Chapter 6:Blood Fiend Artifact

Tao Lang and the others nodded repeatedly, completely stunned by what they saw.

Zhang Wenxu was a senior disciple on Listening Profound Peak, ranked as the second senior brother. Yet in front of Lin Ye, he had no strength to fight back.

He was ruthlessly beaten to a pulp.

Just watching made them wince. Zhang Wenxu, who was once considered a handsome man, was now unrecognizable.

The problem was—Senior Brother Wenxu was a cultivator at the third level of the Qi Sea Realm, while Lin Ye had always been known as the most useless core disciple, someone who hadn't even touched the threshold of the Qi Sea Realm.

But now, he had crushed Senior Brother Wenxu with ease, without the slightest resistance.

It was truly unbelievable.

"We'll go! Right away!"

Tao Lang quickly said. They were all from Listening Profound Peak—where could they even run? Not to mention, Lin Ye was a core disciple himself. Now that he had shown such overwhelming power, it was a nightmare for Tao Lang and the others. This was all Zhang Wenxu's fault for provoking Lin Ye!

Otherwise, they wouldn't have ended up in this mess.

Afraid of getting beaten, Tao Lang turned to leave in a flash.

"Come back."

Lin Ye called out.

Tao Lang's heart skipped a beat.

Don't tell me... he's not done beating us?

"Senior Brother Lin Ye… do you have any other instructions?"

"What happened to Chu Mengxi?" Lin Ye asked.

Chu Mengxi.

She was the senior sister of Listening Profound Peak.

In the past, Lin Ye had been under her protection. Though he was weak, no one dared to truly bully him beyond a few petty insults.

But now, a mere Zhang Wenxu dared to act so brazenly. That could only mean something had happened to Chu Mengxi.

Although Lin Ye didn't care much for the original body's past relationships, he didn't want unnecessary trouble either. After all, even his best brother had betrayed him. Lin Ye now understood that the only thing in the world he could trust—was the sword in his hand.

"Senior Sister?"

Tao Lang was a bit startled hearing Lin Ye directly call her by name.

"We're not too sure either… but we heard that Senior Sister failed her breakthrough and nearly went into qi deviation…"

Lin Ye nodded—so something had indeed happened. He waved his hand, signaling Tao Lang and the others to leave. They looked as if they'd just been pardoned, rushing off to prepare household items for Lin Ye.

Pooling their resources, they managed to get some high-quality furnishings.

Before leaving, Lin Ye also looted Zhang Wenxu's storage ring. It seemed Zhang had an interest in alchemy, as his ring contained a few cauldrons.

Perfect timing.

As for Chu Mengxi, Lin Ye didn't have time to worry about her for now. Improving his strength was the top priority.

He searched Zhang Wenxu's room but found nothing else valuable, so he left. Zhang's injuries were just concussions and external wounds—not fatal.

Tao Lang was surprisingly efficient. By the time Lin Ye returned to his courtyard, it had already been cleaned up. Everything was neat and brand new.

The bed was perfectly made.

"Senior Brother Lin Ye, are you satisfied? Should we call a few outer sect female disciples to help warm your bed?"

Tao Lang did his best to curry favor with Lin Ye. Though he'd lost two teeth, he figured he got off easy. Compared to what happened to Zhang Wenxu, his beating was basically a reward.

Lin Ye gave him a cold glance, and Tao Lang instantly shut his mouth.

"Go to Donglai Town and buy all the herbs on this list. Also, keep an eye out for any treasures with blood fiend attributes. If you find any, notify me immediately."

Lin Ye tossed him a paper filled with herb names. Donglai Town was the nearest market town controlled by the sect.

Every sect had its own subordinate towns. Donglai Town wasn't big, but it was under the control of Wind Thunder Profound Sect.

"These… these…"

Tao Lang looked at the list—it mostly contained extremely rare herbs. There was no way he could afford all this…

Lin Ye flicked his finger, and a Yuhua Pill flew into Tao Lang's hand.

