You copied "Miscellaneous Talks of Profound Spirits." Reward: 8 years of lifespan. You copied "Record of Antiquity and Modernity." Reward: 10 years of lifespan.
While Lin Fan was copying books, the corresponding information automatically appeared, and his lifespan rose accordingly once more.
Feeling the vigorous vitality within his body, and thinking of his current cultivation realm, Lin Fan felt a sense of solidity.
As long as he continued copying books here, he could obtain more lifespan, spend it to advance his Technique Proficiency, and grow stronger.
Of course, there were many benefits, but quite a few problems also stood before him.
Leaving aside the terrifying, unknown monsters and evil spirits on Blackwood Cliff that threatened his life, if the secret of his status panel were exposed, the Blood Demon Sect could tie him up and cut him open for research.
Moreover, given the methods of the Blood Demon Sect, they might not even need to wait for him to be cut open and studied. They could perhaps cast some spell to search his soul directly and obtain the secrets on Lin Fan. If that happened, he feared he would find himself trapped between life and death.
This was a demonic sect. Any kind of cruel treatment was possible here.
"To survive here, I need to be cautious and careful enough."
"Although I've found a Dual Cultivation partner now, my cultivation has risen too absurdly fast. It's still difficult to explain it away."
"If only I had a method for concealing my aura. Then, even if a Formal Disciple personally inspected me, they might still have trouble discovering my true realm."
Lin Fan thought to himself.
Unfortunately, the Menial Disciples copied only strange records and chronicles. They had no access to the various cultivation techniques and secret manuals. Otherwise, he would not have been so troubled.
The Blood Demon Sect had a strict hierarchy. Menial Disciples could only come into contact with the "Basic Demonic Art." As for the other techniques, they could forget about them.
After a busy stretch, afternoon soon arrived.
The outside was in a noisy uproar. Lin Fan looked up and saw five or six newcomers being brought over.
Menial Disciples were replaced quickly here. Newcomers were replenished every day or two. Sometimes one or two were sent over, and sometimes six or seven.
Looking at those bewildered and helpless newcomers, Zhou Wanqing, who had already stayed here for several days, revealed a trace of fear. Then she lowered her head and silently continued copying books.
The sun sank in the west.
Lin Fan set down his brush and ink and stood up to stretch.
Afraid that Lin Fan would forget about her, Zhou Wanqing hurried over and gripped his arm tightly.
Her features were exquisite, her skin as white and delicate as snow, and her figure was even more alluring. The soft warmth pressing against Lin Fan's arm left his mouth somewhat dry.
"Brother Lin, where will we stay?"
Zhou Wanqing asked softly.
"Let's pick a new house."
Lin Fan thought for a moment before speaking.
Houses stood in rows atop Blackwood Cliff. The Menial Disciples did not need to worry about running out of places to live.
"Okay."
Zhou Wanqing nodded obediently, docile to the extreme.
The two had just walked out of the Hidden Scripture Pavilion when the corner of Lin Fan's eye suddenly caught sight of Feng Ling in the distance. She was pulling along a delicate-looking young woman and chatting with her about something.
"So Feng Ling has rather unique tastes too."
Lin Fan pondered this thoughtfully.
That delicate-looking young woman should be one of the newcomers who had arrived today.
Lin Fan chose a fairly clean house. As soon as Zhou Wanqing entered, she tidied it up simply and even spread a soft blanket across the bed.
She looked delicate and so fragile that a breath might topple her, but her hands and feet were remarkably nimble, which left Lin Fan quite satisfied.
After closing the door, Zhou Wanqing sat on the bed, her pretty face flushed pink. She called softly to Lin Fan, "Brother Lin, come here."
"Actually, you don't have to be in such a hurry." Lin Fan gave a dry cough.
Although he had made the mental preparations, when it came time for the real thing, he suddenly felt a hint of retreat.
"Don't you like me?"
Zhou Wanqing asked in confusion. "Am I not pretty enough?"
As she spoke, she removed one layer of outer clothing, revealing white gauze beneath.
Through the gauze, her snowy skin, her straight and slender ..., and those ... curves made it difficult for Lin Fan to look away.
Forget it, forget it. If we're going to do it, then we're going to do it. Who's afraid of whom?
Zhou Wanqing did not give Lin Fan a chance to change his mind. She approached him lightly and carefully. Her delicate hands, soft as boneless silk, reached down from Lin Fan's chest. At last, they seized something. The scorching, sturdy sensation left her eyes hazy...
Half resisting and half yielding, Lin Fan experienced bliss fit for the immortals.
After sweating like rain, Lin Fan not only failed to grow tired, but instead became even more vigorous. Zhou Wanqing, meanwhile, sank into a deep sleep.
"Just one bout of pleasure has already made the Spiritual Power in my body one or two parts purer."
"No wonder the Menial Disciples here all want to practice Dual Cultivation with someone."
