Chapter 130 — The Illusory Heavenly Pool — What Do You Want?

Biyun Terrace.

The disciples of the Four Great Sects had gathered, not to prepare for the next illusion realm, but to witness the true identity of one person with their own eyes.

Such a situation had never occurred in past competitions.

Over the past six days, rumors that the Returning Immortal Sect’s second-seat sword cultivator might be of the demon race had spread among all the disciples.

Lian Mu. Everyone knew her.

Since the Immortal Sect Grand Competition began, she had been the most unusual three-spiritual-root sword cultivator. First, through extraordinary luck, she was transmitted right beside the Wood Core Flower at the start. Then, with methods no one could have imagined, she played the chief teams of the other three sects like fools.

Anyone with such strength could not possibly be just an ordinary three-root cultivator.

Sure enough, after the third illusion realm, Lian Mu’s true aptitude was exposed.

“Could she really be demon race? I felt something was off in the second realm already. What kind of three-root sword cultivator is so arrogant? She must have something backing her up, that’s why she’s so brazen.”

“The demon race was exterminated a thousand years ago. The remnants that survive are nothing but insignificant stragglers, unable to stir up any real trouble. Calling all of us here just for this wastes our time.”

“Don’t forget—corrupt demonic qi can infect other cultivators. Leaving even one demon race alive could ruin countless cultivators. Better to kill a thousand by mistake than let one slip away.”

“Why use a butcher’s knife to kill a chicken? It’s just Lian Mu. She can’t cause an upheaval that shakes the world.”

“Did you see that sword strike in the illusion realm? She’s not that old—she only entered the sect less than a year ago and already has such power. If she really is demon race, the consequences are unthinkable.”

“Can you watch your mouth? The Crimson Sky Sect people are all here.”

At this moment, the faces of the Crimson Sky Sect’s elders and disciples were the ugliest. When they learned there might be a demon race hidden among the disciples in the Grand Competition, they immediately sent someone overnight to Azure Dragon East to fetch Illusory Heavenly Pool Water.

The Crimson Sky Sect’s predecessor was the Penglai Sect. Among their highly esteemed elders today, two had survived the annihilation of the old Penglai Sect.

Back then, Penglai Sect sacrificed itself entirely to wipe out the demon race for the sake of the world. As its successor, Crimson Sky Sect could not possibly tolerate demon race survivors.

Lu Feishuang glanced at her restless formation and said, “Enough. Don’t jump to conclusions yet—she isn’t here yet.”

At her command, the Crimson Sky Sect’s formation fell silent at once. No one dared utter another word.

The Clear Thought Sect disciples were all waiting to watch the show. Though the suspected demon race was in their White Tiger West territory, with Sect Master Shen present, they were completely at ease, just waiting for the result.

If Lian Mu really was demon race, then the Returning Immortal Sect would be shielding the demon race and, by custom, would be expelled from the Four Great Sects.

In the last illusion realm, the Clear Thought Sect had been thoroughly tricked by the Returning Immortal Sect. They had gotten neither spirit plants nor spirit materials, lost their ranking, and even indirectly offended the Azure Profound Sect.

When Shen Wuxie heard about Lian Mu, he didn’t even bother healing his injuries—he flew back to the Clear Thought Sect in the middle of the night just to watch her be humiliated.

“She stole my chance to slay the Flame Beast in the illusion realm! I was about to win, and she jumped in out of nowhere and snatched it, leaving me covered in wounds.” Shen Wuxie rolled his eyes and complained incessantly. “Evil deserves retribution—serves her right to get exposed now.”

Tang Wuxun listened expressionlessly, letting it go in one ear and out the other, looking like he couldn’t wait to run away.

Feng Huanyin didn’t care about Lian Mu’s identity, but she disliked Shen Wuxie even more.

Feng Huanyin said coolly, “Stop pretending. Everyone has a shadow stone. We all saw how wretched someone looked. Some so-called Heavenly Spiritual Roots are worse than three roots.”

