184: I teach my own apprentices.

Meanwhile, in another illusion of meat aroma and clamor.

"braised pork! Steamed Pork with Rice Flour! Braised Pork Hock! Roasted Whole Lamb!"

Su Hongling was sitting on a mountain made of various cooked meats, holding a turkey leg larger than her head, eating with oil dripping from her mouth.

There was no blood, no killing, only an endless feast of food.

At the top of the meat mountain, a figure wearing an apron and holding a spatula was busily stir-frying in a giant iron pot.

That was Su Lin.

"Hong Ling, eat slowly, there's plenty more."

That 'Su Lin' turned around, a supremely kind, almost fawning smile on his face.

"Revered Master specially made it for you, all meat, not a single vegetable."

"Wuwuwu... Old Man, you're too good!"

Su Hongling was moved to tears, gnawing on the chicken leg and shouting indistinctly, "This is heaven! I want to live here forever!"

"Alright, then live here forever."

'Su Lin' put down the spatula, walked to her side, took out a handkerchief, and gently wiped the grease from the corner of her mouth.

"As long as Hong Ling is happy, Revered Master will keep cooking for you and fatten you up nicely."

This feeling of being spoiled rotten made Su Hongling curl her toes in comfort.

She squinted, purring contentedly like a cat whose itch had been scratched.

However.

Just as she was about to reach for another piece of braised pork.

That 'Su Lin' suddenly reached out and gently pressed the giant sword, no edge, on her back.

"Hong Ling."

His voice was still gentle, but carried a hint of persuasion.

"Since you're going to live here forever, this sword... can you throw it away?"

Su Hongling's chewing motion suddenly stopped.

Her cheeks were puffed out, and her ruby-like eyes blinked as she looked at the 'Revered Master' in front of her.

"Throw it away?"

"Yes."

'Su Lin' smiled, trying to unfasten the sword strap on her back.

"This sword is too heavy, black and ugly. What if it hurts my good Disciple?"

"Moreover, here there's only eating, drinking, and playing; no need to fight, no need to kill."

"Girls should wear pretty dresses and have long nails, why wield swords and spears?"

"Come, give it to Revered Master, Revered Master will help you throw it into the furnace to melt, okay?"

His hand had already touched the hilt.

At this very moment.

"Slap!"

A greasy little hand, lightning fast, grabbed 'Su Lin''s wrist.

Su Hongling hadn't swallowed the meat in her mouth yet, but her eyes had changed.

The light of enjoyment, greed, and contentment instantly vanished.

"You said... melt it down?"

She swallowed the meat in her mouth, her voice a little low.

"Yes."

'Su Lin' didn't sense the danger, still coaxing patiently.

"Fighting and killing are so tiring. Hong Ling just needs to be a happy little princess, spoiled by Revered Master..."

"Bullshit!"

Su Hongling suddenly erupted.

She violently shook off 'Su Lin''s hand, grabbed the giant sword from her back with a backhand, and slammed it heavily into the ground.

"Boom!"

The meat mountain collapsed, and countless delicious dishes rolled all over the ground.

"You fake, what do you know!"

Su Hongling pointed at the 'Su Lin' with a bewildered face, cursing loudly.

"The Old Man would never let me throw away this sword!"

"He did say girls should be pretty, but he also said that in this cannibalistic cultivation world, only with a strong sword in hand can one live beautifully!"

"If I throw away my sword..."

A hint of deep-seated fear flashed in her eyes, then turned into resolute anger.

"If I also become that kind of useless person who only knows how to act spoiled..."

"Who will smash those bastards who bully you into meat paste?!"

"Who will carry you out of that dead place?!"

The more she spoke, the more agitated she became, and the red Evil Qi on her body erupted, scattering the surrounding food illusions.

"I want to eat meat, but I want to become stronger even more!"

"I want to be spoiled by you, but I want to protect you even more!"

"You, who only wants to raise me like a pig... you're not my Old Man at all!!!"

"Go... to hell!!!"

Su Hongling swung the giant sword, no edge.

Without the slightest hesitation, without any reluctance.

The giant sword swept across.

That 'Su Lin' in the apron couldn't even utter a word of defense before being crushed into a meat patty by the terrifying gravitational field, then exploding into a cloud of red mist.

The illusion shattered.

Su Hongling stood in nothingness, her stomach rumbling at the appropriate moment.

She rubbed her belly, regrettably glancing at the dissipating braised pork.

"What a pity... the taste was quite authentic."

Immediately, her eyes sharpened, and she hoisted the giant sword onto her shoulder, striding into the depths of darkness.

"Daring to use the Old Man's face to trick me into eating and drinking... no matter who you are, this old lady will knock out all your teeth!"

...And in the deepest part of the illusion.

Vast and boundless sea of clouds, golden sunlight scattering, several immortal cranes gracefully circling in the clouds.

