Shu Tiantian cultivated the Withered Wood Meets Spring technique. When refining Jing Sha Pills, she deliberately infused the vitality contained within her cultivation method into them, making the effect exceptionally powerful. So although she appeared to be endlessly refining pills, under her storm-like output, Withered Wood Meets Spring was becoming more and more proficient.

It was likely that this cultivation method had never in its life seen anyone grind proficiency like this. Caught completely off guard, Shu Tiantian pushed it forward by a huge margin. She vaguely felt that if she refined another ten cauldrons, she might even advance to the next stage!

In a certain sense, Shu Tiantian’s intuition was quite accurate, because tonight’s Nine Yin Profound Baleful Energy Formation was far more vicious than last time.

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Tianji Sect, Council Hall.

A water mirror floated in midair.

Before the water mirror sat the elders of the Tianji Sect in the front row, along with several Nascent Soul cultivators from the upper realm. This time, the upper realm placed great importance on the matter. Not only had they sent people down to assist with the Nine Yin Profound Baleful Energy Formation, they had also deliberately left a group behind to monitor the Heavenly Yin Body. In the back row sat the heads of other lower-realm sects who had participated in the plan to exterminate the karmic dragon.

Within the spacious council hall were figures who could make the righteous path of the cultivation world tremble.

The reason for such importance was that this Heavenly Yin Body was extremely rare, yet also a crucial part of the dragon-slaying plan. If successful, the probability of killing Ji Wushu would greatly increase.

Although the Tianji Sect did not wish for others to interfere, their ancestor had secretly attempted to contract the karmic dragon back then. The Tianji Sect had no choice but to agree.

Today was the most ferocious phase of the Nine Yin Profound Baleful Energy Formation. This opportunity could not be missed.

With a wave of Elder Dao Xuzi’s hand, a blurry image appeared in the water mirror.

Even the divine sense Dao Xuzi had used to control Shu Tiantian could not break through Ji Wushu’s barrier. So the water mirror could only allow them to hear the sounds around Shu Tiantian, but not see what was actually happening.

Still, that was enough.

Watching as the Nine Yin Profound Baleful Energy Formation gradually turned red, the elders nodded in satisfaction. It was clear that the formation had reached its full power.

Tonight was originally the night of the full moon. Ji Wushu would certainly fall into extreme weakness…

Within the council hall, people murmured among themselves, feeling that with the formation proceeding so smoothly today, the grand plan was bound to succeed.

Yet the karmic dragon, who should have been severely weakened and perhaps already unconscious, was instead leisurely coiled behind the little medical cultivator, enclosing her in a dangerous and strongly possessive posture, lazily narrowing his golden, exceedingly beautiful eyes as he watched her refine pills.

From time to time, the giant dragon would rub against her to assert his presence. Sometimes he would even help pass her things, exceedingly well-behaved. So Shu Tiantian did not drive him away. She had grown quite accustomed to being watched by both dragon and sword—especially since the dragon’s glow provided excellent lighting…

The Nine Yin Profound Baleful Energy Formation, activated by nine Nascent Soul cultivators and aligned with perfect timing, location, and conditions, suddenly cast off its previously weakened state under the Buddhist light. Under the caster’s urging, it erupted in a blood-red radiance, like it had taken a stimulant, instantly releasing countless waves of black tide formed from sha—

Only to be forcefully isolated within a vacuum by ten thousand rays of Buddhist light.

No matter how the baleful energy outside glared or surged inward, it could not affect the dragon inside at all.

They tried to attack the only other living being—Shu Tiantian—but when they drew near and sensed her scent: having refined several batches, every strand of Shu Tiantian’s hair had been thoroughly marinated in Jing Sha broth. To the baleful energy, she was practically a great monk bathed in Buddhist radiance—only a lotus throne beneath her would make the image complete.

Clean. Sacred. Even dogs would not sniff.

The yin-sha energies gagged as they retreated in frenzy.

Yet none of this was known to the people in the council hall.

How could they imagine that the baleful energy had not even taken a single bite of the dragon and had instead been chased away in all directions?

