The Return and the Breakthrough

The twilight at the edge of the Sunset Mountains was exceptionally long, the bloody remnants of the sun dyeing the entire mountain forest a dark crimson. Yan Xiao Liu followed behind Ye Yun, his steps faltering under the weight of his heavy pack. Inside were the most precious parts of the Green Scaled Giant Snake—its hide, as tough as iron; its fangs, sharp as knives; and its priceless gall bladder. With every step, he felt the sting of his wounds, but what troubled him even more was the seemingly ordinary yet unfathomably deep figure ahead.

"Brother Ye..." Yan Xiao Liu wanted to speak but stopped, his voice dry as if scraped by sandpaper.

Ye Yun's footsteps didn't falter; he merely turned his head slightly.

"We're just going back like this?" Yan Xiao Liu swallowed, his gaze drifting towards the dense forest behind them.

"It's been handled," Ye Yun's voice was as calm as a deep pool.

By the time they finally rejoined the main group, it was completely dark. Around the campfire, the surviving hunters were all grimy and wounded to varying degrees. Someone with sharp eyes spotted them and immediately exclaimed, "Sixth Brother! You're alive!"

Dozens of gazes snapped towards them. Upon seeing only the two of them, someone immediately asked, "What about Zhao Si? Sixth Brother, how did you get so injured?"

Yan Xiao Liu felt his throat tighten. He instinctively glanced at Ye Yun, who was nonchalantly tidying his pack, not even looking up.

"We... we encountered a Second-Order Demonic Beast..." Yan Xiao Liu's voice trembled slightly but quickly steadied. "Zhao Si... Zhao Si was swallowed directly by that beast... Li San and Wang Wu..." He paused, the image of the two men being slain by Ye Yun flashing through his mind. More cold sweat beaded on his forehead. "They... they were hiding their strength... fought the beast fiercely... in the end... in the end, both sides suffered heavy losses..."

The campfire crackled, illuminating a series of shocked faces.

"Sixth Brother, you... you killed the Second-Order Demonic Beast?" someone asked, their eyes wide with disbelief.

Yan Xiao Liu's face instantly turned crimson. He waved his hands frantically, "No, no, no... That Giant Snake was already on its last legs from Li San and the others... I... I just took advantage of the situation..."

The others were skeptical, but their doubts were soon washed away by the joy of survival. Someone clapped Yan Xiao Liu on the shoulder, "No matter what, Sixth Brother, you've made a great contribution this time! We'll celebrate properly when we get back!"

Ye Yun sat in the shadows of a corner, quietly listening to the commotion. His gaze swept over every tired yet excited face, finally resting on the dancing campfire. The firelight flickered in his deep eyes, reflecting a trace of imperceptible complexity.

As the night deepened, the others gradually fell asleep. Yan Xiao Liu tossed and turned, eventually quietly moving closer to Ye Yun. "Brother Ye... I..."

"Sleep," Ye Yun's voice was soft but left no room for doubt. "We still have to travel tomorrow."

The next morning, the group, dragging their weary bodies and heavy spoils, finally stepped out of the Sunset Mountains. When the outline of the city walls of Chun'an County appeared in their vision, many were moved to tears.

"We're finally back!"

"I'll never go to that cursed place again in my life!"

"This haul is enough for me to get married!"

Amidst the cheers, Ye Yun's expression remained calm, though a hint of relief flashed in his eyes. He subtly touched the jade box he kept close to his chest, feeling the presence of the three Vermilion Essence Fruits.

After entering the city, they agreed to process their spoils at the merchant guild the next morning. As they parted ways, Yan Xiao Liu looked at Ye Yun several times, wanting to say something, but in the end, he just nodded heavily.

In the merchant guild hall the next day, when the materials from the Green Scaled Giant Snake were displayed one by one, even the experienced appraiser couldn't help but gasp.

"A complete second-order snake skin... well-preserved fangs... and this gall bladder... My heavens!" The white-haired old appraiser pushed up his glasses, his voice trembling. "Everyone, these materials are worth at least ten thousand gold!"

