Heart Demon Main Body

Gu Mo asked doubtfully, "How do you know it's the Heart Demon?"

The old monk's expression suddenly turned ferocious, and the character "slave" on his forehead became more prominent as wisps of black mist emanated from it.

This wisp of mist was very special; cultivators below the Ascension Realm couldn't see it at all.

But Gu Mo could see it very clearly, and he could also feel the black mist constantly eroding the old monk's will.

Immediately, Gu Mo pointed a finger, using his Nascent Soul Power to restrain the wisp of black mist. However, he couldn't completely eliminate the black mist because, tracing its origin, he discovered it had already deeply infiltrated the old monk's Divine Sense.

"Amitabha!"

The ferocity vanished from the monk's face. He suddenly sat cross-legged on the ground, continuously chanting Buddhist calming mantras. Faint golden light also emanated from his body. Although black qi was still mixed in, the golden light was clearly suppressing the black qi.

After a while, the monk slowly opened his eyes. His demeanor had changed, becoming very calm, possessing a posture like an ancient, still well. He slowly spoke, "Thank you, Benefactor. This monk harbored foolish thoughts without realizing it, gradually becoming a Demon Slave. I have already committed a grave mistake, and it is too late."

Gu Mo said sternly, "Answer my question."

The old monk replied, "This monk is Zhiku, a disciple under Venerable Monk Huineng of the Great Zhou Kingdom. Two months ago, I was ordered to guard the Demon Cave. The Heart Demon Main Body is sealed within this Demon Cave, so this monk's demonic possession must have been due to the Heart Demon's influence. This is why I know."

Gu Mo asked in surprise, "Where is the Demon Cave? How did you determine it was the Heart Demon Main Body?"

Venerable Monk Zhiku said, "Venerable Monk Huineng is an Innate Sage, one who knows from birth. Many years ago, he predicted that the Great Zhou would be destroyed by a Peerless Demonic Cultivator. To prevent the land from being devastated, he has been seeking a way to deal with the demonic cultivator for decades.

Thirty years ago, he arrived at Feilai Mountain in Wutong City and discovered a cave. Within it was the Heart Demon Main Body that had disappeared seven hundred years ago. Thus, Venerable Monk Huineng established Feilai Temple on Feilai Mountain and has been sealing it here for decades, arranging for his disciples to chant scriptures and recite Buddhist prayers day and night, infusing the purest Buddhist Power to eliminate the Heart Demon's Demonic Energy.

Two months ago, I was ordered to guard the Demon Cave for half a month. It was during that period that I did not heed the Venerable Monk's instructions. The Venerable Monk had said that if one cultivated near the Demon Cave, it would be easy to be influenced by the Heart Demon and lose one's sanity.

But at that time, my cultivation had reached a bottleneck. I couldn't resist and cultivated near the Demon Cave. I held onto a sliver of hope, thinking that no one had been influenced by the Heart Demon in so many years. Moreover, I had often gone to guard the Demon Cave over the years and never found any abnormalities. I even suspected that the Venerable Monk was mistaken, so I didn't take his instructions too seriously.

It was during that cultivation session that I broke through my bottleneck. As I broke through, I had an epiphany, believing I was enlightened by Buddha, understood the Great Dao, and that by leading all beings to Bliss, I could sit upon a Lotus Platform. Thus, I found a reason to descend the mountain and came to this place.

Because I had desires in my heart, the Heart Demon seized upon my weakness, magnified it infinitely, and thus I fell into demonic possession. During this time, I used Mental Secret Methods to bewitch the common people to come here to enjoy Bliss, constantly stimulating their minds, and finally guiding them to commit suicide to go to the Pure Land.

Amitabha, This monk is incompetent, bewitched by the Heart Demon, and deserves to suffer in Avici Hell.

Benefactor, take care!"

As the old monk finished speaking, the character "slave" on his forehead began to reappear.

Then, The expression on the old monk's face turned extremely ferocious. He quickly raised his hand and slammed a palm onto his forehead.

"Bang"

With a loud bang, the old monk's palm smashed his own forehead, brain matter and blood splashing everywhere. He instantly lost his life.

Looking at the old monk's corpse, Gu Mo felt no ripple in his heart. He slowly stood up and walked into the hall. It was still bustling with noise. No one paid attention to the old monk's death. Even though there was a commotion outside, no one glanced over. Even the young monk who had previously led Gu Mo and the others had remained seated, indifferent. Everyone was immersed in their own tasks, lost in extreme pleasure.

