Chapter 148: Who is the Sheep, and Who is the Wolf?

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After cultivating the Tyrannical True Dragon Art, an awe-inspiring might now faintly emanated from Li Jing. His already tall and straight figure and extraordinary bearing were now even more handsome and dashing, giving him the subtle air of a sovereign ruler.

Master Bizhu looked on with great satisfaction. After Li Jing had paid his respects, he said, “Li Jing, there is a long-standing connection between the imperial family and my Jade Bamboo Hall. The relationship I have with your father, the emperor, is also quite good. For this trial, you also chose Shi Junjie as your guide.

With only one month left before you ‘Enter the Mortal World,’ a Blood Demon has appeared in the Spirit Field Valley. I have considered this for a long time. For both public and private reasons, and so that your cultivation progress is not delayed, I have decided to bring you to the Jade Bamboo Hall for a few days.”

Since coming out of the Aqueous Manor, Li Jing had been cultivating his new art. Everything had been going well until the sudden appearance of the Blood Demon, which had caused him some concern.

Firstly, he was worried about being ambushed while cultivating. Secondly, with a Spirit Tree Realm elder now in the valley, he was worried that his powerful new cultivation art might be exposed. Now that Master Bizhu had come personally to invite him, Li Jing did not even have to think. Overjoyed, he bowed deeply. “This disciple thanks the Hall Master for his kindness.”

Master Bizhu nodded, satisfied. He said, “Pack your things and come with me to the Jade Bamboo Hall. After the matter with the Blood Demon is settled, you can return.”

“Yes.” Li Jing went back to his room to quickly pack his things and, under the watchful eyes of the many disciples of the Spirit Field Valley, he departed with Master Bizhu.

Another Unsurpassed Purple Seed had been taken away. With that, of the three in the Spirit Field Valley, two had now left, and Zhang Kuang was under investigation.

The disciples began to speculate. “I bet Zhang Yang and Murong Chao will be taken away next.”

“I don’t think so. They’re not Unsurpassed Purple Seeds.”

“If not for the three Purple Seeds, those two Gray Seeds would be the most dazzling of all. Although their aptitude can’t compare, they are still highly sought-after by the four great halls. I bet someone will come for them.”

And just as they were discussing it, Master Guyun indeed sent for Murong Chao and Zhang Yang.

The Spirit Field Valley, which had once been home to five special seed disciples, was now left with only a group of unloved and unwanted weak seeds.

After seeing Xu Yu off, Qin Haoxuan returned to his room, preparing to meditate. Although the Blood Demon was bold, it would not dare to appear during the day. He had just sat down when his senior brother, Ye Yiming, arrived.

“Junior Brother Qin, people have died in the valley for two consecutive days. Master has sent me to bring you to the Nature Hall to stay for a few days.”

Qin Haoxuan nodded. With Xu Yu gone, there was no reason to stay. Besides, while here, he couldn’t go to the Immortal-Slaying Poison Valley, which was hindering his progress. He simply packed a few changes of clothes, but as he and Ye Yiming were leaving, they were stopped on the road by a patrol from the Discipline Hall.

“Where are you going?” one of them asked.

“Senior Brother,” Ye Yiming said, stepping forward, “I am his Guiding Senior Brother. Under orders from our Master, I am taking him to the Nature Hall to stay for a few days. He will return after the Blood Demon matter is resolved.”

The patrol disciples looked tense. They glanced at Qin Haoxuan and said, “The Spirit Field Valley is now under lockdown for all disciples at the Sprouting stage and the First-Leaf of the Spirit Sprout Realm. He is at the First-Leaf, so he cannot leave. Only disciples at the Third-Leaf and above are permitted to leave. Return to your rooms at once, or we will arrest you as a Blood Demon suspect!”

Qin Haoxuan and Ye Yiming exchanged a look. They were not foolish enough to start a conflict with these Twentieth-Leaf disciples and had no choice but to return.

The next morning, Qin Haoxuan woke to an even greater commotion outside—another disciple at the Rooting stage was dead, his blood also completely drained.

