Chapter 297 – Glimpsing the Divine Blood

The successive betrayals left Mu Lin utterly bewildered.

At the same time, a doubt arose in his mind: “Those who defect to the Evil God Scion—aren’t they afraid of being purged by humanity?”

“After all, the Evil God hasn’t descended on a large scale yet, has he?”

In response to Mu Lin’s question, Jiang Yingying of the Yin-Yang Joyous Union Sect offered an awkward yet polite smile.

“…”

That smile left Mu Lin speechless.

After a long pause, he finally remarked with some exasperation:

“Your Demonic Sect still hasn’t eliminated such traitors? Keeping them around for the New Year?”

This comment finally prompted Jiang Yingying to speak.

“In our Demonic Sect, only the losers face purging. The victors are praised.”

Mu Lin: “Judging heroes by success or failure—I’m aware of your Demonic Sect’s ethos. But they’re betraying humanity now…”

“Not exactly…”

Gazing into the distance, Jiang Yingying shrugged and said:

“The Evil God Scion is indeed using us, but we are also using the Evil God Scion. Those who defected—Mingling Zi, Fa Yan, and Crimson Shadow—all intend to exploit the Evil God Scion and the demons and monsters, then kill them to refine Divine Blood. In fact, strictly speaking, our Demonic Sect holds the stronger position on that side. The Evil God Scion and the demons and monsters have to join forces just to barely contend with us.”

“If their plan succeeds, they’ll have obtained Divine Blood while also eliminating the Evil God Scion and the demons and monsters. In that case, who could call them traitors?”

“…”

Such conduct was indeed characteristic of the Demonic Sect.

Even more typical was their complete disregard for how many people died or how much chaos was caused in the process.

As long as they succeeded and grew stronger, they considered it a gain.

They didn’t even care about the consequences if they failed.

—After I die, let the floodwaters rage.

With such a disposition, it was no wonder the Demonic Sect was universally condemned.

After piecing everything together, a dark thought even crossed Mu Lin’s mind.

“Tell me, your retreat—and that of the Daoist Sect prodigies—wasn’t intentional, was it?”

Deliberately letting the Evil God Scion win, allowing them to refine Divine Blood, only to seize it in the end.

If successful, they would be hailed as heroes for thwarting the Evil God Scion and would also obtain Divine Blood.

Even if they failed, the disciples of the Daoist and Demonic Sects could claim they had done their best but were simply outmatched.

With such maneuvering, the disciples of both sects would avoid punishment no matter the outcome.

Of course, by standing aside and observing, they would miss the chance to obtain Divine Blood immediately—a trade-off of advantages and disadvantages.

Mu Lin’s question once again drew that awkward yet polite smile from Jiang Yingying.

“…”

That expression left Mu Lin completely at a loss for words.

After a long silence, he finally spoke: “So, your main purpose in seeking me out isn’t to escape, but to join forces and seize the Divine Blood?”

Jiang Yingying: “Not entirely. If Young Master Mu wishes to leave and avoid this affair, this servant is willing to escort you out.”

Clearly, Jiang Yingying had been testing him earlier.

If Mu Lin had sensed danger and immediately sought to flee—such weakness would have led Jiang Yingying not to explain but to consider scheming against him.

But if Mu Lin had grasped the situation and coveted the Divine Blood, she could have allied with him.

The Yin-Yang Joyous Union Sect was adept at forming alliances and strategies.

However, Mu Lin chose neither option.

“I truly don’t wish to get involved in this matter, but I also don’t want to leave… Sigh, can’t you just participate honestly in the Grave Lord’s trial? Why must you risk your lives stirring up trouble?”

Because as long as he followed the Grave Lord’s trial, Mu Lin could continuously gain rewards.

Thus, he was quite dissatisfied with the Demonic Sect’s actions, feeling they were making trouble out of nothing.

But Jiang Yingying did not think so.

“In fact, the danger of the Grave Lord Inheritance is not much different from the danger of refining Divine Blood. The refined Divine Blood requires contention, and we must guard against the Evil God Scion—this indeed carries risks.”

“But the danger of the Grave Lord Inheritance is greater… We must guard against the Grave Lord’s possession.”

“Considering the latter is at the Celestial Master level, and a Nation-Protecting Celestial Master at that, his possession would be difficult for us to resist. In contrast, the risks of refining Divine Blood are within our control.”

“…”

This was indeed something Mu Lin had not considered.

And this made Mu Lin frown, prompting him to act with even greater caution.

“Thank you for the reminder, but I still don’t want to participate in the contention for Divine Blood.”

Because as long as he kept working hard, his strength would improve. For dangerous operations like refining Divine Blood for body tempering, Mu Lin preferred to keep his distance.

He only planned to observe the various secret techniques and mystical arts used by this Yin Eight Gates predecessor within the secret realm created by the Grave Lord.

Using others’ understanding to enhance his own experience and knowledge would also improve his proficiency in the Taiyin Life-Nurturing Scripture and the mental image of Sky Burial City.

“The Evil God Scion and the Demonic Sect covet Divine Blood, and the Grave Lord Inheritance also has hidden dangers. Since that’s the case, I’ll take neither. This time, I only need to advance my two foundational cultivation methods to the Master Realm.”

