Volume One: The Mist-veiled Immortal Palace, Chapter Eighty-Six: The Inner Demon Falls

Chapter Eighty-Six: The Demise of the Inner Demon

Within the abyss of the spirit.

Deep in the boundless dark, two versions of Zhou Hao were locked in a battle to the death. The soul-form Zhou Hao blazed with blinding golden radiance, the light of the soul; the stronger the brilliance, the more formidable the soul. The inner demon version of Zhou Hao was likewise wrapped in golden light. He had always been one with Zhou Hao, the embodiment of Zhou Hao’s darker thoughts.

Ordinary cultivators may also have inner demons, but they do not usually appear at this early stage of the immortal path. Most only take shape when a cultivator has advanced to a far more formidable level, then rise to seize the body. Only peerless geniuses, freakishly gifted prodigies, encounter such inner demons while still young and advancing in cultivation. It is the legendary case of the higher the path, the fiercer the demon: the more heaven-envied a hero is, the more likely he is to be trapped by his inner demon. As the demon grows with the path, like waters rising with the tide, the stronger one becomes, the more one is suppressed. Yet this is not entirely a bad thing. Once one breaks free of that demonic obstruction, one’s strength will far surpass others of the same realm, and one’s cultivation will be even more stable.

Two masses of golden light were entangled in brutal close combat, thunderous sounds echoing without end. They were like two enraged beasts locked in relentless battle. In the distance stood a graceful figure, her red dress stirring though no wind blew. Her face was filled with worry.

“This is bad. Both the soul and the inner demon are here, which means Zhou Hao’s body is now an empty shell. And his heavenly tribulation of gold immortal rank is not yet over. What are we supposed to do?”

Boom!

Again, two fists collided. Golden light exploded like fireworks in the abyss of the spirit, and the two versions of Zhou Hao were hurled apart by the force. They stood at the center of the radiance, like two sons of the sun.

The Nine-Petaled Fireheart Lotus Fire hurried over and shouted at the soul-form Zhou Hao, “You must finish this quickly! The lightning tribulation is still ongoing. If you cannot take control of your body at once, you will be struck to ashes. That would be far too unjust!”

“The one ruining my good deed, go to hell!”

Who would have thought that the inner demon Zhou Hao would suddenly strike? His figure flashed, appearing instantly before the lotus fire. His golden palm was about to slam into the girl’s face, so fast there was no time to evade.

“Ah!”

A muffled cry rang out, but the one struck was not the lotus fire. It was the soul-form Zhou Hao, who had been contending with the inner demon only moments before.

At that moment, the inner demon Zhou Hao’s palm was pressed against his back, while beneath him was the lotus fire, a cute little girl with a doll-like face. Her eyes were wide open in shock.

It turned out that when the soul-form Zhou Hao fought the inner demon, he remained highly alert and would never slacken his watch of the other. Besides, this was his spiritual space; going anywhere took only an instant. Although the lotus fire’s warning had distracted him for a moment, it had not prevented him from blocking the inner demon.

Still, a moment’s distraction was a moment’s distraction. He had been a step too slow, because the other side knew this space just as well as he did. Earlier, the lotus fire had entered the abyss of the spirit before the inner demon and searched for a long time before finding the soul-form Zhou Hao, whereas the inner demon could locate him in an instant. That was the reason.

Had he been in his physical body, Zhou Hao would likely have coughed blood on the spot. In his soul state now, however, the effect was a sharp dimming of his radiance; the light of his soul weakened by several degrees.

“So you rather like playing the gallant hero, do you? Hahahaha,” sneered the inner demon Zhou Hao.

With a swift flash, the soul-form Zhou Hao scooped up the still-stunned lotus fire around the waist and flew away. After taking the inner demon’s palm to the back, he no longer had the advantage in speed or power.

“Do you think you can escape? Today is your end! Stay obediently in this lightless abyss of the spirit and properly taste the pain I have suffered all along,” the inner demon Zhou Hao said with a cold laugh, then moved to pursue the soul-form Zhou Hao and the lotus fire.

In Zhou Hao’s arms, the lotus fire blamed herself. “I’m sorry, it’s all my fault. Because of me, you—”

“What does this have to do with you? You were only trying to help me. Otherwise I still wouldn’t know how serious things were,” the soul-form Zhou Hao said with a gentle smile to the little girl in his arms.

She had indeed saved his life.

“Yes, it is very serious. I never imagined the inner demon would be so ruthless. He’s leaving the body unclaimed, risking both body and soul being destroyed, all just to kill you,” the lotus fire said angrily, clenching her tiny fists.

“But since he dares do this, he must have considered that as well. I think the tribulation lightning won’t strike you down immediately right now, or else the inner demon would die too,” she added.

“Can a tribulation really be paused during a heavenly calamity?” the soul-form Zhou Hao asked in confusion.

“I don’t know either,” the lotus fire said with a shake of her head.

Golden light flared as the soul-form Zhou Hao carried the lotus fire upward, finally flying out of the endless darkness of the abyss of the spirit.

“Hahahaha, your speed is truly too slow. I was almost falling asleep waiting!”

At the edge of the abyss stood a figure within a dazzling mass of golden light. Looking at the two who had finally emerged, he wore a faint smile.