The hall erupted. The hunters hugged each other excitedly, some even weeping with joy. After deliberation, they unanimously decided to give Yan Xiao Liu fifty percent of the profits—after all, he had taken down the Giant Snake. The rest would be divided equally among the others.

"This isn't right..." Yan Xiao Liu rubbed his hands nervously, his gaze unconsciously searching for Ye Yun.

Ye Yun, from his corner, shook his head slightly, signaling him to accept.

In the end, everyone received nearly a thousand taels of silver—equivalent to several years' income for an ordinary constable. After the jubilant crowd dispersed, Yan Xiao Liu hurried to catch up with Ye Yun, thrusting a thick stack of banknotes at him. "Brother Ye, this..."

Ye Yun raised his hand to stop him. "This is what you deserve. Besides," he added, seeing Yan Xiao Liu's insistence, "I already accepted the gall bladder, which is worth much more than this."

As dusk settled, Ye Yun returned to his humble abode. Uncle Fu had already prepared hot water and clean clothes. Seeing him return, he immediately stepped forward. "Young Master Yun! You're finally back! This old servant hasn't slept well these past few days, worrying..."

Ye Yun felt a warmth in his heart and gently patted the old man's hunched back. "I'm fine, Uncle Fu. Not only am I fine, but I also have a harvest."

He carefully closed the door and took out the jade box he had kept close. The moment the lid was lifted, three crystal-clear, crimson fruits came into view, their rich aroma instantly filling the room. The Vermilion Essence Fruits had a peculiar luster on their surface, trembling slightly as if alive.

Ye Yun took a deep breath and picked up one of them. The fruit was warm to the touch, feeling like the finest mutton-fat jade. Without hesitation, he put the Vermilion Essence Fruit into his mouth.

The fruit dissolved upon contact, transforming into a warm yet powerful torrent that rushed down his throat. In an instant, Ye Yun felt all his pores open, every cell cheering. He immediately sat cross-legged, circulated the vital energy within him, and guided this vast energy through his meridians.

Initially, the energy flowed like a gentle stream. But as time passed, it became more and more violent, more and more surging. Ye Yun's skin began to emit a strange red glow, his aura fluctuating violently, and the air in the room grew thick.

An invisible wave of energy erupted from Ye Yun as the center, overturning all the surrounding tables and chairs. A teacup shattered on the floor with a crisp sound.

Urgent footsteps sounded from outside the door, and Uncle Fu rushed in, pushing the door open in a panic. "Young Master Yun! What's happening..."

The old man's words stopped abruptly. He stared with wide eyes at the scene before him—Ye Yun was suspended half a foot above the ground, surrounded by visible streams of pale golden energy, the entire room enveloped in a suffocating pressure.

"This... this is..." Uncle Fu's lips trembled, and tears welled up in his cloudy eyes.

Just then, Ye Yun's aura suddenly retracted, the red glow dissipated, and he slowly landed back on the ground, opening his eyes. In that instant, Uncle Fu felt as if lightning had flashed.

"Young Master Yun..." Uncle Fu's voice choked. "You... you've become a ranked martial artist? No... that's not right..." The old man keenly sensed something, his voice suddenly rising. "This aura... this is at least 8th Rank peak!"

Ye Yun nodded calmly, feeling the surging power within him. The effect of the Vermilion Essence Fruit far exceeded his expectations. Not only did it allow him to break through to the peak of 8th Rank, but he estimated he was only one step away from the seventh rank.

More importantly, the vital energy in his body had become several times purer, and his meridians had been widened considerably.

Uncle Fu was so excited that tears streamed down his face. He clasped his hands together and bowed repeatedly towards the sky. "Heaven has eyes! The ancestors are watching! The Ye Family has hope! Young Master Yun finally..." He suddenly remembered something and turned around hastily. "Young Master Yun, wait for me. This old servant has something to give you!"