Nightfall at Ten-Mile Slope.
Ling Yun arrived, but the surroundings were empty. "Do you really need me to invite you out?" he called.
"Hahaha! Ling Yun, you really came," a voice echoed from the shadows. Mei Xue stepped out, followed by a group that included Bi Gouyu and Mei Qingyan.
"Brother Ling, I'm sorry," Bi Gouyu muttered with his head lowered in shame.
"It's not entirely your fault. Fifteen town markets worth of treasure... who could resist such temptation?" Mei Xue patted Bi Gouyu on the shoulder, then turned her gaze toward Ling Yun.
"You dirty little wretch," Mei Qingyan sneered. "You humiliated me in the inn the other day. Tonight, I'll make you pay by grinding you down a hundred times over!"
Ling Yun scanned his surroundings: fifteen cultivators at the fifth stage of the Foundation Establishment realm, ten at the sixth, eight at the eighth, and one at the ninth—an old acquaintance, Mei Tao.
"Quite the welcoming committee," Ling Yun remarked mockingly.
"And it's not over yet," Mei Xue clapped her hands.
From the darkness, three more figures appeared, their overwhelming auras making the very air stand still.
Cave Heaven cultivators! Ling Yun's pupils contracted. He turned toward Bi Gouyu. "So, this is the handiwork of the Bi family?"
Bi Gouyu remained silent, tacitly confirming Ling Yun's suspicion.
"That's ruthless."
For the first time, Ling Yun truly understood the treachery of the cultivation world. As someone once said, "If you want to survive in the Eastern Mountains, you have to forget the meaning of the word 'friend.'"
"Oh, and there's one more surprise." Mei Xue tossed out two mangled corpses.
Ling Yun glanced at them—it was the little girl from the inn, along with another body, presumably her mother.
"That little brat never gave you up. She was too pure for this world, never even revealed your location before she died."
Rage. An unending fury surged within Ling Yun.
"I swear, you'll be staring at your own brains before I'm done." As he spoke, Ling Yun could feel his teeth clenching in fury.
"Sun Devouring Sword!"
Without warning, Ling Yun erupted into action, targeting the weakest in the group.
Before anyone could react, five cultivators at the fifth stage of the Foundation Establishment realm had already been decapitated, their bodies falling limply to the ground.
The sudden massacre left the rest momentarily stunned.
"Break his arms and capture him!" Mei Xue roared.
At her command, the rest of the group charged.
"Divine Mountain Unyielding Body!"
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Ling Yun barely had time to raise his defenses before over a dozen attacks rained down on him.
"Nine Dragons Flame Art!"
As Ling Yun's cultivation grew, the fiery dragon formed by his technique had become much more solid.
Boom!
The fiery blast instantly incinerated several enemies, reducing them to ash.
"Frost Fist!"
"Raging Bull Charge!"
Two eighth-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators seized the moment while Ling Yun was casting his spell, striking him with their techniques.
Spurt!
Blood sprayed from Ling Yun's mouth as he was sent flying.
"Soul Devourer Art!"
Ling Yun opened his mouth, and a pitch-black figure materialized behind him, its crimson eyes gleaming.
The shadow gave an eerie grin before opening its maw, unleashing a mysterious suction force.
Suddenly, a few nearby cultivators collapsed without warning, their eyes rolling back.
"A soul technique!" the three Cave Heaven cultivators exclaimed in shock as they watched the scene unfold.
They exchanged glances, a silent understanding passing between them. A soul technique of this caliber was exceedingly rare, and the power Ling Yun wielded suggested it was at least of Earth-level quality or higher.
Mei Xue's jaw dropped in disbelief, wide enough to fit an egg inside. With such talent, Ling Yun could rival even the personal disciples of the sects—or surpass them entirely.
On the battlefield, only Mei Tao and three others at the eighth stage of Foundation Establishment remained standing, saved by the fact that they were further away.
Meanwhile, Ling Yun's vision blurred, and he struggled to stand as blood trickled from his eyes and ears, giving him a ghastly appearance.
"Shit, why does this technique have such terrible side effects?"
Just as he was about to collapse, a strange sensation washed over him—light and floaty, as if he were drifting on a cloud. It was soothing, even pleasant.
Suddenly, Ling Yun's mind cleared.
"The soul technique... it's replenishing me."
Thud!
A heavy blow sent Ling Yun flying once again, blood spewing from his mouth. This time, three eighth-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators took turns attacking, sending his body careening through the air repeatedly, his blood staining the ground.
"Sword of Falling Leaves!" Mei Tao's soft sword flashed, its movements swift like a falling leaf.
Clang!
The sharp blade pierced half an inch into Ling Yun's chest, but no matter how much force she applied, it couldn't go any deeper.
The excruciating pain snapped Ling Yun back to consciousness, allowing him to momentarily suppress the side effects of the soul technique.
"You old hag, die!"
With every ounce of strength he had left, Ling Yun threw two powerful punches at Mei Tao's chest.
"Ah!" Mei Tao screamed as she crashed to the ground, clutching her chest and wailing in agony.
Her body writhed like a wounded eel, her lips pale.
The three Cave Heaven cultivators, seeing this, subconsciously clutched their own chests, reminded that even women have limits to their sympathy.
"Earth Flame Explosion!"
The three remaining eighth-stage cultivators sensed something was wrong, but it was too late.
Three pillars of fire erupted from the ground, reducing them to charred remains.
By now, all of Ling Yun's spiritual energy had been completely exhausted—he had nothing left.
"You wretched brat, I'll make sure you beg for life but find no death," Mei Tao stammered, shakily standing up as pain radiated through her chest, preventing her from standing straight.
"Sword of Solitude!" Mei Tao's surroundings began to wither as her sword's energy coiled around her.
"Slash!"
The sickly yellow sword light crept toward Ling Yun like a silent but deadly force.
Ling Yun pulled out a Bloodburst Pill and swallowed it in one gulp.
Instantly, his eyes turned blood-red, and his veins bulged across his body.
Bloodburst Pill: Increases attack and defense tenfold for one hour. (Note: Side effects include blood deficiency, requiring immediate replenishment of life force.)
"Ha!"
With lightning speed, Ling Yun shattered the sword light with a single punch.
"What?!"
Mei Xue's eyes nearly bulged out of her head in disbelief.
"No, please—"
But Ling Yun's fist didn't stop. With one final strike, he smashed Mei Tao's head, reducing it to a bloody pulp.
"Now, you three... it's your turn," Ling Yun said coldly, his gaze settling on the three Cave Heaven cultivators.
They shivered at the sight of Ling Yun, now resembling a wrathful god of death, and Mei Xue could barely speak as she trembled. "You—You three, do something already..."