PID Chapter 18

Today was the opening of the Mu Mountain Secret Realm, and the inner demon woke very early.

 

So early that when Chu Jinglan opened his eyes, he found the tiny demon sitting at the table edge, its bean-sized eyes fixed on him.

 

Chu Jinglan checked the sky to confirm he hadn’t overslept.

 

He rose and dressed in the moon-white attire of the Chu family’s direct disciples, adorned with bamboo patterns, silver arm guards, and a jade hairband. He cut a striking figure, unparalleled among his peers.

 

The inner demon remained unusually quiet, but Chu Jinglan sensed its constant gaze. Finally, he asked, “What are you looking at?”

 

Waking so early and staring unblinkingly—what did it mean?

 

The tiny demon blinked, its expression unreadable and seemingly dazed. After a moment, it mumbled, “It’s my first time entering a secret realm. I couldn’t sleep, so I woke up early.”

 

Just like the selection tournament day, eager for the excitement?

 

Chu Jinglan thought he understood.

 

He had visited other secret realms before, but apparently the inner demon lacked those memories. The Mu Mountain Secret Realm only opened every thirty years, so this was Chu Jinglan’s first time too.

 

Clan elders had briefed them: the realm had three layers, offering beast cores and rare herbs as rewards. Monsters ranged from first to ninth grade, but Mu Mountain only had up to second-grade monsters—dangerous for others but easy for Chu Jinglan at the Golden Core stage.

 

Assuming it was another of the inner demon’s whims, Chu Jinglan paid it no mind. He strapped on his sword and left, with Xiao Mo silently flying to his shoulder.

 

The tiny figure perched there without using spiritual energy, unable to touch physical objects. If it could, Chu Jinglan’s clothes would likely be wrinkled from its tight grip.

 

For the inner demon’s hands were clenched very, very tightly.

 

Xiao Mo knew what Chu Jinglan was about to face.

 

Disciples from various families gathered at the secret realm’s entrance, awaiting its opening. Today, the Chu family disciples didn’t distance themselves from Chu Jinglan. Among those entering, only he was at the Golden Core stage. With no outside interference possible and no hidden experts to ambush him, Chu Jinglan was undoubtedly the strongest.

 

Following him was safest.

 

Even Chu Yusheng wouldn’t risk his life at such a time, grudgingly standing behind Chu Jinglan. The Su family disciples, friendly with the Chu family, stood nearby, with Su Baimo naturally taking a place beside Chu Jinglan.

 

Chu Jinglan’s aura grew increasingly harmonious—he should reach the Nascent Soul stage soon.

 

Su Baimo secretly thought he must make Chu Jinglan like him. He wouldn’t let this engagement be dissolved!

 

With over a hundred disciples gathered, the elders from various families joined forces to activate their secret realm keys, which could only open the realm when used together.

 

The elders shouted in unison: “Open!”

 

Clouds and mist surged around Mu Mountain. The sky shimmered as sunlight pierced an invisible barrier, scattering into a rainbow of colors. Dreamlike and ethereal, the light seemed to descend from the heavens, stretching across the sky like divine intervention, paving a dazzling path to their feet. It appeared as if stepping onto it would lead them straight to the celestial realm.

 

The disciples couldn’t help but marvel.

 

Among the secret realm openings Chu Jinglan had witnessed, this spectacle ranked among the most impressive.

 

He turned slightly to look at his shoulder, curious about the inner demon’s reaction.

 

Would it be amazed? Excited?

 

But the tiny demon just sat motionless on his shoulder.

 

Chu Jinglan was taken aback, then frowned slightly.

 

…The inner demon was acting strange today.

 

Even the tournament grounds had made it spin with joy. Such a magnificent sight shouldn’t leave it unmoved.

 

His mind raced through possibilities. Throughout their month of preparation—attending clan lectures, reviewing scrolls—they’d uncovered no mention of realm features harmful to inner demons. Breakfast had been plentiful; the demon had lingered by its favorite honey-glazed pheasant dish… Yet perhaps it hadn’t been savoring the meal, but drifting in abstraction since dawn?

 

What shadowed this capricious being’s thoughts?

 

With people all around, Chu Jinglan couldn’t ask out loud.

 

“Brother Jinglan?” Su Baimo’s concerned voice rang out. Chu Jinglan snapped back to reality, seeing his own furrowed brow reflected in Su Baimo’s eyes. He quickly composed himself and nodded to indicate everything was fine.

 

In the past, Chu Jinglan would have been on high alert if the inner demon was this quiet, suspecting mischief. But now… Chu Jinglan focused, pressing his palm.

 

The Mu Mountain Secret Realm trial was the priority now. Nothing else should distract his thoughts.

 

“The Mu Mountain Secret Realm opens once every thirty years, only admitting those under 19. This is your once in a lifetime opportunity. Everyone must seize it, for your family and for yourselves!”

 

Once inside the realm, the outside world cannot interfere with life or death until it reopens after seven days.

 

All disciples carried communication jade tablets in case they got separated. As the leader of the Chu and Su family disciples, Chu Jinglan didn’t rush them in immediately. Instead, he turned and drew a spiritual sigil in the air.

