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The explosion at the Dan Room left a profound lesson for Su Mu. Although his physical injuries healed quickly under his master's careful care, the shadow in his heart lingered. He began to become timid, hesitant to attempt Refining Elixirs, and even when drawing talismans, he often found himself restless.
Xuanji Dao Ren noticed the change in Su Mu and understood the reason behind it. He knew that Su Mu's Heart Demon had taken root.
"Mu Er," one evening, Xuanji Dao Ren called Su Mu to his side, "your recent state is not good. Is it because of the incident at the Dan Room?"
Su Mu remained silent for a moment before nodding. "Master, I'm afraid... I'm afraid of making the same mistake again."
Xuanji Dao Ren gently patted his shoulder. "Mu Er, the path of cultivation is fraught with difficulties; failure is inevitable. What matters is that you learn from your failures rather than be defeated by them. The fear in your heart is your Heart Demon. Only by overcoming your Heart Demon can you continue to move forward."
"But, Master, how can I defeat my Heart Demon?" Su Mu asked, bewildered.
Xuanji Dao Ren smiled slightly. "The Heart Demon originates from within; you must seek the answer within yourself. Tonight, you will go alone to the Back Mountain Forbidden Area and meditate there, confronting your inner self."
The Back Mountain Forbidden Area was a forbidden place of Tian Ji Men, said to be filled with dark energy and lurking evils, accessible only to past sect leaders. Su Mu felt anxious but resolute; he would face his Heart Demon.
As night fell, the Back Mountain Forbidden Area was shrouded in mist, with chilling winds that produced eerie wails. Su Mu sat cross-legged and closed his eyes, striving to calm himself.
However, tranquility did not last long. Various illusions began to appear in his mind: the blazing Dan Furnace, shards flying everywhere, searing pain... It was as if he had returned to the moment of the explosion at the Dan Room.
Then the illusions shifted to Ye Qiu's anguished face; he seemed to be calling out Su Mu's name, his voice filled with despair and helplessness.
Su Mu's heart swelled with fear and guilt; he wanted to flee but found himself unable to move.
"Do not be afraid, Mu Er," a familiar voice echoed in his ear, "these are all your Heart Demon; they are merely illusions and not real."
Su Mu opened his eyes to see Xuanji Dao Ren standing before him, his figure hazy like a phantom.
"Master..." Su Mu murmured.
"Mu Er, remember that true strength does not come from external sources but from within. Only with a steadfast heart can you overcome all difficulties," Xuanji Dao Ren's voice resonated like a bell tolling at dusk and dawn, striking at Su Mu's soul.
Taking a deep breath, Su Mu closed his eyes again and began to confront the fear within him. He repeatedly told himself that these were mere illusions; he could not let them control him.
Gradually, the illusions began to fade, and his heart grew calmer. He felt an unprecedented surge of power rising from within, filled with courage and hope.
Overcoming the Heart Demon was not an instant achievement. On that night in the Back Mountain Forbidden Area, although Su Mu had briefly suppressed the Heart Demon, its seed had already been deeply buried in his heart.
The Heart Demon was born from the explosion at the Dan Room. The sudden blast, the searing pain, and the regret over his own mistakes, along with the guilt towards his master, left a profound shadow in Su Mu's heart. This shadow gradually fermented and ultimately evolved into his Heart Demon.
At first, the Heart Demon only appeared occasionally when Su Mu was refining elixirs or drawing talismans, causing him a sense of unease and fear. He would involuntarily recall the scene of the Dan Room explosion, his palms sweating, his heart racing, unable to concentrate. This led to repeated failures in his subsequent elixir refining and talisman practice, further deepening his frustration and allowing the Heart Demon to grow stronger.
As time passed, the influence of the Heart Demon gradually seeped into Su Mu's daily life. He became taciturn, often sitting alone lost in thought. He began to doubt his abilities and even questioned whether he was suited for cultivation. Various terrifying illusions frequently surfaced in his mind, such as:
Flames engulfing him: He felt as if he were surrounded by raging fire, experiencing the burning pain while the deafening sound of explosions echoed in his ears.
Ye Qiu in danger: He saw Ye Qiu being captured by members of the Xuanming Sect, tortured and sending out desperate cries for help.
Disappointment from his master: He saw the disappointed gaze of Xuanji Dao Ren and heard his master sighing, saying, "Mu Er, you have disappointed me greatly."
These illusions clung to Su Mu like nightmares, leaving him restless and mentally drained. He became increasingly sensitive and easily startled, even developing a sense of wariness towards those around him.
The most severe incident occurred when Su Mu was controlled by the Heart Demon during sleep; he dreamed he had turned into a bloodthirsty demon harming those nearby. Awakening from this nightmare drenched in cold sweat, he was filled with fear and self-reproach. He dreaded becoming like the figure in his dream and feared that he might hurt those he cared about.
Realizing that if he did not control the Heart Demon soon, he would completely lose himself, Su Mu knew he had to find a way to rid himself of its torment and regain inner peace and confidence.
Upon recognizing the severity of the Heart Demon, Su Mu actively sought ways to overcome it. He confided in Xuanji Dao Ren about his troubles. Instead of providing a direct answer, his master encouraged him to reflect on his past and think about the root of the Heart Demon.
"Mu Er," Xuanji Dao Ren said, "the Heart Demon does not arise out of thin air; it stems from your inner obsessions and fears. The explosion at the Dan Furnace was merely a trigger. What truly frightens you?"
After pondering for a long time, Su Mu finally understood that it was not the danger of refining elixirs itself that scared him but rather the fear of failure—of disappointing his master's expectations and being unable to protect those around him. Especially Ye Qiu; he always remembered her hopeful gaze and the promise he had made.
"Master, I understand now. I fear failure; I fear being powerless to protect those I care about," Su Mu admitted candidly.
Xuanji Dao Ren nodded approvingly. "Good. Mu Er, you have identified the root of your Heart Demon. What you need to do next is confront it and accept it rather than flee from it."
In the days that followed, Su Mu began to explore new methods of cultivation. He no longer solely pursued success; instead, he focused more on the journey and the insights within his heart. He started practicing another secret technique of Tian Ji Men—“Observation of the Heart.”
As the name suggests, Observation of the Heart involves observing one's inner self, understanding one's emotions and thoughts. Through this practice, Su Mu could see his Heart Demon more clearly, gaining insight into its form and changes.
During his practice of Observation of the Heart, the illusions of his Heart Demon still appeared, but he no longer felt the same fear or desire to escape as before. Instead, he quietly observed these illusions, analyzing their causes and attempting to engage in dialogue with them.
“Why are you afraid of failure?” Su Mu asked the nightmare version of himself.
“Because failure will make you lose everything—your master's trust, Ye Qiu's love,” the nightmare version of Su Mu replied.
“If I fail, will I really lose everything?” Su Mu pressed on.
“Yes! You will have nothing!” The voice of the nightmare was filled with fear and despair.
“No, that’s not true,” Su Mu firmly countered. “Even if I fail, I still have my master and my friends; they will support me. Moreover, failure is not terrifying; what’s truly frightening is not daring to face it.”
As Su Mu continued to converse with his Heart Demon, its power gradually weakened, and the illusions became increasingly vague. Finally, on a night when the moon hung high and stars were sparse, Su Mu's Observation of the Heart broke through its bottleneck, revealing a brand new self.
He saw a brave, resolute, and hopeful version of himself. He no longer feared failure because he understood that even if he stumbled, he could rise again and continue moving forward.
He had finally vanquished his Heart Demon and was reborn anew.
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