Chapter 341

Chapter 341: The Match Approaches!

While sharing authority and enhancing combat methods remained uncommon in this world, they did exist. However, Condensing Essence and Refining the Evil concerned one’s foundational cultivation, making external assistance extremely difficult.

Blood Cherry showed natural surprise upon hearing Mu Lin could aid her in this aspect. Yan Yunyu, however, stayed perfectly composed.

"What Mu brother says is true. You simply need to trust him."

"…"

Yan Yunyu’s worshipful words rendered Blood Cherry speechless, while even Mu Lin felt awkward.

*Ahem…*

After coughing twice, Mu Lin addressed the method’s flaws.

"My assistance with your Refining the Evil carries certain limitations. Since I’m involved, the high-level resources will contain traces of my will, influencing your future. Though…"

He left the rest unspoken, yet both women understood. Having entered the True Spirit Domain Chart, they’d already accepted Mu Lin’s influence – a little more meant nothing.

Blood Cherry shrugged. "Let’s begin."

…

Blood Cherry knew the Refining the Evil stage typically required three to five years due to physical strength limitations. Wealthy cultivators could shorten this to six months using recovery treasures that tripled progress.

When Mu Lin offered help, she’d expected to save mere months. But upon starting, she discovered the true meaning of cheat-aided cultivation.

Taming evil energy? The True Spirit Domain Chart and willing heart fire rendered this obsolete. Once recorded in the chart, Mu Lin’s superior rank let him control any evil energy effortlessly. He then channeled this subdued energy directly to Yan Yunyu and Chu Lingluo through the chart, bypassing the dangerous taming process entirely – saving tenfold time.

Physical constraints? Normally, absorbing evil energy caused petrification, burns, frostbite, or lacerations, forcing days of recovery between sessions. Mu Lin’s solution? Substitute Paper Figures.

At master level, these figures could serve others besides himself. Grandmaster advancement brought greater power. Being Mu Lin’s close subordinates, Yan Yunyu and Blood Cherry received endless paper figures from an automated workshop – no manual crafting required.

When injuries accumulated, the paper figures diverted the damage. This allowed reckless, nonstop Refining the Evil – accelerating progress another tenfold.

Of course, the Substitute Paper Figure – Others was ultimately still someone else, and Mu Lin couldn’t transfer injuries completely. Thus, they couldn’t copy his method of Refining the Evil within two hours.

But if one hour wasn’t feasible, three days was more than enough.

“A bit slow, but it’ll do…”

Mu Lin wasn’t too pleased with this timeframe.

Blood Cherry, however, was astonished.

“With such speed and power… Mu Lin, even if you had nothing else, this alone would draw countless followers.”

“But I don’t take just anyone.”

……

Aside from speeding up cultivation, Mu Lin’s True Spirit Domain Chart also strengthened their foundations—this lay in the divine positions.

Blood Cherry and Yan Yunyu’s talents weren’t exceptional. Their evil energy absorption was around 4.8 times that of regular prodigies: 4.2 for Blood Cherry, 0.6 for Yan Yunyu.

But the divine positions changed everything. Mu Lin’s position could also hold evil energy, usable by its occupant.

In the end, Blood Cherry’s capacity rose to 7.2, while Yan Yunyu reached 3.6 times a normal prodigy’s.

“This foundation should handle the coming battle.”

……

As Mu Lin trained, time slipped by. Days passed, and the day arrived when the Northern Wasteland Geniuses challenged him.

Lately, defeated Southern Prodigies kept invoking Mu Lin to save face. Northern youths realized crushing him would demolish the southern aristocrats’ hopes—at least for those under eighteen.

Thus, nearly all northern aristocrats gathered at Yuhu Academy to watch. Southern aristocrats came too.

Knowing Mu Lin had real skill, they felt nervous but hopeful he’d thrash the northerners.

“Mu Lin! Beat those northern savages!”

“Beat us? He’s not worth our time.”

“You’ve no idea how high the sky is! Mu Lin’s power—”

“We don’t know about him, but you’re definitely weak. That phrase fits you better.”

“True! You southerners can’t even entertain us!”

……

With so many gathered, especially youths from both sides, tensions flared. A shouting match erupted at Yuhu Academy before the duel even started.

Mu Lin’s side dominated—this was southern territory, crowded with Southern Prodigies.

Some might’ve disliked him, but compared to the northern aristocrats who’d beaten them and seized their resources? Nearly all southerners cheered for Mu Lin, their roars shaking the skies.

Of course, while ordinary youths cheered, the clan elders from powerful clans and young nobles remained unimpressed. They gathered in VIP chambers near Yuhu Academy’s arena, debating the battle’s outcome.

The spectator crowd overflowed Yuhu Academy’s capacity, forcing some clans to bring floating treasure ships and sky palaces. Notably, the audience included not just humans—members of other races attended too.

Tian Yun of the Feather Tribe returned to Yuhu Academy flanked by winged elites and tribal elders. Other races arrived as well—the Tiger Tribe, Tree Tribe, Qingqiu Fox Tribe, and even the Dragon Clan. Though reminiscent of the Southeast Province exam months prior, this gathering held greater significance. Where that event featured minor clans, today’s North-South conflict involved major powers capable of influencing humanity’s future.

When Tiger Tribe elders asked "Can Mu Lin win?", their group drew attention. As beast kings and Demon Race leaders, their delegation included Bull Demons, White Deer, Blood Eagles, and Stone Beasts. The black fierce tiger Mu Lin once encountered sat beside a white tiger and Golden-Winged Tiger.

White Deer spoke first. "Uncertain. Southern Aristocrats’ faith suggests Mu Lin’s capability, but northerners wield forbidden power. The unmoving Son of the Wandering Star remains their greatest threat." Though withholding final judgment, White Deer subtly favored northern prospects.

Bull Demon rumbled, "Better if Mu Lin loses. Southerners would depend more on us."

"Flawed logic," countered Tu Su, the Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox. Her gaze lingered where Southern Prodigies chanted Mu Lin’s name—a sound that unsettled her. Months earlier, Fox Demon Clan reports had described Mu Lin’s talent and proposed marriage to Qingqiu princess. The tribe rejected him as insignificant. Now his reputation dwarfed expectations, reaching levels worthy of Qingqiu royalty.

‘Third sister could marry him,’ she considered, then dismissed the thought. ‘But could she outshine human girls?’ Tu Su sighed. Mu Lin’s lack of clan support rendered him useless for Qingqiu ambitions. Her standards demanded demon emperors’ sons or dragon royalty—Mu Lin didn’t qualify.

"If southerners collapse," Tu Su continued aloud, "we’d face northerners ourselves—a costly victory. Better Mu Lin prolongs their civil war, draining human strength." Her argument held weight—northerners demanded southern wealth but demon lives. Crushing southern defeat would force free demon aid rather than resource gains. Only balanced conflict let demons profit.

None considered Mu Lin might win unaided.