Chapter 307: Heart Demon Essence

Gu Mo asked, puzzled, "How do you know it's a heart demon?"

The old monk's expression suddenly turned sinister. The character "slave" on his forehead became more pronounced, and wisps of black mist began to emanate from him.

This particular mist was unusual; cultivators below the Ascension Realm couldn't see it at all.

However, Gu Mo could see it clearly and feel the black mist continuously eroding the old monk's will.

Immediately, Gu Mo pointed a finger, using his primordial spirit power to restrain the black mist. However, he couldn't completely eliminate it because, tracing it to its source, he found that the black mist had deeply penetrated the old monk's consciousness.

"Amitabha!"

The sinister look on the old monk's face vanished. He suddenly sat cross-legged on the ground, continuously chanting Buddhist tranquility mantras. Faint golden light emanated from his body; although still mixed with black qi, the golden light clearly suppressed it.

After a while, the monk slowly opened his eyes. His demeanor had changed, becoming very calm, like an unruffled ancient well. He spoke slowly, "Thank you, benefactor. This humble monk committed a deluded thought without realizing it and gradually became a demon slave. I have made a grave mistake, and it is too late."

Gu Mo said in a deep voice, "Answer my question."

The old monk replied, "This humble monk is Zhiku, a disciple of Saint Monk Huineng from the Great Zhou Kingdom. Two months ago, I was tasked by my master to guard the Demon Cavern, where the heart demon's true body is sealed. Therefore, my demonic possession must have been caused by the heart demon's encroachment. That is why I know."

Gu Mo asked, surprised, "Where is the Demon Cavern? And how are you sure it's the heart demon's true body?"

Old Monk Zhiku explained, "Saint Monk Huineng is a born sage, one who possesses innate knowledge. Many years ago, he predicted that Great Zhou would be destroyed by an unparalleled demon. To prevent widespread suffering, he has spent decades searching for a way to defeat this demon.

Thirty years ago, he arrived at Feilai Mountain in Wutong City and discovered a cavern. Inside was surprisingly the true body of the heart demon, which had vanished seven hundred years prior. Consequently, Saint Monk Huineng established Feilai Temple on Feilai Mountain and has been sealing it there for decades, arranging for his disciples to chant sutras and recite Buddha's name day and night, infusing the purest Buddhist power to dispel the heart demon's demonic energy.

Two months ago, I was ordered to guard the Demon Cavern for half a month. During that time, I did not heed the Saint Monk's advice. The Saint Monk had warned that cultivating near the Demon Cavern could easily lead to a heart demon invasion, affecting one's consciousness.

However, my cultivation was at a bottleneck then, and I couldn't resist practicing near the Demon Cavern. I harbored a sense of侥幸 thinking that no one had been invaded by a heart demon for so many years, and I had often guarded the cavern myself without ever finding anything unusual. I even suspected the Saint Monk was mistaken, so I didn't take his warning to heart.

It was during that cultivation session that I broke through my bottleneck. As I achieved the breakthrough, I had an epiphany, believing I had been enlightened by the Buddha and understood the Great Dao: that by guiding ten thousand people to ultimate bliss, I could ascend to a lotus throne. So, I found an excuse to leave the mountain and came here.

Because of the desires in my heart, the heart demon seized upon my weakness and amplified it infinitely, causing me to become possessed. During this time, I used secret mental techniques to entice people to come here and experience ultimate bliss, continuously stimulating their minds, ultimately leading them to commit suicide and go to the Pure Land.

This humble monk is incompetent, having been seduced by the heart demon. I deserve to suffer in Avici Hell.

Benefactor, take care!"

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

Immediately after, the old monk's face became extremely grotesque. He swiftly raised his hand and slammed his palm onto his forehead.

"Thump!"

With a loud thud, the old monk's palm strike directly shattered his own forehead, sending brain matter and blood splattering. He instantly lost all signs of life.

