Invasion Myth: Starting with the Schoolteacher

Chapter 836 The Talk Therapy Begins

Xu Xuan traveled north by boat.

The bow of the boat cuts through the blue waves, and the green mountains on both banks are as dark as ink, but I have no heart to appreciate them.

He was holding a thick stack of letters in his hand, some from Dongting Lake and some from Shouchun.

Senior Lu's letter was written hastily, with messy handwriting and a few drops of tea stains where the ink was still wet, clearly written in a hurry: "Hanwen, the results are about to be released. As the top student in the academy, how can you be absent? Come to Shouchun as soon as possible and do not disappoint everyone's expectations!"

Hmm, why hasn't Senior Brother returned to Luoyang yet?

Governor He's letter was more formal and earnest: "Young Master Xu, the results of the imperial examinations in Shouchun are about to be released. I hope you will set off soon."

This letter has nothing to do with the release of the examination results; it's purely because the follow-up appointment is approaching. The governor currently harbors a deep distrust of external medical resources, so he needs Doctor Xu to perform a few more treatments for him.

In addition, there were several letters from the academy, filled with concern and expectations.

Xu Xuan's connections in the secular world are even wider than those in the cultivation world.

Just as he was about to tell the boatman to speed up, a paper crane suddenly flew through the air and landed in his palm.

It turned out to be an urgent report from the front lines in Dongting Lake.

He pondered for a moment, then said to the boatman, "Let's go to Zhenjiang instead."

Half a day later, Turtle Big, swaggering in with a group of demon soldiers, walked over arrogantly.

The shrimp soldiers and crab generals escorted a figure covered in talismans, with an iron chain around his neck, and he staggered along.

The figure, which was originally as majestic as a mountain, has now shrunk to the size of an ordinary person. Its surface is covered with spider web-like cracks and is dull and lifeless, as if it might collapse into a pile of rubble at any moment.

The Stone King of Lishui?

Xu Xuan raised an eyebrow, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.

This guy is not dead?
As the battle to avert disaster in Yunmeng raged on, the former leader of the eight great demon kings of the Dongting demon clan never showed up. Everyone in Baoan Hall assumed that it had long since died in some remote corner and didn't even bother to search for its remains.

But now, it has been captured alive by the giant turtle, and... it has no fighting spirit whatsoever.

The former leader of the eight demon kings of the Dongting demon clan neither struggled nor begged for mercy, allowing himself to be dragged to Xu Xuan by chains, like a stubborn stone that had lost its spirit.

"Master! You have no idea how cunning this fellow is!" Turtle Big puffed out his chest, his face full of pride, waving his short, thick forepaws and spitting as he began to boast, "We laid a net that could not be cast, searching the bottom of Dongting Lake for three days and three nights! We turned over every single reef, digging right through it!"

The capture process was described as full of twists and turns, and extremely dangerous.

Xu Xuan let it go in one ear and out the other, filtering out 99% of the impurities.

"So, it was actually just squatting at the foot of Junshan Mountain, motionless, without even resisting, but simply refusing to relinquish its true spirit?"

The turtle opened its mouth wide, wanting to make up something more, but Xu Xuan's eyes were too clear, so it could only chuckle dryly and rub its paws together.

"As expected of the Hall Master, your insight is truly remarkable. You saw through it at a glance... well, I did exaggerate a little bit..."

Anyway, it can always get some praise out of it; it won't admit defeat.

Xu Xuan was more interested in the Stone King himself.

This is a leading figure among the Dongting demons—a spirit stone in human form, born with a deep understanding of the earth's veins and water flow, and enjoys extremely high prestige among the Dongting demons.

Seven of the eight demon kings died, and Yun Zhongjun hid in Yunmeng and rebelled. This guy, a single demon, held up the situation for several months and managed to prevent the Dongting demon race from completely collapsing.

He is exceptionally skilled in magic, combat, and even tactics, and is said to possess some knowledge of celestial calculations, making him an all-around demon king.

Such a prodigy, if only I could recruit him...

That's why he was willing to wait by the river for half a day. If he could successfully recruit this Stone King, he would definitely be a capable general who could stand alone.

Unfortunately, this guy truly lived up to his reputation as a stone spirit. From the moment he was brought before Xu Xuan, he remained silent, not even bothering to lift his eyelids, perfectly matching his current "heart-wrenching" demeanor.

Classic scene...

Xu Xuan chuckled inwardly.

