Dusk lingered unusually long on the edge of the Sunset Mountains. The blood-red setting sun dyed the entire forest a dark crimson. Yan Xiao Liu trudged behind Ye Yun, carrying a heavy bundle. Inside were the most valuable parts of the green-scaled giant snake: its hide, tough as iron; its fangs, sharp as knives; and its gallbladder, worth a fortune. Every step sent pain stabbing through his wounds, but what unsettled him more was the seemingly ordinary yet unfathomable figure ahead.
"Brother Ye..." Yan Xiao Liu began, then stopped. His voice was as dry as if it had been scraped with sandpaper.
Ye Yun kept walking, only turning his head slightly.
"Are we... really just going back like this?" Yan Xiao Liu swallowed, his gaze drifting toward the depths of the forest behind them.
"It's been taken care of." Ye Yun's voice was as calm as a deep pool.
By the time they finally rejoined the main group, night had fallen completely. Beside the campfire, the surviving hunters were all filthy and battered, each bearing more than a few injuries. Someone with a sharp eye spotted the two of them and cried out at once, "Sixth Brother! You're alive!"
A dozen gazes turned toward them in unison. When the hunters saw that only the two of them had returned, someone immediately asked, "What about Zhao Si and the others? Sixth Brother, how did you get so badly hurt?"
Yan Xiao Liu felt his throat tighten. He glanced at Ye Yun, who was calmly sorting through his belongings as if nothing had happened, without even looking up.
"We... ran into a Second-Order Demonic Beast..." Yan Xiao Liu's voice trembled, but he quickly steadied it. "Zhao Si... Zhao Si was swallowed whole by that beast... Li San and Wang Wu..." He paused. The image of Ye Yun cutting the two men down flashed through his mind, and cold sweat beaded on his forehead. "They... they'd been hiding their strength... and fought the beast in a bloody battle... In the end... they both went down with it..."
The campfire crackled, illuminating a circle of stunned faces.
"Sixth Brother, you..." Someone stared at him in disbelief. "You killed a Second-Order Demonic Beast?"
Yan Xiao Liu's face flushed scarlet. He hurriedly waved his hands. "No, no, no... The giant snake was already on its last legs after Li San and the others fought it... I... I just got lucky and picked up the scraps..."
The others remained doubtful, but their suspicions soon faded beneath the joy of surviving. Someone clapped Yan Xiao Liu on the shoulder. "Whatever the case, Sixth Brother, you've done us a great service! We'll celebrate properly once we get back!"
Ye Yun sat quietly in the shadows in a corner, listening to the group's lively chatter. His gaze swept over their weary yet excited faces before coming to rest on the leaping flames. Firelight danced in his deep eyes, revealing a hint of complex emotion that was almost impossible to discern.
As the night wore on, one by one, the others fell asleep. Yan Xiao Liu tossed and turned before finally creeping over to Ye Yun. "Brother Ye... I..."
"Go to sleep." Ye Yun's voice was soft, but left no room for argument. "We still have to travel tomorrow."
The next morning, the group dragged their exhausted bodies and heavy haul out of the Sunset Mountains at last. When the walls of Chun'an County came into view, more than a few people were moved to tears.
"We're finally back!"
"I swear, I'm never going back to that hellhole for as long as I live!"
"This haul's enough for me to get married!"
Amid the cheers, Ye Yun's expression remained calm, though a hint of relief flickered in his eyes. Without drawing attention, he touched the jade box tucked against his chest, feeling the three Vermilion Essence Fruits inside.
After entering the city, the group agreed to take their prey to the trading house the next morning. When they parted, Yan Xiao Liu looked at Ye Yun several times as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he only gave a firm nod.
The following day, when the green-scaled giant snake's materials were laid out one by one in the trading house's hall, even the well-traveled appraiser couldn't help drawing in a sharp breath.
"A complete Second-Order snake hide... Fangs in perfect condition... And this... Good heavens!" The white-haired old appraiser pushed up his glasses, his voice trembling. "Everyone, these materials are worth at least ten thousand taels of gold!"
