A thousand enlightenments in one night, starting from being a menial apprentice.

After the gods in the clouds vanished, this world fell into a deathly silence.

Duan Rong sat there cross-legged. He knew that the deathly silence meant that his inner demons had been almost forced to manifest.

Five inner demons.

According to Lü Yinlin's notes, five layers of inner demons are not many. Some cultivators even have dozens of inner demons. Once the darkness deep in people's hearts is stirred up, it is unimaginable. All kinds of evil and twisted mental states may emerge.

Duan Rong was somewhat surprised to see that the world had fallen into a deathly silence after only five layers of inner demons had emerged.

This shows that deep down, he doesn't actually have much suppressed twisted darkness. In other words, he is a kind-hearted person. Even after being tempered by life and death in this world, he has not lost his true self. Instead, he has condensed a rather firm heart that yearns for the Dao.

After a period of deathly silence, as if the world were empty, a sudden gale arose, and from the sky above, as if the heavens had collapsed, vast amounts of black water gushed down…

The whole world instantly turned into a raging torrent of black water.

The final inner demon: the Blackwater Karmic Sea.

This inner demon is different from the previous five.

The Blackwater Sea is the final inner demon for everyone.

The inner demons preceding this level vary from person to person, manifesting in different ways. Some people have dozens of levels, while others, like Duan Rong, only have five.

But this black sea of ​​karma is the sins in the hearts of all living beings.

It is the inner demon behind all inner demons, and can be called the mother of all inner demons.

Of course, Duan Rong only has five layers of inner demons, so the Blackwater Karmic Sea as the mother of inner demons cannot be manifested. However, if someone has dozens of layers of inner demons, then the Blackwater Karmic Sea as the mother of inner demons can be fully manifested.

All sins and obstacles will reappear in this sea of ​​karma.

Without being bitten by countless evil spirits and suffering immeasurable torment, one can never escape this endless sea of ​​karma.

The more inner demons you encounter before, the harder it is to overcome this final one.

To approach the Dao of Heaven and comprehend the power of its laws is by no means an easy task.

The more pure and virtuous a person is, the easier it is for them to resonate with the Way of Heaven.

However, there is a paradox here: resources in this world are limited, and it is very difficult for a pure and innocent person to reach the stage of condensing a profound understanding. And most of those who do reach the stage of condensing a profound understanding are ruthless and have a bloody past.

Even Duan Rong, despite his deep-seated aversion, had engaged in numerous killings along the way.

This paradox, which corresponds to the Way of Heaven, is what makes cultivation truly difficult.

A person who is pure and kind will not go far.

Those who are decisive and ruthless cannot pass through this place.

In this final, deep sea of ​​demonic karma, countless people have been trapped and died.

Those who can penetrate this paradox of the natural order, ultimately comprehend the power of the laws, and condense the Insightful Cave are actually extremely rare.

The Taiyi Sect, which dominates Qingzhou, has a foundation spanning tens of thousands of years. However, there are only a few dozen experts at the Cave-Ming Realm within the sect. Moreover, many of these experts are ancient monsters who have lived for hundreds of years and are elders hidden within the sect. This shows how difficult it is to condense the Cave-Ming Realm.

The black water surged to the sky, churning up thousands of piles of shattered jade.

Duan Rong was swept away by a huge wave and plunged into the depths of the black water...

As soon as he entered the water, he saw many gray ghostly figures surrounding him.

The closest to him were Kong Bin and Zhang Zheng, who had just arrived at Yuanshun Escort Agency; they both bared their teeth and pounced on him...

The Xie Daohan and Fan Yuanhai he killed in Xiangu County were also gray ghosts, rushing towards him from the depths of the black water...

Further away was Su Xinjue, whom he had killed within the ruins of gods and demons. She had transformed into a naked, gray vengeful ghost, lunging at him with a face full of resentment...

These gray ghostly figures all wanted to devour Duan Rong, but Duan Rong was enveloped in a faint, soft white light.

