Chapter 7 - Three Months Later

Three months later.

The night was thick as spilled ink across the sky, not a single star visible. The depths of the Great Zhou Mountain were immersed in dense shadows, where even the moonlight dared not fully penetrate.

It was in this abyss of darkness and silence that the boom occurred.

BOOM!

A sonic sound cut through the air like an invisible spear, making the surrounding trees bend under the brutal pressure of the shockwave. Stones broke loose from the slopes, animals instinctively retreated, and the ground trembled as if the mountain itself were about to collapse.

At the center of the devastation, the colossal body of an Earth Profound Beast lay motionless.

The creature was over ten meters long, with a muscular, elongated body resembling a mix between a lion and a draconic centipede. Its back was covered by a glossy black carapace made of mineral scales that seemed forged under immense heat, each reflecting light like molten metal beneath ashes.

Two curved, bony mandibles protruded from its head, resembling natural cranes capable of crushing rocks with ease. Its eyes, three on each side, glowed in a dull amber hue, cold and unmoving, as if not meant to see but to hunt by vibration and heat.

The creature had six powerful legs, each ending in claws made of natural obsidian, sharp as blades and heavy enough to leave craters upon touching the ground. Between the segments of its torso, rigid spines sprouted, rising like spears whenever it prepared to attack.

At its tail, there was a protrusion resembling a stone hammer wrapped in veins of dried lava, vibrating faintly with compressed profound energy. When enraged, the tail would heat up until it emitted a reddish glow, like embers about to ignite.

There was a clean hole piercing its thorax, a perfect circle of torn flesh, pulverized bones, and dispersed vital essence. The smell of blood and profound energy lingered in the air like a dense mist.

This beast was a Yinmu, also known as the terror of the depths. It was half a step away from reaching the strength level of a Sky Profound Beast, meaning it possessed a cultivation level at the peak of the Earth Profound Realm, equivalent to a cultivator in the first or second level of the Sky Profound Realm in terms of combat prowess. The truth was that most Profound Beasts were stronger than human cultivators due to their resilient and absurdly stronger bodies...

Ren Zu let out a soft sigh.

He retracted his arm, rotating his wrist naturally.

He wore only a reinforced combat robe, marked by cuts, dust, and traces of blood—none of it his, of course.

The beast didn't even have time to react.

The fist he used to pierce the monster carried only his brute strength, the result of three months of intense training and an absurdly refined control over every aspect of his body.

His mastery was so precise that he could gather an exact amount of energy into a minuscule point and release it with near-perfect precision. This level of control elevated the activation speed of his profound strength to an almost instantaneous level.

In simple terms, he could apply all his strength in a gentle touch and still reduce a rock the size of a small hill to dust. Another example: regardless of the enemy's external defense level, he could concentrate his profound energy directly inside the opponent's body, causing internal destruction.

The physical application of this technique was complex, requiring near-superhuman synchronization, but if fully mastered, his combat prowess would reach a new, unmatched level. But he supposed it would take a few years to achieve such a level...

Ren Zu raised his eyes, allowing the silence to reclaim the surroundings.

He took a deep breath.

This was his current training ground.

A natural labyrinth of caves, tunnels, and hidden valleys within the Great Zhou Mountain, where cultivators rarely tread due to the absurd number of powerful profound beasts. Ren Zu not only settled there but cleared the surroundings completely, luring the beasts one by one to kill them.

In this world, besides humans, monsters could also cultivate and used the same "power level" system.

However, what differentiated them from human cultivators was the presence of so-called Profound Cores.

Ordinary beasts didn't possess these cores in their bodies. From Nascent Profound Beasts onward, however, Profound Cores existed in all adult beasts, functioning similarly to the core of Profound Veins in humans.

Nascent Profound Cores were the easiest to obtain and, consequently, the cheapest. They were usually sold for prices ranging from a dozen to a few hundred Yellow Profound Coins.

However, as the core's classification increased, its value grew exponentially. In weaker nations, a single Earth Profound Core could be sold for an astronomical price. Sky Profound Cores were considered priceless treasures.

As for the legendary Emperor Profound Cores... well, although they weren't extremely rare in the Imperial Demon City of the Illusory Demon Realm, they still held extraordinarily high value and were highly coveted.