At this moment, the Nine Yin Profound Baleful Energy Formation was clearly blazing with red light, but the baleful energy it produced were all cowards. No matter how much power was output, it only produced more cowards—utterly unable to withstand even a single strike before the Buddhist light.

The people in the council hall only knew that with the strengthening of the Profound Baleful Energy Formation’s power, and with tonight being the full moon, the karmic dragon could not possibly resist and would completely lose its threat.

When the full moon rose high into the sky, Dao Xuzi no longer hesitated and immediately activated that strand of divine sense.

At almost the same moment, Shu Tiantian, who was refining Jing Sha broth, suddenly felt the smooth circulation of spiritual energy within her become violently obstructed.

Refining pills most strictly avoided any disruption of qi. Shu Tiantian felt her entire body jolt, her vision darken, and she nearly spat out blood.

If not for a hand catching her, she would have fallen straight toward the medicine cauldron.

Ji Wushu’s divine sense took human form and, almost at the exact moment Dao Xuzi activated his move, appeared behind the little girl.

He steadily set her down, but Shu Tiantian had already fallen unconscious.

A violent aura filled the golden eyes of the long-haired youth. He reached out to examine her, only to find that the energy within her dantian was in complete disorder—there were already signs of qi deviation.

The little spy, who had been properly refining pills, could not possibly fall into qi deviation for no reason. Yet her previously pure soul was now muddled and chaotic—clearly a sign of a heart demon tribulation.

He merely examined her memories and quickly noticed that strange letter.

The long-haired youth narrowed his beautiful phoenix eyes, a cold glint flashing within. He lifted his head and cast an extremely frigid gaze toward the horizon.

He had long guessed that the Tianji Sect would make a move this time. The little spy was the most convenient pawn—how could the Tianji Sect not act? That was why he had instructed the Dragon Bone Sword to protect her well. But he had never expected that, fearing she might not obey, the Tianji Sect would be so ruthless—directly forcing her into a heart demon tribulation!

He nearly let out a cold laugh. After a thousand years, these people were still exactly the same.

Looking through the little spy’s memories, he had thought these people might at least show her some mercy. After all, eighteen years—one could grow attached even to a cat or dog. Yet he had not expected them to be so shamelessly cold-hearted.

A heart demon tribulation was something a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator simply could not face. Cultivators usually only encountered it when forming their Nascent Soul after reaching the Golden Core stage. If one failed to pass the heart demon tribulation, the lighter outcome was losing clarity and consciousness; the severe outcome was the body exploding in death.

But what was even more troublesome was that heart demons could only be overcome by oneself. If she could not pass it, even with him present, she would still end up either mad or mindless.

A cold, violent aura wrapped around the long-haired youth. The pressure belonging to a dragon god weighed so heavily that the surrounding living beings could barely breathe—even the Dragon Bone Sword trembled.

He used a strand of divine sense to protect her heart meridians. Without further hesitation, he tapped with his fingertip, and his divine sense swiftly entered her heart demon tribulation as well.

Inside the Tianji Sect’s great hall, the elders showed satisfied expressions. Seeing Dao Xuzi nod, their remaining trace of concern eased somewhat. Still, someone asked what kind of heart demon Dao Xuzi had created for Shu Tiantian.

Dao Xuzi said calmly, “This child is an orphan. She has kept the small bell her parents left behind all these years. It shows she values familial affection deeply.”

He said no more, but the other elders understood.

What could push a timid child to break past her limits and dare to take blood more than hatred? As long as Ji Wushu became her enemy within the heart demon tribulation, that would be enough.

Then tell her that if she wanted revenge, she must take his blood. A person bewitched by heart demons would resort to any means to obtain it.

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When Shu Tiantian woke again, she had, in a dazed haze, become a baby.

She vaguely knew she had been born into a wealthy cultivator family. Her mother was beautiful, her father kind, and the household perfectly harmonious. She felt something was strange, yet could not tell what was wrong.

When Baby Tian finally gained enough strength, she opened her eyes—and met her beautiful scumbag mother from her previous life. Turning her head, she met her scumbag father from her previous life.

