Sparring

"Perfected!"

A sharp gleam flashed in Luo Siqing's eyes, making them shine even brighter.

A swift rise in cultivation often depended on a martial artist's innate bones and roots.

Some people were born with divine strength and surging qi and blood; others were born with bones of steel and iron. People like that often advanced through body-tempering martial arts like splitting bamboo, bottlenecks nothing but empty air to them.

But the cultivation of "killing moves" was entirely different from training the sinews and bones.

Killing moves valued intent over strength, and relied on comprehension.

For an ordinary martial man to train a single killing move to perfection, anything less than decades of bitter work would not suffice.

Yet Lu Lin had entered the sect less than a year ago, and he had already pushed a killing move to the realm of perfection. This was enough to prove that not only were his bones and roots outstanding, his comprehension was even more extraordinary. He was a true martial prodigy with no shortcomings at all, absolutely not someone who "excelled in only one subject."

"Empty words are no proof. I will summon someone to spar with you and verify it."

Luo Siqing spoke faintly, then called out a name, her voice condensing into a thread and carrying far away.

Before long, a burly figure came sprinting over.

It was a young man in his twenties, nearly two meters tall, his whole body bulging with muscles as if cast from iron. Most striking of all were his two arms, different from an ordinary person's—thick and long, with tendons coiled and knotted like the arms of an ancient ape.

"This subordinate, Yuan Long, greets the Immortal Master!" the young man said in a resounding voice, bowing respectfully.

"Yuan Long is also a martial prodigy. He entered the sect six years ago, and his cultivation has already reached the eighth layer of Body Tempering. The Demonic Ape Palm he cultivates has also reached the peak of great accomplishment, only a thread away from perfection. Today, the two of you will spar."

"Yuan Long, suppress your cultivation to the seventh layer of Body Tempering. Other methods are unrestricted. Understood?" Luo Siqing instructed.

"Yes!" Yuan Long accepted in a deep voice.

"Other methods are unrestricted"—the meaning behind those words was extremely clear. Aside from suppressing his realm, martial skills, experience, and innate strength could all be used to their fullest.

On the open ground, Lu Lin and Yuan Long stood facing each other.

Almost at the same time, qi and blood rose around them, turning into two streaks of crimson light that suddenly charged at each other.

"Demonic Ape Palm!"

Yuan Long's figure was nimble as an ape. As he rushed forward, his qi and blood churned; with several bounding leaps, he closed in on Lu Lin. His palms struck out in rapid succession, and in an instant, palm shadows piled upon palm shadows, descending like a raging storm, their momentum continuous and unending.

"Savage Elephant Charge!"

Lu Lin focused his mind and steadied his breath, carefully controlling his qi and blood at the seventh-layer level. His right fist shot out, and the qi and blood around him rapidly gathered at the edge of his fist. Faintly, a low elephant cry seemed to ring out as surging blood qi condensed into a charging savage elephant, smashing straight into the palm shadows filling the sky!

Wherever the savage elephant passed, the palm shadows collapsed one after another.

In the end, only one fist and one palm remained, clashing head-on without the slightest flourish.

Boom!

An explosive blast of air suddenly erupted, and rings of blood-red ripples burst outward in all directions.

Yuan Long's burly body trembled slightly, and he could not help retreating several steps before finally steadying himself.

"It is indeed a perfected-level killing move."

Luo Siqing's gaze grew even brighter.

With just this one move, she was already certain that Lu Lin's words were not false.

Having entered the sect less than a year ago, he had actually cultivated a killing move to perfection... With such talent, even looking across the Blood Baleful Demon Sect's hundred thousand martial men, he was as rare as phoenix feathers and qilin horns.

"Again!"

Yuan Long had been forced back by a single strike, but not only was he not discouraged, the battle intent in his eyes burned even hotter. He shouted loudly and pounced forward again. The muscles all over his body actually swelled by another measure, and another palm blasted toward Lu Lin.

This palm contained no feints at all, only condensed palm force of peerless hardness and ferocity. His qi and blood boiled like a raging cauldron, forming in the air into a giant ape's hand, as large as a palm-leaf fan, bearing down with terrifying pressure!

This is what a true martial prodigy is...

Lu Lin thought to himself.

Yuan Long was clearly gifted beyond ordinary measure. His qi, blood, and strength far surpassed those of the same rank. With the support of the Demonic Ape Palm at the peak of great accomplishment, his palm force was hard, fierce, and violent; one palm was probably enough to shatter metal and stone.

But Lu Lin showed no fear. He still met it with a simple, unadorned "Savage Elephant Charge."

Fist and palm collided again. Yuan Long's whole body shook violently, and once more he was forced back.

If it came to a frontal clash and instant burst of power, the Demonic Ape Palm was already inferior to the Savage Elephant Charge in hardness and ferocity, not to mention that Lu Lin had cultivated his to the realm of perfection.

Yuan Long knew he could not match him in strength, and immediately changed tactics. Relying on the agile movement techniques brought by the Demonic Ape Blood Qi Art, he began circling Lu Lin, darting in and striking, searching for openings and suddenly launching palm ambushes from time to time.

However, Lu Lin met all changes with no change. Like a great rock, he stood unmoving; with only small turns of his body and precise punches, he was able to deflect every incoming palm force and knock Yuan Long back with the recoil.

