Chapter 8

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"Beep, a skill book 'Bloodlust' has been discovered. Required level: Qi Nourishment Stage 1, Skill Points: 1. Do you want to learn it?"

The mechanical voice of the system echoed in Zhuge Xiang's mind. Having already made up his mind, Zhuge Xiang chose to learn it.

No unusual phenomena occurred; instead, a sudden sense of enlightenment arose deep within Zhuge Xiang. It felt like an instinct, and Zhuge Xiang found that he had learned Bloodlust, though only at the initial stage, it was truly learned.

Without showing any emotion, Zhuge Xiang put down the Bloodlust manual and pondered for a moment. He then picked up the Blood Lightning Slash manual beside it and instantly learned it using his skill points. Apart from Zhuge Xiang himself, no one else knew, so according to the rules of the Asura Sect, Zhuge Xiang could still learn another martial art. His choice was the Blood Lightning Slash.

The Blood Lightning Slash is a martial art that is quite favored in the Martial Arts Pavilion. Although it only has one move, its attack power is the highest. Moreover, a martial art with only one move is relatively easier to practice compared to others. For Zhuge Xiang, with the enhancement of Bloodlust, once the Blood Lightning Slash is mastered, its power will be even greater.

Seeing Zhuge Xiang put down the Bloodlust manual, Lu Yuling didn't say anything and turned to leave. Zhuge Xiang didn't pay attention to her departure; his focus was entirely on the Blood Lightning Slash manual.

With only one move, the Blood Lightning Slash manual was only a few thin pages. The circulation of qi, the practice methods, and precautions were easily memorized by Zhuge Xiang. After a cursory glance at the qi cultivation methods, he left the Martial Arts Pavilion, preparing to start practicing the Blood Lightning Slash.

Although he had already comprehended qi, during the inspection meeting, disciples who had comprehended qi would compete in front of everyone. This was to select outstanding disciples for focused cultivation and to motivate the next generation of disciples.

At the competition, those who achieve a good ranking will receive generous rewards from the sect. Therefore, Zhuge Xiang wanted to master the Blood Lightning Slash before the competition. Time was tight, and one of the reasons Zhuge Xiang chose the Blood Lightning Slash, which has only one move, was because it was relatively easier to practice.

On the road, Zhuge Xiang also calmed his mind and examined his Bloodlust skill. In the skill tree, the icon representing the Bloodlust skill was shining brightly. As Zhuge Xiang immersed himself, information about Bloodlust appeared in his mind.

Bloodlust (Initial Stage): Increases attack, defense, speed, and attack speed by 30% for 1 minute. Afterward, it will enter a weakened state, the severity of which depends on the duration of the Bloodlust. Effective during the Qi Nourishment Stage.

Zhuge Xiang was quite satisfied with the information about Bloodlust. Although it only increased by 30%, remember that this is only at the initial stage. As the level of Bloodlust increases, reaching the advanced stages, the effects will be even more powerful.

Moreover, the 30% increase applies to all attributes, significantly enhancing overall strength.

Effective during the Qi Nourishment Stage? Zhuge Xiang could understand this. After staying in the Asura Sect for a year, he had some understanding of cultivation. The path of cultivation is divided into three major stages: Qi Nourishment, Qi Transformation, and Spirit Return. The function of Bloodlust is to forcibly draw the essence and blood qi from the body to enhance various attributes, which is naturally only effective during the Qi Nourishment stage. At the Qi Transformation stage, the power of the body's qi and blood is insufficient to enhance strength. Besides, if Bloodlust were always effective, it would be considered a divine skill.

The Qi Nourishment stage has six sub-stages: Qi Nourishment, Body Tempering, Meridian Opening, Air Splitting, Innate, and Reversion. Currently, Zhuge Xiang is at the first sub-stage of Qi Nourishment. Therefore, his cultivation path has just begun. As for the sub-stages of Qi Transformation and Spirit Return, Zhuge Xiang doesn't know.

Although Bloodlust is only effective during the Qi Nourishment stage, Zhuge Xiang is currently only at the first sub-stage of Qi Nourishment. Just this stage alone will take a long time to complete, so Zhuge Xiang is still very satisfied with the Bloodlust skill.