But in the eyes of the soul-form Zhou Hao and the lotus fire, that smile was more terrifying than the weeping of a fiend, because that figure was none other than the inner demon Zhou Hao, who had been waiting for them to rise out of the abyss.

“Lotus fire, leave my spiritual space first. He and I are destined to settle this once and for all!” The soul-form Zhou Hao stared fixedly at the person before him, who looked exactly like himself, and the first thing he said was for the lotus fire to leave.

The lotus fire first shot a fierce, hateful glare at the inner demon Zhou Hao, then turned her gaze to Zhou Hao’s face, as if she wanted to remember it well. At last she gave a soft hum and used her unfailing escape technique to vanish at once.

Buzz!

Seeing that the lotus fire had safely escaped, the soul-form Zhou Hao finally let out a breath of relief. He immediately entered combat stance, and his eyes quietly changed.

The black pupils were replaced by gold, and within each golden pupil another smaller pupil appeared at the center, dazzling and overwhelming.

Twin golden pupils!

“These eyes are indeed quite powerful. Unfortunately, I have them as well.”

The inner demon glanced at Zhou Hao’s eyes, then his own pupils likewise turned into twin golden pupils. In only an instant, everything within the spiritual space was reflected in those eyes. A pair of eyes alone could mirror time and space.

“Fight!”

Both heroes shouted at once, and the battle erupted. Two golden rainbows shot from their pupils like sharp immortal swords. The space hummed; immortal light dazzled.

The soul-form Zhou Hao swung a great palm, and instantly it was like Mount Tai crashing down. Radiant golden light pressed over the inner demon Zhou Hao’s head, intending to suppress him directly. But the inner demon’s battle power surged as well. He thrust upward with a fist that looked small yet seemed to contain immense force, shattering the golden palm inch by inch.

“Even if I’m injured, I can still defeat you. You and I can never truly be the same. Can you imitate every part of my path?” Zhou Hao saw his palm imprint shattering, yet his conviction became stronger than ever.

“Tenfold Great Sun Palm!”

Boom, boom, boom!

Suddenly, the soul-form Zhou Hao’s entire body burst skyward with light. The radiance of his soul burned with astonishing intensity, like a golden sun hanging high in the heavens. He thrust both palms forward with fierce force, and two enormous golden palm imprints, each as vast as a mountain, appeared out of nowhere. They surged straight ahead, unstoppable, lighting up the entire spiritual space.

“How is this possible... How can his Great Sun Palm be so terrifying!”

The inner demon Zhou Hao had no time to think. Those massive golden palm imprints were already pressing down toward him.

But this time, the inner demon Zhou Hao could no longer hold them back. Even though he also unleashed his own tenfold Great Sun Palm, its radiance was completely eclipsed by Zhou Hao’s golden light, as though one were a grain of millet and the other the light of the brilliant moon.

With a loud crash, the inner demon Zhou Hao was shattered completely, his fragments turning into a rain of light that all fell into the bottomless abyss of the spirit.

Within the spiritual space, only that immense golden sun remained: Zhou Hao at the summit of his power, unleashing the Great Sun Palm with full force.

At the depths of the Dragon King Treasury, along the dividing line between the Twin Yin-Yang Eyes.

Zhou Hao’s body lay quietly. Beside him, a little girl in red kept silent vigil. The girl’s watery eyes looked at the young man before her, who seemed to be asleep, and a trace of shyness and blush suddenly rose on her face.

But when the little girl shifted her gaze from the young man to the void above her head, deep worry filled her eyes, because there the sea of thunder churned and electric serpents coiled. At any moment, it could strike the young man to ashes.

“Why hasn’t he awakened yet? The tribulation lightning is growing more and more violent; it will descend again soon. What should I do?”

Boom!

Her worry soon proved true. Moments later, the ocean of lightning above the Twin Yin-Yang Eyes burst through its banks, and a waterfall of thunder poured down, crashing straight toward Zhou Hao’s body.

The lotus fire’s face turned deathly pale at once. Her tiny fists clenched into little balls, and then she rushed headlong toward the thunder waterfall, her gaze full of resolve.

Yet the thunder waterfall suddenly veered aside, miraculously bypassing her figure, and continued its descent, aiming directly at Zhou Hao.

“No!!!”

The lotus fire screamed like a mad thing, tears bursting from her eyes.

She... could no longer save Zhou Hao.

The thunder waterfall roared violently and swallowed Zhou Hao’s body in the blink of an eye. Yet at that very moment, a faint gleam suddenly lit up in his eyes.

This was the sign of his spirit returning.

Sizzle!

Within the silver waterfall of lightning, a sun rose. Its light shone for ten thousand li, and golden brilliance illuminated the entire treasure vault, reaching every corner. Outside, Heart-Shaped Island suffered a massive earthquake, and the surrounding sea displayed the bizarre sight of water surging backward in reverse.

In an instant, heaven and earth lost their color, and the immortal residence trembled in shock.

“My heavens, did this immortal see wrong?” In the void, a yellow gourd appeared. From its mouth emerged a wisp of human-shaped mist, and his gaze was utterly stunned.

Deng Tu Lang stared at that golden great sun, muttering, “The sun of the great day... He actually condensed the sun of the great day...”