Chapter 527: Mystery of the Demonic Thought

Ji Yuan understood Nine Peaks Mountain's dilemma: Aze's aura made him difficult to accept into the sect, which was normal. However, on the other hand, Aze was merely a young boy deeply grieved by a great family tragedy, and as a righteous immortal sect, Nine Peaks Mountain couldn't be too harsh.

Ji Yuan refocused his thoughts and looked at Aze again.

"What are your plans, then?"

Aze usually found crying in front of a stranger embarrassing, but moments ago, he couldn't stop his tears. He quickly wiped them away with his sleeve and remained silent for a long time after Ji Yuan's question.

Ji Yuan rolled up his sleeve, crossed his legs, placed his hands on his knees, and looked at Aze. "Are you unsure of what to do, feeling lost with no direction?"

"Mm..."

Aze turned to Ji Yuan again, finally noticing his eyes for the first time—they had a strange, grayish-white appearance.

"Sir, your eyes..."

Ji Yuan smiled, looking at the distant mountains. "Not everyone is born perfect. My eyes have never been very good, but fortunately, I'm not completely blind, heh heh."

Even with Aze's limited experience, he suspected Ji Yuan's eyes were more than just "not very good." He then suddenly realized their location, quickly stood up from the cliff edge, and moved to help Ji Yuan.

"Sir, get up quickly! We're right on the edge of a cliff!"

Ji Yuan didn't insist on staying seated. When Aze helped him, he stood up naturally, moving a few steps away from the cliff.

Just then, Jin Xiu approached from a distance. She was about to call out to Aze when she noticed someone standing beside him. Even though she hadn't seen Ji Yuan in person, she could immediately guess that this was the esteemed figure from Immortal Arrival Peak.

Jin Xiu hesitated to speak, but Aze spotted her and, unusually, smiled and waved.

"Sister Jin, you're here! This great sir is also staying at Nine Peaks Mountain, just like me."

Ji Yuan turned to look at the reserved girl approaching and nodded at her. When she got closer, she placed the tray she was carrying to the side, letting it float in the air, then bowed respectfully to Ji Yuan.

"Greetings, Mr. Ji!"

Ji Yuan was not at all surprised that she recognized him. After all, there were only a few outsiders at Nine Peaks Mountain, and his distinctive features made him easy to identify.

"No need for formalities, Miss Jin."

Seeing Jin Xiu's demeanor, Aze turned back to Ji Yuan and immediately realized that this was no ordinary person. As if knowing what he was thinking, Ji Yuan smiled at him again.

"I only said I was from outside."

Compared to Aze's mild reaction, Jin Xiu was much more excited. After approaching Ji Yuan, she glanced eagerly at Immortal Arrival Peak and cautiously asked, "Immortal Ji, have you finished writing your book?"

Although she had mentioned the esteemed figure from Immortal Arrival Peak to Aze a few times, she hadn't revealed his name due to certain considerations. But now that Ji Yuan was chatting right beside Aze, there was no longer any need for secrecy.

Aze was not dull-witted; he immediately understood that this great sir was not only not mortal but also the incredibly powerful figure Jin Xiu had mentioned several times. However, aside from an inner surprise, he didn't react much.

Ji Yuan nodded in response. "Yes, I've finished. I came out for a walk and saw Aze sitting by the cliff, and since he's not a Nine Peaks Mountain disciple, I came to check on him."

Seeing Ji Yuan's approachable manner, Jin Xiu looked at Aze and hesitated before speaking. "Immortal Ji, you have great influence. Could you speak with the elders of the mountain and ask them to accept Aze into the sect so he can learn immortal arts?"

Jin Xiu was quite fond of the sensible boy and couldn't understand why Nine Peaks Mountain wouldn't accept Aze as a disciple.

Ji Yuan didn't rush to agree, instead asking Aze, "Do you want to cultivate immortality? Do you want to learn the profound methods of the immortal path?"

Perhaps due to his initial impression, Aze didn't call Ji Yuan "Immortal" like Jin Xiu, but stuck to his previous address.

"Sir, Sister Jin said you are a very powerful master. I want to ask if there's any immortal art that can bring people back to life?"

Ji Yuan's thoughts drifted, thinking of the Underworld and of the old beggar's disciple, Yang Zong. However, ghosts and unformed souls are not comparable, and while some dark arts might seem to achieve a similar goal, they don't truly bring someone back to life.

"Birth, old age, sickness, and death are the laws of nature. The deceased have their own destined place."

The answer wasn't direct, but the meaning was clear. Aze looked at Jin Xiu, then at Ji Yuan, parted his lips, and finally said, "I... learning immortal arts and going back home would both be good..."

Jin Xiu's face lit up upon hearing this. She had been worried that Aze would be completely despondent and want nothing.

Ji Yuan looked at Aze, then at Jin Xiu beside him. Then he seemed to sense something and looked toward Heavenly Dao Peak, where a brown-robed cultivator was flying on the wind, soon landing on the cliff.

Jin Xiu was startled and quickly pulled Aze to bow with her.

"Greetings, Sect Master Zhao!"

Ji Yuan also cupped his hands and said, "Sect Master Zhao."

Zhao Yu returned the greeting to Ji Yuan and also nodded to Jin Xiu and Aze.

"Mr. Ji, I thought it would take several years for you to finish your book. I didn't expect it to be so quick. Allow me to offer my congratulations!"

