Chapter 340 - Clear Stage, Reward

On top of a mountain, Xue Tianhe gazed toward the distant lake.

“Let’s go. It’s time for us to go over and wait for our prey to fall into our laps.”

Everyone had jumped into the lake, so hardly anyone was on the shore.

“Haha, good, I can’t wait any longer.”

The dozen or so blood demons laughed malevolently.

Swish, swish.

The dozen or so blood demons soared through the air like birds, covering the five-mile distance in no time.

They saw bubbling on the lake’s surface as soon as they descended.

A figure shot out from the waters with a splash, their face filled with horror.

“Hmm? Someone came out so quickly?”

Xue Tianhe and the others narrowed their eyes, puzzled by the sight. Extending his hand, Xue Tianhe swiftly grabbed at the air.

“Come here!”

A large, blood-colored hand swept out, snatching the person by the neck as if they were a helpless chick.

That person was only at the seventh level. When they saw the ancient piranhas biting through so many martial artists—leaving behind only bones—they had been scared out of their wits. So, they turned around and fled for their life.

They had never expected that they would be caught as soon as they left the lake. They didn’t even get the time to get their bearings or sigh in relief.

“Who... who are you people?”

He couldn’t breathe properly as Xue Tianhe was strangling him; his face was flushed red. He revolved his cultivation to break free from his grasp, but it was useless.

“Who am I? What do you think?” Xue Tianhe laughed evilly and opened his mouth, revealing two sharp, bloody fangs.

The seventh-level martial artists instantly screamed, “Blood demons! You’re blood demons!”

Xue Tianhe smiled and said, “Congratulations! You are right, and you get death!”

Desperate, the captive begged for mercy, offering anything and everything to them. “No, don’t kill me! I’m willing to be your slave. I’m willing to join you and become a noble blood demon like you...”

“Haha, you? Are you worthy?” Xue Tianhe smiled coldly and said, “You’re only worthy of being our next meal, understand? Stop struggling. Any attempt at resisting when you’re in my hands is useless.”

Xue Tianhe bit into that person’s neck.

“Ah...” A miserable scream resounded.

Splash!

The lake waters suddenly blew up. Several figures emerged from the waters, accompanied by an ancient piranha leaping from the depths, its jaws snapping wildly.

“Haha, perfect timing. I’m hungry as well!”

The other dozen or so blood demons immediately revealed sinister smiles when they saw the newcomers. They pounced at them, sweeping up the martial artists before they could react to the situation. They bit down on their necks and sucked their blood madly.

......

Hum!

The air quivered slightly as a silhouette coalesced from the white light, gradually taking form.

This white light silhouette was similar to Chen Fan. It wielded an iron spear and stood straight.

Closer inspection revealed that while its facial features weren’t clear, they were identical to his. It was simply a copy of Chen Fan.

Yet, it was unmistakably a manifestation of energy, not flesh and blood.

With swift precision, the white light silhouette lunged toward Chen Fan, the spear aimed at him.

Swish!

“It’s at the early stage of the eighth level!”

Chen Fan sensed the white light silhouette’s qi fluctuations. Its cultivation was almost equal to his. Its attacks were fierce and swift, and its concentrated force usage was shocking. Although it was a copy, its technique at attacking was above his.

“Impressive. If someone were to face a copy like this, they probably wouldn’t win.”

Chen Fan’s eyes flickered as he stabbed the copy with his iron spear.

The air exploded. It rolled backward and pressed toward the white light silhouette like a monstrous wave, halting its advance.

Boom tch!

Although they had the same cultivation, Chen Fan’s combat strength was par with that of Illusory Core realm martial artists. This copy only possessed combat strength equivalent to its cultivation. It was simply no match for him.

The Nebulous Battle Palace's replication was remarkable, but it failed to replicate Chen Fan's formidable fighting prowess.

One spear thrust later, the light silhouette shattered and transformed into a mass of incomparably pure primeval qi that entered Chen Fan.

“Mmm, feels good!”

The mass of primeval qi didn’t even have a hint of impurity; Chen Fan did not even need to refine it. It directly spread through his skeleton and limbs.

Immediately, Chen Fan sensed his cultivation had progressed remarkably, reaching the peak of the early stage, saving him ten days of bitter cultivation.

Chen Fan’s eyes shone as he muttered, “Good, very good. This is just like martial infusion; the energy is extremely pure, allowing direct absorption..”

Simultaneously, similar scenes unfolded in other white light chambers.

“Damn it, it’s as strong as me, even replicating my martial skills, but its combat technique surpasses mine. Heavens, how am I supposed to fight a superior version of myself?”

“Haha, good, great, marvelous! Only by facing myself can I uncover my weaknesses. The ancient Nebulous Divine Palace's trial ground is truly extraordinary."

“Hehe, it’s only slightly above me in cultivation level. This won’t be a problem for me. I’ll finish you off in a single move! Slash! Wha... what pure energy. If I keep clearing stages, won’t I become an Illusory Core realm expert in just three or four stages? Get one of the top ten positions on the leaderboard?”

“......”

Some people’s fights against their silhouette were fierce, with no clear victor emerging. Others managed to subdue the silhouette but struggled to secure a swift victory.

Some people were surprised and caught off guard. They were defeated by the white light silhouette in a single move before they could react and were kicked out of the Nebulous Battle Palace, drowning in regret.

Some people, like Xin Wuming or Zi Ling, defeated the white light silhouette in a single move. They received the infusion of qi, greatly increasing their cultivation, and entered the second stage.

All those who entered the Nebulous Battle Palace were being tested now. Whether they succeeded or failed depended on their strengths.

......

After Chen Fan defeated the stage guardian and absorbed that mass of pure energy, Chen Fan found himself bathed in a beam of light. After a brief moment of dizziness, he appeared on the second stage.

Once again enclosed within a white dome, Chen Fan looked at the white light ahead. Space contorted, conjuring two white light silhouettes.

“Middle-stage, eighth-level Yuanfu realm, and two of them!”

Chen Fan’s lips drew back into a faint smile.

The stage guardians this time were two white light silhouettes, and their cultivation levels had also increased.

The silhouettes flanked Chen Fan as soon as they were fully formed. Their attacks were incredibly fierce, even matching each other’s movements, seamlessly weaving their attacks together.