Chapter 136: Chapter 127: Inner Sect Trial, Perfection of Lihen

It was no wonder so many Outer Sect Disciples viewed the Inner Sect trial as a life-and-death ordeal, not daring to enter for the longest time.

Over time, their drive would completely vanish, and they would lose their chance to ever set foot in the Inner Sect. Their only choice was to focus on breaking through to the Life Talisman realm.

At that moment, Fang Cheng stomped his foot, and the Li Hen Demon Light erupted into a pitch-black ring of fire that radiated outward from him.

Wherever the Demonic Light passed, the Blood Centipedes erupted in roaring black flames. They twisted and struggled, burning with a SIZZLE, and in a flash, were reduced to ash on the ground.

The Li Hen Demon Light was surprisingly effective!

Even Fang Cheng was a little surprised.

’Could it be because the Li Hen Demon Light originates from the Celestial Demon...’

He pushed aside his doubts and his figure floated up, soaring into the distance.

Ahead, he saw several lizards as large as ships on the ground. They flicked their forked tongues, their heads raised to stare at him as they hissed and stirred restlessly.

Before he even arrived, Fang Cheng unleashed the Li Hen Demon Light. A stream of pitch-black light snaked through the air and swept over the mutated lizards.

Just as he had expected, black flames erupted over the mutated lizards’ bodies, burning like oil poured on a roaring fire. They were completely powerless to resist and died on the spot in an instant.

It seemed the power within these aberrant demons was naturally countered by the Li Hen Demon Light, rendering them completely unable to suppress its might.

Having figured out the trick, Fang Cheng stopped moving about randomly. Instead, he chose a large boulder, sat cross-legged atop it, and remained still.

Aberrant demons nearby, sensing the aura and scent of a Cultivator’s vital energy and blood, began to emerge one after another: Blood Centipedes, lizards, venomous snakes, Poisonous Toads, Demon Insects...

But a few dozen feet from Fang Cheng, they were stopped by a ring of pitch-black Demonic Light. Then, like moths to a flame, they were all annihilated within it.

Fang Cheng, meanwhile, remained perfectly calm, holding a Spirit Stone to restore his Magical Power and maintain the Demonic Light.

It almost felt like cheating...

Gradually, he killed all the aberrant demons within a radius of several miles, and his surroundings fell silent.

With nothing else to do, and knowing he still had to spend ten days in the Earth Abyss, Fang Cheng decided to cultivate his Li Hen Demon Light.

With practiced ease, he visualized a boundless, dark void within his sea of consciousness.

Then, he slowly outlined an immense skeleton.

The skeleton sat upon a throne, its skull bowed low. It was wrapped in countless chains that plunged into the endless darkness.

The skeleton appeared humanoid but had over a hundred ribs. Its arm and leg bones were each formed from nine bones covered in strange patterns, all twisted together like thick braids, emanating a sense of immense power.

Globes of Demon Fire drifted like clouds around the skeleton, burning endlessly around It. The pure black flames gave off a feeling of extreme danger.

The black flames emanated a profound and gloomy light that rippled out in endless layers, vanishing into the vast, boundless void.

As Fang Cheng continued his visualization, he mysteriously triggered an aura from beyond the heavens!

Fang Cheng suddenly realized that cultivating the Li Hen Demon Light in the Earth Abyss seemed to have greatly shortened the distance to that Celestial Demon. His connection to it was growing much clearer.

He could achieve twice the results with half the effort by cultivating the Li Hen Demon Light here!

In an instant, a powerful, lofty, and vast demonic will crossed through layer after layer of the void, pouring into Fang Cheng’s sea of consciousness.

BOOM!

The Celestial Demon he was visualizing instantly seemed to come to life.

He was long accustomed to this and calmly accepted the Celestial Demon’s aura.

This incomparably tyrannical aura was like divine might—violent, domineering, and brimming with demonic nature. It stirred and amplified the fear deep in Fang Cheng’s heart, inspiring terror, awe, and the urge to submit!

In Fang Cheng’s sea of consciousness, a demonic will spread like ink in water. Then, like a monstrous tidal wave, it surged toward his soul.

Fang Cheng gathered his focus, his mind tranquil. Relying on his Sword Heart Clarity Realm, he wielded a sharp Sword Intent to slash away all traces of the demonic will in his sea of consciousness.

Soon after, a ray of pure black firelight suddenly descended from the void and coiled around his body.

With a wave of his wide sleeve, Fang Cheng collected the Demonic Light. Magical Power then surged through him as he nonchalantly refined it. He held out his right hand, fingers spread, and a pure black Flame Rune materialized from thin air, floating in his palm.

With a single thought, the rune transformed into a streak of pitch-black Demonic Light. It danced around his body once before sinking into his skin.

