Chapter 239: Discovered a Shocking Secret

A towering pavilion, shifting between illusion and reality, appeared atop a volcano in an instant, then vanished into a sea of blood the next.

This pavilion, like a mirage, even if seen by ordinary people, would be dismissed as a trick of the eyes, disappearing between heaven and earth in the blink of an eye.

The pavilion had twelve floors, and at this moment, on the very top floor,

a man knelt before another man clad in black robes and a ferocious demon mask, trembling uncontrollably.

The twelfth floor was the most mysterious place in the Blood Kill Pavilion, for it was its pinnacle.

The masked man's expression was indiscernible, but the space around him, as if on the verge of shattering, betrayed his inner fury.

The masked man raised his hand—an arm hidden beneath the black robe, yet so fair and delicate—and gently pinched Blood Qing's chin. The eyes behind the mask suddenly emitted a red glow.

Blood Qing trembled all over, beads of sweat as large as beans streaming down.

Before him, Blood Qing felt as if his entire heart had been seen through, leaving no secret hidden.

"Heh heh..." The masked man's voice was deep and low, like a demon from the abyss of hell. Then, with a flick of his sleeve, the kneeling Blood Qing vanished instantly.

"Interesting..." In an instant, a rift tore open in the void before the masked man, and his figure gradually merged into it, disappearing.

Blood Qing, who had felt as if he had wandered the brink of hell, suddenly opened his eyes. Looking around, he found himself on the first floor.

"Master..." a Blood Kill Pavilion disciple greeted him respectfully.

Blood Qing wiped the sweat from his brow and nodded slightly. In the presence of that master on the twelfth floor, Blood Qing felt as if he were trapped in the abyss of hell, without even the will to resist.

No one had ever seen that master's true face, nor had anyone ever witnessed him make a move. But standing before him, anyone—even the pavilion master of the eleventh floor—would tremble uncontrollably, not daring to meet his gaze.

It was as if the being hidden beneath the black robes was not a man, but a god.

Before him, they were mere ants, devoid of any will to resist.

But now, Blood Qing clenched his fists. As long as that master made a move, that bastard would have no hope of survival.

Though Blood Qing did not know Lin Fan's true strength, he was certainly a formidable existence. Only by reporting to that master could he hope for revenge.

And Blood Qing's current task was to take control of the first floor. With his father dead, countless people coveted the position of pavilion master of the first floor, and he had to suppress them all.

...

The next day.

The forest, washed by last night's rain, exuded a fresh fragrance. The rising sun shone upon the earth, dispelling all darkness.

Lin Fan waved to the two with a smile, his affectionate gaze tinged with reluctance. After a night of deliberation, he had abandoned his earlier thoughts.

The mysterious figure hidden in the shadows—his cultivation unknown—was not worth risking his safety over.

"Farewell," Xia Youtian said, cupping his hands in a parting salute.

But He Yuhan looked at Lin Fan with a meaningful smile. Her bright, star-like eyes sparkled, as if she had seen through him completely.

"Where should we go now..." After leaving the cave, Xia Youtian sighed.

"Brother Xia, we could take a look over here," He Yuhan said, pulling out a map.

Xia Youtian glanced at the map, paused for a moment, then nodded.

"Brother Xia, that man just now was no good person. You shouldn't sleep so soundly from now on," He Yuhan said with a smile as bright as a summer flower.

"I thought he seemed decent," Xia Youtian scratched his head.

He Yuhan smiled but said nothing.

...

After everyone had dispersed, Lin Fan also left. The Burial Sea Demonic Land was still far away. He was now very distant from the Holy Sect, and returning would not be easy.

Sigh, he wondered how his recruited Desert Fourteen Bandits were doing. With their brains, they probably wouldn't starve to death.

And that sissy Liu Lingfeng he had trained—how was he?

Thinking of these things, Lin Fan's heart was filled with endless melancholy.

Far from the Qin Divine Dynasty, he had entered a dangerous region.

Lin Fan could sense the auras of many beasts—some strong, some weak.

Along the way, Lin Fan had been pondering two questions. One was the "Life Seed." He had studied it but made no progress beyond noting its abundant life force; he still didn't know its purpose.

The second was the "Blood Sea Demon Art." Though this technique was extremely evil, its supreme realm offered boundless wonders.

Rebirth from a single drop of blood—a power countless people coveted. But whether it was real or not, even the Blood God probably lacked such an ability.

"Roar..."

At this moment, in this dangerous forbidden zone, a beast blocked Lin Fan's path.

The beast had thick limbs, a long, broad body, and a back covered in thick scales like a crocodile. Its eyes gleamed with intense hostility.

Boom... Boom...

The ground shook as the Ironback Crocodile's heavy limbs stomped the earth, producing a thunderous rumble.

"Die!"

In an instant, Lin Fan, bare-handed, struck a palm with overwhelming force toward the Ironback Crocodile's head.

The Ironback Crocodile opened its massive maw, its sharp teeth gleaming coldly, aiming to shred Lin Fan's hand.

But in an instant, its razor-sharp teeth shattered inch by inch.

"Bang!"

The Ironback Crocodile's head was slammed deep into the ground by Lin Fan's palm.

"Ding, congratulations on killing the mid-Entry-God-tier beast, Ironback Crocodile."

"Ding, congratulations on gaining 100,000 experience."

"Ding, congratulations on obtaining one drop of Ironback Crocodile's essence blood."

...

Lin Fan paid no attention to such a worthless beast. He needed 700 million experience to level up, and he was still halfway there. The experience from the Ironback Crocodile was a drop in the bucket.

At that moment, Lin Fan noticed that the beast's essence blood inexplicably attracted him.

His expression changed, and the "Blood Sea Demon Art" instantly flashed through his mind.

Could it be that beast essence blood also worked?

After meditating, Lin Fan had discovered that the "Blood Sea Demon Art" didn't grant experience, so he had assumed it required human blood and had planned to abandon it.

Though the bonus effect of the "Blood Sea Demon Art" was tempting, Lin Fan couldn't bring himself to seize human essence blood just to cultivate it.

Lin Fan crooked his finger, and the drop of essence blood drifted over. After a moment's hesitation, he swallowed it.

Ordinary people couldn't directly ingest beast essence blood, as it would cause beastly transformation, increasing strength but greatly harming oneself.

Unless specially refined.

The moment the essence blood entered his body, the system began chiming, but Lin Fan ignored it and started circulating the "Blood Sea Demon Art."

At that moment, countless blood threads seemed to extend from within Lin Fan, like octopus tentacles, latching onto the essence blood and absorbing it continuously.

"Ding, congratulations, 'Blood Sea Demon Art' experience increased by 100."

...

Lin Fan's eyes opened and closed, a smug smile curling at the corners of his mouth. Then, a glint of light flashed in his calm eyes, as if he had discovered a shocking secret.

"Here I come!"