Because of the protection of the white light of this purification method, those ghostly figures could not get close.

Duan Rong glanced at the ghostly figures and realized there weren't many of them. He hadn't killed many people in this world, and in his previous life on Blue Star, he would never have killed anyone.

Therefore, even if he lived two lifetimes, his killing karma was not heavy.

However, according to Lü Yinlin's records, this Blackwater Karmic Sea is a place of heavy killings, and even contains countless vengeful ghosts, seemingly endless...

As soon as the two nearest gray ghostly figures approached, Duan Rong activated his mental power and withdrew from the meditative state.

On the futon in the secret room, Duan Rong suddenly exhaled a breath of stale air. His eyes were filled with terror, and he supported himself with one hand on the ground, his chest heaving violently.

At this moment, Chu Wushang had already walked over. His expression was much calmer. Duan Rong had only stayed in that meditative state for a few hours, and it was very likely that he had not forced out all the inner demons deep in his heart.

Chu Wushang looked at Duan Rong and suddenly asked coldly, "Have you seen the Blackwater Karma Sea?"

Duan Rong raised his head, his forehead beaded with sweat, his back soaked in cold sweat. He took a breath and said, "I saw him."

Chu Wushang asked in astonishment, "You saw the Blackwater Karma Sea?"

Duan Rong replied, "Yes."

Chu Wushang's eyes flickered slightly as he asked, "You can see the Blackwater Karmic Sea in just a few hours?! How many layers of inner demons have you forced out?"

The Blackwater Karmic Sea is the final layer of inner demons. If Duan Rong sees the Blackwater Karmic Sea, it means that he has already forced out all of his inner demons.

Duan Rong glanced at Chu Wushang and said, "Including the Blackwater Karmic Sea, there are a total of six layers of inner demons."

"Only six layers of inner demons?!" Chu Wushang's expression froze, and he couldn't help but re-examine Duan Rong, thinking to himself: This kid is not only a prodigy, but could he also be a kind-hearted person?
Duan Rong said, “The desire for food and sex leads to a wine pool and a meat forest; the sword shadows fill the sky at the threshold of life and death; the desire for slaughter leads to a mountain of corpses and a sea of ​​bones; and there are also the gods in the clouds and the black sea of ​​karma. What I have forced to manifest are these six inner demons.”

At this moment, Chu Wushang looked at Duan Rong with a rather favorable impression.

He has presided over this secret chamber of runes that condenses the mystical energy for hundreds of years, and he has seen all sorts of bizarre and twisted beings. Every inner demon needs to be countered, and the method of countering it often requires him to prepare various things.

Therefore, he had a deep understanding of these things. He had seen plenty of illicit affairs and all sorts of twisted desires.

The last person as pure and kind as Duan Rong was Gu Daoling, who had already advanced to the late stage of the Cave of Enlightenment Realm and was considered the person with the best chance of condensing a Nascent Soul within the Taiyi Sect.

Chu Wushang looked at Duan Rong and asked, "Of the six inner demons, which ones need to be addressed through cultivation?"

Inner demons vary in severity, and not all of them require treatment or cultivation. Only those who have experienced it can truly know the degree of their inner demons.

Because overcoming each inner demon is quite difficult, it is obviously the best way to break through it on your own. Overcoming it through cultivation often takes a lot of effort and is prone to relapse.

Duan Rong's eyes flickered, and after a moment's hesitation, he said, "Mr. Chu, I need to address my cultivation issues, specifically the White Bone Observation and the 'Life and Death' practice."

The White Bone Contemplation is a remedy for lust.

The antidote to the concept of life and death is the desire for life.

Of the six inner demons, the ones that impacted Duan Rong the most were the wine pool and meat forest and the sky full of sword shadows.