The next day, many more aberrant demons attacked from afar. Fang Cheng, still seated on the giant boulder, used no other techniques. Relying solely on the Li Hen Demon Light, he slaughtered all the attacking demons in less than an hour.

Afterward, he resumed refining the Li Hen Demon Light.

The following days passed in the same manner.

However, the number of aberrant demons attacking each day gradually dwindled. By the tenth day, fewer than five appeared.

Perhaps when disciples from the other great families underwent this trial, they would rush about the first three layers of the Earth Abyss, searching for opportunities. But for Fang Cheng, cultivating the Li Hen Demon Light in peace for ten days was the greatest reward of all.

In those ten days, he had actually achieved another breakthrough with his Li Hen Demon Light, refining it to the Thirty-Third Layer!

According to the legacy records of the Dragon Elephant Wanderer, he only needed to condense these thirty-three layers of Demonic Light into a single Life Talisman to break through and become a Life Talisman Cultivator.

...

On the tenth day, a Teleportation Array silently materialized beneath Fang Cheng.

A moment later, he was teleported back into Zhenyuan Hall.

Gao Chong was still facing the relief sculpture, seated in the lotus position.

"Congratulations, Junior Brother, on entering the Inner Sect."

He spoke nonchalantly with his back to Fang Cheng, his tone devoid of any emotion.

Fang Cheng bowed as before. "Thank you for your guidance, Senior Brother."

Gao Chong said gravely, "Your path of cultivation has only just begun. The great path ahead is long; you must act with caution. I will give you three words of advice. Remember them well."

Fang Cheng’s expression turned solemn. "Please speak, Senior Brother."

Gao Chong said, "They are the three words: Humility, Respect, and Perseverance. Ponder them well in the days to come!"

Fang Cheng committed those three words to memory and thanked him once more.

Gao Chong added, "The Magical Robe, jade slip, and Identity Token for Inner Sect Disciples are over there. Take them. Later, I will have someone go to the Ancestral Hall to record your name on the Inner Sect Disciple roster. The sect has assigned you a Cave Mansion on Yinluo Island. The location is recorded in your Identity Token, so go find it yourself."

Fang Cheng turned his head and, sure enough, saw a jade table to the side. On it were neatly laid out an Inner Sect Disciple’s Magical Robe and other assorted items.

He gathered the items and asked, "Senior Brother, I wish to cultivate the Netherworld Sword Technique. Could you please point me in the right direction?"

Gao Chong fell silent for a moment, apparently not expecting him to be so eager.

Finally, he let out a soft chuckle. He took a paper figure from his storage bag and blew on it gently. The paper figure swelled up, growing to the size of a real person. Its facial features were remarkably lifelike, just like a living person, yet it remained as thin as a single sheet of paper.

Gao Chong smiled. "The Scripture Pavilion is one of the three great forbidden grounds of the Yinluo Sect. You can’t go there alone. Better to let this avatar of mine take you."

Fang Cheng was overjoyed. "Thank you, Senior Brother!"

Gao Chong waved a hand dismissively. "Go on, now. Don’t come bothering me again."

As soon as he finished speaking, the paper figure winked at Fang Cheng and led the way out of Zhenyuan Hall.

Fang Cheng turned and followed.

As he stepped out of Zhenyuan Hall, he suddenly heard three long, resonant bell tolls coming from within.

In an instant, the sound of the bells spread across Yinluo Island and the Dragon Spine Archipelago. It could even be heard clearly on the islands of the great families, such as Xiaocang, Chixia, and Flame Demon.

Upon hearing the bells, Fang Cheng recalled a rumor within the Yinluo Sect.

It was said that whenever a new Inner Sect Disciple emerged, three bells would toll, their sound spreading throughout the entire sect, both within and without.

For a True Disciple, there were six.

For a Peak Master, eight.

And when a major event occurred that concerned the very survival of the sect—requiring all members at or above the rank of True Disciple to assemble—the bells would ring nine times.

The paper figure paid the bells no mind, simply turning its head to Fang Cheng and saying, "Junior Brother, random flight is forbidden on Yinluo Island. I’ll take you to the Scripture Pavilion to receive the inheritance."

With that said, it transformed into a gust of ghostly wind that enveloped Fang Cheng, soaring into the air and flying toward another part of the island.

...

「Xiaocang Island, Cangwu Mountain, Cyan Demon Cliff.」

Inside the Jade Tower, Ye Yan stood before a railing. Her beautiful eyes gazed out over the vast expanse of water, her thoughts drifting far away.

Suddenly, three long, deep bell tolls echoed from the distant sky.

Her beautiful eyes instantly lit up. A smile touched her lips, her face alight with joy as she exclaimed, "My husband succeeded!"

She slapped the railing with one fair, white hand, and her graceful figure soared out of the Jade Tower, heading straight for the Star-picking Platform.