Chapter 208
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Chapter 208: Feather Tribe, Sacred Tribe
Searching, rescuing, disguising—Mu Lin moved swiftly through Cloud City, which had become a crimson hell.
Soon, he gathered most of the students who entered.
During this process, he also retrieved the Merfolk tribe.
Being the first tribe to pledge allegiance to Mu Lin, they were naturally treated as trusted allies and positioned at the group’s core.
This sight filled many foreign tribes with envy and regret.
They envied the Merfolk for aligning with such a powerful being, while the regretful ones cursed:
"Damn it! Why didn’t I discover Mu Lin’s potential first?"
Among these tribes, Fox Demon Bai Zhi harbored the deepest regret.
Her beauty rivaled Bai Li Xiu Ling’s, and the Fox Demon Clan’s resources matched the Merfolk’s. She could’ve competed with Bai Li Xiu Ling for Mu Lin’s favor.
But one wrong move cost her any chance of reconciliation.
Her bitterness grew when she noticed her master Yuance acting unusually deferential toward Mu Lin, making her realize she’d forever remain inferior to Bai Li Xiu Ling.
The once-equivalent rivals now existed on different levels. This realization soured her mood completely.
…
Mu Lin didn’t notice Fox Demon Bai Zhi’s conflicted gaze. After assembling everyone, he focused on Chu Hongxuan and Yan Zhanpeng.
Ordinary students overflowed with gratitude upon being rescued, immediately admitting defeat.
But these two still showed slight resistance.
This wasn’t ingratitude—both believed they could survive without Mu Lin’s help.
Chu Hongxuan had followed the same Bloody Moon evolution path as Mu Lin.
Fused with the Sarala Tree, his foundation proved exceptionally sturdy. The Bloody Moon’s light and blood mist pollution actually drove him further along this path than Mu Lin.
While Mu Lin’s dragon monster stood at the early Spirit Sea stage—eight to nine meters tall—Chu Hongxuan’s blood tree had become a hundred-meter-tall demonic entity. Its branches and roots teemed with thousands of blood-colored monsters.
"Such power truly deserves the title Blood General."
This outcome proved Yuhu Academy’s reputation as the leading Taoist Palace in Southeast Province wasn’t unfounded.
By gathering the region’s elite students, it naturally produced extraordinary talents.
As Mu Lin pondered this, Chu Hongxuan reluctantly conceded.
Under the Bloody Moon, rapid evolution meant nothing without maintained sanity.
Though his monstrous tree form possessed terrifying power, Chu Hongxuan’s mind suffered constant erosion from bodily mutations and maddening whispers.
Had Mu Lin arrived moments later, he’d have become a mindless blood-colored monster—deemed deceased in the assessment.
Mu Lin’s timely intervention using the Root Word ‘Fix’ stabilized his condition and slowed the corruption.
This life-saving act naturally incurred Chu Hongxuan’s debt.
Chu Hongxuan conceded defeat, but Yan Zhanpeng remained defiant.
He had barely been tainted by corruption and avoided attacks from blood-colored monsters entirely, concealing his presence through a special magical artifact.
In truth, Mu Lin only located him because he was engaged in the same activity – rescuing others during this calamity.
Both of them understood this was an assessment, not an actual life-or-death struggle. Saving people during apocalyptic disasters earned extra credit, garnering favor from the Demon Exorcism Division, military, and influential figures. After all, no one wanted to sponsor someone plagued by selfishness.
Though Yan Zhanpeng performed admirably in this regard, his competence bred resentment toward Mu Lin. Their locked gazes crackled with tension until Yan Yunyu intervened.
"Cousin," the Yan family woman addressed Yan Zhanpeng, "you lost. Had the Bloody Moon not intervened, Brother Mu Lin could’ve ended you with curses without ever revealing himself."
A subordinate snapped back before Yan Zhanpeng could respond: "Cousin Yunyu! You know our Yan family’s secret technique – wealth connects to the divine. Master Zhanpeng could’ve located Mu Lin easily!"
Yan Yunyu countered impassively: "Under normal circumstances, perhaps. But could he track anyone through that swarm of monsters and evil spirits? You could barely move earlier."
"The anomalies posed no threat," the subordinate retorted. "Master Zhanpeng mastered the Auspicious Golden Body. He simply chose not to use it."
The term "Auspicious Golden Body" silenced Yan Yunyu. She acknowledged its power – with such an ability, Yan Zhanpeng indeed could’ve broken through the monster horde. His earlier restraint stemmed from wanting Mu Lin to eliminate rivals like Chu Hongxuan and Yuance first, just as Mu Lin used them to purge the city’s evils.
The Bloody Moon calamity ruined both their schemes.
"Since neither yields," Yan Yunyu proposed, "let’s postpone this contest. The Bloody Moon disaster will worsen – we’ll see who endures longest."
"Agreed," Yan Zhanpeng nodded.
"Fine," Mu Lin concurred.
Their temporary alliance lasted mere moments before new tribulations arrived – not from the Bloody Moon, but from Tian Yun of the Feather Tribe.
The six-winged aristocrat descended imperiously, drawn by Chu Hongxuan’s massive form. She immediately saw through their human disguises.
"Where is Yuhu Academy’s Blood Cherry?" she demanded.
Moon-maddened nobles bristled at her tone. "Why should we tell you?" one spat. "Who do you think you are?"
"Insolent worms!" Tian Yun’s wings flared. "The Sacred Tribe’s majesty demands purification by fire and iron!"
Flames engulfed the speakers as iron spikes erupted from their bodies. Mu Lin gaped – this Feather Tribe leader wielded mid-stage Spirit Sea Realm power despite being his age.
"Where did this ‘Sacred Tribe’ spring from?" he muttered. "Blood Cherry grows strong through slaughter, but you? How?"
His confusion deepened upon seeing Chu Hongxuan and Yan Zhanpeng’s grim but unsurprised expressions.
"You know her?"