"Thank you, Sect Master Zhao. This matter came naturally; it wasn't particularly difficult. I owe much to Immortal Arrival Peak, truly a blessed place."

The two exchanged smiles, a brief moment of mutual praise.

Sect Master Zhao Yu's arrival seemed to make Aze both reserved and somewhat resistant. Zhao Yu clearly noticed this and did not stand too close to Aze.

Ji Yuan glanced at the still-floating tray and said to Jin Xiu and Aze, "You two go ahead and eat. I'll speak a few words with Sect Master Zhao. Sect Master Zhao, please!"

"Mr. Ji, please!"

Both men averted their gaze from Jin Xiu and Aze, left the cliff edge, and began walking deeper into the mountains.

After they had walked a short distance, Ji Yuan said to Zhao Yu, "Sect Master Zhao, what does Nine Peaks Mountain plan to do with this boy, Zhuang Ze?"

Zhao Yu glanced back at the small courtyard and house by the cliff before turning to Ji Yuan and replying, "I presume Mr. Ji is aware of the boy's unique condition. It's not suitable to send him down the mountain. Perhaps we can take him into the sect, use spells to protect his mind, and teach him methods for inner peace. If it succeeds, it's a good outcome. If not, then he can simply live out the rest of his days at Nine Peaks Mountain."

This was indeed a way of taking in Aze, but Ji Yuan wasn't sure how effective it would be, as this wasn't a typical case of external demonic interference or cultivation deviation.

"To live out one's days in the mountains..."

Ji Yuan sighed. For a child, this was quite harsh, yet it might also be a good outcome. After all, the lingering feeling he sensed when viewing Aze with his divine sight a while ago was still vivid in his mind. He just wondered what would happen if Aze strongly resisted this fate one day.

"Or, Mr. Ji, do you have any better suggestions?"

Ji Yuan thought for a moment and then shook his head.

"Not a better suggestion, but I'd like to take this boy to Nine Peaks Cave-Heaven to have a look. For an ordinary boy, great family tragedy is certainly heartbreaking, but for it to evolve into signs of self-induced demonic possession is unusual."

Even the most rational and calm demons often act more extremely than monstrous beings, and they like to corrupt others to transform their bodies, making them more feared than monsters and other evil creatures.

Zhao Yu nodded in agreement.

"Actually, I've already sent people down the mountain to investigate, and they found nothing unusual. Nine Peaks Cave-Heaven is controlled by our Nine Peaks Mountain, so there couldn't be any external demons. Aside from a few deities sanctioned by our Nine Peaks Mountain, there aren't even any monsters. If Mr. Ji goes to take a look, that would certainly be for the best."

Ji Yuan had heard a general account of this from the old beggar, and now he was simply confirming it with the Sect Master of Nine Peaks Mountain, so he didn't dwell on it.

"In that case, I will take Zhuang Ze down the mountain for a trip. By the way, may I ask Sect Master Zhao for a decree from Nine Peaks Mountain, so that the Underworld on that side can open a convenient door and allow Zhuang Ze to see his family?"

"Of course. Mr. Ji may proceed with this item."

As he spoke, Zhao Yu took a token from his sleeve and handed it to Ji Yuan. Ji Yuan took the token, which was entirely black, its material unknown, but in the center were several golden seal characters meaning: "Five Thunders Obey."

"I thank you in advance, Sect Master Zhao."

"You are too kind, Mr. Ji."

The two strolled through the mountains and began discussing Ji Yuan's book. Without delving into specific content, they talked about the changes in Immortal Arrival Peak caused by the book's progression. Zhao Yu used this to guess at the potential transformations contained within the "Wonderful Transformation Heavenly Book" and asked Ji Yuan if his guesses were correct.

When Aze finished his meal, he saw only Ji Yuan returning. He looked behind him and, seeing no sign of the Nine Peaks Mountain Sect Master, both Jin Xiu and Aze seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.

"Aze, let's go visit your hometown. Didn't some of your friends go elsewhere? We can go see them too. How about that?"

Aze's face brightened.

"I can go down the mountain?"

Ji Yuan immediately knew that Aze was not entirely oblivious to his situation; he vaguely sensed Nine Peaks Mountain's attitude towards him. Unfortunately, he still had to return, so Ji Yuan had to add, "Yes, you can go down the mountain, but you'll have to come back. We'll visit your hometown, see your friends, and, yes, we'll also see your family in the Underworld."

Jin Xiu, standing nearby, immediately became excited. Nine Peaks Mountain had a long-standing prohibition against interfering with divine matters and the mortal realm. If she could go along, she might get to see the vibrant outside world, and even meet the ghosts and gods of the Underworld.

"Immortal Ji, Immortal Ji, can you take me too? I want to go!"

Ji Yuan glanced at her, then at Aze, and nodded. "Alright, go ask your master. If he agrees, you can come along."

"Hahahaha! The Ancestor will definitely agree! I'll go right now!"

Jin Xiu, holding the tray with the bowls and chopsticks, sprinted towards the back of the mountain. After a short distance, she stopped, turned around, and shouted, "Immortal Ji, please wait for me!"

"Go on."

Ji Yuan smiled and looked back at Aze, seeing that the boy was completely absorbed in the joy of "seeing his family" and showed no negative emotions about having to return to Nine Peaks Mountain.