 

With a wave of his hand, the sigil split into twenty smaller marks, imprinting on the Chu and Su disciples’ hands.

 

Chu Jinglan lowered his hand: “With this mark, you can sense nearby companions after entering. We’ll gather at the South Forest Rain Cluster. Any questions?”

 

Upon entering, everyone would be randomly teleported. There were both alliances and grudges between families. Whenever the Mu Mountain Secret Realm opened, more died by human hands than from the realm itself. Grouping up early was safest.

 

With a monster like Chu Jinglan present, several families were likely praying not to encounter him.

 

Everyone nodded without objection, even Chu Yusheng said nothing.

 

The Chu family elders watched from afar, nodding with satisfaction at Chu Jinglan.

 

Chu Jinglan said nothing more: “Let’s go.”

 

Everyone rushed into the realm on the rainbow light. Xiao Mo felt dazzling light envelop him as the world seemed to invert. He closed his eyes, feeling dizzy. Suddenly, Xiao Mo felt himself plummeting. His heart leaped as he quickly stabilized himself to float.

 

He hated the feeling of falling.

 

As the dizziness subsided, the world before him had completely changed.

 

It was a dark, gloomy place with massive stalactites hanging from the ceiling, dripping water onto puddle-filled ground scattered with strange rocks. It appeared to be a cave.

 

Xiao Mo floated in midair, with no one else around.

 

Not even Chu Jinglan was there.

 

The connection with his host body was also severed. He had grown accustomed to that feeling lately without paying much attention, but its sudden absence left him feeling hollow and momentarily bewildered.

 

He immediately tried to return to the sea of consciousness but found himself blocked by a barrier he couldn’t penetrate.

 

Xiao Mo pursed his lips, and the little black mist figure suddenly darted out flying.

 

He flew a full hundred meters, definitely exceeding the limited distance between host and inner demon, but still saw no sign of Chu Jinglan.

 

The darkness seemed endless. It felt like he was the only one left behind in this world.

 

Panic began to creep into Xiao Mo’s heart.

 

But whenever he encountered dangerous or frightening situations alone, Xiao Mo’s self-protective mechanism always suppressed his unease, never letting others see it. He maintained his composure now as well, steadying his voice.

 

“System.”

 

“Yes, yes, I’m also investigating the cause!”

 

The system clearly understood what had happened. After a search, it concluded: “It’s related to the impending collapse of the secret realm.”

 

The system accessed vast amounts of data from the cultivation world across the three realms, obtaining more detailed information than the noble families of Mu City[mfn]previously it was Huanghun City but I realised that it should be Mu City. I’ve corrected in previous chapters as well. Sorry for the inconvenience![/mfn] had gathered over thousands of years.

 

“When the lower realm hadn’t yet become the barren land it is now, there were many capable immortals. Back then, this secret realm was originally created by its master as an arena to battle inner demons. After he won, it was converted into a training ground. Although much time has passed, it still affects those with inner demons.”

 

The system added: “But don’t worry, although you’re temporarily separated from your host body, the host absolutely cannot harm you right now!”

 

Xiao Mo thought that wasn’t very interesting. It would be better if Chu Jinglan could kill him now, exploiting a loophole to complete the mission and making everyone happy.

 

Knowing the reason, Xiao Mo calmed down a bit. He was no longer in a hurry to move on, but he disliked the scenery in the cave and lazily flew outwards. The system asked: “Are you going to find Chu Jinglan?”

 

But Xiao Mo said: “No.”

 

The Mu Mountain Secret Realm trial lasted seven days, but it wouldn’t take long for the disciples to discover something was wrong with the realm.

 

Poisoned spirit plants and the appearance of third-rank fierce beasts would temporarily unite all disciples, setting aside family grudges to flee for their lives. But many of these teenage disciples would still die tragically within the realm.

 

Over a hundred people entered, but how many would make it out? Xiao Mo couldn’t remember clearly.

 

What made it most desperate was that after fighting bloody battles to survive until the seventh day, hoping for the realm to open so they could escape, they would be struck down by cruel reality.

 

The gate wouldn’t open. The secret realm was collapsing.

 

Just when they thought they finally had hope after barely hanging on, it turned out to be a dead end. Overwhelming despair would consume their hearts.

 

Then it would be Chu Jinglan’s turn.

 

Xiao Mo flew out of the cave. Sunlight suddenly burst through, with lush vines coiling around giant trees like enormous snakes. Two shrill cries pierced the air as third-rank fierce beasts, which shouldn’t appear in this realm, howled past. Xiao Mo’s pitch-black eyes watched them fly into the distance before he floated to a high vine and sat down.

 

Flying to a place with light, the panic in Xiao Mo’s heart gradually faded, replaced by other emotions.

 

The little inner demon’s legs swung slightly as he sat among the leaves, as tiny as a speck of dust.

 

“Since I’ll recover once I leave the realm, I’ll just wait here for it to open. I won’t go find Chu Jinglan, so I won’t have to see his miserable state when he’s crippled.”

 

Xiao Mo: “I don’t have a fetish for watching people suffer.”

