Mysteries of Immortal Puppet Master

Chapter 1270: Chapter 492: Demon Seed Possession_2

The plague of the Demon Seed is not just Magic Power.

Various negative emotions surged into the Divine Sea like a flood breaching a dam, impacting Ning Zhuo’s heart gate.

"Zhou Sumo! You know it very clearly in your heart, you know it!"

"The Demon Seed is intertwined with you, inseparable. If you go back now, the sect will want to eliminate the Demon Seed, and they will have to eliminate you! Going back now is just sending yourself to death. Is it worth it?"

"Zhou Sumo, you sealed the Demon Seed with all your might, only to die because of it in the end, how ironic?"

"Why? Zhou Sumo, you risked your life for the Evil Slaying Hall, slaying demons and eliminating evils, protecting the common people! Why end up like this? The Heavenly Dao is unjust!"

"Give up. Take the Demon Seed and flee, find a deserted place and slowly study how to control it. This is your life’s fortuitous encounter."

"Living is more important than anything!"

Despair, anger, gloom, and other negative emotions assaulted Ning Zhuo’s heart lake, causing his thoughts to scatter wildly.

Especially the last sentence, which made Ning Zhuo’s heart tremble greatly. Because this was exactly what he thought deep down!

But the Heavenly Capital Self constantly maintained Ning Zhuo’s perception, letting him know that these emotions were external and not produced by himself.

Divine Sea Upper Dantian.

Buddha Heart Demon Seal trembled gently, quietly triggered.

All sorts of Demonic Thoughts, malice, were suddenly devoured by the Buddha Heart Demon Seal!

Ning Zhuo’s whole body became suddenly lighter.

Gu Huaijiu finally could not hold on.

"No... I cannot die... I still have to take revenge..." The last trace of clarity in his eyes was replaced by madness, and he turned and rushed to the depths of the dense forest.

He chose to "flee," choosing to live with the Demon Seed, and he had already lost the distinction between himself and Zhou Sumo’s identity.

Soon after.

Yun Niaoniao knelt to the ground, tears streaming down her face: "I can’t do it... I really can’t do it."

Lu Xuan’an was still persisting, but with each step he took, the Mana light around him dimmed a bit. Under the erosion of Magic Power and Demonic Thoughts, his originally righteous and solemn expression gradually twisted.

Ning Zhuo had already regained his calm.

His steps became stable, as if what was raging inside him was not a fearsome Demon Seed but a gentle breeze.

Witnessing this scene, the cultivators of the Evil Slaying Hall were all greatly shocked, responding fervently.

At this moment.

Deep within the Evil Slaying Hall, on the lowest tier of the dungeon.

In a dim prison cell, an old man with disheveled white hair, emaciated like a skeleton, was staring intently at Ning Zhuo’s figure through a water mirror in front of him. His whole body emitted a rich aura of death, his skin withered and clinging to his bones, only his eyes shone with a frightful brightness.

If Ning Zhuo were here, he would find this person’s appearance quite familiar.

Exactly, he was Zhou Sumo himself!

The real Zhou Sumo—the one who sealed the Blood Fog Demon Seed eighty years ago, only to ultimately be parasitized by it, and spent the rest of his life imprisoned here to await death, the former steward of the Evil Slaying Hall.

At this moment, observing Ning Zhuo’s performance, his withered fingers trembled violently.

"Good... good... good!"

He uttered the word "good" thrice, his voice hoarse like a broken bellows, yet his eyes shone with a nearly manic delight.

"A solid foundation, a will as firm as iron... This is the successor I want! This is the perfect candidate to suppress the Demon Seed, to inherit the Demon Seed’s power, to use demon to counter demon!"

Zhong Dao stood beside him, watching the scene in the water mirror with his arms crossed.

He shook his head slightly: "Senior Brother, you should choose another successor. This Lu Xuan’an is quite good, Ning Zhuo... cannot be given to you."

"Why can’t he be given?!" Zhou Sumo was fiercely enraged and questioned Zhong Dao, as this was an agreement they’d reached long ago for the second trial of the Evil Slaying Hall.

Zhong Dao shook his head: "I only promised to let you choose an excellent disciple from them. I never said you could freely appoint."

"Lu Xuan’an, Gu Huaijiu, Yun Niaoniao... These cultivators can also inherit the Demon Seed."

"They don’t work!" Zhou Sumo resolutely declared, "Though Lu Xuan’an’s cultivation technique is righteous, it’s too inflexible and lacks adaptability. Gu Huaijiu has a flawed temperament, easily taken advantage of by the Demon Seed. Yun Niaoniao is too gentle, severely lacking in decisiveness."

He pointed at Ning Zhuo in the water mirror: "Only him! I want him!!"

Zhong Dao sighed: "Senior Brother, you’ve been entangled with the Demon Seed for too long, your nature has become so intransigent."

"Intransigent?" Zhou Sumo sneered, his gaze terrifying, "Eighty years ago, I sealed the Demon Seed at the cost of my life, for righteousness. For eighty years, I’ve been my own prison to confine this demon, fulfilling my duty. Now that I’m about to die, I only wish to find a successor to continue suppressing this harmful Demon Seed and turn it to righteous use—am I wrong?"

