The Heavens: Man Covers the Heavens, Refines Treasures to Become an Emperor

“Mother-in-law, I always feel that we owe Young Master Jiang Xuan something because of what happened at the arena last time.”

He was originally helping me repair my family's heirloom xun (a type of ancient Chinese wind instrument), but he was unwittingly dragged into the conflict with the powerful clans of the Forbidden City, bearing that pressure and risk for nothing. I want to... apologize to him in person.

Grandma Wind slowly opened her eyes, her brows furrowed slightly, and her tone carried a hint of indifference.

“Miss, why do you have to do this? On the path of cultivation, grudges and entanglements are commonplace.”

His victory was a testament to his own ability. Besides, we paid him, so we're even.

Liu Qingyan shook her head, her eyes resolute.

"Mother-in-law, that may be true, but ultimately it is because of me."

I cannot feel at ease unless I express this apology to your face.

She looked at Granny Feng, her tone carrying a rare hint of pleading.

"Shall we go to his place and take a look? If he's not there, or doesn't want to see us, we'll leave immediately."

Grandma Feng looked at the determination and a hint of disappointment in Liu Qingyan's clear eyes, and her heart softened, while a sense of worry arose.

She feared that if her mistress had too much contact with Jiang Xuan, something unexpected might happen.

Although that boy had some potential, his background was unclear and he was always in trouble. In her opinion, he was simply "unworthy" of her young lady.

Seeing that Liu Qingyan's mind was made up, Granny Feng sighed inwardly, knowing that further persuasion was useless, and could only nod and compromise.

"Very well, since Miss insists, then let's go. It just so happens that I also have some questions about the progress of the restoration of the Ancient Law Spirit Ocarina, which I would like to ask its master, that 'Master Xun'."

Seeing that Granny Feng had relented, Liu Qingyan's face immediately lit up with a bright smile, like ice and snow melting and spring flowers blooming.

"Thank you, Grandma!"

Granny Feng gave an order to the guards outside who were driving the magnificent palanquin. Soon, the palanquin quietly changed direction in the night and smoothly headed towards the secluded southern area of ​​the city where Jiang Xuan lived.

Grandma Wind watched the night scenery rushing past the window, her thoughts churning.

She was worried about Liu Qingyan having too much contact with Jiang Xuan, but she also understood that some misunderstandings needed to be resolved face-to-face. In the end, she could only decide to accompany her, both to inquire about the spirit flute and to watch from the sidelines and fulfill Liu Qingyan's wish to apologize.

Inside the courtyard, the night was heavy.

Jiang Xuan sat cross-legged on the ground, his eyes closed, his brows furrowed with an unyielding anger and pain.

He was fully activating the Lesser Netherworld Divine Art, contemplating the vast celestial cycle of "the universe and the myriad stars in circulation" deep within his sea of ​​consciousness, attempting to use the profound mystery of this soul-refining technique to protect his nearly collapsing soul.

However, his mind was in turmoil, extremely dangerous! Dark, inky shadows of death, exuding despair and fear, surged and crashed wildly within him like ferocious beasts breaking free of their cages!
Each shadow corresponds to one of his deaths in the "Hundred Battles Secret Realm," where he was instantly killed by powerful figures from different secret realms using the "Star Gathering Style" technique! Those forty-seven real and unmistakable moments of death, fear, pain, and despair have now transformed into the most vicious inner demons, like countless invisible blades, frantically cutting and eroding his will.

The situation has become extremely dangerous!
Ordinary cultivators, let alone forty-seven times, would probably have lost their minds and become completely possessed by demons after experiencing three or five such real "deaths." At best, they would go mad; at worst, they would explode and die.

Jiang Xuan's ability to persist until now, and even to barely maintain a sliver of clarity by circulating his cultivation technique, demonstrates an extraordinary level of willpower.

Even so, he was already on the verge of his limit! At this moment, he was like walking on the edge of a precipice, with boiling lava and fire beneath his feet. He was only held together by the last thin rope of the "Minor Underworld Divine Art," and he could fall into the abyss of no return at any moment.

He knew perfectly well that to break free from this deadly inner demon, he had to fundamentally dispel these insidious shadows of death! And back when he was venturing into the secret realm and experiencing despair and defeat time and time again, he had already realized that the breakthrough lay in the "Star Gathering Technique"!

We must surpass those opponents in the secret realm in our understanding and control of it! Because the root of this inner demon lies in the repeated, irresistible deaths brought about by the "Star Gathering Technique"!
He quickly recalled the [Heavenly Origin Blade Technique] he had cultivated, trying to find a way or inspiration to resolve the current predicament. However, although this powerful blade technique was profound, it did not directly provide a solution to deal with this specific inner demon.

