Outside Qulin City.
Daoist Yuyang slightly raised his head to glance at the scorching sun before taking a deep breath.
It had been some time since he last ventured out. Though this trip was for business, a change of scenery was always welcome—especially since the tasks at hand were tedious and dull.
Chu Xingchen’s targets had yet to reveal themselves as formidable opponents in terms of cultivation. However, they had scattered and gone into hiding, making them difficult to track down.
If only there were a clear objective, things wouldn’t be so troublesome.
In the Eastern Victory Divine Continent, aside from the other eighteen immortal sects, all enemies could be obliterated with a snap of the fingers.
Behind Daoist Yuyang stood dozens of cultivators dressed in plain robes, their faces concealed by specially crafted masks that blocked probing spiritual senses.
These cultivators were the covert operatives of the Taidao Sect, directly commanded and controlled by the sect’s leader, their identities kept strictly confidential.
They possessed numerous strengths—high cultivation, ruthless efficiency, and absolute obedience to orders.
For the highly classified operation Chu Xingchen had mentioned, Daoist Yuyang had taken it seriously. He had even gone back to personally plead with his master to borrow these operatives, only securing them after considerable effort.
Once this matter was settled, he would have to drink his fill of Tianyan Sect’s Spring Warmth wine to make up for the trouble.
Pulling his thoughts back, Daoist Yuyang turned his gaze toward the modestly sized Qulin City ahead and asked,
"Have you all memorized the portraits Chu Xingchen drew? Especially that dark-skinned farmer?"
A masked cultivator with a painted face stepped forward and cupped his hands in response.
"Every detail has been committed to memory. Shall we proceed with the capture as planned?"
Daoist Yuyang gave a slight nod. "I cannot intervene directly. Follow the plan and apprehend them all. Their numbers are considerable, but leave no one behind—lest word leaks out and other sects mock us."
As soon as he finished speaking, the masked cultivator bowed again in acknowledgment.
In the next moment, the figures of the operatives behind Daoist Yuyang vanished without a trace.
Daoist Yuyang remained where he stood, his eyes fixed on Qulin City, which appeared as tranquil as ever under the warm sunlight.
Chu Xingchen’s targets had gathered here, likely not just because it was easier to hide among the populace but also because they intended to use mortals as hostages.
Unfortunately, such tactics were useless in the face of absolute power.
Still… what method had Chu Xingchen used to produce so many portraits in just a few days? It was as if he had infiltrated their ranks and become their leader.
Pondering this, Daoist Yuyang shifted his gaze southward toward the Silent Bone Forest.
Chu Xingchen had left the affairs here entirely to Daoist Yuyang while personally heading to the Silent Bone Forest, even though Li Xingtian was already under the covert protection of Taidao Sect operatives.
This was another classified matter—both a trump card and a contingency. Chu Xingchen might speak carelessly, but his actions were always meticulous. Neither Yu Jing nor Wen Zuo knew of this arrangement, and even Li Xingtian had not been informed.
As Chu Xingchen put it, it was to prevent them from taking drastic measures if they found out.
Even so, Chu Xingchen remained wary of unexpected developments on Li Xingtian’s end.
The general outline of the situation had already formed in Daoist Yuyang’s mind. Whether his assumptions were correct would depend on what information could be extracted from the captives.
Silent Bone Forest.
The once lush and verdant Silent Bone Forest was now unrecognizable. Several mountain peaks had been cleaved into ruin, their shattered remnants burying the original paths.
The dense forest spanning hundreds of miles had withered entirely, devoid of even a single green leaf. Only shades of black, gray, and red remained.
The once-present chirping of insects and roars of beasts had vanished.
No creature dared set foot in this lifeless land anymore.
The only sounds now were the violent clashes of rampaging spiritual energy, the shattering of earth, and the leveling of mountains.
Crimson blood qi surged from the ground, blotting out the sky as it coalesced, twisted, and attacked like a controlled tidal wave.
Amidst the blood qi, a ghost-headed greatsword flickered occasionally, its presence almost negligible compared to the overwhelming blood qi. Yet each time it flashed forward, it carried a lethal strike.
Toppling mountains and draining seas—all with a single slash.
Donggua’s eyes widened, her grin growing increasingly savage as she tightened her grip on her Soft Bone Sword, watching Li Xingtian, who seemed almost fused with the blood qi.
What a terrifying demonic cultivator! Such pure blood qi, and the way he manipulated that vast energy with such effortless movements—utterly unbelievable.
This level of power couldn’t possibly be achieved by absorbing ordinary mortals.
And then there was that horrifyingly potent blood qi divine ability.
Even as a Nascent Soul cultivator, Donggua could only barely maintain an even footing against such overwhelming force.
No wonder this brat spoke so arrogantly—he truly had heaven-defying skills.
No wonder he wasn’t swayed by feminine charms. Wasting such blood qi talent on women would be a disgrace.
This fight shouldn’t have been so difficult, but her cultivation was sustained by low-grade wish power and impure spiritual energy, essentially making her a subpar Nascent Soul cultivator.
If not for her higher realm, Donggua doubted she could last even fifteen minutes against such techniques.
Still, this man truly didn’t care about his subordinates. When his attacks swept through his own men, he showed no hesitation—those who couldn’t dodge simply died.
Truly the demeanor of a top-tier demonic cultivator.
Li Xingtian’s gaze remained calm as he tracked Donggua’s evasive movements, his blood qi swirling around him like armor.
Narrowing his eyes, he couldn’t help but think—what a pathetic Nascent Soul cultivator. The quality of her spiritual energy was shockingly poor.
A Nascent Soul cultivator’s spiritual energy being completely outclassed by a Core Formation cultivator’s?