That was why he was hunting Profound Beasts...

Although he had followed the routine he planned initially, over the three months that passed, he also changed a bit and began hunting Profound Beasts to sell their cores and earn money to buy the resources he needed...

After three months, Ren Zu broke through from the Fourth Level of the True Profound Realm to the Tenth Level of the Spiritual Profound Realm! He was only half a step away from the Earth Profound Realm.

Despite the impressive speed at which he advanced several cultivation levels, he still considered his current level low. However, that didn't worry him in the slightest, as his combat power was simply terrifying.

Thanks to his continuous efforts, his body training had reached the Marrow Tempering level, and he had cultivated about 60% of that stage.

In the traditional path of physical cultivation, the martial artist progressed from Strength Training to Flesh Training, then to Viscera Training, followed by Muscle Alteration and Bone Forging. At each stage, profound energy seeped deeper into the body, becoming more integrated and efficient. When it finally penetrated the bone marrow, the phase known as Marrow Tempering began...

Although he had consumed many resources to reach this level, the result was impressive: his body now possessed an additional strength of 60,000 kg, fully under his control.

According to his own calculations, he could easily defeat twenty versions of his former self before losing his cultivation, using only physical strength. And it wasn't just strength: all his physical attributes had skyrocketed, elevating his power to a new level. He could, theoretically, reduce mountains to dust with a single punch, combining brute strength, speed, power, and control. Of course, he couldn't do this casually yet.

However, there was a problem: this level of power relied on close-quarters combat. Against Sky Profound Realm cultivators, who could freely fly in the skies, this became a limitation.

Well... He could try to compensate for this by using the [Unlimited Sword Art] to fly on a sword, but he hadn't yet achieved a mastery that allowed him to replicate his physical speed during flight.

But things would change if a Sky Profound Realm cultivator or above were on solid ground and within his reach; he supposed he could reach the point of killing them easily...

That's what happened when an absurdly powerful body training manual was given to someone from a lower world...

Besides his body, which now granted him truly terrifying combat power, his three months spending eight hours a day in the Ashura Field had also given him unparalleled battle experience.

There, he constantly fought for his life against enemies who, for the most part, were superior to him in cultivation or skills. And yet, he killed them. Not hundreds, not thousands... but millions over the three months that passed.

Each confrontation had shaped his reflexes, sharpened his technique, and forged his killing intent to the limit.

For example, he resumed cultivating his family's Profound Art and reached the tenth stage, a level far superior to what he had previously achieved.

The [Purple Cloud Art] is the fundamental technique of the Yun Family. With lightning attributes, its profound energy manifests in a purple color. Although it wasn't as impressive as some of his other profound arts, he still decided to master it, as it was the main profound art of his body's former owner.

Besides fully mastering this technique, he also successfully advanced to the 'Third Sword' of the 'Unlimited Sword Art,' an art divided into 'Seven Swords.'

For the four lower-level swords, one who masters them can already be considered a Sword Master.

By training the first sword, the cultivator can defend against hundreds of enemies, manipulating blades in the air as extensions of their own will. With 'two swords,' one can resist a thousand adversaries; with three, stand against ten thousand. Upon reaching the fourth sword, the cultivator awakens the so-called Spiritual Sword Techniques, instantly doubling their destructive power.

After the lower level came the intermediate level.

Upon mastering the two intermediate swords, the title of Sword Saint becomes appropriate. A Sword Saint, even with a single sword, can control ten thousand blades. The exact number varies depending on the density and quality of the available profound energy, but for such figures, the sky becomes an arsenal.

Upon mastering the second intermediate sword, the cultivator can form Sword Stars, manifestations that replicate the stars in the firmament. For each star visible in the sky, a stellar sword can be summoned.

Finally, at the absolute pinnacle, lies the mastery of the superior-level swords, the domain of the Sword God.

A true Sword God possesses infinite swords, absolute control over the Dao of the Blade. Nothing escapes their blade, and no creature can stand before their judgment. Their cut is not merely physical—it is a truth that tears the world apart.

If someone became a Sword God...

Then the world would have no choice.

All creatures, mortal or immortal, would bow before them.