"Big Brother!"

Ye Chen suddenly called out from upstairs.

Gu Mo looked up.

Ye Chen's face was pale. He said, "Do you want to take a look?"

"What?" Gu Mo asked, confused.

"The kitchen."

Gu Mo's toes touched the ground, and his figure, like a ghost, floated up to the second floor. His damp, cold boots made a faint creaking sound on the greasy wooden floor.

Gu Mo followed Ye Chen to the back. Ye Chen stood by a heavy wooden door, his face looking more grim than the leaden-grey rain clouds outside. He pointed a finger towards the dim yellow light and rising heat seeping through the crack in the door.

"Inside..." Ye Chen's Adam's apple bobbed. His voice was dry. "Big Brother, you see for yourself."

Gu Mo's expression was blank. He reached out and pushed open the door, which seemed to separate two worlds.

Before him lay a human purgatory.

It was a huge kitchen. The stoves blazed fiercely, and over a dozen bare-chested cooks were working numbly. Their movements were skilled, precise, even possessing a strange rhythm, but their eyes were as hollow as dusty glass beads, oblivious to everything around them.

From the ceiling beams, thick iron hooks were deeply embedded in ankles, suspending naked human bodies!

There were men, women, old, and young.

Some were still "fresh," their skin pale. Blood dripped drop by drop from their inverted heads and hair strands into a large wooden basin below, making a monotonous and horrifying "drip, drip" sound.

The blood in the basin was half full, thick and black.

More corpses had been processed to various stages. A burly cook, expressionless, swung a heavy bone-chopping knife. With a muffled "thud," he easily severed a thigh. The broken end revealed bone fragments and deep red muscle fibers. Blood beads seeped from the cut surface and rolled onto the chopping board.

On the stove, a giant iron pot churned with turbid liquid, steam permeating the air. Floating on the surface of the soup were several pieces of boiled, pale, slightly swollen meat.

A servant carried out a basin of meat, heading to serve the guests downstairs.

Gu Mo couldn't help but say, "This is human flesh."

The servant chuckled and said, "Their souls have ascended to bliss. Their mortal shells remain in the human world for others' bliss. This is great merit. We are all the same. When we ascend to the blissful world, our mortal shells will also remain for others to enjoy."

"Such a high realm."

Gu Mo said a sentence and didn't say more, letting the servant leave.

Ye Chen kept his face turned away the whole time, not daring to look too much. After the servant left, he turned around and said, "Big Brother, everyone here has gone crazy. They've all been influenced by that old monk's mental secret method and the formation made with the Ba Lin stone."

Gu Mo waved his hand and said, "Let's go. I fought with that old monk just now and damaged the formation here. Now that the old monk is dead, I'm afraid it won't be long before these people wake up."

Ye Chen's face was grave. "I'm afraid these people will go mad!"

"Not necessarily," Gu Mo said.

"Why?" Ye Chen asked doubtfully. "Isn't this scene stimulating enough? They ate so many people, maybe even their own wife, children, old and young?"

Gu Mo shook his head slightly. "This world is a man-eating world. They can always adapt, can't they?"

As he spoke, Gu Mo and Ye Chen went downstairs, called the Yun Family Brothers, and the four of them left quickly without any delay.

Just as they walked out of the manor, "Ah--!!!"

A piercing, inhuman scream suddenly erupted from the brightly lit manor behind them! The sound was filled with extreme pain, confusion, and the despair of a worldview instantly collapsing!

It was like igniting a fuse!

"Ah--!! What have I done?!"

"This... what kind of meat is this?!"

"Mother! Mother, why are you... in the pot?"

"Ugh... ugh..."

"..."

The continuous, heart-wrenching screams, wails, retching sounds, collapsing cries, and mad curses... like countless rusty saws, instantly tore through the deathly stillness of the rainy night! These sounds were no longer the noisy clamor of "bliss" from before, but the purest, most primitive, and most desperate human lamentations!

Hearing the mixed wails from the manor behind them, Ye Chen and the Yun Family Brothers felt a sense of gravity in their hearts, and they couldn't help but look back.

The brightly lit manor, at this moment, was like the hell described in rumors. The tall gate was like a monster with its bloody mouth wide open.

"Yun Song, Yun Qing," Gu Mo asked, "Do you know Feilai Temple?"

