C22 Fighting the Ox Devil

The Devil Puppets crafted by the Underground Devil Man represent the final challenge of the Inner Sect Assessment, specifically the combat phase.

Only by facing the Underground Devil Man in one-on-one combat, without the aid of Talisman Artifacts or pills, can one earn entry into the Inner Sect.

Unlike the Outer Sect Disciples, the Inner Sect houses the Karma Hall. This esteemed Karma Hall, also known as the Hall of Merit, is where one can earn the sect's merits by completing missions.

The missions at the Karma Hall, aside from a few specialized tasks like pill and weapon refining, generally require a good deal of combat prowess to accomplish.

Thus, the ability to fight is paramount for an Inner Sect Disciple!

Indeed, it's not mandatory for Inner Sect Disciples to participate in the Karma Hall activities, but avoiding it is akin to an Outer Sect Disciple skipping the Outer Sect Trials.

The Karma Hall is essentially an ongoing Inner Sect Trial, open daily, offering mission rewards and sect merits for completion—a straightforward process.

The monthly allowance for an Inner Sect Disciple includes just five Qi Condensation Pills and one standard-sized Low Grade Spirit Stone. This suffices for someone newly advanced to Qi Refining Level Three, but for those beyond this level who wish to accelerate their cultivation, it's woefully inadequate.

This is where the Karma Hall comes into play. Without its resources, while others might consume one Qi Condensation Pill daily, you would have to ration one pill over six days.

Resources aren't everything, but when talents are comparable, having more resources is undeniably advantageous.

In contrast to the initial three stages, the fourth combat stage has no set time limit. Technically, there's a three-day window, as that's when one officially joins the Inner Sect. Failing to clear this stage within that timeframe means missing out on the Inner Sect Assessment.

As Wang Yue was contemplating which Devil Puppet to confront, Yuh Hao approached him.

"Let's introduce ourselves, Yuh Hao."

"Copper Willow Peak's Wang Yue. Your name has reached my ears."

"Yet, I haven't heard of you, and it seems no one from Copper Willow Peak knows you either, which doesn't quite match up with your abilities," Yuh Hao remarked.

Wang Yue explained, "It's quite straightforward. Just two months ago, I was merely at Body Refining Level Four. It was then that the Heavenly Thunder supposedly unleashed my potential, allowing me to rapidly advance to Qi Refining Level One."

Since learning about the potential-awakening effects of Heavenly Thunder, Wang Yue had begun to feign that he had indeed been invigorated by such an event.

He was well aware that he hadn't been empowered by the Heavenly Thunder, but given the rapid progression of his cultivation, this narrative served as the perfect cover. It deflected envy and suspicion that he might have discovered some rare treasure.

First, there was Yuan Yi, followed by the Inner Sect Disciples who slaughtered their peers at Star Bright Lake, and those who fell to his might while trying to curry favor with Yuan Yi. These experiences had revealed to him the depths to which human nature could sink.

"Heavenly Thunder awakening potential?" Yuh Hao's eyes reflected a hint of sympathy as he lamented Wang Yue's plight. "What a shame. Your Martial Arts Talent is commendable. Even with modest cultivation, you could have been a contender for selection by the Law Enforcement Hall. But now... alas!"

The Heavenly Thunder's awakening of potential was known to tap into a person's latent life force, prematurely drawing upon their innate gifts for cultivation. Yuh Hao was acutely aware of this, hence his sense of regret.

The Heavenly Thunder was said to awaken one's cultivation talents, yet it was seldom heard that it could also unlock one's aptitude for martial arts and techniques.

The Wang Yue of old clearly possessed exceptional Martial Arts Talent, but only average cultivation potential. Such individuals, given sufficient resources and advancement in cultivation level, could rise to become Battle Soldiers within their sect, enjoying a higher status than that of an Inner Sect Disciple.

"What's the harm in that? It's better to live a short, resplendent life than to endure a hundred years of obscurity. At least then, one can die without regrets."

Wang Yue spoke nonchalantly. Although he wasn't truly limited to a decade or two of life, that was indeed his philosophy.

Yuh Hao responded with solemn respect, "Precisely. We cultivators, if we were to lead unremarkable lives, would be better off striving for a dozen or twenty years of intense, memorable existence. At the very least, we'd make a name for ourselves, shock the world, and perhaps even etch our names into the annals of history."

Huh?

Wang Yue's expression stiffened. He felt as though he might have led a passionate young man down the wrong path. Before he could figure out how to talk some sense into him, Yuh Hao clapped Wang Yue on the shoulder with resolve.

"Alright, I won't hold you up any longer. I'll tackle the Inner Sect Assessment first. You better hurry and pick a good one too. Don't wait until all the good ones are gone and you're left without a suitable Devil Puppet," Yuh Hao said.

With that, he drew a longsword, swung open the cage door, and strode inside.

This challenge was a real combat test, not limited to unarmed fighting, so weapons other than Talisman Artifacts were permitted, including the use of talismans. As such, these weapons were often imbued with nine talismans.

Without a full set of ten talismans, the talismans could not form a cohesive unit with seamless internal and external integration, and therefore, it did not qualify as a Talisman Artifact.

Nine talismans were essentially Spirit Talismans with nine uses. After those were expended, they would become as ineffective as ordinary Jade Talismans.

The talismans accessible to the Outer Sect were not particularly powerful. Most were ineffective against the Underground Devil Man, and those incorporated into swords often consisted of specialized talismans.