After more than ten moves, Lu Lin still held the firm upper hand.

"That is enough."

Luo Siqing suddenly spoke.

The moment Yuan Long heard her, he retreated, and the surging qi and blood around him quickly calmed, withdrawing back into his body.

He bowed, his face somewhat pale. "This subordinate is incompetent. Please punish me, Immortal Master."

He had always prided himself on being a martial prodigy, yet after six years in the sect, he was actually inferior to a newcomer who had entered only a year ago. He knew that from now on, his position in the Immortal Master's heart would certainly plummet, and when carrying out dangerous missions, he would likely find it even easier to end up as cannon fodder...

But he did not dare resent Lu Lin.

As exclusive guards alike, if they dared fight among themselves and kill one another, it would absolutely be a road to death.

"No matter. Withdraw." Luo Siqing waved a hand.

Yuan Long did not dare say more. He bowed and left.

Luo Siqing patted her storage pouch, and two wooden boxes flew out at the sound. Held up by an invisible force, they slowly drifted before Lu Lin.

"Since you broke through to the seventh level of Body Tempering within two months, these three hundred Bone Refining Pills are your reward." Her voice was still cool and clear, yet a trace of approval flowed from it naturally.

"Many thanks, Fairy!" Lu Lin took the wooden boxes, delight showing openly on his face.

"There is something I must warn you of. The Iron Elephant Body is ultimately a martial art that does not even enter the ranks; at most, it can only be cultivated to the tenth level of Body Tempering. Since you have already obtained the continuation of the Demonic Ape Blood Qi Art, you should focus your energy on this martial art. With your talent, in the future, it may not be impossible for you to achieve the realm of 'Innate Blood Aura.'" Luo Siqing gave the warning solemnly.

"I will respectfully obey Fairy's teachings." Lu Lin behaved with utmost honesty.

"Withdraw."

Lu Lin bowed and took his leave, carrying the pills back to the side courtyard.

He opened the wooden boxes. Inside, plump pills were lined up neatly in perfect order. They were precisely three hundred Bone Refining Pills, not one fewer.

"As expected of the Demonic Sect's number-one genius in thirty years. She really is generous when she makes a move." Lu Lin could not help sighing in admiration.

These three hundred Bone Refining Pills, even at a fifty-percent discount, would require forty-five thousand taels of silver, equivalent to nine Low-grade Spirit Stones.

For a Qi Refining cultivator, this was by no means a small sum. One had to know that the inner sect disciple Yu An's entire fortune had only been sixty Low-grade Spirit Stones.

Just as he was preparing to take the pills and cultivate, a knock suddenly sounded from outside the courtyard.

When he opened the door, it was actually Fang Hong and Lan Zhu. Each of them was holding up two large chests as they stood outside.

"Senior Brother Fang, Senior Sister Lan, what is this?" Lu Lin was somewhat surprised.

"Junior Brother Lu, these are the weapons and battle armor bestowed by the Immortal Master. We exclusive guards each have a set," Fang Hong explained with a smile.

"Please, come in."

Lu Lin welcomed the two of them into the guest hall.

Fang Hong and Lan Zhu each opened the lids of the chests.

Inside one chest was a set of dark-red metal battle armor. Light faintly flowed across the armor, and a hazy treasure-radiance lingered about it. It was exactly the same as the battle armor Lu Lin had seen Fang Hong and Lan Zhu wearing when he first met them.

"This is the 'Blood Demon Battle Armor.' Immortal Master Luo personally gathered the materials and had an artifact refiner in the sect specially forge it. Its quality far surpasses the ordinary Martial Army's 'Black Demon Battle Armor.' Not only is it difficult for common blades and swords to damage, it can even directly withstand several attacks from an Immortal Master's magic artifact," Fang Hong introduced in detail.

When Lu Lin heard this, his eyes lit up.

This was a good thing for preserving one's life!

It could actually block several attacks from a magic artifact. To a martial artist, it was simply priceless. It seemed Luo Siqing truly did value the guards under her command quite highly, unlike many immortal cultivators, who could not care less whether martial artists lived or died and only regarded them as consumables to be replenished at will.

Inside the other chest were two weapons: a long saber, and a set of bow and arrows.

Lu Lin took out the long saber and drew it from its sheath. The blade was also dark red, its edge exuding a chilling cold and faintly revealing a sharp intent.

"This saber is called the 'Blood Demon Blade.' It can sever a hair blown against it and slice through iron as if it were mud. It can be called a divine weapon and a sharp treasure," Lan Zhu introduced with a smile.

Then her tone changed, and she pointed at the set of bow and arrows. "But the most precious thing is actually this bow and arrow set—or, to be precise, these arrows. Their entire bodies are forged from 'Dark Blood Steel,' and immortal array patterns are carved hollow within them. They can condense a martial artist's qi and blood, destroy anything before them, break through an Immortal Master's protective spiritual light, and even pierce low-level defensive spells."

"Though they are not magic artifacts, they can be called 'half-magic artifacts.'"

"They can actually pierce immortal protective spells?" When Lu Lin heard this, his heart was instantly moved.

With such an effect, their value was difficult to measure.