Within the hilt of the sword he kept hidden under his robes rested an arsenal worthy of challenging the heavens: 180,000 beginner-level swords, 150,000 refined swords, 2,995 origin swords… and five divine swords.

In combat, he was already capable of simultaneously manipulating over three thousand beginner swords, two refined swords, and even one origin sword, a feat that would require centuries of dedication from a talented sword path cultivator.

But the true monstrosity lay in the fact that he had become one with each of these swords. Each sword had its own soul, weight, intent, rhythm, and thirst for blood. And he understood them deeply, as if he had been born to wield them all.

Three months. That was all it took to achieve this.

Calling his sword talent "supreme" would be an insult.

Perhaps that's why...

He chose to fight with his fists because he felt that if he used the sword, he would kill his enemies too easily...

Another important point worth highlighting is that he had reached the second layer of the "Ten Extreme Daos." He successfully cultivated to the pinnacle of the "Fire" Path, becoming completely immune to any type of flame. Moreover, he began to control the fire element as naturally as he breathed, even flames generated by other cultivators. In fact, any fire-based profound art had become useless against him.

As he needed to choose another element to cultivate the Ten Extreme Daos, he chose the "Lightning" element, having an idea to accelerate his progress on this path.

As for the [Miracle of Life]...

Ren Zu now understood over 60% of the manual, enough to perform bodily diagnoses with a simple touch or glance. He could even grant Heavenly God Profound Veins to someone, easily opening profound entrances, use medical skills to disguise himself, knew every molecule of human anatomy, and had a greater understanding of Light Profound Energy.

He thought about soon healing his parents...

With a sigh, he approached the carcass of the Profound Beast and, with a swift movement, removed the creature's core. The energy within it swirled with an intense amber light, a sign of the high purity accumulated over decades. He observed the core for a moment before storing it.

Ren Zu shrugged lightly.

"Now that the hunt for profound cores is over, a stroll wouldn't hurt…"

In the next instant, a long, elegant sword appeared in his hand as if it had sprouted from the air. Its blade emitted a silvery glow, with ripples of light flowing gently along its length, as if the metal itself were alive, pulsing. There was no sound, no wind, just a silent manifestation of pure sword intent.

With a light push of his feet, he rose into the air, and the sword followed naturally, positioning itself under his feet as an extension of his own body. Energy flowed effortlessly, forming a thin layer around him, cutting through the air with a speed impossible to track with the naked eye.

WOOSH!

In the blink of an eye, he had already shot beyond the clearing. The strong wind whipped against his tattered robe, but Ren Zu remained as still as a mountain amidst a storm. The sword beneath his feet didn't tremble in the slightest—it was stable, perfect, sharp as a bolt of lightning.

He controlled the blade with such mastery that every curve, dive, and swerve in the air was executed with near-artistic precision. He darted through the hidden valleys of the Great Zhou Mountain, slicing through low clouds, leaving a trail of pressure in the air and sparkling embers where the sword's metal tore through the suspended moisture.

Below, the trees bent in his wake.

After a few minutes feeling the wind against his face, Ren Zu frowned.

Had he seen a lake?

Slowing down, he approached cautiously.

It was a very small lake. In fact, it was barely larger than a pond, and with a single glance, its limits were visible. However, the water was exceptionally clear: even under the hazy moonlight, he could see straight to the bottom.

The area within seventy meters of the lake was covered in thick, wild, uneven foliage, but the plants growing there didn't have a healthy green hue; instead, they seemed dry and wilted. Within this circle around the lake, an area that should have been more than suitable for plants to thrive, there wasn't a single blade of grass growing; it was just barren land.

The night breeze moved away from the lake's surface, and this wind, which should have carried a cool, refreshing sensation from the lake's water, instead made him experience a unique feeling of dry heat, which was extremely bizarre. His heart skipped a beat, and he crouched, dipping his hand into the lake… the water wasn't cold; instead, it was almost at body temperature.

The Imperial Demon City was located in the north of the Illusory Demon Realm; thus, it should be a cold region. At that moment, being nighttime, the lake's water should have been cold to the point of freezing. It definitely shouldn't have been warm like this...