"Three Wind-Splitting Talismans, three Sharp Talismans, and three Vajra Talismans. These are the most suitable talismans for weaponry when confronting Underground Devil Man," Yuh Hao explained.

He ran his finger along the blade, activating the three talismans in succession. A gleam shone from the sword—not a reflection of sunlight, but the effect of the Sharp Talisman.

The sword sliced through the air with a whisper, thanks to the Wind-Splitting Talisman's influence. The Vajra Talisman reinforced the blade's strength. Given the robust nature of the Underground Devil Man, a sword wasn't typically the weapon of choice, prone to breaking in combat. However, with the Vajra Talisman, the sword's vulnerability to breaking was significantly mitigated.

Dealing with an Underground Devil Man certainly called for a weapon. However, getting one here posed a significant challenge.

Swords were convenient to carry, so despite not being the ultimate choice of weapon, they were the preferred option. Bulky weapons like axes, hammers, and spears were cumbersome and often led to defeat in the second or third challenge.

Yuh Hao chose to face a Rakshasa. The Rakshasa's wings, sprouting from its ribs, gave it the ability to fly, but within the confines of a cage, they became a hindrance. Despite this, the Rakshasa's noble lineage meant it was stronger and not easily subdued.

Yet, the Rakshasa was the most humanoid of them all, and the sword technique Yuh Hao had mastered was the lethal Blood Clothes Sword Technique.

Confronted with Yuh Hao's Blood Clothes Sword Technique, the Rakshasa Devil Puppet moved with astonishing speed. Its wings, far from being a disadvantage, propelled it backward with swift gusts of wind that complemented its footwork.

"Damn it!"

Yuh Hao's companions exclaimed in unison, recognizing the imminent danger. This particular Rakshasa, likely of high status, had retained a fierce combat instinct even after being transformed into a Devil Puppet.

This formidable instinct was indistinguishable from that of other Rakshasa Devil Puppets under normal conditions. However, in adverse environments, its superiority over the average Rakshasa became evident.

A typical Rakshasa Devil Puppet would retract its wings in a confined cage, never attempting to utilize them for movement.

"With one sword, blood is drawn!"

Yuh Hao, unfazed by the shock, launched a relentless assault, completely overpowering the Devil Puppet, which couldn't fight back. The intense aura of his bloody onslaught overwhelmed the Rakshasa Devil Puppet's ferocity.

Ultimately, a Devil Puppet is still a puppet. Its mind had been damaged during the refining process, leaving only a fraction of its combat instincts, insufficient for sophisticated techniques, only raw power.

Against the cunning Blood Clothes Sword Technique, the Rakshasa Devil Puppet stood no chance. The sword's edge, enhanced by a Sharp Talisman, easily sliced through the Devil Puppet, which lacked defensive prowess, cutting away flesh piece by piece.

With a swift thrust, Yuh Hao's blade pierced through the throat of the Rakshasa Devil Puppet, successfully passing the Inner Sect Assessment. This was the critical weakness that these specially crafted Devil Puppets retained. In contrast, a practical Devil Puppet would not have such a vulnerability.

As the cage retracted with a series of creaks, Yuh Hao emerged unscathed.

"Congratulations, now it's my turn to pick a worthy opponent," Wang Yue declared.

He carried no weapons, a rarity in this place, yet he was confident in his ability to confront the Ox Devil.

Previously, he had faced a Devil Puppet that was somewhere between the Qi Refining Stage and the Body Refining Stage. This particular Devil Puppet was crafted from the corpse of a Qi Refining Stage individual, but the process had failed, leaving it with diminished power, though still stronger than those at the Body Refining Stage.

"Even though I haven't advanced to the next stage, my strength has nearly doubled since my battle with the Devil Puppet. Yuh Hao's power isn't much greater than mine now. If he can effortlessly handle a challenging Rakshasa Devil Puppet, I can certainly take on an Ox Devil of the Qi Refining Stage."

Wang Yue pushed open the cage holding the Ox Devil and stepped inside. The moment he entered, the creature's dim eyes suddenly blazed to life.

As if reliving that night, a savage and violent aura surged toward him, and fists adorned with bone spikes loomed large before his eyes.

With a grunt, Wang Yue was ready. This wasn't his first encounter with the Ox Devil. The Dynamic-static Clear Two-form Fist Technique coiled around his limbs, snapping the bone spikes off one by one.

"Can he really fight like that?"

Some onlookers, still contemplating which Devil Puppet to challenge, caught sight of Wang Yue's technique.

The Ox Devil, a beast bristling with bone spikes, was notoriously difficult to combat unarmed, and few had researched how to counter it using fist techniques. Witnessing this novel approach, their eyes widened in realization.

Their exclamations drew more attention.

"Using the Dynamic-static Clear Two-form Fist Technique to shatter bones—I never imagined the Ox Devil could be fought this way."

"What an eye-opener!"

"Isn't that the guy who took down over a dozen people in Wooden Puppet Lane?"

"That's Wang Yue, a disciple from Copper Willow Peak."

Wang Yue!

His name quickly became known, and many recognized Wang Yue as someone not to be trifled with.

They had all been Outer Sect Disciples, and their current level of cultivation wasn't much higher than Wang Yue's. In fact, their strength was even inferior to his. It was wise to steer clear of someone like that.