He Had Graduated

A haul overflowing with treasures!

Lu Li silently counted up his gains. He had obtained five treasures in all today.

They were the Streamlight Sword, the White Jade Snuff Bottle, the Heavenly Demon Twenty-Three Swords, its accompanying cultivation formula, and a drop of Azure Flood Dragon True Blood.

What an incredible haul!

Lu Li was overjoyed.

Unfortunately, the Streamlight Sword was a high-grade spiritual weapon, and with his current magical power, he couldn't activate it.

He'd have to wait a while longer before he could fly on his sword.

But it probably wouldn't take too long.

Once he refined that drop of Azure Flood Dragon True Blood, the Kunpeng Heaven-Swallowing Demon Art would soon break through to the tenth level.

Then he'd achieve Foundation Establishment!

"Lu Li, stay behind."

The Ghost Demon True Person spoke from the White Bone Throne. "Meimei, Jinfei, you've both worked hard today. Go cultivate for now."

"Yes, sir!"

Meimei and Bai Jinfei cupped their hands in acknowledgment, then turned and left the cave dwelling.

Before leaving, Bai Jinfei shot Lu Li a look, his eyes full of envy.

Rumble.

Accompanied by a peal of thunder, silver lightning flashed across the cave dwelling's entrance, forming a barrier that blocked prying eyes.

The cave dwelling's hall fell silent.

"Lu Li, I don't believe I taught you that body-tempering technique, or that martial skill you used just now to blast out a golden dragon of energy. Where did you learn them?"

The Ghost Demon True Person's icy voice broke the silence, ringing down from above.

At the same time, a terrifying pressure, vast as a mountain, descended upon him.

At that instant, it was as if the supreme ruler of life and death were interrogating a minister guilty of an unforgivable crime.

One wrong answer, and he'd be doomed for all eternity!

Here it comes!

Lu Li's heart tightened.

When he'd prepared to use Flying Dragon in the Sky, he'd guessed that the Ghost Demon True Person would press him for an explanation. He'd already prepared his answer.

So Lu Li remained calm, putting on a troubled expression as he cupped his hands. "Master, this concerns the private affairs of that elder from the Scripture Depository... This disciple wants to tell you, but cannot. I beg you to forgive me."

"Hmm? Is that true?"

The Ghost Demon True Person narrowed his eyes and asked coldly.

"This disciple wouldn't dare lie! I swear upon our founding patriarch that if a single word I've spoken is false, may the heavens strike me with five bolts of thunder! May I die a terrible death!"

Lu Li straightened up and swore solemnly on the spot.

He meant every word of the oath.

And, of course, he hadn't made anything up.

His Indestructible Vajra Divine Art had evolved from the Vajra Art, which he'd received after answering the Scripture Protection Elder's question.

That question—whether a toad could eat swan meat—really had concerned the Scripture Protection Elder's private love life.

From that perspective, there was absolutely nothing wrong with what he'd said!

It all made perfect sense!

So Lu Li hadn't shown the slightest hint of guilt.

"I see."

Seeing that Lu Li didn't look as if he were faking it, the Ghost Demon True Person nodded and smiled. "Since the Scripture Protection Elder passed that cultivation art on to you, I won't pry. Now, I'll teach you the true Kunpeng Devil Art! Listen carefully!"

"Yes!"

Lu Li's expression turned solemn, and he stood ramrod straight.

In the next moment, a formula flowed into his ear and echoed through his mind.

Ding.

The moment the formula ended, the system prompt rang out:

Your Kunpeng Heaven-Swallowing Demon Art has received its cultivation formula, completing the Great Dao laws. Your cultivation is now free of impediments, and you are overjoyed. Cultivation speed increased by 500%.

Not bad, not bad!

His cultivation speed had gone up fivefold!

That meant it'd take even less time to reach Foundation Establishment!

Joy welled up in Lu Li's heart.

"Did you memorize it? I'll go over it again!" the Ghost Demon True Person said.

As soon as he finished, the formula flowed into Lu Li's ear once more.

Naturally, Lu Li put on a diligent look, as if he were trying hard to commit it to memory.

Halfway through.

Suddenly, the formula cut off. The voice changed, and an intensely seductive whisper sounded in his ear. "Lu Li, are you a spy?"

"No."

Lu Li answered without thinking.

As soon as the words left his mouth, he realized what was happening. The Ghost Demon True Person had activated the Soul-Capturing Demon Sound to steal the secrets in his heart.

"Good, good. You're not a spy, so I can rest easy."

The Ghost Demon True Person smiled faintly.

"This disciple is absolutely not a spy! I beg Master to see the truth!"

Lu Li cupped his hands with a grave expression.

Inside, he immediately went on full alert.

The Ghost Demon True Person was every bit the deep and calculating demonic cultivator you'd expect from someone who'd lived for hundreds of years!

If Lu Li had really been a spy, he would have given himself away just now and died on the spot!

"Cultivation arts aren't passed on lightly, and this is my primary cultivation art, to boot. So I took the extra precaution of testing you. Don't take it to heart. All right, I'll teach you the formula again. Make sure you memorize it!"

The Ghost Demon True Person waved a hand and continued to impart the formula.

This time, nothing unexpected happened.

