Crazy Smartphone – Part One

I couldn’t put it into words. Everything here seemed to be within my realm of exploration, yet it felt as though nothing was under my control. The moment I encountered those heat flows, my mental energy dared not venture further! These heat flows were always churning around us, and our current position seemed to be sealed by this invisible encirclement. They seemed specifically designed to counter my mental form; I couldn’t break through this blockade. You must break through the blockade, or we will die here! Alright, I’ll try again! Wait for me? Fengzi, I’ll go with you to take this risk! Xiao Yun! Stop whining like a woman, concentrate your efforts, and let’s try to break through it in one go! Alright! With you by my side, what’s there to fear in death? Fengzi, believe in yourself; you should understand that this illusory space is actually constructed entirely within your consciousness. Thus, in a certain sense, the dangers that block us ahead actually exist deep within your heart. You are fighting another version of yourself, you are fighting your own opposite! Ah! Lin Feng suddenly realized, cursing himself for being truly foolish. The saying goes, ‘When you’re in the game, you can’t see the board clearly.’ Knowing that he was trapped in his own mental space, naturally, all the enemies within were special existences attached to his mental form. Another self, indeed. Such a simple truth, yet he hadn’t understood it. If that’s the case, then these are what we call inner demons! As the saying goes, ‘The Way of Nature manifests through the heart, and appearances arise from the heart.’ Inner demons are a major psychological barrier that practitioners of techniques must overcome; otherwise, an unstable foundation will eventually lead to a mental breakdown over trivial matters, resulting in failure. Elder Wang had once lamented that he was a genius in the art of technique but often sighed without speaking, mentioning the concept of inner demons. Lin Feng’s own practice had been smooth, so he hadn’t given much thought to this aspect. Appearances arise from the heart; a person’s deepest fears and worries, even if they can be overcome when awake, leave seeds of fear in the subconscious. As the saying goes, ‘What one thinks during the day, one dreams about at night.’ Ordinary people might worry about something that happened during the day, causing sleepless nights and nightmares, let alone practitioners dealing with mental energy techniques, where a serene and peaceful state of mind is crucial, otherwise, inner demons might arise. The depth of one’s cultivation in mental state often represents the true strength of a practitioner and is the cornerstone of how high one can ultimately reach. An unstable foundation means that even a towering skyscraper will collapse in the storm. Practitioners typically undergo various forms of training, from asceticism to worldly engagement, and facing life-and-death situations, all to temper and transcend their mental state. Elder Wang’s words from that day suddenly came to mind, and Lin Feng, who had been struggling to understand, had a moment of realization, his eyes widening as if he had gained insight. The arch-enemy of mental cultivation is undoubtedly the inner demon. As the ancient saying goes, ‘A small favor received should be repaid with a fountain of gratitude.’ Even ordinary people feel uneasy day and night if they have received kindness, striving to repay it to find peace of mind. For practitioners who focus on mental cultivation, maintaining inner peace and serenity is even more crucial, not easily disturbed by external factors. The things Lin Feng feared and worried about the most were undoubtedly his recent tendencies toward cold-blooded killing and the encounter with the old witch at Jade Plate Mountain. Just the thought of her effortlessly killing with a flick of her finger sent chills down his spine. His greatest fear was losing himself one day, becoming a killing machine, or that the old witch, unsatisfied, might track him down and massacre his loved ones! His recent diligence and hard work were not without reason; wasn’t it because of these deep-seated fears and worries that he was preparing in advance, hoping to gain the strength to prevent such impending disaster? What he was least confident about was his inability to control Niu Niu’s origins. Niu Niu was always hard to control at will, what secrets lay behind her, whether she would eventually take his place, and why she could suddenly communicate normally with him now, though it felt like her intelligence had regressed. The more Lin Feng thought, the more he speculated, wondering if today’s ordeal was perhaps due to his inner demons festering for too long, finally erupting? Xiao Yun? Lin Feng turned around, suddenly realizing his beloved was gone, and called out in panic, but received no answer. At the same time, the scene before him began to shake, and after a brief moment of blindness, the environment changed drastically. Lin Feng found himself back in the eerie chamber before the Old Monarch Temple at Jade Plate Mountain. Li Xiangdong had brought in seven young women through a hidden door, and they were now undressing and dancing gracefully. Suddenly, he noticed that all the women had transformed into Wang Xiao Yun’s likeness. Then, the old witch, furious, with ghostly blue flames on her pale fingertips, was about to shoot them at one of the Wang Xiao Yun figures. Old witch, I’ll kill you! Inner demon, inner demon! Inner demon!!! Could this be his inner demon? The seed was planted when he saw that innocent girl die in an instant, and his fear prevented him from acting. Old witch, I’m not afraid of you! Lin Feng shouted, lunging at the old witch’s figure in the chamber. However, just as he moved, the illusion before him rippled like water and disappeared into layers of ripples. Wang Xiao Yun’s voice sounded in his ear, “Fengzi, you’ve been distracted by appearances! You must know that hatred, greed, delusions, attachments, and grudges are all sources of inner demons. But this illusion is a manifestation of your own heart. No matter what happens next, remember, you are the master of this illusory space, you are the creator god here, you can have everything or destroy everything. So, no matter what frightens you, you must hold on, overcome it, defeat it!” Lin Feng nodded firmly, grasping Wang Xiao Yun’s soft hand, full of confidence, “Don’t worry, Xiao Yun, I won’t let you down! Wait for me to come back for you!” Wang Xiao Yun withdrew her hand shyly, quickly kissed Lin Feng on the cheek, clenched her fists, and said, “Go for it! Fight hard! Fengzi, I’ll be waiting for you!” This light kiss was like a shot of adrenaline for Lin Feng, instantly dispelling any lingering doubts. Whatever it took, even if it was just to ensure Wang Xiao Yun’s safe escape, he had to cast aside and conquer the fear within.