Demonic Presence

Inside Tea Mountain Fort, patrols were conducted day and night.

Besides the squads of militia, ten powerful Martial Artists, carrying lanterns, roamed various areas.

As they passed by the workshop district, they heard the sound of blacksmithing.

"Clang, clang, clang!"

"Hmm? Who's still blacksmithing this late?" the one-eyed Martial Artist leading them asked those around him.

Another replied, "It must be some craftsmen working overtime late into the night..."

They followed the sound and arrived outside the forging area. Peering inside, they saw rows of blacksmith shops, but only one was lit, its furnace blazing brightly in the night.

From a distance, they saw a young man, his expression focused, muscles taut, hammering with all his might... After one round of forging, he immediately quenched the metal. During the tempering interval, he didn't stop to rest but started on another piece.

He repeated this process, showing no signs of stopping.

"Oh, I remember him," one Martial Artist said. "This kid offended Steward Liao and was punished by having his dinner withheld. Perhaps Steward Liao ordered him to forge iron all night without sleep."

"Why?" the one-eyed Martial Artist asked.

The other replied, "Don't we all know what Steward Liao is like? He's a petty man! So, I'm not surprised someone is being punished and denied rest."

The one-eyed Martial Artist chuckled. Denying food, denying sleep, and making him do such strenuous physical labor – it was as if they wanted to kill him.

Didn't that young man know? It was late at night, and no one was watching. Why didn't he slack off a bit? Was he too honest?

However, after a moment of thought, he didn't pry further and led his men to continue their patrol. "Stay alert, everyone. There have been reports of Monsters appearing in the Tea Mountain area recently."

"Instructor Ma, are there really Monsters?" a thin Martial Artist asked.

"Yes!" Instructor Ma touched the cloth covering his left eye, his expression stern. "And the Demonic Aura is terrifying! The Fort Master personally went up the mountain to investigate. It might be a Spiritual Sense Stage..."

"Hiss!"

Upon hearing "Spiritual Sense Stage," many Martial Artists present grew tense. For Martial Artists, that was definitely a Great Monster.

"Don't panic. The fort is filled with people, and we have so many Martial Artists. What is there to fear? Besides, the Fort Master is of noble status, so the Monster wouldn't dare harm him. We are all officially enlisted. The Fort Master is certain that even if the Monster comes, it will at most eat a few Lowborn." Instructor Ma's tone was calm.

The thin Martial Artist worried, "But... what if the Monster disregards the Mortal World Fire and insists on eating us?"

Instructor Ma laughed heartily. "We Martial Artists are indeed quite nourishing, but the backlash from the Mortal World Fire would be far more detrimental. Why would it be worth the greater harm?"

"If a cultivator kills a soldier with official status using Magic Power, without a special secret method to resolve it, they would likely lose a year of Dao cultivation due to the Mortal World Fire."

"What does that mean? The most famous powerful figure of our era, Great Immortal An Qisheng of Penglai, began cultivating since the Qin Dynasty. He has at least five to six hundred years of Dao cultivation by now. This... is only enough to kill five to six hundred soldiers..."

"A hundred years ago, the Little Hegemon of Jiangdong, Sun Bofu, was arrogant and offended the Taiping Daoist Yu Ji, repeatedly trying to kill him. But because the Little Hegemon held the official post of Prefect of Kuaiji, inherited the title of Marquis of Wucheng, and even carved out a territory that vaguely resembled a king's might, the Mortal World Fire was equivalent to seventy to eighty years of Dao cultivation. Therefore, Yu Ji could only resort to terrifying him with ghosts every night, along with secret schemes and manipulating worldly Karma to cause his sudden death."

The Martial Artists nodded. They had all heard of these things. Powerful Clans had strong fire, followed by scholars from noble families, then soldiers and officials, and the Lowborn were the weakest.

Immortals, Monsters, and Demons who suffered the backlash of the Mortal World Fire would have their Dao cultivation burned away, causing their realm to fall.

The thin Martial Artist said nervously, "Noble people have strong fire, but it's not necessarily an impenetrable shield against all evils. If one is displaced, starving, and destitute, reduced to a desperate state like refugees, their Mortal World Fire will rapidly decline."

Everyone's expression turned solemn. The Mortal World Fire was not static.

In this chaotic era, many noble families had fallen on hard times, and many common people were displaced. The fire was even weaker, leading to the proliferation of Monsters and Abominations!

The thin Martial Artist continued, "Furthermore, I've heard that Immortals or Demons have many ways to weaken our Mortal World Fire?"

