In Zhu Xian, people start to rise from plundering entries

Inside the quiet room in the courtyard.

Master Ziyang dismissed everyone, leaving only core disciples such as Ye Lingxiao and Lin Qingxue to protect him outside. He had Su Han sit cross-legged on a futon and said in a deep voice, "Su Han, concentrate your mind and guard your inner star palace. I will use the Ziyang True Fire to help you refine the power of the demonic seed. This process may be painful, so you must hold fast to your mind and not falter!"

"Yes, Master." Su Han nodded, closed his eyes, and activated the Primordial Star Scripture. Star power flowed within the Star Palace, and the illusory sword intent shone down, protecting his mind.

Master Ziyang formed a hand seal, and a wisp of pure purple flame rose from his fingertips. The flame was not scorching, but rather exuded a gentle and peaceful warmth. However, the supreme yang energy contained within it raised the temperature in the quiet room by a few degrees, and even the dark corners seemed to brighten up.

"go with!"

Master Ziyang pointed at the wound on Su Han's left side, and the wisp of Ziyang True Fire transformed into a thin stream, entering Su Han's body.

"laugh--!"

As if cold water had been poured into boiling oil, Su Han's body shuddered violently. At the wound on his left side, the dark red power of the Heart-Corroding Demon Seed clashed fiercely with the purple true fire upon contact. Black smoke mixed with dark red energy billowed from the wound, emitting a sizzling sound. An indescribable pain spread from the wound, the agony not only affecting his physical body but also penetrating his soul, as if countless tiny poisonous insects were gnawing at his mind.

Su Han groaned, cold sweat instantly beading on his forehead, his face growing even paler. But he clenched his teeth, the Primordial Star Power within his Star Palace surging wildly, working in conjunction with the Purple Sun True Fire that had invaded his body, attacking from both inside and outside, refining and expelling that insidious and stubborn demonic seed power.

Time passed little by little.

Outside the quiet room, Ye Lingxiao, Lin Qingxue, and the others waited anxiously. Lin Qingxue bit her lower lip tightly, her hands clenched until they turned white. Ye Lingxiao paced back and forth, glancing at the closed door every now and then.

One hour, two hours...

The sun gradually began to set in the west.

Finally, on the evening of the third day, the door to the quiet room creaked open.

Master Ziyang emerged looking weary, but his eyes held a hint of relief.

“Master, Junior Brother Su…” Ye Lingxiao hurriedly stepped forward.

"The demonic power has been suppressed and refined by the combined efforts of my and his stellar power by more than 80%. Only a few remnants remain, deeply embedded and entangled with some of his meridians. Forcibly removing them might damage his very foundation; he will need to slowly eradicate them through his own cultivation techniques in the future," Master Ziyang said slowly. "However, it has been suppressed for now. It won't affect his combat power in the short term, nor will it erode his mind. But..."

He paused, his brow furrowing slightly. "This Heart-Eating Demon Seed is indeed strange. The remaining part has the ability to lurk, making it difficult to detect normally. For the foreseeable future, Su Han will need to frequently cleanse it with star power to prevent it from resurfacing. In addition, before it is completely eradicated, he must not suffer severe mental shocks, nor should he indulge in negative emotions such as killing and resentment for a long time, otherwise it may trigger a counterattack from the demon seed."

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this, but their worries had not completely dissipated. The lingering remnants of the demonic seed remained a potential threat.

"Master, what about the next competition..." Lin Qingxue couldn't help but ask.

Master Ziyang looked into the room. Su Han had finished his meditation and came out. His face was still somewhat pale, and the wound on his left rib had been bandaged, but his breathing was relatively steady, and his eyes were clear. "This disciple is fine and can continue to participate in the battle," Su Han said calmly. The lingering pain and discomfort caused by the remnant of the demonic seed in his body were indeed present, but they were still within a tolerable range. The Primordial Star Power had a natural restraint on this evil force, and with the assistance of the Ziyang True Fire, he was confident that he could suppress it.

Master Ziyang looked at him, remained silent for a moment, and finally sighed: "If you insist, then go. But remember, if things are impossible, then retreat when necessary. You have proven yourself, and no one in the sect will blame you."

Su Han bowed: "This disciple understands."

Just then, a streak of light flew in from afar, landed in the courtyard, and transformed into a disciple in charge, who respectfully handed over a jade slip: "Uncle-Master Ziyang, Senior Brother Su, the list of opponents for the next round has been released."

Ye Lingxiao took the jade slip, scanned it with his divine sense, and his expression changed slightly.

"In the seventh round, Su Han's opponent is..." He raised his head, looked at Su Han, and slowly uttered a name:
"Xuantian Sect, Zhao Jinglei. Ranked fifteenth."

There was a moment of silence.

Xuantian Sect, one of the superior sects, is renowned for its thunder magic, and its offensive power is unparalleled among its peers.

Zhao Jinglei, a top disciple of the Xuantian Sect in this generation, possesses the late-stage Star Sea Realm cultivation and the "Thunderclap Body." He has mastered the essence of the "Nine Heavens Thunder Control True Technique," making him a formidable fighter. He has a record of directly injuring a cultivator who has just entered the Star Palace Realm. His ranking of fifteenth is well-deserved.

If Yin Kui was previously the epitome of the Heart-Eating Sword Sect's insidious and cunning nature, then Zhao Jinglei is the epitome of overwhelming heavenly might and overcoming skill with brute force. Moreover, the Xuan Tian Sect and the Qing Yun Sect have no prior enmity, so this battle will be a pure, head-on confrontation.

“Zhao Jinglei…” Su Han repeated the name in a low voice, his eyes showing no fear, but rather a hint of fervor.

The series of fierce battles, especially the fight against the Yin Puppet, despite being afflicted by the demonic seed, gave him a clearer understanding of his own strength and a deeper comprehension of the Star Moon Sword Intent. He felt that he had reached the bottleneck of the mid-stage Star Sea Realm. Perhaps a thorough and unrestrained all-out battle would be the opportunity to break through the shackles and advance to the late stage!
"When will the war begin?" Su Han asked.

"Tomorrow at Chenshi (7-9 AM), the main arena will be number one," the disciple in charge replied.

Su Han nodded, looking towards the western horizon where the setting sun's afterglow dyed the clouds golden and red.

"Zhao Jinglei... Nine Heavens Thunder Control..."

He muttered to himself, his hand resting on the hilt of the Starfire Sword, the scabbard slightly warm.

Silent all night.

Su Han regulated his breathing in the quiet room, using the Primordial Star Power to continuously cleanse the wound on his left rib, waging a tug-of-war with the stubborn remnants of the demonic seed. At the same time, he repeatedly replayed the battle with the Yin Puppet during the day in his mind, summarizing the experience and pondering the deeper changes in the Star Moon Sword Intent.

Master Ziyang brought him several pills to soothe his mind and dispel evil influences, helping to stabilize his injuries. (End of Chapter)