The Tribulation of Inner Demons

Gu Qingfeng was completely unaware of the undercurrents stirring in the outside world because of him, let alone the conspiracy quietly forming against him.

At the moment, he was riding high on his success. Not long ago, Dugu Wei had publicly announced to the entire Sword Sect that Gu Qingfeng would be crowned as the "Imperial Son," showering him with an abundance of cultivation resources—rare treasures, divine weapons, and spirit stones—instantly making him the center of attention.

Now, every time he stepped outside, he was inevitably swarmed by hordes of admirers, both female and even some male. The situation had gotten so overwhelming that Gu Qingfeng no longer dared to appear in public without some form of disguise.

Otherwise, the fervor of his fans—especially the female ones—would be impossible to handle. The real issue was that his standards had risen considerably. Ordinary beauties no longer caught his eye; only peerless, once-in-a-generation stunners could pique his interest.

But such legendary beauties were few and far between, and he had no intention of letting his less-than-stunning admirers take advantage of him. Hence, disguises became a necessity.

In the past, he might have reveled in this kind of attention, but things were different now. These women acted like starving wolves, their eyes gleaming with desire the moment they saw him. It made Gu Qingfeng feel as though the roles had been reversed—as if he were the peerless beauty, surrounded by a pack of lustful wolves eager to take liberties.

One day, Gu Qingfeng cast Invisibility, Breath-Concealment, and Soundless spells to stealthily infiltrate the Frostpeak Peak. His purpose wasn’t to peep on female disciples bathing—such lowly behavior was beneath him now. If he so much as hinted at the desire, his own cave abode could be turned into a women’s bathhouse by the next day.

Plenty of women coveted his looks, but even more coveted his status as the Imperial Son.

No, his reason for sneaking into Frostpeak Peak was to seek out Lin, the Chief, and claim the "Heaven-Sealing Forbidden Art" she had promised him.

They had made a deal—if he ranked within the top ten in the Sword Pagoda, he would receive the technique.

Gu Qingfeng had been coveting the Heaven-Sealing Forbidden Art for a long time. It was crucial to his future freedom—ensuring he could roam without restraint rather than being imprisoned by demons.

At the secluded back mountain of Frostpeak Peak, where Lin, the Chief, cultivated in solitude, Gu Qingfeng arrived at the entrance of her cave abode and knocked.

"Senior Sister Lin, I’m here."

Yet no matter how long he knocked, there was no response.

Gu Qingfeng frowned.

Was she not home?

Just as he was about to leave, however, a faint but unmistakable ripple of demonic energy seeped out from within the cave.

Gu Qingfeng’s heart leapt with excitement.

Had Senior Sister Lin undergone her tribulation?

The cave was shielded by formation arrays, yet traces of demonic energy were still leaking out. That could only mean the demonic energy inside was so dense that the formations could barely contain it.

Was Senior Sister Lin being overwhelmed by her inner demons? Was she on the verge of failing her tribulation?

Talk about perfect timing.

Gu Qingfeng’s mind raced. Without hesitation, he set up an isolation formation around the back mountain, sealing off all disturbances from within.

He didn’t want anyone interrupting this fortunate opportunity. If the demonic energy erupted and alerted the higher-ups of the Sword Sect, he’d lose his chance.

Once everything was prepared, he activated his All-Seeing Divine Eye and began searching for flaws in the cave’s protective formation.

Thanks to his recent studies in sword formations under Nangong Xue, his mastery of formations had improved significantly. Combined with the All-Seeing Divine Eye, dismantling the formation was child’s play.

Before long, Gu Qingfeng located a weak point in the formation. Channeling his power, he silently tore open a small gap, then shrank his body and slipped inside.

He had no intention of destroying the formation outright—that would risk letting too much demonic energy escape.

Once inside, he didn’t have to walk far before he saw a disheveled, sweat-drenched beauty in loose robes, sitting in meditation.

Demonic energy coiled around her, her expression growing increasingly twisted.

It was none other than Lin, the Chief—Lin Miaoke.

At the sight, Gu Qingfeng’s eyes gleamed with a predatory light, making him look every bit the lecherous villain about to take advantage of a helpless woman.

But only he knew the truth—he wasn’t staring at her exposed, fair skin, but at the thick demonic energy swirling around her.

Clearly, Senior Sister Lin was locked in a struggle against her inner demons. And judging by her expression, she wasn’t winning.

"Senior Sister Lin, are you alright?" Gu Qingfeng feigned concern, though inwardly he was praying she’d lose the battle so he could step in.

Lin Miaoke’s eyes snapped open, her pupils swirling with demonic energy. Gone was her usual calm demeanor—replaced by boundless malice and bloodlust.

That’s the look! This is getting me fired up!

Yet when Lin Miaoke recognized Gu Qingfeng, a flicker of clarity returned to her eyes.

"Leave! Get out of here, now!" she urged desperately.

Gu Qingfeng understood—she was afraid that if she fully succumbed, she might slaughter him in her madness.

But leaving was the last thing on his mind.

Right now, Gu Qingfeng was acting like the clueless heroine from those brain-dead dramas—where the male lead, drugged and feverish, shouts at the heroine to run, only for her to stubbornly stay, asking, "What’s wrong? Are you hurt?" before throwing herself at him.

Never mind that the male lead could’ve handled it himself—she just had to insert herself into the situation.

And just like those heroines, Gu Qingfeng was doing it on purpose.

"What’s wrong, Senior Sister? Are you injured?" he asked innocently, stepping closer while subtly releasing the aura of his Primordial Sacred Body.

Then, he reached out to "help" her up.

As Gu Qingfeng approached, Lin Miaoke, repulsed by the sacred energy radiating from him, finally snapped.

"Die!"

With a snarl, she lashed out, her palm wreathed in demonic energy. The force behind the strike was enough to shake heaven and earth.

Boom!

The blow landed squarely on Gu Qingfeng’s chest.

Ding!

Host has been attacked by Lin Miaoke (Demonic Possession state).

Congratulations, host’s cultivation has broken through to the 6th Heaven of Human Yuan Divine Core!

Gu Qingfeng’s face split into a manic grin. He had taken a gamble, but it paid off.

A demonically possessed Lin Miaoke was indeed recognized as a demon!

The idea had come from his experience with humanoid demons.

Gu Qingfeng possessed the Divine Ability "Demon Seed in the Dao Heart," so he knew that demon seeds and inner demons shared the same origin. Thus, a person transformed by a demon seed—a humanoid demon—should be no different from someone possessed by inner demons.

That’s why he deliberately provoked her with his sacred aura, goading her into attacking him while demonized. And sure enough, it boosted his cultivation!

Of course, Gu Qingfeng only intended for Lin Miaoke to be temporarily demonized—just long enough to squeeze some benefits out of her. Once he was done, he’d help her purge the inner demons.

Besides, judging by her state, she was bound to fall sooner or later. There was no way she could overcome this tribulation on her own.