Devouring Talent Born From Nothing

Lin Chen slammed heavily into the ground outside the courtyard, nearly coughing up blood.

He clutched his chest, climbed to his feet, and looked toward the yard.

Fortunately, that Violent Savage Rabbit hadn't chased after him.

Lin Chen summoned his flying sword and walked step by step to the gate.

Ambush!

The flying sword shot straight toward that wretched rabbit with a whoosh.

A loud crash rang out.

The rabbit was unharmed, but the flying sword was deflected back.

This time, Lin Chen was dumbfounded.

That was a Top-grade Magic Tool, yet it couldn't even scratch that damned rabbit.

What kind of thing was this?

The Violent Rabbit, provoked by the attack, let out an angry roar, locked onto Lin Chen again, and charged wildly.

This time, Lin Chen played it smart and flew straight up a hundred meters into the sky.

Looking down from above as the creature leaped and bounded trying to hit him, he pulled out another flying sword.

This was a resource issued to Inner Disciples—a Top Grade Magic Tool.

"Let's give it a try."

He split his mind, controlling the flying sword beneath his feet to maintain flight while attempting to wield the other sword in attack.

His powerful mental strength showed its use in that moment.

In just a short time, he actually managed it.

"Heh heh, little rabbit, let's see you keep acting tough now?"

Lin Chen lowered his altitude, hovering in midair just out of the Violent Rabbit's jumping reach.

"Go!"

He formed a sword seal with his hand, and the Top Grade Magic Tool flying sword turned into a blur, shooting straight at the wretched rabbit.

This time, the rabbit raised its fist to counter the flying sword.

Lin Chen didn't press a hard assault; instead, he aimed for weak spots, thrusting precisely.

From clumsy at first to gradually smooth.

Man and rabbit fought all the way until dark.

For some unknown reason, the rabbit went bang and turned back into a cloth doll, falling to the ground.

Lin Chen was exhausted from the fight too.

To battle the rabbit, he had consumed a full nine Spirit Stones.

Now he only had forty Spirit Stones left in his pocket.

He slowly descended to the ground and used the longsword to lift the rabbit doll.

Only after confirming it truly wasn't resisting did he relax.

"What the hell is this thing?"

If you don't feed it Spirit Stones, it bites; if you do feed it, it beats you up—isn't that messed up?

Lin Chen grabbed the cloth rabbit and stared at it for a long time, unable to figure out what it was.

Wait!

Second Senior Sister was a sword fanatic, always thinking about fighting.

Could the thing she gave him be a Training Puppet?

Lin Chen thought it was very likely.

This was something meant to assist in training combat.

"No wonder!"

Lin Chen relaxed.

As long as it wasn't a ghost, it was fine.

But this thing was way too strong for him at his current stage.

This wasn't training—it was asking to be tortured.

Worst of all, wasting Spirit Stones was such a pity.

It was completely unnecessary.

Still, since this was a gift from Second Senior Sister, he couldn't really return it.

"Ah, let's just sleep first. I'll see if there are any quests I can take when I have time."

He was now at Qi Condensation Layer 5, able to take on Outer Sect tasks and earn Sect Contribution Points and Spirit Stones.

Word had it that Sect Contribution Points were even more valuable than Spirit Stones. When he had a free day, he'd go check them out.

Lin Chen set down the Cloth Rabbit, yawned, and went to sleep.

That night, he slept terribly.

Either the rabbit monster was chasing him, beating him black and blue.

Or that ghost was hounding him, trying to strangle him for his life.

With those two around, those purple eyes actually quieted down and didn't show up all night.

The next morning, Lin Chen made breakfast with dark circles under his eyes.

The Sect Leader and his three senior brothers and sisters arrived and saw his state, all looking baffled.

"Lin Chen, what's wrong with you? Did you go into cultivation deviation... Qi Condensation Layer 5—" Qi Ruming started off joking, then immediately shouted in surprise.

Ming Bufan and Jian Rushuang also put down their chopsticks, staring at Lin Chen like he was a monster.

If they remembered correctly.

Before they left yesterday at noon, Lin Chen was still at Qi Condensation Layer 3.

One afternoon and one night apart, and he'd jumped two layers.

Even when they'd entered the sect under the banner of geniuses, they'd never had such freakish cultivation speed!

