Chapter 247 – Assessment Ends: Chaos Looms

The descending tombstone was as vast as a mountain, and this seemingly standardized tombstone clearly belonged to the Black Mountain lineage’s ability, carrying with it a silent domain.

“Hum!”

Beneath the tombstone, Mu Lin felt as if all his abilities were sealed and completely suppressed.

This peculiar sensation left him with no chance to resist, and his figure was effortlessly crushed.

This scene prompted a cold snort from the Black Mountain Guard Captain who had unleashed the tombstone attack.

“Mortal, remember this—this is the consequence of offending us.”

“You have no right to insult us, the Divine People!”

The power of Gang Sha Unity made this Guard Captain feel justified in looking down on Mu Lin.

However, as soon as his words fell, an urgent voice rang out from his communication magical artifact.

“Sir, we’ve found traces of Mu Lin. He’s killing, no…”

The abrupt voice undoubtedly embarrassed the Guard Captain.

Yet, he remained undaunted.

“A clone? Some petty tricks. But in the face of absolute power, all your struggles are laughable and futile.”

“I will track you down step by step, making you feel death closing in…”

His chilling words carried the determination to kill Mu Lin.

But, as before, before he could finish speaking, another communication came through.

“Sir, Mu Lin is on our side!”

Hearing this, the Black Mountain Guard Captain immediately furrowed his brows.

This communication did not come from the same person as the previous one, which meant:

“Two clones?”

Before his confusion could subside, successive communications, like death warrants, kept ringing in his ears.

“Sir, I’ve found Mu Lin here…”

“Mu Lin is here, seems like… an illusion?”

“Sir, I see Mu Lin. He’s in my mind.”

“Mu Lin, I’ve spotted him. He’s fleeing east…”

“West, he’s heading west.”

“Reporting, sir, Mu Lin has perished together with our squad leader…”

The chaotic communications left the Black Mountain Guard Captain stunned.

He was astonished to find that, in a short time, dozens of people claimed to have seen Mu Lin or discovered his traces.

This situation immediately filled the Guard Captain, who was at the Realm of Gang Sha Unity, with a sense of foreboding.

Soon, he realized his premonition was correct.

Following his subordinates’ directions, he rushed to several locations and effortlessly crushed multiple Mu Lins.

However, in the end, all the Mu Lins that appeared were fake.

They were either paper figures, illusions, or substitutes—none were Mu Lin’s main body.

‘Damn it, did he manage to escape?’

‘No, anyone else can live, but Mu Lin, who insulted our Divine Servants, must die!’

The Black Mountain Guard Captain’s desire to kill Mu Lin was not solely due to his clansmen being insulted.

He knew very well that the reason his group could make humans betray their own kind and serve them like dogs was the deterrence brought by their overwhelming power.

Yet, the sight of Mu Lin killing them as easily as slaughtering dogs shattered the cultists’ resolve.

‘Mu Lin and the humans seem far stronger than the cultists. If I’m to serve as a dog, why not seek out human masters? At least we’re of the same race…’

Once a god bleeds, it ceases to be divine, and the same holds true for Cultists. If their formidable facade is shattered, the already fractured unity within their ranks will completely collapse.

Unwilling to fall into a situation of increasing difficulty, the Guard Captain of Black Mountain had no choice but to kill Mu Lin.

Thus, the order for his execution was swiftly issued.

“Whether what appears before you is real or false, kill him at all costs.”

“Yes, sir.”

And so, to eliminate Mu Lin, the Cultists conducted a sweeping search like casting a net.

However, in the end, though they found many Mu Lins and killed them, all the figures that appeared outside were merely Substitute Paper Figures.

Mu Lin’s Main Body remained untouched—even the Divine Servants who descended this time, including the followers of the Wild Hunt, failed to locate him.

This was also due to Mu Lin’s method of concealment.

By now, he was no longer simply hiding underground in an ordinary manner.

First, he had Manjusaka bloom all around, using the Illusion Art of the Other Shore Flower to obscure his traces.

In addition, he used the Other Shore Flower and himself as the foundation to set up the Twilight Illusion Life-Death Array, employing the powers of twilight, illusion, life, and death to completely seal off his aura and tracks.

Finally, there was the Transcendence Trait.

The elevated status granted by Transcendence allowed Mu Lin to rise above worldly matters, unaffected by many things.

This so-called “things” included divination and prophecy.

Thus, under these layers of protection, it became extremely difficult for others to locate Mu Lin’s Main Body.

Beyond his Main Body, Mu Lin also set up various decoys using the Other Shore Flower and Paper Figures, further increasing the difficulty for others to track him down.

Aside from defense, Mu Lin was also engaged in slaughter.

The activated Paper Figures, guided by the Substitute Paper Figures, continuously attacked the Cultists.

Moreover, the Substitute Paper Figures constantly observed the movements of others through Paper Cranes and used Paper Folding techniques to recreate their faces.

