Chapter 28: Reversed Heart Mantra

Chapter 28: The Reversed Heart Manual

"Mm."

"That's good. I almost thought you were really going to fall for Shen Lian."

With that, Ling Yun remembered another troublesome matter. "Master... now that Shen Lian has dripped his blood onto it, but he doesn't know that it's just an ordinary sword, what should we do if he notices? I'm afraid it will cause more trouble."

After all, they still didn't know who Shen Lian really was. If he knows about the Lingyun Sword, he must already be someone from the cultivation world.

Could someone else have been reborn too?

Yan Huaixuan said indifferently, "Possess that sword, pretend to form a contract with him, and teach him cultivation."

Ling Yun was taken aback. "Master, why do this?"

"I'm about to break through to the Golden Core stage, and I don't want to see him anymore. Find a way to keep him busy."

Ling Yun had no choice but to say, "Alright."

Just as Shen Lian was wondering why the sword wasn't responding, the blade suddenly went cold, and a cold voice rang out.

"So you're my... master?"

Shen Lian didn't catch the stiffness and awkwardness in the sword's voice. His eyes brightened. "I'm not your master, but can you teach me how to cultivate?"

Ling Yun was stunned for a moment by the first sentence, then spoke in a cold, mechanical tone, "I can."

Shen Lian's eyes crinkled into a smile. "Thank you."

Held in Shen Lian's arms, Ling Yun looked up at his beautiful features. It paused for a moment before letting out a soft hum of acknowledgment.

"I'll start by teaching you to gather qi."

Shen Lian immediately nodded. "Alright."

Ling Yun had only planned to teach Shen Lian a few superficial basics, while keeping an eye on him to make sure he didn't go bothering Yan Huaixuan.

But what happened next was unexpected.

Shen Lian gathered qi effortlessly.

Ling Yun's eyes widened—he'd done it twice as fast as Yan Huaixuan had back then?

Meanwhile, Shen Lian only felt that after cultivating using Ling Yun's method, he quickly slipped into a mysterious state.

Ling Yun had originally said the first attempt at gathering qi might fail, and told him to try a few times.

He'd been a bit worried, but unexpectedly, he only needed to run through the heart manual once.

And instantly, he could sense the faint spiritual energy and power in the air.

Shen Lian carefully reached out to touch that power, only to find the spiritual energy joyfully flowing into his body.

A warm, comfortable force enveloped Shen Lian, washing away the impurities from his limbs and bones.

Shen Lian's body felt light as a feather.

He had no idea that outside, Ling Yun's expression was grim.

Could this Shen Lian be some kind of prodigy?

Ling Yun recalled how this person had stolen his master's opportunity, and a cold glint flashed in its eyes.

By the time Shen Lian came to his senses, it was already the next day.

He was startled—when he'd entered meditation, it had been afternoon.

He didn't know what was going on with him. The system had said he was an ordinary person, and he was afraid his aptitude was truly too poor, which would make the gap between him and Yan Huaixuan's cultivation even wider.

He asked Ling Yun nervously, "Can I cultivate?"

Ling Yun looked at Shen Lian, who had already easily stepped into the Foundation Establishment stage, yet was still asking, worried, whether he had any talent.

It wondered who this person had been in a past life. If he were from the cultivation world, how could he not know if he had any talent for cultivation?

Ling Yun narrowed its eyes. "Your talent is nothing special."

Shen Lian's face went pale, but he quickly hid it.

Seeing that the disappointment in his eyes seemed genuine, Ling Yun believed this person truly didn't understand cultivation.

It changed its tone and went on, "However, my heart manual is at least immortal-grade. If you cultivate according to this manual, given time, you can still improve your aptitude and set foot on the path of immortality."

Shen Lian's eyes lit up. "Okay."

He paused. "I'll copy this heart manual out once and memorize it for daily recitation."