After the time it takes to brew a cup of tea, he finished reciting it a second time.

"Thank you, Master, for imparting the art!"

Lu Li immediately wore an expression of gratitude and excitement, then bowed deeply.

"Rise."

The Ghost Demon True Person smiled. "You're handsome, gifted, resilient, and rather shrewd. I like you. That's why I passed the Kunpeng Devil Art on to you."

"You flatter me, Master. This disciple's little tricks are nowhere near one ten-thousandth of yours. And as for my looks, I don't even come close to one hundred-thousandth of yours. If Master were to emerge from seclusion, I'm afraid the female immortals of the Dao Alliance would betray the Daoist Sect and come straight over to join our Yin Underworld Ghost Sect."

Lu Li demurred.

"Ha ha ha ha ha!"

At that, the Ghost Demon True Person burst out laughing. "You little rascal, you're so blunt when you flatter me! But I like it! Ha ha ha ha!"

Just as I thought!

No matter how many seams you sew, flattery never wears out!

Lu Li silently breathed a sigh of relief.

He'd made it through this hurdle.

"Next, I'll teach you how to refine that drop of Azure Flood Dragon True Blood!"

The Ghost Demon True Person spoke again.

"I await your instruction, Master."

Lu Li cupped his hands.

"Circulate your magical power through the four extraordinary meridians, completing a Lesser Celestial Circuit..." The Ghost Demon True Person skipped the pleasantries and went straight into teaching him how to refine the true blood.

Lu Li's expression turned solemn. Following the Ghost Demon True Person's instructions, he mobilized his magical power.

Soon.

A wisp of Blood-Devouring Demon Light gathered in his palm, swirling without pause.

"Quick! Use your divine sense to compress your magical power!" the Ghost Demon True Person called out.

Lu Li quickly mobilized his divine sense.

Pop.

With a soft crack, the mass of blood-red demonic light in his palm burst apart and dissipated.

He'd failed.

"Never mind. Try again. Your magical power is very pure, but your divine sense is too slow."

The Ghost Demon True Person remained calm as he continued to guide him.

"Yes!"

Lu Li nodded solemnly, focused completely, and activated his magical power again.

At that moment, the only sounds in the hall were the Ghost Demon True Person's voice

and the low hum of Lu Li's circulating magical power.

One mass of Blood-Devouring Demon Light after another gathered in his palm, then burst apart, coating the surrounding floorboards in a thin layer of blood-red frost.

The air temperature plummeted.

Only now did the two of them seem like a true master and disciple.

One taught with care; the other learned with care.

Finally, Lu Li forcibly drew on the power of his soul and fiercely compressed the Blood-Devouring Demon Light in his palm.

With a soft pop,

the Blood-Devouring Demon Light took shape. It turned into a blood-red little fish, one inch long and as thick as a chopstick, swimming back and forth in his palm, brimming with spirit.

This was the advanced form of the Blood-Devouring Demon Light.

The Spirit-Devouring Fish!

"Not bad, not bad! You really are perceptive, and your divine sense is twice as strong as the average person's. I didn't misjudge you when I picked you out and accepted you as an outer sect disciple."

The Ghost Demon True Person looked at the blood-red little fish in Lu Li's palm, his expression quite satisfied.

"Thank you for your guidance, Master."

Lu Li let out a breath of relief and thanked him with a smile.

"All right. Now that you've formed a Spirit-Devouring Fish, you can use it to slowly devour and refine the Azure Flood Dragon True Blood. Reach Foundation Establishment within a month!"

As the Ghost Demon True Person spoke, a sharp, cold light flashed in his eyes.

"May this disciple ask why it has to be within a month?"

Lu Li asked tentatively.

"In a month, the next round of the Chief Disciple selection will begin. Any Core Disciple with a Foundation Establishment cultivation base can take part!"

The Ghost Demon True Person narrowed his eyes and spoke coldly.

A trace of chill seeped into his voice.

"Even if this disciple reaches Foundation Establishment within a month, I'm afraid I still won't win. The sect is full of hidden dragons and crouching tigers, after all."

Lu Li furrowed his brow slightly.

"Don't worry. From the start of the selection to its end, the whole process will last a full month! With the supreme Kunpeng Devil Art I taught you, that drop of Azure Flood Dragon True Blood, and your body-tempering technique, these two months will be enough for you to sweep aside every Foundation Establishment cultivator and stand undefeated!"

At that, the Ghost Demon True Person grew murderous:

"When the candidates fight, take that chance to kill Li Jing! Hack him until even his mother wouldn't recognize him!"

"This..."

Lu Li furrowed his brow even more deeply.

"Hmph! You've become Li Jing's inner demon. If he doesn't kill you, he'll never break through to Golden Core! So, in his eyes, you have to die!"

The Ghost Demon True Person snorted coldly.

"Master, you've misunderstood."

Lu Li solemnly shook his head. "I meant, why don't I just dig up Li Jing's younger brother's ashes and dump them in a latrine? I could anger Li Jing to death that way! Then we wouldn't have to fight to the death. How does that sound, Master?"

The Ghost Demon True Person: "..."

After a long while, he slowly raised a thumb.

"Lu Li, when it comes to being a member of the demonic path... you've already graduated!"