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The surge of heat came and went in an instant.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9lreziGOgN
Within just a few breaths, it had already circulated through Lu Sheng’s body several times, and his system gradually began to adapt.
His body temperature remained high, but it was no longer unbearably hot.
The internal energy of the Jade Crane Art stirred, accelerating on its own. Threads of energy, fine as silk, wove through his body, repairing damaged meridians and internal organs with steady precision.
After a little while longer, the flush in Lu Sheng’s skin slowly faded, returning to its natural, pale hue.
Huh...9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNhxmlj93yi
The breath he exhaled was scorching.
Every inch of him ached. It felt like needles had pierced his muscles and bones.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYwPJboFxZu
This was nothing like the sensation during the usual operation of the Jade Crane Art—this time, it was as if his entire body had been battered by a sledgehammer.
"Fortunately, the Jade Crane Art has accumulated a lot of internal energy lately. Now's the perfect time to use it for healing."9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDhxFHAmJCF
Lu Sheng felt the energy moving within, targeting his wounded organs. A sense of relief settled in.
"I didn’t expect the Black Fiend Art to be so powerful right from the beginning. If it reaches a higher level... just how terrifying will it become?"9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4r4varUCVI
He couldn’t even begin to fathom it.
"Xiaoqiao!" he called out, his voice hoarse but clear.
"Here I come, young master!"9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzt3D8BhjQk
Xiaoqiao came rushing over from the back, her hands still wet—she must have been washing something.
"Bring me the medicinal tea," Lu Sheng ordered.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡozkm2347Re
His whole body throbbed with pain, and the heat and internal dryness had left him desperately thirsty.
Xiaoqiao quickly returned with the prepared medicinal tea. It was infused with a rich blend of yin-nourishing ingredients—Jade Dou Shihu, Nanman Turtle Shell, Snow Gardenia, Yindong, and other rare herbs unique to this world.
Lu Sheng drank the first cup in one gulp. Immediately, a wave of coolness slid down his throat, settled in his stomach, and spread outward through his entire body. The chill offered some relief from the burning dryness lingering within him.
Without pause, he finished the entire canister—five full cups—chewing and swallowing the herbs as well. Only then did he exhale deeply in relief.
He lay back on the bed, letting his body rest. Hours passed, and dusk gradually fell.
By the time the sky darkened, the sharp pain in Lu Sheng’s body had eased significantly.
Xiaoqiao, unaware of what had truly happened, assumed he’d simply developed a sudden craving for medicinal tea. Seeing nothing unusual in his expression, she carried the empty medicine jar and headed to the stream to wash clothes.
As the last light of day faded, Lu Sheng rose from bed, a blade in hand. A spark of curiosity burned in his chest.
The Black Fiend Art’s reaction had been far more intense than the Jade Crane Art. He couldn't help but wonder—just how powerful was this technique?
The pain had dulled enough to move, and his eagerness only grew.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPbzLT13OjU
His body still sore but his spirit driven, he stepped out into the yard.
"Let’s see what you can do..." he muttered to himself, gripping the blade tighter.
In the shadowed forest, he wandered away from the wooden house, searching for a quiet, open space.
There, surrounded by trees and twilight, Lu Sheng prepared to test the strength of the Black Fiend Art.
Lu Sheng began testing the internal energy of the Black Fiend Art.
Its circulation path was strange—flowing from the kidneys to the lower abdomen, looping like a belt around the waist. Unlike the Jade Crane Art, this energy was thicker, roughly the size of a chopstick when first summoned.
He focused his mind and guided the energy. It responded swiftly—far more responsive than the Jade Crane Art. Just a slight mental command, and it followed as if tethered to his will.
He directed a trace of internal energy upward from his lower abdomen. It flowed through his right shoulder, into his arm, down to his hand—and finally into the long sword he held.
The moment the energy touched the blade, Lu Sheng heard a faint hissing sound, like something being scorched.