Looking at the old monk's corpse, Gu Mo felt no ripples in his heart. He slowly rose and walked into the main hall, where it was still bustling with noise. No one seemed to care that the old monk had died; even with the considerable commotion outside, no one even glanced over. The young monk who had led Gu Mo and his companions earlier remained indifferent, seated in his chair. Everyone was engrossed in their own activities, completely immersed in ultimate bliss.

"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 come and see?"

"See what?" Gu Mo asked, puzzled.

"The kitchen."

Gu Mo tapped his foot, and his figure floated like a phantom up to the second floor. His cold, damp boot soles creaked faintly on the greasy wooden floor.

Gu Mo followed Ye Chen deeper inside. Ye Chen stood by a heavy wooden door, his face paler than the leaden-gray rain clouds outside. He pointed to the dim yellow light and rising steam seeping through the door crack.

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

Gu Mo's face was expressionless as he reached out and pushed open the door that seemed to separate two worlds.

Before them lay a scene of purgatory.

It was a massive kitchen with roaring stoves. Over a dozen shirtless cooks were working numbly. Their movements were skilled, precise, and even possessed a strange rhythm, yet their eyes were hollow like dusty glass beads, oblivious to everything before them.

From the rafters, thick iron hooks were deeply impaled into ankles, suspending naked human bodies!

There were men, women, old, and young.

Some were still "fresh," with pale skin, blood dripping from their inverted heads and hair into large wooden basins below, making a monotonous and horrifying "drip-drop" sound.

The blood in the basins was already half-full, thick and dark.

More corpses had been processed to different stages. A burly cook emotionlessly swung a heavy bone-cleaving knife. With a dull "thud," he effortlessly severed a thigh, revealing stark white bone splinters and deep red muscle fibers at the cut. Beads of blood oozed from the cross-section and rolled onto the cutting board.

On the stove, huge iron pots boiled with murky soup, and steam permeated the air. Floating on the surface of the soup were several pieces of meat, boiled white and slightly swollen.

A young servant emerged, carrying a basin of meat, on his way to serve the guests downstairs.

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

The servant chuckled and said, "The soul has ascended to ultimate bliss, and the physical body remains in the human world for the bliss of others. This is a great virtue. We are all the same; when we ascend to the Pure Land, our bodies will also be left for others to enjoy."

"What a lofty state of mind."

Gu Mo said this, then said no more, allowing the servant to leave.

Ye Chen, on the other hand, had averted his face the entire time, daring not to look much. Only after the servant left did he turn around and say, "Big Brother, everyone here has gone mad. They've all been influenced by the old monk's secret mental techniques and the magical formation made from Balin stone."

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

Ye Chen's expression was solemn. He said, "I'm afraid these people will go insane!"

"Not necessarily," Gu Mo replied.

"Why not?" Ye Chen asked, puzzled. "Isn't a scene like this shocking enough? Eating so many people, perhaps even their own wives, children, and elderly relatives?"

Gu Mo shook his head slightly and said, "This world is inherently a man-eat-man world. People always adapt, don't they?"

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

Just as they exited the manor, "Ah—!!!"

A horrifying, inhuman shriek 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 as if a fuse had been lit!

"Ah—!! What have I done?!"

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

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

"Ugh... ugh..."

Successive, heart-rending screams, wails, retching sounds, desperate cries, frantic curses... like countless rusty saws, instantly tore through the dead silence of the rainy night! These sounds were no longer the clamor of "bliss" from before, but the purest, most primal, and most desperate lamentations of humanity!

Hearing the chaotic wails from the manor behind them, Ye Chen and the Yun brothers felt a sense of solemnity in their hearts and couldn't help but glance back.

The brightly lit manor now resembled a rumored hell, its tall gate like a monster opening its gaping, blood-red maw.

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

Yun Song quickly replied, "Yes, I do. It's the National Temple of Northern Zhou. Its abbot, Master Huineng, is a Saint Monk of Northern Zhou. A large reason for the Northern Zhou court relocating to Wutong City is because Saint Monk Huineng is here.

