Chapter 15 Heart Demon

Regarding the Chen family, it was merely a casual arrangement to fulfill the original owner's obsession. Xu Jingming's energy was mainly focused on the *Light* manuscript. He practiced the visualization methods within it daily and studied its knowledge.

On the fifth day after killing the Green Lake Demon God, Xu Jingming felt he was in excellent condition. At night, he began the Mind Refinement of Demons. This time, the refinement lasted a full three hours. It was dawn before Xu Jingming successfully collapsed the Green Lake Demon God's obsession.

"The Green Lake Demon God's obsession can't shake me, but persuading him is quite difficult."

"He's just a stubborn mule."

Xu Jingming opened the door and walked out of the house, taking a deep breath.

"It's easy to persuade smart people, but persuading a stubborn mule is difficult," Xu Jingming thought.

"Fists and loyalty? What simple and crude obsessions!"

The Green Lake Demon God was originally a fisherman on Green Lake. With loyalty, he attracted a group of fishermen, forming a small group.

Later, in a fight with another group of fishermen, he was unfortunately seriously injured, fell into the water, and died.

Even in death, he was unwilling and unconvinced! His obsession attracted the demonic Qi of heaven and earth, transforming him into a demon, even gradually growing into the famous Green Lake Demon God.

"Loyalty should be given to the right people. Blind loyalty will only lead to a bloody nose!"

It took Xu Jingming more than three hours, using the simplest and most straightforward reasoning, to persuade the Green Lake Demon God.

"But he also allowed me to view the world from another perspective. Mind Refinement of Demons allows me to view the world from the perspective of individual demons."

Observe it, understand it, find its flaws, and ultimately persuade the demon!

This process is also a purification of Xu Jingming's own mind.

"Fists are a branch of power theory, and loyalty is also a branch of the theory of righteousness. My understanding is even more thorough."

Xu Jingming nodded slightly. The Cosmos Human Alliance has very complete humanities courses. However, Xu Jingming has learned a lot of theory and understands a lot, but there is still a gap from truly mastering it. After all, there are very few people like Mr. Pang, who possess outstanding talent in the humanities, almost at a full level. Of course, everyone has their own talents. Mr. Pang's talents are average in martial arts combat and science.

Xu Jingming is a dazzling genius in martial arts, and his scientific abilities are now gradually growing.

"Each Mind Refinement of Demons is a purification of the mind from a different perspective."

Xu Jingming nodded slightly, "Once I've completely digested the gains from this time, I can proceed with the next Mind Refinement of Demons."

Digesting the gains mainly involves studying some similar courses at the Yuan Chu Research Institute, deepening accumulation in this area.

The weather turned cold suddenly. An unexpected heavy snow covered the entire prefectural city in a layer of silver. The Chen family, along with a merchant caravan, after much hardship, finally arrived in the prefectural city.

"We've finally arrived in the prefectural city." "We even encountered a demon on the road, but fortunately, the caravan guards repelled it."

"It was the first time in my life I'd seen a demon with my own eyes. I was scared to death."

The Chen family members were all very grateful after entering the prefectural city.

"Patriarch, everyone is exhausted. Let's find an inn to stay first," someone suggested.

The old patriarch swept his triangular eyes and said indifferently, "No, go directly to Chen Qi's residence! We will visit him today."

"Uncle, everyone is very tired," Chen Shian said. "Let's go see my son tomorrow."

"I know everyone is tired, and I can see that everyone is exhausted. I believe…Chen Qi can see that too!"

The old patriarch said, "We came all the way from Bai County."

"We rushed all the way here, without even having a hot meal, to visit him immediately. This will show our sincerity even more."

The old patriarch looked at the Chen family members.

"We've already traveled over a thousand *li*, don't mess up at the last moment."

"Yes." "We'll listen to the patriarch." The Chen family members all nodded.

The guards naturally would not object.

According to the information they had gathered earlier, they directly felt their way to Xu Jingming's residence.

"Old sir, is that residence in front the home of Mr. Wu Ming?"

The Chen family asked an old man.

The old man immediately smiled happily, pointing to the residence, "Yes! That is Mr. Wu Ming's residence! He is one of the most powerful demon slayers in our Cheng'an Prefecture. With him here, no demons dare to approach within a few *li*! The property prices around here have doubled several times! Many people want to buy and live around here!"

The old man smiled, his teeth leaking air, obviously very happy that the price of his house had risen sharply. "Let's go." With the old patriarch's order, the Chen family members walked towards the residence, the guards following behind.

Soon they arrived at the gate of the residence. The gate was tightly closed.

"Shian, go knock on the door," the old patriarch instructed.

"Sigh," Chen Shian was actually full of resentment. He was enjoying himself in Bai County, but now he was forced to come all the way to the prefectural city. All of this was forced by his son, Chen Qi! But no matter how angry he was, he had to obediently endure it and lower his head.

"I just need a few soft words, and I believe Chen Qi will obediently acknowledge me as his father. Then, the number one demon slayer in the entire Cheng'an Prefecture will be my son. Wouldn't I be able to walk sideways? I won't even need to go back to Bai County! I'll just enjoy myself in the prefectural city, marrying ten or eight beautiful concubines," Chen Shian thought to himself happily, while knocking on the door.

