Chapter 297

Chapter 297: Peering at Divine Blood

Repeated betrayals left Mu Lin stunned.

A question formed in his mind: "Those who joined the descendants of evil gods – aren’t they afraid of being punished by humanity?"

"After all, the evil gods haven’t descended in full force yet?"

Jiang Yingying from the Yin-Yang Harmony Sect gave him an awkward yet polite smile.

"…"

The smile left Mu Lin speechless.

After a long pause, he finally muttered:

"Your demon sects aren’t executing these traitors? Planning to keep them around like pets?"

This finally drew a reply from Jiang Yingying.

"In our demon sects, only failures get punished. Winners get rewarded."

Mu Lin countered: "You judge heroes by success – I know your ways. But this is outright betrayal of humanity…"

"Not exactly…"

Jiang Yingying shrugged while gazing into the distance.

"The evil god descendants use us? We use them right back. Wandering Bug, Fa Yan, and Chi Ying all plan to kill those evil descendants and monsters to refine divine blood after using them. Truth is, our demon sects hold more power. The evil spawns and monsters only barely match us when united."

"If their plan works, they’ll gain divine blood while eliminating evil gods’ offspring and monsters. Who could call them traitors then?"

"…"

This calculating approach perfectly fit demon sect philosophy.

More tellingly, they didn’t care about casualties or collateral damage.

Success meant power – and power meant everything.

They even ignored the consequences of failure.

_After death, why fear the flood?_

With such values, no wonder everyone hated demon sects.

Understanding this, a dark realization struck Mu Lin.

"Wait… your retreats – and those Taoist geniuses’ losses – were deliberate, weren’t they?"

Letting evil descendants win temporarily, allowing them to refine divine blood before stealing it.

Success would make them heroes who stopped evil gods while gaining divine blood.

Failure could be blamed on insufficient strength.

Either way, both sects’ disciples would escape punishment.

Of course, staying on sidelines meant missing first claim to divine blood – a tradeoff.

Jiang Yingying answered Mu Lin’s question with that same awkward-yet-polite smile.

"…"

Such an expression left Mu Lin speechless.

After a long pause, he said, “So you sought me not to escape, but to team up and seize divine blood?”

Jiang Yingying answered, “Not entirely. If Young Master Mu wishes to withdraw, I’ll help you leave safely.”

She had been testing him earlier.

If Mu Lin showed fear and planned to flee,

Jiang Yingying—viewing him as weak—wouldn’t explain but scheme against him instead.

Yet if Mu Lin grasped the situation and desired divine blood, she’d ally with him.

The Yin-Yang Harmony Sect excelled in strategic partnerships.

But Mu Lin rejected both choices.

“I won’t involve myself, nor will I depart. Why can’t you focus on the Grave Lord’s trials instead of stirring chaos?”

By following the Grave Lord’s assessments, Mu Lin steadily grew stronger.

He resented the demon sects’ reckless meddling.

Jiang Yingying disagreed.

“The Grave Lord inheritance risks rival those of refining divine blood. Competing for divine blood means facing descendants of evil gods—dangerous, yes.

But the Grave Lord’s trials hold greater peril… His possession attempt could destroy us.

As a National Guardian Heavenly Master, his power overwhelms us. Refining divine blood, however, lets us control the risks.”

“……”

This perspective startled Mu Lin.

Frowning, he resolved to tread more carefully.

“Thanks for the warning, but I’ll avoid the divine blood conflict.”

Steady cultivation safely boosted his strength. Risky methods like blood refinement didn’t appeal to him.

He aimed to study the Yin Eight Sect’s secret techniques within the Grave Lord’s secret realm,

gaining insights to enhance his Great Yin Living Scripture and City of Heaven’s Funeral proficiency.

“Since divine blood invites danger and the inheritance risks possession, I’ll pursue neither. My goal is advancing both fundamental cultivation methods to Master Level.

Perhaps I’ll even acquire Yin Eight Sect spiritual weapons if fortune favors me.”

Decision made, Mu Lin parted from Jiang Yingying.

He wandered the realm, studying graves to decipher the Grave Lord’s techniques.

But tranquility eluded him.

While analyzing a tomb’s secrets, a shrill laugh pierced the air.

“Jijiji! Another human!”

Mu Lin spun around. A ram-headed monster leered at him, flanked by a demon cultivator and a descendant of evil gods’ minion.

“It’s mine!”

As Mu Lin glanced over, the subordinate of the descendant of evil gods spoke next. While speaking, the figure rapidly faded.

“Monsters and evil spirits, followers of evil gods… Scram!”

Unwilling to engage, Mu Lin coldly snapped, aiming to drive them off.

Yet before his words fully left his mouth, the distant figure of the evil god’s follower dissolved completely.

Simultaneously, a figure emerged from the shadow beneath Mu Lin’s feet, thrusting a dagger toward his neck.

Whether due to the attack’s abruptness or the oppressive heartbeat and environment of Grave Lord’s secret realm draining Mu Lin’s focus, he… failed to react.

Effortlessly, the shadow servant beheaded him.

“???”

The ease of it froze the shadow servant briefly.

“Pathetic. How dare you scold us… urk!”

Mid-sneer, the shadow servant’s eyes widened in horror.

As Mu Lin’s head fell, burning agony erupted in the attacker’s own neck.

Without warning, a sickening *thwack* tore through the shadow servant’s throat, leaving a gaping wound.

【Substitution】

Mu Lin’s substitution ability remained rudimentary, incapable of fully transferring damage.

Thus, the shadow servant’s neck only half-severed. Yet the injury sent him scrambling backward via shadow leap to his teammate’s side.

Trembling, he wove shadow-threads from his body, stitching his mangled throat.

Watching this, Mu Lin sighed.

“Higher realms always have self-preservation tricks. Ordinary wounds mean nothing.”

The shadow servant whirled at Mu Lin’s voice, pupils contracting—Mu Lin stood whole and unharmed.

“What *are* you?” the servant rasped. “Why won’t you die?!”

“Human. As for surviving decapitation…” Mu Lin smirked. “Think I’d explain?”

“Bastard!”

Rage contorted the servant’s face, yet fear rooted him in place.

A bestial roar shattered the stalemate.

“Then DIE!”

The goat-headed monster swung a cudgel at Mu Lin’s skull.

“STOP!” the shadow servant shrieked—too late.

*CRACK!*

Mu Lin’s head shattered. So did the shadow servant’s.

The goat-headed monster’s triumphant grin died as agony exploded in its own skull.

“NO!”

*SPLAT.* Its head burst like overripe fruit.

In the City God Realm, a paper figure burned to ash. Mu Lin’s head reformed.

He stared at the headless monster. “Why assume I was linked only to *him*?”

Realization struck—the goat-head had thought his substitution limited to one target. Normally true, but Mu Lin’s mastery of Substitute Paper Figure granted retaliation against *all* attackers.

Ignorance had doomed it.

Shaking his head, Mu Lin turned to the last foe—

*WHOOSH!*

The demon cultivator erupted in crimson flames, fleeing faster than sight.

“???”

By the time Mu Lin blinked, only drifting ashes remained.