The entire nation of Northern Zhou believes in Buddhism, and Master Huineng is the spiritual leader of the Buddhist sect. Even many of the rebel forces revere Saint Monk Huineng. After fleeing into Wutong City, the Northern Zhou Emperor and his officials were able to recuperate, largely due to Saint Monk Huineng personally negotiating with the rebel alliance, in addition to Wutong City's geographical advantage of being surrounded by water on three sides."

Gu Mo asked in surprise, "Is Saint Monk Huineng's status in Northern Zhou really that high?"

Yun Song thought for a moment and said, "Northern Zhou is a small country, and its martial arts foundation is far inferior to great nations like our Great Qian, Chu, and Later Qin. Even a top-tier martial artist from our Great Qian could be considered a grandmaster here in Northern Zhou.

However, despite such meager martial arts resources, Saint Monk Huineng was ranked sixth in the martial arts evaluation list. After Ye Nantian, the leader of the Moon Worship Sect, was killed by you, Saint Monk Huineng became the new fifth strongest in the world.

Furthermore, six of the top ten grandmasters on Northern Zhou's Heavenly Ranking came from Saint Monk Huineng's lineage. Therefore, his status is naturally very high. Not to mention the current fragmentation of Northern Zhou by various rebel forces, even when the court's political power was stable, the Emperor had to give face to Saint Monk Huineng."

Hearing Yun Song's explanation, Gu Mo understood.

Although in this world, one cannot completely disregard armies unless they reach the Ascension Realm, that refers to the armies of great nations, and when they are prepared. In a small country like Northern Zhou, any of the top ten martial artists in the world could move through the Northern Zhou imperial palace as if on flat ground.

Saint Monk Huineng's personal strength was not only among the top ten in the world, but his disciples were also the most powerful martial artists in Northern Zhou. Thus, his status was naturally very high. After all, monks are inherently masters of persuasion, and when they also possess martial arts that compel you to listen to them, they are simply unstoppable.

"We'll go directly to Feilai Temple," Gu Mo said.

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

"No."

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

"He said the heart demon's true body is in Feilai Temple..."

Gu Mo then recounted Old Monk Zhiku's words to Ye Chen.

Ye Chen exclaimed in surprise, "No way! At the heart demon's cultivation level, hasn't it already separated from its true body? Even if it hasn't, it's not something Saint Monk Huineng could seal, is it?"

Gu Mo nodded slightly and said, "I find it strange too. However, the old monk wasn't lying, and the demonic energy controlling him definitely bore the aura of a heart demon."

Ye Chen said, "I just can't make sense of it. How could Saint Monk Huineng seal a heart demon? Moreover, the heart demon has clearly always been very active, almost crippling me before. Great Compassion from earlier, and Ling Xiao, the previous world's top expert you mentioned—they all encountered the heart demon and dared not ascend to face it.

All of this indicates that the heart demon moves freely. Even if its true body is separated, with the heart demon's strength, dealing with Saint Monk Huineng would be effortless!"

Gu Mo said, "I also find it illogical. However, our purpose in coming to Northern Zhou this time is to find the heart demon. Feilai Temple is a clue. Regardless of whether it makes sense, we'll know once we investigate."

"True."

Three days later, Gu Mo and his companions entered Wutong City.

However, the scene within the city was utterly disappointing.

As a capital city, it was remarkably desolate and quiet. Most of the once-bustling shops lining the streets had their doors and windows tightly shut, their wooden panels bearing marks of cuts and axe blows, or plastered with official notices, long since soaked by rain and with illegible text.

The few open shops were also deserted, their shopkeepers hunched behind counters, eyes dull and wary. Most shocking were the beggars huddled under eaves and by walls, dressed in rags, skeletal, trembling in the cold rain like discarded sacks.

Occasionally, patrolling soldiers roughly kicked away bodies blocking their path, eliciting a few faint groans that quickly faded into the rain and silence.

The entire city was shrouded in a heavy, suffocating grey desolation, as if even the sky hung low, pressing down and making it difficult to breathe.

In stark contrast, behind high walls and grand courtyards, the sounds of music and revelry filled the air, indicating extreme luxury.

