Chapter 124 - 123: Brothers in the Womb

Chapter 124: Chapter 123: Brothers in the Womb

’Just as I thought!’

Hearing this, Wu Chen was ninety percent certain. The so-called "Spirit Road Trial" of the four sects and the "Blood Road Trial" of the Blood Slaughter Sect were, in fact, one and the same place!

At this realization, Wu Chen’s mind raced:

’The four sects and the Blood Slaughter Sect are thousands of miles apart, yet this secret realm connects them all. How miraculous.’

’I may not be able to enter the trial from the four sects’ side, but I can definitely come out this way!’

’I can harvest the heads of a thousand Blood Slaughter Sect disciples, then instantly teleport a thousand miles away. Who could possibly stop me!’

’And I can seamlessly redeem the rewards at Refining Valley right after!’

Wu Chen’s eyes grew brighter and brighter. He thought the plan was feasible, but he saw that Zhuang Bo was still sighing.

"It’s a pity the sect rules are so strict. Otherwise, if Younger Brother Wu could go on this Spirit Road Trial, you’d be a huge help to the sect and could also secure a lot of resources for yourself."

"But the rules can’t be changed. What a shame, what a true shame..."

’Don’t be so sure, buddy. We might just run into each other in the secret realm!’

Wu Chen just smiled and said nothing.

After lamenting for a moment, Zhuang Bo suddenly changed the subject, his tone grateful.

"But Younger Brother Wu, by killing so many demonic cultivators on these past two occasions, you’ve inadvertently weakened them quite a bit. I expect this year’s Spirit Road Trial will be a little easier."

"Oh?"

Wu Chen smiled. "From the sound of it, are you suggesting that the Direct Disciples of the four sects can’t compare to the Direct Disciples of the Blood Slaughter Sect?"

"Everyone comes from a good background and was personally nurtured by their respective sects. Their strength and skills should be about equal, right?"

The demonic cultivators were certainly formidable, but the four sects’ foundations were not shallow. Wu Chen didn’t think the four sects were necessarily weaker than the Blood Slaughter Sect.

"Hiss... How should I put this? It’s not a matter of being weaker or stronger..."

Zhuang Bo was momentarily at a loss for words, stumped by Wu Chen’s question. He thought for a moment to choose his words, then continued.

"The disciples of our four sects face only one enemy: the demonic cultivators."

"But it’s different for the disciples of the demonic path. The enemy they face is anyone and everyone around them."

"Their masters, their fellow disciples, their friends and family, even the wife they share a bed with... any of them could be refined in an instant!"

"In an environment like that, it’s hard *not* to become strong..."

"That’s true."

After hearing his explanation, Wu Chen understood and nodded in agreement.

Take Xue Hongling, for example. She fled far away to Black Stone City, only to be captured and brought back by her master. Was that truly an act of deep affection between master and disciple?

A top-quality talent who broke through to the Meridian Passage Realm without relying on pills would certainly be seen as ’human material’ in her master’s eyes.

Like a pet. Releasing it into the wild is out of the question, but you can let it out to play for a bit.

And every one of the Blood Evil Elders probably had more than ten such ’human materials’ under their command.

After being cultivated, they would be used to help their masters break through to the next realm.

Other demonic sects might have you "becoming brothers" inside a Ten Thousand Souls Banner.

In the Blood Slaughter Sect, you "become brothers" inside someone’s stomach!

"Younger Brother Wu, speaking of the Spirit Road Trial, I just remembered something about the Blood Slaughter Sect."

Zhuang Bo had a sudden recollection. "Right, this Spirit Road Trial... I think the Blood Slaughter Sect calls it the Blood Road Trial. Anyway, it’s the same thing. They both lead to the same place."

"This trial’s secret realm has no realm-based restrictions or requirements. Anyone can enter."

"But once inside, no matter how strong you are, your power will be suppressed to below the Perfection level of the Jade Bone Realm."

"Then I heard that once, a few Elders from the Blood Slaughter Sect wanted to enter the secret realm to explore its deeper regions and see if they could find any fortuitous opportunities."

"The result? Those Elders didn’t get very far into the secret realm before they were ganged up on and killed by a few of their own Jade Bone Realm disciples."

"Tell me, who wouldn’t be terrified of running into disciples raised like that...?"

At this, Zhuang Bo shook his large head and couldn’t help but sigh.

After all, the image of a master and disciple passionately trying to hack each other to pieces was difficult for an honest disciple from a righteous sect to even imagine.

Hearing this, Wu Chen wasn’t too surprised. It was perfectly in line with the Blood Slaughter Sect’s way of doing things.

