Heart Demon

**Internal Demons** (心魔 xīnmó) – literally translates as 'Heart Devils' or '**Heart Demons**'. Rather than standard demons or devils, these are a practitioner’s negative emotions and other mental barriers which hinder their training/cultivation. Internal Demons, in some cases, can even attack the practitioner from the inside, and failure to adequately resist them may result in Qi Deviation.

## Introduction

The so-called heart demons were things that a martial artist longed for the most, or feared the most.

The stronger these obsessions were, the stronger the heart demons were.

Moreover, the more powerful a martial artist the more formidable these heart demons would become. Once these types of dreamlands appeared, or in a critical moment when trying to make a breakthrough, these heart demons might appear to haunt the martial artist and cause problems. If they suddenly manifested, it was possible that a martial artist could go crazy or fall into depravity.

## Overview

When one is practicing martial arts, a martial artist must have a will that soars into the heavens.

A martial artist that wanted to reach greater heights would first have to have a firm heart of martial arts.

If they were someone who trembled and faltered when facing a powerful match, then they could simply forget about ever reaching a higher boundary. Even if a one's talent surpassed that of another martial artist, then when one attempts to break into a higher boundary, one would encounter a heart demon that was birthed from a martial artist's innermost fear. A heart demon that was shaped like one's greatest fear would have unbelievable power and control.

It was likely they would be defeated by this heart demon and fall into obsession. This was the reason why so many martial artists that fervently cultivated the demonic path would so easily fall to obsession, it was because they indulged themselves too much on carnal instinct that they would lose reason.

Almost every martial artist had a heart demon. It could be a shame that they could never forget, an irreconcilable blood hatred, something they loved to deeply, something they feared too much, or even something they pursued with all their heart; anything could become one’s heart demon!

This was a heart demon, all-pervasive and perpetual. As long as a human held desires or fear, they would inevitably have heart demons. The evolution of the soul was followed by the manifestation of these heart demons. If one wasn’t able to overcome them then their divine foundation would be damaged.

So, in order to step onto the peak of martial arts, one had to strengthen their determination and their own beliefs. This was because when climbing upwards to the peak of martial arts, they would have to encounter endless difficulties to begin with.

### **Worry**

A family might not be a burden to a martial artist, but it was a sort of worry. After countless years passed, when their parents, wives, children, and children’s children had all died, leaving them alone in the world, this type of desolate and lonely road of martial arts could easily lead to heart demons.

Moreover, a deep and true love to a martial artist was a nearly spiritual dependence. It wasn’t like the pleasure of the flesh, something that they could easily let go.

### **Karma**

If a martial artist wished to ensure that their conscience and heart were complete, then they couldn’t entangle themselves in cause and effect. Those that cultivate martial arts must have their hearts clear of distractions. They do not like to owe debts to others because they do not wish to saturate themselves with further karma. They had to straighten out their karma in the world; it was impossible to cut it off.

But those that cultivated martial arts had to be careful of the karma they sowed and the karma they reaped, or else they’d have to bear the power of resentment.

A family might not be a burden to a martial artist, but it was a sort of worry. After countless years passed, when their parents, wives, children, and children’s children had all died, leaving them alone in the world, this type of desolate and lonely road of martial arts could easily lead to heart demons.

Moreover, a deep and true love to a martial artist was a nearly spiritual dependence. It wasn’t like the pleasure of the flesh, something that they could easily let go.

This didn’t mean that all martial artists were callous and indifferent. But, there were many extreme geniuses, even if they only ever managed to reach the Holy Lord boundary, that would live for hundreds of thousands or even a million years. During such a long period of time, their wives and families would have already died. In their long, long lives, these wives and families would only account for a tiny portion of their experiences. This was especially true for families they founded in the lower realms, especially after countless generations had passed by!

For instance, tens of thousands of years ago, the Sorcerer of the Southern Wilderness had wanted to enter a final life or death closed door seclusion. In order to resolve the worries and obsessions in his heart, he had gone back to the lower realms to see the Divine Kingdom he had founded. But upon his return, he discovered that the Divine Kingdom he founded so long ago had actually been destroyed! Thus, the Sorcerer of the Southern Wilderness had left behind the 72 Sorcerer Pagodas as a lucky chance for his future descendants, finishing all his karmic ties.

Only by finishing one's karmic ties would help them straighten out their martial road, having no distraction and heart demons that would prevent them from reaching higher realms!

### **Going Against One's Nature**

Those who went against their true nature would damage their heart of martial arts. Every person’s true nature was decided by their conscience. For instance, those righteous individuals like Jiang Baoyun and Qin Wuxin followed the noble and virtuous path. If they did something evil, such as plotting against others, treachery, betrayal, or other malicious actions, this would go against their nature, inevitably ruining their heart of martial arts.

But as for those like the Acacia Faction and the South Sea Demon Region, these kinds of martial artists followed the immoral, wicked path. They placed emphasis on indulging in their most basic desires and fulfilling all of their dark ideas. If they were to behave and be goodly like some holy monk, then that also would go against their nature.

This was in a sense, the formation of heart demons in a martial artist's martial dao.

1. ↑ Glossary of Terms in Wuxia, Xianxia & Xuanhuan Novels