Within Three Breaths, Those Who Remain Here Shall Die!

Lin Che stood at the doorway, sensing the energy emanating from the room. If anything felt wrong, he would personally stop Li Muwan from continuing to absorb it.

Li Muwan closed her eyes and allowed the energy to circulate through her body. Soaked in the Warm Water, her skin grew even more delicate and supple, as though every inch of it were breathing in that energy.

At that moment, Li Muwan's cheeks were slightly flushed, fine beads of sweat seeping from her forehead. She was completely immersed in the process of absorbing the energy.

As the energy within the wooden tub was steadily absorbed, Li Muwan's slender brows drew together slightly. She felt the spiritual energy within her gradually fill, as though a force was stirring inside her, ready to break through the bottleneck at any moment.

Li Muwan's breathing gradually grew hurried. Spiritual energy surged through her body like a tide, battering her meridians and bringing waves of faint prickling pain.

"Looks like there shouldn't be any problems."

After sensing the energy in the room, Lin Che nodded in satisfaction. It seemed Li Muwan's talent was fairly good.

Without Wang Lin's interference, her achievements would have been limitless. Breaking through to the Nascent Soul Stage and comprehending the Soul Transformation stage in the future would have been effortless.

Over the next few days, Lin Che remained in the Heng Yue Sect and waited for Li Muwan to break through. Judging by the time cultivators usually needed for a breakthrough, Li Muwan would need at least two months, perhaps even longer, to reach the Late Foundation Establishment Stage.

Within the Huai River Bamboo Pavilion, Lin Che sat upright in a chair, sipping tea while holding a book about this world.

There were eighteen Fifth-Grade Cultivation Nations on Vermillion Bird Star, and a Fifth-Grade Cultivation Nation could only truly be called Fifth-Grade if someone within it had reached the Nascent Soul Transformation stage.

Sects stood everywhere throughout the nations, and experts were as numerous as clouds. Yet only the Giant Demon Race monopolized an entire nation.

The Giant Demon Race was not native to Vermillion Bird Star. Countless years ago, they had migrated from beyond the domain. Only after reaching an agreement with the Vermilion Bird of that era were they granted a piece of land on which to thrive.

Within the Giant Demon Race stood twelve Giant Demon Heavens. These so-called Giant Demon Heavens were actually twelve enormous palaces. It was said that every one of them contained the Giant Demon Race's core inheritance and endless resources.

The Giant Demon Race's experts guarded them year-round, protecting the foundation of their race.

"The Giant Demon Race is filled with powerful experts. Perhaps they will be able to help me solve many problems in the future."

Lin Che put away the book in his hand. Just as he was about to return to his room to cultivate, he sensed a peculiar aura rapidly approaching this place.

"Interesting. They found their way here so quickly. It seems they already know about the tribute."

Lin Che slowly rose to his feet and brushed the dust from his shoulder. As he gazed at the thunderclouds in the sky, almost no other emotion could be seen on his face.

Within the clouds above the Heng Yue Sect, many cultivators dressed in magnificent robes stood in the mist, immortal swords in hand as they glared viciously in the direction of the Heng Yue Sect.

The green-robed elder at the front shrugged as he looked at the sect-protecting formation around the Heng Yue Sect. He sneered. "Brats, this formation cannot protect you."

The green-robed elder extended a finger and lightly tapped the formation before him. Surging spiritual energy shot forth like raging waves. In nearly an instant, the seemingly indestructible mountain-protecting formation shattered into countless fragments and vanished without a trace.

As the formation broke apart, every Heng Yue Sect cultivator above the Core Formation level sensed it. They flew over on swords, glaring furiously at the ill-intentioned green-robed elder.

"Fellow Daoist, why have you destroyed the Heng Yue Sect's mountain-protecting formation?"

Heng Yue Sect's Grand Elder, Liu Wenju, stared at the figure in the sky with a livid expression. From the man's aura, he could tell that his cultivation was definitely not at the Nascent Soul Stage. He should be a senior of the Spirit Severing Stage.

The green-robed elder shrugged and said arrogantly, "I am an elder of the Azure Dragon Kingdom. Not long ago, I heard that the major sects of Zhao Kingdom, your Third-Grade Cultivation Nation, had handed all their resources over to you and stopped paying tribute to the Azure Dragon Kingdom, a Four-Grade Cultivation Nation. Your Heng Yue Sect has quite the nerve!"

Liu Wenju frowned slightly. He knew that the green-robed elder before him was a Spirit Severing Stage senior from the Azure Dragon Kingdom, but he had not expected them to discover it so quickly.

Only a few years had passed, and the Four-Grade Cultivation Nation had already noticed something was wrong...

On Vermillion Bird Star, lower-grade cultivation nations had to provide tribute to higher-grade cultivation nations every year. As for how much they had to provide, it depended on the strength or weakness of the sects within the lower-grade cultivation nation.

If they wanted to cultivate in peace, they had to pay tribute in exchange for a secure period of cultivation. Otherwise, they would inevitably suffer harassment from higher-grade cultivation nations.

That was precisely why lower-grade cultivation nations were so poor. In order to develop safely and steadily, they chose to offer up their resources, all so their sects could receive protection while cultivating.

The green-robed elder hunched over slightly. With a small movement of his hand, a dragon-headed cane appeared. Even simply standing there, he shone with the brilliance of the sun, as though a mere glance from him could make everyone explode and die.

"I will say this one last time. Hand over all the magical treasures and pills accumulated by the Heng Yue Sect over the years. Perhaps the Azure Dragon Kingdom will show some consideration and spare your lives. Otherwise, there will be no need for the Heng Yue Sect to exist in this world today."

Facing the green-robed elder's aggressive demands, Elder Liu Wenju looked toward Huang Long Zhenren, the Heng Yue Sect's sect master, beside him and asked, "Is Lin Che in the sect?"

Huang Long Zhenren replied calmly, "He is currently cultivating in the bamboo forest behind the mountain. He should have sensed this aura as well. I believe he will arrive soon."

Upon learning that Lin Che was within the Heng Yue Sect, Elder Liu Wenju was instantly filled with confidence. Spirit Severing Stage experts were indeed formidable, but they should not forget that the Heng Yue Sect also had a Nascent Soul Transformation Expert.

A single breath from him would be enough to reduce these ants to ashes.

Elder Liu Wenju cupped his hands and said, "Senior, five hundred years ago, the Four-Grade Cultivation Nation Azure Dragon Kingdom withdrew every Nascent Soul Stage patriarch from Zhao Kingdom for the struggle over stars beyond the domain. The Heng Yue Sect was reduced to its current state because of that."

"Now that all the Nascent Soul Stage ancestors of the Heng Yue Sect have fallen, shouldn't you also give the Heng Yue Sect an explanation?"

"An explanation?"

Upon hearing the words of Liu Wenju, the Heng Yue Sect's Grand Elder, the green-robed Spirit Severing Stage elder wore a mocking smile. "Brats of the Heng Yue Sect, did your heads get caught in a door? You actually want this old man to give you an explanation? How utterly ridiculous."

"I'll say it again. If you cannot hand over what I demanded, this old man will slaughter every disciple of your Heng Yue Sect!"

This time, the green-robed elder did not waste any more words. Just as he was about to strike and kill the Heng Yue Sect's juniors, an icy voice rang out beside his ears.

"Within three breaths, any of you who remain here shall die!"