God Slayer: Make Up for the Past

Deep within the cave, darkness and coldness filled the air. Chu Feng, Pan Yue, and Elder Sun cautiously advanced, following the spirit child's shrill cries for help. A sickening stench of decay permeated the air, and the rock walls were covered in wet moss, emitting an eerie fluorescent glow. The deeper they went, the stronger the evil spirit's presence became, oppressing them to the point of suffocation.

Finally, they arrived at a vast cavern. In the center, a translucent barrier emanated a faint purple light. A spirit child huddled within, trembling. His eyes were hollow, his face streaked with fearful tears, and faint sobs emanated from his mouth. Outside the barrier, a black mist swirled and surged, like a ferocious beast seeking its prey, emitting waves of terrifying roars.

"It's the evil spirit's confinement barrier!" Elder Sun's face was solemn. "This barrier is extremely strong. If you try to break it by force, I'm afraid you'll hurt the spirit child."

Chu Feng frowned, gripping the dagger tightly in his hand, feeling the coldness of the dagger. He had to rescue the spirit boy; this was his conviction and his promise to Pan Yue.

Just then, a noisy sound of footsteps could be heard from the cave entrance. A group of night watchmen, armed with weapons, filed in. Leading the group was a burly, middle-aged man. He glanced sharply around the cave and said in a deep voice, "What are you doing here? Leave now! The spirit boy has been possessed by an evil spirit and is extremely dangerous!"

"No, Ling Tong is innocent!" Chu Feng tried to explain, "He's just controlled by an evil spirit. We must find a way to save him!"

"Nonsense!" the middle-aged man shouted. "What do you, a trainee night watchman, know? The evil spirit aura on the spirit boy is so strong, he is the incarnation of evil! We must eliminate him as soon as possible to prevent him from harming the world!"

"But..." Chu Feng wanted to say something else, but was stopped by Pan Yue. Pan Yue shook his head, signaling him not to be impulsive.

Elder Sun also stepped forward and said to the middle-aged man, "Captain Zhao, I think Chu Feng is right. The spirit boy is just a child; he can't be the incarnation of an evil spirit. We should first find a way to remove the evil spirit's control over him, rather than destroying him outright."

"Elder Sun, you're confused!" Captain Zhao said firmly, "The spiritual child is extremely dangerous. We can't take any risks! I order you to leave here immediately, or I'll be rude to you!"

Just then, an old voice rang out from the cave entrance: "Wait a minute." An old man in Taoist robes slowly walked into the cave. He had white hair and a youthful face, and he looked like an immortal. He held a whisk in his hand, giving people an otherworldly feeling.

"Master Liu!" Elder Sun recognized the man at a glance, with a look of surprise on his face.

Taoist Liu walked up to the spirit boy, observed him carefully, and then said, "This child is not the incarnation of an evil spirit. He is just controlled by the evil spirit. I know a way to remove the evil spirit's control over him."

"Really?" Chu Feng and Pan Yue asked in unison, with hope in their eyes.

Captain Zhao looked at Taoist Liu with suspicion and said coldly, "Who are you? What qualifications do you have to give orders here?"

Taoist Liu ignored Captain Zhao and took out an ancient jade pendant from his bosom, handed it to Chu Feng, and said, "Place this jade pendant on the forehead of the spirit boy, and then recite the Heart Purification Mantra to dispel the evil spirits in him."

Chu Feng took the jade pendant and was about to follow Taoist Liu's instructions when Captain Zhao suddenly grabbed Chu Feng's arm and sternly said, "Stop! I will never allow you to..."

"I won't allow you to do anything reckless!" Captain Zhao rudely interrupted Taoist Liu, snatched the jade pendant from Chu Feng's hand, and slammed it to the ground. "This jade pendant has unknown origins. Who knows if you're in league with the evil spirit? Come on, take these three people away!"

Chu Feng's eyes were filled with anger. He struggled to break free from Captain Zhao's arms and said in a hurried tone: "Why are you arresting us? We are saving people! Ling Tong is innocent, you can't do this to him!"

"Innocent? Where's the evidence?" Captain Zhao sneered, "He exudes such a strong aura of evil spirits, and you tell me he is innocent? It's a joke!" The night watchmen around him also echoed and cast suspicious eyes on Chu Feng, as if he had become an accomplice of the evil spirit.

Elder Sun tried to explain again: "Captain Zhao, please calm down and listen to what Taoist Liu has to say..."

"Elder Sun, you're old and easily seduced by these evil ways!" Captain Zhao interrupted him impatiently. "The situation is urgent now. We must act immediately! Take all three of them away!"

Two night watchmen stepped forward and grabbed Chu Feng and Pan Yue without explanation. Chu Feng struggled desperately, but to no avail. He felt a deep sense of powerlessness and anger. Pan Yue, on the other hand, remained relatively calm. He whispered to Chu Feng, "Calm down, Chu Feng. Resisting now will only make things worse."

