Visiting (Part 1)

In the cultivation world, there was no habit of voluntarily revealing one's cultivation base. Therefore, after Liu Chun briefly introduced Lin Xiao and Jiang Youfu as cultivators from the mortal realm, he used the same method to introduce Su Yaoguang.

Lin Xiao had actually visited this general store a few days ago while scouting prices.

But at that time, Su Yaoguang had gone out to restock, and his family members were tending the shop, so Lin Xiao hadn't run into him.

Since it was their first meeting, it wasn't appropriate to talk too much. After exchanging pleasantries for a while, Lin Xiao glanced at the sky outside and said,

"Why don't I treat everyone today? Let's go have a meal at the Immortal Fragrance Restaurant?"

"Ah? Isn't this... a bit much?"

Hearing this, Su Yaoguang was somewhat surprised. Was this kid from the mortal realm really so extravagant? Even Su Yaoguang, a native of the cultivation world, couldn't bear to spend so many spirit stones at the Immortal Fragrance Restaurant just for a meal of spiritual food that wasn't even particularly rich in spiritual energy.

But Liu Chun knew that their sect leader genuinely wanted to build a good relationship with Su Yaoguang. He also understood their sect's financial situation—a meal at the Immortal Fragrance Restaurant wasn't too big an expense. So he immediately spoke up in place of Su Yaoguang:

"I think it's fine. Go ahead, Yaoguang. Have your son come out to watch the shop for a while."

With Liu Chun's cooperation, Lin Xiao managed to invite him out quite easily.

After a hearty and satisfying meal at the Immortal Fragrance Restaurant, the relationship between them grew much closer.

When everyone finally bid farewell outside and went their separate ways, Lin Xiao noticed that the [Form Connections with Cultivators] task had progressed from 2/5 to 3/5.

Only two more left! Then this task would be complete!

But Lin Xiao also felt a bit troubled—where could he find the remaining two cultivators?

If it weren't for the Green Wilderness Secret Realm incident, Lin Xiao might have had Liu Chun help him get in touch with that Elder Zhang from the Heavenly Mystery Sect.

But that wasn't possible anymore.

For now, he'd have to avoid the Heavenly Mystery Sect people as much as possible...

However, knowing the system's typical nature, it was very likely that completing this task would reward the final floating island fragment. If he could finish this task quickly, their sect would have a good chance of soon owning their own floating island!

A floating island—even as a reincarnated soul, he had never actually seen or experienced one!

The mere thought of it was thrilling.

So how should he go about meeting these last two cultivators?

Just as Lin Xiao was resting his chin on his hand, lost in thought and worry in his inn room, the sound of the door opening snapped him back to attention.

It turned out that Yuan Qing had returned.

Looking somewhat dejected, Yuan Qing closed the door and walked in, briefly greeting everyone in the room.

Seeing this, Lin Xiao instinctively asked,

"What's wrong? Have you encountered some difficulty?"

Yuan Qing let out a soft sigh, slowly lowering his head and shaking it slightly. "Yesterday when I returned, my uncle said the Yuan Family Ancestor is in very bad condition. If we can't find an Ice Plains Spirit or a cure... well, let's just leave it at that."

The "uncle" he referred to was Yuan Bi, the head of the Yuan family.

Thinking back to his uncle's worried expression yesterday, Yuan Qing felt uneasy.

The Yuan Family Ancestor was the only Nascent Soul cultivator in the entire Yuan family. A major reason the Yuan family held the top position in Yuanling City was precisely because they had an ancestor at the Nascent Soul stage.

If the ancestor were to fall, the Yuan family would face many problems.

Moreover, in truth, Yuan Qing's father had received considerable kindness from the Yuan Family Ancestor in his youth. Though Yuan Qing was young back then, his parents often spoke of this debt of gratitude.

Thus, the Yuan Family Ancestor held a special significance for Yuan Qing.

Now, troubled and melancholy, when Lin Xiao asked, he couldn't help but confide a little.

Hearing this, Jiang Youfu asked in confusion,

"What illness does your ancestor have? Can't even cultivators cure it?"

Ever since he started cultivating over a year ago, Jiang Youfu had never been sick. In fact, he had even saved his grandmother using his cooking skills.

In daily life within the sect, if any family member who hadn't yet mastered cultivation had a headache or fever, any sect member could simply use spiritual power to sort things out. It was always an immediate cure, with all ailments vanishing instantly.

So in Jiang Youfu's impression, being a cultivator meant being free from all pain and illness.

He never expected that Yuan Qing's ancestor could still have such a problem.

At that moment, Yuan Qing didn't notice this gap in Jiang Youfu's understanding of cultivation world basics. With a bitter smile, he said,

"My ancestor... it's not an ordinary illness, nor is it the end of his lifespan. It's a demonic heart invasion that occurred during cultivation. He has been locked in a stalemate with the demonic heart for years. Now, with his mind and energy exhausted, if we can't find a solution... he probably won't make it past this year."

Hearing this, Jiang Youfu was taken aback.

He had heard of the "demonic heart" before, but only from the mouths of elders like Senior Liao. Even then, he hadn't fully understood it. He couldn't fathom why a demon would arise from one's own mind and turn against its host.

So he gave Yuan Qing a somewhat bewildered look, but Yuan Qing was too immersed in his own gloom to notice.

Lin Xiao, Liu Chun, and even Liao Pantu (dwelling within the Soul-Nurturing Pendant) understood the situation well.

But they didn't have any good solutions either.

Generally speaking, any cultivator could face a demonic heart invasion during their path of cultivation.

Some people's demonic hearts were mild, and some had very strong wills that could overcome them. But many more had fallen in the struggle against them.

"The Path to the Great Way cleaves through the heavens, but how many can truly walk it?"

The Yuan Family Ancestor was just one among countless mortals.

It was said that the Talisman Sect, the largest sect in the Northern and Southern Spiritual Domains, as well as some powerful sects beyond those domains, possessed methods to suppress demonic hearts.

Apart from that, only Ice Plains Spirits could help.

But such things were extremely rare—truly elusive.

Lin Xiao glanced at the somewhat confused Jiang Youfu, then turned to look at the gloomy Yuan Qing.

He first sent a mental message to Liao Pantu in the Soul-Nurturing Pendant:

"Senior Liao, would it be inappropriate to visit someone afflicted with a demonic heart invasion? Like, could I get possessed by a demonic heart myself?"

Hearing this question, Liao Pantu paused for two seconds before replying,

"As long as you guard your mind and don't get too close, it's generally difficult to be invaded by someone else's demonic heart. The demonic heart is only truly dangerous when it's one's own. But..."

When Liao Pantu didn't finish, Lin Xiao pressed, "But what?"

If Liao Pantu had left the Soul-Nurturing Pendant at that moment, Lin Xiao would have seen his utterly expressionless face:

"But I can't speak for others. If you go to the Yuan family to 'observe' their ancestor's state of demonic heart invasion, the whole Yuan family would probably want to beat you to pieces."

Lin Xiao blinked, thought for two seconds, then stopped mentally messaging Liao Pantu and instead asked Yuan Qing aloud,

"Fellow Daoist Yuan, could we possibly go and... pay a visit to your ancestor?"