Chapter 141
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Chapter 141: The Heart-Stirring Master Meng Rui
Using Yin soldiers as anchors and the Mind Image world of the City of Heaven’s Funeral as a conduit, Mu Lin summoned the power of the land of Heaven’s Funeral—a bold move with far-reaching consequences.
The result was that not only those on the stage experienced the horror of the domain of Heaven’s Funeral, but even bystanders fell under its influence.
Qin Yuan, standing nearby, bore the initial brunt. As the eerie power of Heaven’s Funeral descended, bloodstains and corruption began spreading across his body. Thankfully, free from the stage’s constraints, he swiftly retreated from Mu Lin, avoiding deeper harm. Though physically unharmed, the sight of his fellow Puppet Masters’ puppets turning traitorous and crumbling under the domain left him deeply unsettled. During the domain’s final stages, the creaking, nearly shattered doors and the ever-louder, ominous weeping chilled him to the bone, plunging him into an abyss of dread.
It should be noted that Mu Lin underestimated the danger of those ghostly cries. His Trait of Transcendence allowed his spirit to remain detached, while his City God status granted supreme resistance to supernatural afflictions. Even at the heart of the domain, bolstered by layers of power, he only felt a faint tinge of sorrow. Others lacked such protections. By the domain’s climax, the weeping no longer merely echoed in their ears—it pierced their very souls.
The mournful wails reduced many to tears while filling them with primal terror. As the cries reverberated within, countless saw a white figure weeping with its back turned, appearing in their minds. The moment they glimpsed it, overwhelming sorrow gripped them. Their bodies and spirits grew cold and stiff, as if transforming into corpses days into decay. Worse still, this paralysis left them powerless to resist, forced to watch themselves inch toward death.
Had Mu Lin sustained the domain of Heaven’s Funeral for another minute, most Puppet Masters on that stage would have perished. This was why they now feared him so utterly—he could snuff out their lives with ease. Terrifying, ominous, otherworldly—these became the labels they stamped upon Mu Lin. Despite their heavy losses, none dared demand compensation or even nurse resentment toward him.
……
Through the domain of Heaven’s Funeral, Mu Lin earned the fearful reverence of most students under Master Meng Rui. Qin Yuan, however, remained an exception. Having lost his family to Night Demons, death held little terror for him. Still, Mu Lin’s overwhelming power left him wary and questioning his own path.
He turned to Zuo Li, whispering, “You’re certain I’m meant to win this trial? How am I supposed to fight that monster?!”
Zuo Li stayed silent this time. He too had felt the domain’s effects firsthand, understanding now the depth of Mu Lin’s menace. The Heavenly Wall Palace conjured by Yin soldiers, the corrupting power of Heaven’s Funeral, the haunting cries and pounding doors—all marked Mu Lin as a formidable foe. Yet Zuo Li trusted his leader’s foresight more than fear. If the prediction stated Qin Yuan would win, there must be a way.
Working backward from that conclusion, he found a plausible reason: “Don’t panic. Mu Lin’s strength is undeniable, but remember—this trial tests puppetry, not all-out combat. The real danger is limited. Under Master Meng Rui’s rules, he can only summon paper figures matching your puppet count. Without formations, he can’t recreate that nightmare.”
"Secondly, if you looked carefully, you’d notice this terrifying power eroding everything around him – including himself."
"That’s why he wasn’t at full strength during your fight. Summoning such power drains him significantly too."
"Exhaustion, injuries, inability to summon paper figures or use that strange forbidden power, while you wield the evil-repelling Six-Handed Glass Buddha…"
Zuo Li smiled as he asked:
"Still think you’ll lose?"
"No."
The conversation made Qin Yuan realize with growing excitement that he didn’t just stand a chance – he held overwhelming advantage.
…
Zuo Li’s words calmed Qin Yuan, but others remained unsettled.
The common students shook with terror, their faces pale as ice.
Even the watching noble youths remained visibly shaken.
They regarded Mu Lin with wary eyes and tense expressions.
Protected by treasures and spared prolonged exposure to the domain of Heaven’s Funeral, they escaped major injuries.
Minor wounds and frayed nerves, however, were unavoidable.
None dared confront Mu Lin despite their status.
Not from kindness, but genuine fear – the domain of Heaven’s Funeral had chilled them to the bone.
They wondered what horrors might emerge if Mu Lin desperately threw open those creaking doors.
‘If I suspect you have apocalyptic weapons, you’d better actually possess them.’
Mu Lin’s display of table-flipping power made even nobles hesitate to provoke him over wounded pride.
"Better avoid conflict unless absolutely necessary…"
Some whispered caution while others schemed:
"Such power at his age… Maybe we should recruit him… No, too unstable. But his teacher…"
"Anyone worth his fierce protection must be exceptional. Let’s send our offspring to study with Dongfang Ya."
Unaware of these plots, Mu Lin turned to meet Meng Rui’s gaze.
The master stared back with undisguised astonishment.
She alone stood unaffected by the domain’s corruption – neither the creeping power of Heaven’s Funeral nor the ghostly weeping moved her.
Even the pounding doors failed to crack her composure.
Yet her calm eyes now burned with curiosity.
"A domain summoned during Spring Fountain Realm!"
Domains weren’t rare for her – she commanded a City God Realm. But manifesting one so early? With such brief cultivation time?
"No wonder he fought with such confidence."
Meng Rui’s lips twisted in self-mockery.
"Seems the blind one was me, not Dongfang Ya."
Without hesitation, she called out:
"Mu Lin! Become my direct disciple!"
"Wha…?!"
Mu Lin gaped. He’d sought vindication for his teacher, not this.
Mistaking his shock for refusal, Meng Rui pressed on:
"Dongfang Ya treats all youths kindly – you’d never be her sole focus. But I…"
"Few disciples mean full attention. Our similar paths let me guide you better than she ever could."
