Undying Demon Soul

"Help me!~"

The inner demon screamed in terror, desperate to flee back to the demon realm. It now regretted its reckless decision to descend—why had it fought so hard to come here?

The demon realm was teeming with countless inner demons, each vying to emerge whenever a cultivator faced their inner demon tribulation. But due to the laws of heaven, only one could descend at a time—whichever was closest and fastest.

Yet this demon never imagined the mortal world could be so perilous. Who would have thought someone could... eat an inner demon!?

Inner demons were formless, shapeless entities—manifestations of twisted minds and negative emotions, nearly indestructible under normal circumstances.

But against the supreme power of the System, it was as fragile as an infant.

The demon struggled wildly, clawing toward the nearby black vortex, its only escape. But before it could crawl more than two steps, Gu Qingfeng seized its ankle and dragged it back.

"No!!!" The demon wailed in despair, stretching an arm toward the vortex, only to watch helplessly as the distance grew.

Gu Qingfeng, straddling the demon, soon grew tired of merely gouging at it. Instead, he bared his gleaming teeth and sank them into the demon's neck, devouring it whole.

Gulp after gulp of demonic energy surged into him, tainting his soul before the System purified it, converting the energy into inner demon power that fused with his body.

Moments later, the demon had lost all human semblance, reduced to a swirling black mist that vanished into Gu Qingfeng's ravenous maw.

Nearby, the black and white versions of Lin Miaoke had ceased their battle, both frozen in shock as they witnessed Gu Qingfeng feasting on the demon. Whether virtuous or wicked, both trembled in primal fear.

Whoosh!

The moment he finished, Gu Qingfeng snapped his head toward them, his gaze brimming with insatiable greed and malice.

The two Lin Miaokes recoiled in unison, their faces paling.

"Hehehe... there's still one left." Gu Qingfeng licked his crimson lips with a serpentine tongue.

"Y-you—stay away!" The black-clad Lin Miaoke turned to flee.

Swoosh!

Gu Qingfeng lunged like a shadow, pinning her down. His grip was iron, his eyes alight with hunger as he sneered, "Be a good girl and merge with me."

Ignoring her frantic struggles, he pressed his mouth to her face and bit down.

Each bite drained her demonic essence, her form growing faint, her screams weakening.

Ding!

[Inner Demon Power has reached its limit. Congratulations, Host, on obtaining [Indestructible Demon Soul].]

[Indestructible Demon Soul: The host's soul now bears the traits of an inner demon, gaining an immortal nature akin to demons. Can invade and corrupt minds, amplify negative emotions, inflict debuffs (e.g., confusion, madness, despair), and manipulate the seven emotions and six desires.]

Soon, the black-clad Lin Miaoke was consumed entirely.

Abruptly, Gu Qingfeng stood, turning to the white-clad version.

Lin Miaoke stumbled back, terror-stricken. "P-please... don't eat me."

Wiping residual demonic energy from his lips, Gu Qingfeng regained his usual refined demeanor, smiling gently. "Senior Sister, you jest. How could I ever harm you? You’re someone I deeply admire. Besides, you’re not a demon—why would I eat you?"

"Are... are you really Junior Brother Gu?" Lin Miaoke eyed him warily.

"Of course. The one and only."

"Then how could you... consume inner demons?"

Gu Qingfeng lied without blinking. "The four sacred bodies in me interacted in a miraculous way, granting me extreme resistance to demonic energy. What looked like me eating them was actually purification. Honestly, demons taste terrible—I only did it to save you, Senior Sister.

"Now, let’s leave this mental realm."

With that, he vanished in a streak of light, exiting Lin Miaoke’s inner world.

Back in the cave dwelling, their bodies remained pressed together, some parts of Lin Miaoke slightly flattened from the closeness.

Their eyes snapped open simultaneously.

Lin Miaoke recoiled at the sight of Gu Qingfeng’s face mere inches away, then flushed, realizing her rudeness toward her savior.

"Junior Brother... are you alright?" She stepped forward again, wanting to check his condition after devouring two demons.

Gu Qingfeng waved her off. "No need to worry, Senior Sister. The Primordial Sacred Body nullifies demonic energy, and the other sacred bodies enhance it. I’m practically immune now."

Lin Miaoke nodded, convinced. The fusion of four sacred bodies was unprecedented—who could dispute its effects? Without historical records, Gu Qingfeng’s words were law.

Before she could speak again, the world’s spiritual energy erupted violently. A vortex formed above her, pouring dense energy into her like a cascading waterfall.

Delighted, Lin Miaoke sat cross-legged, absorbing the energy voraciously. Divine radiance enveloped her, her flawless skin glowing like a goddess’s.

When she opened her eyes again, they shimmered with joy. A formidable aura burst forth from her.

"Finally... a Fifth Tribulation Heavenly Being! With diligent cultivation and comprehension of the Heavenly Monarch’s intent, I’ll ascend!"

"Congratulations, Senior Sister." Gu Qingfeng smiled.

Lin Miaoke bowed gratefully. "I owe you my life, Junior Brother. Without you, I’d have perished in that tribulation. This debt is beyond repayment—if you ever need anything, I’ll oblige without hesitation."

"You honor me too much, Senior Sister. As fellow disciples, mutual aid is only natural."

Gu Qingfeng kept his tone humble, though inwardly, his grin widened.

"A life-saving favor... shouldn’t the next line be ‘I can only offer myself’?"

They chatted awhile longer, easing the lingering awkwardness. Then Lin Miaoke gasped in realization.

"Junior Brother! If you can devour inner demons... does that mean you can help others survive their tribulations too?"

"Ah... perhaps? I acted on instinct to save you, but now that you mention it... it might work for others."

Gu Qingfeng feigned uncertainty, though inwardly, his laughter grew wilder.

This was the plan all along.

Once Lin Miaoke reported this to Dugu Wei, every power-hungry cultivator in the Sword Sect would come begging for his "help."

And who could blame them? Inner demons are vile, ruthless creatures. Subduing them must come at a great cost... right?

Then shouldn't you show some appreciation and make a gesture?

This way, you can profit from both sides—could there possibly be a more lucrative deal in this world?