin poured out some medicinal pills from his space pouch and ate them like snacks; he looked casual, but every single one was high-level and expensive. Although He JiYang was afraid to meet Mo Jin’s eyes, she was very worried about his condition. His attacks seemed effortless, but she knew it was very detrimental to his injuries and increased his internal chaos.

Furthermore, she could feel the faint bloodlust still radiating from him, and knew his pupils would be tinged with red. This state of heightened emotions was the beginning signs of a qi deviation. That he was still in this state after such a long time had already passed proved he became more susceptible to internal demons as a result of his worsening condition.

Cultivators, both righteous and demonic, feared internal demons. They arose from the mind and, if they grew strong enough, could lead to qi deviations that would cripple their cultivation and potentially take their lives.

Internal demons could appear for various reasons, usually linking to strong obsessions or grievances. They often accumulated over a cultivator’s life and resulted in qi deviations during cultivation realm breakthroughs, such as stepping onto Core Formation or Nascent Soul stages. The stronger and older a cultivator was, the more likely they had strong internal demons. Having internal demons would also hinder the normal cultivation process, particularly in enlightenment.

This was why cultivators prioritized training a strong mind with limited fluctuations.

During qi deviations, they would lose control of their rationality, trapped inside the world of their mind. They would subconsciously follow their primary instincts and strong emotions. Typical signs of a potential qi deviation included increased bloodlust and reddening pupils. It was difficult to recover from, and very damaging.

They emerged when a cultivator’s mind was weak, such as when they felt strong emotions or when they had heavy injuries. Furthermore, if the cultivator built a weak or unsteady foundation during the earlier stages of cultivation, there would be increased chances of qi devations.

In addition, demonic energy used by demonic cultivators was more chaotic in nature. Therefore, demonic cultivators were much more susceptible, and many were ruled by their emotions. They could also cultivate in paths of bloodshed and filled with grievances. Although demonic cultivators were generally stronger than righteous cultivators of the same level, they were also much more susceptible to qi deviations.

Therefore, Mo Jin’s situation was very dangerous.

Nonetheless, there was no immediate solution, so she decided to settle Nie Lan first. Upon arriving back to the inn, she opened another room for Nie Lan beside theirs, and set up some basic concealing arrays for protection. Afterwards, it was just Mo Jin in the room with her.

For a long time, the two sat facing each other in silence. Mo Jin had his eyes closed, circulating his spiritual energy to manage his chaotic state and stabilize his injuries. However, it was clear he was waiting for her to speak.

Finally, He JiYang took a deep breath, giving herself some mental preparation.

“I’m sorry.” She whispered.

Mo Jin’s eyes snapped open. Although the pupils were no longer red, it was easy to see the repressed anger.

Author's Note: Not sure if I explained what qi deviations & internal demons are clearly? They appear in many cultivation stories, so feel free to search online and let me know if it's still too confusing.

By the way, "qi" in English basically means energy.