The Tusked Hyena-Boar let out a low, savage growl and charged straight at Lin Ye.
Lin Ye flicked his foot, kicking a fallen saber into the air.
Whoosh!
The blade shot forward like a streak of cold light—
But the beast snapped its head and sent the saber spinning away.
It didn't slow down even a fraction.
Tusks aimed straight for Lin Ye's chest.
Lin Ye lifted his palm and slammed it down on the boar's forehead.
At the same time, he leapt—feet leaving the ground—flipping cleanly over its hulking body and landing behind it.
The Hyena-Boar only shook its head, furious, and whipped around again.
Lin Ye's eyes narrowed.
His body… really was weak.
In his previous life, that palm would've shattered its skull into pulp.
Now it barely felt it.
The beast charged again, even faster, hooves crushing the dirt.
Lin Ye's gaze sharpened.
"Perfect."
"This technique… was made for Blood-Asura Mystic Qi."
He raised his palm.
"Luo Sheng Palm."
Luo Sheng Palm was one of the deadliest martial arts Lin Ye had mastered in his past life—its true terror lay not in the strike…
…but in the aftershock that exploded inside the enemy's organs.
It required blood-asura energy to unleash its real power.
Lin Ye circulated the Nine Revolutions Asura Art.
Then struck.
His palm slammed into the beast's hide—
and left behind a crimson handprint, as though branded into flesh.
THUD!
The Hyena-Boar staggered, still trying to charge…
Then its limbs suddenly failed.
It stumbled two steps…
…and collapsed face-first into the dirt.
Blood poured from its eyes, nose, and mouth.
Dead.
Lin Ye snorted softly.
"Beast."
He turned to leave—then paused.
Feral beasts carried beast cores. Useful for trade. Useful for cultivation.
He grabbed a saber, split open the skull, and dug out a palm-sized crystal.
"Not bad."
He glanced around.
So this was still Dragon Void Cave.
This place was full of sealed chambers and hidden tombs—any one of them could hold a chance that changed a life.
More memories surfaced.
The original Lin Ye had been a core disciple of the Wind-Thunder Mystic Sect—not because he was talented…
…but because his father had once been an elder who contributed greatly.
And his father's inheritance…
was meant to be handed to him on his eighteenth birthday.
Only one month away.
If Lin Ye died before then…
the inheritance would automatically return to the sect.
Lin Ye's eyes grew colder.
Now he understood.
Zhou Taian was just a knife.
Someone higher up wanted him dead—so the inheritance could be "returned" cleanly.
And who would control it?
Lin Ye's mind sharpened on a name.
Xu Liang.Manager of the Affairs Hall.
Lin Ye's lips curled faintly.
"Don't worry."
"Since I'm using your body…"
"I'll take back everything that belongs to you."
He walked toward a nearby pool.
After being trapped in the well, he was filthy—blood and grime caked on his skin.
But the water…
was unnaturally cold.
"So cold…?"
Even Lin Ye shivered.
Something was down there.
Something that chilled the whole pool from below.
He took a breath, circulated his qi—
and sank into the water.
Thirty meters.
Forty.
Fifty.
The deeper he went, the darker it became.
Then—
At the bottom…
he saw it.
A black longsword resting in the mud.
Lin Ye's eyes lit up instantly.
"Just as I thought…"
"This sword… was forged from ten-thousand-year cold iron."
The chill it radiated wasn't normal cold—
it was the kind of cold that could drink blood… and freeze souls.
As his fingers reached for it, the water around them trembled—
thin ice forming in a ring.
A blade like this…
was born to slaughter.
Lin Ye swam closer—
only to see the sword wasn't simply lying there.
It was embedded in a massive skull, half-buried under silt.
He examined it.
"Fourth-Rank feral beast…"
"A Cold Pool Giant Python."
One killed the other.
Both died here.
Anyone who had wielded such a sword…
had been no ordinary cultivator.
Dragon Void Cave wasn't just a trial ground.