Yun Song quickly said, "Yes, it's the Imperial Temple of Northern Zhou. Its abbot, Dharma Master Huineng, is the venerable monk of the Northern Zhou Kingdom. A large part of the reason why the Northern Zhou Court is moving to Wutong City is because Venerable Monk Huineng is here.

The Northern Zhou Kingdom believes in Buddhism wholeheartedly, and Master Huineng is the spiritual leader of Buddhism. Even many of the rebels believe in Venerable Monk Huineng. After the Northern Zhou Emperor and his ministers fled into Wutong City, they were able to recuperate. Besides the geographical advantage of Wutong City being surrounded by water on three sides, a large part of the reason is that Venerable Monk Huineng personally went to negotiate with the rebel alliance."

Gu Mo was surprised. "Is this Venerable Monk Huineng's status in Northern Zhou so high?"

Yun Song thought for a moment and said, "Northern Zhou is a small country. In terms of martial arts heritage, it's far inferior to our Da Gan and Chu Kingdom, or even Later Qin. A Peak First-Rate Martial Artist from our Da Gan would be considered a Grandmaster in Northern Zhou.

However, despite this barrenness in martial arts, Venerable Monk Huineng was ranked Sixth Under Heaven on the Martial Arts Ranking. After you killed Ye Nantian, the Sect Master of the Worship Moon Sect, Venerable Monk Huineng became the New Fifth Under Heaven.

Furthermore, six of the Northern Zhou Heavenly Ranking Ten Grandmasters are his disciples. Therefore, his status is naturally very high. Let alone the current situation where Northern Zhou is fragmented by rebels, even when the Imperial Court Regime was stable, the Emperor had to show Venerable Monk Huineng respect."

Hearing Yun Song's explanation, Gu Mo understood.

Although in this world, one couldn't completely disregard armies without reaching the Ascension Realm, that referred to the armies of great nations, and under prepared circumstances. In a small country like Northern Zhou, any one of the Top Ten Martial Artists on the Martial Arts Ranking could walk through the Northern Zhou Imperial Palace as if it were their own backyard.

Venerable Monk Huineng not only had a strength within the Top Ten Under Heaven, but his disciples were also the most powerful martial artists in Northern Zhou. Naturally, his status was extremely high. After all, monks were already masters of reason, and when coupled with martial arts that forced you to listen to their reasoning, it was simply unbeatable.

"Let's go directly to Feilai Temple," Gu Mo said.

Yun Song asked doubtfully, "Aren't we going to see the Northern Zhou Emperor first?"

"Mm."

Ye Chen asked in confusion, "Big Brother, why the sudden change of plans? Did that old monk say something just now?"

"He said the Heart Demon Main Body is at Feilai Temple..."

Immediately, Gu Mo recounted what Venerable Monk Zhiku had said to Ye Chen.

Ye Chen exclaimed in surprise, "No way. With the Heart Demon's Realm, hasn't he transcended his physical form yet? Even if he hasn't, it's not like Venerable Monk Huineng could seal him, right?"

Gu Mo nodded slightly and said, "I find it strange too, but that old monk wasn't lying. And the demonic nature that controlled the old monk was indeed the aura of the Heart Demon."

Ye Chen said, "I still can't make sense of it. How could Venerable Monk Huineng seal the Heart Demon? Moreover, the Heart Demon has always been very active; it almost ruined me. Dabie and Ling Xiao, the Previous Generation Number One Under Heaven you mentioned, both encountered the Heart Demon and dared not ascend to face it.

All these indicate that the Heart Demon is freely active. Even if the main body is separated, with the Heart Demon's strength, dealing with Venerable Monk Huineng should be a piece of cake!"

Gu Mo said, "I also find it hard to explain. However, we came to Northern Zhou this time precisely to find the Heart Demon. Feilai Temple is a clue. Whether it makes sense or not, we'll know once we go and see."

"That's true."

Three days later, Gu Mo and Others entered Wutong City.

However, the scene within the city was deeply disappointing.

As the capital, it was desolate and deserted. On both sides of the street, the once bustling shops were mostly shuttered, their door panels covered in chopping and hacking marks, or plastered with government notices that had long been soaked by rainwater, their writing blurred.

The few shops that were open had few customers. The shopkeepers huddled behind their counters, their eyes numb and vigilant. Most shocking were the beggars curled up under eaves and against walls. They were in ragged clothes, emaciated, like discarded sacks, shivering in the cold rain.

