Meridian Condensing Realm, Seventh Grade

After returning from the marketplace, Lin Fan stayed in the Ancient Scripture Library the entire time. Even Mo Xue did not dare disturb him easily.

Gazing at the cultivation manual before him, Lin Fan finally made up his mind and said softly, "Since I've already cultivated the Flowing Cloud Sword Sect's 'Sword Control Technique,' adding another technique from the Thousand Hand Demonic Sect shouldn't matter."

After carefully examining it for several days, he repeatedly confirmed that the 'Devouring Demonic Art' had few drawbacks. At last, he made his decision.

Whether to expend fifty years of lifespan to pre-empt the Devouring Demonic Art to the entry level?

A line of tiny words that only Lin Fan could see appeared before him.

Lin Fan drew a deep breath and said, "Agree to pre-empt it."

The next second, some insights regarding the 'Devouring Demonic Art' rapidly surged into Lin Fan's mind.

That scene appeared once more. A youth resembling Lin Fan sat silently on the ground, a faint layer of black Killing Intent visibly covering the surface of his body.

It was not that the youth had produced the Killing Intent. Rather, as he circulated his cultivation technique, the Killing Intent between heaven and earth surged toward him, only to be transformed by the youth into his own strength.

Refining Fiend Qi into Breath!

Lin Fan's heart tightened. Compared to the cultivation technique he had practiced in the Blood Demon Sect, the Thousand Hands Sect's technique was even wilder and more brutal.

Without much hesitation, he immediately followed the youth's movements and began guiding the surrounding Killing Intent into his body.

Wisps of black Baleful Intent surged forth from the void.

Lin Fan's heartbeat quickened, and the Blood Qi within his body boiled. As he slowly absorbed the Killing Intent, the twelve streams of Internal Breath that had remained stagnant within him for a long time suddenly began to change, giving birth to a thirteenth stream and then a fourteenth.

No one knew how much time had passed. Lin Fan suddenly opened his eyes, his pupils slightly crimson, but they quickly returned to normal.

The Killing Intent around his body had been completely refined. The fourteen streams of Internal Breath within him had fully stabilized. However, compared to before, the influence of the Killing Intent caused his mind to become somewhat unsettled, and an impulse to kill and devour arose from nowhere.

Lin Fan steadied his mind and immediately summoned the panel to inspect his latest changes.

Name: Lin Fan

Lifespan: 2683

Talent: Pre-emptive Dao Fruit

Realm: Meridian Condensing Realm (Seventh Grade)

Cultivation Techniques: Advanced Demonic Arts (Perfected), Blood Gathering Art (Perfected), Talisman Secret Manual (Minor Mastery), Sword Control Technique (Proficient), Houtian Gang Qi (Proficient), Devouring Demonic Art (Entry Level)

"My cultivation has finally improved again."

Lin Fan's eyes flickered slightly.

After his cultivation had stagnated earlier, he had devoted more effort to the Talisman Secret Manual, Sword Control Technique, and Houtian Gang Qi. As a result, his progress in all of them had improved considerably compared to before.

"Shuang Lang, may I come in?"

At that moment, a knock sounded from outside the door.

Lin Fan immediately circulated the Blood Gathering Art to conceal his aura, and his appearance once again changed into the scarred face familiar to Mo Xue.

"Come in."

Mo Xue soon entered, dressed in a gauzy skirt.

Her hair was jet-black and her eyes bright. Her waist was slender, and beneath the slit hem of her skirt, her fair, long legs were exposed. An alluring charm radiated from her.

Compared to before, Mo Xue had become even more mature and seductive. An ordinary man would find it difficult to tear his gaze away after one look.

"Shuang Lang, are you all right?"

"You've been staying here ever since returning from the marketplace."

"Is something troubling you?"

Mo Xue pressed close and used her slender hands to massage Lin Fan's shoulders.

"You're overthinking it."

Lin Fan shook his head.

He looked up at the alluring woman and asked, "Have you heard anything recently about the cultivation sects?"

Long ago, besides having Mo Xue use the Sacred Dragon Book Pavilion's influence to investigate the marketplace, Lin Fan had also had her gather intelligence on the cultivation sects.

