Testing Cultivation

The two had just returned to their quarters when the sky darkened completely.

"​​Sister Feng, let's use my Everlasting Lamp tonight."

Lin Fan spoke up first.

That morning, he had saved up enough Contribution Points to exchange for an Everlasting Lamp.

If he kept freeloading, he would feel guilty even if Feng Ling said nothing.

"Mm."

Feng Ling smiled faintly, seemingly quite pleased by Lin Fan's initiative.

As the lamp lit up, it dispelled the chill brought by the darkness and warmed the entire room.

"Sister Feng, what exactly are demonic entities?"

Hearing rustling sounds coming from outside, Lin Fan could not help asking.

He had asked Wang Biao about it last time, but the other man had been unable to explain it clearly.

"I'm not entirely sure either."

"But I once heard an old Menial Disciple mention that the bottom of Blackwood Cliff was once an ancient battlefield, where endless corpses had been buried."

"The so-called demonic entities are most likely Bloodthirsty Demonic Insects formed from the Killing Intent of those corpses."

Feng Ling's beautiful eyes flickered as she spoke softly.

"Bloodthirsty Demonic Insects..."

Lin Fan fell into thought.

"Tonight is unusual. Not only will demonic entities appear, but there may also be Blood Mist."

Feng Ling spoke in a distant voice.

Blood Mist was a strange phenomenon. It appeared once every five or six days, and whenever it appeared, it made the demonic entities far more active.

That night, Lin Fan and Feng Ling took turns standing guard.

Only when the sky grew bright did the two dare open the door. Not far away, a layer of blood-colored mist was slowly dispersing.

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

Feng Ling appeared lively on the surface, but was actually an extremely clear-headed person. She deliberately kept a certain distance from Lin Fan.

Even though they slept in the same bed, there was a clear line between them, and not a single spark flew.

Lin Fan had initially found it somewhat strange, but he soon understood the reason.

He was fairly good-looking, but the girl was attractive too. She had not chosen to stay with him because she had fallen for him; most likely, she merely wanted someone to keep her safe.

Love at first sight was practically impossible in a place like this.

That morning.

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

He wore a Black Mystic Robe, with the Crying-Laughing Deliberate Face Pattern embroidered across his chest.

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

The Formal Disciple wasted no words. He immediately summoned nearly a hundred Menial Disciples from the Hidden Scripture Pavilion and got straight to the point. "By order of the sect, I've come 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 pour your strength into it. As long as you can make the Spirit Testing Stone react sufficiently, you'll have a chance to become a Formal Disciple of the sect."

"Enough nonsense. You first."

The black-clad disciple casually pointed at the nearest Menial Disciple.

The Menial Disciple approached in terror, gently gripping the Spirit Testing Stone. His face flushed as he poured all his strength into it.

The originally pitch-black Spirit Testing Stone gradually emitted a faint milky-white glow, but it soon dimmed.

The black-clad disciple frowned slightly and snorted. "You've been on Blackwood Cliff for more than half a year and haven't even reached the First Grade of Spirit Gathering Realm. What a useless piece of trash."

Before the Menial Disciple could react, he kicked him aside.

The Menial Disciple's face fell. He rubbed his burning backside and silently walked to one side.

Soon, the second Menial Disciple stepped forward.

This time, the Spirit Testing Stone did not react at all. Not even the slightest glimmer appeared.

The black-clad disciple's expression darkened, and he backhanded the man across the face.

The Menial Disciple let out a shriek. His entire body flew more than ten meters away like a kite with its string cut.

He howled in pain, yet did not dare show the slightest resentment. He could only tuck his tail between his legs and obediently hide to the side.

Seeing this, Lin Fan deeply realized that in the eyes of Blood Demon Sect's Formal Disciples, Menial Disciples were nothing more than slaves who could be beaten or killed at will.

He subconsciously stepped back, intending to observe the others first.

Most of the Menial Disciples found it difficult to make the Spirit Testing Stone react much. Only some older Menial Disciples with deeper seniority could make it emit one or two rays of light.