Tang Wuxun replied equally blandly, as if chatting, “Guess he thinks everyone’s blind.”

Shen Wuxie sputtered, “…Which sect are you two from? I’m your sectmate! Tang Wuxun, I haven’t even settled the score with you for telling my uncle to kick me out of the chief team. And you, since when do people from the Feng Clan have a say in White Tiger West? Siding with a demon race—you two want to get kicked out of Clear Thought Sect too?”

He always liked throwing his status around, and everyone was used to it. When he finished, no one responded.

Only Yuan Wuxu took it seriously. “If she isn’t demon race, then the Returning Immortal Sect will…”

Be vindicated.

Tang Wuxun thought so too. He frowned.

He hadn’t seen Lian Mu’s sword strike with his own eyes, but just from the recording, he could sense its power.

That strike was something even the Azure Profound Sect’s famed sword genius might not be able to match.

Otherwise, the Azure Profound Sect wouldn’t have been so desperate, breaking their own rules just to interfere.

Tang Wuxun looked over at the Returning Immortal Sect’s formation and saw that their chief team was completely unbothered—some were even fooling around.

Ji Mingyue was dangling a bug in front of Xu Xianxing, making him squeal and run around. The rest watched them wordlessly, but it was clear to anyone with eyes that they got along very well.

Then he glanced at his own team—everyone wore the face of a corpse. After being tricked into dead last, the mood had already been bad. With Shen Wuxie back, the atmosphere was now utterly dead. Even he didn’t feel like speaking.

Tang Wuxun: “…”

Truly, people are not created equal.

Being stuck with incompetent teammates of the same generation was just rotten luck.

“She’s here.”

A quiet reminder drew everyone’s eyes to the spirit-testing stone above Biyun Terrace.

Under everyone’s gaze, Lian Mu walked out, flanked by two unfamiliar sect disciples, and casually stood to the side.

A Clear Thought Sect elder saw her and coughed lightly. “Lian Mu, stand over here.”

Lian Mu obediently moved to the spot he indicated, silent as a mouse.

The elder looked surprised and murmured, “This disciple of yours isn’t as unruly as the rumors say… seems quite well-behaved…”

He had just arrived and hadn’t seen any of the previous matches.

Beside him, Murong Yi gave him a meaningful look but said nothing.

Today, Lian Mu wore plain clothes, her face freshly washed, not a trace of blood. With her smiling so gently, she really did look like a docile, honest girl.

But once she spoke: “Everyone, long time no see.”

Instantly, the looks from below changed. Someone sneered, “Still so arrogant even now.”

Lian Mu: “…”

Wasn’t she just speaking normally?

The Clear Thought Sect’s Sect Master arrived too. As he landed, he nodded at her. “You’re Lian Mu? I’ve seen your recordings—quite a promising seedling.”

Lian Mu said, “Sect Master Shen, let’s get straight to it.”

Shen Minglu chuckled. “I like how frank you are. I hope you won’t disappoint everyone.”

“You claim to be a three-root cultivator but wield power like a Heavenly Spiritual Root at such a young age—this is impossible for an ordinary person,” Shen Minglu said. “I don’t mean to target you. This is to ensure the safety of the other disciples and White Tiger West.”

“If you want to prove yourself, place your hand on the spirit-testing stone and test your roots again.”

With a wave of Shen Minglu’s hand, the spirit-testing stone lit up. It looked like a block of jade emitting a chill—one could feel the cold just approaching it.

Lian Mu herself was curious too. Without hesitation, she pressed her palm against it.

All the disciples below stared intently, watching for the result.

Naturally, no one wanted a rival sect to gain a cultivator of such terrifying strength.

Her hand rested there for a long while, but the stone didn’t react.

Everyone: “?”

Shen Minglu frowned slightly. “Release your spiritual power.”

Lian Mu did as told, and finally the stone responded.

A red light flickered, slowly condensing.

“A fire-element Heavenly Spiritual Root?”

Gasps of astonishment rose from the crowd.

