Beauty's Invitation

Lin Fan copied with great care. With yesterday's experience under his belt, he had become much more proficient.

It took him only an hour to copy another book of strange tales.

You copied "Records of Strange Tales from Qingzhou." Reward: 10 years of lifespan.

He was brimming with motivation. When the others stopped to rest, Lin Fan chose to continue copying.

Two hours passed.

You copied "Records of Strange Hearings." Reward: 5 years of lifespan.

Several hours of continuous copying left Lin Fan utterly exhausted.

He held on, rubbed his brow, and looked at the lifespan column on the panel. It had already become 75.

"Sure enough, the more books I copy, the more lifespan I gain."

"But how am I supposed to use the Pre-emptive Dao Fruit to preempt the corresponding Technique Proficiency?"

"Since it's Technique Proficiency, I naturally have to cultivate the technique first!"

Suddenly, Lin Fan remembered. Wasn't there a cultivation method for the Menial Disciples in his cloth pouch?

He immediately took out a jade slip and, following Wang Biao's reminder from yesterday, pressed it against his brow.

The next moment, a complicated and obscure cultivation method surged into Lin Fan's mind from thin air.

"Basic Demonic Art."

This was the cultivation method practiced by the Menial Disciples of the Hidden Scripture Pavilion!

Would you expend fifteen years of lifespan to preempt Basic Demonic Art to the Initiate stage?

At that moment, a line of glowing words suddenly appeared before Lin Fan.

Lin Fan pondered for a moment before saying, "I agree to the preemption."

At that moment, Lin Fan's mind suddenly shook. Insights into the "Basic Demonic Art" appeared from thin air and poured into his mind.

At the same time, a strange scene appeared in his mind. A youth identical in appearance to Lin Fan sat cross-legged amid a blizzard, cultivating the Basic Demonic Art. His movements changed from clumsy to familiar as he guided the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy into his body, transforming it into endless Internal Force.

From the initial wisp of Internal Force, it gradually became a thin, trickling stream.

Lin Fan subconsciously followed along in cultivating the Basic Demonic Art. As his pores opened, wisps of cool spiritual energy flowed into his body.

Deep within his originally empty dantian, wisps of Internal Force suddenly formed, leaving his entire body feeling indescribably refreshed.

A quarter of an hour later, Lin Fan came back to himself and immediately summoned the panel to inspect the changes in his condition.

Name: Lin Fan

Lifespan: 60

Talent: Pre-emptive Dao Fruit

Realm: First Grade of Spirit Gathering Realm

Technique: Basic Demonic Art (Initiate)

"I only used fifteen years of lifespan to bring this 'Basic Demonic Art' to the Initiate stage, and it even let me enter the First Grade of Spirit Gathering Realm!"

Lin Fan's eyes lit up.

In this world, immortals and demons rose side by side, but their cultivation systems were nearly identical. In general, there were Six Realms and Nine Grades: Spirit Gathering Realm, Meridian Condensing Realm, Bone Tempering Realm, Mountain Splitting Realm, Cloud Soaring Realm, and Dao Integration Realm.

Each major realm was further divided into nine grades!

Aside from newcomers like Lin Fan, nearly all the other Menial Disciples of the Hidden Scripture Pavilion were in the Spirit Gathering Realm.

"Not only has my realm changed, but my concentration and the strength of my grip on the brush are also many times greater than before."

"As long as I copy more books, I can gain more lifespan. Then I can preempt a higher level of Technique Proficiency, and my realm and physical strength will become even greater."

Lin Fan rejoiced inwardly.

After what had happened last night and seeing the two corpses that morning, he had deeply realized that if he wanted to survive here, he had to possess enough strength.

Suddenly, a light and melodious voice rang out.

"You're Lin Fan, right?"

Lin Fan subconsciously raised his head and looked at the woman before him.

If he remembered correctly, she was the woman Wang Biao had stopped yesterday.

The woman had attractive features, snow-white, delicate skin, a slender waist, and long, straight legs. She was indeed a beauty of exceptional appearance.

The woman showed him her token. It displayed: "Hidden Scripture Pavilion Menial Disciple, Feng Ling."

"Is something the matter?"

After what had happened last night, Lin Fan was more wary of people who took the initiative to approach him.

Feng Ling smiled sweetly and asked, "Yesterday, Wang Biao brought you into his quarters. Today, it seems you've fallen out with him. What happened?"

Lin Fan shrugged and answered frankly, "Because I'm not into men."

"You're certainly straightforward."

Feng Ling's expression relaxed as she said, "Several newcomers Wang Biao brought into his quarters before didn't live past a month."

Lin Fan's heart tightened. "You mean..."

"You'll find out later." Feng Ling smiled and did not wish to say more on the subject.

"By the way, I'm living alone now. Would you be interested in living with me?"

"You know, living alone consumes more Everlasting Lamp oil. And without anyone to look after you, it's easy for the nocturnal demons to break down the door and devour you."

She invited him earnestly.

"Why me?"

Lin Fan did not agree immediately. Instead, he asked her directly.

There were plenty of Menial Disciples here, yet she had chosen him. Could it be that, like Wang Biao, she had taken a fancy to his fairly handsome appearance?

"Because I believe you're a principled person."

Feng Ling smiled seductively, then sighed softly. "Many people here have already given up on themselves. They live in terror every day and have long since lost their basic reason."

