Twin Dimension Yin-Yang Mirror: Attaining immortality through the martial path
Chapter 272 - 239: Great Dreams End in Nothingness, Five Desires, Four Realms

Chapter 272: Chapter 239: Great Dreams End in Nothingness, Five Desires, Four Realms

After healing Old Man Qing, Zhou Ping’an let out a sigh of relief.

Qingyang City now could be said to be in a state of turmoil.

The addition of another expert, would also eliminate many worries for the future.

Moreover, with Old Man Qing present in the residence, the most significant thing was that it freed Lin Huaiyu, a formidable combatant.

Otherwise, even if the Third Miss wanted to do something, she would always have to worry about everyone in the Lin Residence, especially Little Jiu’er.

After all, the little fellow was still too young. It wasn’t feasible to always bring her along to the barracks or keep her by one’s side.

The night of the attack, the battle wasn’t long, but even so, Lin Residence lost five Protectors, and seven were injured.

It was said that the Devil’s Head was as hard as iron, his shouts could disrupt people’s wills, and in combat, he fled erratically. Those who encountered him were either killed or injured.

Even the maid Xiao Cui exchanged a few moves with that masked devil and was punched in the chest, causing her to fall headlong and lapse into unconsciousness.

The actual injuries were not too severe.

It was just a crack in her breastbone, and several ribs were broken, but no internal organs were damaged.

The trouble was that she remained unconscious and her body’s self-healing capabilities had fallen to their lowest.

After taking medicine for her injuries, there seemed to be no effect.

They could only watch as her body gradually weakened.

Such an injury was difficult for Old Man Qing to deal with.

Medicine had no effect.

Her body was resisting the repairs by itself, essentially breaking all of her body’s natural defense mechanisms.

The other physicians invited from Qingyang City diagnosed it as a spiritual injury.

Their advice was to first awaken her will to survive.

They also said that this was actually a kind of mental illness and they should check if Xiao Cui had any unresolved issues.

"Which physician said that? To say he’s good, the conclusion is wrong. To say he’s not, he has identified the basic symptoms.

The medication prescribed for calming the nerves and boosting vitality isn’t to say useless, but their benefit is almost negligible."

Zhou Ping’an watched the small-framed Xiao Cui lying on the bed, feeling somewhat melancholic.

When Xiao Cui served him in his affairs, she was clever and agile, acting very decisively, with a fearlessness about her.

Moreover, compared to Xiao Xue, she was more ambitious and quite resentful towards a certain Head Servant.

She believed that what Zhou Ping’an could achieve; she could as well.

As a small maid, Xiao Cui clearly had her ambitions.

Her Sword Technique was also practiced to an exceptionally high level.

While not comparable to Lin Huaiyu’s talent and comprehension,

with her limited resources and starting her training midway, being able to reach the "Seventh Level Wave Stacking" realm of her Sword Technique, she had already surpassed Protectorate Leader Lin Ziqi.

This stubborn girl was now sleeping like a child.

It seemed she had fallen into a peaceful dream.

Not that she couldn’t wake up.

It was that she didn’t want to wake up.

"Can she be treated? Big Brother Zhou, Xiao Cui has been like this for three days now; if she doesn’t wake up soon, it could become very dangerous."

Xiao Xue, the maid, was wiping her tears nearby.

Naturally weak, her relationship with Xiao Cui was exceptionally close, even closer than real sisters.

Seeing Xiao Cui spinning on the edge of life and death,

she was so anxious that she hadn’t slept for several nights.

Her eyes were still dark-rimmed, like a panda’s.

A flicker of pain crossed Lin Huaiyu’s eyes, but her expression remained calm as she spoke softly, "Xiao Cui will be alright, Brother Zhou has a way."

She had already recognized the Cultivation Technique that had caused Xiao Cui’s injuries.

The extremely strange "Five Desires Evil Art," which targeted the spirit, was something Lin Huaiyu had experienced a few times, and the attacks stemming from greed and lust had left a deep impression on her.

Feeling the peculiar aura emanating from Xiao Cui, she understood who had struck.

"Was it Li Yuankang?"

"Yes. I didn’t expect him to have overcome the barriers of lust and desire...

The Desire for Sleep, it seems he’s made a breakthrough there as well; I can’t tell if he’s reached the Third Realm or the Fourth Realm. It seems I underestimated him."

Ever since the day Zhou Ping’an slew Monk Guangming, he immediately pursued Li Yuankang and discovered that the man was resolute, dragging his tortured and disabled body, urgently killing and escaping.

He realized this guy was a tough character.

Moreover, Li Yuankang was a rare talent within Qingyang City, well-learned and knowledgeable.

There was no possibility of his mind being dull.

Given a chance, with his intelligence and disposition, rising in a short time was not impossible.

"Why not the Fifth Realm?"

Lin Huaiyu also understood the huge risk that releasing Li Yuankang posed.

Initially, she had dispatched a large number of Lin Residence Protectors to search outside the city.

Yet, the opponent was too cautious, fleeing too swiftly.

Ultimately, they didn’t capture him.

Thinking back on it now, she felt an itch in her teeth from the frustration.

"Greed, lust, fame, food, sleep—these Five Desires can delude the heart, enter the realm, and break through it... After mastering the Five Desires, one’s muscles and bones will be strong and one’s combat power comparable to a Ninth Level Mortal Refinement Intent Realm expert."

Zhou Ping’an patiently explained.

"If the opportunity Li Yuankang seized supports him in breaking through the Fifth Realm of the Five Desires Demonic Scripture, with his nature to bide and endure, he would not appear to seek revenge;

and if he had actually mastered the Great Achievement of the Fifth Realm of Five Desires... not to mention Elder Qing not fighting desperately, even if he did fight with all his might, he wouldn’t have been able to push him back, but instead, Li Yuankang would have slaughtered everyone in Lin Residence, leaving no one behind."

