Three-Year Deadline

A pitch-black skeleton stood atop the platform at Blackwood Cliff.

Oil-green flames flickered in its eye sockets, radiating an extremely cold and eerie aura.

"You all witnessed the brutality of the great battle a few days ago."

"Flowing Cloud Sword Sect has officially gone to war with our Blood Demon Sect."

The skeleton opened its mouth, and a slightly deep voice rang out.

"Although you are low-level disciples of the sect, you are also people with potential. In the future, you may very well reach a certain height."

"So you must not perish easily, and even less should you die here."

"The sect's situation is perilous now. The Demon Cultivators of the Demon Vein Desolate Land are eyeing us hungrily, while Flowing Cloud Sword Sect has joined forces with several powers to besiege us."

"To preserve the sect's inheritance, I have decided that all disciples below the fifth grade of the Meridian Condensing Realm will be dismissed. You will go into the secular world to seek refuge. As long as you can survive there, anywhere will do."

As the black skeleton spoke, it casually beckoned. A box opened, revealing densely packed pills inside.

The pills shimmered with a bloody luster and looked faintly eerie.

"This is the antidote to the Bone-Gnawing Pill. After taking it, it can neutralize the poison in your bodies."

After the Blood Demon Sect's leader finished speaking, he stared straight at the few remaining disciples of Blackwood Cliff.

Lin Fan, Zhao Wang, and the other surviving disciples stepped forward one after another to collect theirs.

"Good."

"I forgot to tell you: This pill can neutralize the poison of the Bone-Gnawing Pill, but it is also another kind of poison."

"Within three years, if you cannot return to the sect in time, you will all die out there."

The black skeleton's tone was grim.

It coldly watched Lin Fan, Zhao Wang, and the others. If anyone refused to take the pill, they would die on the spot.

This sect leader is far too ruthless.

Lin Fan's heart tightened as he thought this.

Under the other party's watchful gaze, no matter how unwilling he was, Lin Fan could only swallow the pill.

The next morning.

Many carriages drove out of the Blood Demon Sect.

Inside one of them, Lin Fan wore a bamboo hat and sat in the carriage, his emotions extremely complicated. Beside him, Zhou Wanqing and Wang Yuyao were incomparably excited.

Back when he had been a Menial Disciple in the Hidden Scripture Pavilion, he had dreamed day and night of escaping the Blood Demon Sect.

Yet now that he was truly leaving, Lin Fan felt somewhat lost.

The carriage had not yet left the mountain gate when Zhao Wang rode over on a fine horse.

He was alone. His own Dual Cultivation Cauldron had long since been drained dry.

"Junior Brother Lin, where are you planning to go?"

"The eastern region."

"The eastern region? The spiritual energy there is thin. It isn't a good place."

"Then take care, Senior Brother."

"You too. See you again in three years."

Zhao Wang lightly slapped his horse's back, then sped up. In the blink of an eye, he vanished into the valley ahead.

Inside the carriage, Zhou Wanqing suddenly asked, "Brother Lin, are you really going to take us back to the King of Linzi's City?"

Wang Yuyao's beautiful eyes also flickered as she stared straight at Lin Fan.

"Could it be that you don't want to go back?"

Lin Fan smiled and asked in return.

Zhou Wanqing nodded slightly. "Thank you..."

Wang Yuyao remained silent, but her gaze toward Lin Fan had become incomparably complicated.

Sending the two women back to the King of Linzi's City was not a spur-of-the-moment decision by Lin Fan.

He knew that because of the Infatuation Pill's effects, the two women had become his Dual Cultivation Cauldrons. Yet deep in their hearts, they probably yearned every moment to escape this situation in which their fates were at the mercy of others.

The Blood Demon Sect's situation was unfavorable. Since low-level disciples like them were being sent into the secular world to avoid danger, they had to keep a low profile as much as possible.

If he continued traveling with the two women, it would only increase the risks.

Thus, for his own safety and for the sake of the two women's future, Lin Fan decided to send them to the King of Linzi's City in the eastern region.

The carriage traveled eastward. Several days later, it still had not left the Blood Demon Sect's sphere of influence.

Just then, a sparrow suddenly landed on the carriage roof and spat out a cloth bag.

By the time Lin Fan reacted, the sparrow had already flown away.

The cloth bag opened, revealing a letter inside.

The letter read: "If you plan to travel east, avoid Dangyang City. The road ahead is long, dangerous, and unpredictable. Be careful."

Signed: Ruan Anyuan.

"Master Ruan..."

Lin Fan froze, and an indescribably complicated emotion spread through his heart.

He recalled scene after scene from the Blood Talisman Gathering in Roaming Cloud Valley.

"Blackwood Cliff... You came from the ranks of the menial disciples, didn't you?"

"Young man, it hasn't been easy for you. Since you've come this time, learn as much as you can."

"Everyone present was discussing enthusiastically, yet you alone were daydreaming and distracted. You really do deserve a beating."

A smile appeared on Lin Fan's face. Gazing toward the Blood Demon Sect, he said softly, "Master Ruan, if you knew that I had become a Blood Talisman Master, you would surely be very happy, wouldn't you?"

A trace of long-lost warmth arose in his heart.

Dusk.

The carriage slowly came to a stop. At Lin Fan's signal, the two women climbed down from the carriage to get some fresh air.

