Undercurrents

Seven days had passed since Lin Ye returned from Sword Testing Cliff. The wound on his shoulder had scabbed over, leaving three scars.

"Senior Brother Lin, your medicine." Zhao Xiaosi carried in a tray and carefully set it on the table.

"Put it there." Lin Ye didn't look up, continuing to wipe the Azure Edge Sword in his hands.

"Senior Brother, are you... really going to compete in the Outer Sect Competition?" Zhao Xiaosi asked hesitantly.

"Mm."

"But..." Zhao Xiaosi lowered his voice. "I heard Senior Brother Zhao said he'd cripple you during the competition."

Lin Ye's hand paused as he wiped the blade.

"Who told you that?"

"Everyone outside is saying it." Zhao Xiaosi's voice trembled.

Lin Ye's eyes shifted slightly.

Chen Feng had disappeared after they returned from Sword Testing Cliff. Zhou Bapi said he'd taken leave to visit his family back home.

"The person behind him" had summoned him back.

"Got it." Lin Ye sheathed his sword. "Go on with your work."

"Yes..." Zhao Xiaosi retreated.

"Senior Brother, please be careful."

The door closed.

Lin Ye picked up the bowl of Blood Ginseng soup and drained it in one gulp.

He set down the bowl and looked out the window.

"Zhao Liang..." Lin Ye murmured the name.

At the peak of Body Tempering Eighth Stage, Zhao Liang was already among the strongest in the Outer Sect. With powerful backing, he certainly had reason to swagger.

Now that Lin Ye was at the peak of Body Tempering Eighth Stage, he was strong enough to crush ordinary Body Tempering Ninth Stage cultivators. With the optimized Thirteen Swords of the Clear Wind and Flowing Cloud Steps, along with those "little tricks" he couldn't let the light of day touch, he could even fight someone who had just entered the True Qi Realm.

"The competition's in a month..." Lin Ye calculated. He needed to prepare enough "trump cards" first.

Night fell. Lin Ye changed into black clothes and quietly left the Herb Repository.

He headed to an abandoned old courtyard on the western side of the Outer Sect.

He pushed open the creaking wooden door and entered the courtyard.

A shadow was already waiting inside.

"Got the goods?" the scar-faced man asked hoarsely.

Lin Ye said nothing. He took out three jade bottles and set them on the stone table in the courtyard.

The bottles contained thirty top-grade Qi Gathering Pills, twenty packets of high-grade Hemostatic Powder, and ten "Qi Explosion Pills."

"And the things I asked for?" Lin Ye asked.

The scar-faced man pulled a cloth bag from his robes and tossed it over.

Lin Ye opened the bag. Inside were fifty sets of ingredients for making Golden Sore Ointment, thirty sets of materials for Soul-Bewildering Incense, and ten finished Explosive Flame Talismans. At the very bottom lay a thin booklet.

"The Breath Concealment Technique is incomplete. It only has the first three levels."

Lin Ye put away the bag and nodded. "Thanks."

"Don't mention it." The scar-faced man grinned. "But, little brother, let me offer some unsolicited advice—you've been drawing too much attention lately. Be careful. Zhao Liang's people are looking into you, and there's even deeper water behind Zhao Mingxuan."

With that, he picked up the jade bottles and vanished into the night with a flash.

Lin Ye stood where he was, gazing at the Breath Concealment Technique in his hands, his expression deep.

He gripped the booklet tightly, then turned and left.

Back at the Herb Repository, Lin Ye pressed his palm against the Breath Concealment Technique and silently thought, Deduce.

[Deduction of Breath Concealment Technique (mortal-grade, high-grade, incomplete) requires 50 points]

[Proceed with deduction?]

A phantom appeared, demonstrating the art of concealing one's aura.

His aura sank away, like a stone sinking into the sea; his vitality nestled within, like dead wood bursting into spring.

[Deduction complete]

[Breath Concealment Technique has been optimized and completed. It has four levels. Once mastered, it can deceive detection by cultivators of the same level.]

Lin Ye immediately began cultivating.

Ten days later, he had mastered the third level.

The third level of the Breath Concealment Technique was already enough for him to adjust his cultivation to a "reasonable" level.

At the same time, he began making Golden Sore Ointment and Soul-Bewildering Incense.

Golden Sore Ointment was a mortal-grade, mid-grade healing medicine. It was several times more effective than Hemostatic Powder and could save a life at a critical moment.

Everything was being prepared in orderly fashion.

Half a month later, deep in the night.

Lin Ye was making Golden Sore Ointment in a mountain cave when his heart suddenly lurched.

Without a moment's hesitation, he sprang backward.

"Boom!"

A fist-shaped blast of force slammed into the spot where he had just stood. Shattered rock flew everywhere, and the ground erupted into a crater three feet deep.

"Not bad reflexes."

A chilling voice rang out.

Three figures emerged from the shadows at the cave entrance.

The man leading them was none other than Zhao Liang!

A faint current of true qi flowed around him.

He had clearly only just entered the True Qi Realm, and his aura was unsteady.

The two men behind him were also at the peak of Body Tempering Ninth Stage, veteran disciples of the Outer Sect.

"Senior Brother Zhao, what do you mean by this?" Lin Ye asked calmly, secretly gripping the Soul-Bewildering Incense in his hand.

"What do I mean?" Zhao Liang sneered. "Lin Ye, did you think Zhao Mingxuan had you covered, so I couldn't touch you? Let me tell you, Zhao Mingxuan can barely protect himself! As for you... you're dying here tonight."

"The sect forbids killing fellow disciples," Lin Ye said.

Zhao Liang laughed. "This is the back mountain, where demonic beasts roam. If you're 'accidentally' killed by one, what's that got to do with me?"