This perfectly illustrated the phenomenon of "wine and meat rotting behind vermillion gates, while frozen corpses lie on the road."

Gu Mo and his companions did not linger long in the city. They walked directly through the dying capital, arriving at the foot of Feilai Mountain on its western edge.

Unlike the oppressive stagnation of Wutong City, Feilai Mountain was lush and verdant, shrouded in mist.

As they ascended the winding, clean stone steps, the air gradually grew fresher, and even the rain seemed to become gentler.

However, to Gu Mo and his companions' surprise, they saw many monks descending the mountain along their path, each carrying a satchel.

The further they climbed, the more descending monks they encountered.

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

The young monk was very polite. When stopped by Ye Chen, he pressed his palms together, bowed, and said, "Benefactors, if you are here to offer incense and worship Buddha, please return the way you came. Saint Monk Huineng has disbanded Feilai Temple today."

"Disbanded?" Ye Chen was greatly startled. He asked, "Why?"

The young monk shook his head and said, "The Saint Monk didn't state a reason. He merely told us to descend the mountain and go as far as we could!"

"No reason given?"

"No reason was given."

Ye Chen frowned and said, "Thank you for the information, Master."

"If the benefactors have no other business, this humble monk will take his leave now!" The young monk bowed.

"Travel safely, Master, and may your journey be smooth," Ye Chen cupped his hands.

Watching the young monk depart, Ye Chen looked at Gu Mo and said, "Big Brother, something isn't right!"

Gu Mo didn't need Ye Chen to point it out; he could see that something was amiss himself. After all, as the National Temple, Feilai Temple held a transcendent status in Northern Zhou, boasting numerous disciples and immense influence. It couldn't simply disband without a compelling reason.

Furthermore, according to Old Monk Zhiku, Feilai Temple also sealed the heart demon, requiring constant chanting and Buddhist prayers to infuse pure Buddhist True Qi to maintain the formation.

"Let's go. We'll find out once we get up there."

The four quickly ascended the mountain. Along the way, they encountered more and more monks; a rough count revealed nearly a thousand, confirming that the entire Feilai Temple had been disbanded.

The higher they went up the mountain, the fewer people they encountered. Eventually, they didn't see anyone at all.

At the summit, a grand temple was built into the mountain, with grey-blue bricks and dark tiles, flying eaves and dougong brackets, appearing even more solemn and majestic in the rain and mist.

In front of the mountain gate, the three gilded characters "Feilai Temple" still glowed with a soft luster in the damp air.

However, Feilai Temple was utterly deserted at this moment, without a single sound. As they stepped through the mountain gate, an atmosphere vastly different from below assailed them. The temple was exceptionally clean; the bluestone path was so polished by the rain it reflected light, and ancient trees towered on both sides, their branches adorned with glistening water droplets.

They walked for a long time, passing through several halls, yet did not see a single person.

Finally, as they entered the depths of the Buddhist courtyard, they saw a young monk standing beneath a Bodhi tree. He was dressed in grey monastic robes, with clear features and bright eyes. Barefoot, he stood quietly, his posture natural and relaxed.

"Young monk, why has everyone else from the temple left, and only you remain 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, for the monk's eyes were incredibly clear, as pure as a newborn's, yet as profound as the vast galaxy, seeming to contain infinite wisdom and compassion.

The monk pressed his palms together, bowed deeply, and said in a peaceful, gentle voice, "Benefactors, you have traveled far and endured hardships."

Gu Mo stepped forward, cupped his hands, and asked, "Saint Monk, what has happened that caused you to disband Feilai Temple?"

Ye Chen asked in astonishment, "You are Saint Monk Huineng? Aren't you nearly a hundred years old?"

Saint Monk Huineng smiled slightly and said, "I dare not accept the title of Saint Monk, but this humble monk's dharma name is indeed Huineng." Then, Saint Monk Huineng bowed to Gu Mo again and said, "If this humble monk is not mistaken, Benefactor must be Gu Mo, the current greatest hero under heaven."

"Saint Monk has keen insight," Gu Mo cupped his hands and replied, "I am indeed Gu Mo."