Looking at the setting sun on the horizon and feeling the long-lost breath of freedom, both women were delighted, unable to hide the joy between their brows.

They had finally left that chaotic and cruel demonic sect and could breathe air that was fresh and free of the stench of blood.

"Lin Lang, should we continue on our way, or rest here for the night?"

Wang Yuyao asked softly.

She wanted desperately to return to the King of Linzi's City as soon as possible without stopping for even a moment. But for now, her life and freedom were still in Lin Fan's hands.

"Tomorrow we'll have to take a detour to avoid Dangyang City. It would be best to rest tonight."

Lin Fan thought for a moment before speaking.

"Brother Lin, avoid Dangyang City? Wouldn't we have to take a huge detour?"

Zhou Wanqing blinked her beautiful eyes, somewhat puzzled.

Wang Yuyao's red lips pressed together slightly, but she remained silent.

"It's somewhat dangerous there."

Lin Fan thought for a moment before answering.

The two women suddenly understood and immediately began preparing what they needed to spend the night.

Night soon fell.

The two women slept soundly beneath wool blankets.

Lin Fan sat beside the campfire, glanced toward the Blood Demon Sect, and then opened the cloth bag.

Besides the letter, the cloth bag contained three boxes.

One box held three pieces of Spirit Jade that radiated spiritual energy.

These spirit stones were extremely precious. If cultivators were in an area with thin spiritual energy, they could rely on Spirit Jade for cultivation.

The second box contained a booklet. It was the talisman-making insight recorded by Master Ruan.

Although it was not a talisman manual, it could help Lin Fan cultivate the Talisman Secret Manual more effectively.

The third box contained another letter and a pill.

Lin Fan opened the letter first. It read: "The spiritual energy in the mortal world is thin. You can only cultivate through Dual Cultivation. These three pieces of Spirit Jade can aid your cultivation."

"That booklet contains some of my experience in making talismans. If you study it carefully, it can greatly improve your attainments in talismans and help you become a Blood Talisman Master sooner."

"As for that pill, it contains an antidote. But remember this: If the sect leader cannot resolve the crisis within three years and dies under siege, you may take the antidote without returning to the sect. If the sect leader remains alive, then regardless of whether you have taken the antidote, you must return within three years."

"The poison the sect leader gave you contains a trace of his aura. If you fail to return in time, the Blood Demon Sect will certainly send people to kill you."

After reading the letter, Lin Fan burned it to ashes.

Next, he carefully put away the Spirit Jade and the antidote, then took out the Talisman Secret Manual that Master Ruan had given him last time.

Lin Fan had not yet had time to cultivate this talisman manual. Now, however, it was an excellent opportunity.

Would consuming twenty years of his lifespan preemptively advance the Talisman Secret Manual to the Initiate stage?

Without the slightest hesitation, Lin Fan said, "I agree to the pre-emptive advancement."

The next second, insights into the Talisman Secret Manual surged into his mind out of nowhere.

A scene suddenly appeared. A youth who looked similar to Lin Fan held a Talisman Brush and sketched a Blood Demonic Rune.

Unlike last time, this Blood Demonic Rune was far more profound and obscure.

His movements went from slow to fast. As the final stroke fell, the rune's radiance surged, and an astonishing aura erupted.

"An even more refined set of Blood Demonic Rune principles."

Lin Fan's gaze narrowed slightly.

Almost instinctively, he took out the Talisman Brush and followed the youth's movements.

On the originally pristine Talisman Paper, a Blood Demonic Rune slowly took shape. Its faint radiance gradually withdrew as the ink solidified.

No one knew how much time had passed. When Lin Fan's final stroke fell, the entire Blood Demonic Rune finally took shape.

Lin Fan immediately summoned the panel and hurriedly examined his latest changes.

Name: Lin Fan

Lifespan: 1385

Talent: Pre-emptive Dao Fruit

Realm: Meridian Condensing Realm (Third Grade)

Techniques: Advanced Demonic Arts (Proficient), Blood Gathering Art (Great Accomplishment), Talisman Secret Manual (Initiate), Sword Control Technique (Initiate)

"The Talisman Secret Tome became the Talisman Secret Manual."

Lin Fan noticed the change in the technique column.

He was not surprised. After all, the Talisman Secret Tome had originally been merely an abridged version of the Talisman Secret Manual.

This situation was practically a hallmark of the Blood Demon Sect. To maintain maximum control over the disciples below, the techniques and various manuals passed down from above had almost all been castrated versions, sometimes once and sometimes several times over.

At that moment, Lin Fan also noticed the number in the lifespan column.

His brows suddenly furrowed, and he muttered to himself, "After leaving the Blood Demon Sect, I can no longer copy texts to obtain lifespan for the time being. From now on, I'll have to start using it sparingly."

Back in the Blood Demon Sect, he had obtained lifespan by copying texts every day, which basically allowed him to maintain a balance with the lifespan he spent on pre-emptive advancements.

But after coming down the mountain, being unable to obtain lifespan meant that every time Lin Fan wanted to continue preemptively advancing the proficiency of techniques and manuals through the panel, it would be one use fewer.

This was a major problem. He had to find a way to solve it. Otherwise, something might go wrong while he was lying low in the secular world.

The road ahead was uncertain, and Lin Fan found it difficult to sleep that entire night.