"Quite a few only think about venting their desires, using such means to fill the emptiness in their hearts."

Hearing this, Lin Fan finally understood what she meant.

"Aren't you afraid I won't be able to control myself?" Lin Fan suddenly smiled and asked.

"If you can conquer me, I won't mind giving myself to you."

Feng Ling met Lin Fan's eyes and answered with complete seriousness.

Damn this woman. She really is impossible to refuse!

Lin Fan fell silent for a moment. Although he now possessed a little cultivation, he was still filled with wariness toward those unknown dark demons.

Living alone was not impossible. But the risk was too great. If he happened to doze off one night and a demon smashed through the door, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Before figuring out exactly what those demons were, Lin Fan did not want to take risks. Staying alive was more important than anything!

After pondering for a long while, he nodded and smiled. "Then we'll live together tonight."

Feng Ling beamed with delight. "Good. I'll sit across from you. Once we finish today's task, we'll choose a room together."

Noticing Lin Fan and Feng Ling sitting together, the other Menial Disciples showed little reaction, as if they were already accustomed to such things.

The two sat facing each other and silently copied books.

Feng Ling was quite lively. Seeing Lin Fan so dull and silent, she took the initiative to speak and explain the relevant circumstances to him.

From Feng Ling, Lin Fan learned that every Menial Disciple in the Hidden Scripture Pavilion had to copy a book ten times to exchange for one Contribution Point. Moreover, Contribution Points were universally accepted throughout the Blood Demon Sect.

They could be used not only to exchange for Everlasting Lamps, but also for corresponding pills and even all sorts of other items.

However, based on Lin Fan's observations, most Menial Disciples could only copy a book five or six times a day. In other words, even if they worked themselves to death every month, they could earn at most a dozen or so Contribution Points.

"Sister Feng, how many Contribution Points does an Everlasting Lamp cost?" Lin Fan suddenly stopped moving and asked.

Feng Ling continued copying as she answered softly, "An Everlasting Lamp only costs one Contribution Point. However, the lamp oil burns extremely quickly, and another one or two Contribution Points are needed each month to refill it."

"So that means three or four Contribution Points have to be spent on an Everlasting Lamp every month."

Lin Fan pondered this.

"That's right. Besides the Everlasting Lamp, you also need to exchange for Grain Abstinence Pills. You need about ten each month, and one Contribution Point only buys two pills. So, after calculating everything, most Menial Disciples have almost no Contribution Points left to save each month."

Feng Ling sighed softly.

The Menial Disciples of the Hidden Scripture Pavilion worked themselves to the bone every day, yet they could not accumulate many Contribution Points.

Without enough Contribution Points, they could not obtain sufficient resources for cultivation. Thus, they could see neither hope nor a way out.

If a demon smashed through their door one night, they would be devoured until not even a scrap remained.

This was the fate of most Menial Disciples in the Hidden Scripture Pavilion.

Lin Fan's heart grew heavy. Only now did he finally realize how cruel it was to be a Menial Disciple here.

However, Lin Fan differed from the others. With the panel's help, as long as he accumulated enough strength, even if he could not escape the Blood Demon Sect, he would at least have a chance to rise to become a Formal Disciple.

Growing stronger and improving his strength was the only chance he had to change his fate.

"By the way, while working here, you must never get injured. Otherwise, they won't give you time to heal. The sect will simply send someone to dispose of you."

Feng Ling reminded him again.

Not long ago, she had personally seen an old Menial Disciple who had been injured in an accident executed on the spot by two Formal Disciples.

"Thank you."

Lin Fan spoke softly as he looked at the girl across from him.

As the two spoke, the setting sun slanted toward the horizon.

"It's almost dark."

"Let's go."

After a brief exchange, the two rose at the same time and headed toward the quarters beside the Hidden Scripture Pavilion.

The moment they left the Hidden Scripture Pavilion's gate, Lin Fan suddenly saw Wang Biao leading a youth toward a room.

Wang Biao also saw Lin Fan, but merely snorted and brushed past him like a stranger.

"That newcomer who arrived today probably won't escape Wang Biao's clutches."

Feng Ling shook her head. Almost every day, one or two newcomers arrived at the Hidden Scripture Pavilion. Naturally, that also meant one or two old Menial Disciples died.

"Best of luck to him."

Lin Fan sighed softly.

Lin Fan and Feng Ling found an unoccupied room and moved in together.

Last night, Lin Fan had been guarding against Wang Biao. Tonight, Feng Ling was guarding against Lin Fan.

However, Lin Fan never crossed the line, which put Feng Ling much more at ease.

Because Lin Fan did not yet have enough Contribution Points to exchange for an Everlasting Lamp, he used Feng Ling's lamp.

Seeing how well-behaved Lin Fan was, Feng Ling immediately divided half the bed to him and let him sleep on it.

"The demons came up from the bottom of the cliff last night. Under normal circumstances, they won't come again tonight."

"There's no need to stand watch. Let's sleep together."

Feng Ling invited him of her own accord.

Her hair flowed like a waterfall, her pretty face was flushed, and her skin was snow-white and delicate, radiating a captivating fragrance.

A thread of lust rose in Lin Fan's heart, but he quickly suppressed it.

"I'm coming..."

With a beauty inviting him, he naturally would not refuse.