"Since we can't surpass them all at once, then... can we defeat them one by one?"

An extremely bold, even insane, idea suddenly appeared in Jiang Xuan's mind, which was almost filled with negative emotions, like a flash of lightning in the darkness.

“Treat these shadows of death as individual ‘opponents,’ just like facing those statues in a secret realm… tackle them one by one, and overcome them one by one!”

This idea is undoubtedly extremely risky, tantamount to actively throwing one's already fragile mind back into those terrifying memories of death. One wrong move and one could be completely swallowed by a shadow, hastening one's demise.

But at this moment, it seemed to be the only way out of this deadlock! He had to take a desperate gamble!
……

Just as Jiang Xuan was mentally preparing to undertake this extremely dangerous attempt, a magnificent imperial carriage silently stopped on the street outside the courtyard.

Accompanied by Granny Feng, Liu Qingyan stepped down from the imperial carriage.

Looking at the courtyard before her, which appeared particularly secluded and even somewhat dilapidated in the night, she felt a slight tension in her heart. She was about to step forward and knock on the door to ask if "Master Xun" was at home.

However, Granny Feng suddenly stretched out her hand and blocked her way, her old face full of solemnity, and said in a deep voice.

"Miss, wait!"

Her cloudy yet sharp eyes were fixed on the ordinary wooden door, as if they could pierce through it and see into the courtyard. "There's an extremely intense and violent killing intent emanating from the courtyard; it's chaotic. Something's wrong!"

Just then, the courtyard gate creaked open from the inside, and Xue Jin's tall figure appeared in the doorway, blocking their view.

His expression was not good, and he had a clear air of cold indifference that kept people at arm's length.

"It's late, and we don't accept visitors here. Please leave."

Grandma Wind stepped forward, her tone polite but carrying an unquestionable air.

"I am Feng, accompanying my young lady. We have important business to discuss with Master Xun, who resides here. Please grant us this favor."

She did not directly state that she had come for Jiang Xuan, but instead brought up the title of "Master Xun".

Xue Jin frowned even more deeply. He naturally knew that the so-called "Master Xun" was just an identity concocted by that kid Jiang Xuan.

He glanced at Granny Feng and the elegant young woman behind her, already guessing their identities. However, he did not explain the source of the murderous intent in the courtyard, but simply repeated it stiffly.

"I said I don't see guests, please leave!" Seeing this, Liu Qingyan was anxious and couldn't help but step forward, her clear voice carrying a hint of pleading.

"Senior, may I ask... is Young Master Jiang Xuan in the courtyard? We have important business with him."

Upon hearing Liu Qingyan directly ask Jiang Xuan, a hint of hesitation flashed in Xue Jin's eyes.

He glanced at Liu Qingyan's clear yet worried eyes, and then sensed Jiang Xuan's still extremely dangerous state in the courtyard. After weighing his options for a moment, perhaps with the thought of trying anything as a last resort, he stepped aside and said in a deep voice.

"come in.

But I warn you, the situation inside the facility is unusual; do not act rashly, or you will bear the consequences.”

Grandma Feng protected Liu Qingyan as they cautiously stepped into the courtyard.

As soon as they entered the courtyard, the two immediately saw Jiang Xuan sitting cross-legged on the ground, exuding a rampant killing intent, his face contorted as if he were fighting against something invisible!

"This is... a demon in my heart!"

Granny Feng, with her rich experience, immediately saw through Jiang Xuan's current state, and her old face was filled with horror.

"What a deep-seated inner demon! It has already eroded his mind, and he is on the verge of collapse!"

Xue Jin stood to the side and explained in a low voice.

"He made some mistakes in his practice."

At first, Granny Feng thought it was a case of his cultivation technique going awry, but after carefully sensing the chaotic yet still pure and powerful spiritual energy around Jiang Xuan, she shook her head, her tone carrying a hint of regret and affirmation.

"It's not a mistake in the technique, but a tribulation of the mind! Such a deeply ingrained inner demon stems from his own obsession and fear, and no outsider can help him. Judging from the current situation, it is already too late to reverse. Even if a king of the Life and Death Realm were to come in person, he would probably be helpless and could only rely on himself... Alas, what a pity."

Her words were not unfounded; the tribulation of inner demons is indeed one of the most helpless obstacles on the path of cultivation.

Upon hearing this, Xue Jin's face instantly darkened, as if shrouded in an impenetrable gloom. Even someone as formidable as Granny Feng was making such a pronouncement; could it be that Jiang Xuan was truly doomed?
Just then, Liu Qingyan, who had been staring intently at Jiang Xuan, suddenly spoke. Her voice was soft, but it carried an unusual firmness.

