Chapter 963: What Makes One a Demon?

“Who are you, Senior?”

Jin Xiu was certain she didn't know the woman before her, even thinking she was a mere mortal. However, the woman's tone of voice belied that impression, leading Jin Xiu to conclude that her cultivation must be too profound for her to discern.

To her surprise, the woman spoke again, instantly pinpointing Jin Xiu's current anxieties.

"Has A-Ze returned?"

Jin Xiu's eyes widened as she stared. How could this person possibly know A-Ze?

"You..."

"Don't speak for now, just follow me."

Lian Ping'er reached out and took Jin Xiu's hand. After a brief hesitation, Jin Xiu followed her. They walked to a secluded area in the marketplace, a temporary quiet room reserved by Nine Peaks Mountain for cultivators. The room they entered was adorned with blooming white flowers, giving it a beautiful and serene ambiance.

"Who are you? How do you know A-Ze is back?"

Seeing Jin Xiu's sorrowful expression, Lian Ping'er understood that A-Ze had not only returned but had certainly suffered significant punishment. Without further words, she simply sighed and asked again.

"A-Ze must have endured much suffering here at Nine Peaks Mountain, didn't he?"

Jin Xiu merely stared at her, her grief mixed with a hint of suspicion. Lian Ping'er then produced a white jade bottle from her sleeve.

"Mr. Ji learned of A-Ze's predicament and specifically sent me to assist. This is from him. If A-Ze's injuries are severe, please administer it to him immediately. Even if you simply smash the bottle or pour out its contents near him, the medicinal power will find its way to him and help. This elixir might also be what A-Ze needs to escape his dire situation."

Jin Xiu froze for a moment, then an expression of profound relief, like finding hope in utter despair, dawned upon her face.

"Mr. Ji? Mr. Ji knows? Has he arrived? Where is he? Only he can save A-Ze!"

Lian Ping'er quickly waved her hand.

"Mr. Ji has urgent matters to attend to. Though he wished to come personally, it was impossible. He specifically dispatched me to Nine Peaks Mountain, but it seems I'm still a step too late. This is an internal affair of Nine Peaks Mountain, and it's not truly appropriate for Mr. Ji to intervene. Sending me to secretly deliver this medicine already constitutes overstepping boundaries, so I cannot openly reveal myself. It would be best if you also refrain from mentioning this to any of the esteemed figures of Nine Peaks Mountain."

As Lian Ping'er spoke, she suddenly inquired.

"You must be Miss Jin Xiu, whom Mr. Ji mentioned, correct? This bottle is made of a special material that conceals the elixir's spiritual energy, so you needn't worry about it being detected. Will you have an opportunity to bring it to A-Ze?"

Jin Xiu nodded repeatedly.

"I... Thank you, Senior. Thank you, Mr. Ji! Oh, by the way, may I ask your esteemed name, Senior?"

"I am no senior; merely an insignificant person. There's no need to mention my name. Please, go back quickly and help A-Ze!"

"Understood. I'll head back at once, Senior. Please await my good news!"

Lian Ping'er reached out, gently touched Jin Xiu's cheek, wiping away the tears from her eyes, and nodded with a smile.

"Go now. Mr. Ji has everything in hand."

Jin Xiu dared not delay. She quickly gathered her purchases and, clutching the small jade bottle, swiftly made her way back to Nine Peaks Mountain. Though her heart was filled with elation, she maintained a sorrowful demeanor to avoid arousing suspicion.

Lian Ping'er stood at Ruan Mountain Ferry, watching Jin Xiu soar away on the wind, a faint smile playing on her lips.

"I didn't expect it to be this simple. This can truly be called Nine Peaks Mountain's demonic tribulation. What an unexpected turn of events! A-Ze, don't you dare die so easily."

Jin Xiu wasted no time on her journey. Upon returning to Nine Peaks Mountain, she immediately soared towards Cliff Mountain. On a cloud outside Cliff Mountain, two Nine Peaks Mountain disciples kept a perfunctory watch over A-Ze. After all, how could someone confined to an execution platform escape? Moreover, the high-ranking cultivators within Nine Peaks Mountain had no intention of releasing A-Ze.