 

The system naturally had no objection. Such a small matter was up to the host.

 

Xiao Mo decided to cultivate on the spot, starting with practicing his heart method.

 

When immersed in heart method cultivation, external time often passes quickly. Xiao Mo hoped to spend most of the seven days this way.

 

Unfortunately, his plan didn’t go as smoothly as he’d hoped.

 

The meditative state that usually came easily now proved elusive. When he finally managed to enter it, he was forced out less than an hour later.

 

Normally, heart method meditation brought a wondrous, liberating sensation of soaring through the cosmos and perceiving the subtlest truths. Instead, his ears were filled with chaotic noise, like tangled threads.

 

Xiao Mo adjusted his breathing and stubbornly tried again.

 

This time was even worse.

 

With eyes closed, the darkness gradually turned blood-red. The air became thick and sticky, making it hard to breathe. The voices grew louder, a cacophony of men, women, old, and young. Though indistinct, their malice crashed over him like waves.

 

“Bastard!”

 

“No parents, just a burden!”

 

“Wouldn’t it be better if he died?”

 

Xiao Mo raged, “Get lost!”

 

He didn’t want to die. This blood wasn’t something he’d asked for. He wasn’t a bastard, just an ordinary person. What was wrong with wanting to live?

 

“Host!”

 

Xiao Mo’s eyes snapped open, his mind in agony. The tiny figure nearly fell from the tree, gasping for air while clinging to the trunk.

 

“You almost went berserk,” the system warned softly. “Forced cultivation when your mind is unsettled will only harm you.”

 

The Demonic Sound Scripture, in particular, affected the soul and consciousness, demanding even greater mental focus.

 

Xiao Mo slowly steadied his breathing, giving a low “Mm” in acknowledgment.

 

He knew he’d been too hasty.

 

He just wanted something to do… to keep his mind off unnecessary thoughts.

 

Like wondering where Chu Jinglan was now, if he’d discovered the realm’s abnormalities yet.

 

He didn’t want to care, knowing he couldn’t do anything anyway.

 

But his mind kept drifting to Chu Jinglan.

 

Was it because he’d grown accustomed to being inseparable since coming to this world?

 

Without Xiao Mo’s activity, silence fell again.

 

But besides Chu Jinglan and cultivation, Xiao Mo seemed to have nothing else to think about.

 

His past life, no matter how nostalgic, was unreachable. Chu Jinglan’s situation was beyond his control. Why did every thought lead to a dead end?

 

Xiao Mo laughed self-mockingly.

 

“You’re quite boring, Xiao Mo.”

 

He coated the small figure with spiritual energy and struggled to pluck a leaf from nearby.

 

Wrapping the leaf in dark mist, he tried to play it like a flute.

 

Unable to practice the heart method, he turned to skill cultivation. With his flute inaccessible in the sea of consciousness, the leaf would have to do.

 

Though spiritual energy allowed him to interact with the physical world, only Chu Jinglan could hear the sounds he produced.

 

Having struggled with the flute, the leaf proved even more challenging.

 

A squeaky, sputtering attempt at “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” emerged.

 

Due to his distracted state, heart method cultivation over the next two days was limited to brief attempts when he felt calm enough. Each session was short, essentially fruitless. In the forest, inaudible music wailed and choked, intermittent and piercing, yet silent to all.

 

Xiao Mo tried chatting with the system to pass time, but either struggled to start conversations or drifted off mid-talk.

 

When he zoned out, the system paused without awkwardness, but their exchanges lacked vitality.

 

No matter how well-simulated, the system wasn’t human.

 

Amidst towering trees and deep-rooted grass, he stood utterly alone.

 

On the third day, a second-tier beast passed below. The tiny demon finally left his perch, landing lightly on the creature’s head.

 

Resting against its antler-like horns, Xiao Mo felt the wind rush past as the beast ran. Though unsure of their destination, he craved contact with a living being and a change of scenery.

 

Confined to this small form, seeing no one for days and nights, he was losing his sense of self.

 

Isolation can drive one mad.

 

The wind cleared his foggy mind somewhat.

 

As they ran aimlessly, Xiao Mo thought, “Wherever we end up… if only we could encounter someone…”

 

Suddenly, the beast let out a dying wail. Xiao Mo whipped his head around to see a familiar sword light slashing down—one he’d witnessed many times at the bamboo sword grounds. It carried a chilling, murderous intent.

 

The second-tier beast was bisected mid-stride. Its upper half, including the head, tumbled forward from momentum, throwing Xiao Mo off. As he prepared to fly, a scorching hand snatched him from the air.

 

Xiao Mo found himself in a familiar palm, staring up in shock.

 

Chu Jinglan was half-covered in blood, his moon-white disciple robes stained and tattered. He stood like a sharp blade, cold and austere, his eyes bloodshot, killing intent not yet faded.

 

Like a demon crawling out of a sea of corpses.

 

Only upon seeing the small figure in his hand did the terrifying aura recede.

 

“…Found you,” Chu Jinglan said hoarsely.

 

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1 Kofi = 1 Extra Chapter