C9 True Inheritance Disciple

The Devil Puppet possessed formidable strength, yet Wang Yue's speed surpassed it. For every punch the Devil Puppet threw, Wang Yue could unleash three or four in rapid succession.

"Hu! Chi!"

During the inhalation and exhalation of the Food Sunset Technique, a breath of Genuine Qi was born, unexpectedly emerging from between the chest and lungs rather than the dantian.

The Qi, white as a sword, was expelled by Wang Yue with a piercing sound, slashing through the Devil Puppet's throat. Despite the severing, the Devil Puppet, devoid of the typical vulnerabilities, shed no blood and remained as ferocious as ever.

"I've reached the Qi Refining Stage; I have no time to waste with you. Die!"

The Dynamic-static Clear Two-form Fist Technique unleashed its true might at the Qi Refining Stage. The fist's light twisted, a hallmark of Qi Refining, striking with the force of an inch from the void!

The qi strength penetrated deeply. No matter how resilient the Devil Puppet's hide was, it couldn't resist the qi strength's infiltration. Twelve punches left the skin unscathed, but internally, the organs were shattered, muscles severed. Even without vital points, such damage was enough to completely annihilate the Devil Puppet.

The battle had just ended when the Law Enforcement Hall personnel arrived belatedly, shocked by the appearance of a Devil Puppet in the Outer Sect.

This was no trivial matter. Consequently, Wang Yue, fresh from combat, underwent an overnight interrogation. The Outer Sect and Inner Sect Law Enforcement Halls collaborated, swiftly pinpointing their suspect.

Celestial Net Peak was neither part of the Inner Sect nor the Outer Sect but belonged to an Elder of the Myriad Qi Profound Sect who wielded sole control over the peak.

Just hearing the name Mie Tianluo was enough to sense the nature of the Elder—true to his name, he was known for his lethal disposition, second only to Sect Master Nie Yuvji within the Myriad Qi Profound Sect.

At present, Elder Mie Tianluo sat at the center of the hall, while a disciple below performed the ritual of discipleship with three bows and nine kowtows.

"Good. From this day forward, Yuan Yi, you are my seventh disciple, Elder Mie Tianluo."

Yuan Yi, who had been contending with Wang Yue, was the one performing the ritual of three bows and nine kowtows. Today marked a significant milestone for him as he was finally taken in as a disciple by an elder, earning the status of a True Inheritance Disciple. Moreover, he had surpassed Qi Refining Level Seven and reached Qi Refining Level Nine, standing on the verge of advancing to the Fiend Congealing Stage.

Dawn was breaking, and there was a slight commotion outside the hall.

"What's the matter?"

The joy of taking on a new disciple was interrupted by the clamor, causing immediate annoyance.

An attendant from the Outer Sect entered and spoke with deference, "Elder, members of the Inner Sect Law Enforcement Hall have arrived. They claim that Senior Brother Yuan has breached the Sect Rules and seek to apprehend him. They request your permission to proceed."

Elder Mie Tianluo's eyebrows knitted together, his voice laced with lethal intent, "Violated the Sect Rules? Ridiculous! I will discipline my own disciple. Tell them to leave!"

"Understood!" The attendant departed with renewed confidence. However, Elder Mie Tianluo then turned to Yuan Yi with a stern tone, "Remember, you must not casually break the Sect Rules. I can shield you temporarily, not indefinitely. But don't fret, a mere infraction is trivial, except for the gravest offenses."

"Yes, thank you, Master!"

Yuan Yi mopped the sweat from his brow, relieved that he had been favored by this protective elder just in the nick of time, securing his future.

Yet, inwardly, he seethed with disdain, "Incompetents, all of them. To think that the Law Enforcement Hall could uncover everything overnight. Utterly useless!"

Elder Mie Tianluo nodded in approval, thoroughly pleased with his disciple. Yuan Yi's fierce nature was a perfect match for everyone on Celestial Net Peak, from the Peak Master to the lowliest servant, all of whom exuded a formidable aura of menace.

