Chapter Fifty-One: Exorcism

Su Youjin felt as if her head was splitting apart, tormented by a faint, haunting melody that seemed to emanate from nowhere, lingering like a shadow—sometimes light, sometimes heavy. Though this was far from the first time she had endured such a torment, the intensifying pain threatened to shatter her resolve time and again.

Sharp laughter scraped against her eardrums, and a seductive voice loosened her spirit, whispering incessantly: “If it hurts so much, why not give up? Just give up. Then the pain will cease…”

Before her eyes, images flickered like rapidly rolling black-and-white silent films. She saw herself as a lonely child, clutching a doll, standing alone in an empty room. Her eyes shifted from grievance, hope, longing, and resentment, gradually turning sorrowful, indifferent, and numb.

She glimpsed countless shadows of her parents: a figure making a phone call, a silhouette departing, a hurried profile, and lips moving silently. Though she could not hear their words, she could guess their meaning.

The scenes, tinged with an air of antiquity, slowly shattered like broken glass—each shard sharp-edged and glinting with a chilling light. In the shifting shadows, her hollow, indifferent eyes were reflected back at her.

The beguiling whispers at her ear repeated tirelessly: “Resent, hate… Why bring me into this world and then abandon me? No matter how much I do, I cannot win even one moment of your attention… I want to be with Mom and Dad… Mom and Dad, please look at me… Mom and Dad, stay with me… Despair, give up…”

Su Youjin was already struggling to hear these voices clearly; the negative emotions within her were gradually consuming her.

She was sinking deeper into darkness.

…

The fox demon was growing impatient. It had never encountered such a troublesome human before.

By its nature, given how difficult this host was, it should have abandoned her long ago.

As a worldly demon thriving in the human realm and steadily improving its cultivation, it naturally had its own methods for dealing with matters.

It was always self-aware, adept at reading people, and skillfully diplomatic.

Cunningly, it had never allowed anyone to catch it off guard.

Therefore, it preferred hosts with weak willpower; when a host’s mind was too strong, unpredictability multiplied. With so many choices, why stubbornly cling to one?

But this one was different!

Because of the Bodhicitta!

It had never imagined encountering a human with Bodhicitta!

This was a monumental opportunity for it! How could it ever give up?

As a fox demon, its cultivation path was contrary to the natural order of heaven. Though progress was promising, the resurgence of inner demons was relentless, and a single misstep could lead to demonic possession, self-destruction, and ruin.

Thus, the fox demon’s path was as precarious as walking on thin ice; one false move meant total defeat.

But with Bodhicitta, everything changed.

Bodhicitta had no other function but to purify the mind and illuminate the spirit.

It enabled its bearer to resist external attacks and repel inner demons, maintaining a clear mind amid turmoil.

It was a treasure tailor-made for the fox demon.

…

With Bodhicitta, why would it need to control the pace of cultivation? Why worry about a single misstep allowing inner demons to invade?

With Bodhicitta, the great path was within reach!

So how could it give up on Su Youjin? It simply could not!

Now, not only had Xiao Xiao sensed the familiar aura of a demon, but the fox demon also felt a familiar presence.

Unease and the prolonged stalemate compelled the fox demon to gamble it all—delay would only bring complications.

This Bodhicitta, it had to claim it!

…

The prolonged struggle had left Su Youjin utterly exhausted. Were it not for a surge of willpower, she would have long since crumbled.

But this would be the end; she had done well, yet the gap between humans and demons—especially ordinary humans and demons—became heartbreakingly clear once the fox demon grew serious.

Su Youjin suddenly felt a chill; boundless darkness surged toward her, silent and inexorable, threatening to erase her existence.

At that moment, a faint light emerged.

Though not brilliant, it pulled Su Youjin’s sinking spirit back from the abyss.

So comforting—like a warm current thawing her cold, stiff limbs—light slowly glimmered in her unfocused, vacant eyes.

She heard someone calling her name.

“Su Youjin!”

…

“Su Youjin!” Xiao Xiao gripped her wrist tightly, preventing her escape but controlling his strength to avoid causing harm.

As he channeled his energy to help her resist the fox demon, he kept calling her name.

“Su Youjin!”

…

Xiao Xiao’s calls grew more urgent, especially as he sensed the intensifying demonic aura around Su Youjin.

He could never accept the fox demon forcibly taking over a girl’s body right under his nose!

He would not give up. Su Youjin, since you have held on this far, do not give up now—hold on to the very end!

…

“Su Youjin!”

…

Xiao Xiao keenly felt the demonic aura around Su Youjin begin to weaken and hastened his energy infusion.

Fox demon, come out!

…

Su Youjin’s body trembled violently. The hand Xiao Xiao held suddenly went still, but the other hand—free—moved abruptly and forcefully. Sensing danger, Xiao Xiao quickly grabbed that hand too; otherwise, he feared Su Youjin might unintentionally give him a concussion.

At this moment, they were locked in an arduous tug of war, the winds of fortune shifting back and forth, utterly oblivious to the passage of time.

When dawn finally broke, Xiao Xiao ignored the faint pain within himself and intensified the flow of energy.

Wisps of smoke curled above Su Youjin’s head, swirling without dispersing. A massive fox figure loomed faintly—ferocious in countenance, its eyes cold and gleaming. Its entire body was exposed in the air, save for two tails half-hidden within Su Youjin’s head.

Seeing this, Xiao Xiao summoned all his strength and shouted once more, “Su Youjin!”

Su Youjin’s eyes suddenly opened, clear light flowing within, as if faint Sanskrit chants echoed around her. The fox demon was instantly flung out, stumbling and twisting in midair.

Xiao Xiao immediately dragged Su Youjin behind him, shielding her.

Su Youjin was drenched in sweat, utterly drained, and helplessly allowed Xiao Xiao to support her, nearly collapsing onto him.

…

Facing Xiao Xiao’s protective stance, the fox demon let out a piercing howl. Its sharp, pitch-black claws gleamed menacingly, and its two tails thrashed wildly as it lunged toward Su Youjin behind Xiao Xiao.

Though it longed to tear Xiao Xiao apart, Su Youjin was the prize.

Besides, the fox demon was uncertain of Xiao Xiao’s true strength; otherwise, it would not waste time tearing a human limb from limb.

For safety’s sake, it decided to seize the Bodhicitta first.

As for Xiao Xiao, the fox demon had plenty of schemes to deal with him later.

…

The fox demon moved swiftly. Its howl momentarily shook Xiao Xiao’s mind. When he recovered, the pungent demonic aura surged fiercely, and the claws—reeking of decay—skimmed past his face, swiping toward Su Youjin behind him.

Instinctively, Xiao Xiao reached out to grab the demon, but before he could act, the fox demon was already upon him. Even if he had moved sooner, he likely would not have caught it. He had faltered earlier.

Yet, at the critical moment, before Xiao Xiao could fully react, the fox demon was suddenly repelled!