A Move to Inspect

Not long after, Lin Fan gently closed the booklet.

His eyes shifted slightly as he murmured, "This Wu Hai is no simple character."

The contents of the booklet not only recorded Wu Hai's daily experiences since arriving at the Blood Demon Sect but also included markings centered on the Hidden Scripture Pavilion, covering Blackwood Cliff and even various key locations throughout the entire sect.

From the above information, Lin Fan could fully confirm that Wu Hai was a spy sent by another sect.

"No wonder he cultivated the Blood Swallowing Demonic Art—it must have been a technique bestowed by his original sect."

"This technique can no longer be kept, or else it will likely invite unnecessary trouble."

After a brief moment of thought, Lin Fan took out the "Blood Swallowing Demonic Art" manual, lit it with a candle flame, and reduced it to ashes.

He had just killed Wu Hai today, and there was no guarantee the corpse wouldn't be discovered. Being cautious was always the right move.

This was a demon sect after all; the slightest misstep could cost him his life.

Living well was more important than anything else.

"According to what Wu Hai's diary mentioned, the evil spirits that appear on Blackwood Cliff at night are most likely a type of bloodthirsty demonic insect called Blood Worms."

"Only by reaching the Fifth Grade of the Spirit Gathering Realm can one initially qualify to contend with such things."

Lin Fan thought to himself.

Only now did he finally understand what exactly was wreaking havoc outside at night.

The more unknown something is, the more terrifying it becomes.

Once the truth is known, fear can no longer spread.

Lin Fan felt a strong urge to open the door and verify this, but he was well aware that even if everything written in Wu Hai's diary was true, with his current cultivation, he couldn't contend with the bloodthirsty demonic insects.

And what if, besides the Blood Worms, there were other demonic creatures? Wouldn't Lin Fan be in deep trouble then?

"Regardless, this Fifth Grade of the Spirit Gathering Realm..."

Lin Fan's eyes narrowed slightly, and he immediately focused his mind.

[Do you wish to consume sixty years of lifespan to pre-emptively advance the Basic Demonic Art to Great Completion?]

As expected, a line of glowing text appeared before Lin Fan.

Lin Fan said softly, "Agree to the pre-emptive advance."

The next second, a flood of new insights into the "Basic Demonic Art" surged into his mind once again.

Unlike last time, this batch of insights was greater in volume and far more complex.

At that moment, the figure of a youth appeared in Lin Fan's mind once more; he was no longer practicing punches but instead stretching his legs, then beginning to practice leg techniques in a highly unique posture.

Lifting the leg, kicking, front thrust kick, side thrust kick...

The youth's leg techniques shifted from fast to slow, seemingly ordinary movements yet bursting with astonishing power.

"From fists to legs, from top to bottom!"

Lin Fan suddenly understood.

Without hesitation, following the image in his mind, he immediately began to practice the leg techniques.

Lin Fan's movements were somewhat clumsy at first, but fortunately, he had the foundation from his earlier fist practice, so he picked it up very quickly.

His kicks grew faster and faster, until finally they stirred up gusts of wind.

It was at this moment that the surrounding Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy was once again drawn by some force, surging from every corner toward the dwelling where Lin Fan was.

Inside Lin Fan's dantian, the gathered Internal Force grew more and more abundant, expanding from the thickness of four or five ropes to that of six or seven.

Letting out a mouthful of turbid breath, Lin Fan felt a warmth in his legs and a surge of strength throughout his entire body.

He called up his panel and immediately checked his latest changes.

[Name: Lin Fan]

[Lifespan: 353]

[Talent: Pre-emptive Dao Fruit]

[Realm: Fifth Grade of Spirit Gathering Realm]

[Techniques: Basic Demonic Art (Perfection), Blood Gathering Art (Beginner)]

"Finally achieved, Fifth Grade of the Spirit Gathering Realm."

"With this level of cultivation, the status of a Formal Disciple is all but secured."

Lin Fan nodded to himself.

All the efforts he had made before were aimed at reaching this realm.

Yet when it actually came to pass, he didn't feel as much joy as he had imagined.

This was mainly because Lin Fan understood that he couldn't reveal too much of his cultivation too quickly. Otherwise, what awaited him wouldn't be promotion to Formal Disciple, but rather a brutal Soul Searching Technique or even being sliced open for study.

With this thought, Lin Fan immediately activated the Blood Gathering Art, suppressing his aura and concealing it at the Second Grade of the Spirit Gathering Realm.

"Here it comes again!"

"The surrounding Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy has changed even more drastically than last time."

Lin Fan broke through his realm comfortably, but in the nearby dwelling, the delicate young woman named Qiao'er was jolted awake in the dead of night once more.

Her physique was extremely special, allowing her to keenly sense the subtle flow and shifts of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy within a hundred meters around her.

"Could it be that the Blood Demon Sect has discovered something? Are they deliberately stirring up commotion to lure us out?"

The delicate young woman's brows knitted tightly.

She felt a twinge of unease, then shook Feng Ling, who was sound asleep, awake.

"Senior Sister..."

Feng Ling was sleeping deeply, suddenly shaken awake, and took a moment to recover.