As for the Sect Rules? They were nothing more than constraints for the weak. For the strong, such rules were upheld only when they served their interests.

That night was filled with battles and interrogations. It wasn't until the early hours of the morning that they finally had a chance to sleep. By the time they awoke, it was nearly noon. But the news that greeted Wang Yue was not of Yuan Yi's arrest and prosecution.

"Elder Mie Tianluo of Celestial Net Peak has taken him as his disciple? And it just so happened this morning?"

Wang Yue was seething with frustration. If only the conviction had come first, even an elder would have found it difficult to bypass the Law Enforcement Hall and take someone away. But it was the elder who accepted the disciple first, and only afterward did the Law Enforcement Hall go to make the arrest, and they had to do it on Celestial Net Peak.

What power did the Law Enforcement Hall really have? They couldn't even govern the elders, and those who could wouldn't bother Elder Mie Tianluo over such a trivial matter.

"You're lucky," Wang Yue muttered, "It seems the heavens themselves want to leave you for me to contend with."

Despite his words, Wang Yue couldn't shake off his worry. The status of a True Inheritance Disciple was vastly different from that of an Inner Sect Disciple. An Inner Sect Disciple had little to no authority, but a True Inheritance Disciple was another matter entirely.

A True Inheritance Disciple bore the status of an elder's disciple. Elders wielded significant power within the sect, and a portion of that power effectively belonged to their disciples.

Elder Mie Tianluo was the master of his own peak, the decision-maker of Celestial Net Peak. All the resources of the peak were under his control. Celestial Net Peak was not like the Outer Sect Nine Peaks, where a Spirit Gathering Great Array was used merely to suppress monsters.

Celestial Net Peak towered five thousand zhang high, roughly sixteen thousand meters, rich in resources and comparable to a mid-sized sect. Mie Tianluo was almost on par with a Sect Master.

A True Inheritance Disciple was akin to a sect elder.

Wang Yue was aware that as word of Yuan Yi's new status as a True Inheritance Disciple spread, his own situation would only deteriorate.

Yuan Yi, as an Inner Sect Disciple, had already managed to rally a group of disciples stuck at the sixth or seventh levels of Body Refining, with no hope of entering the Inner Sect, to confront him. Now, as a True Inheritance Disciple, Yuan Yi could likely mobilize even more support within the Inner Sect.

In essence, even after gaining entry to the Inner Sect, his safety wasn't guaranteed; he still needed to be wary of those with ill intentions. The individuals from the Sixteen Academies had begun to keep their distance, but thanks to his feat of defeating a Devil Puppet in single combat, no one dared to confront him directly now. Even Hee Ziang would take a detour upon seeing him.

Admittedly, Hee Ziang was more powerful than Wang Yue, but Wang Yue had successfully completed his Qi Refining. This meant that the Medicine Poison had not hindered him; rather, it had become an asset for his advancement. Having the ability to overcome a Devil Puppet meant that even if Wang Yue didn't pass the Inner Sect Assessment this time, he would surely succeed on his next attempt.

Given Wang Yue's talent, six months would be more than enough for him to outpace his rival. Should a real conflict arise, the consequences would be dire for his adversary. The crux of the matter was that Hee Ziang was aware that Wang Yue was unlikely to pass the Inner Sect Assessment this time around, as many were plotting to thwart him en route.

"No, if he remains an Outer Sect Disciple instead of becoming an Inner Sect Disciple, my life will be far from easy. I must devise a plan to ensure he is incapacitated during the Inner Sect Assessment."

The Inner and Outer Sects operated under distinct systems. As a member of the Outer Sect Law Enforcement Hall, he was beyond the reach of Inner Sect Disciples, since there was no interaction between the two. However, the situation with an Outer Sect Disciple was different. Being part of the Sixteen Academies, what if Wang Yue seized an opportunity for a surprise attack under the cover of night?