Chu Feng's eyes welled up as he looked at the trembling spirit child trapped within the barrier, his heart filled with grief and indignation. He had clearly intended to save someone, yet he was being treated as a criminal. This feeling nearly suffocated him. He dropped his head helplessly, allowing the night watchman to drag him away.

At this moment, Taoist Liu sighed and said in an unquestionable tone, "Wait." He slowly walked up to Captain Zhao and stared at him with a piercing gaze. "Captain, you are so arbitrary. Have you ever considered that what you have captured is not a demon, but the only hope of saving this child?"

Captain Zhao snorted disdainfully, "Stop playing tricks here! What evidence do you have to prove this child isn't an evil spirit?"

Taoist Liu didn't answer directly. Instead, he pointed at the black mist swirling around the spirit child and slowly said, "This child isn't controlled by an ordinary evil spirit, but a special kind of evil spirit called the 'Heart Devouring Demon.' This evil spirit is extremely cunning. It parasitizes the host's heart, devouring the host's consciousness, and eventually turning the host into its own puppet."

He paused and continued, "To break the control of the Heart Devourer, it's not as simple as dispelling the evil spirit. Instead, you need to find a special herb called 'Nether Grass' and use it in conjunction with a specific rune combination to expel the Heart Devourer from the host."

Captain Zhao looked at Taoist Liu with a mixture of disbelief and suspicion. He was about to open his mouth to retort when Taoist Liu suddenly pointed to a corner deep in the cave and said, "If I'm not mistaken, that's where the netherworld grass should be growing."

Everyone's eyes followed the direction of Taoist Liu's finger. In that dark corner, they could vaguely see a few purple plants emitting a faint fluorescent light.

Taoist Liu turned his head and looked at Chu Feng, who was being held by the night watchman. He said meaningfully, "Young man, are you willing to prove your innocence?"

Chu Feng's eyes were as firm as torches, and he said in a deep voice: "I will prove that Ling Tong is innocent." The two night watchmen hesitantly let go of their hands. Although Captain Zhao was still full of doubts, Taoist Liu's words and the existence of the Nether Grass forced him to re-examine the situation.

Freed, Chu Feng immediately rushed deeper into the cave, with Pan Yue following closely behind. In the dim light, Chu Feng, guided by Taoist Liu, quickly located the faintly fluorescent Nether Grass. The leaves were a deep purple, their veins radiating a star-like glow, making them stand out against the chilling cavern. Meanwhile, Pan Yue discovered ancient runes carved into the stone walls nearby. These intricate and mysterious runes exuded an ancient power.

Chu Feng carefully plucked the Nether Grass and, following Taoist Liu's instructions, crushed the leaves, mixed them with a specially prepared potion, and applied it to the spirit boy's chest. Then, holding his breath and concentrating, he drew the runes Pan Yue had copied around the spirit boy one by one. As the last rune was completed, the medicinal power of the Nether Grass and the power of the runes intertwined, forming a dazzling light that enveloped the spirit boy.

The black mist surrounding the spirit child began to churn violently, as if under immense pressure, emitting bursts of piercing screams. Captain Zhao and the others watched the scene nervously, their weapons poised for action, ready to respond to any unexpected event.

The black fog gradually dissipated, and the spiritual boy's previously empty eyes gradually regained clarity. He looked around blankly, seemingly confused as to what was happening. Seeing this scene, Chu Feng and Pan Yue both breathed a sigh of relief, and a relieved smile appeared on their faces. Elder Sun also nodded in satisfaction. He walked up to Captain Zhao and said calmly, "Captain Zhao, do you believe it now?"

Captain Zhao remained silent. His doubts gradually dissipated as he watched the spirit boy return to normal. However, at this moment, an even more powerful evil force suddenly surged from the spirit boy's body. This force was thicker and more ferocious than the previous black fog, as if it was about to devour everything.

"Not good!" Taoist Liu's face changed drastically. He quickly took a few steps back, muttering something, and forming complicated seals with his hands.

A powerful evil force raged through the cave, forming a violent energy storm that shattered the surrounding rocks. Chu Feng and Pan Yue were the first to be struck, thrown back and falling heavily to the ground, spitting blood from their mouths.

Elder Sun was also affected, stumbling back a few steps, his face pale. He endured the pain and once again summoned his magical weapon, trying to resist this powerful evil force.

Chu Feng struggled to his feet. He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, his eyes filled with unyielding fighting spirit. He brandished his weapon, pushing his strength to the limit, fighting side by side with Pan Yue, together resisting this powerful evil force.

During the battle, Chu Feng felt that his night watch skills were becoming more and more proficient. His movements were more agile and his strength was more powerful. He seemed to have entered a state of selflessness, with only one thought in his mind, that is, to protect the spirit boy and his companions.

However, this evil force was too strong, and even if they tried their best, they could not resist it. The cave was filled with suffocating darkness, as if it wanted to swallow everything.

"What...what is this..." Elder Sun's voice trembled. He looked around in horror, but could not see the true form of the evil spirit. Taoist Liu's face was solemn, and he whispered, "Be careful..."