The wine pool and meat forest represent the intertwining of appetite and lust, while the countless sword shadows represent the desire for life. Amidst the intertwining of appetite and lust, the primary impact on Duan Rong's mind was actually lust. In the wine pool and meat forest, all the delicacies had already flown away, leaving only a pool full of fine wine. However, the fine wines near him eventually turned into black water, becoming the place for the bodies of men and women to mate.

This shows that the influence of lust eventually corrupts even fine wine.

This actually means that lust is his fundamental desire, almost as powerful as the desire for life, capable of shaking the deepest part of his mind. This is Duan Rong's true feeling after experiencing various inner demons in a state of meditation.

He felt that if he could penetrate lust and the desire for life, he could break through all his inner demons on his own.

Lu Yinlin's notes contain a general record of which inner demons to encounter and how to counteract them, but he only records the names and does not explain the methods in detail. Duan Rong also did not know what the White Bone Contemplation and the View of Life and Death were, or how to cultivate them specifically.

Chu Wushang glanced at Duan Rong and asked, "Are you sure you'll only cultivate the White Bone Contemplation and the Life and Death Insight?"

Chu Wushang was not surprised that Duan Rong chose these two methods to counteract the demons. Anyone who breaks through their inner demons in a secret room would choose the White Bone Contemplation and the View of Life and Death, because lust and the desire for life are the fundamental desires of human beings.

Everyone must break through limitations.

However, Duan Rong's practice of only these two methods of treatment piqued Chu Wushang's curiosity. This was because there was another desire, almost a fundamental human desire: the desire to kill.

These desires, which are usually suppressed, can be amplified infinitely when inner demons surface, even leading to madness, loss of control, and self-harm...

Duan Rong said, "Yes, for now we will only cultivate these two types."

Chu Wushang's eyes flickered slightly as he said, "Do you think you can break through that bloodlust that fills mountains of corpses and seas of blood?"

Duan Rong said, "It should be possible."

Chu Wushang said, "When you are in the meditative state, you are protected by the Transformation Method and the Purification Method, so you may not realize that the killing demon of mountains of corpses and seas of blood can drive people into madness and confusion."

Duan Rong's eyelids drooped slightly as he said, "Mr. Chu, I know. But that blood-soaked, carnage-filled demonic realm can't even get close to me."

"Can't get close?" Chu Wushang couldn't help but be taken aback.

Duan Rong then recounted the scene of the meditative state to Chu Wushang, and also told him about his deep-seated aversion to killing.

Upon hearing this, Chu Wushang remained speechless for a long time.

Looking at Duan Rong, he couldn't help but feel a pang of envy.

The Bloodstained Demon Realm, a veritable mountain of corpses and a sea of ​​blood, is extremely difficult to break through. To overcome this inner demon requires shedding many layers of skin. He himself suffered greatly here because of his excessive killing back then. If it weren't for Lü Yinlin's eventual solution that helped him through it, he probably would have had no hope of ever reaching the Cave of Clarity in this lifetime.

This is also why he was willing to stay by Lü Yinlin's side.

Moreover, Duan Rong's aversion to killing has another advantage. Not only can he overcome the inner demon of killing, but because of this aversion, he will never be a bloodthirsty person, and the number of people he kills will definitely not be large. Therefore, the final layer of inner demon, the Black Water Karmic Sea, will be easier to pass.

Chu Wushang looked at Duan Rong and said, "I need to prepare some things for the antidote cultivation of the White Bone Temple and the Life and Death Insight. It will take about one or two days. You should cultivate in this secret room first and recover your mind. As soon as I return, we will begin immediately."

Duan Rong said, "Yes, thank you for your trouble, Mr. Chu."

This forced manifestation of his inner demons had indeed greatly depleted Duan Rong's mental energy, and he needed to recover properly. Otherwise, with such a disordered mind, he would be unable to cope with the upcoming cultivation of the White Bone Contemplation and the View of Life and Death.

As Chu Wushang spoke, he walked out of the secret chamber.

When he emerged from the large black iron chest inside the hut, it was pitch black outside.