Occasionally, patrolling soldiers would roughly kick aside bodies blocking their path, eliciting a few weak groans, which were then quickly drowned out by the sound of rain and the deathly still.

The entire city was shrouded in a heavy, suffocating gloom, as if even the sky had lowered, pressing down, making it hard to breathe.

In stark contrast, within those grand mansions, the sounds of silk and bamboo music assaulted the ears, indulging in extreme luxury.

This fully illustrated the phenomenon where "The Vermilion Gate reeks of wine and meat, while on the road lie the bones of those frozen to death."

Gu Mo and Others did not linger in the city, passing straight through this Dying Capital and arriving at the foot of Feilai Mountain on the western edge.

Unlike the deathly silence of Wutong City, Feilai Mountain was Lush and Green, Cloud and Mist Shrouded.

Climbing up the Winding and neat Stone Steps, the Air gradually became fresher, and even the Rainwater seemed to have gentled a bit.

However, what surprised Gu Mo and Others was that they saw many monks descending the mountain along the way, and each of them was carrying a Bundle.

The further they went up the mountain, the more monks they encountered coming down.

Ye Chen stopped a young monk and asked, "Master, why are you all going down the mountain?"

The young monk was very polite. When Ye Chen stopped him, he clasped his Hands together, bowed, and said, "Benefactors, if you are here to burn incense and worship Buddha, please return the way you came. Venerable Monk Huineng has already disbanded Feilai Temple today."

"Disbanded?" Ye Chen was shocked and asked, "Why?"

The young monk Shook his Head and said, "The Holy Monk did not state the reason, he only told us to go down the mountain and go as far as we can!"

"He didn't state the reason?"

"He didn't state the reason."

Ye Chen frowned and said, "Thank you for your guidance, Master."

"Amitabha, if Benefactor has nothing else, this little monk will take his leave!" The young monk bowed.

"Master, travel safely and have a good journey." Ye Chen cupped his Hands.

Watching the young monk leave, Ye Chen looked at Gu Mo and said, "Big Brother, something is not right!"

Ye Chen didn't need to say it; Gu Mo could already tell something was wrong. After all, as the Imperial Temple, Feilai Temple held a transcendent position in Northern Zhou, with many disciples and great influence. It was impossible for it to disband for no reason.

Moreover, according to Venerable Monk Zhiku, Feilai Temple also sealed Inner Demons, requiring constant chanting and the infusion of pure Buddhist True Qi to maintain the magic array.

"Let's go, we'll know once we get up there."

The four of them ascended the mountain Quickly. Along the way, they encountered more and more monks. Roughly counting, there were nearly a thousand people, confirming that the entire Feilai Temple had been disbanded.

As they went further up the mountain, they encountered fewer and fewer people, and eventually, no one at all.

At the Mountaintop, a grand temple was built against the mountain. With Green Bricks and Black Tiles, Eaves and Brackets, it appeared even more solemn and majestic in the rain and mist.

In front of the mountain gate, the three Gilded Characters of "Feilai Temple" still emitted a gentle luster in the humid Air.

But, at this moment, Feilai Temple was eerily silent, devoid of any sound. As the few people stepped through the mountain gate, an aura completely different from that below the mountain washed over them. The temple was exceptionally tidy, and the Bluestone Slab Road was polished to a mirror shine by the Rainwater. Ancient Trees Reaching the Sky stood on both sides, with crystal dewdrops hanging from their Branches and Leaves.

After walking for a long time, passing through several halls, they didn't see a single person.

Finally, they entered the depths of the monastery courtyard and saw a young monk in a gray monk robe, with clear eyes and handsome features, standing under a Bodhi Tree. The monk was barefoot, standing quietly, his posture natural and relaxed.

"Little Monk, why has everyone in the temple left, and you're the only one still here?" Ye Chen walked up and patted the monk's shoulder.

The monk turned around and looked at Ye Chen.

In that instant, Ye Chen was slightly startled, because those eyes were incredibly clear, as pure as an infant's, yet as deep as the Vast Galaxy, seeming to contain infinite Wisdom and Compassion.

The monk clasped his hands together, bowed deeply, and said in a calm, gentle voice, "Amitabha, Benefactors have traveled far and are weary."

Gu Mo stepped forward and cupped his hands, saying, "Venerable Monk, what has happened to make you dismiss Feilai Temple?"

Ye Chen asked in surprise, "You are Venerable Monk Huineng? Aren't you almost a hundred years old?"

