Chapter 33: A Change of Heart

Chapter 33: A Change of Heart

“Oh right, I rescued a black cat yesterday. I wonder how it’s doing now,” Chen Huai’an said, standing up and heading toward the shoebox.

Inside, the black cat, still dazed from the earlier blow, perked up at the sound of movement. It braced itself, ready to charm Chen Huai’an and get closer to him.

But just as Chen Huai’an was about to open the box—

Buzz!

His phone on the coffee table vibrated with a notification.

Chen Huai’an paused and sat back down on the couch, leaving the black cat’s hopes dashed once again. It slumped back into the shoebox, its fleeting aspirations crushed.

【Your Virtual Girlfriend is under attack by Heart Demons!】

The message made Chen Huai’an jump. He quickly opened the app, where he saw Li Qingran sitting cross-legged on the bed, meditating. Her face was pale, sweat dripped from her brow, and her lips were an ominous shade of blue. Her expression was one of deep anguish, with dark energy gathering ominously at her brow.

“Heart demons? At the Qi Refinement stage?” Chen Huai’an muttered in confusion. He had read enough cultivation novels to know that heart demons usually appeared only during advanced stages.

Opening Li Qingran’s status bar, he found an explanation for the condition:

【Heart Demon Arising: Heart demons are unrelated to cultivation stages and stem from a practitioner’s inner thoughts—obsessions, malice, greed, and more can give rise to them. They can form naturally through experiences or be induced by certain demonic techniques. To defeat a heart demon, one must break free of the inner thoughts that bind them.】

“So it’s about what’s troubling her. But what exactly is weighing on Li Qingran’s mind?”

Chen Huai’an wracked his brain for answers, recalling Li Qingran’s backstory. Besides the tragic death of her parents, the biggest source of pain in her life was undoubtedly the people of Chixiao Peak and the Qingyun Sect.

Knowing the source, however, was one thing—solving it was another.

Still treating the situation as part of the game, Chen Huai’an started tapping around the app, looking for a recharge option. But the game, as usual, refused to make things straightforward. Hidden pay-to-win features like this only appeared at specific moments in the story.

“God, this game is such a tease,” Chen Huai’an grumbled, frustrated by the developer’s coyness.

“Whatever. When in doubt, use

Heavenly Divination

!”

【This divination will cost ¥100 and apply a

Lost Fortune

debuff for 24 hours. Proceed?】

“Proceed!”

In the Cangyun Realm, the sudden divination caused a stir.

“Again? That mysterious powerhouse is divining twice in one day?!”

“What’s happening in the Cangyun Realm that warrants this?”

“First a divine pill appeared at Wanqing Mountain, then spiritual light surged skyward. Could these be connected to the divinations?”

“It seems Zhongzhou’s secret realm is about to open. These are turbulent times indeed…”

Wanjian Pavilion.

Sect Master Su Qinian stood atop the mountain, white robes billowing in the wind. His long, snowy hair whipped dramatically around him, and his narrowed eyes fixed on the direction of Wanqing Mountain. A picture of elegance and gravitas. Ŕ𝘈ℕОВЕS̩

At least, for a moment.

The next second, his composure shattered.

“D*mn that Qingyun Sect! Why does Wanqing Mountain get all the benefits?! Just wait—when Zhongzhou’s secret realm opens, I’ll make them pay!”

“Sect Master!” A pavilion elder descended from a flying sword, bowing respectfully. “Two pressing matters require your attention.”

“What matters?” Su Qinian smoothed his robes, resuming a calm demeanor.

“First… we’re broke.”

“…What?”

“The spirit stone mines in the back mountain have been completely depleted,” the elder explained with an uneasy expression.

“D*mn it! I knew this day would come, but so soon?!” Su Qinian clenched his fists. Wanjian Pavilion was already infamous as the poorest sect in the Cangyun Realm.

“And the second matter?”

“Our sect’s guardian beast has gone into heat. It’s demanding to mate and has threatened to destroy the spiritual herbs in the back mountain if we refuse…”

Su Qinian’s eye twitched.

Taking the beast to the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect for mating would cost money, and ordinary beasts wouldn’t satisfy it. Letting it destroy their herbs was also unthinkable.

After a long pause, Su Qinian finally made his decision. “Tell it to hold it in. If it can’t, we’ll… we’ll neuter it!”

“WHAT?!” The elder gaped in horror.

“I said NEUTER IT!” Su Qinian roared, his eyes flashing with murderous resolve. “Tell that beast this sect has no money! If it doesn’t behave, I’ll personally take care of it!”

The elder left with a pained expression, while Su Qinian stared into the horizon, muttering darkly. He adjusted the sword at his waist, seemingly lost in thought. His hand reached into his storage pouch, where he felt the familiar texture of his black night-raid uniform.

“…Guess I’ll find a way to get some money.”

【Heavenly Divination Complete!】

【To overcome her heart demon, Li Qingran must return to the Qingyun Sect and sever her ties to Chixiao Peak completely.】

【Warning: Li Qingran is suffering from a heart demon backlash, and her cultivation base is about to regress. Use the

Pulse Opening Needle

in conjunction with the free Supreme-Grade Heart Protection Pill to stabilize her foundation. (This use of the needle carries no risk.)】

【You have gained the

Lost Fortune

status for 24 hours.】

“A free supreme-grade pill?!” Chen Huai’an was shocked. “The developers actually gave me something for free? Have they finally grown a conscience?”

A flash of green light appeared, and the pill materialized on the table.

Meanwhile, at Qingyun Sect’s Chixiao Peak, Xiao Yifeng had just returned to his cave and eagerly retrieved his pill furnace.

“I finally got a Supreme-Grade Heart Protection Pill! Once I figure out how it’s made, I’ll refine it myself and amaze everyone—including Junior Sister Mu!”

Reaching into his storage pouch, his face went pale.

“…Gone? Everything I bought is gone?!”

“My… my Supreme-Grade Heart Protection Pill?!”