Volume 1 Volume 5 Chapter 121

Volume 5 Chapter 121: Between Good and Evil, Only a Thought (Part 1)

It was said that when Jin Qinghan left the mountain’s heart to rescue Li Yuhan and the others, and then returned only to meet Feng Qingtian, who had been waiting for a long time, Xu Qingfan remained meditating in the mountain’s heart, gathering all his Spirit Qi to try to block the "Beast Madness" from attacking his body and Divine Sense.

At this moment, the mountain’s heart was filled with "Beast Madness cultivators" constantly rushing at him, endlessly. Although Xu Qingfan’s two avatars were holding strong, it seemed the defenses were still secure, a person can become exhausted when faced with so many opponents. The Spirit Qi of the two avatars was depleting quickly, and over time, the defenses could collapse at any moment. Meanwhile, Little Black was absorbing the death energy from the green skeleton to heal, not knowing when it would recover. If something unexpected happened, aside from the two avatars busy fending off the "Beast Madness cultivators," Xu Qingfan would have no means to resist.

Most importantly, according to Xu Qingfan’s guess, at this moment, there was a mysterious expert skilled in manipulating people’s minds hiding somewhere in the mountain’s heart, ready to attack Xu Qingfan at any time. During the invasion of "Beast Madness," such a mental attack would be deadly, especially since Xu Qinghan was still sitting cross-legged guarding his Divine Sense. If that expert launched a Divine Sense attack now, Xu Qingfan would have no power to resist.

In such a chaotic and dangerous mountain heart, Xu Qingfan’s act of meditating without concern could hardly be described as reckless; it was essentially seeking death.

Xu Qingfan was, of course, aware of these dangers, but he had no choice but to act this way. The strange feeling emanating from the wound on his ankle, bitten by a "Beast Madness cultivator," was growing stronger, constantly transforming Xu Qingfan’s body and spreading throughout him, rushing toward his brain.

Based on Xu Qingfan’s estimate, if he continued to neglect it, then within the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, the strange energy at the wound would grow countless times stronger, spreading through his body, turning him into a "Beast Madness cultivator" who has lost all reason and only knows how to kill. Compared to that, Xu Qingfan would rather be killed.

This was also why Xu Qingfan, despite having the strength to break out of the mountain’s heart with Jin Qinghan, let Jin Qinghan leave alone. Apart from wanting to spread out the risk, it was also because he had no time to waste; he had to seize every moment to study the characteristics of "Beast Madness" and learn to resist and drive it away.

After stabilizing Little Black’s injuries, Xu Qingfan completely ignored the external threats and quickly began to meditate for himself.

However, even though it was a reluctant move, Xu Qingfan had his own thoughts. Before, whether it was him, Jin Qinghan, or even Master Bo Guangyan, who did not understand the situation, they were all clearly influenced by a clever person’s control over their emotions. This mysterious master could attack all three of them at the same time and leave these three elites of the Righteous Alliance completely unaware. Such skill could only be described as astonishing.

But strangely, this control lasted only for a very short time, allowing Master Bo Guangyan and Jin Qinghan to break free one after the other. Only Xu Qingfan remained trapped because he had too many doubts in his heart.

Based on this point, Xu Qingfan speculated that there were two possibilities: first, this master did not look down on them enough to sneak attack while the "Beast Madness cultivator" was attacking them; that attack could have been just a greeting or test from this mysterious master, or perhaps the master’s mental attack had some limitations, with each attack lasting a short time and requiring a certain preparation time between strikes.

Xu Qingfan hoped it was the latter because if that was the case, this mysterious master would undoubtedly be much easier to handle.

However, regardless of the possibility, it was very likely that this master would not attack Xu Qingfan for some time but would wait until all the "Beast Madness cultivators" inside the mountain were defeated or until he was ready with his powers.

Therefore, Xu Qingfan’s meditation this time was actually a gamble, betting that the person truly was as proud as he imagined or that the master needed a long time to prepare his powers.

Making this decision, Xu Qingfan couldn’t help but smile bitterly. He was naturally a cautious person who liked to follow a steady plan, but lately he had been acting recklessly, like this time and also the last time when facing that mysterious man with a sword on his back. But there was no other choice; he was far weaker than the others, and any schemes had become useless. In such times, he could only guess the most likely situation and use it, then helplessly leave his fate to the uncertain tides of destiny.

In the moment he closed his eyes, Xu Qingfan felt a bit helpless. This action came too quickly, and the risks involved far exceeded his imagination, leaving no time to prepare. If he had a few years before this action to take those "Immortal Ascending Pills" and break through to Golden Core Stage, and refine the "Dragon Summoning Order" for easy use, then he wouldn’t be so passive now.

But reality is reality; if only it were if—it never happened and only existed in imagination.

In fact, Xu Qingfan’s gamble was only half right; "Ri" would not immediately attack him, but not because of arrogance or because using his power required a long break. It was because, driven by the desire for revenge, "Ri" did not plan to kill Xu Qingfan right away. The illusions that appeared in Xu Qingfan’s mind while under "Ri’s" control were not far from "Ri’s" true intentions.

