No spiritual root? I devour the origins of all paths.

Chapter 12 Final Selection 2

The five drew lots again. Ling Chen drew a bye and advanced directly to the top three, while the other four faced off in pairs. Meng Hu faced Luo Lie, and Wen Ruyu faced Shen Qingyi.

Meng Hu paused for a moment as he passed by Ling Chen before going on stage.

"Good luck."

Ling Chen leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and replied expressionlessly, "Luck is also a part of ability."

"...We'll see."

Meng Hu snorted coldly and stepped onto the arena. As a Qi Gathering early-stage cultivator, he should have been at a disadvantage against Luo Lie, who was at the mid-stage, but Meng Hu fought with unusual ferocity today. His fist techniques were completely unlike those of a typical arena sparring match; every move was aimed at vital points. Although Luo Lie's cultivation was a small realm higher, he was forced into a frantic state by Meng Hu's desperate fighting spirit and ultimately succumbed after eighty moves.

In another match, Wen Ruyu easily defeated the rogue cultivator Shen Qingyi.

The top three are: Ling Chen, Meng Hu, and Wen Ruyu.

The three drew lots again. This time, Ling Chen didn't have the luck of a bye—he had a bye against Wen Ruyu, while Meng Hu did. This meant that Ling Chen had to fight two matches to win the championship, while Meng Hu could sit back and conserve his energy, waiting for the final match.

The entire audience booed. This draw was extremely unfavorable for Ling Chen.

"Let's go with Miss Wen—" Ling Chen turned to look at Wen Ruyu, who was also looking at him. He smiled slightly and said, "I concede."

The entire audience was stunned.

Wen Ruyu calmly rose and bowed to the three elders: "Seniors, I know I am no match for Brother Ling. Rather than be knocked off the stage by him, it is better to leave with dignity. Depleting someone who should have won is not beneficial to the fairness of the final, but rather detrimental."

These words were spoken with neither servility nor arrogance, both pointing out the unfairness of the divination and giving himself a dignified way out. Even the three elders on the high platform couldn't help but nod in approval—this direct disciple of Luoxia Valley truly possessed remarkable composure.

The referee paused for a moment, then announced: "Wen Ruyu forfeits—Ling Chen advances to the final! The final match will be between Ling Chen and Meng Hu!"

The two stepped onto the ring at the same time. One had a calm expression, while the other had a faint, cold smile on his lips.

The atmosphere in the room instantly became tense, and even the air seemed to freeze.

"You're very strong, much stronger than I imagined." Meng Hu cracked his neck, making a series of sharp, cracking sounds. "Unfortunately, you shouldn't have offended the wrong people."

"Are you talking about yourself, or the master behind you?" Ling Chen's voice was as calm as still water.

Meng Hu's expression changed slightly, but he quickly regained his composure. He stopped speaking, let out a low growl, and the muscles in his arms suddenly bulged, veins popping out, and strange black lines appeared on his bronze skin. These lines wriggled like living things, spreading from his dantian to his chest, arms, and even climbing up his neck and cheeks. Each line emitted a nauseating, sweet-smelling odor—the unique smell of demonic energy.

The entire audience erupted in uproar.

The burly man from the Iron Sword Sect on the high platform suddenly stood up: "Demonic runes! Those are demonic techniques! How can he have demonic runes? Is he human or demon?!"

The Qingyun Sect elder's face was ashen as he raised his hand to stop the Iron Sword Sect Master. His gaze was fixed on the strange black patterns on the arena, veins bulging on the back of his hand, but reason ultimately prevailed over shock: "Wait a minute. He hasn't made a move yet. Let's see what he's up to."

The old woman from Luoxia Valley lightly tapped her jade cane on the ground, her divine sense quietly spreading out and enveloping the entire Dao Discussion Plaza. She had already rehearsed the worst-case scenario in her mind—if Meng Hu really went berserk and lost control, she would immediately step in to protect the young cultivators on the plaza.