He was more concerned about the rules of the secret realm that Zhuang Bo had mentioned.

He hadn’t considered this before—that the trial’s secret realm had restrictions.

If everyone’s cultivation was restricted to below the Jade Bone Realm, they wouldn’t have the recovery abilities of the Organ Refining Realm. Ultimately, everyone would be a mere mortal. A single knife wound would be a serious problem.

However, this had no effect on Wu Chen.

’Since there are no realm requirements for entry, I don’t have to worry about my realm getting too high to get in.’

’And I don’t have to worry about being forcibly expelled or killed by the rules if I advance my realm while inside!’

Previously, Wu Chen had all sorts of worries. These worries weren’t about facing the terrifying Blood Slaughter demonic cultivators, but rather about the Blood Road Trial, which he had never experienced before.

But as Zhuang Bo revealed more and more information, these worries began to vanish into thin air.

As for being stuck at the seventh level of the Jade Bone Realm and lacking Martial Arts, Wu Chen was vexed, but not truly worried.

If killing so many demonic cultivators hadn’t dropped anything, he would just have to kill more.

He refused to believe that with the Blood Road Trial just around the corner, these demonic disciples wouldn’t be desperate to increase their strength.

They were bound to pop up, searching the world for "great medicines" of matching strength to consume.

He could also use this opportunity to find the location of the Blood Slaughter Sect while he was out killing demonic cultivators.

"Younger Brother Wu, it’s getting late. I’m going to head out. I have to be on duty early tomorrow morning."

As they spoke, the sky above had become thick with stars. Zhuang Bo stood up, stretched, and took his leave from the small courtyard.

...

「Two days passed in a flash.」

Just as Zhuang Bo had said, Refining Valley had become much livelier.

From time to time, groups of three to five disciples on tall horses would arrive from outside the mountain gate.

Some were beaming with joy, having apparently reaped great rewards, while others were dejected and wounded.

They were all Inner Sect Disciples and elite disciples of Refining Valley, with a small number of Direct Disciples among them.

They were returning one after another at the appointed time to participate in the sect’s grand competition and the subsequent Spirit Road Trial.

"Greetings, Third Senior Brother!" Facing the burly, slightly arrogant man who had walked up to the memorial archway, all the disciples on duty bowed in greeting.

"Greetings to you all as well."

On the tall horse sat a broad-shouldered man.

Profound Iron chains were wrapped around his arms, which were as thick as half a bucket. His entire frame was built like a rockery. He was pursing his lips and squinting as he looked down at the disciples.

His dark face couldn’t hide his smug expression.

Hearing the crisp greetings from the young disciples on duty, the burly man nodded, clearly enjoying the attention.

Then he just stopped under the memorial archway leading into the valley and didn’t move.

"Third Senior Brother, is there something else?" a disciple on duty under the archway asked, confused by his lingering.

’The mountain gate is large, but it’s not right for him to just block the way like this!’

But it would have been better if he hadn’t said anything. As soon as he spoke, the pursed lips of the burly man on the horse slowly turned into a frown. His already dark face grew even darker.

The disciples on duty knew they had said something wrong, but the problem was, they had no idea what it was!

Feeling the icy glare from atop the horse, a disciple standing near the back of the group had a flash of insight. He quietly kicked Zhuang Bo, who was dozing behind a pillar.

"Stop sleeping! Third Senior Brother is back!"

"Huh?!"

Zhuang Bo quickly rubbed his face and ducked out from behind the thick pillar.

He looked at the tall, mountain-like Third Senior Brother under the archway, and at his dark face, where his features were hard to make out.

"What’s the situation?" Zhuang Bo whispered to the disciples around him.

"We already greeted him, but then Third Senior Brother stopped here and won’t go in. He’s just blocking the path," a disciple whispered back.

"Oh no!" The moment he heard this, Zhuang Bo knew what the problem was.

’Third Senior Brother has been out training for months. How can a simple greeting be enough?!’

’You’re supposed to ask how many demonic cultivator heads he’s taken! Let him announce a number, and then everyone follows up with a round of flattery!’

’Then the matter would naturally be resolved.’

However, Zhuang Bo also understood.

Normally, the disciples on duty would have definitely asked another question, something like, "How was your harvest this trip, Third Senior Brother?"

But the problem was the recent arrival of Wu Chen!

That guy had shown up twice in a short period of time, bringing more heads with him each time. As a result, when it came to the matter of demonic cultivator heads, the disciples on duty had become...

Desensitized...