e-booksonline Chapter 94: Heart-to-heart communication
Chapter 94: Heart-to-heart communication
Those few words were spoken with immense difficulty, as if each word weighed a ton. When they were uttered from the almost transparent phantom of Qingyangzi, even the halo in his sea of consciousness swayed gently.
"But this old Taoist priest... from the day he was adopted, I have treated him as my own son, and devoted myself to teaching him for five hundred years!" The old man's voice was filled with confusion and heart-wrenching pain, like pine needles soaked in frost, fine and sharp. "He was intelligent and kind, managing the Imperial Preceptor's Mansion and the Demon Suppression Bureau with great efficiency, sparing no effort in cultivating future generations for the human race... How could he... how could he possibly be a demon? And a demon of the same origin as the Netherworld?"
Before the words were finished, the illusory figure trembled slightly, its struggle and disbelief almost breaking free from the shackles of its will. Lin Yan watched quietly, his heart also churning. He had never met that leisurely Daoist, but he could imagine that the person described by Senior Qingyangzi must be an unparalleled and captivating figure. Yet, the more so, the more cruel and chilling the truth seemed.
"However, if not, how do you explain that demonic aura, that finger technique, the timing and ruthlessness of the sneak attack...?" The illusory figure of Qingyangzi tried to calm his emotions, his voice gradually lowering, yet carrying a heavy weight, as if the dust had settled. "This old Daoist dares not draw any conclusions, but I must consider the worst-case scenario. If... if You Ran is truly a demon of the same lineage as Youming, and has inherited that ability of 'enlightenment,' and has been infiltrating the upper echelons of the human race for hundreds of years..."
The aura around the phantom dimmed slightly, but it exuded an even more chilling aura, a vigilance and resolve born from having seen the deepest darkness.
"This old Taoist priest dares not imagine how many human cultivators he has secretly 'enlightened' and controlled over the past few centuries through the Imperial Preceptor's Mansion and the Demon Suppression Bureau? And how many demon spies have he placed in what positions?" Each word was like an ice bead falling to the ground, crisp and cold. "How many of those so-called 'elites' seemingly cultivated for humanity are already puppets in his hands? How many demons and monsters are hidden in those institutions that maintain order and allocate resources?"
Lin Yan felt a chill rise from his spine, instantly spreading to every part of his body. The Imperial Preceptor's Mansion and the Demon Suppression Bureau… those were the two pillars of the Great Yin Dynasty's cultivation world, the hope for humanity to resist the demon race and nurture future generations! If their core had long been hollowed out, even becoming tools for the demon race to infiltrate the human world…
The light of Qingyangzi's illusory figure was like a candle flickering in the wind, so weak that it was almost impossible to maintain its form. His voice also became ethereal, yet became clearer, with each word carrying the solemnity of a dying entrustment.
"Old Daoist... has little time left. I am powerless to investigate the truth myself, nor can I continue to protect the human race. The only option now is to entrust the unfinished matters and unknown dangers to those who come after me."
"Within the jade disc, besides the inheritance of the twelve patriarchs, insights into formations, and the Spirit-Locking Diagram, there is also a personal secret of mine—a minor technique called 'Mind Communication.'" The illusory figure paused slightly, as if recalling something, its tone carrying a rare gentleness and reminiscence. "This technique has no offensive capabilities, nor does it enhance cultivation; it only seeks to achieve 'communication.' Once you learn this technique and circulate your spiritual energy, you can communicate with beings of pure mind who have opened their hearts to you, exchanging thoughts without the barrier of words. Back then… I used this technique to get along with the newly awakened ape, caring for each other. This technique is not difficult to cultivate, but it requires sincerity. Are you willing to learn it?"
Lin Yan nodded respectfully in his mind's eye: "This junior is willing to learn."
"Good." The illusory figure of Qingyangzi said nothing more. A simple yet profound incantation, accompanied by his final thought, quietly imprinted itself into the depths of Lin Yan's consciousness. The incantation was indeed simple. Its core was to use one's own spiritual power as a bridge to construct an equal and open channel of thought, emphasizing "sensing" and "acceptance" rather than "coercion" or "peeping."
After transmitting this method, the illusory figure's light faded to almost invisible, and its final words, like the last wisp of mist under the warm winter sun, were light yet firm:
"Beneath the cushion lies the Demon-Suppressing Decree. This decree was once held by the old Taoist priest and may still be of some use... If we need to break this deadlock in the future, we can seek the assistance of the Spirit Clan... They are trustworthy allies..."
"The torch of humanity, the path to the future... is entrusted to you..."
The last glimmer of light, like a firefly in a summer night, quietly dissipated, completely merging into the void of his consciousness. The vast, ocean-like flow of information finally settled completely, slowly blending with Lin Yan's own memories and insights.