Su Qingyuan remained seated, her gaze piercing through the clamor to fall upon the demonic markings on Meng Hu's body. Ice-type spiritual energy circulated silently within her, and a thin, cicada-wing-like ice crystal condensed at her fingertips, ready to strike at any moment.

On the arena, Meng Hu's aura surged to the peak of Qi Gathering, even faintly touching the threshold of the True Qi Condensation Realm. Black demonic energy overflowed from his body, condensing into a blurry demonic shadow behind him. He raised his head, the whites of his eyes having turned an eerie dark red.

"You thought the Blood Fiend Sect's assassins were there to kill you? Wrong. They were just there to confirm one thing—to confirm if you had that thing on you. I wasn't sure at first, but your strike on the arena today confirmed it for me. That devouring power, that chaotic blade light..."

Meng Hu's voice became hoarse and low, carrying a faint echo that did not belong to humans.

"The Map of All Paths Returning to Nothingness is within you."

"After hiding for so many years, we finally found you."

Ling Chen gripped the Broken Army Blade tightly. The blade emitted a low hum under the pressure of demonic energy, as if responding to some ancient hostility.

"Are you a demon?"

"Demons?" Meng Hu grinned, a smile that appeared particularly sinister against the backdrop of black demonic runes. "No. I'm just a clever man. The Demon Lord promised me—if I obtain what you possess, he will grant me the opportunity to break through to the True Condensation Realm, or even the Divine Transformation Realm. A hundred years of arduous cultivation by a mortal is not as valuable as a single moment of demonic seed cultivation; this is the true shortcut. The path of cultivation is inherently a dog-eat-dog world; what's wrong with attaching yourself to the strong?"

"So you're sending Blood Fiend Sect's assassins to their deaths?"

"They died a worthy death," Meng Hu said nonchalantly. "Three lives for one of your trump cards, a very good deal. It's a pity they couldn't capture you alive, otherwise I wouldn't have had to go through all this trouble on this stage."

Ling Chen remained silent. He slowly held the sword horizontally across his chest, the blade pointing diagonally at the ground. Spiritual energy flowed into the blade, and the Po Jun Sword emitted a deep, resonant hum.

"If you want to take what's on me—we'll see if you have the ability."

"Arrogant."

Meng Hu moved. Amplified by the demonic runes, his speed was astonishing, almost double that of his battle against Luo Lie. In a flash, the black shadow closed in, its five fingers forming claws, the nails covered in pitch-black demonic energy, slicing through the air with a sharp screech, aimed straight for his heart.

Instant Shadow Step.

Ling Chen left an afterimage in place, his real body already three steps away. Meng Hu's claw missed, his five fingers digging into the bluestone slab of the arena, the hard stone crumbling like tofu in his hands. Amidst the flying stone chips, he turned his head with a sinister grin: "You dodged pretty fast, but how long can you hide?"

The second claw, the third claw, the fourth claw—Meng Hu's offensive was like a storm. He completely abandoned defense; every move was powerful and heavy, every claw capable of shattering stone. With the enhancement of magical runes, his speed, strength, and stamina were all greatly improved, making his close-combat ability even more terrifying than Han Tie's.

Ling Chen weaved and shifted amidst the claw shadows. His Eye of Insight dissected every single attack trajectory of Meng Hu with crystal clarity—demonic energy surged from the demonic seed, flowed through his meridians, and poured into his fingertips and claws. The demonic seed was located deep within his dantian, enveloped by seven layers of demonic energy barriers, but when the demonic energy reached the Qimen acupoint on his right rib, the barrier's thickness would suddenly be halved, revealing a gap less than the size of a fingernail.

That was the demon's only weakness. And its only chance. He only had one strike left; after that, his spiritual power would be exhausted. If he couldn't kill the enemy in one blow, he would be the one to die.