Instructor Ma curled his lip. "There are indeed quite a few methods... Some noble young masters act recklessly and are irredeemably foolish, having their Mortal World Fire weakened by Monsters."

"But most of them bring it upon themselves!"

The thin Martial Artist looked puzzled. "Bring it upon themselves?"

Instructor Ma said, "There are many situations that weaken the Mortal World Fire, the most severe being oaths! They are permanently irreversible."

"For example, the young master of the Shen Family of Leling back then was notorious for his philandering. A Monster used some illusion, claiming to be the Goddess of Mount Wu, wanting to spend a night of passion with him and be immortal lovers... He actually believed it!"

"Then the Monster coaxed him into making rash vows to heaven. The young master, blinded by lust, made several vows but didn't fulfill them. As a result, ninety percent of his Mortal World Fire was stripped away, and he died at the Monster's hands."

The Martial Artists burst into laughter. "Truly audacious and reckless, daring to make vows to heaven so casually? It would be a miracle if the Heavenly Dao still protected him."

"Young masters from powerful families should know not to make casual vows..."

"Those above him knew, but those below him didn't!"

"Hahaha! Truly, lust is a knife above one's head!"

The thin Martial Artist looked somewhat surprised. "Instructor Ma is truly knowledgeable, even aware of such secrets of powerful families!"

Instructor Ma smiled proudly. "My Yanshan Sect is a renowned sect of a hundred years. Is that reputation for nothing?"

Everyone envied him. Although the Yanshan Sect had lost even its Sect Gate due to the ravages of the Hu Barbarians, it had indeed been a great sect before. Instructor Ma, having learned his craft at Yanshan, was treated with respect even by powerful clans, unlike them, mere country Martial Men.

The thin Martial Artist cupped his hands. "Are there any other taboos? Please tell us, Instructor Ma, so that we crude Martial Men can guard against Demonic Creatures."

"Yes, yes... Please guide us, Instructor Ma!"

Many Martial Artists present didn't understand the Mortal World Fire and eagerly sought his advice.

Instructor Ma's face was filled with arrogance. "Since that is the case, I shall tell you... Severing Mortal World Ties, do you know of it?"

"Severing Mortal World Ties?" The Martial Artists looked bewildered.

Instructor Ma smiled. "Have you ever wondered why the Emperor, who clearly yearns for Longevity, doesn't cultivate immortality?"

"Because they don't have immortal bones?" the gaunt martial artist replied.

Instructor Ma shook his head. "Let me put it another way. If there are people with immortal bones in the royal family, why don't they become emperor? Even among the great noble families and powerful clans, those born with immortal bones aren't the family heads? All the civil and military officials in court love to discuss metaphysics and Dao, yet none of them cultivate immortality?"

"It's precisely because the first step to entering the immortal path is severing mortal world ties!"

"Severing one's own mortal world fire, and from then on becoming an outsider!"

"They cannot possess any secular power! Only then can they use their immortal bones!"

"Those who temper their bodies sever mortal world ties, activate their immortal bones, condense their magic power, and thus achieve spiritual enlightenment and clear vision, stepping onto the immortal path. This is the Mystical Stage."

The martial artists suddenly understood, but since they were all people without hope of immortal destiny, they treated it as just a story.

The gaunt martial artist asked, confused, "What does this have to do with us? We don't have immortal bones, can we also sever our mortal world fire?"

"You can!" Instructor Ma said gravely. "Anyone can make a vow to the Heavenly Dao, to sever their own mortal world fire."

"In the past, the young master of the Gao Family of Pingcheng was bewitched by a monster and, after severing his mortal world ties, became its meal..."

The martial artists were dumbfounded. "This... this is too stupid!"

Instructor Ma shook his head. "That young master originally had immortal bones, but he was young and hadn't undergone Primordial Body Tempering yet. The monster helped him temper his body, and while they were like brothers, the monster told the young master to immediately sever his mortal world ties and break through quickly. The young master didn't think much of it, and so..."

The martial artists exchanged glances. "Anyway, we don't have immortal bones, so we won't sever our mortal world ties even if beaten to death... No one can trick us!"

"Mortal world fire doesn't necessarily have to be severed by oneself; others can sever it too!" Instructor Ma glanced at them askance.

"What!" everyone exclaimed in shock.

Instructor Ma continued, "There are three things that can sever mortal world ties. The first is the Heavenly Dao! The second is the Son of Heaven!"

"As long as the Son of Heaven has a formal sacrificial text praying to heaven, he can sever the mortal world fire of anyone within the nation's dominion! Hmm, if noble families control the court, they can also achieve this through the Son of Heaven's hand."

