```
As the Elder's chanting of the incantation continued unceasingly, all the runes within the pit lit up and began to voraciously consume the fresh blood of the dead Xieling Sect Disciples!
An extremely terrifying aura surged forth…
Sensing the strange phenomena around him, Xu Sheng turned to Shangguan Lin and asked, "Shangguan, what is this?"
Shangguan Lin replied with a solemn tone, "This baptism can bring about a rise in cultivation level!"
She herself had received it several times before, and her previously stagnant cultivation level had broken through just like that, although she was unclear about any potential adverse consequences thereafter!
After the runes finished absorbing the blood, countless beams of bloodlight shot into the sky, completely enveloping Xu Sheng and Shangguan Lin within the pit…
At the next moment, they both felt as if their bodies were being incessantly scoured by something, and the cultivation level within them began to rise at an incredible pace…
This continued for several seconds before Xu Sheng's cultivation level remained at the First Layer of the Void Refinement Stage, confined due to a seal!
As for Shangguan Lin, her cultivation level broke through from the Sixth Layer of the Divinity Transformation Stage to the Seventh!
The bloodlight then began to dim and eventually slowly vanished…
Watching this scene unfold, the Elder of the Evil Spirit Sect spoke again in a cold voice, "Today's baptism is concluded. You two disciples, depart at once."
In his words lingered a trace of impatience and urgency!
Almost as soon as he finished speaking, a flicker of excitement and greed sparkled in the eyes of the other Elders…
The one-level increase in cultivation was merely a token gesture for the two victorious Xieling Sect Disciples, the real energy was still conserved!
After all, the power generated from the deceased disciples of the Xieling Sect, numbering well into the teens, was far from small!
Despite their confusion, both Xu Sheng and Shangguan Lin responded softly, "Yes, Elders!"
They then stepped out of the pit without further delay…
The moment they turned around, Xu Sheng inwardly commanded, "Sword Heart!"
Even without using his eyes, every single event occurring around him unfolded in his mind!
As Xu Sheng and Shangguan Lin gradually walked away, the Elders could no longer hold themselves back. One by one they rose from their seats and leapt into the pit…
Once all of them had entered, the pit burst forth once more with an even vaster bloodlight, several times denser than before!
One Elder licked his thin lips, greedily exclaiming, "Ah, delightful! If I can absorb this power a few more times, I will break through the Fifth Level of the Body Integration Realm before long!"
Mei Li cast a disdainful glance with her beautiful eyes and said coldly, "Hmph! Better hurry and absorb it. There are many Elders in the Evil Spirit Sect, and it's not always our turn!"
"Hahaha, I have broken through to the Sixth Level of the Body Integration Realm! This method of improving cultivation is truly swift!"
"I, too, have broken through to the Fifth Level of the Body Integration Realm! These bred livestock have really come in handy! Hehe~"
Yes, these Elders of the Evil Spirit Sect chose to guard this place precisely for this moment!
To use the blood of the deceased members of the Evil Spirit Sect to activate the great formation below and transform it into power that could be absorbed, thereby enhancing their own cultivation levels!
On the other side, a smile curved the corners of Xu Sheng's mouth, "So this is their true purpose? I had not expected this to be the actual objective behind the Evil Spirit Sect's establishment!"
All the disciples of the Evil Spirit Sect were merely livestock being bred within it...
No wonder they cared so little about the casualties among the sect disciples!
```
Shangguan Lin looked at Xu Sheng beside her, who seemed a bit off, and asked curiously, "Master? What are you thinking about?"
Xu Sheng smiled faintly and shook his head, "It's nothing, I just suddenly understood the purpose behind the founding of the Evil Spirit Sect."
Shangguan Lin wore a puzzled expression and mumbled in bewilderment, "Huh? But that was just too dangerous earlier, I thought those Elders were going to make a move against us!"
Fortunately, it was just a false alarm, and moreover, my cultivation level has increased!
Xu Sheng gently tapped her head and said, "Let's go, we're heading back..."
...
The next day! Dawn gradually approached, dispelling the boundless darkness...
Inside the room, Shangguan Lin's eyelashes trembled slightly, and she quietly opened those bewitching beautiful eyes...
All of a sudden, she saw Xu Sheng lying beside her; under this close scrutiny, her exquisitely flushed cheeks became even more rosy...
Why was Xu Sheng sleeping with her? Could it be that something unspeakable had happened between them last night?
If such was the case, why didn't she feel anything at all? Was it because she had absorbed too much of a man's vital essence, thus enhancing her resistance?
Clutching onto this doubt, she couldn't help but bite her teeth and softly called out, "Xu... Master, wake up!"
Xu Sheng's ink-colored pupils suddenly opened, and he glanced over at her nonchalantly, inquiring, "What's wrong?"
Shangguan Lin pursed her tender, soft lips and said shyly, "How come... How come you are sleeping with me... sleeping together?"
Xu Sheng glanced casually around and immediately understood her implication, saying with a hint of teasing, "Now that you're my slave, it's not too much for me to do whatever I want with you, right?"
Shangguan Lin's beautiful eyes widened, her eyes gradually brimming with tears as she choked up, "But... But..."
She wanted to refute Xu Sheng, yet she found herself at a loss for words...
Just then, an angry voice from outside interrupted their conversation...
"Shangguan Lin, you wretched woman, get the hell out here!"
At the sound, Xu Sheng's dark pupils shifted to glance at Shangguan Lin beside him...
The latter's cheeks showed a hint of contemplation before she quickly remembered the owner of that voice...
Her expression turned serious as she said, "It's Niu Ben, the big brother of those Xieling Sect Disciples we killed before! His cultivation level has reached the Fifth Level of the Void Refinement Stage, and his coming now is probably..."
Before she could finish explaining, a loud "bang!" echoed as the tightly closed door was violently kicked open...
Immediately thereafter, a fearsome and intimidating, muscular giant of a man walked in! His presence was terrifying, pressing down the atmosphere of the entire room...
Behind him followed countless Xieling Sect Disciples, their Spirit Force Fluctuations wavering between the Nascent Soul Stage and the Divinity Transformation Stage!
His eyes, filled with boundless rage, glared at Shangguan Lin as he coldly shouted, "Shangguan Lin, what exactly have you done to my brothers? Why haven't they returned yet?"
His own minions were still missing, and here she was, daring to flirt with a man in her room!
Today, he must teach this contemptible woman a lesson!
...