An ancient and grand Daoist temple floated above the sea of clouds.

Su Lin stood on the temple's plaza, his white robes whiter than snow, his cultivation... Mahayana Stage Great Perfection.

He felt the terrifying power within him, vast as the ocean, capable of moving the Laws of heaven and earth with every gesture.

No hidden injuries, no cultivation regression, no System's bond value restrictions.

This was his power in his prime.

"Revered Master, it's time for morning lessons."

A gentle voice sounded.

Su Lin turned his head.

Seven women in uniform Daoist robes stood respectfully behind him, bowing in unison.

Wasn't this the scene he most yearned for when he took disciple?

"Revered Master, please drink tea."

'Mu Qingxue' came forward with a cup of tea, her movements as standard as a textbook, her eyes full of reverence, yet lacking that deep-seated reliance.

Su Lin took the teacup.

The tea was at the perfect temperature, its aroma wafting.

He looked at these seven perfect disciple, and at his own perfect cultivation.

It was truly peaceful.

"No flavor."

He placed the teacup on the stone table beside him.

"Too bland."

'Su Hongling' stepped forward and respectfully asked, "Revered Master, do you find the tea not to your taste? Disciple will go change it immediately."

"No need."

Su Lin waved his hand, looking at this sensible Second Disciple.

"Hong Ling, don't you want to eat meat?"

'Su Hongling' was startled, then said solemnly, "Revered Master jests. Cultivators have long since abstained from grains; craving food will only disrupt one's Dao Heart."

Su Lin then looked at the righteous 'Luo Ximei'.

"Ximei, don't you want to... lock me up?"

'Luo Ximei' was greatly alarmed and immediately knelt down: "Revered Master, why say such a thing! Disciple only has respect for Revered Master, absolutely no rebellious or improper thoughts!"

Looking at the disciple kneeling on the ground.

Su Lin smiled.

A smile that was somewhat helpless, yet somewhat relieved.

"Fake."

"Too fake."

"My disciple... how could they be so obedient?"

He stood up and walked to the edge of the plaza, looking at the false sea of clouds.

"Although each of them is a rebellious Disciple."

Su Lin turned around, looking at the perfect illusions, his eyes gradually becoming sharp.

"They would go crazy for me, fight desperately for me, and even... poke a hole in the heavens for me."

"Not like you."

Su Lin pointed at them, a hint of disdain in his tone.

"Like a group of programmed puppets, acting out a boring play called 'respecting the Revered Master and valuing the Dao.'"

"This kind of perfection, I, Su Lin... don't care for it!"

Boom!

As his voice fell, his Mahayana Stage cultivation began to fluctuate violently.

But he did not use this false power.

Instead, he was dispersing his own cultivation!

"Disperse!"

Su Lin let out a low shout.

That vast Mahayana Stage spiritual power was unhesitatingly expelled from his body.

The illusion began to tremble.

"Revered Master! What are you doing?!"

The seven disciple shrieked in horror, wanting to rush forward to stop him, to maintain this perfect dream.

"Get lost."

Su Lin's eyes turned cold.

Even though he had dispersed his Mahayana Stage cultivation, even though he had reverted to the weak Revered Master of the Void Refining Stage.

But the Aura emanating from him was even more terrifying than before.

That was a Dao Heart that had experienced life and death, seen through illusions, and carried true bonds!

"My path, I walk myself."

"My disciple, I teach myself."

"Even if they are flawed, they were personally raised by me, Su Lin!"

Su Lin threw a punch.

This punch had no world-destroying spiritual light, only an unyielding will.

And that extremely faint, yet truly existing Space Law.

"Crack!"

Like a shattered mirror.

The perfect Daoist temple, the obedient disciple, the vast sea of clouds... in this instant, all exploded into countless glittering fragments... The real world.

At the edge of the Red Lotus Blood Sea.

Within the dense blood mist, four figures stood silently.

Suddenly.

"Whoosh."

Su Lin suddenly opened his eyes, letting out a long breath of stale air.

His eyes were clear, without the slightest confusion.

Immediately after.

"Pah! How disgusting!"

Su Hongling also woke up, wiping her mouth with a look of disgust, as if she had just eaten something dirty.

"Bastard! Daring to impersonate Revered Master! I'm going to kill you!!"

Luo Ximei opened her eyes with Killing Intent, demonic light swirling in her heterochromatic pupils.

"My specimen... it's gone..."

Chu Weiwei also woke up, still holding the posture of pinching a needle, her face full of regret.

The four exchanged glances.

"Clap! Clap! Clap!"

A series of crisp claps came from the depths of the blood sea ahead.

"Splendid, truly splendid."

With the applause, the previously calm blood sea suddenly boiled.

Countless streams of fresh blood gathered, forming a giant blood-red lotus platform on the sea surface.

Upon the lotus platform sat an eerie man in blood-red robes, with long, flowing hair like a waterfall.

