"Okay... are you done?"
Shen Lingying's face flushed with embarrassment as she kept sneaking glances at Lu Jun, who was bare-chested before her.
At that moment, Lu Jun was wearing only an undershirt, both hands braced on either side of Shen Lingying. Since he was leaning over, the front of his shirt hung wide open.
Shen Lingying kept stealing glances at him, able to vaguely make out his well-defined muscles. There was not a trace of excess flesh around his waist and abdomen.
Under See Through Myriad Illusions, Chen Zhuo's Lost Soul had already vanished without a trace.
"Done." Lu Jun smiled at Shen Lingying, then stood up and finished putting his clothes back on.
"Oh..." Shen Lingying answered with a muffled hum, her gaze fixed tightly on Lu Jun's back, a hint of longing in her expression.
"Thank you." Lu Jun offered his thanks. "Just now, a demonic method was spying from outside the door."
"Demonic cults and fiends like to seek out people with crooked minds and certain flaws in their personalities as disciples. I wanted them to come looking for me on their own, so I had you help me put on a little act."
Shen Lingying nodded. "I know."
Then Shen Lingying suddenly raised her head. "If the fiends come after you, will you be in danger?"
A flash of youthful pride crossed Lu Jun's face. "Don't worry. It'll be fine."
Suddenly, Lu Jun changed tack. "The White Ape Festival in town is the day after tomorrow. You came to find me this time, so you must not have come merely to deliver pastries and express your thanks... Did you have something you wanted to ask me?"
Shen Lingying's heart tightened.
That was indeed the case. She had come to deliver pastries tonight because the townspeople had learned that Lu Jun had saved her before and wanted her to sound him out.
They wanted to know which household would be chosen as the sacrifice to the White Ape at this month's White Ape Festival.
Shen Lingying had been unable to refuse, and she herself had wanted to thank Lu Jun, so she had come half willingly and half reluctantly.
But after seeing Lu Jun, Shen Lingying found herself unable to bring it up.
Now that Lu Jun had raised the matter himself, she took the opportunity to speak.
"We want to know which household you'll choose as the sacrifice to the White Ape at this month's White Ape Festival, Lu Jun..." Shen Lingying asked nervously.
Lu Jun's decision would determine the life or death of dozens of people.
Lu Jun smiled at Shen Lingying. "Perhaps no one will be sacrificed this time."
Shen Lingying was slightly stunned.
"You don't believe me?" Lu Jun raised an eyebrow.
Shen Lingying came back to herself, a smile rising on her face as well. "I believe you."
There was a curfew in town at night.
Besides, since he had decided to carry the act through to the end, Lu Jun did not let Shen Lingying leave. He had her sleep directly in his room.
He left the room himself and walked out into the courtyard.
Lu Jun raised his head in the courtyard and looked at the full moon in the sky, silently thinking, The fish should be biting soon.
Lu Jun was not disappointed.
Before long, the side room's door was pushed open, and Tuoba Li emerged from within. His blood and qi were vigorous, his build was imposing, and he stood roughly two meters tall.
"Lord Lu, what a fine mood. Are you admiring the moon in the courtyard?" Tuoba Li called out from behind Lu Jun.
"Something wrong?" Lu Jun's expression was cold as he turned his head slightly to look at Tuoba Li behind him.
"Hahaha... There is indeed a little something." Tuoba Li smiled.
"If there's something to do, get lost and do it. Don't stand here insulting my eyes with that ugly face of yours." Lu Jun raised an eyebrow.
Tuoba Li's smile stiffened, and his originally hearty laughter became somewhat dry.
Damn, this Lu really isn't giving me any face!
But then he thought of the importance Chen Zhuo had mentioned regarding Lu Jun joining the demonic cult.
First, Lu Jun might have been born into a Law Seeker family from Yunzhou. If he could control Lu Jun, it would be convenient for him to control the forces behind Lu Jun later.