*Dong, dong, dong,* Chen Shian's knocking was very gentle.

The door opened.

Liu Fu squinted his eyes and looked outside. A seventh-rank official in front of the prime minister's door. Now, as the gatekeeper of the Wu residence, Liu Fu was also quite imposing.

"Who is it?" Although Liu Fu saw a group of people outside who seemed to be quite important, he still didn't care.

Even the prefect, the Qi family patriarch, and the demon slayer commander had come to visit his master. What did these people count for?

"Please inform," Chen Shian said, "I am the father of your master, Mr. Wu Ming. My name is Chen Shian. Tell your master, and he will know." Liu Fu was stunned.

The master's father? Chen Shian?

He didn't dare to put on airs. He nodded and said, "Please wait a moment, I'll go and report to the master."

Then he ran into the residence. Snowflakes fell. The Chen family members stood silently in front of the gate.

"This time, we're really giving Chen Qi a lot of face."

"Shut up!"

"Everyone should pay attention. From now on, Chen Qi is the dragon of our Chen family. Even if he wants to be the patriarch, I won't have any objections," the old patriarch glanced at the family members behind him. "We haven't even seen him yet," that family member said with a smile.

He didn't dare to say more.

Finally, the door of the residence opened again!

Xu Jingming walked out with Wu Qi.

"You still have the face to come!" Wu Qi's face was gloomy, and he immediately shouted angrily.

Among the Chen family members, some immediately looked unhappy. After all, Wu Qi was previously a steward in the second branch, and they usually had to bow and greet him. But now, he was so disrespectful.

Before coming, they had strict orders, so the Chen family members endured it.

The old patriarch looked at Xu Jingming and sighed, "Chen Qi, I know you have resentment."

"I'm no longer a member of the Chen family. My surname is now Wu." Xu Jingming looked calmly at the old patriarch. Of course, he was calm. After all, it was the previous Chen Qi who had emotional entanglements with the Chen family.

"Alright, Mr. Wu," the old patriarch nodded.

"You also know that it is not easy to survive in this world. If we offend a powerful demon slayer, the Chen family may be finished. If we offend a powerful demon, the Chen family will still be finished. Even if we offend some powerful officials, our Chen family still cannot afford it. Therefore, as the family patriarch, I must put the survival of the family first."

"The Wu family offended important figures, so our Chen family naturally had to draw a line with the Wu family and clear our relationship. I hope you can understand."

"Chen Qi," Chen Shian also spoke, his eyes red.

"You are my son. How could I bear to force you to leave? It was really out of helplessness, it was the family's decision. Now it's good. You have become one of the most powerful demon slayers in the entire Cheng'an Prefecture. Our Chen family doesn't need to look at other people's faces anymore, so naturally, we don't need to force you to leave anymore. Actually, in the past few months, I have been dreaming about you, and my face is always covered in tears when I wake up."

Chen Shian spoke with emotion, and tears flowed as he spoke.

Xu Jingming calmly watched everything, secretly sighing at the performance!

"Did you dream about my mother?" Xu Jingming asked.

Chen Shian nodded repeatedly, "Of course, I dreamed about her. The matter of moving your mother's grave was the private decision of the people below. I really didn't know anything about it, I didn't know anything about it."

"Mr. Wu, although the Chen family has wronged you before, we are still family after all."

The old patriarch said, "I am also old. As long as you return to the Chen family, you will immediately be the patriarch of the Chen family! You can investigate the matter of moving the grave. Punish those who should be punished, kill those who should be killed. From now on, everything in the Chen family will be according to the rules you set."

Moving the grave was ordered by the old patriarch.

However, the subordinates he directly ordered have long been silenced, and there is no evidence to prove that the patriarch personally ordered it.

"You were able to rush here from Bai County, it seems you are really anxious."

Xu Jingming nodded.

"It was you who drove me out, removed me from the family tree, and even embezzled the money my mother left behind. You did everything first, so don't blame me for being ruthless now."

"I'm telling you clearly today that my surname is Wu, not Chen anymore. No matter how much you say, it's useless. I've already been very merciful by not exterminating the Chen family," Xu Jingming looked at them.

"Everyone, the weather is cold, please go back and rest."

After saying that, Xu Jingming turned to leave. The gate closed, with only Wu Qi and Liu Fu standing at the door.

"Chen Qi!" Chen Shian shouted, "Chen Qi, are you really not acknowledging your father?"

"Are you really going to let your father kneel to his son? Are you really going to watch your father die in front of you?"

"If you don't give the Chen family a way out, we, the Chen family members, can only kneel and die here," the old patriarch immediately staggered forward.

*Bang.*

Wu Qi kicked the old patriarch, sending him flying.

"Don't tarnish the young master's reputation," Wu Qi said coldly.

"Coercing me, forcing me?" Xu Jingming stopped, turning to look at the Chen family members.

"Even if you kneel and beg me, beg me to go back, I will never go back. I will give you an incense stick's time to leave here obediently. Otherwise, if you offend my eyes, I can only send you all to jail."

