The black skull was in a peculiar state, and neither Xiaodouding nor Zhang Chen in the hall seemed to notice it.
At this moment, Zhang Chen sensed something was wrong. Golden light naturally circulated in his eyes, and he then beheld a terrifying scene before him. Observing the black mist surrounding Xie Lingyun, countless thoughts raced through Zhang Chen’s mind:
What is that black mist?
"Is it an evil possession? Has this noblewoman become entangled with an evil spirit?" Zhang Chen thought to himself in astonishment.
"Did the Grand Celestial Master of Yellow Heaven Dao arrive, only to be overshadowed by an evil spirit? And now, is the evil spirit ready to confront Xie Lingyun?" Zhang Chen held a rag in his hand, meticulously wiping the hall, seemingly oblivious to the illusion techniques within the hall, nor noticing the chilling scene before him.
"How is it possible!" Xie Lingyun gazed at the black skull before her, a trace of despair flashing in her eyes, "The Grand Celestial Master is so powerful, already wielding the strength of the Yellow Heaven God, yet unable to destroy you? You can’t even harm me, so how could you possibly resist the Grand Celestial Master?"
Upon hearing Xie Lingyun’s words, the black mist let out a cold laugh, "I am the Celestial Demon, born in the Land of Nothingness, residing within the hearts of all beings. To suppress me, one must defeat me in the Mental Realm; otherwise, no matter how mighty one’s powers are, they are but an illusory existence before me."
"That ant only cultivates Divine Techniques, neglecting the Mental Realm, honing and refining their skills so high, which to me is like a super lair. If I can take over their body, I will surely undergo incredible evolution." The Celestial Demon eyed the almost breathless Xie Lingyun, eager to utterly defeat her in the realm of the mind, and thus began to ridicule her, constantly undermining Xie Lingyun’s will, seeking an opportunity to fully possess Xie Lingyun.
Xie Lingyun was left dumbfounded upon hearing this, her eyes filled with disbelief, never imagining such a thing could exist in this world.
Who in their right mind would cultivate the mind? Everyone is pursuing the enhancement of power, aren’t they?
"Didn’t you just transfer to the Grand Celestial Master’s body? Why are you appearing in mine?" Xie Lingyun asked a question.
"I merely planted a seed within him, a deposit in his mind, waiting for the seed to slowly take root and sprout. But you are my primary target; once I consume your soul, I can replace you and survive in the world, becoming my first physical vessel, marking the beginning of my interference in the Material World." The Celestial Demon did not mind revealing the truth, constantly undermining Xie Lingyun’s mind.
Shock filled Xie Lingyun’s eyes, truly at the end of her rope.
"Even if I die, I will never let you have your way. I’ve resolved that if the Yellow Heaven Dao’s god cannot save me, I’ll simply starve myself here, never will I give you the chance to possess me." Xie Lingyun’s voice was filled with determination.
"There are many things you can start, but the outcome is beyond your control." The Celestial Demon’s voice overflowed with ridicule, "Do you think you can still suppress your realm? With a little guidance from me, your Essence, Qi, and Spirit will automatically boil, naturally breaking through the boundary of possession, allowing me to effortlessly take hold of your body."
As the two were talking, suddenly footsteps could be heard from outside the hall, and the elders entered in succession.
The elders had yet to set foot in the mysterious domain, therefore they could not see through the Illusion Realm. To them, Xie Lingyun appeared to still be kneeling in prayer, though her aura was extremely faint.
The Law Enforcement Elder looked at the dying ’Xie Lingyun’, his eyes revealing seriousness, "Ladies and gentlemen, everyone knows the noblewoman’s status and position. If she truly dies here, Huangli Temple will surely be implicated."
"The noblewoman chose to fast and recite scriptures here; who dares to stop her?" Elder Chuan Wu said gloomily.
Xie Lingyun’s noble status may be insignificant among nobles, but to a group of elders without rank, it’s like a mountain pressing down on them.
"Not stop her? If we don’t stop her, do you think the head down the mountain would be reasonable with us or listen to our explanations?" The Law Enforcement Elder retorted unhappily.
The elders were already ensnared in the Celestial Demon’s Illusion Realm, standing in the hall, discussing how to handle Xie Lingyun.
The mist that transformed into the Celestial Demon glanced at Xie Lingyun, its voice filled with mockery:
"You want to die, but it’s not that simple. Do you think these fellows will let you die?"
"Oh, these old folks even brought ginseng, rice soup, herbs? Quite complete indeed."
The black mist incarnate of the Celestial Demon swirled around the elders, a trace of astonishment in its eyes, its voice overflowing with endless jest.
Meanwhile, Zhang Chen, who was polishing the sculptures, observing everyone caught in the Illusion Realm, couldn’t help but raise a thought in his mind, "Even the Grand Celestial Master couldn’t withstand the Celestial Demon’s invasion, what about Elder Gu Mingyue then?"
"No wonder Elder Gu hasn’t been seen for the past month. Did he too fall victim to an invasion, thus hiding away to combat the Celestial Demon’s seed?" Zhang Chen’s mind flashed with countless thoughts.
"I’m going to take my life in front of you! If my body is shattered, how can you still possess me?" Xie Lingyun’s voice resonated with determination as she suddenly raised her arm, her jade-like hands hesitated not as they struck towards her forehead.
Yet, before Xie Lingyun’s hand could strike down, it was suspended mid-air, despite her relentless struggle, unable to move her hand by even the slightest margin, as if this hand was no longer hers.
"You... you... why is it like this?" Xie Lingyun’s eyes widened in horror at her own hand, fear filling her gaze.
"Young girl, do you wonder how I can employ illusion techniques to intervene with the outside world? It’s because I can already influence your soul, begin to interfere with your body, even the outside world." The Celestial Demon’s voice brimmed with pride, continually attacking Xie Lingyun’s faith, "Young girl, do you think you still have a chance?"
Upon hearing this, the light in Xie Lingyun’s eyes turned sad and hopeless. She gazed at the Celestial Demon, her voice filled with pleading, "I know your skills and your means, so I’m willing to forsake my body, offer you all I am, but I have one request, which I hope you could fulfill. Otherwise, even if I am wholly suppressed now, I’ll leave you in a mess that allows you no cultivation despite occupying this body."
"Oh? What is your request? If it’s not excessive, I can grant it. After all, you are the original owner of this body, I still need to continue living as you." The Celestial Demon said, but Zhang Chen beside him heard the demon’s words, his heart was alarmed, "This creature is exceedingly cunning, why would it kindly fulfill Xie Lingyun’s request? Isn’t this delaying for time, or it has some conspiracy?"
"The noblewoman has treated me with kindness; although I can’t risk confronting the demon on her behalf, I can give her a warning now. She must be vigilant; otherwise, if this damned demon reneges, wouldn’t the noblewoman’s efforts be for naught?" Zhang Chen’s thoughts swirled rapidly, "How should I remind the noblewoman?"