Chapter 155 – Three Days to Clear—How Domineering Is This Kid's Temperament?

Zhong Yaojun stared at the screen, utterly stunned as he watched Lu Chen spend his last remaining money on medicinal herbs, hand-roll them into pills, and then begin practicing alchemy using a pressure cooker in his apartment.

Setting aside Lu Chen’s unique approach to alchemy for a moment, just the skilled techniques alone showed he was clearly not doing this for the first time.

Zhong Yaojun exclaimed in surprise, “Wait, this kid knows alchemy too?”

To this, Yu Tianqi nodded and said, “Yeah, I was just as shocked when I first found out.”

Naturally, Yu Tianqi was aware of Lu Chen’s alchemy skills. He had previously asked Lu Chen which Dao Academy he wanted to attend, and the answer surprised him: the Lihuo Dao Academy, renowned for its alchemy.

Originally, Yu Tianqi had assumed Lu Chen would choose the Clear River Dao Academy, which focused on sword cultivation, since he believed Lu Chen’s greatest talent lay in swordsmanship.

But Lu Chen told him that his Sword Path was already largely established, and the guidance Shangqing Dao Academy could offer would be quite limited. In contrast, Lihuo Dao Academy was more suitable for him because he could use their elixirs to rapidly advance his cultivation. Not to mention, he already possessed considerable alchemy skills himself.

Therefore, attending Lihuo Dao Academy was the best choice for him. After hearing this, Yu Tianqi realized Lu Chen had a clear plan for his future and didn’t press further.

So, while Yu Tianqi was surprised by Lu Chen using a pressure cooker for alchemy, his reaction wasn’t as extreme as Zhong Yaojun’s. But still—could alchemy really be done with a pressure cooker?

Soon enough, Lu Chen demonstrated through his actions that with sufficient skill and high enough alchemy proficiency, even a pressure cooker could be used for alchemy!

“Almost there…”

Inside the Sunflower Apartments, Lu Chen waited until the right moment, then turned off the pressure cooker. When he opened it, a batch of successfully refined pills lay before him.

[Vitality Restoration Pill]

[Quality: Common]

[Effect: After consumption, restores injuries to a certain extent]

Due to limited conditions, Lu Chen could only produce common-quality pills like these. But even these were enough to meet his needs.

The method this trial used to seal a cultivator’s cultivation was simple: it simulated damage to their Spirit Root. As long as there was a way to heal the Spirit Root’s injuries, restoring spiritual power and cultivation wouldn’t be difficult.

For Lu Chen, if he could recover just ten percent of his cultivation, he’d have over a fifty percent chance of clearing the trial. If he could restore fifty percent, his chances would be almost one hundred percent.

What he was doing now was rapidly recovering his cultivation. As the Vitality Restoration Pill entered his body, Lu Chen immediately felt changes within. Soon, he could sense the spiritual power of heaven and earth again.

Over the next full day, Lu Chen not only fully absorbed the medicinal efficacy of the Vitality Restoration Pill but also restored his cultivation to ten percent of its original level. And that was the limit of what this batch of common Vitality Restoration Pills could achieve.”If I want to restore more of my cultivation, I either need to find the hidden healing items within the apartment building, or find a way to earn more money so I can purchase more medicinal herbs to refine Elixirs…”

Thinking this, Lu Chen immediately picked up the Magic Sword on the table, pushed open the room door, and walked out.

After surveying his surroundings for a moment, Lu Chen quickly locked onto a direction within the corridor.

The so-called ‘special items’ in the trial were actually things like Magic Treasures, Talismans, Elixirs, etc., scattered throughout the apartment building.

For Cultivators with cultivation, finding these things wasn’t particularly difficult.

But for trial participants who had their cultivation Sealed from the start and couldn’t sense Spiritual Power, it was a different story.

And this was precisely where the trial tested the participants’ Heart-Nature.

How to gather information within the apartment’s complex environment and then find things useful to oneself.

All of this required the Cultivators to explore on their own.

But for Lu Chen, who had mastered many methods, none of this was difficult.

After all, the trial could only Seal Lu Chen’s cultivation; it couldn’t Seal his memories or skills.

After partially restoring his cultivation through Alchemy, most of the spells and Divine Abilities Lu Chen originally couldn’t use were now unlocked.

