Lin Mo’s Outer Court, Small Hall.

“Brother Lin Mo, why can’t I ever beat you at chess?” Gu Qingxue rested her small hands on her knees, looking frustratedly at the losing game on the stone table.

“This time, you’ve already improved a lot,” Lin Mo praised her.

“But you still gave me a five-piece handicap!”

“I used to give you seventeen pieces at the start.”

It’s not that Lin Mo is showing off—his chess skills are actually ranked at level seven. Ordinary people really couldn’t win against him.

However, Gu Qingxue was quite clever. She had only been learning chess for a few days, yet was already close to mastering advanced techniques. Perhaps this was talent. Even if her memory was gone, her ability to learn remained untouched.

After all, what woman who made it into the Ice Palace wasn’t exceptionally gifted?

Gu Qingxue began packing up the chessboard and had no intention of playing another round. She remembered the message she received a few days ago while playing chess with Lin Mo.

Gu Qingxue nodded and asked, “Brother Lin Mo, will you be going to the sect’s Three Peaks Disciple Tournament next month?”

The sect competition was held to determine the best disciples among the thirteen peaks of Qingling Sect. It was held once every five years. Each peak had to send three disciples to participate.

Lin Mo thought about the rules of the sect tournament and replied slowly, “It’s not a matter of whether I go or not. As the senior brother of our peak, I must participate in the sect tournament.”

To be honest, he didn’t really want to take part. He was already planning to leave—what use was staying in Qingling Sect?

But the sect tournament had its requirements: all senior brothers and sisters of each peak had to participate. In addition, two outstanding disciples from the remaining seven peaks would be selected to join as well.

Back when the original host competed in the past, he always ranked low due to practicing mainly Water and Wood cultivation techniques.

“Is that so?”

“Then… can I go watch the tournament?” Gu Qingxue asked.

“Of course you can,” Lin Mo replied with a smile.

At that moment, Qu Ruyan, in her cat form, perked up her ears, stretched lazily, and looked at Lin Mo.

“Then can I compete?”

Holding his teacup, Lin Mo took a sip of spiritual tea and asked, “In what capacity would you be competing?”

“As a disciple, of course!” Qu Ruyan stood up in her cat form, flailing her paws around and swinging her little “meow-meow fists.” “I think I’d do really well if I participated!”

She was already at the Nascent Soul stage—practically at the level of a peak lord. Disciples of Qingling Sect were mostly only at the Golden Core stage. How could they possibly be a match for someone who had once cultivated through three Nascent Souls?

Lin Mo looked at Qu Ruyan deliberately and said, “You could go on stage—but then your identity would be exposed. You might end up being turned into soup by the peak lords.”

“Meow!” Hearing that she might be made into soup, Qu Ruyan shrank back. “Then… can I participate as your spirit pet, Senior Brother?”

“The rules clearly state: no substitutions, no competing as a spirit pet, and no use of external magic tools.”

Lin Mo shook his head. “Not allowed.”

Qu Ruyan looked exasperated. “If nothing is allowed, then why did Senior Brother even ask me?”

“Senior Brother—!” A loud voice suddenly called from a distance.

Gu Zi came running over in a hurry.

Seeing his anxious expression, Lin Mo asked, “What’s going on? Why so flustered?”

“It is a big deal!” Gu Zi panted heavily, trying to calm himself down, and then said excitedly, “These past few days, disciples from various peaks have been getting into accidents.”

“And those who’ve been harmed all had their dantian completely emptied of spiritual energy.”

“Other peak masters say demonic cultivators have been spotted in Qingling Sect territory. Now, disciples across all peaks are on edge, worried they might be the next to fall during training.”

“It really does seem like someone is deliberately targeting them.”

Lin Mo frowned slightly. For some reason, he felt an inexplicable sense of unease rising in his heart.

“Have the other peak masters taken any action?” Lin Mo asked.

“Yes, they’re all using the testing stones to screen disciples on their own peaks, but haven’t found anyone suspicious,” Gu Zi said.

Just as Gu Zi finished speaking, a middle-aged man flew toward them from the sky.

Recognizing the man, Lin Mo bowed and said, “Greetings, Master Tianchen.”