"Yuhua Pill?!"

Tao Lang was stunned!

"Senior Brother Lin Ye, you…"

Tears welled up in his eyes. He looked like he was about to worship Lin Ye as his savior, his voice trembling with emotion.

"Get moving."

Lin Ye waved casually.

Tao Lang immediately wiped his tears and stood at attention.

"Rest assured, Senior Brother Lin Ye! From now on, you are like a second father to me! I will go through fire and water without complaint!"

With that, he dashed off, afraid Lin Ye might take back the pill.

That Yuhua Pill was something Lin Ye had found on Zhang Wenxu. Lin Ye didn't care for such a low-grade pill, so he casually gave it away.

Tao Lang wasn't Lin Ye's enemy—just someone who had been used. And since he could be used by others, Lin Ye could use him too.

Not everything had to be done personally.

As for Zhang Wenxu, for now, he was just a fool who picked the wrong fight. If he could repent, Lin Ye wouldn't bother with him.

But if he didn't know his place—then Lin Ye would erase him.

The path forward was to focus on cultivating the Nine Revolutions Asura Technique.

Lu Jue, as a Heaven-bestowed Royal, already stood at the pinnacle of power. With the entire royal clan backing him, Lin Ye had to become strong enough to face it all!

Lin Ye continued his cultivation in the courtyard.

Meanwhile, all the disciples of the sect had returned to their respective peaks, and the manager of the Affairs Hall, Xu Liang, received devastating news.

His son, Xu Ming, hadn't returned from Dragon Void Cave!

Affairs Hall.

When Xu Liang heard the report, he slammed his desk.

"Impossible! With Xu Ming's cultivation, even if he was in danger, he should've been able to protect himself. How could he not come back?!"

No one could survive inside the Dragon Void Cave after a year. Once it sealed, that place became a haven for savage beasts—many powerful creatures would awaken again.

"We've triple-checked the name list. Xu Ming is not on it. Also missing are Gu Shusen, Jin Liangfei, and more than a dozen inner sect disciples."

A deacon from the Affairs Hall reported. This matter was indeed strange.

Xu Ming was from Mingzhao Peak—one of the top seven cultivation peaks, ranked second in overall strength.

"Could it be…"

A cold glint flashed in Xu Liang's eyes—he seemed to have thought of something.

Only a few people knew about Xu Ming's mission, not even the deacon, so Xu Liang didn't explain.

"Continue investigating. Ask all the peak disciples if anyone saw them or heard anything."

"Yes, sir."

Once the deacon left, Xu Liang began pacing, then headed straight for Elder Peak.

Elder Peak was one of the branches off the main peak where the elders resided.

The Affairs Hall happened to be on Xuanlei Peak, so it wasn't far. Xu Liang soon arrived at a secluded courtyard.

"Elder Geng, it's me."

He knocked on the door.

This was Elder Geng Shiqiu, one of the six elders of the sect.

Though not the highest-ranking, his strength was fearsome. He was known as the most underestimated elder.

"Any news?"

Geng Shiqiu was meditating at a stone table. When Xu Liang entered, he waved his hand, casting a layer of protective energy.

Earth Transformation Realm!

"There's something strange. My son Xu Ming, along with Gu Shusen and Jin Liangfei, didn't return. But Lin Ye made it out alive."

Xu Liang's heart ached as he thought of his son.

"Oh? A useless brat at the Spirit Spring Realm? So many people couldn't take care of him?"

Geng Shiqiu's gaze turned icy.

"Time is running out. There are less than twenty days left. Finish this quietly and cleanly," he ordered, his old eyes flashing with bloodthirsty killing intent.

"I understand. I'll arrange for an outside mission. Once Lin Ye is outside the sect's territory, he'll be a dead man."