This included Lu Chen’s most frequently used Azure Lotus Eyes.

Under the enhanced vision of the Azure Lotus Eyes, Lu Chen soon arrived at a remote corner on the twelfth floor.

And immediately spotted a Martial Saint Statue placed among some clutter.

[Name: Martial Saint Statue with a Hint of Divinity]

[Type: Special Magical Artifact]

[Effect: Can block three attacks from evil entities below the Foundation Establishment Stage]

In the following time, Lu Chen visited every location except the fourteenth and fifteenth floors.

He also found quite a few special items.

Among these special items were some Talismans, special Magical Artifacts similar to the Martial Saint Statue, and Elixirs for healing.

After collecting these items, Lu Chen returned directly to his apartment room.

He began to further restore his own strength.

Sunflower Apartments, Day Three, 10:00 PM.

“Right now, I’ve already recovered half my strength. It’s about time to start taking action…”

Lu Chen got off the bed, pushed open the apartment door, and walked out.

He headed directly up the stairs toward the upper floors.

Even before getting close to the fourteenth floor of the apartment building, Lu Chen had already sensed the strange aura above.

And he was all too familiar with this kind of aura.

It was the unique Ancient Immortal Aura of the Black Lotus Sect.

Lu Chen first arrived at the fourteenth floor of the apartment building. From a distance, he saw a shadowy mass appear in the corridor of the fourteenth floor.

The other party seemed somewhat fearful upon seeing Lu Chen’s appearance and quickly vanished into the depths of the corridor.

Standing at the entrance to the fourteenth-floor corridor, Lu Chen surveyed his surroundings. The Azure Lotus Pupils in his eyes began to rotate.

In an instant, the complete situation of the entire fourteenth floor was laid bare before his eyes.

“Just one ordinary ghost, and an elderly Cultivator whose cultivation is only at the third layer of the Qi Condensation Stage. It seems the target I’m looking for isn’t here.”

After saying this, Lu Chen turned and left the fourteenth floor, heading toward the top floor of the apartment building.

Before long, Lu Chen reached the fifteenth floor of the apartment.

And the situation on the fifteenth floor seemed considerably more complex than that on the fourteenth.The ghostly aura here was not only denser, but Lu Chen had finally found the source of the Ancient Immortal Aura in this place.

It was a room in the central area of the fifteenth floor.

Seeing this, Lu Chen understood that this should be his target.

By now, Lu Chen had mostly figured out the process of this trial.

Normally, the first three days for ordinary trial-takers were spent gathering information and special items.

They had to use these three days to enhance their own strength as much as possible and search for clues about the Black Lotus Cultists hidden in the apartment.

During this process, multiple suspected Black Lotus Cultists would inevitably appear.

How to screen these people, determine which were enemies and which were potential allies to unite with, was what the trial-takers needed to do next.

In addition, trial-takers had to conceal their identities as much as possible to avoid arousing the suspicion of the Black Lotus Cultists.

Otherwise, before the trial-takers were fully prepared, the Black Lotus Cultists hidden in the apartment might strike first.

With their cultivation sealed, even an ordinary Black Lotus Cultist posed a threat to the majority of trial-takers.

How to hide one’s identity, how to collect clues and find special items, how to distinguish ordinary people from Black Lotus Cultists—all within only ten days—were the challenges of the second trial.

Thus, passing this trial truly required the trial-taker to possess exceptional Heart-Nature.

However, these were the normal procedures for clearing the trial.

Not the method used by a monster like Lu Chen.

After all, when one’s strength completely overwhelmed the enemy, using force to overcome cunning was undoubtedly the best approach.

Lu Chen walked up to the special room on the fifteenth floor and directly began knocking.

He knocked for a while, but there was no response from inside the apartment room.

However, Lu Chen’s Azure Lotus Eyes clearly saw a haggard Old Woman pressing her eye against the peephole, cautiously watching him.

Therefore, Lu Chen suddenly spoke: “Open the door. I know you’re watching.”

But after waiting a moment, the door remained unmoved.

Seeing this, Lu Chen sighed.

He had originally intended to clear the trial using normal methods, but the other party had refused his goodwill.

There was no other way—he could only use his own approach.