Gu Zi and Gu Qingxue also bowed in respect.

Master Tianchen was the peak lord of Panyue Peak, located next to Qingzhu Peak.

Among the thirteen peaks of Qingling Sect, the peak lords didn’t have a strict hierarchical relationship. In terms of address, they didn’t use “Martial Uncle” or “Martial Elder”—they simply called each other Master.

“Lin Mo, where is your master?”

“She is in secluded cultivation.”

“Secluded cultivation?” Master Tianchen frowned. “I passed by your peak earlier. Your master wasn’t in the secluded cultivation chamber—she certainly is diligent, always running about.”

“In that case, as usual, you’ll act on your master’s behalf.”

Master Tianchen took out a purple stone the size of an egg. Lin Mo recognized it immediately—it was a demonic detection stone.

If someone carried demonic energy, the stone would emit black mist.

“You go first. Inject your spiritual energy into it,” Master Tianchen said.

“Yes, Master.” Lin Mo nodded respectfully and, looking quite proper, channeled spiritual energy into the demonic detection stone.

When the stone showed no reaction, Master Tianchen was unsurprised.

“You’ve probably heard by now—there are demonic cultivators appearing in Qingling Sect. It’s still unclear whether it’s an internal disciple. So we have to check everyone within the peaks, one by one.”

“The other eleven peaks have already completed their inspections. Only your Qingzhu Peak remains.”

“You’ll take charge on your master’s behalf. If there’s any issue, notify the other eleven peak lords immediately.”

Leaving these instructions, Master Tianchen flew off toward his Panyue Peak.

As for why the test didn’t reveal demonic energy in Lin Mo—it was because he could control the flow of spiritual and demonic energy within himself at will. During the test, he had used only spiritual energy, so the demonic detection stone didn’t react.

Of course, not just any human with demon blood could cultivate both demonic and righteous paths. Lin Mo himself didn’t fully understand why he was capable of dual cultivation.

Usually, unless he used that unnamed sword technique, he never had cause to draw upon his demonic energy. Only when his spiritual energy was exhausted would his demonic state surface.

He tossed the detection stone to Gu Zi. “Inject spiritual energy into it.”

Gu Zi did as instructed. The detection stone showed no reaction.

“Senior Brother, Senior Brother! See, I’m clean!”

As he spoke, he noticed that Lin Mo was completely focused on teasing his spirit pet with Gu Qingxue and wasn’t even looking at him. Gu Zi pouted in frustration.

“Senior Brother, could you at least pretend to check?!”

Lin Mo flicked his fingers, and the demonic detection stone flew back into his hand. “No need to look. Don’t I know you better than anyone?”

Gu Zi was someone he personally guided in cultivation—if there were a problem, he would’ve seen it long ago. This test was just a formality.

But Lin Mo’s words moved Gu Zi so deeply that he nearly burst into tears.

Soon after, Lin Mo gathered all of Qingzhu Peak’s disciples at the training field and began checking them one by one. The inspection lasted two full days.

Even Shen Ke’er and the others showed no signs of demonic energy.

Lin Mo reported this to Master Tianchen.

Master Tianchen frowned slightly. “So it really is an outsider demonic cultivator… How bold—to stir up trouble within Qingling Sect’s territory.”

He turned to Lin Mo and instructed, “Since demonic cultivators have been causing disturbances lately, you must tighten security at Qingzhu Peak. Warn your disciples to stay inside the sect grounds whenever possible, to avoid being targeted.”

Returning to Qingzhu Peak, Lin Mo instructed his junior brothers and sisters: Don’t wander outside the peak unnecessarily. If you must go out to purchase supplies, you must be accompanied by a senior at the Foundation Establishment stage or above, and report to me in advance.

The disciples of Qingzhu Peak were generally very obedient to Lin Mo. Lately, everyone had been on their best behavior, staying at the peak and diligently cultivating.

Of course, the main reason was that they were scared of dying. What if they went out and ran into a demonic cultivator?

Staying within the peak under Senior Brother Lin Mo’s protection was far safer.

---

Meanwhile, over on the other side, Master Yuehua—who was attempting to break through to the Tenth Divine Realm—was undergoing a heart demon tribulation.