She talked a big game, but when it came to actual combat, she was disappointingly weak.
She had used her spiritual treasure too early. He had expected a Nascent Soul cultivator to pose a threat…
If he killed her here today, would it disrupt his master’s plans?
Donggua raised her Soft Bone Sword and slashed downward against the surging blood qi.
The blade instantly extended, piercing through the blood qi and shooting toward Li Xingtian, who hovered mid-air.
Finally, Li Xingtian felt a flicker of interest. Though the move seemed unremarkable, he faintly detected a trace of divine ability within it.
With a slight lift of his hand, the ghost-headed greatsword lurking in the blood qi swiftly returned to his grasp before he pressed forward toward Donggua.
Donggua’s wrist twisted, and the Soft Bone Sword suddenly contorted, transforming from a thrusting blade into a whip-like weapon that coiled around Li Xingtian. The bone spikes along its edge gleamed with a faint green light.
Faced with the ensnaring attack, Li Xingtian remained utterly composed—he simply raised his blade and slashed downward.
Boom!
The Soft Bone Sword, pitted against a top-tier spiritual treasure, didn’t last long before being severed in two.
Donggua’s eyes finally flashed with disbelief as Li Xingtian’s figure closed the distance in an instant, his ghost-headed greatsword already descending upon her.
A chilling killing intent locked onto her.
Yet this time, Donggua—who had been dodging relentlessly—did not retreat. Instead, she lunged forward as well, an eerie aura radiating from her body as her Soft Bone Sword turned pitch-black.
She raised her sword to block, meeting the ghost-headed greatsword with a terrifying burst of power.
Her eyes gradually darkened, tainted by an inky hue, as her voice grew slightly hoarse:
"I underestimated you."
Li Xingtian narrowed his gaze, sensing a strange yet overwhelming force pressing against him through the spiritual artifact in his hand.
This was more like it… As a sect leader, he hadn’t come here to deal with such insignificant pests.
His voice remained calm as he spoke:
"Well said. Let’s hope you get another chance to say it."
"After all, you know the dead can’t speak."
From Page 3, Paragraph 7 of his master’s Combat Taunts Handbook.
Though he’d found it cringeworthy and odd when reading it, saying it out loud now gave him an unexpected thrill.
Li Xingtian made up his mind—he’d memorize every last line of that book. It was the perfect way to make up for his usual lack of witty comebacks during fights.
lanned to earn money steadily and take life at a slower pace. But he never expected... his father's remarriage, and the stepmother bringing along a dependent, would completely disrupt his life's plans...
e bizarre and supernatural had descended. The previous emperor was a thoroughgoing tyrant; no longer satisfied with human women, he had set his sights on a stunningly beautiful supernatural entity. He met his end in his bedchamber, drained of all his vital essence. As the legitimate eldest son and crown prince, Wang Hao was thus hastily enthroned, becoming the young emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty. No sooner had he awakened the "Imperial Sign-In Intelligence System" than he was assassinated by a Son of Destiny—a classic villain's opening. The Great Zhou, ravaged by the former emperor's excesses, was in national decline. The great families within its borders harbored their own treacherous schemes, martial sects began to defy the imperial court's decrees, and border armies, their pay and provisions in arrears, grumbled incessantly against the central government. Fortunately, the central capital was still held secure by the half-million Imperial Guards and fifty thousand Imperial Forest Army who obeyed the court's orders, along with the royal family's hidden reserves of power, barely managing to suppress the realm. As the Great Zhou's finances worsened and supernatural activities grew ever more frequent, the court sat atop a volcano. Ambitious plotters everywhere dreamed of overthrowing the dynasty, and even some reclusive ancient powers emerged, attempting to sway the tides of the world. At the first grand court assembly, the civil and military officials nearly came to blows, fighting tooth and nail over the allocation of fifty million taels of silver from the summer tax revenues. The spectacle opened Wang Hao's eyes—the Great Zhou's bureaucracy was not only corrupt but also martially proficient, a cabinet of all-rounders. Some officials even had the audacity to suggest the emperor release funds from the imperial privy purse to address the emergency. Wang Hao suddenly felt weary. Let it all burn.
ut it can buy an entire year of absolutely perfect training results! Su Yu stared at his empty wallet and decisively opened up various online loan platforms. “Borrow a thousand bucks! Recharge my vitality!” Boom! His vitality broke a hundred points, shattering the limits of the human body! “Borrow ten thousand bucks! Recharge my combat skills!” Boom! A basic punching technique so common it was everywhere instantly maxed out, revealing the ultimate assassination technique of Five Elements Unity—Inner Force! When a rich kid hired assassins for a midnight ambush, aiming to break both of his legs, they instead ran headfirst into a monster—a human-shaped tyrannosaur, brimming with dragon-like vitality. With just two fingers, Su Yu snapped a steel staff reinforced with alloy. Staring at the killer’s stash of stolen cash—a staggering quarter-million dollars—he showed a corporate-sincere smile: “Thanks for the pre-exam gift pack, Mr. Zhao! I’m gonna go re-invest this!” Three days later, at the National Martial Arts College Entrance Exam, while everyone else struggled just to reach the passing line, Su Yu threw a single punch—and more than a thousand vitality points literally detonated the entire arena!
Cheng's father told him he was getting remarried—to a wealthy woman. Cao Cheng realized his time had finally come: he was about to become a second-generation rich kid. Sure, it might be a watered-down version, but hey, at least he'd have status now, right? The wealthy woman also had four daughters!! Which meant, starting today, Cao Cheng gained four stunning older sisters?? But that wasn't even the whole story... "My name is Cao Cheng—'Cheng' as in 'honest, smooth-talking gentleman'!"
