Infinite Fire Record

Chapter 33: The Jade Lady’s Heart Sutra

The Southern Mountain stretched far into the horizon, a sight to be admired at leisure.

Zhongnan Mountain, Quanzhen Sect.

Blood flowed in rivers. Mountains of corpses. A sea of blood.

Within the great hall of Quanzhen Sect, a stunned gaze. A face twisted in fury.

“Who is it? Who is it…?!”

A man, clad in black robes, brandished his long sword. His voice, hoarse with grief, echoed through the carnage. He lifted his face to the heavens and wailed.

A pale woman, her cheeks wet with tears, trembled violently. Blood-streaked hands clutched her sword, her voice breaking as she sobbed, “Ma Yu, Senior Brother… Senior Brother Ma Yu, why have you left me? Why?!”

Her sorrow and fury pierced the heavens. Grief and rage twisted her features. A black mole on her face quivered as she clenched her jaw, suppressing a bloodthirsty howl. “Who else is alive?! Tell me everything that happened!”

Above the great hall, nearly a thousand bodies littered the floor, their fate uncertain—dead or dying.

“Master Qiu… Master Qiu…!” A weak voice rasped through the still air. A white-robed Taoist, his arm trembling, struggled to rise.

Qiu Chuji’s gaze snapped to the source of the voice. Without hesitation, he disregarded the blood-soaked floor and lifted the survivor. “Zhijing! Tell me! Tell me who did this! Who?!”

His face was contorted with fury. Moments earlier, upon returning to the sect, he had caught the thick scent of blood in the air. At first, he thought little of it—Quanzhen Sect was the foremost martial sect in the world. Who could pose a threat, aside from the Beggar Sect under Hong Qigong’s leadership?

But when he stepped into the main hall, he felt as though lightning had struck him.

Blood. Blood everywhere. Dismembered limbs. A mountain of corpses. A sea of blood.

Qiu Chuji had seen countless battles and killed more men than he could remember, yet never had he witnessed such a scene.

Horror turned to hatred. Fury burned within his chest, ready to explode.

Now, his hands trembled as he gripped Zhao Zhijing, a man he had never held in high regard. “Zhijing, speak! Who did this?!”

Zhao Zhijing, gravely wounded, had been carried by surviving disciples. They had managed to shield him from the worst of the slaughter, suffering only minor injuries themselves. But fear had taken root in Zhao Zhijing’s heart. His body trembled, and his lips moved in halting gasps.

“Uncle Qiu… it was… the forbidden land… It was the Ancient Tomb Sect…”

As the last word left his lips, Zhao Zhijing collapsed into unconsciousness.

Qiu Chuji’s grip tightened around his sword. “Ancient Tomb Sect… Ancient Tomb Sect!!!”

His rage burst forth as he took off, moving like a furious wind toward the forbidden lands of the Southern Mountain.

At that moment, his mind burned with bloodlust. His face, twisted with fury, was streaked with blood.

He did not know that the culprit behind this massacre… was celebrating.

Within the Ancient Tomb Sect, Royal Sky carried Little Dragon Girl toward a secluded bamboo house.

The flickering candlelight cast dim shadows upon the walls.

Little Dragon Girl’s face remained expressionless, her gaze as cold as ice.

With a deep sigh, Royal Sky looked at her and said, “Dragon Child, all the conditioning from before has been undone. You must never practice the Twelve Lesser Thoughts Gong again. This technique harms both others and yourself.”

Her voice was frigid, almost unsettling. “Royal Sky, why?”

A faint smile curled his lips. He studied her impassive face and spoke softly. “The Twelve Lesser Thoughts Gong… the deeper one practices, the faster one dies. Yet, it is also the ultimate martial art in this world.

“At their peak, warriors exist in two states: one of extreme emotion, the other of absolute emotion. Extreme emotion ignites unrivaled strength. Absolute emotion erases all attachments—everything becomes lifeless. Such a person achieves perfection, attaining ultimate power.

“Twelve Lesser Thoughts: less thought, less desire, less attachment, less speech, less laughter, less sorrow, less joy, less happiness, less anger, less good, less evil. Master all twelve, and one achieves ultimate serenity.

“But combined with the Twelve Lesser Thoughts Gong, this philosophy leads only to absolute detachment. Should the practitioner waver even slightly, they will spiral into ruin and perish.”

Little Dragon Girl’s icy eyes flickered—just for a moment. Her brows knit together, revealing a sliver of disbelief.

Royal Sky sighed. “When Granny Sun died, you felt pain. Otherwise, you would not have acted. You were raised in seclusion, untouched by the outside world, knowing only cultivation. Yet, Granny Sun cared for you since childhood—you could not sever your emotions completely. That is why your Twelve Lesser Thoughts Gong never reached perfection. Now, you have me… you will never walk that path.”

His words hung in the air as he carried her up the bamboo house’s second floor.

A slight smile played on his lips. “Dragon Child, you have already mastered most of the external techniques of the Jade Maiden Heart Sutra. Now, it is time for us to practice the true Sutra.”

Her cold expression wavered. Her gaze drifted to the bed before them. “Why here?”

Royal Sky placed her down. With a flick of his fingers, her silk robes slipped away, revealing skin as pure as jade.

Drawing her into his arms, he murmured, “The Jade Maiden Heart Sutra, though derived from the Twelve Lesser Thoughts Gong, stands in complete opposition. One embodies detachment; the other, supreme love.

“Upon mastering the Jade Maiden Heart Sutra, emotions suppressed within the body will erupt, forging a bond so strong that the two practitioners will be willing to die for one another.

“However, one must first suppress these emotions to train properly… or risk losing control. But—I have discovered another method.”

His robe slid from his shoulders as he leaned down, his eyes locking onto hers. “Dragon… this method involves dual cultivation. Practicing together will not only hasten progress but also enhance power.”