Her memories were pulled back to her childhood.

She was originally the daughter of a wealthy merchant family, the Yue family, and had aspired to become an immortal from a young age.

When she was eleven, a group of cultivators came near her home to recruit disciples for a sect. Already determined to pursue the path of cultivation, she took a test of aptitude administered by the cultivators.

The result showed that she possessed a Heavenly Spiritual Root.

Upon learning this, Yuehua was overjoyed. With such a talent, she could aim to enter a top-tier sect.

But her happiness was short-lived.

Just a few days later, she was abducted by demonic cultivators and taken to the Demon Realm. She wasn’t the only one—many young children were taken alongside her.

Later, she learned that every one of those children had also been tested and had outstanding aptitudes. Even the least talented among them had dual spiritual roots.

Yuehua thought she’d be eaten—after all, she remembered hearing that some demons loved devouring young boys and girls.

To her surprise, once captured, she was not deprived of food or clothes. All she had to do was cultivate.

And the techniques she was given to practice were top-tier righteous-path techniques, perfectly suited to her talent.

Even though Yuehua was young at the time, she understood more than most.

The demons who kidnapped her were clearly up to something. They pampered her, gave her good food and shelter, and let her cultivate righteous techniques—there was definitely something wrong.

Before long, she noticed that many of the children around her began to disappear.

Those who vanished all shared one trait: their cultivation progress was too slow.

After she was the first among the group to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage, the demonic cultivators who had been overseeing her took her to another group of people. No—not people, but a group of demons.

There, she was chosen by a male demon.

“This one,” the demon said. “Heavenly spiritual root aptitude, and she reached Foundation Establishment in three years. Not bad progress.”

As he spoke, the demon planted a “seed” into her body.

At the time, Yuehua didn’t know what the “seed” was.

She continued following the demon, and her days proceeded much as before—her only task was to cultivate. But now, her food, clothing, and living conditions were all drastically improved.

Later, by chance, she overheard some of the demonic cultivators talking and learned the truth.

“Demon Lord Baili is lucky, got himself a fruit with such a fine aptitude.”

“That human probably doesn’t even know that after being implanted with a demon seed, once she achieves success in cultivation, Demon Lord Baili can use a secret demonic art to transfer all her cultivation into himself.”

“After that, she’ll return to being a mere mortal and won’t be able to cultivate again. After all, she only has a Heavenly Spiritual Root.”

When Yuehua realized the truth, how could she possibly accept that she was just a “fruit” cultivated for the demons to harvest?

She, too, longed to become an immortal. She wanted to live forever. She couldn’t stand the thought that the cultivation she had bitterly worked for over the years would end up becoming a gift to the demon race.

So she stopped cultivating—completely gave up.

When Demon Lord Baili heard about this, he grabbed her by the throat and said coldly, “Human, do you really think I have no way to deal with you?”

Yuehua closed her eyes tightly. “Go ahead and kill me. I won’t cultivate anymore.”

“You have no idea how rare the demon seed I implanted in you is,” he said.

The seed had taken root deep into her bones, but Yuehua remained unmoved.

At that moment, one of the demonic cultivators beside Baili spoke up: “Demon Lord, human emotions are the easiest to manipulate.”

“Leave it to me—I guarantee she’ll cultivate even faster than before.”

Some time later, over thirty members of Yuehua’s extended family were kidnapped and brought to the Demon Realm.

Demon Lord Baili sneered, “You humans value emotions above all, don’t you?”

“If you won’t cultivate, then I’ll just start killing them in front of you.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhenren Yuehua watched helplessly as Baili tore the heart out of one of her maternal relatives—right before her eyes.

That still-beating heart pulsed faintly in Baili’s hand before he tossed it into his mouth and swallowed it whole. He licked the blood from the corner of his lips and sneered, “As I thought, the only useful part of you humans is your heart.”

To witness her own family butchered before her eyes in such a cruel fashion—how could Yuehua not be consumed by hatred?

Eyes blazing with fury, she shouted, “You devil—I’ll kill you with my own hands!”

Baili laughed gleefully. “You’re not wrong. I am a devil.”

“But if you don’t cultivate properly, how could someone at the Foundation Establishment stage ever hope to kill me?”