Regardless, Xu Qingfan sat cross-legged and closed his eyes in meditation, and for now, no danger appeared, as it was still hiding, waiting for the right moment to leap in and push Xu Qingfan into the abyss. The repeated assaults surging toward Xu Qingfan from the "Beast Madness cultivators" looked fierce but were, in comparison, just like buzzing flies.

※※※※

At that moment, "Ri" was using his power; his left eye burned bright red and his right eye was icy white. Although his first target was Master Bo Guangyan, he did not directly attack him. Instead, he began to manipulate the group of "Beast Madness cultivators" that were surrounding Bo Guangyan.

At the same time, he also split a part of his focus to keep a close watch on Xu Qingfan in the distance, waiting for the critical moment when Xu Qingfan resisted the "Beast Madness" to land the crucial blow, which would not only turn Xu Qingfan into a "Beast Madness cultivator," but also place him completely under his control.

Compared to ordinary cultivators, "Beast Madness cultivators" far exceed in total Spirit Qi, sensitivity of the six senses, and self-healing abilities, but they are easier for "Ri" to manipulate.

"Ri’s" ability is to control human emotions and guide their thoughts. When dealing with ordinary cultivators, he must carefully investigate their psychological weaknesses and cautiously search for the emotional needs to steer them. In contrast, the emotions of a "Beast Madness cultivator" are reduced to madness, with thoughts solely focused on killing, making them much easier to handle. This is one reason why he and Feng Qingtian could easily control all the "Beast Madness cultivators" in the valley.

As "Ri" surveyed with his strange eyes, all the "Beast Madness cultivators" he saw suddenly roared madly, causing the vast sounds to echo within the mountain’s belly, shaking the walls and ceiling, raising concerns about potential collapse.

In just one glance, nearly two hundred "Beast Madness cultivators" attacking Bo Guangyan were all brought under his control.

The "Beast Madness cultivators" had even more bloodlust in their eyes, and they began to attack Bo Guangyan even more frantically. Although their attacks were wilder, they also became more organized.

At first, these "Beast Madness cultivators" only knew to rush in and attack Master Bo Guangyan with their claws, so even though there were many of them, Master Bo Guangyan could easily handle it. Occasionally, one would use their instincts to launch magical attacks at Bo Guangyan, but their intentions were too obvious, and Bo Guangyan dodged them easily, instead hurting and killing many of the "Beast Madness cultivators" around him. When two "Beast Madness cultivators" tried to attack Bo Guangyan—one using fire magic and the other using water magic—their powers canceled each other out before they could reach him, wasting their Spirit Qi.

But once "Ri" took control of all these "Beast Madness cultivators," the situation changed dramatically.

The "Beast Madness cultivators" no longer rushed at Bo Guangyan in a chaotic swarm. Instead, they split into two groups; those who were fast and good at close combat constantly attacked Bo Guangyan in turns, not giving him a moment’s rest, while the other group stayed back, using various magical abilities to distract and attack him. Their magical skills complemented each other perfectly, making it hard for Bo Guangyan to handle them and continually shrinking the space he had to dodge and escape.

Thus, the "Beast Madness cultivators," who once only knew how to kill without any reason, became like a well-trained army under "Ri’s" command in just a moment. "Ri’s" power was truly formidable.

If it weren’t for "Ri’s" obsession with cleanliness and his dislike for the mess of the "Beast Madness cultivators," he could easily cause a massive bloodbath in the cultivation world using their strength.

After a long fight with Bo Hui, who had become a "Beast Madness cultivator," Bo Guangyan noticed the wild, bloodthirsty look in Bo Hui’s eyes. This was completely different from the humble and quiet person Bo Hui used to be. Bo Guangyan decided he must defeat Bo Hui. But just as he was ready to strike, the "卐" symbol in his hand was starting to form when he suddenly felt a heavy pressure around him. Moving freely among the "Beast Madness cultivators" became very hard.

From all directions, at every moment, numerous attacks surged toward him, from above and below, east and west, with no place to hide.

Having no other choice, Master Bo Guangyan sighed and abandoned the thought of eliminating Bo Hui, who was on the verge of becoming a "Beast Madness cultivator." With a wave of his hand, the "卐" symbol expanded dramatically, growing many times larger and unleashing immense power from the left side of his body.

On his left side, the magical attacks aimed at him were effortlessly vanquished by the power of the "卐" symbol, scattering in an instant and giving Bo Guangyan ample space to evade. After neutralizing those magical assaults, the "卐" symbol continued its forceful assault, striking at the "Beast Madness cultivators" who attempted to come near him, harming or eliminating many, leading to the immediate fall of several "Beast Madness cultivators," demonstrating the overwhelming strength of that strike.

Master Bo Guangyan trailed behind the "卐" symbol, dodging magical attacks from all sides. Suddenly, he picked up speed, enabling him to evade the chasing "Beast Madness cultivators" and swiftly slip out of their tight circle.

