Testing Cultivation

The two had just returned to their dwelling when the sky fell completely dark.

"Sister Feng, let's use my Everlasting Lamp tonight," Lin Fan offered proactively.

That morning, he had saved enough Contribution Points to exchange for an Everlasting Lamp. If he kept freeloading, even if Feng Ling didn't say anything, he himself would feel embarrassed.

"Mm." Feng Ling smiled faintly, looking quite satisfied with Lin Fan's initiative.

As the lamp lit up, it dispelled the cold brought by the darkness, making the entire dwelling warm and cozy.

"Sister Feng, what exactly are the evil spirits?" Lin Fan couldn't help asking, hearing the rustling sounds from outside.

He had asked Wang Biao before, but the other couldn't explain anything substantial.

"I'm not entirely sure either," she said. "But I once heard an old Menial Disciple mention that the bottom of Blackwood Cliff was once an ancient battlefield, buried with endless corpses. The so-called evil spirits are most likely Bloodthirsty Demonic Insects formed from the Sha Qi of those remains." Feng Ling's beautiful eyes flickered as she spoke softly.

"Bloodthirsty Demonic Insects..." Lin Fan fell into thought.

"Tonight is unusual. Not only will evil spirits appear, but there might also be Blood Mist," Feng Ling said quietly.

Blood Mist was a strange phenomenon that occurred every five or six days, and each time it appeared, it made the evil spirits more active.

That night, Lin Fan and Feng Ling took turns keeping watch.

Only when the sky was fully bright did the two dare push open the door. Not far away, a layer of Blood Mist was slowly dissipating.

In the days that followed, Lin Fan and Feng Ling treated each other with respect, and another three days passed like this.

Feng Ling seemed lively on the surface, but in reality, she was an extremely clear-headed person, deliberately keeping a certain distance from Lin Fan.

Even though the two shared the same bed, there was a distinct boundary between them, with no sparks flying.

Lin Fan had found it a bit strange at first, but soon understood the reason.

He had decent looks, but the girl was also quite attractive. She wasn't with him because she liked him—most likely, it was for the sake of safety. Things like love at first sight were almost impossible here.

This day, at dawn.

A Formal Disciple wearing a strange mask suddenly arrived at the Hidden Scripture Pavilion on Blackwood Cliff.

He was dressed in a Black Mystic Robe, with a Crying-Laughing Deliberate Face Pattern embroidered on his chest.

This was the attire of a Formal Disciple from Blood Soul Peak.

Without any nonsense, the Formal Disciple immediately gathered the nearly hundred Menial Disciples in the Hidden Scripture Pavilion and cut straight to the point: "By order of the sect, I am here to conduct your Monthly Test."

As he spoke, he took out a black stone.

"This is a Spirit Testing Stone. Come up one by one and inject your power into it. If you can make the stone produce a sufficient reaction, you will have a chance to become a Formal Disciple of the sect."

"Enough talk. Let's start with you."

The Black-robed Disciple pointed casually at the Menial Disciple closest to him.

That Menial Disciple stepped forward in fear and trepidation, gently holding the Spirit Testing Stone. His face flushed red as he poured all his power into it.

The originally pitch-black stone gradually emitted a faint milky-white glow, but it quickly dimmed.

The Black-robed Disciple frowned slightly and snorted coldly, "You've been on Blackwood Cliff for over half a year and haven't even reached the First Grade of Spirit Gathering Realm. What a waste."

No sooner had he spoken than, without waiting for the Menial Disciple to react, he kicked him away.

The Menial Disciple looked utterly dejected, rubbed his stinging rear, and silently moved to the side.

Soon, the second Menial Disciple stepped forward.

This time, the Spirit Testing Stone didn't react at all—not even a glimmer of light appeared.

The Black-robed Disciple's face darkened, and he swung his palm in a backhanded slap.

That Menial Disciple let out a miserable scream, flying more than ten meters away like a kite with a broken string.

He wailed in pain but dared not show any resentment, slinking away to the side with his tail between his legs.

Seeing this scene made Lin Fan deeply realize that in the eyes of the Blood Demon Sect's Formal Disciples, Menial Disciples were nothing more than slaves they could kill or beat at will.

He instinctively stepped back, planning to first observe how the others performed.

Most Menial Disciples could barely make the Spirit Testing Stone react at all. Only some of the more senior old-timers could produce one or two flashes of light from it.