One plan had failed, but another would take its place. Though Xu Liang grieved for his son, all that hatred had now been redirected at Lin Ye!

"Good."

"As for your son… grieve later. This Golden Essence Pill should help you break through your current realm. Now go."

With a flick of his wrist, Geng Shiqiu sent a golden pill into Xu Liang's hand.

A fourth-grade pill—Golden Essence Pill!

As he looked at the pill, Xu Liang's sorrow transformed into determination and fury.

"Elder, rest assured. I will not fail you!"

An hour later, Tao Lang had already delivered all the herbs Lin Ye needed.

This efficiency actually surprised Lin Ye a little.

"Not bad," he praised casually.

Tao Lang grinned.

"Hehe, Senior Brother, if you need anything in the future, just give the word. Running errands—our specialty."

"Alright, you can go now."

Tao Lang didn't dawdle either and simply left.

Among the inner disciples of Tingxuan Peak, Tao Lang held a bit of status. Though he had previously served under Zhang Wenxu, strength was everything here—whoever had the biggest fist got the say.

Before joining the Fenglei Xuanzong, Tao Lang had worked as a bodyguard for a wealthy household. He had seen many important figures.

So the moment he saw Lin Ye beat Zhang Wenxu to a pulp, Tao Lang knew—this Senior Brother Lin was no longer the same!

In the courtyard—

Lin Ye placed the pill cauldron he'd taken from Zhang Wenxu's storage ring on the ground.

He pulled out three firestones and laid them under the cauldron.

Regular fire wasn't nearly hot enough for alchemy.

Though Lin Ye had profound alchemy knowledge, his current cultivation was still weak, so he had to rely on tools.

Second-grade pills? He could make those barehanded.

Third-grade? No big deal either.

So—he aimed straight for a fourth-grade pill.

From the dried well in Longxu Cave, he had found three Blood Spirit Grasses. Although he'd eaten the roots, the leaves were intact.

"Bone powder of a fifth-tier beast, Wind Spirit Fruit, and a few other second-grade herbs, along with the core crystal of a Coldpool Crocodile... should do the trick."

All the ingredients were second-grade, but the key was the powdered skull of a fifth-tier beast.

That skull alone gave Lin Ye confidence.

Normally, alchemists barely extracted even one-tenth of a herb's potential.

Take the Yuhua Pill, for example—it didn't even retain one-twentieth of the raw materials' power. Total trash.

"As long as the medicinal power condenses well, I can make a fourth-grade."

Lin Ye chipped a small piece off the beast skull and tossed it into the cauldron.

Then two beast crystals followed.

With the firestones' intense heat...

And most importantly, Lin Ye's Blood Fiend Profound Qi stirred and churned the mixture at high speed, creating massive heat to refine the ingredients.

Buzz!

The furnace flared to life.

A rich, fragrant aroma filled the air.

Lin Ye waved his hand, sending several strands of Profound Qi into the furnace to seal it, preventing the fragrance from spreading. If others caught a whiff, peace and quiet would be out the window.

Lin Ye had now reached Qi Sea Stage Four, more than enough to handle this alchemy session with ease.

With his vast experience, he could even split his focus—cultivating the Nine Revolutions Asura Technique while refining the pill at the same time.

Most alchemists needed their full attention for this, but Lin Ye? Confident and composed.

The refining process lasted all night.

Meanwhile, in Elegant Text Residence—

Zhang Wenxu woke from unconsciousness. His face throbbed with pain, and the nearby table leg had snapped.

"Damn it… my face!"

He grabbed a bronze mirror—his once-handsome face now bore several gruesome scars.

The injuries might heal, but the scars wouldn't!

"Lin Ye, you dared strike me? I'll kill you! I challenge you to a life-and-death duel!"

Zhang Wenxu was burning with rage—this was blood feud-level hatred now.

Then he reached for some salve—only to discover...

"My storage ring—it's empty?!"

All his valuables were gone!

