Chapter 305

When did she make her move?

Completely unable to detect any trace of the opponent's attack, a deep sense of fear gripped Yama Blood Child's heart. Before he could even consider a countermeasure, he heard the Netherworld Blood Slave beside him shout and launch her ultimate move first.

No matter what methods the opponent uses, kill her first!

The Netherworld Blood Slave was enveloped in a thick, sticky blood curtain that blotted out the sky and disappeared like a swarm of red locusts. Wherever it passed, life was extinguished. The already lifeless wasteland became even more aged and arid, and the soil's fertility was completely destroyed, turning into sand that could be blown away with a single breath.

However, halfway through the attack, the Netherworld Blood Slave suddenly twisted its neck, as if it had hit an invisible steel wire. With a "plop" sound of blood spurting out, its head separated from its body, and the ultimate move it had been preparing became rootless and scattered haphazardly on the ground, creating a blood-red dust curtain dozens of feet high.

This time, Yama Blood Child saw clearly how his companion died, but he still didn't understand when the young woman made her move or what method she used to kill him. Even though she was standing right in front of him, he felt as if they were in different worlds.

Even the ruthless Yama Blood Child, who regarded human life as insignificant, felt fear at this moment. The opponent's bizarre fighting style was exactly the same as his leader's, incomprehensible by common sense, and its origin and destination were unknown. How could he possibly resist such an enemy?

He turned around, trying to hide behind the leader.

"Your Majesty, save..."

Before he could finish speaking, Yama Blood Child found that his line of sight suddenly rose, then began to spin, and then he was plunged into absolute darkness.

The young woman stood in front of the man, her clothes spotless and unarmed. She wore simple clothes, and both of them shared the same unpretentious style.

"You've finally come. I've waited eighteen long years for this battle. From the moment you were born, I've been looking forward to this day."

For the first time ever, Lin Xiu's ordinary, wooden face broke into a smile—a genuine smile from the heart.

"So you killed my family and took everything from me: my eldest brother, second sister, mother, aunt... and my father."

Lin Qingluo's tone was very calm, showing no signs of excitement despite the impending revenge for her family.

"Hatred can drive people mad, but it can also spur them to progress. Your aptitude isn't high enough, and I don't want to wait too long. Only by extinguishing emotions can one further comprehend the Paramārtha of the Dark Realm. Eternal silence is the soul's final resting place."

"Then you'll be disappointed. Although I've lost my family, I still have many trustworthy companions who have supported me all the way here."

"Foolish. People like you and me, born to hide in the darkness, don't need companions. They can't help us anyway. Loneliness is our best friend. Craving connections with others will only drag us down—to allow you to advance further, I will kill them all."

"It seems you're truly beyond saving. I have one last question: these people did so much for you, and now they're all dead. Don't you feel even a shred of sympathy or anger?"

"I thought you'd ask a more meaningful question, but it's something so boring. Heh, these people are just pawns in my game, including the Blood Pupil Society. Do you feel bad when your pawns are captured by your opponent?"

"That answer is enough. My comrade said that when a villain says something like that, his death is not far off."

After the father and daughter finished their conversation, their figures vanished into thin air, as if they no longer existed in this world. Only the continuous clanging of metal on metal proved that the two were still there, engaged in a fierce battle.

There were no people, only sounds. The battlefield was eerily strange, like a haunted scene. The bursts of energy swept across the ground, leaving crisscrossing scratches that made the wasteland look like a map.

"It's ridiculous that Zhu Hao actually recommended you as a Grandmaster Candidate. Does the Mohist School need a Grandmaster whose name I can't even remember? People like you and me are only suited to hide in the shadows. The corners of the stage are where we belong. Once we step into the center of the stage and are directly under the spotlight, we will vanish into thin air. The Grandmaster, who symbolizes light, is inherently incompatible with us."

"You're right, so what I accepted wasn't the trial of the Grandmaster, but the trial of the Dark Maiden."

"Dark Maiden? I've never heard of her before. What does she have to do with the Holy Maiden?"

"Black is the color of darkness. If the Holy Maiden symbolizes light, then the Dark Maiden represents darkness. The Dark Maiden's duty is to become the shadow of the Grandmaster, and a shadow does not need to leave its name. Throughout history, the Dark Maiden has disguised herself as Grandmaster Candidate to protect the true Grandmaster."

"So that's how it is... No wonder the people from the Heaven's Will Palace sometimes recommend people with eccentric personalities who are completely unsuitable to be the leader as Grandmaster. So there's this connection. Is it alright to reveal this secret to me?"

"Don't worry, because you're going to die here anyway. Dead people can't leak secrets, and this is my way of compensating you."

"Confidence is a good thing, but confidence that borders on arrogance disappoints me."

The sounds of collisions suddenly became more frequent, and a magnificent Sword Qi shot out into the sky. Lin Qingluo's figure was forcibly forced out, and a deep, bone-revealing wound appeared on her shoulder.

"With your current cultivation level, assassinating Spirit Transformation Grandmaster wouldn't be difficult given the right opportunity. Unfortunately, your current enemy is me. I possess everything you know, and my martial arts skills, experience, and temperament are all superior to yours. More importantly, I am Spirit Transformation, while you are not."

Lin Xiu also emerged from the illusory state and said, "You are no match for me now. Go back and cultivate for another three years. As punishment for your rash challenge, I will kill all your companions. If you want to avenge them, live an ugly life filled with hatred for me, constantly running away and eking out a living. Challenge me again when you break through to the Spirit Transformation stage."

Lin Qingluo was neither angry nor discouraged, and continued in her calm tone, "You're wrong about one thing. There are things I don't know either?"

Lin Xiu thought for a moment, then frowned and said, "You don't mean to say giving birth, do you?"

Lin Qingluo blinked and said, "Is this a lame joke? Sorry, I don't know much about this. I meant Master's tortoise shell. Father, your 'Illusory Moth Killing Art' was based on that."

After her family was killed by Lin Xiu, Zhu Hao took her in and personally taught her martial arts.

"It's that incomplete 'Scroll of Darkness,' isn't it? I obtained it during a fortuitous encounter and later entrusted it to Zhu Hao for safekeeping. Your current skills are learned from it, aren't they? It's truly fortunate that my old friend agreed to let you practice this forbidden martial art."

Lin Qingluo shook her head. "No, Father, you've been deceived. The 'Scroll of Darkness' is not incomplete."

"Hmm, could it be that Zhu Hao has collected other tortoise shell fragments?"

Lin Xiu pondered that perhaps he should try being a thief.

But Lin Qingluo still shook her head. "No, because the tortoise shell itself is intact."

"That's strange, why can I only see incomplete content?"

"Because the remaining part exists in the form of dark matter, we can only see the whole thing when we enter a state of 'illusion and darkness.' This is probably a small mechanism left by the founder of the Cultivation Method."

Lin Xiu suddenly realized. "So that's how it is. It makes perfect sense. It's a pity that after I created the 'Illusory Moth Killing Art,' I never touched the 'Scroll of Darkness' again. It seems you've learned the ultimate move from it, which is why you have the confidence to stand in front of me."

"My cultivation level is too low; I've only learned one move so far, but it's enough to deal with my father."

Lin Qingluo activated her inner power, and black threads emanated from her body, turning her entire body pitch black as if it no longer reflected light.

Lin Xiu didn't stop it; instead, he admired it with excitement. "This must be the 'Return to the Dark Realm' recorded on the tortoise shell. What kind of effect will it have?"

"Father, do you know that if a lion falls into the water, it can't even beat a salted fish?"

Lin Xiu corrected him seriously, "Even a salted fish can't swim."