In the darkness, spatial ripples faintly appeared above Chu Wushang's head. The next moment, he moved like a ghost, passing through the roof of the thatched hut, transforming into a black ray of light, and flying into the sky.

Shenyun Mansion, inside Dali Temple.

Zhu Cheng was reviewing case files. A rather bizarre case had recently occurred in Shenyun Prefecture, and he was having a real headache. Every time this happened, Zhu Cheng couldn't help but think of Duan Rong. He would always wonder how Duan Rong would investigate this thorny case.

Zhu Cheng was deep in thought when suddenly a dark figure appeared before his desk without warning, startling him so much that he trembled.

Fortunately, Zhu Cheng had already guessed who the dark figure was the moment it appeared. Moreover, this was the way this person always acted whenever he dealt with him over the years.

Zhu Cheng calmed himself down and looked up. Under the dim light, he saw an old farmer standing in front of a table. His face seemed somewhat gloomy in the lamplight.

Zhu Cheng immediately left the table, knelt down, and exclaimed, "Greetings, Lord Chu!"

"Get up," Chu Wushang said.

Zhu Cheng then stood up.

Chu Wushang asked, "Have you found out what I wanted?"

"It's all been investigated," Zhu Cheng said, then took an envelope from his sleeve and respectfully handed it to Chu Wushang.

Chu Wushang sent a secret letter a month ago, instructing him to keep a close watch on the young girls who had died in Shenyun Mansion and the surrounding villages, and to update the information daily, as he might need it at any time.

Chu Wushang took the envelope, opened it, and his eyes flickered slightly.

Only three girls have died in the last seven days, and one of them drowned just two days ago. Although she was rescued shortly after falling into the water, she was already dead.

This woman was from Wangjiazhuang, near Shenyun Mansion, which seemed to perfectly align with Chu Wushang's request.

Chu Wushang put the envelope in his sleeve, glanced at Zhu Cheng, and said, "Well done."

"I dare not!" Zhu Cheng said respectfully, clasping his hands and bowing his head.

By the time he looked up, Chu Wushang had already vanished.

Zhu Cheng sighed, not taking it to heart, and sat back down at his desk to begin studying his files. But Chu Wushang's interruption gave him a new idea. His eyes lit up, and he began to deduce the details.

Located in Wangjiazhuang, thirty li east of Shenyun Prefecture.

It was the dead of night, and the village was completely dark except for a faint light shining from one courtyard.

That was Wang Lin's home. The old man was over sixty years old and had no children all his life. He finally had a daughter when he was over forty, which was a great comfort to him. He always regarded her as the apple of his eye. But when she reached the age of her youth, she suddenly fell into the water and drowned. Old Man Wang was heartbroken.

A mourning hall was set up in the courtyard, with a pitch-black coffin placed inside.

In front of the coffin were a brazier and an incense table, with an ever-burning lamp swaying in the night wind. The mourners, dressed in mourning clothes, were already fast asleep beside the mourning hall.

Just then, a dark figure appeared like a ghost not far from the mourning hall.

He stood there, slowly raised his right hand, and with a grab in mid-air, the black lacquered coffin that had been resting in the mourning hall suddenly flew up and silently flew out of the mourning hall.

The person keeping vigil, who was fast asleep in the mourning hall, was completely unaware. If he had seen it, he would have been terrified.

The black coffin flew silently out of the mourning hall and hovered in front of the strangely appearing black figure.

The dark figure suddenly raised its palm and supported the black lacquered coffin, then soared into the air and disappeared into the pitch-black night sky.

A night wind blew by, and the cold air seeped into the neck of the person keeping vigil. He shrank his neck and squeezed his sleepy eyes.

Just then, he suddenly opened his eyes and stared wide-eyed at the long benches in the mourning hall that were originally used to place the coffins. Under the dim light, the benches were now empty; the coffins that were there had long since disappeared.

The person keeping vigil jumped up in fright, crying out, "A ghost! It's haunted... the coffin is gone..." (End of Chapter)