When someone you admire betrays you, isn't that what you end up looking like?
Stone King listened to the conversation between Turtle and Xu Xuan without any reaction, as if he didn't care at all that the person in front of him was the mastermind behind the destruction of the Dongting demon race.

It's like a real stubborn rock, indifferent to everything around it, and too lazy to even express hatred.

Seeing this situation, Xu Xuan felt there was some trouble, but only "some" trouble. He stood with his hands behind his back, scrutinizing the stubborn rock with piercing eyes. Several key questions needed to be confirmed; if the answers were not satisfactory, even if this stone king possessed heaven-defying abilities, he could not keep it.

The first step is to pry open the mouth of this stubborn rock.

At this moment, his soul was severely injured, and he could no longer use many profound mental techniques. But what did it matter? Xu Xuan's forte was the "talk therapy" method, which could be called his innate divine power. This method seemed ordinary, but in fact it was in harmony with the way of heaven. Countless heroes, demons and monsters had fallen to this move. It would not be an exaggeration to say that it "conquered all ages and dominated the present."

He casually sat down on a blue stone by the river and began talking to himself in front of the Stone King.

It is said that eloquent people throughout history have always uttered astonishing words.

so.
"I'm about to die."

Before he finished speaking, the Holy Father had already withdrawn the radiance of his magical treasures and dispelled the magic that concealed his body.

A cracked, lifeless body was laid bare before the Stone King.

The skill with which this action was performed was so remarkable that one couldn't help but exclaim, "Shameless!"

Interestingly, Xu Xuan and the Stone King present a stark contrast at this moment: one is on the verge of death but his mind is sharp, while the other's body is still intact but his heart is ashen. This "contrary" approach reveals a transcendent air of having seen through life and death.

The river breeze blew, causing his clothes to flutter, and his brows even held the air of a high-ranking monk who had seen through the vanities of the world.

Suddenly, a wave surged up on the Yangtze River, the sound of the water crashing against the shore seeming to respond, or perhaps to mock.

Xu Xuan shook his head inwardly. He knew that the old dragon, who loved watching the excitement, was definitely spying on him. But it didn't matter; deliberately choosing to meet by the river was a way to give himself an extra layer of protection.

What if this guy has some suicidal tendencies? Our Lao Xu Ke is a steady person.

Upon hearing this, Turtle immediately adopted a grief-stricken expression, covering its eyes with its short, thick paws and quickly turning away, as if it couldn't bear to see this scene unfold before its eyes.

The Stone King, who had been silent like a stubborn rock, slowly raised his head.

Because that statement is indeed quite astonishing.

For the first time, those stone-like eyes flickered, scrutinizing the human before them.

It turns out that this powerful human who single-handedly annihilated the Dongting demon race and thwarted the emperor's grand plan is also nearing the end.

The Stone King felt a mix of emotions.

It should have felt a sense of pleasure, but for some reason, looking at this human who was also on the verge of death, it felt a subtle resonance in its heart.

The river still flowed on and on, and the two dying “people” stood facing each other, and for a moment a strange tacit understanding flowed silently between them.

The turtle sighed deeply, and bubbles rose from the Yangtze River.

A stone heart formed over millions of years is utterly stupid and dull; what are you trying to resonate with in this monster?
The main problem is that bystanders cannot understand the Stone King's state at this moment.

Its loyalty to Yun Zhongjun is beyond question, but when the demonic energy of Yunmeng cast it into the bottom of the lake, the despair of being abandoned was equally real.

As he watched the demons of Dongting perish one by one, his cold, stone heart stirred with resentment for the first time.

The foundation of trust was shattered, self-identity was shaken, and anger and humiliation intertwined, transforming into a suffocating grief.

Upon sensing the fall of their lord, they immediately entered a state of utter despair.

This is essentially a profound psychological crisis triggered by the collapse of an emotional trust system.

Xu Xuan, an extraterrestrial demon skilled at manipulating people's hearts, instantly saw through the crux of the problem.

So Dr. Xu, the renowned physician and enigmatic doctor, immediately went online, transforming into a compassionate and empathetic father, ready to engage in a unique "conversation" with this stubborn rock.

Following the other person's emotional weakness, Doctor Xu lowered his eyes and said:

"Actually, I had my eye on Dongting Lake three years ago. Your defeat is not unjust."

Then came a long silence; the river breeze suddenly stopped, and even the waves seemed to freeze.

Until—"Why?"

The silence was so profound that even a stone would speak, its voice dry and hoarse like the friction of sand and gravel.

(End of this chapter)