Chapter 10: Mortal Heart Part 2

Xiao Kun said uneasily, “I always thought the Earth Abyss Death Force flowing through my body was evil.”

“How could it be?” Chaosheng laughed. “Life and death are the two poles of reincarnation, both pure primal forces.”

Chaosheng hesitated for a moment, then comforted him further. “But I think you should first find these two treasures before facing the Heavenly Demon. Otherwise, if you encounter that ‘Mu,’ your Ghost Fire might not defeat him.”

Xiao Kun replied, “A few days ago, I met another exorcist who wields a divine sword—that must be the Wisdom Sword. After all, there shouldn’t be many divine weapons that can match the Myriad Phenomena Blade. I’ll do my best to cooperate with him.”

“That makes things easier,” Chaosheng said warmly. “Let me help you find the whereabouts of the Heart Lamp.”

Xiao Kun was deeply moved by Chaosheng’s attitude. At the lowest point of his life, someone actually offered such help.

Chaosheng, however, cared nothing for Sa Luan or Great Liao. To him, human affairs were mere comings and goings, a chaotic play. The White Jade Palace floated atop Kunlun, guarding the secrets of immortality for nearly ten thousand years. The Queen Mother of the West, who had ascended and opened divine domains beyond the heavens, had existed since the era of Buzhou Mountain—a primordial god of the world.

Under the watch of the White Jade Palace, the rise and fall of dynasties and the extinction of empires were as commonplace as falling leaves or melting snow.

He helped Xiao Kun solely because he was too handsome.

Chaosheng was more interested in the prophecy of the Heavenly Demon Rebirth, as it directly concerned the sacred tree in the White Jade Palace.

“Your Highness, are you an immortal?” Xiao Kun asked. “Did I offend you by saying that?”

Chaosheng replied, “No offense. I suppose I’m half-mortal?”

Chaosheng went to a spot by the bookshelves labeled “Mingguang Registry.” He pulled out several volumes one by one and said, “Before the Queen Mother of the West left Shenzhou, she personally enlightened a Sacred Tree Fruit—I am the innate essence of wood and water. But if I had grown in the garden, I wouldn’t have gained a human form. So sixteen years ago, Lord Jumang cast me into the mortal Western Xia Kingdom, where I was born in a mortal body. My mortal identity was also that of royalty.”

Xiao Kun nodded. Chaosheng continued, “At six years old, the Garden Protecting Pixiu brought me back to the White Jade Palace—that’s Pi Changge, whom you just met. We’ve lived here ever since. He raised me. In my free time, I read books; otherwise, I played with the animals.”

“I understand,” Xiao Kun nodded and replied.

“How is Great Xia now?” Chaosheng asked. “Are my mortal parents still alive?”

“They are,” Xiao Kun said. “They must still be alive.”

“Mm. More recently, Chen Ziang, Li Jinglong, Chen Feng, Chen Yue…” Chaosheng said. “The divine servants of the White Jade Palace often descended to the mortal world to retrieve stray scrolls and recover certain treasures. But because the red dust was too alluring, they all preferred to abandon immortality rather than return to the palace.”

Xiao Kun came behind Chaosheng, leaned down slightly, and examined the registry of Heart Lamp Holders together with him.

“This is from the Tang era,” Chaosheng said. “Then the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms, and nothing after… Let me see, Meng Shu.”

“During Emperor Meng Chang’s reign,” Xiao Kun said, pointing to a spot on the registry.

Chaosheng suddenly recalled words relayed by a divine servant a few years prior.

“That human emperor who loved the Wise Consort,” Chaosheng murmured. “But the Heart Lamp’s last appearance was with an exorcist named ‘Ge Liang’ in the Chengdu Demon Exorcism Office. If you want to find the Heart Lamp, you must go to Chengdu. Because before a Heart Lamp Holder passes, they can often sense where the eternal radiance will reincarnate next.”

“Like the reincarnation systems in the hidden lands?” Xiao Kun asked, moved.

“Reincarnation is the rebirth of the soul,” Chaosheng thought for a moment and explained. “The Heart Lamp Power is different. Perhaps they can briefly ‘see’ where the Heart Lamp will go next. But upon closer examination, it might be similar, since the Heart Lamp exists within the soul.”

“I understand. Thank you,” Xiao Kun said. “But there’s still no intelligence on ‘Mr. Ying.’ Mr. Ying mentioned the Heavenly Demon Palace—where is the Heavenly Demon Palace?”

Chaosheng stood lost in thought before the bookshelves. Mentioning Chengdu reminded him of a past event Pi Changge had told him about—a divine servant named “Hua Rui.” Back then, she descended solely to recover treasures and scriptures that had fallen in Chengdu and bring them back to the White Jade Palace. By a twist of fate, she fell in love with Shu’s ruler, Meng Chang. After Zhao Song conquered Shu and Shu fell, Hua Rui vanished.

“Your Highness?”

“Nothing,” Chaosheng came back to himself and sighed. “The red dust must be truly beautiful.”

Xiao Kun didn’t know how to respond and simply stood quietly. A moment later, he said, “The human world is also filled with endless torment that one cannot see the end of, forging all things like a furnace, causing unbearable suffering.”

Chaosheng glanced at Xiao Kun, and together they left the Book Pavilion and returned to the front hall.

At that moment, Yuzhou sat on the steps, helping Pi Changge roll pancakes. Yuzhou rolled one and fed it to Pi Changge, who opened his mouth to catch and eat it. Hearing them, Yuzhou looked up and said, “Brother Xiao, did you get some guidance?”