His arm flared with heat. An uncontrollable urge surged through him, and he swung the blade without hesitation.
Chi!
The sword slashed through the air and struck a tree trunk directly in front of him.
Crash!!9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtxy3GqrjEY
The thick tree, large enough for a grown man to wrap his arms around, trembled violently. Leaves rained down from above like falling snow.
The blade had embedded itself deep into the trunk. At the point of impact, the bark was scorched—darkened with a noticeable black tinge.
"Slightly black?" Lu Sheng muttered, frowning as he yanked the blade free. He ran his fingers over the darkened edge of the wound.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcEJ7e5dTTd
"Feels like it’s been roasted... Is it the heat? Or something else?"
His curiosity deepened. Glancing around, he suddenly bolted toward a nearby bush.
"Let’s see..." he whispered. Reaching into the foliage—Ji~~~~!—he yanked out a colorful pheasant by the neck. It had hidden among the brush, thinking itself safe, but Lu Sheng’s senses were too sharp.
"Let’s test it. If it’s what I suspect..."
Returning to the tree, Lu Sheng scraped some of the blackened powder from the edge of the wound with his fingernail. The fine ash fell into his palm. He then carefully fed it to the pheasant.
At first, the bird squawked and shifted uneasily. After a few moments, it became visibly sluggish, its head drooping.
Lu Sheng gathered more of the powder and fed it again.
This time, the reaction came quickly. The pheasant stumbled, then collapsed.
Lu Sheng walked over and placed a hand on the bird’s body. It was burning hot. Still breathing—but weak, feeble, like it was burning up with a fever.
"Just as I thought... this is a poison-based technique. And not just any poison—it's fire poison."
With that, Lu Sheng made his initial judgment on the true nature of the Black Fiend Art.
Lu Sheng took out the secret manual he always carried and carefully examined the entries within.
“...The Black Fiend Art—its killing intent is scorching, fierce, and insidiously venomous. Those struck by it will perish within three days unless countered and purged by opposing internal energy.”
That was the only sentence describing the power of the Black Fiend Art. Simple—but potent.
From that one line, Lu Sheng could already discern the nature of the technique.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx37TQoKBer
It matched precisely with what he had just experienced. This was indeed a poison art—his poison art.
“Impressive,” Lu Sheng murmured inwardly.
The Black Fiend Art was nothing like the Jade Crane Art or other health-nurturing internal styles. It had been designed purely for battle—brutal and efficient. The gap in destructive power was undeniable.
He paused and concentrated, sensing the lingering energy of the Black Fiend Art within his body.
The strike he had just executed had activated and consumed only a fraction of his internal energy. He gauged what remained.
“At this level, I should be able to manage about ten strikes. Any more, and I’d run dry. The Black Fiend Art really amplifies explosive force—it’s extremely practical in combat.”
Satisfied with the trial, Lu Sheng turned back. This was merely the art’s beginner stage. He couldn’t help but wonder—once he advanced further, what heights would its power reach?
The thought alone left him full of anticipation.
As he returned to the yard of the wooden cabin, he spotted two guards from the Zheng family approaching with a food box in hand.
Upon seeing him, they quickened their pace and greeted him respectfully.
“Mr. Sheng, the latest news is included in the food box. Please take your time reading it.”
With a nod, they left the woods quickly.
Lu Sheng accepted the box and stood at the courtyard gate. Opening it, he immediately spotted a wax-sealed letter tucked inside.
He stepped into the yard, handed the lunch box to Xiaoqiao, who had come to receive it, and tore open the envelope himself.
The letter began:
Brother Sheng, the tragedy involving the Xu family in the city has been resolved.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ZEV4xCfOE
It was handled by a master hired by the authorities. Numerous arrests have been made.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvKgzn2yOAl
Over ten executions took place at noon today in the vegetable market.
Zheng Xiangui’s opening lines shocked Lu Sheng.
