“No! He’s already promised me he’d find me a furnace cauldron with Five Spiritual Roots!” Old Ancestor Yellow Springs struggled within his own inner demon.

“Can you believe this kid’s words? He’s cunning as hell! Besides, the Five Spiritual Roots are right in front of you. Why look far when it’s so near?” Old Ancestor Yellow Springs’ inner demon roared.

“But his words… I believe he’ll do it!”

“He’ll do it? Have you gone stupid? He has such a miraculous cultivation method – would he easily give it to you? Just because you helped him refine some Inedia Pills?” The inner demon changed to a gentler tone. “Even taking ten thousand steps back, suppose he will keep his promise – but when will that be? Are you willing to wait like this, neither human nor ghost?”

“But…” Old Ancestor Yellow Springs’ struggle was growing increasingly feeble.

“No more buts! If he encounters a powerful opponent, the only result is death! And you’ll have fetched water with a bamboo basket – all for nothing! If someone else discovers your existence then, you’ll also face one word: death! Do you want to die along with him?” The inner demon’s words struck Old Ancestor Yellow Springs’ heart one by one. His eyes grew more and more fanatical, his breathing heavier and heavier.

He no longer cared about the half-refined Starvation Tree fruit, letting it fall to the ground where it stuck to the dust and hardened into a blue stone.

“Quickly! While he’s vulnerable, restrain him, use the Soul-Searching Great Method to get what you want! Don’t hesitate! Do it! What does Yellow Springs Old Ancestor have to fear? You’ve killed so many people already – why pretend to be a saint now!”

Under the inner demon’s incitement, Old Ancestor Yellow Springs glared with a savage expression, his small hands slowly approaching Ye Kong’s head…

At this moment, Ye Kong had no awareness of the approaching danger. He was already immersed in refining spiritual energy. Strand after strand of spiritual energy, after filtering, filled into his Qi Sea.

“Yes, just like that. Press both hands on the top of his head and release spiritual power. Don’t you lack spiritual power? Then take his body and his spiritual power too… natural selection, only the strong survive… this world is like this. If you must blame someone, blame him for his own carelessness…”

Old Ancestor Yellow Springs’ hands were already hovering above Ye Kong’s head, yet they couldn’t come down. The scene floating before his eyes was Ye Kong saying angrily, “In any case, I won’t become that kind of person. That sort of so-called immortal who’s selfish and heartless to an inhuman degree – I don’t like it either!”

Then it changed to Ye Kong scratching his head and smiling, “Wasn’t I just afraid you’d be lonely? If you don’t want me keeping you company, then I’ll cultivate.”

That voice in Old Ancestor Yellow Springs’ heart roared again, “Press down quickly! You’re getting stupider the longer you live! Remember that Shadow Clan person? He was also your friend, but you still used him. That’s how you stole the Shadow Clan’s treasure – otherwise how could you have survived till now?”

“Right, friend.” Old Ancestor Yellow Springs suddenly remembered these two words. His gaze suddenly cleared. His two small hands gave a violent shudder, and his body retreated backward.

“Money to spend together, food to eat together, trouble to fight over shouldering… not brothers by blood but closer than brothers… for a brother, three stabs and six holes without furrowing a brow…” Old Ancestor Yellow Springs murmured.

The inner demon was unwilling to accept defeat and roared, “Don’t be foolish! What bullshit friends? Where are there any true friends on Cangnan Continent? If he considered you a friend, why would he be guarding against you, not giving you back all the spiritual energy?”

“That’s right.” Old Ancestor Yellow Springs’ gaze sharpened again, but at this moment, Ye Kong’s smiling face floated up. “Others might harm me, but Old Ancestor, you won’t, because we’re friends. Money to spend together, pills to eat together, trouble to shoulder together.”

“No! We are friends! This ancestor refuses to be that kind of selfish, heartless person like a beast anymore!” With a wild roar in his heart, Old Ancestor Yellow Springs finally expelled the inner demon from his heart.

Every person has an inner demon in their heart. It just depends on whether they have the power to deal with it. And this power has nothing to do with strength or spiritual power – only with holding fast to affection, righteousness, and responsibility.

Old Ancestor Yellow Springs let out a long breath and sat back down. He raised his hand and the blue-green flame appeared. With another beckoning motion, a Starvation Tree fruit flew over…

“Kid, consider yourself lucky. This ancestor has killed countless people, never thought I couldn’t bring myself to do it today. Hmph, if you don’t help me find Five Spiritual Roots in the future, just see how I’ll beat you!” Old Ancestor Yellow Springs muttered, continuing to refine Inedia Pills. Ye Kong had no sense that he’d just passed through a life-and-death struggle.

“Wow, Old Ancestor, you’re a Great Cultivator at Nascent Soul stage, yet refining this most basic Inedia Pill, you still dropped one on the ground?” When Ye Kong woke up, he pointed at the Starvation Tree fruit that had turned into a blue stone on the ground and laughed.

“Yeah, yeah, people make mistakes,” Old Ancestor Yellow Springs laughed awkwardly.

“Haha, no matter what, I have to thank you. This time, I can properly go into long-term closed-door cultivation.” Although Ye Kong was laughing and joking, his sincere gratitude was evident.

Old Ancestor Yellow Springs laughed heartily. “This is nothing. We’re friends, after all.” When Old Ancestor Yellow Springs said this sentence, he actually felt an extraordinarily comfortable feeling in his heart.