"No!" Upon further reflection, that plan seemed fraught with risk. "The best strategy is to act first, to avoid misfortune later. Now that Senior Brother Yuan has been made a True Inheritance Disciple, I should present him with a grand gift to celebrate. And that gift will be the head of Wang Yue."

Desperation can drive a person to extreme measures, and the pressure from Wang Yue had become overwhelming, blinding him to the Sect Rule. Currently at Qi Refining Level Three, he, as a Law Enforcement Hall Disciple, was well-versed in a variety of practical martial arts. His proficiency in Secret Inheritance Martial Arts was on par with the Club Suppressing Level Martial Arts, even within the Qi Refining Stage.

Wang Yue, despite having reached the Qi Refining Stage, was only at the initial level. His repertoire was limited, with the Dynamic-static Clear Two-form Fist Technique being his sole specialty.

"The Death Ruins are becoming active again. I expect the Outer Sect will organize a cleansing operation in the next couple of days. That will be my opportunity."

Word had already spread throughout the Outer Sect about the disturbances in the Death Ruins caused by the Corpse Stealers.

For the past two years, the Outer Sect had regularly conducted several operations to eradicate the Corpse Stealers, while the Law Enforcement Hall dealt with the more unusual ones, such as the Prison Bone Corpse.

"It was only during the last Outer Sect Trial that we nearly eradicated the Corpse Stealers in the Death Ruins. It's surprising that it's become active again so soon."

At the base of Copper Willow Peak, Wang Yue snapped his book shut, revealing the title "Dragon Roar Iron Clothes Shirt" on the cover.

The Dragon Roar Iron Clothes Shirt and the Tiger Roar Golden Bell Shield were highly regarded protective cultivation methods within the Inner Sect, utilizing Genuine Qi to strengthen the skin. The resonating roar upon reaching Great Completion could intimidate foes.

Among the myriad martial arts of Iron Clothes Shirt and Golden Bell Shield, the Dragon Roar Iron Clothes Shirt stood out as one of the preeminent techniques.

The complete Dragon Roar Iron Clothes Shirt was a Club Suppressing Level Cultivation Method. However, the versions taught in the Outer and Inner Sects contained only fragments of the full content, rendering them merely Secret Inheritance Level. To master the entire technique, one must become a True Inheritance Disciple or earn enough merit points from the sect to exchange for the full method.

Opportunities to earn such merits came from participating in the Outer Sect Trial, the Inner Sect Trial, and organized operations like the current one.

Wang Yue's skin bore five thumb-sized swellings pulsating with the flow of blood, emitting a faint dragon's roar—evidence of Genuine Qi coursing through his veins and permeating his entire body.

With successful cultivation, a layer of Genuine Qi would envelop the skin, offering protection and the ability to repel attacks from blades and bludgeons.

Ordinary practitioners of the Dragon Roar Iron Clothes Shirt could only use a single breath to refine their skin, but Wang Yue was capable of refining with five breaths at once, making his cultivation speed nearly five times faster than others.

He slowly exhaled, and the air sacs on his body deflated, leaving him indistinguishable from an average person.

"After just two hours of cultivation, my skin already feels 30% stronger. The Dragon Roar Iron Clothes Shirt truly is a superior martial art within the Skin Refining Techniques. Even just a portion of it is sufficient for the Qi Refining Stage, and it's even useful at the Fiend Congealing Stage."

"If I keep up this pace of cultivation, I'll be significantly safer in the Death Ruins. Still, it's not enough. I suspect many are eager to align themselves with Yuan Yi, and I can't help but wonder how many will attempt to attack me!"

Time was of the essence, and he needed to bolster his strength as quickly as possible.

Not only to face the upcoming challenges but also to ready himself for the Inner Sect Assessment in ten days, which promised to be the greater danger.

Hoot!

The low growl of a wild beast reached his ears, and Wang Yue instantly went on high alert. He was in the territory of wild beasts, far from the safe confines of Chaos Cloud Peak.

A pair of eyes glared at him from the thick underbrush, but Wang Yue's heightened vigilance deterred the creature from making a move.