At that moment, Lin Fan noticed Wang Biao had already stepped forward and placed his hand on the Spirit Testing Stone.

The originally pitch-black Spirit Testing Stone quickly bloomed with two milky-white rays of light, lasting for several breaths.

"Second Grade of Spirit Gathering Realm, barely passable."

The Black-robed Disciple glanced at Wang Biao and said casually.

"Thank you, Senior Brother."

Wang Biao's face lit up with joy, then he respectfully withdrew.

No sooner had he left than a coughing young Menial Disciple walked over. Lin Fan recognized him at once—this was the youth who had followed Wang Biao into the room.

But compared to a few days ago, his complexion had worsened.

He reached out and placed his hand on the Spirit Testing Stone, yet after a long while, there was no reaction at all.

Noticing the youth's sallow, gaunt appearance, the Black-robed Disciple smirked mockingly and said, "Next."

Soon after, Feng Ling stepped forward.

The Spirit Testing Stone once again emitted two rays of light, drawing envious glances from the crowd.

Before long, it was Lin Fan's turn.

Lin Fan raised his hand and grasped the Spirit Testing Stone; its touch was icy cold.

From his earlier observations, everyone who held the stone produced a reaction only after several breaths—the fastest took three or four breaths, while the slowest took seven or eight.

Lin Fan waited silently for a moment, until a hint of impatience appeared on the Black-robed Disciple's face, then he channeled a trace of Internal Force from his palm into the Spirit Testing Stone.

The next second, the dark stone bloomed with a milky-white light that lingered for several breaths before slowly fading.

"Not bad."

The Black-robed Disciple glanced at Lin Fan and suddenly spoke.

Lin Fan's previously anxious heart finally settled.

He cupped his hands toward the Black-robed Disciple before retreating back into the crowd.

"Continue, next."

The Black-robed Disciple's expression remained flat as he signaled the others to proceed with the test.

"I didn't see that coming."

Feng Ling sidled up to Lin Fan, studying him with a surprised look.

"Sister Feng, I don't know what you're talking about."

Lin Fan remained composed.

"You only joined the Hidden Scripture Pavilion not long ago, yet you've already cultivated to the First Grade of Spirit Gathering Realm—that's pretty astonishing." Feng Ling blinked her beautiful eyes.

"Maybe I have some talent in cultivation."

Lin Fan said, shamelessly.

"Sister Feng, since you think my talent's decent, how about considering Dual Cultivation?"

Lin Fan asked with a slight smile.

"You?"

Feng Ling curled her lips, as if in disdain.

After the Monthly Test ended, Lin Fan and Feng Ling returned together to the Hidden Scripture Pavilion, continuing to copy books.

[You have copied "Miscellaneous Records of Huazhou." Reward: 10 years of lifespan.]

[You have copied "Records of Carefree Wandering." Reward: 5 years of lifespan.]

After a day of copying, Lin Fan gained another thirty years of lifespan. Combined with the lifespan from the previous three days of copying, his lifespan column now read [210].

[Do you wish to consume thirty years of lifespan to advance Basic Demonic Art to Minor Accomplishment?]

At that moment, a line of glowing text appeared before Lin Fan's eyes.

Lin Fan thought for a moment, then said, "Agree to advance."

The next second, deeper insights into the "Basic Demonic Art" flooded into his mind.

At the same time, a strange image appeared in Lin Fan's mind: a youth who looked like him was still practicing fist techniques, but both his movements and forms were far more skilled than before. Every gesture carried a hint of a master's bearing.

The fist techniques were as fast as lightning and unpredictable, drawing endless streams of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy into the youth's body, where it was refined into purer Internal Force.

"The stronger the fist technique, the more efficient the absorption and refinement of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy!"

Lin Fan understood intuitively.

He didn't rush to cultivate. Instead, after half an hour, he found an opportunity to leave his seat and once again went to that secluded corner, practicing the fist techniques according to the image in his mind.

His blood and qi surged without pause; Lin Fan felt like a furnace, refining the surrounding Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy.

Within his dantian, where his Internal Force had once been like a single hemp rope, it had now grown to two or even three ropes.

At this moment, Lin Fan felt his entire body brimming with strength, his limbs full of power.

He hesitated no longer and immediately called up his panel to check his latest changes.