One layer per day—only Han Bingxue, who'd been taken away by the Ancestor, could manage that.

Among them, the only one not surprised was Zhao Qingshan.

He'd observed Lin Chen yesterday.

Seeing everyone so stunned, he felt a little smug inside.

None of the disciples he'd recruited were bad.

This one with the Five Elements Root was even more impressive.

Not only could he cook well, had high comprehension, and cultivated fast, but he could also get his hands on storybooks...

He hadn't expected that a single whim of his would bring back such a freak.

Ahem!

Thinking this, he cleared his throat. "Based on this master's observation, although Lin Chen has a Five Elements Root, his comprehension is high..."

Ming Bufan and the other two looked awkward—that was all nonsense, they already knew that.

Zhao Qingshan ignored them and looked straight at Lin Chen.

"You might have a hidden talent, and that is Devouring."

Devouring?

Everyone was baffled.

Even Lin Chen stood frozen in place.

This Sect Leader really knew how to make up excuses!

But from an outsider's perspective, spending Spirit Stones to exchange for cultivation did look like Devouring, didn't it?

That reason made sense!

For a moment, Lin Chen's gaze toward Zhao Qingshan turned approving.

He scratched his head sheepishly. "I really didn't expect the Sect Leader to see through it. That's right, I have a hidden Devouring Talent.

The reason I didn't dare reveal it was fear of being discovered by those with ill intent..."

He didn't finish, but everyone present understood.

This kind of talent was too terrifying.

Just Devour and get stronger.

If the Devil Race found out, they'd definitely kidnap him.

Even if they didn't strip his talent, raising him into a killing machine quickly would already be horrifying enough.

Hearing Lin Chen admit it himself, including Zhao Qingshan, they all felt incredibly fortunate to have brought him here.

In their eyes, this was clearly averting a disaster.

"Lin Chen, what can you Devour? Can you Devour everything to turn it into cultivation?" Qi Ruming asked, full of curiosity.

Lin Chen smiled shyly. "For now, I can only Devour Spirit Stones to advance my cultivation."

"Isn't that just like the little rabbit I gave you? A Gold Devouring Beast?" Jian Rushuang chimed in.

Lin Chen's face darkened. Big sister, you knew that and still gave it to me?

"I raised it for a long time, Lin Chen. You have to treat it well." Jian Rushuang looked reluctantly at the Cloth Rabbit hanging on Lin Chen.

Seeing her like that, Lin Chen swallowed the words that had been on the tip of his tongue.

"Lin Chen."

Zhao Qingshan's gaze burned. "Are you cultivating the Extreme Dao Realm?"

He could tell even this?

Lin Chen blinked, putting on a confused expression. "Sect Leader, what is the Extreme Dao Realm?"

"The Extreme Dao is the Extreme of Body, the Extreme of Technique, the Extreme of Power, the Extreme of Dao... a path where everything cultivable is pushed to its limit."

Zhao Qingshan explained. "But this method of cultivation has long been lost, and the current environment for cultivation no longer permits it. Once someone is discovered cultivating the Extreme Dao, they are regarded as a demon and killed by all."

Damn!

Lin Chen was startled.

But his spiritual power was strong, and he could freely control joy, anger, fear, and shock.

He quickly waved his hands in feigned fear. "Sect Leader, I'm not Extreme Dao. I really am not Extreme Dao."

"Mm."

Zhao Qingshan nodded, his expression grave as he swept his gaze over everyone. "Let only the five of us know of this matter. It must never be leaked to anyone else. Also..."

He flipped his hand and produced a small pouch. "Within your means, set aside some resources for Lin Chen."

Hearing this, the other three each took out a small pouch and pushed them over to Lin Chen.

"This... isn't right!" Lin Chen gave a shy smile, then the next moment scooped the four pouches into his arms.

"Sect Leader, three senior brothers and sisters, consider all this as a loan from me, Lin Chen. When I have the ability, I will surely repay it twofold."

Hahaha...

The four laughed in unison.

"Thought you'd put up some pretense. That part's like me." Zhao Qingshan even cracked a joke.

But in his eyes was approval of Lin Chen's approach.

"Time to eat!"

The group was harmonious. After finishing breakfast, seeing everyone leave, Lin Chen quickly called out, "Second Senior Sister, please stay."