“Hmm… If I’m lucky enough to obtain some Yin Eight Gates lineage Spirit Tools, that would be even better.”

Having made his decision, Mu Lin immediately parted ways with Jiang Yingying.

In the following time, he no longer hurried on his journey but instead observed everywhere, comprehending the predecessors’ applications of Yin Eight Gates mystical arts.

However, though Mu Lin sought peace, the tree may desire stillness, but the wind will not cease.

Just as Mu Lin was observing graves, comprehending the Grave Lord’s techniques for using various secret arts, a sharp, piercing laugh suddenly rang in his ears.

“Kekeke, found another human.”

The abruptly sounding voice made Mu Lin turn his head to look, and then he discovered a demonic monster with a black goat’s head looking at him with delight.

  Beside it, there was also a Demonic Sect cultivator and a subordinate of the Evil God Scion.

“He’s mine!”

As Mu Lin looked over, the one who spoke next was the subordinate of the Evil God Scion. While speaking, that person’s figure also began to rapidly fade.

“Demonic Fiends, and Evil God believers… Scram.”

Unwilling to entangle with them, Mu Lin coldly shouted, wanting to drive them away.

However, before he could finish speaking, the figure of the Evil God believer in the distance completely faded away.

At the same time, someone emerged from the shadow at Mu Lin’s feet, extending a dagger to slash toward Mu Lin’s neck.

Perhaps because the attack was extremely sudden, or perhaps because being in the Grave Lord’s Realm, suppressed by the environment and the heartbeat here, had consumed too much of Mu Lin’s energy elsewhere—in any case, this attack… Mu Lin did not react in time.

Effortlessly, his head was severed by the Shadow Attendant.

“???”

It was so easy that even the Shadow Attendant was taken aback.

“So weak, how dare you scold us… ugh!”

It was puzzled, but halfway through its words, its expression changed drastically.

At the same time Mu Lin’s head was severed, a sharp pain shot through its own neck.

Then, without giving it any time to react, with a squelch, a massive gash suddenly tore open in the Shadow Attendant’s neck.

【Substitute Death】

Mu Lin’s Substitute Death ability was still in its early stages, unable to fully transfer the damage to another.

Thus, the Shadow Attendant’s neck was not completely severed, only half-cut.

But this sudden injury still startled it, and it immediately used Shadow Jump to retreat to its companion’s side.

Then, still shaken, it quickly cast a Spell to heal itself.

“Hiss…”

Threads composed of shadow emerged from within the Shadow Attendant’s body, weaving rapidly. Soon, the severed neck was stitched back together with these threads.

This sight made Mu Lin sigh.

“As expected, at higher realms, most have one or two life-saving abilities. Ordinary injuries can’t touch you.”

Mu Lin mused, while on the other side, the Shadow Attendant, hearing the familiar voice, froze.

Turning to look, its pupils contracted as it discovered Mu Lin was completely unharmed.

This sight filled its gaze with horror as it stared at Mu Lin.

“What are you?”

“Why aren’t you dead after having your head cut off?”

“I’m human. As for why I’m not dead after having my head cut off… do you think I’d tell you?”

“Bastard!”

Mu Lin’s taunting made the Shadow Attendant’s eyes burn with anger. Yet, despite its fury, the earlier injury left it completely unwilling to attack Mu Lin.

Just as it was unsure what to do, a furious roar suddenly erupted beside it.

“If you won’t tell me, then die!”

It was the goat-headed demonic monster, wielding a wooden club, swinging it with all its might toward Mu Lin’s head.

This sight made the Shadow Attendant’s heart skip a beat.

“No, stop!”

It roared, but the goat-headed demonic monster paid no heed, bringing the club down hard.

Thud! With such a full-force strike and Mu Lin undefended, his head was instantly smashed open.

Along with it, the Shadow Attendant’s head also cracked.

This didn’t anger the goat-headed demonic monster; instead, a faint smile appeared at the corner of its mouth.

But soon, that smile vanished.

The moment the Shadow Attendant’s head burst, its own head also erupted in pain.

“No!”

Then, amid its panicked cries, with a crunch, its head shattered like a watermelon.

The next moment, as a Paper Figure within the Netherworld Law Domain burned to ashes, Mu Lin’s head was restored to its original state.

Fully healed, he looked at the headless goat-headed demonic monster with a somewhat speechless expression.

“Why would you think my life is bound to the Shadow Attendant?”

At this moment, Mu Lin had already realized that the reason the ram-headed demonic monster had attacked without mercy earlier was because it believed Mu Lin’s death substitution could only be transferred to one person.

Normally, this judgment would have been correct. Substitution abilities involve causality, and redirecting the target is no easy task.

However, it never expected that Mu Lin had already cultivated the Substitute Paper Figure to the Grandmaster level, gaining the characteristic of “anyone who attacks me shall suffer retaliation.”

Insufficient intelligence led to its miserable death.

Shaking his head, Mu Lin turned his gaze to the last person.

“Boom!”

Yet, the moment Mu Lin’s gaze fell upon him, the Demonic Sect cultivator immediately activated the Blood-Burning Technique and fled into the distance with an all-consuming fervor.

“???”

Such decisiveness left Mu Lin momentarily stunned. By the time he regained his senses, the Demonic Sect cultivator had already vanished without a trace before his eyes.

(End of Chapter)