Noticing someone arriving on the wind, both disciples shifted their attention to the approaching Jin Xiu. Jin Xiu dared not approach too closely, stopping at a respectful distance to bow.

"I am Jin Xiu, a disciple of True Person Qianqiu. The Sect Master has granted me permission to see A-Ze!"

The two guarding disciples didn't trouble Jin Xiu. They were well aware of the relationship between A-Ze and Jin Xiu, and truth be told, felt some sympathy for them. They returned her salute, and one spoke with a gentler tone.

"Go quickly, Junior Sister Jin. Zhuang Ze has endured three strikes from the Thunder Fetters, and his condition is dire. If you bring him some food, you can also transfer some spiritual energy to him."

The two guarding disciples also noted the many items Jin Xiu carried, clearly using magic to preserve the food's warmth and aroma.

"Thank you, Senior Brothers. The Sect Master also granted us permission to be alone."

"Don't worry, Junior Sister Jin. We will keep our distance and ensure your privacy."

"Alright!"

Jin Xiu bowed once more, then mounted the wind and headed for Cliff Mountain.

Cliff Mountain, the floating peak where A-Ze had lived for nearly twenty years, now lacked its usual tranquility. The mountain was filled with a cacophony of sounds. Not a single bird, which once gracefully circled the peak, was in sight, and all the animals huddled at the mountain's edge, occasionally emitting frightened cries.

Jin Xiu barely spared a glance for her surroundings, ignoring everything else as she flew directly towards the execution platform at the center of Cliff Mountain. That area appeared shrouded in a dark shadow, and A-Ze's body was visibly charred black.

"A-Ze—"

Jin Xiu rushed to A-Ze's side, her hands trembling slightly as she gently touched his face. Seeing him in such a corpse-like state, an overwhelming fear surged within her—not of his appearance, but of the possibility that he was already dead.

"A-Ze! A-Ze!"

"Jin... Sister?"

A-Ze appeared to be slightly better than immediately after his punishment; he could at least vaguely hear Jin Xiu's voice and speak in a hoarse whisper.

"Yes, yes, it's me, it's me. Sister Jin came too late, I'm so sorry you suffered! It's my fault! It's all my fault!"

Jin Xiu's voice was choked with tears. A-Ze longed to look up at her, but he lacked the strength and couldn't open his eyes.

"No, Sister Jin, it's... it's my fault. I took the token and... left without saying goodbye... Did they... punish you?"

"No, Sister Jin is protected by her master and grandmaster, and the Sect Master is very kind; they didn't punish me. Don't speak any more. I've brought you..."

"Sister Jin, help me find... find Mr. Ji. Mr. Ji left... No, it's Mr. Ji's painting, the one Lady Ying lent me..."

A-Ze was speaking somewhat incoherently. Jin Xiu leaned close to his ear, offering words of comfort.

"A-Ze, we'll look for the painting later, later. Listen to me: you must leave this place. Mr. Ji has sent someone with medicine that can help you escape. This is our only chance."

Noticing A-Ze's apparent excitement, Jin Xiu quickly embraced him.

"Shh, don't speak. Open your mouth; I'll give you the medicine. Mr. Ji doesn't want anyone from Nine Peaks Mountain to know about this."

A-Ze parted his lips slightly. Jin Xiu retrieved the white jade bottle from her sleeve and gently uncorked it. However, before she could administer the elixir, a crimson glow erupted from within, swiftly and continuously flowing into A-Ze's mouth. Simultaneously, A-Ze's entire body rapidly became suffused with a layer of red light.

"Ugh, ahh, ugh..."

A-Ze's body contorted, and bulges began to form all over him, as if countless insects were writhing beneath his skin. The sight was utterly terrifying.

"A-Ze? A-Ze!"

Jin Xiu was utterly bewildered; this was entirely different from the effects of a typical elixir. A-Ze's struggles grew increasingly violent, causing the golden chains on either side of him to tremble incessantly.