However, Bo Guangyan was originally surrounded by the "Beast Madness cultivators." While dealing with Bo Hui’s attacks, he could easily take down the other "Beast Madness cultivators." But now, these "Beast Madness cultivators" had suddenly become much more coordinated in their actions.

In his secret battle with "Ri," although Bo Guangyan’s skills were not as astonishing as "Ri’s," they were still impressive. "Ri," hiding nearby and watching, nodded slightly in appreciation.

At the same time, Master Bo Guangyan looked in shock at the group of "Beast Madness cultivators" trying to surround him again, wondering why they had suddenly become so organized.

Could it be the actions of a powerful expert that had affected his mind before? The sudden change in these "Beast Madness cultivators" did seem like they were being controlled. But controlling so many "Beast Madness cultivators" all at once seemed impossible.

After noticing that there might be another expert skilled in mind control hiding in the mountain, Master Bo Guangyan appeared to be fully focused on dealing with the "Beast Madness cultivator." However, in reality, he had at least half of his mind searching the mountain for that mysterious expert, but he found nothing. During this time, Master Bo Guangyan was completely unaware of the expert controlling the "Beast Madness cultivator."

"This mysterious expert keeps using tricks against me but never goes all out. What could be the reason? Doesn’t he fear I might discover his presence? These two tricks seem to reveal his existence, making me tense and alert for nothing while he just toys with me. If there’s such an expert hiding in the mountain, what about outside? Could there be someone from the ‘Mercy Cloud Temple’ dealing with them?"

As he thought about this, Bo Guangyan felt shock but was even more worried. Now that Bo Hui had become a "Beast Madness cultivator," he feared that something might happen to the other members of the "Mercy Cloud Temple," considering they were all elite fighters.

Meanwhile, as Bo Guangyan thought quietly, the "Beast Madness cultivators" had rushed up close to him again, intending to surround him once more, and leading them was his junior brother, Bo Hui!

In fact, "Ri" did not care whether Bo Guangyan or Xu Qingfan would notice his presence, and he enjoyed the fact that Bo Guangyan, despite knowing he was there, could only repeatedly suffer his various tricks and attacks without a way out. However, "Ri" valued Bo Guangyan much more than Bo Guangyan realized. The Buddhist cultivation method that Bo Guangyan practiced greatly benefited "Ri’s" own cultivation methods. "Ri" truly wanted to compete with Bo Guangyan using his true powers.

This time, controlling the "Beast Madness cultivators" to attack was not just a game to tease Bo Guangyan; it was to observe him, understand him better, and know his weaknesses and strengths. Only then could "Ri," who was skilled at manipulating people’s hearts, stand undefeated in the upcoming battle.

Although the two elders "Tian" and "Di" said that "Ri" was the most powerful and terrifying expert below the Mahayana Stage in the world, only "Ri" himself knew that using people’s hearts to attack others was a double-edged sword. It was equally dangerous for both the attacker and the attacked; a slight mistake could lead to a backlash. This backlash from people’s hearts was a thousand times more dangerous than the backlash of Spirit Qi within one’s body. Therefore, every time he decided to truly use his powers to attack, he would do so cautiously, carefully observing his opponent’s weaknesses and strengths before taking action when he was fully confident.

Despite being arrogant, he acted with great care. Though indifferent, he had sharp observing eyes and a clever mind for summarizing things. Along with his unique powers, "Ri" was undoubtedly very terrifying.

"Interesting, truly a rare experiment."

Watching Bo Guangyan dodge constantly under the pursuit of the "Beast Madness cultivators," sometimes turning back to strike at them, he managed to fight back. In the end, under "Ri’s" control, the "Beast Madness cultivators" not only failed to surround Bo Guangyan again but also suffered over a third of their numbers lost or injured.

Although most of the remaining "Beast Madness cultivators" in the mountain were below the Condensed Core Stage, being able to achieve this was still quite impressive.

However, "Ri" noticed Bo Guangyan’s reluctance to fully attack Bo Hui during each counterattack, the anxious look on his face, and his occasional glances towards the exit. These actions revealed Bo Guangyan’s current thoughts and feelings, as well as his weaknesses.

After coming to a conclusion, the smile at the corner of "Ri’s" mouth became even more mysterious.

But just as "Ri" was about to make a move, a look of surprise suddenly appeared on her face as she turned to look at Xu Qingfan.

At that moment, around Xu Qingfan, black and white mist swirled, and under the changing light, it gave a feeling of deep mystery.

"This Xu Qingfan can actually suppress the ‘Beast Madness’ that is eroding his body?"

After sensing Xu Qingfan’s situation for a moment with closed eyes, "Ri" suddenly opened her eyes wide, staring intently at Xu Qingfan’s position, her astonishment growing even more, murmuring to herself.

It is important to know that even he, once bitten by a "Beast Madness cultivator," would have no way to resist it.