Simulated immortality allows me to calculate talent stats.

You sensed a deep sense of self-reproach and grief emanating from him.

She sighed softly, raised her hand to his shoulder, and patted him gently.

"It's not your fault."

【"Oh……"】

[A cold, arrogant laugh rang out. Tears welled in Xu Hui's eyes, yet the corners of his mouth curled up again: "Of course it's not my fault. It's Hai Zi's own fault for being so incompetent, hehehe..."]

You silently withdrew your hand, your face darkening, and wiped it on your red hair.

This thing is so dirty, I'm afraid I'll get infected.

Xu Hui's gaze was filled with resentment, and a blazing mystical light tore through the darkness, revealing a resolute determination to face death.

[His mouth immediately gaped open in terror: "No, buddy, let's talk this out. Don't let this lead to a bloody mess."]

As soon as he finished speaking, Xu Hui's expression returned to calm and clarity.

[Your brow is furrowed; this demonic behavior... it's like you have a split personality!]

"Huizi, what exactly has happened these past few days?"

Xu Hui sighed sorrowfully, his gaze lingering on the past, and uttered four chilling words.

"The Tomb of the God of War."

Your pupils contracted slightly, a chill ran down your spine, and the cold rain seeped into your bones.

[It was initially thought that Xu Hui's descent into demonic possession was due to the suppression of his Celestial Realm by his Untainted Mind state, coupled with the influence of Pei Qingyu's Sword Heart.]

[This leads to a breakdown in one's mental state.]

This was a conjecture we came up with with Pang Hai back then.

[The result was unexpected; it was actually related to the 'Tomb of the God of War'?]

Seeing your surprised expression, Xu Hui sighed and said, "Yes, what I thought was an opportunity was actually a destiny that had been predetermined."

When we complete the path ordained by fate, we will lose our reason for existence.

"How did you become possessed by demons? And what are inner demons?"

[You've touched on the point that matters most, because you yourself have also studied a relief sculpture of the tomb of the God of War.]

[If you are ever troubled by inner demons or entangled by the evil entity within Xu Hui, even if you cannot defend against it, you should prepare in advance.]

"I'm not quite sure either."

Xu Hui looked puzzled and began to recount what had happened: "Because we had completed the planned path, my fate and Hai Zi's fate disappeared."

The fortune of the Chu Kingdom alone could not sustain two top-tier celestial beings in the mortal realm.

Therefore, I suppressed the mental turmoil in my brain with a clear and untainted mind.

Over time, this causes flaws to appear in one's mental state.

"So you discussed philosophy with Pei Qingyu?"

"At that time, the Three Kingdoms Alliance was imminent, and the State of Chu was in a favorable position to be won over by Qi and Wu. I used this as an excuse to ask Pei Qingyu for the profound secrets of the Sword Heart of the Tranquil Sword Pavilion."

The hope is to discover methods for strengthening and repairing one's mental state.

"Unexpectedly, the profound mystery of the sword's heart became the fuse that ignited the inner demons."

Xu Hui looked up at you, his eyes filled with unusual rage, and said with a self-deprecating tone, "Brother, we've always been puppets being manipulated."

"To provoke war for this world is our destiny."

"The foreshadowing of my descent into demonic possession was known to all parties long ago, who were simply waiting for the perfect moment to plunge me into confusion, leaving Pang Hai isolated and helpless."

You probably understand the cause and effect.

The root of everything begins with the "Tomb of the God of War".

The two gained an opportunity, but also bore a destiny that would ignite war.

When they established their kingdoms and dominated Jingzhou and Yuzhou, their mission was complete, and their destiny was sealed.

Then all sides waited for Xu Hui to fall into demonic possession and attack the State of Chu.

[As someone in the know, Pei Qingyu planted the seeds of Xu Hui's descent into demonic possession during their discussion, which could then be detonated in conjunction with changes in the battle situation.]

Therefore, after analyzing the context, you have some guesses.

Whether it's the State of Qi or the State of Wu, the Tranquil Sword Sect or the Demonic Sect, all the various factions are aware of Xu Hui's potential threat.

[Then, by exploiting the hidden dangers, they will achieve their strategic goal of destroying the State of Chu.]

The source of this inner demon is the "Tomb of the God of War."

[Pang Hai may also have been at risk of being invaded by inner demons, but at that time he was burdened with the destiny of the Chu Kingdom, maintaining his Celestial Realm without any flaws.]

[Later, he imprisoned his innermost thoughts, falling from grace and suffering a tragic fate. His actions were riddled with flaws, making it the perfect opportunity for his inner demons to invade.]

【but……】

【unyielding!】

Pang Hai's fall from grace only served to hone his indomitable will.

Your gaze falls on the tombstone through the rain, a look of emotion washing over you, as if you can see Zhang Haomai's smiling face.

【"Hai Zi, thank you so much for finding a way for me to deal with my inner demons. Next time, I'll treat you to several bowls of plain tofu pudding."】

[It seems the "Tomb of the God of War" is a dirty place, but those nine reliefs truly contain the profound principles of heaven and earth, and the way of the God of War.]

We cannot give up.

[You recall the scene where you thought Xu Hui had a split personality and ask in confusion, "You can talk to your inner demons? Are they independent entities?"]

Xu Hui nodded and explained.

"Inner demons are external intruders that seek out weaknesses in one's mental state to disrupt one's peace of mind and seize control."

"When one is completely corrupted by inner demons, one will be devoured by them."

[You probably understand what inner demons are like now; plans and solutions are forming in your mind.]

[I'm not afraid of failure; I'm afraid of not even understanding what the enemy is.]

As long as there are clues, you can find a solution.

You have countless opportunities to try and fail, while your enemy only has one.

"Oh, right."

[Xu Hui seemed to realize something: "After I lost control of my body, I discovered that my inner demons were searching for something."]

"What is that?"

"The Sword of the God of War—Kill Your Master."

"So, the God of War is really dead?"

[Your brows are furrowed. You originally thought the "Tomb of the God of War" was a place of inheritance, where Pang Hai and Xu Hui would be given their destinies.]

But now, a demon has invaded Xu Hui's heart, controlling him to search for the Sword of the God of War.

This means that the sword has been lost to the mortal realm.

[So, the God of War is indeed dead, perhaps that's a true fact.]

You wanted to continue discussing with Pang Hai, but then you noticed his expression change, and a barely suppressed smile appeared on his lips.

【"Hehehe..."】

A low, hoarse laugh rang out, revealing a wanton smile: "I never expected that just saying that Hai Zi had finished defecating would provoke such anger."

"Press me down for a moment."

You stared warily at "Xu Hui," gripping two strands of red hair with both hands, ready for anything.

[Xu Hui glanced at you, and when his gaze swept over the red hair, his expression changed drastically.]

You both stepped back simultaneously, wary of each other.

You think the other person is a monster, incredibly filthy.

[Xu Hui thinks you're a red-haired old monster, radiating an ominous aura.]

The old Taoist priest, who had overheard your conversation with Xu Hui, was deeply wary of your inner demons.

[His own resolve in the Dao is unwavering, and he holds the power of divine retribution, so he is not afraid of the invasion of inner demons.]

But what about the rest of the world?

[Now, seeing you and 'Xu Hui' mutually wary and confronting each other, I suddenly let out a soft sigh.]

[It seems your inner demons are afraid of you.]

Could this sticky, manure-covered mop actually be a powerful tool for dealing with inner demons?

[Fighting dirt with dirt, let's see who's dirtier!]