Bang!

As Lu Chen kicked the iron door of the apartment, the heavy door flew off its hinges and crashed into the room behind.

The Old Woman, who had retreated to the living room, was startled by the sudden commotion and looked toward the doorway in astonishment.

She saw Lu Chen stepping through the now doorless frame.

Looking at the Old Woman standing in the living room, he smiled and said, “Will you tie your own hands and feet and come with me, or shall I deal with the Blood Corpse you’re raising in the room before taking you away?”

Hearing Lu Chen expose the hidden truth in her room so directly, the Old Woman’s originally kindly expression instantly twisted into one of ferocity.

As if sensing the Old Woman’s killing intent toward Lu Chen, a coffin placed in a small room of the apartment began to shake violently.

Soon, a ferocious Blood Corpse crawled out of the coffin.

It then burst through the door and charged at Lu Chen.

In response, Lu Chen casually raised his Sword.

Clang!The Blood Corpse’s claws clashed with Lu Chen’s Magic Sword, erupting in a blinding shower of sparks.

[Black Lotus Sect Blood Corpse]

[Cultivation: Qi Condensation Stage Fifth Layer]

[Characteristics: Bloodthirsty, fears sunlight]

“Using living human flesh to breed a Blood Corpse… truly befitting an Evil Path follower devoted to the Black Lotus Sect. Utterly heretical, you—”

“Ah!”

Before Lu Chen could finish, the Old Woman in the living room snatched a fruit knife from the table and lunged at him.

Lu Chen didn’t even regard a fifth-layer Qi Condensation Stage Blood Corpse as a threat.

Let alone an elderly woman in her seventies or eighties.

Without any visible movement from Lu Chen, the Old Woman was sent flying backward the moment she approached within a certain distance, crashing hard against the wall.

The impact caused her to vomit blood, clearly sustaining serious injuries.

Lu Chen felt not an ounce of sympathy for her.

A mere slight sensory probe had revealed that no fewer than ten innocent people had died in this room.

Undoubtedly, all had been devoured as food by the Blood Corpse before him.

Lu Chen didn’t know how the Old Woman had lured those ten people here.

But it likely involved deception and trickery.

The Sunflower Apartments were remote, and the Buddha Mother Statue enshrined in her living room had the effect of shielding Spiritual Power perception.

Otherwise, the thick scent of blood and Qi in the room would have drawn the attention of the cultivator living downstairs.

“Heretics belong where heretics should go…”

With a casual wave of his hand, Lu Chen summoned violet flames that instantly engulfed the Blood Corpse.

Yet, for some reason, the fire didn’t immediately incinerate the corpse, only destroying most of its bodily functions.

Turning to the Old Woman—now severely wounded and immobilized on the sofa by his earlier Spiritual Pressure—Lu Chen suddenly chuckled.

“You’re not afraid of being attacked by this Blood Corpse because of the bell at your waist, right?”

As he spoke, the Old Woman was horrified to find the Magical Artifact bell at her waist suddenly burst into flames.

At this sight, her eyes widened in terror, as if recalling something.

Lu Chen was quite pleased with her reaction.

“Since you’re so fond of breeding Blood Corpses, why don’t you spend some quality time with it?”

With that, Lu Chen turned and left the room, leaving the half-destroyed Blood Corpse alone with the Old Woman.

Standing at the stairwell landing, Lu Chen took out a piece of gum and began chewing.

Suddenly, a piercing scream echoed from behind him.

Followed by the gruesome sound of chewing.

The commotion naturally attracted attention—including that of the cultivator downstairs.

The man produced a Dao Sword from somewhere and rushed up in a panic.

But he soon noticed Lu Chen standing calmly in the stairwell, chewing gum.

Seeing him, Lu Chen stated flatly, “Shanhai Bureau conducting official business. Uninvolved personnel, keep your distance.”

The older man fell silent for a moment before retorting, “Shanhai Bureau business? And you just let a Blood Corpse harm ordinary people?”

Lu Chen smiled.

“Ordinary people? I didn’t see any ordinary people in that room. Only a Black Lotus Cultist.”The old man said with a serious expression, “Even so, you should have handed her over to the enforcement team and let them judge her, not act as you did now. What you did is wrong.”