Venerable Monk Huineng smiled slightly and said, "I dare not accept the title of Venerable Monk, but my Dharma Name is indeed Huineng." He then bowed to Gu Mo again and said, "If my guess is correct, Benefactor should be the Current Number One Under Heaven, Gu Mo Great Hero."

"Venerable Monk has sharp eyes." Gu Mo cupped his hands, "I am indeed Gu Mo."

Venerable Monk Huineng said, "Because the situation in the State of Zhou has been chaotic these past few years, little information from the outside world is known. Now, not many people know that the Number One Under Heaven has changed. I happened to see your portrait and was impressed by your demeanor. Upon inquiry, I learned that the youngest Number One Under Heaven in history has appeared. To see you today is truly extraordinary, like an Immortal!"

"Venerable Monk flatters me." Gu Mo cupped his hands and asked again, "Why did Venerable Monk dismiss Feilai Temple?"

Venerable Monk Huineng hesitated for a moment and said, "Before I answer, I would like to ask Great Hero Gu one question: why have you come?"

"To eliminate demons."

"What demons?"

"Inner Demons."

"Amitabha," Venerable Monk Huineng clasped his hands together and said, "Since that is the case, then I can tell you the reason. I dismissed Feilai Temple also because of Inner Demons."

Venerable Monk Huineng pointed towards a high tower on the mountaintop and said, "Great Hero Gu, please follow me up the tower to take a look!"

Immediately, Venerable Monk Huineng tapped his foot, used his Movement Technique, and flew away like a Goose Flying South. In the Blink of an Eye, he reached the top of the high tower.

But as soon as he landed on the spire, he was surprised to find that Gu Mo was already standing on the tower, though he didn't know when he had arrived.

"Great Hero Gu has excellent Movement Technique, I am impressed."

Venerable Monk Huineng cupped his hands, then pointed down the mountain and said, "Demonic energy has already enveloped the entire city, and even the entire State of Zhou. Right now, it is converging towards Feilai Temple. The demons are about to appear in the world. This is why I dismissed Feilai Temple."

Gu Mo looked closely and circulated his Law Qi.

In that instant, He saw waves of demonic energy rising from within and outside the city, converging towards Feilai Mountain.

Venerable Monk Huineng said, "Fifty years ago, I had a realization and learned that a great catastrophe would befall the mortal realm, and a Peerless Demonic Cultivator would descend to destroy it. Thus, I began searching everywhere. After twenty years of searching, I finally found the Demonic Creature here. It was a very peculiar stone, exuding immense demonic nature.

After consulting many classics, I recognized that strange stone as the legendary Heart Demon Main Body. I then set up a magic array here to seal it, intending to eliminate its demonic nature. This seal has been in place for thirty years.

For these thirty years, the Heart Demon Main Body has been here, but the Heart Demon's Divine Sense has always been outside. It didn't seem to take me seriously, nor did it seem to care much that its main body was sealed. Although it sought me out a few times, it decisively left after failing to defeat me.

However, over a year ago, the Heart Demon suddenly began frequently attacking Feilai Mountain. Its Divine Sense has been causing trouble throughout the Zhou Kingdom, continuously guiding the desires of the people, plunging the entire Zhou Kingdom into warfare. The court became corrupt, the martial world fell into turmoil, everyone's desires were unleashed, and demonic energy began to permeate.

During a confrontation between myself and the Heart Demon, I learned from it that the reason it suddenly began targeting Ordinary Persons was to condense a physical body of demonic energy. It wants to kill someone who has ascended with their physical body. This is why, for Hundreds of Years, the Heart Demon guarded the Heavenly Gate, but this time it descended to the Mortal Realm."

Speaking, Venerable Monk Huineng looked towards Gu Mo and said, "Great Hero Gu, if I'm not mistaken, this person who ascended with their physical body should be you, right?"

Gu Mo nodded slightly, then said, "I'm a bit curious, Venerable Monk, how do you know so much? And how are you able to confront the Heart Demon? You know, even Su Qianqiu didn't have much resistance against the Heart Demon."

Venerable Monk Huineng said, "Because I possess a power that can restrain the Heart Demon."

Gu Mo asked in surprise, "Does such a power exist in the mortal realm?"

Venerable Monk Huineng shook his head and said, "It doesn't exist in the mortal realm, but it exists in the forbidden. I cultivate the Great Sun Demonic Art!"