Finally, they employed Curse Art to cast fatal curses on others.

This time, Mu Lin did not target the powerful Servants of the Gods, as he lacked the time and means to curse them to death.

Instead, he focused on ordinary Cultists.

Then, a terrifying scene unfolded.

Among the teams conducting the sweeping search for Mu Lin and other Disciples, individuals would occasionally clutch their hearts and collapse to the ground.

Or their eyes would suddenly shed tears of blood, rendering them unable to see clearly.

Or they would directly attack their teammates—having been implanted with Manjusaka through curses.

“Thud…”

“Bastard, what are you doing?”

“Of course, I’m killing you!”

“We’re teammates, are you insane?”

“No, it’s you who’s gone mad!”

Thus, under Mu Lin’s manipulation, betrayal and ambushes continuously unfolded within the ranks of the Cultists.

In the end, few Cultists dared to trust their teammates anymore.

Those who refused to believe in the curse were mostly ambushed and killed.

Just like the one before them now.

“Help, save me, my teammates have all gone mad.”

“How did they go mad?”

“They suddenly attack… thud, just like this!”

…

The Cultists who descended for the second time were thrown into chaos by Mu Lin’s curses and ambushes.

However, the Cultists were too numerous and too powerful.

Mu Lin could only kill some weaklings through curses; he was currently no match for powerful individuals.

Because of this, while Mu Lin was killing Cultists, the Prodigies of humanity and the Foreign Races were also being relentlessly hunted down by the strong Cultists.

Even Mu Lin’s Main Body was not one hundred percent safe.

Admittedly, he had hidden himself thoroughly through multiple layers of protection.

But the enemies were strong, and with the aid of Deities, if they kept searching, there was indeed a possibility they might find him.

Fortunately, Jade Lake Dao Academy was not entirely useless. Not long after the Evil God Cultists descended for the second time, Jade Lake Dao Academy finally managed to contact Mu Lin and the others through the Tower of Illusory Heavens.

Subsequently, an endless suction force surged forth, and amidst the teleportation, Mu Lin and his group finally returned to Jade Lake Dao Academy.

However, those who returned did not look well.

Glancing around, Mu Lin discovered that this incident had left at least half of the people forever trapped in the Secret Realm.

Among them were some ordinary Disciples, but also some Prodigies.

For example, Yuan Ce and Chu Hongxuan… they did not return.

And among the group that returned, aside from Mu Lin, everyone else was also in a wretched and miserable state.

Even Xue Ying and Tian Yun of the Feather Clan were disheveled; the latter’s wing had been torn off.

…

“They’re dead!”

To be honest, the deaths of Yuan Ce and Chu Hongxuan dealt a heavy blow to Mu Lin, making him truly understand one thing.

Reality was not a game, and these were not peaceful times. Even Prodigies could die at any moment if they did not convert their potential into strength.

“Death, accidents, danger, calamity… these could come at any time. This is the impending apocalypse. I am still too weak. I must not slack off in improving my strength from now on!”

Here, Mu Lin, awakened by the blow, shed much of his arrogance.

Beside him, mournful weeping continued incessantly.

“Ce’er, my Ce’er… sob sob…”

“Bastards, what exactly is Jade Lake Dao Academy doing? Give me back my child’s life!”

While Mu Lin was trembling with fear, wealthy and powerful individuals from outside swarmed in like a hive.

Upon discovering their children had died, some broke down in tears, while others, eyes bloodshot, grabbed the lecturers of Jade Lake Dao Academy, demanding answers.

Still others, trembling with lingering fear, embraced the survivors.

Chu Lingluo was pulled into a tight hug by her mother, whose body trembled uncontrollably.

As for Chu Lingluo, she hadn’t yet grasped the situation.

She had been too well-protected by Mu Lin, not only experiencing little danger but also not witnessing the brutality of the final battle.

In her memory, she had simply stayed with Mu Lin for a while, and then everything ended.

Thus, seeing so many people injured or missing, she asked in confusion:

“Mother, why are you crying? And where are Cousin Hongxuan and the others? Why didn’t they come out with us?”

As soon as she said this, many parents who had lost their children could no longer hold back, their eyes turning somewhat bloodshot as they glared at Chu Lingluo.

This startled Chu Lingluo.

Her mother, Si Ye, quickly covered her mouth, bowed apologetically to the others, and then took Chu Lingluo outside to explain everything.

As for Mu Lin, he was also pulled away by Dongfang Ya, who was still trembling with lingering fear.

After leaving the Tower of Illusory Heavens, she turned back to glance at the group of enraged dignitaries and sighed:

“The war is about to begin, and the world will descend into chaos from now on… No, that’s not right. The war has long since begun, and the world has always been in turmoil. It’s just that, in the past, the Aristocratic Families kept the lid tightly sealed. But from this day forward, everything will be exposed to the world.”

(End of Chapter)