Breakthrough, Secret Revelations

In the dead of night, a stubborn glimmer of light amid the heavy mountains drove back the endless darkness.

Blood Copper Mine Area.

At the center, a blazing bonfire burned. Directly ahead stood a mine shaft like the gaping maw of an abyss, with miners constantly coming and going as cart after cart of unrefined Blood Copper Ore was hauled out.

Rows of stone houses stood in neat formation around the mine shaft.

Patrol teams continuously paced back and forth along the edge of the mining area.

Every face was solemn, and a trace of fear seemed to linger in everyone's eyes.

The hoofbeats rang especially deafeningly through the silent night. The patrolmen's expressions changed slightly as they hurriedly looked toward the sound.

The alarm bell rang, throwing the entire mining area into chaos.

The miners rushed frantically into the stone houses, while the guards gripped their weapons and charged toward the entrance with terror on their faces.

For the past two days, they had suffered demon attacks every day.

Both body and mind were utterly exhausted. At the slightest rustle of wind or movement of grass, everyone's nerves would tighten.

Inside the largest stone house, Bai Tianhei abruptly opened his eyes. His pale face was filled with gravity. With a flash, he appeared at the doorway and rushed outside.

When the mine guards saw Bai Tianhei arrive, they parted to make way for him.

No one spoke. They merely watched silently in the direction from which the hoofbeats came.

The hoofbeats drew nearer and nearer.

A fiery dragon slowly crested the mountaintop.

Bai Tianhei's gaze narrowed slightly. When he saw that the leader was riding a Fire Scale Horse, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"It's Captain Luo and Captain Zhang. Our reinforcements have arrived."

Jia Yun, standing beside Bai Tianhei, excitedly pointed at Ye Xiaofan's group and shouted.

At once, everyone let out a breath and began whispering among themselves.

"Quiet!"

Though Bai Tianhei's voice was not loud, it clearly reached every person's ears.

Seeing the reinforcements had not brought Bai Tianhei much joy.

Because he saw that Luo Ming's group was all stained with blood, with a heap of wounded among them.

Clearly, their journey here had not been peaceful.

A moment later, Ye Xiaofan's group arrived at the entrance to the mining area.

"Elder Bai!"

Luo Ming and Zhang Tianhong dismounted, stepped forward, and cupped their fists in salute.

"Good, good. It is enough that you made it here."

Bai Tianhei did not put on airs. He stepped forward and helped the two of them up.

"Had we not encountered Gang Leader Tie on the road, I fear all of us would have become food in the demons' bellies."

Luo Ming briefly recounted what had happened along the way. Bai Tianhei's brows twisted into a knot as he listened, and his heart grew increasingly heavy.

At this time, Tie Wuqing also walked over, though the Wine Gourd in his hand had never stopped moving.

Throughout the journey, Ye Xiaofan had suspected that Tie Wuqing was only putting on a show. Otherwise, how could such a small Wine Gourd hold so much drink?

"Gang Leader Tie, thank you for lending us your aid this time."

Bai Tianhei forced a faint smile onto his pale face and cupped his fists toward Tie Wuqing in thanks.

With one more Ninth Level Body Refinement fighter in the mining area, the pressure on him would lessen considerably.

Tie Wuqing shook his head. "Do not forget my ten Blood Qi Pills and one hundred jin of Blood Copper."

"Rest assured, Gang Leader Tie. One hundred jin of refined Blood Copper will be presented in full shortly. As for the Blood Qi Pills, they will have to wait until we return to the Demon Suppression Division. Please forgive us."

Bai Tianhei hurriedly replied.

Tie Wuqing nodded and said no more.

"This is not the place to talk. Let us first go inside and settle the wounded."

"Alright. We will follow Elder Bai's arrangements in all things."

Luo Ming answered.

Bai Tianhei nodded, then turned to Jia Yun. "Captain Jia, have someone arrange accommodations for the wounded. Also arrange accommodations for the brothers of the Iron Hand Gang."

"Gang Leader Tie, this way."

Luo Ming, Zhang Tianhong, and Tie Wuqing followed Bai Tianhei toward the largest stone house.