Ye Kong was also quite surprised. This was the first time hearing the old guy say something like this. visit our siteHe looked at Old Ancestor Yellow Springs with some curiosity.

The old guy felt his face heat up under the scrutiny and roared, “I didn’t do this for free! Remember to take me to the brothel!”

“Haha, I knew you wouldn’t be so kind-hearted as to help me purely because we’re friends.” Ye Kong removed the spirit stone and the formation immediately dispersed.

“If we weren’t friends, this ancestor would have devoured you long ago!” Old Ancestor Yellow Springs muttered a sentence. Discovering Ye Kong was removing the formation, he immediately shouted, “Hey, hey, hey! Do you want others to see me?”

“Then shrink back into the small sword.” Ye Kong answered with an evil smile.

“Insincere words. I knew you were the type to cross the river and tear down the bridge. Once you’re done using this old ancestor, you drive me away, right?” Old Ancestor Yellow Springs cursed. He shrank smaller and smaller, finally transforming into a thread of blue-green smoke and drilling into the small sword artifact.

However, at the instant he entered, he paused. That blue smoke actually split off an extremely tiny wisp that flew toward Ye Kong’s head.

“Don’t dodge! This ancestor is leaving you a wisp of divine sense. In the future, you won’t need to call me out – we can communicate through divine sense.”

“Oh, fun! This is just like a walkie-talkie, and we don’t even have to speak aloud.” Ye Kong used his thoughts to communicate with him. “Old Ancestor, Old Ancestor, this is Number Eight calling Old Ancestor.”

“Has your brain been soaked in water? Don’t bother me for no reason! This ancestor is tired. Also, remember to call me when you go to Treasure Spring Pavilion!” visit our siteOld Ancestor Yellow Springs’ cursing voice rang out in Ye Kong’s mind.

“Wait!” Ye Kong suddenly thought of another problem. “With your divine sense in my brain, is it like yesterday when you were in my brain – what I see, you see, what I hear, you hear?”

“Are you a pig?! This one wisp of divine sense can only talk with you! However, when I’m in the small sword, the small sword is my body. As long as you don’t throw me into the storage pouch, I can hear and see!”

“Oh, that’s good then. You don’t want to go into the storage pouch right now, do you?”

“Don’t want to.”

Since Old Ancestor Yellow Springs didn’t want to stay in the storage pouch, Ye Kong hung the small sword artifact on his belt with a silk cord. Cangnan Continent revered martial prowess, and many people carried swords and weapons. Ye Kong wearing a dagger-like small sword wasn’t conspicuous at all. Moreover, ordinary people couldn’t tell at all that this was a cultivator’s magical artifact.

As for whether the small sword artifact might get lost, that was even less of a concern. Old Ancestor Yellow Springs’ primordial spirit stayed inside and could contact Ye Kong at any time.

The wind that had blown all night had stopped. The air was fresh and clear. Although it was still early, in the courtyard there was already the figure of a girl who had just grown up, dancing with a three-foot steel sword.

This was Lu Qin practicing her morning exercises. The sword technique she danced was transformed from Shadow Dance, inheriting Shadow Dance’s basic characteristics. Her footwork was like a colorful butterfly among flowers, shuttling back and forth. Her form resembled flowing clouds and water, graceful and moving. Combined with Lu Qin’s slender figure, beautiful face, and ponytail swaying slightly in the morning breeze, watching her practice martial arts was absolutely an aesthetic pleasure.

Ye Kong quietly walked out from the room. Looking at the [noodles]young girl dancing in the morning light, the corners of his mouth couldn’t help but curve into a smile. However, he soon shook his head.

He shook his head not because Lu Qin danced poorly or unskillfully, but because he knew that Shadow Dance wasn’t secular martial arts – it was the Shadow Clan’s cultivation method of entering the Dao through martial arts. Lu Qin treating this miraculous cultivation method as secular martial arts to practice truly lowered its value, giving a feeling of casting pearls before swine.

But this was unavoidable. Lu Qin had no spiritual roots for cultivation. She also hadn’t comprehended the Shadow Dance in the Shadow Jade. She could only practice Shadow Dance as ordinary martial arts. However, even so, she already counted as an expert among secular people.

“Hiya!” Lu Qin gave a delicate shout. The three-foot steel sword in her hand was like a flood dragon stirring the sea, turning and thrusting forward. That moving young girl’s body seemed to be driven by the long sword, shooting forward swiftly.

“Clang!” With a sword cry, the three-foot steel sword had already left her hand, firmly nailing into an old tree in the courtyard. This strike’s power was formidable – the sword tip had actually penetrated through the tree body, and the sword handle was still trembling violently.

“Excellent!” Ye Kong, who had been watching from the side, couldn’t help but applaud. That Lu Qin could transform Shadow Dance into sword technique and practice to this level was already not easy. She deserved the praise.

“Brother Ye Kong.” Only then did Lu Qin notice Ye Kong watching from the side. She pulled out the long sword and ran over with a smile. The young girl running in the morning light appeared even more healthy and beautiful.

Ye Kong smiled. “You’re really an expert now. Lu Jun and Lu Yi together couldn’t withstand this strike of yours.”

“Brother Ye Kong, I would never use this move on my brothers.” After Lu Qin finished speaking, a layer of red mist immediately rose on her pretty powdered face, extremely charming.