The hall erupted. The hunters embraced one another in excitement, and some even wept with joy. After discussing it, they unanimously decided to give half the proceeds to Yan Xiao Liu—after all, he had slain the giant snake. The rest would be split among the others.
"That doesn't seem right..." Yan Xiao Liu rubbed his hands awkwardly, his gaze unconsciously searching for Ye Yun.
In the corner, Ye Yun gave a slight shake of his head, signaling for him to accept.
In the end, everyone received nearly a thousand taels of silver—several years' wages for an ordinary constable. After the group scattered, celebrating, Yan Xiao Liu hurried after Ye Yun and tried to press a thick stack of banknotes into his hands. "Brother Ye, these..."
Ye Yun raised a hand to stop him. "You earned them." When Yan Xiao Liu tried to insist, he added, "Besides, I've already kept the snake gallbladder. It's worth far more than this."
By the time dusk settled, Ye Yun had returned to his modest home. Uncle Fu had already prepared hot water and clean clothes. The moment he saw Ye Yun, he hurried over. "Young Master Yun, you're finally back! This old servant's been so worried these past few days I couldn't sleep..."
Warmth spread through Ye Yun's heart. He gently patted the old man's stooped back. "I'm fine, Uncle Fu. More than fine—I came back with a haul."
He carefully shut the door, then took the jade box from where he had kept it tucked close to his chest. The moment he lifted the lid, three translucent, crimson fruits came into view, their rich fragrance instantly filling the room. Strange light rippled across the Vermilion Essence Fruits, which trembled faintly as if alive.
Ye Yun took a deep breath and picked up one of them. The fruit felt warm in his hand, its texture like the finest mutton-fat jade. Without hesitation, he raised the Vermilion Essence Fruit to his mouth.
The fruit melted as soon as it touched his tongue, turning into a warm yet surging torrent that rushed down his throat. In an instant, Ye Yun felt every pore on his body open, every cell leaping with joy. He immediately sat cross-legged and circulated his Essence Qi, guiding the vast energy through the cycle of his meridians.
At first, the energy flowed gently, like a little stream. But as time passed, it grew more and more violent, more and more turbulent. A strange red glow spread across Ye Yun's skin, his aura surged wildly, and even the air in the room seemed to thicken.
An invisible wave of energy burst out from Ye Yun, hurling every table and chair aside. Teacups shattered on the floor with a sharp crash.
Hurried footsteps sounded outside. Uncle Fu pushed open the door in a panic. "Young Master Yun! What happened..."
The old man's words died in his throat. Eyes wide with disbelief, he stared at the scene before him—Ye Yun was hovering half a foot above the floor, pale golden streams of air circling his body. The entire room was shrouded in an oppressive force that made it hard to breathe.
"This... this is..." Uncle Fu's lips trembled, tears welling in his cloudy eyes.
Just then, Ye Yun's aura suddenly drew inward. The red glow vanished, and he slowly descended to the floor and opened his eyes. For an instant, Uncle Fu thought he saw a streak of lightning flash past.
"Young Master Yun..." Uncle Fu's voice choked with emotion. "You... you've become a ranked martial artist? No... that's not right..." The old man sensed something keenly, and his voice abruptly rose. "This aura... you're at least at the peak of the 8th Rank!"
Ye Yun nodded calmly, feeling the surging power within him. The Vermilion Essence Fruit's effects had far exceeded his expectations. It had not only propelled him straight to the peak of the 8th Rank, but had likely brought him within a single step of the 7th Rank.
More importantly, the Essence Qi within him was several times purer than before, and his meridians had widened considerably.
Uncle Fu was so overcome with emotion that tears streamed down his cheeks. He clasped his hands and bowed again and again toward the heavens. "The heavens have finally opened their eyes! May the master's spirit protect us! The Ye Family has hope! Young Master Yun has finally..." Suddenly remembering something, he spun around in a hurry. "Young Master Yun, wait here. This old servant has something to give you!"
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