"Perhaps... I can give it a try."

"Miss, you mustn't!"

Grandma Wind immediately spoke up to stop her, her face showing anxiety and disapproval.

"Your cultivation is still shallow, only at the Heavenly Gang Realm, and you are also an art cultivator! If your soul power intervenes in such a dangerous inner demon, you will easily be devoured by it. At best, your soul will be damaged; at worst, you may be corrupted by the inner demon, and the consequences will be unimaginable!"

Liu Qingyan turned around and looked at Granny Feng. Her clear, autumn-water-like eyes were filled with an unwavering determination.

“Mother-in-law, I can sense that his inner demons are filled with despair and murderous intent. Perhaps... my ‘Dao’ can soothe him.”

Regardless, I want to try. If I were to stand by and watch someone die out of fear, my conscience would be uneasy.

Seeing Liu Qingyan's unwavering gaze, Granny Feng opened her mouth, but all her words of dissuasion turned into a helpless sigh.

She knew that although her young mistress appeared gentle, she was actually very opinionated and once she made up her mind, it was difficult to change it. "Alright... just be careful, and if anything goes wrong, stop immediately!"

She ultimately chose to compromise, but she had already secretly gathered all her spiritual power, ready to intervene and rescue at any time.

Hearing Liu Qingyan's words, Xue Jin, who was standing to the side, couldn't help but show a hint of surprise and hope in her eyes.

Although he didn't know the specifics of this Lady Liu's methods, he was aware of her reputation and her legendary "heavenly" abilities. Perhaps... this seemingly delicate young woman really could create a miracle?
With Granny Feng's tacit approval, Liu Qingyan no longer hesitated.

She walked slowly to the stone table in the courtyard and gently sat down on a stone chair.

Then, she took out a bamboo flute from her sleeve, which was entirely green and looked as if it had just been picked.

She placed the bamboo flute to her lips, closed her eyes slightly, and the next moment, a clear, desolate flute melody, as if it had traveled through countless ages, quietly rose into the air.

The flute music wasn't loud, but it possessed a power that reached deep into the soul.

Unlike ordinary music with a fixed melody, it is more like a natural breath, a whisper of the great way.

The moment the flute music began, a strange scene unfolded! In the courtyard, the flowers and plants that had been somewhat withered by the killing intent emanating from Jiang Xuan suddenly revived at a speed visible to the naked eye, with even tiny green shoots breaking through the soil and swaying in the wind.

Above the sky, it seemed as if an invisible passage had opened, and the cool starlight fell like a thin mist, gently enveloping the entire courtyard, making this space ethereal, transcendent, and peaceful.

Xue Jin felt that the sound of the flute entered her ears and made her feel relaxed and comfortable. It was as if many of the hidden wounds and resentment accumulated over the years had been washed away, and her mind became clear and peaceful like never before.

Even Granny Wind, sensing the profound mystery of the flute music, revealed a complex and unfathomable expression on her face, a mixture of shock, relief, and a deeper worry.

……

Meanwhile, in Jiang Xuan's mental world, which was like a raging storm.

He had made up his mind to go all in, to calmly approach the raging inner demons and try to single out one of the shadows of death to break free from them.

However, just as his wisp of consciousness, like a cautious flame, was about to touch the surging dark tide—

A kind of ethereal, desolate, yet indescribable tranquility and vitality emanated from the outside world, like a gentle spring rain, silently permeating his state of mind.

This force did not forcibly suppress, but rather acted as the most skillful soothing, causing the originally raging, turbulent shadow of death, which wanted to destroy everything, to suddenly become much quieter. Although it still existed, it seemed to have been temporarily soothed by some force, like a lurking beast whose threat was greatly reduced!

"This is...an opportunity!"

Although Jiang Xuan didn't know where this external force came from, his combat instincts were extremely sharp, and he immediately realized that this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! His calm consciousness no longer hesitated in the slightest, and like a cheetah that had been gathering its strength for a long time, it suddenly darted out, accurately and firmly enveloping one of the clearest death shadows, corresponding to the duel with that Snake Spirit Clan expert!
He wanted to take advantage of this brief period of calm to first eliminate this inner demon!
Jiang Xuan's calm consciousness, like a sharp blade drawn from its sheath, fiercely enveloped the first shadow of death!
In an instant, he seemed to be pulled back to the desolate arena of the Hundred Battles Secret Realm. Before him, the snake-headed, human-bodied, four-armed Snake Spirit Clan powerhouse re-formed, and without any warning, the scarlet blood blade transformed once more into a destructive comet, slashing down upon him with a terrifying force capable of tearing apart souls! It was the "Star-Gathering Strike" that had instantly killed him the first time! (End of Chapter)