"Ye Xiaofan, you come along too."

Just as Ye Xiaofan was about to leave with Jia Yun, Tie Wuqing suddenly turned back and said.

"Oh, so you are Ye Xiaofan, Ye Tianhe's son. Truly, a tiger father had no dog son; heroes emerged from the young. For our Demon Suppression Division to produce a genius like you is truly Qingyang County's fortune. Since Gang Leader Tie has spoken, come along as well."

A strange light flashed through Bai Tianhei's eyes. As though he had only just noticed Ye Xiaofan, he warmly stepped forward, patted Ye Xiaofan's shoulder, and spoke.

When they entered the largest stone house, wine and delicacies had already been laid out inside.

After taking their seats, they ate, drank, and discussed the mining area's current situation.

Luo Ming once more gave a detailed account of the attack by the two humanoid demons on the road, only omitting the matter of the Horned Demon wanting to seize Ye Xiaofan.

Ye Xiaofan lowered his head and ate furiously like a little nobody.

Tie Wuqing, meanwhile, acted as though it had nothing to do with him and only drank.

After the banquet dispersed, Ye Xiaofan was not assigned any duties because of Tie Wuqing. He was given a stone house of his own, right beside Tie Wuqing's stone house.

The night grew deeper, yet the entire mining area remained in operation.

The Demon Suppression Division was preparing to abandon this Blood Copper Mine. They only waited to refine the Blood Copper that had already been excavated and escort it back to Qingyang County.

Inside the stone house, Ye Xiaofan sat cross-legged on the bed.

Faint streams of heat, visible to the naked eye, issued from his nose and mouth.

The sounds of tigers roaring and dragons chanting within his body grew louder and louder. His five viscera trembled with greater and greater intensity. Strands of Qi and Blood, each as thick as six hairs, were continuously refined and circulated through his limbs and bones with the rhythm of his breathing and blood flow.

Every inch of flesh, sinew, and bone throughout his body trembled rhythmically.

Ye Xiaofan's aura grew stronger and stronger, while his skin gradually reddened like a boiled shrimp.

Wisps of white smoke rose from the top of his head. Gradually, white smoke began to emerge from the pores all over his body as well.

A breakthrough to the Body Refinement Fourth Layer.

His second Marrow Cleansing and Tendon Washing!

After more than ten breaths, thick white smoke enveloped Ye Xiaofan.

Upon closer inspection, faint wisps of barely noticeable black smoke were hidden within the dense white smoke.

Time passed. No one knew how long it had been, yet it also seemed like only an instant.

A faint red hue appeared in the white smoke enveloping Ye Xiaofan.

His aura became stronger and stronger, while the pale red color grew increasingly rich.

The next moment,

Ye Xiaofan's entire body shuddered. His aura reached its peak, and the pale red mist completely replaced the white smoke.

It was like a veil of blood-red gauze draped over him.

The Qi and Blood Gauze phenomenon—something ordinary cultivators could only cultivate upon reaching the sixth layer of Body Refinement.

The tiger roars and dragon chants inside his body gradually sank into silence, and the Qi and Blood Gauze withdrew back into his body.

A blood-red radiance still faintly flowed over his skin.

Ye Xiaofan abruptly opened his eyes. Two terrifying beams of light flashed through his pupils.

The next moment, his throat rolled, and he opened his mouth to spit out a mouthful of foul-smelling black blood.

The black blood landed on the bluestone floor with a sizzling sound, and wisps of black smoke rose from it.

At this moment, Ye Xiaofan felt incomparably comfortable from head to toe.

The unknown strange poison that had plagued him all this time was completely purged at this moment. It felt as though he had cast off a burden weighing a thousand jun.

Name: Ye Xiaofan

Lifespan: 100 years

Realm: Body Refinement Fourth Layer (0/500)

Cultivation Methods: Withered Tree Renewing in Spring Art (Mastery), Sword Drawing Technique (Minor Success 6000/6000), Wind God Steps (Mastery)

Balance: 29,000 taels of silver

Ye Xiaofan got out of bed and circulated his Qi and Blood.

