Mysterious Expert

"How dare you call me a beast, you arrogant human ant? Today, I'll teach you a lesson." The Unicorn Demon Beast roared.

Yang Lingtian's sword began to dance, carrying a sharp sword wind as it instantly transformed into countless phantom shadows.

It was as if countless icy blades streaked through the air.

Yet the Unicorn Demon Beast's reaction was unbelievably fast.

It blocked Yang Lingtian's sword with its horn, and with a deafening crash, a powerful shockwave erupted.

The shockwave instantly obliterated the surrounding trees.

Yang Lingtian was blasted back dozens of meters by the immense recoil, while the demon beast stood as steady as a mountain in its original spot.

"Damn it, a second-tier demon beast really is too strong." Yang Lingtian's heart grew heavy.

But a flicker of surprise seemed to appear in the second-tier demon beast's eyes.

Because Yang Lingtian's strike was nearly on par with a Foundation Establishment Early Stage expert's attack.

"Human brat, I didn't expect a Qi Refining Level 7 like you to unleash such a powerful blow. I underestimated you before."

"But that was your strongest strike, wasn't it? The gap between us is still insurmountable."

"Just submit to me and become my slave!" The Unicorn Demon Beast roared.

Yang Lingtian's face turned grim. This mid-second-tier demon beast was indeed beyond his ability to match.

Yet fear did not stir in his heart. Even if death came, he would not yield.

He was someone destined to become the strongest—no opponent, no matter how powerful, could make him cower.

A fierce resolve surged within him, and Yang Lingtian's aura actually climbed a notch higher.

"Make me submit to you? Impossible. Take this!"

Yang Lingtian once again unleashed the Hundred Shadow Cold Sword, charging at the Unicorn Demon Beast. The power within his Dantian poured endlessly into the Spirit Sword, unleashing a mighty force.

His body leaped up like an arrow, shooting straight at the Unicorn Demon Beast.

The Spirit Sword in his hand gleamed with cold light, the very air at its tip seeming to be sliced apart.

Under this ferocious momentum, the surrounding air turned frigid, as if even heaven and earth were about to freeze solid.

In that moment, Yang Lingtian had actually comprehended the Hundred Shadow Cold Sword to its Great Completion, its power surging dramatically.

Even without using the final move, Hundred Swords Convergence, each individual strike was now infinitely close to an ordinary Foundation Establishment Early Stage expert's attack.

The Unicorn Demon Beast also sensed Yang Lingtian's rising aura and even felt a trace of threat from that Spirit Sword.

At this moment, Yang Lingtian seemed to transform into a merciless swordsman—cold and razor-sharp.

Though this mid-second-tier demon beast was injured and not at its peak, it still handled Yang Lingtian's attacks with ease, completely suppressing him.

"Human ant, stop wasting your strength. Submit to me!" The Unicorn Demon Beast bellowed.

Yang Lingtian now seemed one with his sword, continuously executing the moves of the Hundred Shadow Cold Sword.

Yet he couldn't harm the Unicorn Demon Beast in the slightest, while wounds kept appearing on his own body.

"Hundred Swords Convergence!"

With a resolute roar, Yang Lingtian unleashed his strongest strike.

Sword light flashed, illuminating his firm and determined face.

In that instant, Yang Lingtian seemed to have surpassed his limits.

He perfectly fused his power with his swordsmanship, transforming into a piercing beam of sword light that shot toward the Unicorn Demon Beast.

With a thunderous boom, the strike hit the Unicorn Demon Beast.

It finally carved a wound into the demon beast's body—the mark left by Yang Lingtian's strongest sword.

Yet such an injury was nothing fatal to the Unicorn Demon Beast, at most a flesh wound.

Now, the Unicorn Demon Beast was truly enraged, roaring madly.

"Damn human ant, you actually put a wound on me."

"I've changed my mind. I want you dead!"

Then a powerful aura erupted from the Unicorn Demon Beast as it lunged fiercely at Yang Lingtian.

After executing Hundred Swords Convergence, the Spiritual Power in Yang Lingtian's Dantian was mostly spent, leaving him greatly weakened.

Under such a swift assault, he couldn't dodge in time and was ultimately sent flying by the beast.

This strike from the demon beast was clearly stronger than before. With one blow, it shattered Yang Lingtian's internal organs.

He collapsed to the ground, gravely wounded, with no strength left to fight.

Indeed, even after exhausting every means, he still couldn't overcome an injured mid-second-tier demon beast.

"Am I really going to die here, not long after arriving in this world, before I could become the strongest?"

"But even in death, I never yielded. At least I didn't die a coward..."

Even as Yang Lingtian's consciousness began to fade, fear never touched his heart.

Suddenly, the Chaos Bead within his Dantian trembled.

A surge of immense energy burst forth, coursing through Yang Lingtian's body.

His mind grew clear once more.

The aura around Yang Lingtian began to rise steadily, climbing all the way to Foundation Establishment Middle Stage.