"Hah, hah, ugh, I'm not a demon, I don't want to become a demon, ah—"

*Rumble...*

Demonic energy erupted completely from A-Ze's body, like a terrifying explosion, unleashing boundless waves of crimson-black demonic power.

The two disciples guarding outside Cliff Mountain barely had time to turn and look before they were violently flung away by the surging demonic energy.

"What?!" "Ah..."

Across Nine Peaks Mountain, numerous esteemed cultivators, including Sect Master Zhao Yu, were abruptly alerted. Streaks of immortal light shot towards Cliff Mountain, but by then, the entire peak was engulfed in a crimson glow, or more accurately, a tempest of black and red.

*Rumble... Rumble...*

Thunder flashed across the sky, and the situation above Cliff Mountain became utterly unknown, all auras obscured by the overwhelming demonic energy. This malevolent energy not only erupted from Cliff Mountain but also twisted and materialized from various points within the grotto-heaven itself, defying the restrictions of the擎天 mountain range as if breaking through spatial confines to converge on Cliff Mountain. The sky itself split abnormally, half bathed in daylight, half in starlight.

Heaven sends murderous intent, shifting stars and altering fates; the Dao of Heaven is inverted, and the path of heavenly devils emerges!

After countless years free from demonic evil, the Nine Peaks Grotto-Heaven was now afflicted by such terrifying malevolent energy.

From the sky, Nine Peaks Mountain Sect Master Zhao Yu watched Cliff Mountain with a shocked expression, his gaze sweeping across the entire grotto-heaven. The intensity of this demonic energy was beyond imagination, subtly rivaling even Nine Peaks Mountain's grand immortal array. Could A-Ze's demonization truly unleash such horrifying demonic energy? Or could A-Ze's descent into demonhood be somehow connected to the Nine Peaks Grotto-Heaven itself?

"Where are the guarding disciples?"

Zhao Yu roared, and a voice immediately reported from nearby.

"Reporting to the Sect Master, both junior brothers have fainted, and the spirit-awakening technique proved ineffective."

"Hmm? Did you observe anything unusual on Cliff Mountain before this occurred?"

As the Sect Master of Nine Peaks Mountain, Zhao Yu was genuinely desperate now.

"Hmph! Sect Master, is this the person you so highly regarded? Is this the 'fine' disciple of our Nine Peaks Mountain?"

"Enough! This is no time for accusations. The sheer power of this demonic energy is as if multiple true devils have descended upon us. This is truly Nine Peaks Mountain's hour of peril!"

"A calamity!"

Zhao Yu clenched his fists tightly and took a deep, steadying breath. Whether his position as Sect Master would remain secure was secondary; what truly mattered was the immediate, undeniable calamity facing Nine Peaks Mountain.

"Disciples of Nine Peaks Mountain, heed my command! Prepare to form arrays and engage the enemy! Bell Master, ring the Mountain Suppressing Bell—"

Regardless, Zhao Yu was still the Sect Master, and with his command, Nine Peaks Mountain immediately sprang into action.

*Dong—Dong—Dong—*

All the disciples of Nine Peaks Mountain mobilized, and many powerful cultivators who had been in secluded cultivation broke through their barriers at any cost. Everyone was tense; Nine Peaks Mountain had truly reached a moment of existential crisis. Even a True Immortal of Nine Peaks Mountain, who had been in perpetual seclusion, appeared beside Zhao Yu, his face grim as he fixated on Cliff Mountain.

"Uncle-Master, do you have confidence?"

The True Immortal remained silent for a long time, then looked up at the sky and surveyed the distant grotto-heaven. He knew in his heart that this catastrophe for Nine Peaks Mountain was inevitable—if not today, then sometime in the future; if not through Zhuang Ze, then through some other cause.

"We must exert our utmost effort, utilizing the sect's grand array to trap and slay this demon. May Heaven bless our Nine Peaks Mountain to overcome this tribulation!"

Yet, at this critical moment, no one dared to attack Cliff Mountain. Everyone understood that an immediate assault would unleash a torrent of demonic thoughts and energies, potentially causing countless individuals to succumb to demonization or triggering an even more catastrophic outcome.