The gaunt martial artist asked, "What about the third?"

"That would naturally be a magic treasure!" Instructor Ma said with longing. "Legend has it that powerful artifact refiners in the Dao Attainment Realm can forge a magic treasure containing the patterns of the Heavenly Dao. This item can sever mortal world ties. So don't truly believe that immortals don't kill mortals; they just disdain to do so."

The gaunt martial artist chuckled. "The monsters around here aren't that powerful, are they? Are there other taboos?"

"Haha, yes. Great beings in the Dao Attainment Realm, what lofty existences are they? The monsters lurking in Tea Mountain will never reach that level in their lifetime, so severing mortal world ties is not something to worry about."

"Right, Instructor Ma, tell us a simpler one."

The martial artists chatted and laughed as they patrolled to the livestock pen.

Unexpectedly, Instructor Ma's expression turned grim. "There are simple methods too, but what if a monster overhears them?"

"What if this monster is hiding in the shadows and happens to not know how to sever mortal world fire! If I say it, it might learn it!"

"Uh..." everyone's expressions changed.

Instructor Ma scanned them suspiciously. "You've all been clamoring for me to reveal a method to sever mortal world fire! I almost let my guard down!"

"Could it be that the monster is among you?"

He observed everyone's expressions, but each of them looked at the others with shock and nervousness.

Their reactions seemed natural; none of them appeared to be a monster.

"Instructor Ma, could you be mistaken?"

"We've worked together for many years, we know each other inside and out..."

They babbled on, and Instructor Ma, annoyed, shouted, "Enough! Monsters are best at confusing people's minds. Anyone who spouts more nonsense, I'll kill him!"

Then he drew his saber and pointed it at the gaunt martial artist, his eyes sharp. "You! You were the one clamoring from the very beginning, instigating me to reveal the method all along!"

At that moment, everyone looked at the gaunt martial artist. Recalling it, it was indeed true!

The gaunt martial artist's eyes widened, and he took a step forward, explaining anxiously, "No, I just..."

"Don't you dare come near me! Kneel!" Instructor Ma's saber radiated chilling energy, his killing intent palpable.

The gaunt martial artist quickly knelt with a thud. "Sir! It really wasn't me!"

Seeing that he had truly knelt and was not resisting, Instructor Ma's expression softened slightly. "It seems it wasn't you. Otherwise, he would either attack or run at this point, why would he kneel?"

"Ah, that's right! It really wasn't me!" the gaunt martial artist breathed a sigh of relief.

Instructor Ma held his saber in front of him and said coldly to the others, "And you? All of you, kneel!"

Everyone knelt in unison. Just then, a young man walked out of the livestock pen, carrying two bundles of grass.

They all recognized him as the blacksmith's apprentice they had seen not long ago.

He was a lowborn. In the past, they would have been displeased, how could they kneel to him?

But the situation was special now. Seeing that the young man didn't move aside quickly and was looking at them with curiosity, accepting their kneeling calmly, the martial artists could only swallow their pride. The priority now was to clear their names and find the monster.

As for this lowborn, they could kneel to him if they had to; the immediate crisis must be dealt with first.

But at that moment, Instructor Ma's voice suddenly became calm. "You're all so obedient. It seems none of you are monsters... I am."

"You... you!" The martial artists were filled with dread.

"Let me continue. There's another little-known method to sever mortal world fire..."

"That year, the young master of the Qu Family in Northern Sea Commandery was deceived by a monster, who made him believe that a mountain woodcutter was a highly accomplished immortal. He then prostrated himself before the woodcutter, causing his mortal world fire to weaken, and he became the monster's meal."

"So that woodcutter was just a lowborn, constantly on the run, and terminally ill. With nothing left, he cursed the heavens, causing the Mortal World Fire on him to vanish completely."

"And if you were to voluntarily kneel before a lowborn who completely lacks Mortal World Fire, your own inner fire would drain away rapidly."

Instructor Ma's voice was erratic, and a terrifying, chilling aura enveloped them like a persistent maggot, seeping into the bodies of the martial artists.

Hearing those words, the martial artists scrambled to stand, but it was too late. Under the chilling cold, they felt their bodies grow weak, unable to stand at all!

"Help... help me!"

"There's a monster!"

"Don't kill... don't kill me..."

"Gulp gulp..."

Their desperate wails were met by flowing, water-like tentacles spreading from behind them, engulfing their entire bodies.

Soon, everyone was submerged in water, floating in mid-air, struggling desperately.