In ancient times…
it had been a battlefield.
Lin Ye wrapped his hand around the hilt.
And pulled.
—
Above the pool—
A young woman in green landed lightly by the shore.
Delicate features, refined beauty…
…but her eyes were sharp with coldness.
Three men surrounded her, their gazes shameless as they swept over her figure.
One of them smiled, false and oily.
"Junior Sister Qingyu, we cultivate under the same river domain. No need to be so hostile."
He gestured casually.
"We won't take all the Wind Spirit Fruits."
"You keep one."
"We take three."
"Fair, right?"
The young woman—Liu Qingyu—lifted her chin.
Her eyes were filled with contempt.
"The Earthfire Sect is infamous everywhere."
"If you want my Wind Spirit Fruits…"
She unsheathed her sword.
"Then come taste my Slender Willow Sword Art."
Liu Qingyu was an inner disciple of Wind-Thunder Mystic Sect. She had finally obtained four Wind Spirit Fruits—rare treasures that could increase cultivation and deepen wind-element sword intent.
And now these Earthfire Sect vermin wanted to steal them.
One of the men stepped closer, grinning.
"Come on… don't be stubborn."
His gaze turned filthy.
"If you entertain us properly…"
"Maybe we'll let you live."
Liu Qingyu's face went pale with fury.
Then—
BOOM!
The pool behind her exploded.
Water blasted into the air as a figure burst from the depths and landed on shore.
Lin Ye stood there dripping wet.
He circulated his qi, instantly evaporating the water from his clothes.
He had no storage ring.
Those scum had taken everything.
This was the only robe he had left.
His sudden appearance startled all four of them.
When Liu Qingyu saw his robe, hope flashed across her face—
core disciple uniform.
But the moment Lin Ye turned—
her hopeful expression froze.
"H… Lin Ye… Senior Brother?"
Lin Ye?!
Among Wind-Thunder Mystic Sect's 146 core disciples…
Lin Ye ranked dead last.
A famous waste.
A joke.
The last thread of hope snapped.
The Earthfire Sect men burst out laughing.
"Ha! I wondered who it was—nearly scared me!"
"It's Young Master Lin Ye! The sect's proud little embarrassment!"
Another licked his lips and looked Liu Qingyu up and down.
"Junior Sister Qingyu, this isn't our fault now."
"You got reinforcements…"
He chuckled.
"…but it's Wind-Thunder Mystic Sect's most useless waste."
He spread his arms.
"Today, those Wind Spirit Fruits are ours."
"And if you're willing to cooperate…"
his smile turned ugly.
"…we might even let you live."
Liu Qingyu's hands trembled on her sword.
The three men didn't even look at Lin Ye anymore.
As if killing him took one extra breath.
Lin Ye's gaze was calm.
"Earthfire Sect?"
The leader grinned.
"That's right."
He leaned forward, mocking.
"I'll give you a chance too, Young Master Lin Ye."
"If you crawl under our legs…"
"…we'll spare your life."
He burst out laughing.
The others joined in.
Then—
the leader's laughter abruptly died.
His eyes widened.
He looked down.
A sword had pierced straight through his chest.
Blood surged up his throat.
He lifted his head with trembling terror—
and saw Lin Ye standing right in front of him.
Cold-eyed.
Expressionless.
"Y-you…!"
The man collapsed.
Dead.
"He—he killed Wang Lei!"
The other two panicked.
"Together! Kill him!"
They drew their swords—
But one man's scabbard jammed for half a breath.
And in that instant—
Lin Ye's blade came down.
SHHHK!
Cold-iron sword.
Blood-Asura Mystic Qi.
One slash.
The man was cut diagonally—split cleanly into two halves.
Blood sprayed.
The corpse fell apart.
Liu Qingyu stood frozen.
Staring.
She couldn't believe it.
Lin Ye had moved.
Lin Ye had attacked.
And in the blink of an eye…
he had killed two Spirit Spring Realm Eighth Layer cultivators…
like they were nothing.