Thick Qi and Blood power appeared over his fists.

The hallmark of a cultivator who had broken through to the Body Refinement Fourth Layer—external release of Qi and Blood.

Ye Xiaofan threw a punch. It was like a thunderclap exploding on level ground as waves of air surged.

"The strength of three tigers, comparable to the sixth layer of Body Refinement."

Ye Xiaofan grinned as he continually familiarized himself with the power of the Body Refinement Fourth Layer.

Terrifying bursts of air repeatedly sounded within the stone house, venting the pent-up oppression of recent days.

Only when sweat covered his head did Ye Xiaofan finally stop.

"With the perfected Wind God Steps and the minor-success Sword Drawing Technique, I am terrifyingly strong now. I should be able to contend with a seventh-layer Body Refinement cultivator."

Having broken through, Ye Xiaofan had no desire to sleep and walked out of the stone house.

The moment he stepped outside, he saw a familiar figure leaning against the stone wall, head raised as he drank.

"Gang Leader Tie, you have not rested yet?"

Tie Wuqing turned to look at Ye Xiaofan. A strange light flowed through his eyes; clearly, he had seen that Ye Xiaofan had broken through.

"Come keep me company and chat."

Imitating Tie Wuqing, Ye Xiaofan leaned against the stone wall and sat down. His gaze followed Tie Wuqing's.

There was only darkness.

After Tie Wuqing said that one sentence, he did not speak again. Ye Xiaofan did not know what to say either.

The atmosphere grew awkward.

Just as Ye Xiaofan was about to find a topic to talk about, Tie Wuqing seemed to remember that there was someone beside him. He turned back, his deep and captivating eyes seriously examining Ye Xiaofan.

After a moment, he seemed to make some sort of decision.

"Do you know where demons come from?"

Ye Xiaofan shook his head and looked at Tie Wuqing in confusion.

"Actually, demons are transformed from ordinary humans, members of the Demon Race, or wild beasts."

Ye Xiaofan's eyes widened. Tie Wuqing's words struck at everything he thought he knew.

All along, Ye Xiaofan had believed that this world had always possessed three great races: humans, the Demon Race, and demons.

Now Tie Wuqing was telling him that demons were transformed from humans, members of the Demon Race, or wild beasts that had not developed intelligence.

This directly overturned his worldview.

"As long as ordinary living beings can withstand evil energy entering their bodies, they can transform into demons."

Tie Wuqing continued speaking to himself.

"Evil?"

Ye Xiaofan cried out in alarm. This was the first time he had heard the name "Evil."

"Evils are very powerful. Even the weakest Evil is a Qi Refinement First Layer existence. I do not know how Evils came to be. Perhaps only those Immortal Sects high above know."

Ye Xiaofan's mind shook violently. This world was far more complicated than he had imagined.

Tie Wuqing took a drink and continued.

"Do you know why demons have suddenly become more numerous in Qingyang County?"

"Because of an Evil?"

Ye Xiaofan blurted out.

"Correct. An Evil should be hidden in Qingyang County, and..."

Tie Wuqing turned his head, stared seriously at Ye Xiaofan, and said each word distinctly, "It seems that an Evil has set its sights on you."

A flash of terror passed over Ye Xiaofan's face, but he forcibly suppressed it.

After hearing Tie Wuqing say this, he finally understood why the Horned Demon had wanted to capture him.

But he could not understand it. He had never even left Qingyang County City, and he had not cultivated for long. Why had an Evil set its sights on him?

Could it be because of Ye Tianhe?

"Gang Leader Tie, do you know why the Evil has targeted me?"

Seeing that Ye Xiaofan's expression had returned to normal, Tie Wuqing seemed to find it uninteresting. He took a drink, turned back around, and continued staring into the darkness ahead.

"I do not know."

The atmosphere once again fell into dead silence.

Ye Xiaofan's gaze flickered.

"I am still not strong enough."

Once he learned that an Evil had targeted him, all joy from his breakthrough vanished.

"You are right. In the end, it is still because your strength is insufficient."