Observing the subtle changes in the Spiritual Power within his dantian, Lin Fan murmured softly.
Looking at the beauty peacefully asleep before him, Lin Fan knew that from tonight onward, he was Zhou Wanqing's backer.
Whether they walked the path of the heart or the path of the flesh, she had already been branded with his mark.
He rose directly, sat behind the door, and silently kept watch through the night.
The next day, when the sky had just begun to brighten, Zhou Wanqing opened her sleepy, beautiful eyes.
A fiery pain made it difficult for her to get up for a while.
But when she saw the figure sitting by the door, warmth suddenly filled her heart, and she thought secretly, My judgment should not have been wrong.
In the blink of an eye, half a month passed.
Lin Fan had completely adapted to the monotonous, tedious work of copying books in the Hidden Scripture Pavilion.
During this half-month, he accumulated 450 years of lifespan by copying books.
During this period, Lin Fan did not hurry to advance his Technique Proficiency. Instead, to prevent his secret from being exposed, he occasionally practiced Dual Cultivation with Zhou Wanqing.
Dual Cultivation made Lin Fan's Internal Force increasingly pure, and his body grew healthier and healthier. Zhou Wanqing, on the other hand, became increasingly weak.
In fact, Lin Fan's treatment of Zhou Wanqing already counted as good.
The youth who had previously lived with Wang Biao had vanished without a sound many days ago.
Wang Biao's explanation was simple—just one sentence: "That person was weak and sickly, so he was gone..."
Anyone with eyes could tell what had happened, but no one would expose the truth.
Nearly everyone who knew had a Dual Cultivation partner. They were all accomplices, and exposing it would make everyone look bad.
Those who did not know, meanwhile, foolishly let others drain them, taking pleasure in it without understanding a thing.
On the first floor of the Hidden Scripture Pavilion, Lin Fan was sizing up Wang Biao in the distance.
A young woman who had arrived not long before was smiling broadly under Wang Biao's teasing.
"That fellow really does eat both men and women."
Lin Fan clicked his tongue in amazement.
"Brother Lin, why do you keep staring over there?"
Noticing Lin Fan's gaze, Zhou Wanqing asked curiously.
"Nothing."
Lin Fan shook his head.
"Brother Lin, I heard the marketplace at the foot of the mountain is about to open."
"They say the marketplace will not only sell pills, but also some cultivation techniques and secret manuals that Menial Disciples normally have difficulty coming into contact with."
Zhou Wanqing lowered her voice.
Lin Fan had also heard people mention the marketplace at the foot of the mountain. Nearly all those setting up stalls there were disciples of the Blood Demon Sect, though quite a few mortals were mixed in as well.
The marketplace mainly existed to make it convenient for Blood Demon Sect disciples to trade their surplus goods with one another. Moreover, all purchases were made with Contribution Points.
"Brother Lin, I've saved up some Contribution Points too. If you want to go to the marketplace and buy something, I can let you use mine."
As Zhou Wanqing spoke softly, she handed her token to Lin Fan.
A Menial Disciple's token could not only prove their identity, but also store their Contribution Points.
The upper-right corner of Zhou Wanqing's token displayed the number "4." She had exactly four Contribution Points, no more and no less.
After excluding the Everlasting Lamp and daily expenses, being able to save these Contribution Points in half a month was already extremely difficult.
Zhou Wanqing understood perfectly that only if Lin Fan grew stronger could she benefit from his success.
"Thanks."
Lin Fan did not refuse. At present, he had accumulated only six Contribution Points himself.
After receiving Zhou Wanqing's Contribution Points, Lin Fan did not immediately go to the marketplace at the foot of the mountain. Instead, he planned to observe everyone else's movements first.
The news of the marketplace at the foot of the mountain had spread several days ago, yet Lin Fan noticed that old Menial Disciples like Wang Biao remained completely unmoved. Instead, it was the newly arrived Menial Disciples who were all eager to try.
Could there be some hidden catch?
Lin Fan thought secretly.
He also settled his mind and continued watching.
The next day, Lin Fan finished his copying work early and then came outside the Hidden Scripture Pavilion to stretch.
The distant peaks rose and fell. The nearby black cliffs towered majestically. Yet deep at the bottom of the cliffs, a bloody Killing Intent spread through the air.
That was the Blood Mist. It appeared every few days. During the day, it merely gathered at the bottom of the cliffs, but at night, it would spread outward.
Moreover, after observing it for half a month, Lin Fan had found that regardless of whether the wind blew or rain fell, the Blood Mist appeared roughly once every five or six days.
Most importantly, on any day the Blood Mist appeared, the activity of the monsters and evil spirits would surge several times over. It was also when deaths were most likely to occur.
Just as Lin Fan was gazing at the scenery, a voice suddenly came from behind him.
"Junior Brother Lin."
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