"Although the Sacred Dragon Book Pavilion's influence has far surpassed what it once was, those cultivation sects stand high above the world and rarely interact with ordinary people. I sent many groups to investigate, but so far, there hasn't been much progress."

"However, the situation in Ask Heaven City has changed greatly."

Mo Xue paused before continuing, "King of Linzi's forces have already defeated the Great Jin imperial army and entered the city with their troops yesterday."

"Besides Ask Heaven City, several other nearby cities have also been seized by King of Linzi's army. It seems the entire eastern territory is about to return to the control of several Feudal Princes."

Her tone was very calm. Regardless of who openly controlled Ask Heaven City, the Sacred Dragon Book Pavilion remained the strongest underground jianghu power.

Even the mighty Feudal Princes did not dare offend the Sacred Dragon Book Pavilion lightly.

"Faster than expected."

Lin Fan muttered to himself.

Originally, he had estimated that the Feudal Prince's army would need at least several months, or even half a year, to seize Ask Heaven City. Yet now, they had taken it ahead of schedule.

It seemed the Flowing Cloud Sword Sect had increased its support for the Feudal Prince's forces.

As one side waxed and the other waned, the Great Jin New Emperor secretly supported by the Blood Demon Sect would probably find it difficult to hold firmly to the throne.

However, none of this had much to do with him.

The Three-Year Deadline was only a few months away. Lin Fan had to obtain enough information so that he could decide then whether to return to the Blood Demon Sect.

With this thought, he said solemnly to Mo Xue, "Send more people. You must gather intelligence on those cultivation sects, no matter the cost."

Mo Xue was startled, but she still obediently nodded. "Shuang Lang, rest assured. I'll have people carry it out."

After saying this, she gazed at Lin Fan with overflowing tenderness.

"It's getting late. Let's rest together."

As soon as she finished speaking, Mo Xue did not wait for Lin Fan's reply before stepping forward to help him undress.

Lin Fan rubbed his waist. Fortunately, he could still withstand it.

With such a beauty inviting him so warmly, how could Lin Fan disappoint her?

The two soon became entwined. Beneath the candlelight, that graceful scene appeared even more enchanting.

A night of passion left the Internal Breath within Lin Fan's body even purer.

Moreover, he noticed that his previously unsettled mind had returned to normal. It seemed Dual Cultivation could not only bring progress but also cleanse the influence of the Baleful Intent produced by cultivating his techniques.

Mo Xue left after waking. She was now the master of the Sacred Dragon Book Pavilion, the leader of a mighty jianghu force, and could not remain constantly by Lin Fan's side.

Besides, although the two seemed deeply affectionate, they were more truly in a relationship of mutual exploitation.

As for feelings? Of course there were some, but they were also dispensable.

After putting on his clothes, Lin Fan did not hurry to continue copying books. Instead, he decided to test his own strength.

He casually raised a hand, and a powerful suction force suddenly erupted from his palm.

Under the influence of this force, a book several meters away was pulled through the air into Lin Fan's hand.

This was one of the Devouring Demonic Art's abilities. To a certain extent, it could draw objects through the air.

Besides that, it could also devour another person's strength and convert it into his own energy.

Compared to the other techniques Lin Fan had cultivated before, this technique was far more domineering—practically the demonic path among demonic paths.

"Unless absolutely necessary, I still can't use this kind of method lightly."

"Otherwise, it could easily create unnecessary trouble."

Lin Fan thought to himself.

Afterward, his heart stirred as he once again communicated with the panel.

Whether to expend fifty years of lifespan to pre-empt the Talisman Secret Manual to the Great Mastery level?

A line of tiny words appeared before him.

"Agree to pre-empt it."

Lin Fan answered without hesitation.

The improvement in his cultivation had greatly strengthened his physical power, and his attainments in talismans had to keep up as well. Through his previous battles, Lin Fan had become increasingly aware of the Blood Demon Talisman's might.

As long as he could create stronger Blood Demon Talismans and use them appropriately, they could greatly increase his combat strength.

The mortal world was ravaged by war, while the cultivation sects above it slaughtered and fought among themselves. In such chaos, the more power one possessed, the better.