Inside the grotto, sunlight still streamed obliquely through the cracks in the ceiling, outlining tranquil pillars of light amidst the dust. The remains on the bluestone sat as before, the folds of the moon-white Taoist robe appearing soft in the light. The jade disc in the palm remained warm and smooth, but the weight of a thousand years within it had already shifted.
Lin Yan slowly opened his eyes. The initial shock and coldness in his eyes had subsided, replaced by an unprecedented clarity and solemnity. He gently exhaled, his breath condensing into a wisp of white mist in the cool cave air.
He stood up, but did not move immediately. Instead, he faced the remains on the bluestone again, straightened his tattered robes, and with a solemn expression, slowly and extremely solemnly bowed to the ground. The curve of his back was perfect and full of respect, and he maintained it for a full three breaths before straightening up.
This gesture is not only to express gratitude for the teachings and guidance he received, but also to pay the highest and deepest respect and bid farewell to this ancestor who guarded humanity for a thousand years in solitude and ultimately perished here in silence.
After the ceremony, he glanced at the stone surface and gently lifted the old rush mat, whose color was almost indistinguishable from the bluestone and whose texture was slightly cool and rough to the touch.
Beneath the cushion, on the slightly concave surface of the bluestone, lay a token lying quietly.
The token, neither gold nor jade, resembled wood or stone, its blackness like ink, yet it conveyed a strange, warm, and weighty sensation the moment it touched my fingertips. The two characters "镇妖" (Suppress Demons) engraved on the front were powerful and ancient, seemingly imbued with a righteous aura capable of suppressing evil spirits. The intricate, miniature array patterns and flowing cloud and star markings on the back added to its mystique.
He carefully put away the Demon-Suppressing Token and placed it close to his body along with the jade disc. The weight of these two items was far beyond what the naked eye could perceive.
After taking one last look at the jade-white remains that seemed to be merely sleeping, Lin Yan no longer lingered. He turned around, parted the hanging vines, and stepped back into the bright morning light on the hillside.
"Brother Lin!" Su Qingyao was the first to step forward. Seeing that although his face was still pale, his eyes were calm and sharp, and he seemed to be alright, she felt relieved. Her gaze fell on the faintly visible black token at his waist, and a hint of doubt flashed in her eyes, but she considerately did not immediately ask.
Lu Ling, Zhou Fu, Wang Dashan and others also gathered around. Although they did not speak, the concern and inquiry in their eyes were clearly visible.
On the hillside, the Silverback Ape King struggled to turn its massive head on the stretcher, its crimson eyes fixed on Lin Yan, a low whimper escaping its throat, a mixture of anticipation and barely perceptible unease. It seemed to be awaiting final confirmation, a handover of its legacy.
Lin Yan walked to the stretcher, squatted down, and looked directly into the Ape King's huge eyes, which were as clear as a mountain spring but now filled with complex emotions. He did not speak immediately, but silently activated the "Mind Reading" technique he had just learned.
The golden core in his chest and abdomen spun slightly, and a wisp of pure and peaceful spiritual energy flowed along that mysterious path to his right palm. He slowly extended his right hand, palm facing upward, fingers naturally outstretched. As the spiritual energy circulated, a layer of extremely soft, almost invisible, faint white light gradually appeared on his palm. The light was not dazzling, but rather carried a gentle aura that soothed the soul.
The Silverback Ape King's crimson eyes widened slightly. From the white light, it sensed a familiar and comforting fluctuation—a spiritual aura belonging to Qingyangzi, yet slightly different, and younger. Its whimpering ceased, its massive head lowered slightly, and its eyes revealed an almost devout focus.
Lin Yan gently placed his palm, which gleamed with white light, on the center of the Silverback Ape King's broad forehead, which was covered with long, silvery-gray fur.
It is warm to the touch, and its fur is rough yet full of life.
At the very moment of contact—
"Buzz..."
A faint resonance, originating from the soul level and perceptible only to Lin Yan and the Silverback Ape King, quietly resounded between them.
Without sound or image, a wondrous "channel" was instantly established. Countless simple yet clear fragments of emotion and thought flowed naturally between their hearts like a stream.
Lin Yan "heard" the deep longing and sorrow in the Silverback Ape King's heart for Qingyangzi, the relief and slight emptiness after completing its mission of protection, as well as its curiosity and probing of him as the "acknowledged one," and a faint expectation for a new bond.
The Silverback Ape King, on the other hand, "senses" the heavy responsibility in Lin Yan's heart, his reverence for Qingyangzi, and his unwavering will to face the dangers ahead. It even vaguely "sees" the heavy shadow of Qingyangzi's final entrustment in Lin Yan's sea of consciousness, the shock and the determination that followed.
When hearts are in sync, silence speaks louder than words.