Chapter 33

At this sight, Ling Yan sneered repeatedly in her heart and said flatly, "Fine. Since you fear death so much, leave on your own. But whatever happens afterward, you cannot blame me."

"Let me give you one piece of advice: the path of immortality must be fought for. With a temperament like yours, what are you cultivating for? In the end, you will be nothing more than a cup of yellow earth, wasting your time."

With that, Ling Yan headed straight for the Earth-Rending Bear's lair.

A faint killing intent surfaced in Lin Xuan's eyes. "You really think you've got me in the palm of your hand? Fine, then I'll play along!"

"The path of immortality must be fought for, right? Then I'll fight for it and show you!"

After Ling Yan had taken a few steps, Lin Xuan suddenly called out, "Senior Sister Ling Yan, wait... I-I'll go..."

The corner of Ling Yan's lips curled up, and the disdain in her heart deepened. When she turned around, her expression had already fully returned to normal.

"Oh? Have you thought it through?"

"The path of immortality must be fought for. I've thought it through, Senior Sister!"

Lin Xuan answered solemnly, putting on a timely expression as though he were prepared to face death without flinching.

"Good!"

"Lin Xuan, you're not bad. Once you enter the outer sect, you can come find me directly. I'll give you a stroke of fortune."

Ling Yan praised him, but inwardly she thought, Of course, that depends on whether you can still leave Yan Hui Mountain alive and well.

"Yes!"

"Thank you, Senior Sister!"

Lin Xuan hurriedly expressed his thanks, excitement showing in his eyes.

Ling Yan nodded. Even she could not help admiring herself. The stick and the sweet date—she truly had mastered it.

Even if Lin Xuan died, he would still be grateful to her!

"Senior Sister, this junior brother is going!"

After tying up the Gale Wind Horse, Lin Xuan headed straight for the Earth-Rending Bear's lair and soon entered it.

"Hehe..."

Ling Yan finally laughed aloud. "How ignorant. How could such trash possibly be associated with a genius? Senior Brother Liu Yan was worrying too much."

Still smiling, Ling Yan flipped her hand, and a longsword appeared in it. Then, with several leaps, she sprang up the mountain wall.

Whether Lin Xuan could lure out the Earth-Rending Bear or not, she would make her move. After all, this was her mission.

As for Lin Xuan, after entering the lair, he completely concealed his aura, and his consciousness instantly sank into the Soul Suppressing Pagoda.

"Absorb the blood energy!"

With that thought, time began to drain away rapidly.

A full five years passed as he absorbed every last trace of blood energy from the four Dire Wolves he had slain.

Within his body, his blood and qi surged wildly. Combined with the gains from slaughtering pigs earlier, Lin Xuan's realm finally climbed to the limit of the late Body Forging stage.

"Unfortunately, I'm still one step short of entering the Body Forging Peak."

Lin Xuan sighed helplessly. Then he stopped dwelling on it and continued cultivating.

This time, however, he cultivated the Concealed Breath Stride.

The Concealed Breath Stride had already reached proficiency, but with a bear ahead and a vicious Senior Sister behind him, Lin Xuan naturally had to raise his combat strength to the utmost limit.

Myriad Ages in an Instant!

Lin Xuan directly invested a full twenty years into the Concealed Breath Stride, reserving only five years for emergencies.

It was worth mentioning that the aftereffects of using Blood Rage had long since vanished during those five years of absorbing blood energy. He was now completely at his peak.

In the first year, the Concealed Breath Stride progressed slowly.

By the seventh year, the Concealed Breath Stride had improved greatly, but it still remained at the proficient level.

In the sixteenth year, Lin Xuan finally touched the threshold of minor mastery in the Concealed Breath Stride.

In the twentieth year, the Concealed Breath Stride broke through and fully entered minor mastery. Lin Xuan could now completely conceal his own aura; ordinary people would be utterly unable to detect it.

Of course, there were certainly limits. Those of higher realms could see through it at a glance, but that did not include the Earth-Rending Bear or Ling Yan.

"That should be enough!"

His consciousness returned to his body, and Lin Xuan stepped toward the depths of the lair.

Very soon, a pair of eyes as large as bronze bells appeared in his field of vision. In the darkness, those huge eyes gleamed brilliantly.

"Roar... howl!"

A furious roar made Lin Xuan's scalp tingle, and he clearly saw the Earth-Rending Bear's appearance.

Over two meters tall, broad-shouldered and thick-waisted, its black fur actually glimmered with a faint dark sheen in the pitch-black surroundings. Standing upright like a man, it exuded immense pressure...

"Fight!"

The Earth-Rending Bear's massive body brought Lin Xuan overwhelming pressure.

Yet it did not make Lin Xuan afraid. Instead, it made his blood boil.

With one stomp, Lin Xuan moved through the darkness like a swimming dragon, leaving behind an afterimage as he charged at the Earth-Rending Bear.