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

The originally pitch-black stone soon burst into two milky-white rays of light, which lasted for several breaths.

"Second Grade of Spirit Gathering Realm. Barely acceptable."

The black-clad disciple glanced at Wang Biao and spoke indifferently.

"Thank you, Senior Brother."

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

As soon as he left, a coughing young Menial Disciple walked over. Lin Fan recognized him at a glance—the same youth who had followed Wang Biao into the room.

Compared with a few days ago, however, his complexion had grown even worse.

He placed his hand on the Spirit Testing Stone, but after a long while, there was still no reaction.

Noticing the youth's sallow, emaciated appearance, the black-clad disciple gave a mocking smile. "Next."

Before long, Feng Ling stepped forward.

The Spirit Testing Stone once again blossomed with two rays of light, drawing envious gazes from everyone.

Soon, it was Lin Fan's turn.

Lin Fan raised his hand and gripped the Spirit Testing Stone. It felt extremely cold.

After observing earlier, he had noticed that everyone's reaction appeared only after several breaths of holding the stone. The fastest took three or four breaths, while the slowest took seven or eight.

Lin Fan waited silently for a moment. Only when a trace of impatience appeared on the black-clad disciple's face did he circulate a wisp of Internal Force, sending it through his palm and into the Spirit Testing Stone.

The next second, the pitch-black Spirit Testing Stone burst into a milky-white radiance. It lasted several breaths before slowly fading away.

"Not bad."

The black-clad disciple glanced at Lin Fan and suddenly spoke.

Lin Fan's taut heart finally relaxed.

He cupped his hands toward the black-clad disciple, then retreated into the crowd.

"Continue. Next."

The black-clad disciple remained expressionless as he motioned for the others to continue testing.

"I couldn't tell."

Feng Ling moved close to Lin Fan and studied him with astonishment.

"Sister Feng, I don't know what you mean."

Lin Fan remained calm.

"You haven't been at the Hidden Scripture Pavilion for long, yet you've already reached the First Grade of Spirit Gathering Realm. That's quite surprising." Feng Ling blinked her beautiful eyes.

"Perhaps I have some talent for cultivation."

Lin Fan shamelessly made up an excuse.

"Sister Feng, since you think I have decent talent, would you consider Dual Cultivation?"

Lin Fan smiled faintly as he asked.

"You?"

Feng Ling curled her little lips, seeming rather disdainful.

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

You transcribed "Miscellaneous Records of Huazhou" and received 10 years of lifespan.

You transcribed "Records of Carefree Wandering" and received 5 years of lifespan.

...

After a day of transcribing, Lin Fan gained another thirty years of lifespan. Adding the lifespan he had gained from transcribing books over the previous three days, the lifespan column had now reached 210.

Would you like to consume thirty years of lifespan to advance Basic Demonic Art to minor mastery in advance?

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

Lin Fan thought for a moment, then immediately said, "I agree to advance it in advance."

The next second, even deeper insights into "Basic Demonic Art" surged into his mind.

At the same time, a strange image appeared in Lin Fan's mind. A youth who looked similar to him continued practicing his boxing techniques. Both his movements and forms were far more practiced than before, and every gesture carried the bearing of a grandmaster.

His boxing techniques were as swift as thunder and as unpredictable as the weather. They drew the surrounding Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy continuously into the youth's body, transforming it into even purer Internal Force.

"The stronger the boxing technique, the higher the efficiency of absorbing and refining Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy!"

Lin Fan understood immediately.

He did not hurry to cultivate. Instead, after waiting half an hour, he found an opportunity to leave his seat and returned to that deserted corner, practicing his boxing techniques according to the image in his mind.

His blood surged without end. Lin Fan's entire body was like a furnace, refining the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy around him.

Within his dantian, his Internal Force had originally been like a single hemp rope. Now, it had grown into two, or even three, hemp ropes.

At that moment, Lin Fan felt an abundance of strength throughout his body, with power filling his hands, feet, and limbs.

He no longer hesitated. He immediately summoned the panel to inspect the latest changes in his body.