He guessed this was merely the Chaos Bead temporarily lending him its power.

So he had to seize this chance.

He shot to his feet and roared, "Hundred Swords Convergence, condense!"

In an instant, all that power within him poured into the Spirit Sword, radiating waves of pressure.

The Unicorn Demon Beast's eyes went wide—it sensed the breath of death in that might.

"This... how can this be..."

The Spirit Sword in Yang Lingtian's hand now brimmed with power, the pressure growing ever stronger, the blade gleaming with a cold, sharp light.

He swung the sword and charged at the Unicorn Demon Beast, his momentum like a rainbow.

The Unicorn Demon Beast's eyes bulged as it frantically mustered its own strength.

It roared to the heavens, its voice shaking the surroundings, yet under the crushing weight of that aura, its cry sounded utterly feeble.

Yang Lingtian moved like the wind, closing in on the Unicorn Demon Beast.

The mighty power surged wildly through the sword, as if it would tear everything apart.

A flash of sword light pierced straight through the Unicorn Demon Beast's body.

But instead of blood spraying everywhere, blinding rays of light burst from its form.

That immense energy erupted fully in that moment, engulfing the Unicorn Demon Beast completely in the radiance.

After a long while, the light faded, and the Unicorn Demon Beast's figure had vanished without a trace.

The entire beast was shattered into pieces, worse than death by dismemberment.

Yang Lingtian let out a long breath, inwardly relieved: "Damn it, almost capsized in a ditch and got taken down by a beast."

"Good thing the Chaos Bead lent me power at the critical moment, but why does my whole body ache and my head spin..."

Yang Lingtian stood there, then suddenly went black before his eyes and collapsed.

After who knows how long, his deep slumber finally stirred back to consciousness.

Yang Lingtian slowly opened his eyes, and a sharp pain in his head stabbed at his nerves.

He looked around blankly and found himself lying in a small wooden hut built from logs.

"Where is this?"

Yang Lingtian was utterly bewildered. As he tried to sit up, a piercing pain shot through his body.

The agony made him let out an involuntary groan, sweat beading on his forehead, his face turning pale.

"Creak!"

Just then, the door opened, and a middle-aged man in very plain clothes walked in.

He looked to be around forty, with a resolute face.

His simple attire couldn't hide his extraordinary bearing, though his exact cultivation level was unclear.

He must have been a profoundly deep expert.

"You're awake." The middle-aged man looked at Yang Lingtian with a calm gaze.

Yang Lingtian came to his senses and said softly, "You saved me, didn't you? Thank you."

The middle-aged man walked over to Yang Lingtian, examined his injuries, and said with a faint smile, "You really have nine lives!"

"When I found you, your internal organs were shattered, yet you weren't dead."

"Anyone else, even a Foundation Establishment Peak cultivator, would have struggled to survive."

The middle-aged man paused, then continued, "Your injuries are severe now. Since we met, it's fate. Here, take this pill."

He then produced a pill radiating a rich medicinal fragrance.

Yang Lingtian looked at the pill. As a Tier 3 Alchemist, he couldn't even identify what grade it was.

But he was certain it surpassed Tier 3.

Such a precious pill, and the middle-aged man offered it without hesitation.

Yang Lingtian thanked him and unceremoniously swallowed it.

A layer of milky white light then enveloped his body.

Within that tiny pill lay an incredibly dense vitality.

Then, his internal organs began to heal at a speed so astonishing it defied belief.

At the same time, the gruesome wounds all over his body were healing at a visible speed.

The blood that had already clotted and dried flaked off like old skin.

Beneath it emerged skin as fair and smooth as lard, without even a single scar left behind.

In the span of just one cup of tea, Yang Lingtian was completely renewed, all his injuries fully recovered.

This shocked him—such injuries, without a medicinal pill, would have taken at least a year or two to heal.

"Thank you for granting me the pill. I will surely repay you in the future. May I ask your esteemed name?" Yang Lingtian inquired.

"We're merely passing acquaintances. If fate brings us together again, I'll tell you then," the middle-aged man said with a faint smile.

"Very well. Thank you once more!"

Yang Lingtian bowed deeply to this mysterious middle-aged man.

"Then I won't disturb you further. I'll take my leave."

After Yang Lingtian departed, a woman suddenly appeared beside the middle-aged man.

She asked, puzzled, "Your Excellency, given your status, why would you save a mere Qi Refining Stage cultivator?"

The middle-aged man gazed in the direction Yang Lingtian had gone and said calmly, "This lad is somewhat unusual."

"I can sense a strange energy within his Dantian, but no matter how I probe, I can't identify what it is."

"It means this lad is no ordinary person. Forming a good connection with him isn't a bad thing."

"What?" The woman was greatly startled.

"With your cultivation level, you can't see through a mere Qi Refining Stage cultivator? How is that possible?"

The middle-aged man smiled and said, "The world is vast, full of wonders. Nothing is impossible."

"Come, let's attend to our real business."