Inner Demons

Chapter 35: Snow Mountain Qi Sea

Although he thought Old Daoist Liu was "not bad," he would never truly entrust his life to someone he had only known for a few days.

Now he couldn't move.

His comfortable cotton undershirt was drenched with sweat, and even the bed he sat on was soaked in a large patch. Even with only the crescent moon's light filtering through the window paper, he could see white mist furiously rising from his head.

At this moment, his Snow Mountain Qi Sea felt like it was about to explode.

The Snow Mountain Qi Sea is named such not because it sounds better or more artistic, nor because there is actually something like a snow mountain in the body.

This is because when cultivators practice, spiritual energy gathers and condenses, eventually merging with the body, strengthening the cultivator's Spiritual Soul life. This part of the spiritual energy actually forms a part of the cultivator. They are not some separate "qi," nor are they some "golden shining" things that can flow in one's body—they have already permeated every cell, becoming a component of the body.

When an Artificer draws, the act of drawing the opponent's spiritual energy or their own spiritual energy into the painting refers to this part. This part refers to the "mountain" in "Snow Mountain Qi Sea"—a solid and firm foundation.

Some other spiritual energy, however, can be invoked—depending on how majestic and imposing your "mountain" is. They peel away from the "mountain," gather in the Qi Sea, and are used in various forms, transforming into numerous techniques.

Actually, if Li Yunxin were to name it, he would call it "liquid capital."

And his Snow Mountain Qi Sea was sealed because the "snow" on the "mountain" couldn't "melt" and couldn't gather in the "Qi Sea."He wanted to use votive power to break through that restriction. But since there was no actual "mountain" shape in his body, there wouldn't be a cover or seal attached to it—he needed to use votive power to impact his entire body, to eliminate the seal that permeated his entire body.

But at this moment, the faith and votive power of hundreds of people converged on him through the spiritual energy channels of the "Great Accomplishment, Supreme, Holy, Profound, Marvelous Jiawen Crown Prince" and the Dragon Lady... From the very first moment he received this votive power, he realized—

Damn it, it's broken.

This votive power was completely different from the spiritual energy he cultivated. The difference between the two was as great as the difference between water and oil, even though both are liquids.

These votive powers might be insignificant to great demons, and even if converted into spiritual energy, they would not impress him. But at this moment, although this votive power was small, he could not control it, nor could he expel it from his body for a time. It was as if his body was suddenly pierced and fixed by countless thin steel needles; he could not even move.

It is said that there was a kind of torture where a slit was cut in a person's scalp and mercury was poured in, resulting in a complete human skin. Although votive power was not tangible mercury at this moment, it had a similar effect on the Spiritual Soul level. The inexpressible pain made Li Yunxin's teeth clatter. The reason he continued to insist on not letting Old Daoist Liu in was because he felt that, although the situation was vastly different from what he had expected, it... seemed to have some effect.

Indeed, the votive power, besides causing him pain, was also impacting that restriction. The talisman that cast this restriction was probably made by a certain Daoist Orthodoxy master, solid and firm. But this votive power also seemed effective. With two completely different forces impacting and washing over him, Li Yunxin could indeed feel the restriction "loosening" little by little.

However, at this moment, his pain was almost at its limit of endurance. He only hoped that the people worshipping outside would disperse quickly, so that he could slowly absorb this votive power and then thoroughly check the "Lucid Jade Slip" to see if there were any other viable methods besides "easily proven."

He endured for another hour. By the time he felt his body's moisture was about to evaporate, there was finally no one left in the temple. At this time, there were no decent entertainment activities; the only real pleasure was probably the "joys" of the marital bed. Therefore, people went to sleep early, and he was released early.

When the votive power stopped increasing, he collected his thoughts and began to try to absorb it.

At this time, he was still unaware that it was a great taboo for human cultivators to absorb votive power. He only felt that this power came easily and freely, and if he could become stronger and stronger just by being worshipped every day... then why not?

This votive power was difficult to absorb, much like oil is difficult to dissolve in water. But after repeated attempts, he found that since they couldn't blend, he simply wouldn't blend them. He would let this votive power become part of the "mountain," just like mixing oil and water together and then shaking vigorously—although it would ultimately be oil globules wrapped in water, it would still form a single cup of liquid.

After this attempt, he felt even more that he had found the trick—with this votive power interspersed, some spiritual energy could indeed seep out. The votive power was like opening one small hole after another in the "mountain."

He spent half an hour doing this, and intended to continue doing it in the future. He had cultivated spiritual energy for over a decade, and this votive power was less than a drop in the ocean for his "mountain." He felt it would take even longer to completely resolve the "restriction."

At this moment, Old Daoist Liu entered through the back door.

The spring night was not particularly cold, and there was a faint fragrance of flowers and plants. The old Daoist, having drunk some wine, felt a slight warmth in his body and the fresh aroma still lingering in his mouth. He also thought of the extra income for the temple, and his entire being felt as comfortable as if he had soaked in warm water.

He closed the back door and, while humming the lines "Sparse shadows cross the clear water, faint fragrance floats as twilight falls under the moon"—a poem by some unknown Dao of Painting master from a thousand years ago—he sauntered towards his own side room. When he reached the pond, he turned to glance at Li Yunxin's dwelling in the main house.

He found the room still dark and quiet. The old Daoist weighed the oil-paper-wrapped braised beef in his hand and thought it was a pity. The master had probably gone to bed early after his cultivation—what a waste of this beef.

The cow belonged to a farmer outside the city and was killed by a wild beast that sneaked in during the night. It had only taken a few bites, seemingly finding it unpalatable, and left the rest.

The next day, the family woke up to find the cow dead and reported it to the authorities. The officials sent someone to investigate, confirmed it was killed by a wild beast, and ordered the family to dispose of it themselves. The family couldn't bear to eat it themselves, so they sold it to Wood South Residence for silver.

Beef was a rare commodity. The packet of braised beef in the old Daoist's hand cost two jiao of silver—enough to buy ten servings of lamb.

He thought it would spoil by tomorrow, so he might as well take it back to his own room and eat it slowly—alas, he was too full from dinner just now, otherwise he would have eaten this beef instead of the lamb.

As he thought these fragmented thoughts, he turned his head.

After two steps, he suddenly froze, feeling his head buzz as if it had exploded, his entire scalp going numb, and the effects of the alcohol instantly fading.

He slowly turned his head again and looked towards Li Yunxin's room. He looked at what he seemed to have vaguely seen just now.

This time, he saw it clearly.

A woman in white was lying prone outside Li Yunxin's window.

She was upside down, feet above her head, in that position. As if she felt his gaze, the woman in white lifted her head and looked at him—

Her face had no features.

Old Daoist Liu's head buzzed again, and he cleanly fainted.