Saint Monk Huineng said, "Because of the turbulent situation in the Zhou Kingdom in recent years, news from the outside world is scarce. Few people now know that the title of the world's strongest has changed hands. This humble monk only chanced upon your portrait and was captivated by your demeanor. Upon inquiring, I learned that the youngest ever world's strongest has appeared. Seeing you today, you are truly extraordinary, like an immortal being!"

"You flatter me, Saint Monk," Gu Mo cupped his hands and asked again, "Why did you disband Feilai Temple?"

Saint Monk Huineng hesitated for a moment and said, "Before I answer, this humble monk wishes to ask Great Hero Gu something: why have you come?"

"To eliminate demons."

"What demon?"

"The heart demon."

Saint Monk Huineng pressed his palms together and said, "If that is the case, then this humble monk can explain the reason. I disbanded Feilai Temple also because of the heart demon."

Saint Monk Huineng pointed distantly towards a tall pagoda on the mountain peak and said, "Great Hero Gu, please follow this humble monk up the pagoda to observe!"

Immediately, Saint Monk Huineng tapped his foot, employing his lightness skill to soar away like a wild goose flying south, reaching the top of the pagoda in the blink of an eye.

But as soon as he landed on the pagoda's spire, he was surprised to find Gu Mo already standing there, having arrived at some unknown moment.

"Great Hero Gu's lightness skill is truly remarkable, this humble monk is impressed."

Saint Monk Huineng cupped his hands, then pointed down the mountain and said, "Demonic energy has already enveloped the entire city, and indeed the entire Zhou Kingdom. At this very moment, it is converging towards Feilai Temple. The demon is about to appear. This is why this humble monk had to disband Feilai Temple."

Gu Mo fixed his gaze, activating the Qi of Laws.

In that instant, he saw demonic energy surging relentlessly both inside and outside the city, converging towards Feilai Mountain.

Saint Monk Huineng said, "Fifty years ago, this humble monk had an intuition that a great catastrophe would befall the human world, and an unparalleled demon would descend to destroy it. So, I searched everywhere, and after twenty years of searching, I finally found the demonic entity here. It was a very peculiar stone, brimming with boundless demonic nature.

After consulting many ancient texts, this humble monk recognized that the strange stone was, surprisingly, the legendary true body of the heart demon. I then set up a formation here to seal it, intending to eliminate its demonic nature. This seal has lasted for thirty years.

For these thirty years, the heart demon's true body has been here, but its consciousness has always been outside. Yet, it seemed not to regard this humble monk highly, nor did it particularly care about its true body being sealed. Although it sought out this humble monk a few times in between, it decisively departed after failing to defeat me.

However, just over a year ago, the heart demon suddenly began to frequently attack Feilai Mountain. Its consciousness continuously wreaked havoc in the Zhou Kingdom, constantly exploiting the desires of the populace, dragging the entire Zhou Kingdom into war. The court became corrupt, the martial arts world fell into chaos, everyone's desires were unleashed, and demonic energy began to spread.

During one of this humble monk's confrontations with the heart demon, I learned from it that the reason for its sudden attacks on ordinary people was to gather enough demonic energy to form a physical body. It intends to kill someone who has ascended physically. This is why the heart demon, which for hundreds of years has guarded the Heavenly Gate, has now descended to the mortal realm."

As he spoke, Saint Monk Huineng looked at Gu Mo and said, "Great Hero Gu, if this humble monk is not mistaken, the one who ascended physically should be you, correct?"

Gu Mo nodded slightly, then said, "I am rather curious, Saint Monk. How do you know so much? And how are you able to contend with the heart demon? You should know that even Su Qianqiu had little power to resist the heart demon."

Saint Monk Huineng said, "Because this humble monk possesses a power that can subdue the heart demon."

Gu Mo asked, surprised, "Such a power exists in the human world?"

Saint Monk Huineng shook his head and said, "It does not exist in the human world, but it exists among forbidden techniques. This humble monk cultivates the Great Sun Demonic Art!"