"Why are you only dodging? What are you waiting for? Waiting for your 'Rending Wind' move?" Meng Hu fought more and more ferociously, his claw shadows becoming increasingly dense, and black demonic energy enveloped half of the arena as if it were a tangible substance. "I'll see how many times you can use it today! Your swordsmanship is powerful, but it consumes a lot of energy, doesn't it? You only used two strikes yesterday before you were exhausted, and today you've already used one—can you use another one? Or are you saving this one to save your life?"

Meng Hu's tactics were the same as Han Tie's—attrition warfare. But he was more ruthless and more insane than Han Tie. Because he didn't just want to win; he wanted the painting in Ling Chen's dantian.

Ling Chen continued to dodge.

With a sweeping right claw and a swift left claw, he sealed off both sides, leaving the center wide open. Meng Hu erected the thickest layer of demonic energy barrier at the center, a provocative sneer on his lips—Come on, you have the One-Slash Wind-Splitting Technique, don't you? Come on, let's see if you can break through my demonic energy.

Right now.

This was the moment he had been waiting for. He shattered the stone slab, which had been corroded and brittle by demonic energy, and lunged towards the central gate like an arrow released from a bow. All his spiritual power, all his divine sense, and all his will were poured into the blade. The Breaking Army Blade emitted an unprecedented long cry, and chaotic light burst forth, its blade aura growing three feet larger, causing the surrounding space to distort slightly.

Nine Heaven-Splitting Slashes - Rending Wind.

The sunlight was like a ribbon, and the blade's edge pierced the air. The instant the blade tip struck the barrier of demonic energy, everyone saw it—the demonic energy wasn't shattered, but devoured. Layers of demonic energy crumbled and were completely consumed by the chaotic blade's light, like ice meeting boiling water. The blade's momentum didn't diminish; it thrust straight in, piercing through the abdominal flesh and penetrating the dantian, precisely embedding itself in the constantly throbbing demonic seed.

In the deathly silence, the sound of the demon seed shattering could be clearly heard.

puff.

The sound was soft, yet it overwhelmed all breaths and heartbeats. A torrent of black energy surged from Meng Hu's body, like ink bursting from a floodgate. The demonic markings on his skin rapidly faded, restoring his normal complexion, and the dark red in his eyes receded like the tide, returning to clear black and white. He collapsed to his knees like a puppet with its strings cut, an expression of disbelief still lingering on his face.

"You...you really dare..."

Ling Chen knelt on one knee, his Broken Army Blade supporting him on the ground, a trickle of blood spilling from the corner of his mouth. His spiritual energy was nearly depleted, and his meridians burned with pain, but his eyes remained sharp as blades, coldly staring at Meng Hu before him.

"Tell me. Did you do it yourself, or was someone instructing you?"

Meng Hu smiled sadly, his lips moving slightly.

A black beam shot out from outside the arena.

It was so fast that no one had time to react. Even the three elders on the high platform only noticed its presence after the black light had already passed.

The black light silently pierced the back of Meng Hu's head. His body stiffened for a moment, then he collapsed to the ground with a thud. The last glimmer of light in his eyes quickly faded, his lips remained in a trembling position, the words he wanted to say forever stuck in his throat. He died with his eyes wide open, unable to rest in peace.

"Who?!"

The three elders on the high platform rose simultaneously, their terrifying spiritual pressure weaving into a net that enveloped the entire Dao Discussion Square. The Qingyun Sect elder's sword was already three inches from its sheath, the Iron Sword Sect's burly man's aura surged, and the old woman from Luoxia Valley slammed her jade cane to the ground, a wave of perception spreading outwards from her.

But the black light came too strangely. No one could pinpoint the attacker's location, and no one could sense any fluctuations in spiritual energy. It was as if the black light itself was a pure demonic thought, which only materialized the moment it struck its target and then vanished without a trace.