And upon approaching, he could sense that this heat was the result of flames that were not inferior to his own Vermilion Bird flames. Was it from the Golden Crow? Was someone possessing the Golden Crow's lineage there?

In the Illusory Demon Royal Family, everyone possessed some degree of the Golden Crow lineage, and the Demon Emperors' lineage had the purest of them. Could it be possible that someone from the Illusory Demon Royal Family had bathed in this lake? Could it be...

Approaching a bit closer, he completely concealed his presence and descended from the sword, hiding behind the bushes.

The foliage wasn't very tall, but it was extremely dense, enough to cover his entire body. Not long after he hid, a vague figure appeared in the sky directly within his field of vision. Then, in just a fraction of a second, the figure seemed to glide through the night sky like flowing light, closing in until it was only a hundred meters from where he was…

So fast!

Ren Zu exclaimed in his heart. At the same time, he quickly lowered his head to avoid the other noticing his gaze… Once one's spiritual perception reached a certain level, even without using their eyes, they could sense if they were being watched… and he had that kind of ability.

The astonishing speed of the other person was the manifestation of an incomparably intense force… this person's strength might not even lose to that of his father, Yun Qinghong.

Soon after Ren Zu made his gaze more discreet, he suddenly noticed that the other person's speed had noticeably slowed. Then, they stopped not far from where he was, still hovering in the air.

A profound energy aura was released from this person's body and swept the surrounding area. It also passed over him but continued without stopping; this was proof that he still hadn't been detected… but when the profound energy aura passed through his body, it made him go violently rigid, his organs suddenly contracting. A bone-chilling shiver filled him completely, seeping even into his blood.

This person… What a terrifying aura!

Ren Zu was fully convinced that the strength of this profound energy aura was not inferior to Yun Qinghong's in any way!

The strength of this profound energy aura was secondary to the fact that it also carried an extremely heavy sense of suppression! The force of this suppression made him feel as if all the blood in his body were about to freeze.

If it were someone else, it was possible that under this oppressive feeling, they would kneel directly on the ground, trembling completely.

What kind of person was this… "They didn't detect my presence, but stopped here anyway." Did that mean this person came to this place regularly?

A Sovereign Profound Realm expert. What was someone like that doing here in the middle of the night?

His suspicions grew bolder.

This person floated in the air for a while and, after confirming no one was around, withdrew their spiritual perception.

At the same time, he carefully raised his head to look in their direction. Due to the relatively clear moonlight, he could clearly see this person's features. After doing so, his expression instantly turned to shock…

Not because he saw a girl, but because of how beautiful she was... Any actress, model, or idol from his past life was a pig in comparison, even Number Seven Under the Heavens from the old Ren Zu's memories was far inferior.

She wore a long, ill-fitting gray dress… No, it couldn't be called a dress; rather, it was a sort of plain, dark-gray robe without ornaments. The girl's silhouette was extremely small and delicate, and even these robes, which weren't that large, failed to accentuate her figure. Instead, as they billowed in the night breeze, the hem of the robe nearly swallowed her ankles.

This girl… was dressed in a truly strange way.

But this strangely dressed girl had a very beautiful and delicate face; her skin was also stunningly flawless.

This girl also possessed a beauty that was incomparably strange and mesmerizing, but the sense of fascination she exuded was a kind of sinister and dangerous enchantment. It made him involuntarily feel as if he were looking at a cold-blooded, emotionless God of Death when he observed her. And it made him feel that if he got close or made contact with her, he would suffer a terrible death.

Even though she appeared to be just a girl, her features were already at the peak of beauty. However, the sinister, bone-chilling coldness she emanated was even more extreme than that. He was certain that when people faced her, the first thing they would notice wouldn't be her breathtaking beauty, but rather a pure terror caused by her aura… and her gaze!

While floating in the middle of the night sky, her eyes also had an unusual, dark blackness, gleaming with a black light under the moonlight. After noticing those eyes, he felt as if he had been dragged into an infinite, deep night sky; one without limits. And as soon as he fell into that gaze, it was as if he had been thrown into an eternal abyss of pure darkness, never to escape… he practically averted his gaze instantly, as a shiver ran down his spine.

Ren Zu was lost in her beauty, his heart beating faster.

Was this the Little Demon Empress?

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