Upon hearing this, Lu Chen laughed even more heartily.

But after his laughter subsided, his expression turned cold.

“Everyone must take responsibility for what they’ve done—me, you, and her included.”

“If you think what I did is wrong, then go do what you believe is right. Don’t force your logic onto me.”

“Actually, I’m quite reasonable, but that only applies when the other party’s actions fall within what I consider acceptable.”

“Unfortunately, the scum of the Black Lotus Sect happen to be outside my scope of acceptance.”

“Besides, I only gave her back exactly what she did to others.”

“So, if anyone is in the wrong, it’s her. What does it have to do with me?”

With that, the Magic Sword in Lu Chen’s hand suddenly flew out, directly entering the apartment room.

A moment later, the entire apartment fell completely silent.

Without a doubt, Lu Chen had used his Sword Control Technique to slay the Blood Corpse inside.

After finishing this, Lu Chen walked directly up to the Old Cultivator and said calmly, “My heart and actions are as clear as a mirror. What I do is justice.”

“Your justice is not my justice. I know very well what my Dao is, and I know exactly what justice means in my eyes.”

“There is only one person in this world qualified to judge me, and that is myself.”

“You… are not worthy.”

Having said this, Lu Chen walked past the old man and headed out of the corridor.

As he did, the scene before him began to shatter.

The trial had ended.

At the same time, in the monitoring room of the Linjiang Shanhai Bureau.

“Old Yu, has this kid always been this domineering?”

In response to Zhong Yaojun’s question, Yu Tianqi remained silent for a moment before saying, “Actually, this is the first time I’ve seen this side of his personality when dealing with enemies. He never really showed it before.”

Recalling Lu Chen’s final judgment of the Black Lotus Cultist, Zhong Yaojun couldn’t help but remark, “Although that Black Lotus Cultist was indeed guilty of heinous crimes, and Lu Chen didn’t make a mistake in identifying her…”

“With his way of doing things, if he ever makes an error, it could lead to a grave mistake.”

Yu Tianqi understood Zhong Yaojun’s point.

This time, Lu Chen had quickly pinpointed the Black Lotus Cultist and was certain he had the right person, allowing him to act decisively.

But in reality, the Black Lotus Sect isn’t the only demonic cult.

The Immortal Alliance has several organizations similar to the Black Lotus Sect.

Just because Lu Chen could identify a Black Lotus Cultist doesn’t mean he can easily spot all followers of the Demonic Path.

Moreover, many Demonic Path practitioners are skilled at hiding their true nature.

Outwardly, they may appear no different from ordinary people or even righteous Cultivators.

If Lu Chen continues to use such extreme methods against the Demonic Path, he could easily fall victim to false accusations from other demonic factions.

After all, the way he dealt with that Black Lotus Cultist, if taken out of context and maliciously edited, could easily be misunderstood.

But…

“Domineering as he may be, Young Lu is a principled kid. I believe he’ll handle these matters properly in the future.””Besides, in a way, isn’t this also a manifestation of his firm Dao Heart?”

“Perhaps it’s precisely because of his personality that he has achieved what he has today, isn’t it?”

Hearing Yu Tianqi’s words, Zhong Yaojun remained noncommittal.

Although in terms of results, Lu Chen hadn’t done anything wrong.

But in terms of process, he had completely disregarded the rules and regulations established by the Shanhai Bureau.

However, Lu Chen must have considered these matters.

After all, he had just said that everyone must take responsibility for their own decisions.

Yet Zhong Yaojun couldn’t shake the feeling that with such a personality, Lu Chen was bound to suffer significant setbacks in the future.

‘There is only one person in this world qualified to judge me, and that is myself.’

It’s normal for a Genius to have some arrogance, but Zhong Yaojun felt that Lu Chen’s pride wasn’t merely simple arrogance—it was unyielding integrity.

Even within the Shanhai Bureau, which gathered extraordinary talents and was accustomed to domineering attitudes, Lu Chen’s pride would undoubtedly rank among the top.

After all, few in the Shanhai Bureau could give Zhong Yaojun that feeling of ‘I am the supreme authority between heaven and earth.’

Once this young man enters the Shanhai Bureau, the Qingzhou branch… is likely to become anything but tranquil.

(End of Chapter)