Su Qingyuan remained seated, the ice crystals at her fingertips now shattered into powder. Her gaze fell upon the throng of people in the southwest corner of the plaza, where a faint trace of demonic energy lingered—the one who had attacked had been there, less than fifty feet away from her in a straight line. Their cultivation was at least at the Void Realm, and they were masters of the most advanced concealment techniques.

A powerful demon infiltrated Qingzhou City. He sneaked in right under her nose, right in front of everyone, killed someone to silence them, and then escaped unscathed.

"Miss!" Granny Fu appeared silently behind her, her aged voice low and menacing. "It's the Shadow Assassination Technique of the Demon Clan. At least a Demon General level expert. I've been secretly patrolling the southwest corner, and there was nothing unusual—their concealment technique even fooled me."

"I know." Su Qingyuan's voice remained calm, but those familiar with her could see her true emotions from her slightly tightened fingertips. "Send a message to my master. Report the truth—someone in Qingzhou of the mortal realm has publicly displayed demonic runes, and is being directed by a demon general or even a stronger being. The crack in the ancient seal is much larger than we anticipated."

She paused.

"Also, tell her: The Map of Ten Thousand Paths Returning to Nothingness has been found. It's in the mortal realm."

Ling Chen stood up. That last strike had almost drained all his spiritual power, and the chaotic vortex in his dantian had shrunk to less than a third of its original size. But he still managed to stand upright, supporting himself with the sword, glanced down at Meng Hu's cold corpse, and then raised his head, his gaze slowly sweeping over the dark mass of people in the square.

The attacker reacted too quickly and acted too ruthlessly. From the appearance of the black light to Meng Hu's fall, less than a breath had passed. This black light was not only meant to silence him, but also a warning—they could take lives at any time; in Qingzhou City, there was no one they couldn't kill. For a Void Realm expert to personally intervene and silence him, the power behind Meng Hu was far greater than he had imagined.

The referee strode onto the stage, and after checking on Meng Hu, his face turned ashen. He turned to the entire audience and announced loudly, "Someone has committed a crime in public! The final election is temporarily suspended! No one is allowed to leave! All parties are requested to cooperate in the investigation!"

An uproar erupted in the square. Some panicked, some whispered among themselves, and some tried to squeeze out but were stopped by disciples from the three major sects. Panic spread like ripples through the crowd.

On the high platform, the three elders held an emergency meeting.

"Is this the work of the demons?" the Qingyun Sect elder asked in a deep voice.

"Undoubtedly demonic energy, and so pure it's almost primordial." The burly man from the Iron Sword Sect spoke in a rough voice. "I've dealt with demons before, and this is far purer than ordinary demonic energy. Only a demon of at least the general level could leave behind something like this."

"To dare to kill someone in Qingzhou to silence them, they've got some nerve." The old woman from Luoxia Valley's smile faded, her gaze turning grave. "This is something Qingzhou can't handle. We must report it to Zhongzhou and notify all sects to strengthen their vigilance. Recently, the movements of the demons in various parts of the mortal realm have become increasingly frequent; I'm afraid Qingzhou isn't the only place with this problem."

Su Qingyuan stood up. Her white robes fluttered, and all eyes automatically turned to her. She raised her hand to silence the murmurs, her icy aura spreading silently, and the restless crowd gradually quieted down as if doused with cold water.

"Final election concluded. Ling Chen—first place."

Her words silenced the uproar in the room.

Then, turning to the three elders, his tone left no room for argument: "All city gates of Qingzhou are to be sealed immediately. The three major sects are to conduct a full-scale search for infiltrators; anyone suspected is to be detained and questioned. Anyone who disobeys or obstructs the order will be treated as an accomplice of the demon race."

The Qingyun Sect elder looked troubled: "Sealing the city gates requires an order from the City Lord's Mansion, and this matter—"

Su Qingyuan raised her hand. A token hovered in her palm, its entire body ice-blue, made of neither jade nor gold, with a bright moon engraved in its center, suspended above the clouds in the heavens. The chilling aura of the icy moon emanated from the token, condensing into a faint frost mist in the air.