At the heart of Cliff Mountain, the execution platform had already shattered into fragments. A-Ze, meanwhile, was in a state of utter turmoil, his mind assailed by a relentless barrage of thoughts and memories. His body was wracked by ceaseless torment, a pain far more intense than that inflicted by the thunder chains—a pain so indescribable, so potent, it threatened to tear his very consciousness apart.

"Ugh—"

His memories flashed by like a revolving lantern: his childhood, the tragic death of his family, life at Nine Peaks Mountain, his companions, Sister Jin Xiu, Mr. Ji...

Suddenly, a scene from before his parting with Mr. Ji materialized with vivid clarity in A-Ze's mind. It was as if Mr. Ji stood directly before him, on a cloud merely a step away, his back turned as if poised to depart.

"Mr. Ji, Mr. Ji, don't leave—"

In his agonizing torment, A-Ze roared. At that instant, Ji Yuan paused, then slowly turned, his expression serene yet profoundly serious as he gazed at A-Ze.

"If, one day, you truly become deeply rooted in the demonic path, simply consider how I would view you. That would be your repayment to me."

"Consider how I would see you... consider how I would see you... consider..."

The deep imprint within his heart flared with a brilliant light. A-Ze vividly recalled his reaction then: he extended his arms, cupped his hands, and bowed in a long, respectful salutation to Mr. Ji.

"Zhuang Ze will forever engrave your teachings in his heart, Mr. Ji!"

A smile appeared on Mr. Ji's face. He walked over and patted A-Ze on the shoulder.

"Just remember this: harming innocent beings is the act of a demon. Amassing monstrous karma is the act of a demon. Bringing calamity upon a realm is the act of a demon. Tormenting the emotions of sentient beings is the act of a demon. But apart from these, as long as you do not commit such deeds, how can you be called a demon?"

*Rumble, rumble, rumble...*

Cliff Mountain shuddered violently as the distorted demonic energy within the Nine Peaks Grotto-Heaven rapidly converged. Simultaneously, the crimson light engulfing Cliff Mountain began to recede.

"I... am not a demon—"

*BOOM—*

A powerful blast of spirit energy erupted, causing the robes of the Nine Peaks Mountain cultivators arrayed on the periphery to snap and flutter, and forcing many to shield their eyes. The situation on Cliff Mountain began to clear.

The execution platform was gone, as was the small house that had stood by the cliff. At the center of Cliff Mountain, A-Ze knelt, his long hair fanned out on the ground, his clothes tattered, cradling and shielding an unconscious woman.

No demonic energy leaked from A-Ze's body, yet the malevolent intent emanating from him warped the light around him, making him and his immediate surroundings appear strangely disjointed.

A-Ze slowly opened his eyes. The whites had turned grey, but his pupils were as pure as obsidian.

*'Kill, kill, kill them all, kill everyone from Nine Peaks Mountain...'*

Confused and chaotic thoughts continually surfaced in his mind, causing A-Ze a sharp, throbbing pain, as if the Thunder Fetters were still lashing him. Yet, A-Ze displayed no actual murderous intent. He simply raised his head slowly, gazing skyward at the Nine Peaks Mountain cultivators who stood arrayed before him, poised as if confronting a formidable foe.

"Sect Master Zhao, in accordance with Nine Peaks Mountain's regulations, I have endured three strikes of the Thunder Fetters. From this moment forth, I am no longer a disciple of Nine Peaks Mountain. I request... that you permit me to depart—"

A-Ze's voice had deepened considerably, and his words reverberated throughout all of Nine Peaks Mountain...

Zhao Yu froze. The Nine Peaks Mountain True Immortal froze. The esteemed cultivators of Nine Peaks Mountain froze. Every Nine Peaks Mountain cultivator, poised for battle, stood frozen in shock.

Meanwhile, across the nine peaks of Nine Peaks Mountain, some lower-ranking disciples gazed into the distant reaches of the grotto-heaven.

All malevolent energy from heaven and earth had vanished completely. The Nine Peaks Grotto-Heaven had never appeared so fresh and beautiful as it did at that moment!