Before his voice had even faded, the two men behind him lunged forward.

One wielded a saber, its blade flashing like snow.

The other attacked with his fists, his punches howling through the air.

Both were at the peak of Body Tempering Ninth Stage, with formidable fighting strength.

Lin Ye's gaze turned cold. He used Flowing Cloud Steps to narrowly evade the blade, then punched at the man attacking with his fists.

"Bang!"

Their fists collided, and waves of force churned through the air.

"Together!" Zhao Liang shouted, joining the fight.

A True Qi Realm cultivator crushed a Body Tempering cultivator.

Zhao Liang threw a punch. Its force was solid, and a faint sound of wind and thunder rumbled within it.

Lin Ye didn't dare take it head-on. He retreated again and flung out three black pellets.

"Explode!"

The pellets burst, filling the cave with thick smoke and a pungent odor.

It was an enhanced "smoke bomb," made with chili powder, lime powder, and a trace of poisonous herb juice.

"Pathetic trick!" Zhao Liang released his true qi, scattering the smoke.

But in the brief delay, Lin Ye had already rushed to the cave entrance.

"Trying to run?" Zhao Liang sneered. He shot forward like lightning, overtook Lin Ye, and blocked the exit.

"Who said I was running?" Lin Ye stopped abruptly and flicked a finger.

A spark flew toward a spot on the cave wall.

The moment it touched, the powder ignited, and colorless smoke spread through the cave.

"Not good! Hold your breath!" Zhao Liang reacted swiftly, immediately stopping his breath.

But the other two were half a beat too slow. They inhaled the smoke, and their movements instantly faltered.

Now!

A cold gleam flashed in Lin Ye's eyes as the Azure Edge Sword left its sheath.

Wind and Thunder Move!

He had been building up to this strike for a long time. With the Soul-Bewildering Incense weakening his opponent, it shot out like lightning.

"Shhk!"

One thrust pierced the saber-wielder's throat.

The other man snapped out of his daze and charged with a roar.

But Lin Ye's sword was already in motion, its strikes flowing one after another.

"Pfft!"

The second man was stabbed through the heart.

In the span of three breaths, both men were dead.

"You... deserve to die!" Zhao Liang flew into a rage. His true qi surged to its full strength as he threw a punch.

Fueled by fury, the punch's force solidified like a real object, and the air exploded with a bang.

Lin Ye didn't dare take it head-on. He stepped with Flowing Cloud Steps, dodging like a ghost.

He threw out three Explosive Flame Talismans.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Three blasts rang out as flames burst forth. Their power was lacking, but their spectacle was tremendous.

Taking advantage of the moment, Lin Ye pulled a blood-red pill from his robes and swallowed it.

Qi Explosion Pill!

His aura surged. His cultivation instantly broke through Body Tempering Eighth Stage and reached Ninth Stage, even nearing its peak!

"Hmm?"

Lin Ye gave him no time to think. The Azure Edge Sword flashed again.

This time, its light cascaded like a waterfall, mingling with wind and thunder.

"Clang!"

Sword and fist collided, sparks scattering everywhere.

Lin Ye staggered back seven steps, blood spilling from the corner of his mouth.

Zhao Liang also retreated three steps, a bloody gash appearing on his fist.

"You can hurt me?"

"The True Qi Realm is nothing special." Lin Ye wiped the blood from his mouth, his eyes icy.

The Qi Explosion Pill would only last thirty breaths.

He had to end the fight within those thirty breaths.

"You're asking for death!" Zhao Liang went completely berserk, his fists raining down like a storm.

Sword light and fist shadows crashed together, waves of force surging as the cave trembled.

Ten breaths passed in the blink of an eye. Five wounds of varying depths now marked Lin Ye's body.

By the twentieth breath, Zhao Liang's punch slammed into Lin Ye's left shoulder.

At the twenty-fifth breath, Zhao Liang threw another punch.

A strange glint flashed in Lin Ye's eyes. Instead of retreating, he charged forward and took the blow squarely in the chest.

"Bang!"

His breastbone shattered, and blood sprayed from his mouth.

But the blow also brought him closer.

His right hand thrust the sword toward Zhao Liang's throat.

His left hand quietly flicked out a silver needle.

Zhao Liang sneered. He leaned aside to dodge the sword while channeling true qi to protect himself, intending to deflect the needle.

Shielded by the sword's flash, the silver needle in Lin Ye's left hand pierced three inches beneath Zhao Liang's ribs.

"Pfft."

The needle sank into his flesh, and the poison spread instantly.

Zhao Liang's movements faltered, and his true qi no longer flowed smoothly.

Now!

Lin Ye poured every last bit of strength into a thrust.

Wind and Thunder Move—pushed to the limit.

"Shhk!"

The Azure Edge Sword pierced straight through Zhao Liang's chest.

"You..." Zhao Liang lowered his head and stared at the sword in his chest, disbelief filling his eyes.

He, a dignified True Qi Realm cultivator, had actually died at the hands of an errand disciple at Body Tempering Eighth Stage.

"Next life, don't provoke people you shouldn't." Lin Ye pulled out his sword.

Zhao Liang's corpse fell to the ground, eyes wide open, refusing to close even in death.

Lin Ye staggered several steps and braced himself on his sword, barely managing to stay upright.

The Qi Explosion Pill's effects had passed. Weakness crashed over him like a tide, and with his severe injuries, he could pass out at any moment.

He forced himself to stay conscious and quickly dealt with the scene.

Then he brought down the mountain cave, covering up everything.

Once it was done, he could no longer hold on and collapsed to the ground.

As his consciousness blurred, he saw a figure at the cave entrance.