Chapter 131 Clarification — This Is the Fourth Time

As he rose to his feet, the surrounding Crimson Sky Sect disciples moved with him, ready to rush forward and capture the remnants of the demon race.

Normally, when a cultivator touched the Water of the Illusory Heaven Pool, there would be no reaction.

Few present had ever seen a true demon race member, but all knew about the Illusory Heaven Pool’s properties.

“Lian Mu, stop!” Bai Li Que shouted instinctively.

The moment he spoke, nearby Crimson Sky Sect disciples immediately surrounded him. “Young Master Bai Li, this is not the time for you to speak up. Be careful not to ruin the Bai Li family’s reputation.”

Bai Li Yu also blocked his view. “Cousin, this is an outsider’s matter. It’s best if we don’t interfere.”

Bai Li Que’s face was expressionless. Just as he was about to tell him to get lost, Wen Yun behind him pressed a hand to his shoulder and shook his head.

Bai Li Que froze for a moment, then could only step back.

Bai Li Yu bit his lip. “Cousin, do you care that much about this Lian Mu? What if she really is demon race — you’d be in danger too… Did she save your life or something, that you trust her this much?”

“She did save my life,” Bai Li Que said calmly.

Bai Li Yu was stunned, then suddenly remembered something and stammered, “I’m sorry… back in the Stone Wolf Den, I didn’t mean to abandon you…”

Bai Li Que ignored him. The hand hidden in his sleeve slowly clenched as he stared fixedly at the stage.

Yet the scene everyone expected did not occur. After a brief bubbling, the Illusory Heaven Pool calmed down.

The water, having absorbed spiritual energy, turned a milky white, yet remained crystal clear.

“What’s going on? This…” said Cheng Ling.

Lian Mu swirled her hand through the water — moments ago it had felt hot, but now there was no sensation at all.

“Sect Master Shen?” she called.

Shen Minglu remained silent for a long time, his frown deepening.

“Strange. The Illusory Heaven Pool didn’t turn black — she’s not demon race. But…”

Everyone’s expressions shifted from shock to bewilderment; they could no longer make sense of what was happening.

Seeing their reactions, Lian Mu guessed she had passed the test. “I’ve said it before — I have nothing to do with the demon race.”

With her damaged dantian, she grudged even a bit of spiritual energy, let alone any impurity.

The pool and the spirit-testing stone had both given their verdicts, but no one had expected this outcome. All eyes turned to the Clear Thought Sect’s sect master, waiting for him to speak.

Murong Yi said, “Everyone has seen it. She’s fine. From now on, if anyone—”

Before he could finish, Shen Minglu suddenly raised his hand and struck at Lian Mu with his palm.

The sudden attack caught Lian Mu off guard. She twisted aside and stepped back rapidly.

“Sect Master Shen, what is the meaning of this?” Lian Mu said. “This isn’t very proper.”

Shen Minglu didn’t answer — he struck again.

As the foremost talisman cultivator of this age, his cultivation was deep. He didn’t even draw a talisman, attacking purely with spiritual power.

The spectators below misinterpreted his intent, while those on the stage scattered to avoid the shockwaves, especially those close to Lian Mu.

Lian Mu dodged several blows, but one slip revealed an opening she couldn’t evade. She had no choice but to punch back, using her spiritual power to forcibly neutralize the strike.

“Lian Mu, you’re not using your full strength,” Shen Minglu said.

“?”

“When you tested your spiritual roots earlier, you concealed your true power.”

“I did not.”

As she spoke, she drew her sword, cleaving apart Shen Minglu’s Water-Melding Palm.

In that instant, the spirit-testing stone, still linked to her spiritual energy, suddenly lit up. This time, the three lingering traces of energy inside flared with dazzling light, shooting straight toward the sky.

“Ah! That’s… a Heavenly Spiritual Root!”

Seeing this, Shen Minglu’s frown finally relaxed slightly — but to everyone’s surprise, the three lights that shone with the unique brilliance of a Heavenly Spiritual Root quickly dimmed again, as if they had never appeared.

A flicker of doubt passed through Shen Minglu’s eyes, but now he was sure. “Lian Mu of the Returning Immortal Sect is not of the demon race.”

Hearing this, Lian Mu lowered her sword.

The two locked eyes on stage, confronting each other in silence for a long while.

The stunned crowd gradually realized: Shen Minglu hadn’t struck because he found fault in her identity — he had only forced her to show her true strength.

But… what was with those three flashes just now?

Three spiritual roots, yet they briefly radiated the unique quality of a Heavenly Spiritual Root.

Shen Minglu said, “Your Returning Immortal Sect is hiding something.”

Murong Yi stared for a moment before recovering, certain he hadn’t imagined that flicker on the stone. But why had it vanished so quickly?

“…In any case, Lian Mu’s suspicion of being demon race is cleared. What remains is no longer your concern, Sect Master Shen.”

Shen Minglu was silent for a while. “Your disciple is indeed remarkable.”

“So she’s not demon race… then…”

The various sect chiefs below murmured restlessly, especially those from the Clear Thought Sect.

Shen Wuxie, who had expected to see Lian Mu exposed and dragged away in disgrace, instead saw her come out ahead yet again. He ground his teeth. “Damn it. How does she always slip through trouble? What is she, really?”

The others stayed silent, but the same thought struck them all: the Returning Immortal Sect might really be on the rise again.

Lu Feishuang smiled faintly. “Interesting. This Lian Mu is peculiar in every way.”

Changsun Li, who had once been thoroughly beaten by her, stood silent.

“Lian Mu, come here,” Murong Yi called, but before she could respond, she staggered a few steps, then collapsed to the ground.

Before she hit the ground, she braced herself with her sword and closed her eyes.

That familiar draining sensation returned — pain flared behind her eyes as blood blurred her vision.

The more she wiped it away, the more it flowed.

The Returning Immortal Sect’s chief team and elders saw this and immediately rushed onto the stage. This time, no one dared stop them.

“What’s happening?!”

Lian Mu couldn’t answer. Chaos erupted.

Watching this, Shen Minglu muttered under his breath, “As I thought… this courage… so like him.”

He made no further move. Instead, he ceded the stage back to the Returning Immortal Sect and led his people away.

Once the Clear Thought Sect’s master left, the Returning Immortal Sect finally vented all their pent-up rage. “You were all just jealous of our junior sister! You did this on purpose and made her get hurt!”

“If anything happens to someone from our Returning Immortal Sect, this Immortal Sect Grand Competition won’t go on for anyone!”

The crowd buzzed with noise. Lian Mu could no longer see their faces; she could only catch bits of speech mentioning her.

Half-collapsed on the ground, blood poured freely.

The emptiness from drained spiritual energy made her head spin — she couldn’t stand.

The depletion was worsening lately. She could feel her body falling behind.

This was the fourth time.

Something inside her body was rampaging wildly, about to smash through her dantian and break free.

Amid the uproar, someone was calling her name.

She didn’t have time to see who it was—her vision went black, her hand loosened, and her head pitched toward the ground.