"Hmm? Is that Li Bin and Niu Geng?" Just as Zhuge Xiang was focusing on studying Bloodlust, two figures caught his attention. Not far away, Niu Geng was supporting Li Bin, and the two were heading towards the back mountain of the Asura Sect.

"Those two?" Looking at their backs, Zhuge Xiang's mind flashed with Li Bin's words on the training ground. Curious about why he was unharmed after drinking the fruit juice laced with Duan Chang San, Zhuge Xiang secretly followed them.

The Asura Sect has ten thousand disciples, so there are many buildings. Supporting Li Bin, Niu Geng and Li Bin headed towards the back mountain. Gradually, there were fewer people around. Curious, Zhuge Xiang followed them, not understanding what they were doing. He was even more puzzled by Li Bin's severe injuries; why wasn't he resting and recovering?

After about an hour, they reached a desolate part of the back mountain. Li Bin's heavily injured body was even more exhausted, clearly impatient. He asked Niu Geng, "Didn't you say you found a hundred-year-old ginseng in the back mountain? Where is it? Find it quickly so I can recover."

Looking around, Niu Geng confirmed that the back mountain was desolate and no one would come. He suddenly smiled at Li Bin, his usually honest face now showing an unprecedentedly fierce look.

"Ahh!" A scream of shock. Li Bin was clearly frightened by Niu Geng's fierce look, took a few steps back, and fell to the ground. After a year of interaction, Li Bin thought he knew Niu Geng's temper well, but that fierce look made Niu Geng seem completely unfamiliar to him.

As Li Bin fell to the ground, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his abdomen, and a black aura emerged from his body, causing a tingling sensation as if thousands of venomous insects were biting him. In his pain, Li Bin realized he was poisoned.

"Niu Geng, why? Why are you doing this?" Clutching his stomach, Li Bin's face, covered in black aura, showed disbelief as he looked up at Niu Geng.

Unbelievable, the Niu Geng he had always played with like a toy had actually tried to kill him. Li Bin had never thought about it, and at this moment, he finally understood that the hundred-year-old ginseng was just an excuse to lure him here.

"Why? Haha..." Li Bin's question made Niu Geng feel as if he had heard something funny. His honest face showed a mocking smile: "I am a poison expert. Today on the training ground, Zhuge Xiang was unharmed. Don't you understand yet?"

"It's you!!!" Niu Geng's words made Li Bin realize instantly why Zhuge Xiang was unharmed after drinking the fruit juice in front of him. At this moment, Li Bin finally understood.

"Indeed, it was me. When you gave me the fruit juice, I smelled the Duan Chang San. The conflict between you and Zhuge Xiang, and your attempt to poison him, had nothing to do with me directly. But when I said I would give the fruit juice to Zhuge Xiang alone, how did you respond?"

At this point, Niu Geng's face showed a complex mix of regret, mockery, and a sense of betrayal, his tone becoming more severe: "You clearly wanted to get rid of me as well. For a year, I considered you and Zhuge Xiang as rare friends. Even though you always treated me like a servant, I didn't get angry. But what did you give me in return? You wanted to kill me!"

Hiding in the dark, Zhuge Xiang also widened his eyes. The Niu Geng in front of him seemed very unfamiliar. He and Li Bin had both been deceived by Niu Geng's honest and simple appearance, never expecting that beneath it lay such a ruthless heart.

At the same time, Zhuge Xiang secretly rejoiced. Fortunately, Niu Geng had no intention of harming him; otherwise, just that gourd of fruit juice laced with Duan Chang San would have been enough to kill him.

With his life in danger, Li Bin, covered in black aura, begged pitifully, even appealing to their past friendship to try to move Niu Geng. But Niu Geng's heart was now as hard as stone, or perhaps Li Bin's attempt to poison him had completely disappointed him.

From begging to cursing to despair, Li Bin finally died from the poison. Throughout the process, Zhuge Xiang hid in the dark and witnessed everything.

After Li Bin died from the poison, Niu Geng stood there, staring at Li Bin's body for a moment. Then he turned around, his voice filled with deep fatigue, and said to where Zhuge Xiang was hiding: "Zhuge Xiang, come out. I know you've been there all along."

Having been discovered by Niu Geng, Zhuge Xiang didn't try to hide anymore and walked out openly. Looking at Niu Geng, he sighed and said, "I never thought that among the three of us in the room, the one who could endure the most was you. I must admit, Li Bin and I were both wrong about you."

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