Evil Thoughts, Do Not Disturb My Dao Heart

Thus, from Su Ji’s perspective, the "inner demon" he had suspended mid-air actually leaned backward of her own accord.

Her posture seemed less like an attempt to evade the flames and more like—

Su Ji tugged the chains, lowering Su Jiu further over the searing magma.

Su Jiu had no choice but to retreat helplessly, again and again, in an endless cycle.

"Demon of the heart, dare not disturb my Dao mind!"

Su Jiu felt as though her very soul was being torn apart in that moment.

Within her dantian’s qi sea, the once-serene flow of spiritual energy erupted into a boiling frenzy, teetering on the edge of collapse.

Her carefully crafted "inner demon" facade shattered instantly, leaving only raw panic in its wake.

She had already lingered at the peak of Foundation Establishment for some time.

Now, in her flustered state, she failed to suppress her cultivation.

The barrier to the Golden Core realm—one Su Ji had inadvertently shattered—

And this molten cavern was far from an ideal place for a breakthrough...

Gritting her teeth, Su Jiu mustered the last traces of her scattered spiritual energy, struggling against her bonds.

"You, demon, are far too cunning. Unless I vanquish you completely, my heart shall know no peace."

Then, after what felt like an eternity—

A strange, cleansing warmth surged through Su Jiu’s meridians.

Her Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox bloodline, dormant until now, began to seethe uncontrollably.

A primal longing, buried deep within her soul, surged forth.

It was the recognition ritual of the Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox.

A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, fleeting as a heartbeat.

Su Jiu had no intention of submitting to Su Ji as her master.

Was he truly battling an inner demon, or was this deliberate?

Not a shred of tenderness to be found.

She’d never heard of any cultivator conquering their inner demon like this.

But then again...

Wouldn’t letting this chance slip be a waste?

Well, there was no helping it.

It wasn’t as if she’d ever planned to—mmph—

Her thoughts stuttered to a halt.

She’d never planned to take a Dao companion. Her path lay beyond Great Xia, toward the destiny of her Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox lineage. And now, the only suitable candidate before her was Su Ji.

Hmph... hmph...

This wasn’t some... some... submission. Merely a mutually beneficial arrangement.

Meanwhile, Su Ji, thoroughly engrossed in his task, suddenly felt a tremor in his soul.

An inexplicable power descended upon him.

The newly forged, crystalline Dao foundation within his dantian—still gleaming with iridescent light—began to hum uncontrollably.

Streams of pure Foundation Establishment spiritual energy were violently wrenched from his Dao platform, surging backward through his meridians!

"What the—?!"

Instinctively, he tried to activate his [Fallen Dragon’s Desolation Art] to sever the draining flow.

But the moment the thought formed, another wave of cool, soothing energy washed over his radiant Dao foundation.

The two forces intertwined, forming a flawless cycle.

His freshly consolidated spiritual energy gushed out like a broken dam, faster and fiercer than before—siphoned away, cycled through Su Jiu’s body, and returned infused with the refined demonic energy of the Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox.

Back and forth, an unending rhythm.

Each revolution tempered his Dao platform further, nourishing his soul with unprecedented intensity.

Su Ji was utterly dumbfounded.

With every cycle, his foundation grew more unshakable, his spiritual sense expanding at an absurd rate.

This sensation—

It was intoxicating.

Gradually, he stopped resisting.

Across from him, Su Jiu—still playing the role of the "inner demon"—shivered as Su Ji’s overwhelming energy surged back into her.

Her Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox bloodline, long dormant, stirred once more, its primal seals loosening.

Her heart lurched, nearly breaking character.

But she steadied herself just in time, maintaining the act.

"Senior Brother’s spiritual energy... tastes delightful."

"Though... a tad overbearing, don’t you think?"

...