Chapter 92: Something is Off About His Gait

Under the continuous grinding of the Mental Roulette, the Mo Ling did not hold out for long. Its demonic energy was quickly crushed and exhausted, becoming a source of mental power for Lu Jin.

Seeing this, Lu Jin immediately pulled the weakened Mo Ling out of the wheel.

It seems I cannot let you die completely; otherwise, this incredible way of enhancing my mental power will come to an abrupt end!

In that moment, an idea struck him: he would nurture the Mo Ling!

Within a controllable range, he would cultivate the Mo Ling until it reached a certain level, then drag it under the Mental Roulette to be crushed and ravaged: thus allowing his mental power to grow rapidly.

Perfect!

Thinking of this, Lu Jin felt a surge of admiration for his own ingenuity. Of course, he did not fear the grinding of the Mental Roulette itself: that intense pain would make him stronger. However, if there was a better way to increase his mental power, there was no need to suffer unnecessarily.

As for nurturing the Mo Ling, as long as demonic Qi existed, it could grow well. This was an experience he had gained during his time in the Devil’s Den.

Indeed, no path in life was walked in vain. Even being framed and falling into such a perilous situation allowed him to gain some wealth from it. At this thought, Liu Ruyan’s figure surfaced in his mind.

“Liu Ruyan, even the presence inside you cannot protect you.”

Thinking of how she had fled in a pathetic state, Lu Jin let out a helpless sigh. If the Mo family had not appeared, Liu Ruyan would definitely not have escaped!

However, he felt no regret. Having driven her to a dead end, Liu Ruyan was certainly suffering, and this kind of torture was far more satisfying than simply killing her outright. He had never intended to give her a quick death; the suffering he had endured was too heavy, and killing her instantly would be far too lenient.

The assessment at the Eight-Part Blood Dragon Altar is in three days. I wonder if you will dare to show your face then…

Lu Jin pondered for a while. Liu Ruyan likely would not appear in three days. She was severely injured and would surely undergo treatment under the guidance of the thing inside her. Furthermore, she had already been accepted as a personal disciple by Elder Chi Yu: there was no need for her to participate in the Eight-Part Blood Dragon Altar assessment.

Still, he was not worried about her disappearing forever. Revenge was merely a matter of time. He withdrew his focus, returning the weakened Mo Ling to the demonic manual, and then began to utilize the vast quantity of Spirit Stones in his spatial ring to continue his cultivation.

With his cultivation now at the 4th-grade Jindan Realm, techniques like the Great Transformation Dragon Art and the Hell-Prisoner Calamity Sword required deeper refinement. Only a sufficiently strong cultivation matched with powerful martial arts could trigger his peak combat strength.

* * *

While Lu Jin entered a state of deep cultivation, the Ten Thousand Swords Sect became busy as well.

With the successive deaths of Peak Masters like Wan Helai, Ji Yaoyue, and Qi Shan, the entire sect was plunged into an atmosphere it had never experienced before. However, with Chu Tianxiong presiding, the selection of new Peak Masters proceeded in full swing.

After a day of selection, the new Peak Masters all took their positions. Although their cultivation was a level weaker than their predecessors, these individuals were selected under Chu Tianxiong’s personal supervision. They were all fiercely loyal: he could rest easy.

It was the third day by the time Mo Tuojiang, the Head of the Mo family, finally dragged his crippled body back to the Mo family estate in the Blood Moon Holy Land. However, upon his return, he did not disclose the fact that his cultivation had been abolished.

After all, even within the Mo family, there was a group of people unwilling to submit to his leadership who coveted the position of Family Head. He feigned an air of having dispersed his aura to appear profound while informing everyone of the Mo Family Ancestor’s demise.

Shocked cries instantly rang out in the discussion hall!

“What? Family Head, are you saying our Mo Family Ancestor was killed?”

“How is that possible! The Ancestor’s cultivation was unfathomable: how could he be killed so easily!”

“Family Head, you want us to hand over all the Mo family’s assets to the Ten Thousand Swords Sect? How can that tiny sect be qualified to receive such a grand gift from our Mo family!”

“Who exactly is this mysterious expert? Has the Family Head ever seen that person?”

The Mo family discussion hall was a cacophony of noise: suspicion and doubt rose in waves. Facing the crowd’s shock and questioning, Mo Tuojiang did not argue. He simply issued a final, unquestionable order: the clansmen must comply, or they would face the family rules.

Thus, the Mo family high-rankers moved into action with extreme reluctance. However, fueled by their suspicion of Mo Tuojiang, some elders did not sit idly by. After secret discussions, they prepared to investigate the truth for themselves. Some even quietly slipped into the Holy Land to seek help from higher authorities…

* * *

On the third day after the life-and-death battle between Lu Jin and Liu Ruyan, the selection day for the Five Gates and Three Sects within the Qingzhou region finally arrived at the Eight-Part Blood Dragon Altar.

Although the event was called the Five Gates and Three Sects selection, in reality, over a dozen sects participated. Usually, only disciples from the Five Gates and Three Sects were truly qualified to join the Blood Moon Holy Land; others from minor sects were merely background characters and were typically ignored.

The Five Gates were: Ziyang Gate, Kuangdao Gate, Carefree Gate, Blood Shadow Gate, and Black Tiger Gate.

The Three Sects were: Qingmu Sect, Ten Thousand Swords Sect, and Zhuhai Sect.

The Eight-Part Blood Dragon Altar featured a towering altar. On its eight gargantuan pillars reaching toward the sky, dragons and phoenixes were carved, but these creatures were all blood-red, providing a powerful visual impact. This was the place where the Blood Moon Holy Land selected outstanding disciples from the Five Gates and Three Sects.

Early in the morning, people from various sects had already arrived, though they were mostly from nameless factions. It was only when the morning mist dispersed that the powerhouses of the Five Gates and Three Sects finally descended. Every time a super-sect arrived, it caused a significant commotion.

As the disciples of the Five Gates and Three Sects arrived, a beautiful figure stood within the crowd, looking expectantly toward the front: the only path through which the disciples would appear. This figure was none other than Long Xiwei.

Following her session of cultivation with Lu Jin, her strength had increased greatly, giving her the qualifications to participate in this selection. Thus, under the leadership of Yun Chaomu, she had come here for the assessment.

Finally, after the disciples of all other sects had arrived, the Ten Thousand Swords Sect members descended under the leadership of Chu Tianxiong!

Long Xiwei looked at the contingent behind Chu Tianxiong, but aside from the experts and disciples, she could not find any trace of Lu Jin.

“Oh… Young Master Lu’s talent is transcendent. This kind of selection should be meaningless to him. Entering the Blood Moon Holy Land should be as easy as reaching into a bag to grab something…”

Just as Long Xiwei was feeling a bit dejected, a figure walked into the field with a measured square step. Long Xiwei suddenly grew excited, but her beautiful brow quickly knit together.

Young Master Lu’s walking posture… why is it a bit off? It seems…

In that instant, she thought back to the time on Xianwu Island. After Lu Jin had finished a round of “labor” with her, his walking posture had been exactly this strange…

At this thought, her pretty face instantly turned a deep shade of red…

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Footnotes:

TN1

Square-step (方步): A formal, measured way of walking that suggests confidence or dignity, though in this context, it belies his physical exhaustion.

Translator’s Note: Looks like his “rejuvenation” session with the Empress was quite intense!