"Junior Sister, we might have been discovered by the demon sect."

The delicate young woman's pretty face turned serious.

Feng Ling froze, instantly snapping to alertness, and hurriedly asked, "Senior Sister, what do we do then?"

The next day, Lin Fan had just arrived at the Hidden Scripture Pavilion with Zhou Wanqing when he noticed the atmosphere had turned strange.

All the Menial Disciples were being blocked by a Formal Disciple wearing a bizarre mask.

This person was clad in a Dark Robe, with a Crying-Laughing Face Pattern embroidered on his chest.

He was the same Formal Disciple who had administered the Monthly Test to the Hidden Scripture Pavilion menials last time.

Over a hundred Menial Disciples were held back outside the Hidden Scripture Pavilion, yet none dared to ask questions; they all exchanged bewildered glances, unsure of what was happening.

Zhou Wanqing felt uneasy and instinctively shrank behind Lin Fan.

"Could my killing have alerted the Formal Disciples?"

Lin Fan was startled and suspicious, thinking to himself.

"No, if they were after me, they'd have seized me directly, not blocked everyone outside the Hidden Scripture Pavilion."

Lin Fan quickly calmed down.

He swept his gaze over the crowd and noticed that old-timers like Wang Biao had shifty eyes, and even Feng Ling and the delicate young woman she lived with were exchanging glances, as if everyone harbored deep, hidden secrets.

Seeing that everyone had arrived, the Formal Disciple wasted no words and said coldly, "By order from above, the next Monthly Test is being held early."

As his words fell, a stir ran through the crowd.

Even Lin Fan was surprised; under normal circumstances, the next Monthly Test wouldn't be for another half month.

"Does anyone object?"

The Black-robed Disciple's tone sank, and the temperature around them instantly chilled.

In that moment, silence fell.

"We'll start with you."

The Black-robed Disciple pointed casually at the nearest Menial Disciple.

This youth was gaunt and sallow, but he had already spent several months in the Hidden Scripture Pavilion, making him something of an old hand among the menials.

"Me?"

He was terrified, but still stepped forward.

"Senior Brother, where's the Spirit Testing Stone?"

He asked cautiously, but saw no sign of the Black-robed Disciple producing a Spirit Testing Stone.

"For this Monthly Test, This Seat will conduct the inspection personally."

The Black-robed Disciple gave a sinister smile.

"Huh?"

The youth was startled, but quickly regained his composure.

Without further explanation, the Black-robed Disciple grabbed his arm and carefully probed the condition inside his body.

"Hmph, so you're also a spy from the Thousand Hands Sect!"

The next second, the Black-robed Disciple suddenly roared, and the youth's arm exploded with a bang. Thin black tentacles surged from the wound, then quickly withered.

The youth fell to his knees. Under the single-handed suppression of the Black-robed Disciple, his clothes burst apart, and countless bloody cracks split open across his skin.

This scene shocked the gathered menials profoundly.

"So it's under the guise of an early Monthly Test to root out spies infiltrating the demon sect."

Lin Fan suddenly understood.

He grew even calmer. He could conceal his aura; even if a Formal Disciple personally intervened, it would likely be hard to detect his true nature.

As long as he didn't reveal his real cultivation level, the demon sect's Formal Disciples probably wouldn't make trouble for him.

A piercing scream cut through Lin Fan's thoughts as the young man's eyes rolled back, foam spilling from his mouth as he collapsed to the ground.

"No accomplices?" The Black-robed Disciple withdrew his finger from the youth's brow, his brow furrowing slightly.

He had just performed the Soul Searching Secret Technique but found no trace of other hidden spies. Was this a lone wolf?

"So that's the Soul Searching Technique?" Lin Fan's heart tightened.

Truly the way of demonic cultivators—resorting to soul searching at the slightest disagreement, and the one searched seemed to become dull-witted on the spot.

"Next!" The Black-robed Disciple lifted his head and said coldly.

Even through the mask on his face, one could feel his expression was utterly icy, his gaze at the Menial Disciples like a flock of sheep waiting to be slaughtered.

The second Menial Disciple stepped forward, then the third, the fourth...

Today, this Formal Disciple was not checking the Menial Disciples' cultivation levels but rooting out spies from other sects lurking within the Hidden Scripture Pavilion.

"Absorbed that much and barely reached Spirit Gathering Realm third grade. Passable." After inspecting Wang Biao, the Black-robed Formal Disciple said casually.

Wang Biao gave a sheepish smile and quickly retreated back into the crowd.

Besides Wang Biao, a few other veteran Menial Disciples had also reached Spirit Gathering Realm third grade ahead of time.

But Lin Fan knew the reason they had improved so quickly lately was precisely because these old Menial Disciples had been frantically draining their Dual Cultivation partners.

The woman Wang Biao had only recently found as his Dual Cultivation partner had already been drained pale and skeletal in less than half a month.

At that moment, Lin Fan noticed Feng Ling stepping forward for inspection.

Ever since Feng Ling had taken a fresh-faced young girl as her roommate, both of them had looked well, with no issue of one draining the other—this was clearly unusual.

The Black-robed Formal Disciple had evidently noticed this as well.