Zhou Ping’an had also practiced the "Five Desires Demonic Scripture," so he certainly knew the miraculous nature of this Demonic Cultivation.

He also knew that this cultivation technique was difficult to learn and practice, and there was always the possibility of losing control and being possessed by demonic forces, requiring one to quell the demonic desires in one’s heart through slaughter.

Li Yuankang had initially chosen the path of indulgence in desires.

He sought a heart that was thoroughly clear and transparent.

He wanted to ensure that his mind remained lucid, and merely hiding and enduring ascetic practice was not a viable solution.

Compared to ordinary people, he found it harder to suppress certain thoughts.

For example, vengeance.

Zhou Ping’an joined forces with Lin Huaiyu to wipe out the entire County Yamen, having even planned an ambush that almost led to his on-the-spot execution.

His path to a bright future was destroyed.

It could be said that between them, no matter what, such deep-seated hatred could not be resolved.

Therefore, as long as he still had desires and was alive, it was impossible for him not to seek revenge.

"If it were merely the Third Realm Great Achievement, that would be fine, but if he had cultivated to the Fourth Realm, this person would be very difficult to kill.

It’s possible that he could be hiding in some dark corner, secretly watching."

The enemy was hidden, while he was exposed.

Zhou Ping’an couldn’t just ignore his duties to track down a demon brat who practiced the ’Five Desires Evil Art.’

Searching for him every day.

That too was a very troublesome matter.

He knew just how strong the muscles and bones of someone who had cultivated the ’Five Desires Evil Art’ to the Fourth Realm could be.

Back when Su Wenhao was at the Eighth Level of External Mastery Realm and used the Palm Blade on him, he was practically uninjured.

Not only had Su Wenhao cultivated the Canghai Sword Codex to achieve Sword Mastery, but even with his full-force attack, he barely managed to cut through Ping’an’s skin and split his bones.

Even his combat strength had not suffered much.

If Li Yuankang had cultivated to the Fourth Realm, coupled with the fact that he had also practiced the King of Light’s Golden Body Technique, although it was not very likely he had also cultivated the Golden Body to the Seventh Level of the Golden Body Realm, his defense was still formidable.

It was only slightly weaker than his own muscles and bones.

In clear comparison, even Lin Huaiyu’s current offensive power was unlikely to be able to kill him.

Furthermore, there was a significant doubt in all this.

When cultivating the ’Five Desires Evil Art,’ he relied on the Red Lotus Karma Fire Visualization Method, as well as a vast amount of Mind Wish Power Silk Threads.

What exactly was that fellow relying on to cultivate so rapidly?

Without clarifying this issue.

It would be difficult to find his weakness and deliver a fatal blow.

...

While Zhou Ping’an was applying needles, he was turning death energy into life force, making Xiao Cui’s body stronger and more vital.

At the same time, he was using the spiritual secret techniques from the Five Desires Demonic Scripture and gently probed into her mind.

He started with "Greed" and, as his spirit touched her, he saw Xiao Cui’s eyelashes quiver faintly before she returned to a deep slumber.

Next, he led from "Sensual Desire," and saw Xiao Cui’s face on the couch, even her entire skin, turn pink.

From her body hair emanated a strange fragrance.

Her fingers also began to move slightly.

Yet she still did not awaken.

"It’s working, it’s working, what is Xiao Cui doing? What is she dreaming about?"

Xiao Xue was very happy.

The worst thing for someone who has been in a coma is the absence of any activity.

In the first three days, they had tried everything, but Xiao Cui had shown no response whatsoever.

Now seeing the other person with moving eyebrows and fingers, as if she was not sleeping as peacefully, she was not upset but excited instead.

"Zhou, Big Brother Zhou..."

Xiao Cui muttered in her mouth, though it was very mumbled.

But everyone in the room, being sharp of hearing and sight, had heard her clearly.

"Is she calling for you?"

Lin Huaiyu asked with surprise, turning her bright and shining eyes toward Zhou Ping’an.

Xiao Xue was also very puzzled, wondering, "Isn’t Xiao Cui having a dream? Uhh..."

Realizing something amiss, she quickly clasped her hands over her mouth.

"She is dreaming."

Zhou Ping’an said with an embarrassed smile, "Perhaps this girl is still thinking about that time we acted together to destroy the Hehuan Sect’s villain. You know, sometimes when we dream, we always dream about some violent deeds, and we wake up feeling tired."

"Oh."

Lin Huaiyu lightly raised her brows and did not dwell further on the topic, simply expressing her concern, "It seems the dream hasn’t been broken yet?"

"It still lacks a bit of force, it can’t be too strong, nor too weak.

Too strong would harm Xiao Cui’s spirit, too weak wouldn’t wake her up."

By this time, Zhou Ping’an had pretty much determined.

That the Devil Head that had attacked, suspected to be Li Yuankang, had indeed progressed in the cultivation of the Five Desires Evil Art as he had expected, and had reached the Great Achievement of the Fourth Realm.

Moreover, Zhou Ping’an had discovered something else.

That was, the other party’s Fourth Realm "Desire for Sleep" seemed to be only a bit stronger in terms of spiritual power than when he himself had achieved the Third Realm.

Compared to his current spiritual power, of course, it was far from enough.

Therefore, Zhou Ping’an stopped at the "Desire to Eat" where he had achieved Great Achievement in his own cultivation, and simply increased the output of his spiritual power.

Not until his spiritual power strength reached half of his own output did he hear Xiao Cui suddenly speak from the couch.

"So hungry, starving, Big Brother Zhou, I want to eat lamb, lots and lots of lamb."

...