His face was pale and handsome, with a vertical blood mark between his brows, and in his hand he held the second world core, representing decay.

Blood River Ancestor.

He looked at the four people on the shore, his eyes revealing undisguised admiration and greed.

"It's been tens of thousands of years... this is the first time my Mortal World Heart Refining Array has been broken so cleanly and decisively."

"A Body Cultivator who breaks things with brute force."

"A Demonic Cultivator who is self-centered."

"A morbidly obsessive Poison Cultivator."

"And one more..."

His gaze fell on Su Lin, with a hint of playfulness.

"A person who saw through illusions and destroyed perfection."

"Interesting, too interesting."

Blood River Ancestor stood up, the blood lotus beneath his feet blooming, and countless blood-red tentacles extended from the sea, dancing wildly in the air.

"Since you've come, then all of you stay."

Viscous blood waves rolled, and countless wronged souls wailed as they were tortured in purgatory.

The bloody smell in the air was so strong it became tangible, turning into strands of red threads, trying to drill into everyone's pores.

Su Hongling hoisted her giant sword onto her shoulder, an extremely arrogant smile appearing on her still baby-faced face.

"Just you, this demon covered in blood?"

"That fake in the illusion just now didn't let this old lady chop enough, so I'll use you to consecrate my sword!"

"Second Senior Sister, don't be impulsive."

Although Chu Weiwei said not to be impulsive, she had already taken out three different colored bottles, her eyes darting back and forth over Blood River Ancestor, as if estimating where to strike.

"This guy is a Blood Spirit Body, we need to use Blood-Dissolving Poison."

"Who cares what kind of body he is!"

Luo Ximei stepped forward, black and white Devilish Qi forming a huge vortex around her, crushing all the blood threads that tried to approach.

"Daring to drag us into that disgusting illusion and pry into my privacy... just for this, he deserves to die ten thousand times!"

"You three, step back."

Su Lin suddenly spoke.

"Huh?" Su Hongling was stunned, "Old Man, you want to fight alone? Can you do it?"

"A man cannot say he cannot."

Su Lin glanced at her indifferently, "Moreover, this battle doesn't use brute force, otherwise, who knows where we'll be dragged into again."

He took a step forward, his feet not touching the blood, but instead stepping on a faint ripple of space.

"Blood River Ancestor."

Su Lin looked at the man on the lotus platform, his voice not loud, yet it pierced through the roar of the surging blood waves.

"You dragged us into the illusion, not just to watch a show, right?"

"That world core in your hand is rotting."

As these words came out, Blood River Ancestor, who had been sneering, instantly changed his expression.

The condescending composure vanished, replaced by a chilling coldness, as if a painful spot had been hit.

"You can tell?"

"Of course."

Su Lin pointed at the core.

"Stagnation, decay, destruction."

"With White Bone Madam, it's stagnation; though painful, it can at least maintain its form."

"But with you, it's decay."

"Decay means irreversible decline."

Su Lin's gaze was like a knife, piercing directly into Blood River Ancestor's glabella.

"Your blood sea is drying up, your power is draining, your true body is rotting away."

"If you don't find a new vessel or solution, within ten years, you will become part of this muddy sludge."

"Am I right?"

Dead silence.

Only the sound of blood waves crashing against the shore.

The three disciple looked at their Revered Master in shock.

When did the Old Man learn to diagnose illnesses? He can even tell this?

"Haha... Hahahaha!"

Blood River Ancestor suddenly burst into laughter, his laughter carrying a hint of madness and desolation.

"Good! What keen insight!"

"As expected of a man who can walk out of the illusion."

He abruptly stopped laughing, his blood-red eyes staring intently at Su Lin.

"You're right, I'm rotting away."

"But isn't this the best opportunity?"

He stuck out his tongue, licking his pale lips, his gaze greedily sweeping over the three disciple behind Su Lin.

"Extreme vitality (Su Hongling), extreme demonic source (Luo Ximei), extreme poison body (Chu Weiwei)."

"As long as I refine the three of them and integrate them into my blood sea, I can reshape my true body and completely break free from this curse of decay!"

"And you..."

He pointed at Su Lin.

"Although your Physical Body is weak, your Divine Soul is exceptionally resilient. You can just be the main soul for this new body!"

"So, you are gifts from heaven to me!"

Countless giant blood Dragons surged up from the sea, opening their gaping maws and pouncing towards the four.

"Old Man, be careful!"

Su Hongling shouted, sweeping her giant sword horizontally, smashing a blood Dragon pouncing at Su Lin.

But the shattered blood didn't disappear; instead, it transformed into countless tiny blood leeches, trying to burrow into her skin.

"This blood is poisonous!"

Chu Weiwei's face turned ugly, "And it's a poison specifically targeting a Cultivator's spiritual power! My antidote pills can't suppress it!"

"Then don't let him touch you!"