Chapter 23

“My name is Zhang Chen. I’ve just moved into the cave at the top of the mountain and came to visit my senior.” Zhang Chen introduced himself.

“So you’re a new inner sect disciple. Alright, I got it. Don’t bother me if there’s nothing important.” The thin man didn’t even give his name, impatiently turned around and went into the cave.

Zhang Chen did not mind and continued to visit another neighbor at the foot of the mountain.

“Senior Brother, are you there?”

He waited outside the cave for a while, but there was no response. He didn’t know if the person was ignoring him or just wasn’t there.

After waiting for a while longer with still no one coming out, Zhang Chen had to give up and went to the mountain where Li Mumin was located.

In the direct disciple cave abode.

“Why did you choose the Mad Blood Saber Technique? Don’t you know that this technique can drive people insane with its difficulty?” Li Mumin asked in a low voice. After all, Zhang Chen had good blood refining ability, and he didn’t want his capable disciple to become insane because of this technique.

Zhang Chen had already prepared an excuse. “Junior knows, but I only have two months to practice techniques. In order to advance to the inner sect, I had to choose this technique.

“However, don’t worry, Senior Brother.I have only practiced this technique for a short time and I won’t use it in the future, so it won’t have much of an impact on me.”

Li Mumin had never practiced the Mad Blood Saber Technique, and very few people in the sect had ever practiced it. He did not know if it would still affect Zhang Chen after he stopped practicing it.

After a moment of silence, he asked again, “Why did you forfeit the match in the inner sect competition without even fighting?”

Zhang Chen continued to explain, “My goal was to become an inner disciple. Now that my goal has been achieved, there is no point in continuing to compete.

“Moreover, I’m using the Mad Blood Saber Technique and the Blood Burst Technique. I’ll try my best not to use these two techniques with severe side effects unless necessary.”

Li Mumin did not dwell on these two matters any longer, but he was worried about something else. “You’re now an inner sect disciple. In the future, you can capture demon beasts yourself in the future. Can you still ensure that you will obtain enough blood essence for me?”

“If it weren’t for Senior Brother’s support, I wouldn’t be where I am today. Regardless of my future status, I will always obtain blood essence for Senior Brother,” Zhang Chen replied. He had a great demand for demon blood and the more he could obtain, the better.

Li Mumin nodded in satisfaction. “Very good. From now on, you will still exchange five bowls of blood essence for me every day. If you need to take on sect tasks, let me know in advance.”

“Thank you, Senior Brother. I understand.” Zhang Chen replied respectfully.

“This is demon blood. Take it.” Li Mumin said, tossing a storage bag to Zhang Chen.

“Then I won’t disturb you anymore.” Zhang Chen took the storage bag and left.

What Zhang Chen didn’t know was that obtaining blood essence for Li Mumin would cause him trouble.

At the Blood God Sect’s no. 1 inner sect cave, three inner sect disciples at the ninth level of Qi Refinement gathered.

If Li Mumin was there, he would recognize the three of them as Xu Yixian, Jiang Xianghong, and Zhou Wenting, whom he had conflicts with before.

“Junior Brother Jiang, Junior Brother Zhou, do you know why I invited you here?”

“Is it about Li Mumin being promoted to direct disciple before us?” Jiang Xianghong guessed.

“Exactly. Li Mumin reached the ninth level of Qi cultivation later than us, but he reached the Foundation Establishment stage before us and became a direct disciple!” Xu Yixian’s face darkened.

Jiang Xianghong frowned. “Logically speaking, Li Mumin’s cultivation speed shouldn’t be so fast. Unless he obtained a large amount of blood essence. But where did he get so much blood essence from?” Jiang Xianghong frowned.

“I heard that an outer sect disciple comes to Li Mumin’s cave every few days. Could it be that this outer sect disciple exchanged blood essence for Li Mumin?” Zhou Wenting guessed.

“We have spokespersons in the outer sect. It’s unlikely that an outer disciple can obtain so much blood essence for him.” Xu Yixian shook his head.

“In any case, we should investigate this outer disciple and see if he knows anything,” Jiang Xianghong suggested.

“I will arrange the investigation. The main concern is that we have conflicts with Li Mumin. Now that he has become a direct disciple, he may seek revenge against us. What should we do?” Zhou Wenting expressed his concerns.

“We won’t leave the sect. Even if Li Mumin is a direct disciple, he can’t do anything to us,” Jiang Xianghong said, feeling a bit rebellious.

“Although we can continue to stay in the sect by submitting the captured demon beasts as tasks to the sect, it’s not a long-term solution,” Xu Yixian said, feeling heavy-hearted.

“Why don’t we seek protection from Senior Brother Wen?” Zhou Wenting suggested.

The ‘Senior Brother Wen’ he referred to was Wen Xiaosu, also a direct disciple. The three of them used to be his spokespersons in the outer sect.

Xu Yixian shook his head. “Senior Brother Ma won’t offend another direct disciple for our sake.”

“So, there’s no way out?” The group felt disheartened.

After a moment of silence, Xu Yi spoke again, “I have an idea, but I don’t know if you guys are willing to do it.”

“What idea?” the two asked eagerly.

“If you lend me your blood essence first and let me reach the Foundation Establishment realm alone to become a direct disciple, then we won’t have to fear Li Mumin anymore. After all, I have a higher cultivation level among the three of us, and there’s a better chance of success,” Xu Yixian said, smiling.

The other two looked at each other, realizing that Xu Yixian was using external threats to benefit himself.

Maybe he had planned this all along when he invited them over.

People were selfish, and they were afraid of lending out their blood essence and never getting it back.

How could they ask a direct disciple for repayment?

Xu Yixian didn’t urge them and just looked at them.

For a while, there was silence in the cave, with only the sound of their breathing.

After a while, Jiang Xianghonglu forced a smile. “We’ll consider this and talk again in a while. First, let’s investigate the outer sect disciple who had contact with Li Mumin. Maybe we can get some useful information.”

“Alright, let’s investigate this outer sect disciple first.” Xu Yixian didn’t push them. He didn’t think an outer sect disciple could have much influence.

After becoming an inner sect disciple, Zhang Chen’s life did not change much.

He still practiced in the cave every day, occasionally went to the beast garden to take the blood of the horse demon, and went to Li Mumin’s cave every few days to submit the blood essence and bring back the demon blood.

A month later, Xu Yixian, Jiang Xianghong, and Zhou Wenting met again in the No. 1 cave of the inner sect.

“I’ve already investigated that outer sect disciple. His name is Zhang Chen, and he’s indeed the spokesperson for Li Mumin’s blood essence exchange. However, he’s now an inner sect disciple, not an outer sect disciple.” Zhou Wenting was the first to speak.

Jiang Xianghong frowned. They could use their relationships with outer sect disciples and use sect tasks as a leverage, but it would be more difficult with inner sect disciples.

Xu Yixian wasn’t concerned. “Even if this guy named Zhang Chen is Li Mumin’s representative, he can’t exchange for much blood essence with the situation in the outer sect. It’s impossible for Li Mumin to reach the Foundation Establishment realm so quickly. Also, have you considered my proposal to let me reach the Foundation Establishment realm first?”