At dawn, at Forget Worries Pavilion, Ye Zifeng rose early and came to Li Changhen's door. Just as he was about to knock, a voice suddenly came from inside.
"Come in. The door isn't locked."
Ye Zifeng paused, then pushed the door open and entered. Seeing Ye Zifeng looking completely renewed, Li Changhen said with satisfaction,
"Have you made up your mind?"
"Mm."
"Then let's begin."
As he spoke, Li Changhen channeled Soul Power through his fingers and continuously drew in the air. In less than a minute, a complete Wind's Aftermath Gate diagram took shape.
Li Changhen looked at Ye Zifeng and said cautiously, "This diagram can only remain for one hour. I'll protect you from the side. If you can't break free from your Heart Demon within that hour, I'll forcibly pull you out of your Heart Demon's inner realm."
"That will mean you have no affinity with Wind's Aftermath Gate. I'll choose another suitable cultivation method for you. Do you understand?"
"I understand. I definitely won't let you down, sir." After speaking, Ye Zifeng looked at the complete Wind's Aftermath Gate diagram in the air.
In the blink of an eye, Ye Zifeng sank into his Heart Demon's inner realm.
Within the Heart Demon's inner realm.
Ye Zifeng's birth parents—the parents he imagined in his heart—had not abandoned him. They doted on him, wishing they could give him the entire world.
Whenever Ye Zifeng was hurt, his birth parents would come out and protect her without regard for anything else.
Ye Zifeng gradually sank into this beautiful illusory life. It was as though all his previous experiences had been a dream, and this life was the true reality.
But little by little, Ye Zifeng sensed that something was wrong. This life was too beautiful—beautiful to the point of being unreal.
Before he could react, he realized that he was experiencing his Heart Demon's inner realm. Just as he was about to channel his Spiritual Power to resist, another version of himself appeared before him and tried to tempt him.
"What are you trying to do? Everything you want is here. Why go outside and face all that? Those people aren't your family."
Ye Zifeng merely said calmly, "No matter how beautiful this place is, it's still only an illusion. It isn't real."
"The outside world, however, is real. My birth parents abandoned me there, and I could only watch helplessly as my adoptive parents were brutally killed by Evil Soul Masters."
"Life in the orphanage wasn't good either."
Ye Zifeng paused, then continued, "But I met two sisters. They brought light and warmth to my gloomy world, and I cherish that."
"Afterward, I met you, sir. You gave me the strength to protect everything I have."
"And as you said, the past cannot be changed, but the future can. I can't undo the tragedies of my past, but in the future, I'll use my own strength to protect everything I possess now."
Seeing the calm and accepting expression on Ye Zifeng's face, the Heart Demon did not go mad and pounce on him in a final struggle like other Heart Demons.
Instead, it walked up to Ye Zifeng, patted him on the shoulder, and said approvingly, "To be honest, if you had chosen to remain lost here, even I, as your Heart Demon, would have been disappointed in you."
"Because you are me, and I am you. I'm a part of you. Fortunately, you didn't become lost here. You chose to return outside and face reality..."
As the Heart Demon spoke, its body slowly faded.
At the final moment, it said, "Go. There are still people waiting for you outside. Remember to protect them. If they are harmed, I won't let you off either."
After saying this, the Heart Demon completely vanished from the Heart Demon's inner realm.
After the Heart Demon disappeared, everything around him began to fade away. Ye Zifeng stood where he was and shouted toward the direction in which it had vanished,
"I definitely will!"
At the final moment before Ye Zifeng left the Heart Demon's inner realm, a voice came from all around him.
"Remember what you said."
Hearing that familiar voice, Ye Zifeng merely smiled and completely left the Heart Demon's inner realm.
Outside the Heart Demon's inner realm.
Ye Zifeng slowly opened his eyes and saw that Elder Sister and Second Sister were both there.
A normal person would have been overjoyed at this sight. After successfully overcoming their tribulation, anyone would be thrilled to see their family the instant they opened their eyes.
But Ye Zifeng couldn't feel happy. He only said gloomily,
"Are you kidding me? I nearly got trapped in the Heart Demon's inner realm and couldn't get out."
"I finally managed to escape, yet neither of you came over to show any concern."
"And Elder Sister, Second Sister, you two were actually playing Go. Fine, whatever."
"But you, sir, were sitting beside them cracking melon seeds while watching them play. Didn't you say you would protect me while I underwent the trial?"
The three of them heard Ye Zifeng's voice and turned around, only then realizing that he had awakened. He looked at them gloomily.
"Uh, Little Feng, once I saw your brow suddenly relax, I knew you were sure to succeed," Li Changsheng said, feigning composure.
"I believed you would succeed." Elder Sister Ye Han Yue also spoke calmly, though there was a hint of relief in her voice.
"Of course I knew you would succeed. Don't bother me—I'm about to win this game. Besides, sir is right here. Even if you failed, he could pull you back. It's fine, it's fine." Second Sister Ye Hanxue waved her hand carelessly.
But if one paid attention to her other hand, they would notice that she had just slowly moved one of the Go pieces.
With a sharp slap, Ye Hanxue happily stood up and shouted, "Elder Sister, I won! I finally don't have to eat the food you cook anymore. Come on, let's eat out at noon!"
"Ha-ha." The three of them looked at the delighted Ye Hanxue and, seeing through her trick, silently expressed their disdain.
Looking at this absurd scene, Ye Zifeng shouted inwardly, I'm tired. Let the world be destroyed. I want to go home.
The four members of the master-and-disciple group arrived at a high-end restaurant in Heaven Dou City.
Ye Hanxue happily introduced it to the other three. "This is a restaurant opened by the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect in Heaven Dou City. It's the best restaurant in all of Heaven Dou. I've eaten here once before, and the food was fantastic."
As she spoke, she led the other three into the restaurant.
As soon as they entered, Ye Hanxue chose the most expensive private room. The moment she sat down, she shouted,
"Shopkeeper, bring us one serving of your finest wine and dishes. Also pack up another serving for us to take home."
Seeing such extravagance, Li Changsheng said to Ye Hanxue, "Take it easy. I don't have much money. What are you going to do if I can't pay the bill later?"
Hearing Li Changsheng's words, Ye Hanxue and Ye Han Yue both turned toward Third Brother Ye Zifeng, who was looking up at the ceiling.
Seeing this, Ye Zifeng thought bitterly, Heavens above, earth below, can someone please take away my spendthrift Second Sister? She usually goes out for lavish meals without inviting me, but the moment she needs money, she comes looking for me.
Even though I manage the money, I can't withstand this kind of spending! If I hadn't built up quite a fortune over the years, I'd have to sell myself. What am I supposed to do?
After thinking it over, he lowered his head and looked at Second Sister, intending to refuse and teach her a lesson.
But when he saw a packet of medicinal powder suddenly appear in her hand, he immediately changed his attitude and said,
"It's just a little money, just a little money. Your Younger Brother has managed the finances for years and built up an unknown amount of wealth. I'll pay for this small expense, I'll pay. Just put down the medicinal powder in your hand first."
Seeing that her younger brother was so sensible, Ye Hanxue slowly put away the medicinal powder.
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