However, the red light hadn’t been shining for long when a golden light began to gather as well.

“Dual spiritual roots? Strange…”

Someone hadn’t finished speaking when another green light appeared on the spirit-testing stone. Three colors rose together, flaring brightly for just an instant before immediately dimming again.

A Crimson Sky Sect elder chuckled. “It seems this young friend truly is a genuine three-root cultivator… metal, wood, and fire. How could a sword cultivator have such roots?”

With that reminder, the others noticed Lian Mu’s root combination too.

Metal, wood, and fire… utterly unsuitable for sword cultivation. In fact, even body cultivators would find it redundant.

“You might consider becoming an alchemy cultivator instead,” Cheng Ling said with a faint smile.

A Clear Thought Sect artifact refiner elder added, “Becoming an artifact refiner wouldn’t be bad either.”

The two echoed each other, clearly mocking Lian Mu’s rather awkward spiritual root combination—fit for nothing in particular.

Below, Guan Huailin frowned, and Bai Li Que didn’t look pleased either.

Ji Mingyue touched his nose, unable to refute the elders: “…”

To be fair, Lian Mu really was cultivating sword, artifact, and alchemy arts all at once.

Wen Yun, who knew the truth, also kept his mouth shut—for once staying quieter than a corpse, though he was the type who normally snapped back ten times worse when scolded.

Xu Xianxing didn’t make a sound either: “…”

Just then, in the middle of his anger, Bai Li Que suddenly noticed that everyone around him was silent. Turning to look, he found their faces calm, as if nothing were amiss.

Bai Li Que: “?”

He had a strong feeling they were all hiding something about Lian Mu from him.

“Elder, the spirit root test is done. Is there a problem?” Onstage, Lian Mu asked.

Shen Minglu stared at the three lights on the spirit-testing stone, his face darkening. “I’ll ask you one last time—are you certain you’re only eighteen years old?”

Lian Mu nodded. Though her true age was far beyond eighteen, this body had indeed only lived eighteen years.

The entire crowd fell silent, all thinking the same thing.

An eighteen-year-old three-root cultivator couldn’t possibly have the power to kill a Guardian Mirror Beast with a single sword strike. If the roots weren’t mismeasured, then there was only one possibility left…

Murong Yi’s expression shifted, but before he could speak, Cheng Ling sneered. “So you’re indirectly admitting you’re demon race?”

Lian Mu: “?”

Lian Mu: “Just by testing my roots, you’re certain I’m demon race?”

Shen Minglu raised his hand slightly. “Bring the Illusory Heavenly Pool Water.”

Everyone’s eyes narrowed, turning toward the basin of pure spirit spring water being brought up.

It was well-known that Azure Dragon East’s Illusory Heavenly Pool was formed from the crystal core of a peerlessly pure spirit beast a thousand years ago. The moment it touched any impurity, it turned black instantly. If a demon race being touched it, their skin would rot and their flesh would dissolve.

“Young friend, please.”

The Illusory Heavenly Pool Water was placed before her. Staring at it in front of everyone, Lian Mu suddenly said, “You’ve tormented me like this, wasting over ten days for nothing. Sect Master Shen, if I’m not demon race, what compensation will you give me?”

Shen Minglu said, “What do you want?”

Everyone: “…”

This Lian Mu—her nerve was something else.

“Haven’t thought of it yet,” Lian Mu said.

Shen Minglu said, “If you’re not demon race, I will naturally make amends for the wrongs you’ve suffered these days. When you decide, tell me.”

Once she had that promise, Lian Mu didn’t hesitate. She reached her hand straight into the Illusory Heavenly Pool Water.

In the next moment, the pool began to boil, bubbling furiously.

Lian Mu felt a bit of heat. Glancing down, she realized her hand was radiating spiritual energy uncontrollably, all of it being sucked away by the water.

Everyone fixed their eyes on the glass basin. As the water bubbled, a strange tension filled the air.

Was something about to happen?

Cheng Ling could hardly stay seated. The moment the pool reacted, he stood up—