Second, Lu Jun had a vile personality and was a natural bastard. A bad seed like that would grow even stronger after joining the demonic cult, making it easier to satisfy the fiends behind him. He might even earn himself a reward.
Thinking of this, Tuoba Li forcefully suppressed his dissatisfaction.
Once you become one of us, I'll see whether you can still act so arrogantly!
Tuoba Li cautiously began, "Lord Lu, as it happens, my business concerns you."
Lu Jun let out a cold laugh. "It concerns me? Who do you think you are? Do I even know you?"
Tuoba Li chuckled. "I know that Lord Lu came from Yunzhou. You must have suffered some grievance, which brought you to this remote backwater of a place, Qingci Town..."
Lu Jun's expression grew even colder. "What does that have to do with you?"
Seeing Lu Jun's expression, Tuoba Li thought, Just as I expected.
Chen Zhuo really is a genius. He actually guessed Lu Jun's background correctly.
"Lord Lu, the root of every grievance lies in insufficient strength. I possess a family-inherited method that can increase one's strength..." Tuoba Li said slyly.
Lu Jun sneered disdainfully. "You?"
Tuoba Li said, "Lord Lu, don't look down on me because my strength is poor. I was an ordinary mortal until recently. It was only because I possessed this family-inherited method that I rose from an ordinary mortal to a second-Realm Heavenly Cycle Law Seeker in a mere three years."
"My family-inherited method depends mainly on one's talent. My talent is mediocre, which is why I only barely reached the second realm. But Lord Lu, you're a heaven-bestowed prodigy. If you learn my family-inherited method, you'll surely undergo a transformation from a worm into a dragon overnight!"
Lu Jun said nothing. He merely watched Tuoba Li in silence.
Tuoba Li gave a chuckle and said, "Lord Lu, I'll wait for you outside. We can discuss this in detail..."
With that, Tuoba Li walked toward the door first.
The corner of Lu Jun's lips lifted imperceptibly, and he followed.
The two of them traveled to a desolate wilderness in the forest.
There was no one around.
Lu Jun's expression remained haughty. "Speak."
Tuoba Li smiled. "Lord Lu, have you ever heard of offering sacrifices to fiends in exchange for divine abilities?"
A smile that was neither quite a smile nor not a smile flashed across Lu Jun's face. He gently drew the long saber at his waist.
"Oh, so you're part of a demonic cult!?"
"Do you know that I'm a Demon Slayer Envoy?"
Tuoba Li said, "Eh, my lord, you can't put it that way. I merely offer sacrifices to my lord. How could that be called a demonic cult? At the end of the day, we're still people. We're both members of the Human Race. How could I possibly harm you?"
"How does one offer sacrifices?" Lu Jun asked, a profound smile appearing on his face.
This Lu Jun truly isn't a good person.
Tuoba Li hurriedly pulled a wooden carving from his robes. It depicted a bull's head atop a human body clad in armor, and it radiated a dense demonic aura. He introduced it to Lu Jun. "Lord Lu, this is my lord, the Ugly Ox Lord. All I need to do is awaken my lord's true spirit."
"My lord will leave a will in your mind, and the offering will be complete. At that time, you'll gain the divine ability bestowed by my lord. Combined with the divine ability you already cultivate, you'll become a wielder of two divine abilities. You won't be inferior even to one with an Innate Divine Ability!"
Lu Jun said, "What are you waiting for, then? Begin."
Tuoba Li was overjoyed.
The entire process had gone even more smoothly than he had imagined.
With that, Tuoba Li carefully placed the wooden carving in his hands on the ground, knelt before it, and silently chanted with a devout expression, "The dark beginning arises; the Nine Hells open wide. Earth's virtue bears the yin; the ugly rite solemnizes the Baleful Intent. The Grand Year arrives at the Ugly; stars sink and the Dipper tilts. Earth's origin answers me; ox and ghost pierce the mysteries!"
"I seek an audience with my lord!"
Before you continue