After saying that, he walked towards the residence. The gate closed, with only Wu Qi and Liu Fu standing at the door.

"Chen Qi," Chen Shian shouted, "Chen Qi, are you really not even acknowledging your father?"

"Chen Qi, are you really so heartless?"

"Chen Qi, won't you give us a way out?"

"Chen Qi, you are not human!"

Chen Shian repeated the sentences, one after another.

Wu Qi coldly watched everything.

"The young master said, you have an incense stick's time. If you don't leave, we can only arrest you and send you to jail." "So heartless," the old patriarch's eyes were red. "Not giving the Chen family a way out, I can only knock my head and die here."

"Old patriarch, don't tarnish this gate," Wu Qi held his blade.

"If you dare to knock your head, I dare to give you a blade," Wu Qi said. The old patriarch stared at Wu Qi.

"If you do something, you have to bear the consequences," Wu Qi said indifferently.

"Don't you even understand this?" The old patriarch was silent.

The Chen family members were unwilling, but before an incense stick's time, they left.

In the following days, the Chen family members visited time and time again!

They tried everything possible, apologizing in every way, begging for Xu Jingming's forgiveness.

Finally, Xu Jingming became somewhat annoyed. Thus, the people from the prefectural government arrested all the Chen family members and imprisoned them! They were imprisoned for seven days, eating prison food for seven days.

"If you dare to cause trouble at Mr. Wu's place again, it won't just be a few days of imprisonment," the government soldiers said.

The Chen family members were desolate on the streets.

The cold wind blew, and they were all somewhat lost.

"Uncle, that unfilial son is too heartless. What do we do next?"

Chen Shian's hair was messy, and his eyes were somewhat dull.

"Go back," the old patriarch was much older. "Find a way to survive."

"Survive until when?" someone asked.

"Survive until… the day Mr. Wu Ming dies," the old patriarch sighed.

"He is so young, can our Chen family last until that day? Other families and gangs in Bai County will definitely kick us when we're down." The family members all felt that the future was dark, unable to see any hope.

The old patriarch sighed and said nothing.

They had to bear the consequences for what they had done in the past. This Chen Qi was too stone-hearted! Moving him with emotion, reasoning with him, nothing worked!

"Young master, the Chen family members have left the prefectural city," Wu Qi said.

Xu Jingming nodded slightly.

When the Chen family members were begging in every way on the first day, and he sternly refused, he felt the original owner's obsession gradually dissipate.

In the subsequent requests, Xu Jingming didn't even meet them, and the original owner's obsession had already completely dissipated.

"The Chen family will probably be very miserable in the future," Wu Qi said in a low voice.

"Really not going to care?"

"Not going to care. Let them live and die on their own," Xu Jingming said.

But in his heart, he was sighing.

This is a demon-slaying world! Those natives are almost all planetary life forms who have entered with their memories obscured. They are not here to enjoy themselves, but to cultivate martial arts and grow under environmental pressure.

"The more the Chen family declines, the more they will value martial arts," Xu Jingming thought to himself.

"Ordinary planetary life forms must enter the door of martial arts to change their fate. When you wake up in reality, you will still have to thank me." The more Xu Jingming understood, the more goodwill he felt toward the natives of the large virtual world.

Many of them do not have the qualifications to use 'virtual worlds' in reality! Thus, they sign contracts with large companies, obscuring their memories to go to virtual worlds, usually with a maximum time limit.

For example, a limit of fifty years. If they die midway, they will naturally wake up early. If they live all the time, they will die of old age and illness after fifty years, and they will also wake up.

Generally, large companies will also give rewards! For example, after obscuring their memories for fifty years, they can use the virtual world clearly for five years.

"Most of the planetary life forms who are willing to enter with obscured memories are relatively down-and-out humans in reality. What they should do most is to seize the opportunity in the virtual world to reach the fifth level."

Xu Jingming thought to himself, "That way, when they wake up in reality, they can completely transform and quickly become star-level life forms."

In the vast human race of the universe, the vast majority are planetary life forms. Even with the 'Blue Star Civilization' where virtual worlds are popular, very few can evolve into star-level life forms.

"If you don't work hard in the virtual world, when can you be outstanding?" The more ruthless Xu Jingming was to the Chen family, the more at ease he felt?

Of course. He was helping them grow.

***

Time passed.

Leaving aside the increasingly desolate Chen family, after Xu Jingming had digested and refined the gains from the Green Lake Demon God, and there were no powerful demons in the prefectural city, he began to leave the city to deal with those well-known local demons.

One local demon after another occupied a territory, causing fear and dread among the people in some towns and villages.

They had great reputations, and it was easy for Xu Jingming to find out where the local demons were entrenched. Based on the information, he tracked them down and began to subdue the demons.

One, two, three.

For Xu Jingming, each refinement of a local demon was a viewing of the world from different perspectives, viewing people's hearts. His mental power was also slowly growing. "I can feel that my mental power is growing. It shouldn't be far from the eighth level."

Xu Jingming walked on a country path, going to find his next target for refinement.