Ling Yun agreed on the surface, but sneered inwardly—even if you copied it ten thousand times, it'd be useless. This heart manual was completely backwards. At first, cultivation would progress rapidly, but after three months, your meridians would all be damaged in reverse.

It would never allow anyone to get in the way of its master's cultivation.

Shen Lian didn't notice the coldness radiating off Ling Yun. He carefully copied the manual, looked it over, and then wrote down the cultivation method Ling Yun had taught him.

Then he said, "I'll go get some food ready."

Ling Yun nodded. It didn't follow him, instead planning to search the area for clues about Shen Lian's identity.

Meanwhile, the system watched as Shen Lian took the heart manual and headed straight for Yan Huaixuan's door.

It widened its eyes. "What are you doing now?!"

But Shen Lian ignored it completely and walked in with the manual.

Seeing this, the system understood it all.

"You!" The system gritted its teeth. "Shen Lian, are you stupid?!"

Shen Lian said coldly, "This was his opportunity to begin with."

The system gritted its teeth. "Shen Lian, since you insist on opposing me, then I've got nothing more to say. At worst, we'll both go down together!"

The moment Shen Lian pushed open the door, he suddenly staggered. His face went pale, but he quickly steadied himself against the door.

Then his expression returned to normal, and Shen Lian walked in quietly.

"Husband."

Shen Lian didn't receive an answer. He walked inside and found Yan Huaixuan meditating.

Shen Lian had no choice but to soften his footsteps. He placed the cultivation manual beside Yan Huaixuan, knelt on the ground, and rested against Yan Huaixuan's legs.

"Yan Huaixuan, I didn't mean to steal your fortune. I know you no longer believe me, and Ling Yun has already bonded to you as its master. I have no way to explain."

"This heart method was taught to me by Ling Yun. I've memorized it all, including the cultivation method. You can follow it—"

Before Shen Lian could finish, a piercing pain spread from his head to every limb and bone.

The system was still cursing at him in his head, but Shen Lian could no longer hear it.

He spoke haltingly, "Cultivate using the method written here. I'm leaving."

With that, he sprang up and left. Once outside, Shen Lian leaned against the wall, lowered his head, and coughed up a mouthful of blood.

The system was still screaming in his head, "Shen Lian, are you really not afraid?"

Shen Lian wiped the blood from his lips with a blank expression. "Suit yourself."

He forced himself to stand straight and walked back one step at a time.

Inside the room, Yan Huaixuan, who had been meditating, opened his eyes. At first, he tossed the folded paper aside.

But his fingertips paused mid-air, and his eyes shifted slightly.

The paper still flew into his hand.

He slowly unfolded it. When his gaze landed on the heart method written on it, his fingertips suddenly stiffened.

After a long while, Yan Huaixuan's eyes finally moved.

He stared fixedly at the page. Every single character—the handwriting was so familiar.

Every stroke was written by that person, stroke by stroke.

But the content—

He sent a voice transmission to Ling Yun.

"Ling Yun, the cultivation heart method you taught Shen Lian—is there anything wrong with it?"

Ling Yun's scalp instantly tightened. Why was its master suddenly asking about this?

But it knew its master disliked it being too bloodthirsty.

It quickly replied, "No, there's nothing wrong. What I taught him is just an ordinary sect cultivation manual."

Ling Yun felt a twinge of guilt. After speaking, cold sweat broke out on its forehead.

The silence stretched on.

Until Ling Yun could barely endure it.

Then a cold voice, like a frozen abyss, came from the other end.

"I see."

Yan Huaixuan withdrew his Spiritual Sense, slowly clenched his hand, his eyes filled with coldness.

When he opened his hand again, only ashes remained in his palm.

Stealing his fortune wasn't enough—he had to feign peace while secretly inverting the cultivation method.

Was he so desperate to kill him before he could feel at ease?

Yan Huaixuan stared at the ashes. After a long moment, he laughed out loud instead.