Not just treasures—everything worth anything had been cleaned out!

Who else could've done this?!

"Lin Ye!! I'll rip you to pieces! Duel me, you coward!"

Zhang Wenxu had no clue what Lin Ye had done to knock him out so fast, but he was sure of one thing—he wasn't weak. Qi Sea Stage Three wasn't for show.

If Lin Ye wanted to play dirty, fine—he'd play along!

And he wasn't just anyone. While his sect background was average, Zhang Wenxu's clan ruled Lei River City, a city under the Fenglei Xuanzong's domain.

Every month, his family provided huge amounts of resources to the sect.

Lin Ye? Sure, his dad had been a powerful elder—Lin Zhonghai, once called the strongest in the sect.

But after his death, Lin Ye's status plummeted. Even inner disciples dared provoke him.

Zhang Wenxu hadn't thought much of Lin Ye. He assumed the guy would die in Longxu Cave.

But Lin Ye had returned—and with a vengeance.

Even so, Zhang Wenxu didn't act rashly. He needed to find out how Lin Ye had grown stronger, and sect rules forbade open fighting. If he wanted revenge, it'd either be on the Life and Death Arena—or... through other means.

If he killed Lin Ye in secret and got caught, even his family would suffer.

So, for now—he swallowed the loss.

"Fine! I'll bide my time. But if I don't take revenge—I'm not even my father's son!"

At dawn—

Lin Ye opened his eyes, raised his hand, and drew in a strand of Heavenly Purple Qi, channeling it into the pill furnace.

This Qi only appeared at dawn and disappeared quickly. It was hard to catch, but helpful if gathered in large quantities.

Buzz!

The furnace roared to life.

With a single palm strike—Boom! The pill furnace, which Zhang Wenxu had bought at high price, shattered into pieces!

The material was average—it couldn't handle this kind of power.

Lin Ye's Blood Fiend Qi formed a cage around the newly forming pill, locking its aura in place.

The surrounding pill liquid was being absorbed as the pill gradually took shape.

"It's done—Demonbone Golden Pill!"

A gleam of delight flashed in Lin Ye's eyes. This method had only been a theory before—but it worked!

Among fourth-grade pills, Demonbone Golden Pill was one of the better ones.

It could temper the bones and amplify Profound Qi.

"Luckily, I had the Spirit-Gathering Ring. Last night drained a ton of energy. Without it, I might've collapsed."

After stabilizing his condition, Lin Ye swallowed the Demonbone Golden Pill.

A fourth-grade pill, personally refined—how powerful could it be?

As soon as he took it, a wave of violent demonic force surged inside him—like ten thousand savage soldiers battling within.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

He could even hear his bones being reforged.

It was painful—his body was still too average.

"Hah!"

The noise finally settled.

Lin Ye now felt his body had finally become useful.

Profound Qi flowed more smoothly—and faster.

"Qi Sea Stage Seven!"

One fourth-grade pill—three small realm breakthroughs.

Most of the pill's power had gone into rebuilding his body.

Otherwise, he might have broken through even more.

"Thought I'd touch the Earth Transformation Realm, but still a bit short. This pill's still lacking."

Just as Lin Ye prepared to keep cultivating, a sound came from a voice-transmission artifact in the room:

"Tingxuan Peak core disciple Lin Ye, report to the Main Peak Plaza within the next half hour."

Report?

With a cold snort, Lin Ye sent out a blast of Blood Fiend Qi—smash!—and shattered the wooden fish-shaped artifact.

Right then, came a knock at the door.

"Senior Brother Lin Ye? It's me…"

Tao Lang's voice rang out.

Lin Ye let him in.

Tao Lang was beaming, holding a scroll.

"Hehe, good news, Senior Brother Lin—someone dug up a treasure from an ancient tomb! When it emerged, the sky turned blood-red! It must be a Blood Fiend Artifact. It's going to be auctioned... in Lei River City!"