Zhong Dao sighed: "You are not wrong, but Ning Zhuo is not suitable."

"How is he not suitable?!" Zhou Sumo roared, "Besides him, I’ve never seen such an outstanding young man! If someone like him is not suitable, then who in the world is?!"

Zhong Dao shook his head, "Precisely because he is so outstanding, he should not inherit the Demon Seed."

Zhong Dao’s voice was calm, "Senior Brother Changqing, the Demon Seed is ultimately an external object, more so a shackle. Inheriting it can indeed grant immense power in a short time, but the demon nature will corrupt and change one’s mind, eventually limiting the path of cultivation. A genius like Ning Zhuo, relying solely on his cultivation, has boundless prospects in the future. Why ruin his future?"

"Hehehe. I don’t care!" Zhou Sumo laughed, his face full of madness, "Zhong Dao, I’ll say it one last time: Ning Zhuo is my only choice. If you do not allow it, then I would rather let the Demon Seed rot within me, and when I die, let it explode here. Then you’ll have to clean up this mess yourself!"

Zhong Dao gave him a deep look, his figure gradually disappearing from where he stood.

The two parted on bad terms.

In the trial ground.

Strong desires for survival wrapped around Ning Zhuo’s mind like a venomous snake, whispering temptation in his ear, "Why go back to face death?"

"Take the Demon Seed and leave, live in seclusion and cultivate secretly; once you’ve mastered the Demon Seed, who will be your match when you reappear?"

"To live, to become stronger, that is the true essence of a Cultivator. Those so-called duties and responsibilities are merely shackles for the weak."

Ning Zhuo sighed sincerely, "What a formidable Demon Seed, it’s spoken to the point where even I’m a bit tempted, as if I truly belong to the Demon Path."

"But I know all this isn’t my own thought, it’s just the Demon Seed influencing me!"

Ning Zhuo’s steps paused slightly.

He had already reached the end of the mountain path. The outline of the sect’s mountain gate loomed faintly under the moonlight. And the dense forest on either side was the last chance to ’carry the Demon Seed, flee and cultivate in seclusion.’

The true moment of decision had arrived.

Ning Zhuo chuckled lightly, stepped forward, and walked towards the mountain gate, displaying firmness and composure.

As he finally stepped through the mountain gate, the entire trial scene shattered and disappeared.

Gu Huaijiu, Lu Xuan’an, Yun Niaoniao, and others appeared one after another beside Ning Zhuo.

Ning Zhuo glanced around, finding himself and a dozen Cultivators placed within a Great Array. The Great Array of the Evil Slaying Hall hummed loudly, slowly coming to a stop.

"The second trial of the Evil Slaying Hall is completed."

"First place — Ning Zhuo!" The elderly Cultivator in charge of the main array announced loudly.

The voice spread throughout the audience, and no one disputed it.

Numerous Cultivators who maintained the Array and watched from the side whispered among themselves, and nearly all were praising Ning Zhuo.

The remaining Cultivators looked at each other, seeing their own sorry states, and upon seeing Ning Zhuo’s calm demeanor, they understood the gap between them. Especially Yun Niaoniao, Lu Xuan’an, and Gu Huaijiu, felt it more deeply.

Ning Zhuo’s first place was well deserved!

The Evil Slaying Hall promptly distributed rewards. All Cultivators who passed the second trial received generous rewards.

Ning Zhuo’s reward was the most special.

"Daoist Fellow Ning Zhuo, as the first place, your reward will be personally granted by the Hall Master. Please follow me." A Cultivator voluntarily led Ning Zhuo away from the array.

In the main hall of the Evil Slaying Hall, Ning Zhuo paid his respects to Zhong Dao.

Zhong Dao waved his sleeve, and a warm Jade Slip flew toward Ning Zhuo.

"This is the inventory list of the ’甲’ level library of the Evil Slaying Hall, you may choose any item from it as your first-place reward."

Ning Zhuo received the Jade Slip with both hands but did not immediately check it. Instead, he looked up at Zhong Dao and respectfully said, "Junior has a request, not knowing if it’s appropriate to speak."

"Feel free to speak."

Ning Zhuo mentioned the [White Rainbow Righteousness Festival].

Zhong Dao was slightly surprised, then shook his head and chuckled, "You rascal, your appetite isn’t small."

But in the next moment, his tone shifted, his voice resonating throughout the great hall, "However—if you do not choose a reward this time, once you officially join the Evil Slaying Hall in the future and achieve three first-class merits for the sect, I can make the decision to officially bestow the White Rainbow Righteousness Festival upon you!"

At these words, a gasp echoed through the great hall.

The White Rainbow Righteousness Festival!

It is the symbol of the Evil Slaying Hall, its foundation, its treasured possession! Since the hall’s founding, it has never been bestowed upon a disciple or even an elder!

But Zhong Dao promised it directly to Ning Zhuo, making everyone present realize once again how much he valued the latter.

The many Cultivators of the Evil Slaying Hall present shifted their gazes towards Ning Zhuo!

Ning Zhuo thought seriously for a few breaths, thanked Zhong Dao solemnly, and expressed his desire to first look at the library’s inventory list.

Zhong Dao naturally agreed.