That very pair who, after divorcing, had treated her like a ball to be kicked back and forth—unwanted by either parent—pitifully abandoned and thrown to her grandfather to raise. Her scumbag father had quickly gotten together with his mistress after the divorce, with a bunch of illegitimate children, leaving her not a single cent. Even worse, before her grandfather passed away, he had not even been willing to see him one last time. Her scumbag mother had swiftly attached herself to a rich second-generation heir, had not visited her once in ten years, and whenever they met, it was only to ask her for money… those utterly trash parents?

That human-faced scumbag father gently stroked Shu Tiantian’s head, while her scumbag mother tenderly called her Tian Tian, baby.

Baby Tian: …Is this a horror movie???

Shu Tiantian endured a terrifying round of affection from her scumbag parents, feeling that if this continued, she would start having nightmares.

Fortunately, the heart demon tribulation did not let her remain frightened for long. Baby Tian ate, slept, slept, ate, and soon passed through early infancy.

Finally, one day, Baby Tian clutching an ancient version of a pacifier opened her eyes and saw her scumbag mother wailing loudly.

Her scumbag mother cried with tears streaming down her face, saying that a great demon had appeared, and her scumbag father had unfortunately died at his hands.

To be honest, given scumbag mom’s personality, if scumbag dad had died, even if she didn’t set off firecrackers, not laughing out loud would already have been giving face.

Seeing her cry so earnestly now, Baby Tian’s pacifier nearly fell out. She hesitated, unsure whether she should applaud.

After all, when Grandpa had called before his death, hoping to see Dad one last time, and scumbag dad had refused to come, leaving the old man secretly wiping tears, Shu Tiantian had indeed fantasized about pulling out scumbag dad’s oxygen tube someday. She just never had the chance.

But before she could applaud, scumbag mom said the great demon was coming, so she hurriedly gathered valuables and fled with her.

Lying on scumbag mom’s shoulder, Baby Tian turned her head for a look and saw the towering, exceedingly handsome figure of the Void Abyss’s Old Ancestor. He had his signature long black hair and golden eyes. Wherever he passed was a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood, terrifying beyond measure. Around him followed a group of black-clad lackeys, clearly all his subordinates.

And so, very quickly, scumbag mom, fleeing on two legs, did not escape either.

Accompanied by her scream, the exceedingly handsome youth leisurely thrust his sword straight through her heart. After she died thoroughly, he calmly wiped his blade and turned to leave.

Behind the fallen scumbag mom was Baby Tian, protected by her sacrifice.

Baby Tian fell into deep thought: Do I perhaps also have another name—Harry Bo-Tian?

At this moment, the long-haired youth observing Shu Tiantian’s heart demon suddenly fell silent.

The Dragon Bone Sword floated in midair and strangely saw, for the first time, hesitation and confusion—an uncertain, complicated look—in the eyes of the world-destroying karmic dragon.

Why could the Dragon Bone Sword understand such a complicated look? Because it was his bone.

So the Dragon Bone Sword knew that Ji Wushu was currently flipping through the appearances of that pair of parents within his sea of consciousness.

After all, scenes of silencing witnesses by slaughter were all much the same. The heart demon had imitated the youth’s demeanor vividly…

This karmic dragon had lived for several thousand years. His memory was not particularly good. He had been a demon lord for many years. Just among the cultivators who had chased him down the righteous path—every one of them ended up dead. He had also set fire to mountains more than once. During his thousand years in the Void Abyss, he had not been idle either. If at some point he had accidentally killed a pair of husband and wife…

The Dragon Bone Sword cautiously reminded him, “She’s only eighteen this year.”

Moreover, the karmic dragon did not kill mortals because he had never encountered them. In the heart demon tribulation, those parents had fled on foot. They did not look like cultivators at all.

It clearly saw that although the demon lord still showed little expression, the tension in his aura eased.

That’s right—Ji Wushu had slept for twenty years. He had no time to commit such a crime. The little spy’s parents absolutely were not killed by the karmic dragon.

But very soon, as if suddenly realizing something, the faint smile at the corner of the demon lord’s lips paused and turned incomparably cold—

So. The Tianji Sect had framed him?