Instructor Ma's voice grew more and more feminine, tinged with a nostalgic and somewhat emotional tone: "Actually, the young master of the Shen Family of Leling back then wasn't one to fool around with women; he truly loved me."

"I made him swear ten oaths, and in the end, only nine-tenths of his Mortal World Fire was removed... When I consumed him, I realized he meant it when he swore to marry me."

"Alas, so to commemorate him, I've called myself Shen Leling ever since... Hee hee hee, hee hee hee..."

The nine martial artists trapped in the water were utterly terrified and in extreme pain, feeling their essence, energy, and spirit being drained away.

The gaunt martial artist reached out from the water towards the lowborn youth, shouting, "Quick... call... for help!"

However, his voice couldn't even break through the water membrane.

"Giggle giggle... Aren't we just the patrol team? Who else are you going to call?"

"I led you around twice just now, my Spiritual Sense covered a hundred-zhang radius. Besides this youth, there's no one else nearby."

"What great luck, just as I snuck in, I encountered a mortal without any Mortal World Fire."

Shen Leling was still occupying Instructor Ma's body. The countless streams of water were emanating from behind Instructor Ma's single-eyed eyepatch.

When using this demonic art, Instructor Ma's skin was as pale as a corpse, his pupils vacant and lifeless, his body stiff and withered, clearly having been dead for a long time.

Gulp gulp gulp, countless bubbles rose from the water membrane. The nine martial artists stopped moving, as if they had been completely drained.

Plop, the corpses were thrown to the ground, shattering and becoming as brittle as autumn leaves.

"Hey! Youth, you're quite pitiful, you don't have a single bit of Mortal World Fire." Shen Leling was extremely happy. Her smooth elimination of the nine martial artists was thanks to the youth before her, who completely lacked Mortal World Fire.

This was actually quite rare.

Constant hardship, utter destitution, and a life of desperation would only weaken a person's Mortal World Fire, not erase it.

As long as one had a decent background, even in the worst of times, there would be some residual fire. Many refugees, disaster victims, and lowborns actually still had a trace. If they had served in the military or held office before, they would have even more residual fire.

Mortals who completely lacked Mortal World Fire were extremely rare. Who knows what kind of lowly origins one would need to have... or perhaps they frequently cursed the heavens for fun? In her life, she had only encountered one such 'abandoned by heaven' individual, who soon died of illness. She never expected to encounter another one now, and this one was not only healthy but also possessed True Qi.

"Giggle giggle, poor youth, consuming you will have no cost for me." Shen Leling's voice vibrated from the gurgling streams of water.

A stream of water, like a thread, wrapped around the youth, tightening at his throat. It then coiled upwards, finally forming a woman's face on the left side of the youth's ear.

The youth asked curiously, "Are you a monster?"

"..." Shen Leling's laughter faltered. She doubtfully twitched her countless water-tentacles: Isn't it obvious enough that I'm a monster?

"Yes! I am a monster! A world-shattering great demon!"

The youth carefully examined the countless water-tentacles, his expression like he was looking at a rare animal: "I've heard that monsters are cruel and vicious, so will you whip me too?"

"Whip? Hahaha!" Shen Leling trembled with laughter: "No, I will eat you!"

The youth's expression turned serious: "Will I die?"

Shen Leling was speechless. Didn't he know that people die when they are eaten?

At this moment, the youth touched the water stream wrapped around him, then, facing the condensed face of the woman, he suddenly stuck out his tongue and licked it!

He even smacked his lips afterward, finding no taste.

"You!" Shen Leling abruptly retracted the stream of water. The youth's action was completely unexpected.

After a moment of stunned silence, she said, "Giggle giggle... I've eaten countless people! Youth, aren't you afraid of death?"

"I am! Don't eat me."

Shen Leling smiled: "Good, then you have to listen to me. From now on, I'll let you... Hey, where are you going!"

"As long as you don't eat me, that's fine. We'll talk tomorrow; I'm busy tonight, I still have to forge iron!" Hearing that she wouldn't eat him, the youth simply ran off.

Shen Leling was dumbfounded. What kind of idiot was this? He encounters a monster and still wants to go forge iron?

No wonder he offended the steward; it wasn't without reason.

Giggle giggle, hee hee hee... Interesting.

She didn't chase him, nor did she want to eat this youth. After all, he was a mortal without fire. Only a starving monster would eat him. She intended to make good use of him.

In an instant, countless streams of water retreated back into the eye sockets. Instructor Ma's corpse slowly regained its color, and his pupils contracted again.

He smiled faintly, adjusted his eyepatch, cleaned up the scene, and then feigned panic as he fled.

"There's a monster! There's a monster!"