Having people die for three consecutive days sent Elder Sun, who had boasted he would catch the creature in a single night, into a towering rage. After giving the patrol disciples a harsh scolding, he decided to personally patrol that night.

Under the shadow of death, the panic in the Spirit Field Valley intensified. No one knew if they would be next, and they looked at each other with suspicion, afraid that the person they were talking to was the Blood Demon in disguise.

There was, however, one exception.

From a distance, Qin Haoxuan saw a large group of people gathered around Xing. They were talking and laughing with him openly, without a trace of fear or caution. In this special period of distrust, they seemed to treat him as a close friend. Qin Haoxuan was baffled. Had the creature used some kind of demonic art? Why was everyone so friendly towards him? It didn’t make sense.

Not long after Qin Haoxuan returned to his room, Xing himself came over with a fawning grin.

“Hey, hey… did you know? Zhang Da and Li Xian, from our year, got into a fight a few days ago. Then Zhang Da was killed by the vampire the other night, and Li Xian actually cried about it!” He continued to rattle off all the latest gossip.

Qin Haoxuan rolled his eyes and said with a wry smile, “Is this what you were talking to those people about just now?”

“Of course!” Xing said with a satisfied look. “Gossip is the universal icebreaker! It transcends race, and it works on both humans and demons.”

That evening, with the Spirit Tree Realm elder personally on patrol, all the disciples went to sleep with a sense of security. No matter how powerful the Blood Demon was, surely it could not escape the eyes of such an expert.

However, the next morning, another person was dead. This was the fourth victim. His death was a resounding slap in the face to Elder Sun, leaving him dizzy with rage.

“From tonight onwards,” he roared, “all new disciples will be arranged into groups of four per room! The doors and windows are to be sealed shut! No visiting! That way, if someone dies, we’ll know who did it!”

Since starting the trial, the disciples had each had their own rooms, which had given the Blood Demon an opportunity. Now, with four people to a room, if a death occurred, the Blood Demon had to be one of the survivors.

The Discipline Hall quickly arranged the rooms. Qin Haoxuan was placed in a room with Xing and two other weak seed disciples, one named Mao Can and the other Cao Dong.

When Mao Can and Cao Dong saw they were grouped with Qin Haoxuan, their expressions were not pleased. Many people secretly suspected that Qin Haoxuan, with all his unusual abilities, might be the Blood Demon. Fortunately, Xing was also there. In the past few days, he had become immensely popular, and the two immediately started chatting and laughing with him.

After dinner was delivered by the patrol, Qin Haoxuan prepared to meditate. Just then, he and Xing noticed that the previously normal-looking Mao Can and Cao Dong had suddenly turned deathly pale. A deep red light shone in their eyes, and their human teeth had transformed into a mouthful of sharp fangs. Their auras surged from the Rooting stage to the Second-Leaf of the Spirit Sprout Realm.

Qin Haoxuan and Xing were dumbfounded. Xing muttered to himself, “Holy crap, I can’t believe these two are the Blood Demons. And I was chatting with them all afternoon! They can even suppress their strength. So, they’re Second-Leaf, and there are two of them.”

Having revealed their true forms, the two Blood Demons began to jeer. “Cao Dong,” said Mao Can, “we’ve been eating Rooting stage disciples to mislead the sect, but I can’t resist anymore. There’s a First-Leaf disciple right here. His blood must be so much better.”

Cao Dong was also drooling. “You’re right. The spiritual energy in the blood of a First-Leaf cultivator can’t be compared to those at the Rooting stage. After drinking his blood, I’ll feel much better tomorrow.”

Qin Haoxuan and Xing exchanged a look. All this time, the two Blood Demons had been their neighbors.

Xing immediately put on a terrified expression. “Brother Mao, Brother Cao, if you’re going to eat someone, eat him! I’m just at the Rooting stage; my blood is no good to you. For the sake of our pleasant chat this afternoon…”

Before he could finish, Cao Dong cut him off with a laugh. “Hehe, after we’re done with Qin Haoxuan, you’re next.”

Shaking his head at Xing’s performance, Qin Haoxuan sighed. “Alright, stop acting. Everyone’s busy. Let’s not waste any more time. Go on. I give you permission to kill them both.”