The Order of the Bright Moon in the Nine Heavens.

Seeing this decree is like seeing the head of a celestial sect in person. Not to mention the Qingzhou City Lord's Mansion, even if all the sects in the mortal realm were combined, no one would dare to utter a single word of dissent.

The three elders rose simultaneously and bowed deeply to the token. The Qingyun Sect elder dared not say another word, straightening up and issuing a solemn order: "Qingyun Sect, listen to my command—seal off the four gates of Qingzhou. All disciples are to be mobilized to search every street and alley. Anyone suspected of being a demon is to be detained immediately."

The old woman from Luoxia Valley slammed her cane down, her voice unusually firm: "Disciples of Luoxia Valley, listen to my command—assist the Qingyun Sect in setting up an array to seal off the city. Anyone who trespasses will be dealt with according to the law."

The burly man from the Iron Sword Sect turned to face the entire crowd, his rough voice booming like thunder: "Iron Sword Sect, listen to my command—all field disciples, return to your posts immediately and cooperate with the City Lord's Mansion to evacuate the civilians. Don't let ordinary people get involved!"

The entire debate square was sealed off. All spectators, participants, and staff were ordered to remain in place for screening. No one knew how long this screening would last, nor did anyone know whether the powerful demon who had committed the murder had already fled the square in the chaos the moment the black light was emitted.

Panic and unease spread silently through the crowd.

On the high platform, the old woman from Luoxia Valley asked Su Qingyuan in a low voice, "Fairy Su, what if that powerful demon is still in the city...?"

"He's not in now."

"Not here?"

"He's already escaped." Su Qingyuan's gaze fell on the southwest corner. "Less than a breath after the black light was emitted, the demonic energy in the southwest corner vanished. The city can stop others, but it can't stop a Void Realm cultivator."

Su Qingyuan stepped down from the platform.

The crowd automatically parted to make way for her. She walked straight to the players' stands and stopped in front of Ling Chen.

Ling Chen looked up. His face was even paler than before, and the blood at the corner of his mouth hadn't been wiped clean. But she simply stood there, looking down at him, her icy blue eyes revealing no emotion.

"Come see me at the inn tonight."

This wasn't a discussion. This wasn't an invitation. This was an order.

Everyone around heard it. But no one dared to utter a sound. The Holy Maiden of the Central Continent Immortal Sect had spoken in person, and even the three elders dared not interrupt. What could others possibly say?

Ling Chen was silent for a moment: "What are you doing?"

"Don't you want to know who wants to kill you?"

Ling Chen met her gaze. Her icy blue eyes remained as cold as ever, but at the deepest part of that coldness lay something he had never seen before—confusion, or more accurately, a certainty that even she herself could not explain.

"...What are the conditions?" he asked.

"No conditions." Su Qingyuan turned and left, her white robes fluttering in the morning breeze. "It's just a transaction. I'll exchange information for one question from you. That's all."

She took a few steps and then turned her head slightly.

"Come or don't come, it's up to you."

Ling Chen watched her figure disappear into the crowd, remaining silent for a long time.

"Brother..." Ling Xue tugged at his sleeve, her little face filled with unease, "Was that sister a bad person?"

"I don't know." Ling Chen patted her head, his voice hoarse but carrying a hint of confusion that even he himself wasn't aware of. "But perhaps—she can give me some answers."

He gripped the broken army knife tightly in his hand.

Tonight, he must go to the inn. Whether what awaits him is an answer or a trap, he must go. Because the unspoken words of Meng Hu before his death, the true mastermind behind the Blood Fiend Sect's assassins, and what is hidden in Su Qingyuan's icy blue eyes—the answers to all these questions point to the same place.

Post station.

The moon has risen. Tonight, I am destined to be sleepless.