He continued reading.
Apparently, the recent string of gruesome cases had stirred widespread panic in the city. Riots nearly broke out days earlier, and many frightened residents—especially tenants—had already fled toward Zihua City.
The government had rounded up a group of suspects and forced them to stay put.
In an effort to calm public panic, officials then arrested dozens of people in one sweep, labeling all of them as the murderers behind the recent string of cases.
For the moment, the people were pacified.
After reading the letter, a trace of cold disdain curled at the corner of Lu Sheng’s lips.
“Looks like the government office is on the verge of collapse,” he muttered. “The murderer? If catching the real culprit were that easy, this wouldn’t have dragged on for so long. They probably just grabbed some scapegoats to appease the crowd.”
Fortunately, the letter also mentioned that everything at Lu Mansion remained unchanged. No signs of trouble.
Lu Chenxin and the other young masters were still living in leisure, as carefree as ever. The city’s brothels and music houses had even seen a recent surge in business.
It was clear that people, gripped by fear and unable to express it openly, had turned to indulgence as an outlet.
Lu Sheng took a deep breath.
“This method might stabilize things for a while,” he said quietly. “But it’s only a temporary fix. The real case hasn’t been solved. What if something like this happens again?”
He folded the letter and refocused his thoughts.
Right now, the Lu Mansion in Jiulian City had no means of defending itself against supernatural threats—just like any ordinary household. If such an event truly occurred again, the outcome would be all too predictable.
That was why Lu Sheng had only one path forward: to grow stronger. He needed to improve himself, to gain power.
So that when danger did come, he could protect himself—and others.
He didn’t know how powerful he needed to be to face such horrors, but there was no time to hesitate. He could only give it everything he had.
After receiving the letter, Lu Sheng began consuming large quantities of nourishing, high-grade medicinal herbs he had brought with him.
With every meal, he had Xiaoqiao prepare a thick medicinal soup—rich in essence and tailored to strengthen his body.
Thanks to the potent effects of the medicine, the lingering aftereffects of reaching the entry level of the Black Fiend Art were mostly gone within three days.
On the fourth day…
“Second Upgrade!”
Lu Sheng stood once again before the large tree trunk—the same one he had struck during his first trial of the art.
The sword mark from a few days ago still remained on the trunk, about one-fifth of the way into its depth. The edge of the cut had long since dried. This tree—one of the thickest in the entire forest—now looked withered and lifeless.
Lu Sheng chose this spot as the site for his second breakthrough.
He sat down with his back against the tree, unpacked the medicinal soup from the food box one container at a time, and then settled into a cross-legged position.
The internal energy of the Black Fiend Art began circulating steadily along the meridian path from his lower abdomen to his kidneys.
"Deep blue."
Lu Sheng murmured inwardly.
The familiar blue modifier appeared before his eyes, highlighting the Black Fiend Art column. Focusing his thoughts, he pressed the modification button with his mind.
A flash of light crossed the display.
Lu Sheng's expression grew serious.
"Increase the Black Fiend Art by one level!"
He spoke silently to himself.
Swish.
The original label, "Initiated," flickered and transformed—within moments, it had become "First Level."
Before Lu Sheng could celebrate, a wave of inner heat surged through his body, slightly milder than the first time but no less intense. It was as if he were being roasted from the inside out.
In just a few breaths, sweat poured down his face, and his skin flushed crimson once more.
Fortunately, his body had already begun to adapt. It wasn't as excruciating as before.
The entire process lasted about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea—just over ten minutes.
Lu Sheng exhaled slowly, regaining his breath. Though his body still ached, several new meridians had been opened by the Black Fiend Art’s internal energy, adding to the network of circulation within him. These fresh pathways would take time to fully stabilize and heal.
But even now, he could feel it—his whole body seemed to be brimming with explosive energy.
"Try again!"
Lu Sheng rose to his feet and drew the longsword from his back.
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