Qing Prefecture.
The Zhao Family Estate.
An old man with white hair sat in a chair, holding a teacup. The tea had long since gone cold, but he hadn't noticed.
His name was Zhao Wannian, head of the Zhao Family.
A middle-aged man who looked like a butler stood before him, bent at the waist, his voice trembling.
"Patriarch, the young master's body has been brought back. The Provincial Capital coroner's report is out, too."
Zhao Wannian set down his teacup.
"How does it read?"
"The report says there was a cave-in at the Rift. He was buried under rubble and died of suffocation. Uncle Fu also died in the cave-in. He had two puncture wounds in his chest, but the coroner believes they were caused by sharp debris piercing him during the collapse."
Zhao Wannian said nothing.
The butler added, "The troops stationed at the front line have also filed an accident report. Their conclusion is the same."
Zhao Wannian slowly rose and walked to the window.
"Uncle Fu served me for twenty-three years. He was cautious, careful, and experienced."
The butler lowered his head. "Yes."
"A First-Rank Psychic Master, with concealment techniques at the Martial Master level."
"Yes."
"Tell me, could a man like that be crushed to death in a Rift cave-in?"
Sweat began to bead on the butler's forehead.
"What's more," Zhao Wannian turned around and tapped the tabletop twice with his fingers, "the puncture wounds on Uncle Fu's chest were two distinct strikes. They were in a straight line, less than ten centimeters apart. Could a cave-in cause injuries like that?"
The butler's voice dropped even lower. "Patriarch, you mean..."
"Someone killed Uncle Fu and Yuan'er. Then they fabricated the scene."
The room fell silent for three seconds.
The butler bent even lower.
"Should we send people to the front line to investigate at once?"
Zhao Wannian was silent for a while, then returned to his grand chair and sat down.
"The Beast Tide."
"Huh?"
"The Northern Wasteland Beast Tide will reach the Northern Frontier Defense Line in three days. You should have received the news, too."
The butler nodded. "We have."
"The Zhao Family has three contracted Rifts near the Sixth Defense Line. When the Beast Tide comes, the Exotic Beast density in those Rifts will surge. If we pull our people away to investigate the case, who will guard the Rifts?"
The butler understood.
"If even one contracted Rift falls, the Zhao Family will lose tens of millions a year from Rift revenue alone."
Zhao Wannian lifted his tea, now completely cold, and took a sip. "We'll investigate after the Beast Tide. Yuan'er is already dead. Waiting a few more days won't matter."
His voice was frighteningly calm.
"But I want to know who did it."
"Yes."
The butler withdrew.
The Zhao Family's youngest grandson was dead.
The family's most talented direct descendant was gone just like that.
Who had done it?
After the Beast Tide, Zhao Wannian would find out.
Then he would make that person pay a thousand times, ten thousand times over.
Sixth Defense Line.
Lin Feng woke after only four hours of sleep.
Outside his tent, the camp was in an uproar. The sounds of supplies being hauled mingled with officers shouting orders at the top of their lungs.
The countdown to the Beast Tide had two days left.
The entire Base Camp was already in its most intense state of preparation.
Lin Feng paid it no mind.
He washed his face, wolfed down two steamed buns, picked up Mountain Splitter, and headed out again.
"Sergeant Major Lin!" Zhang Qian came hurrying after him, panting. "Commander Li asked me to tell you there'll be a tactical briefing before the Beast Tide. You must be there at two this afternoon!"
"What time is it?"
"Eight in the morning."
"Then I've got six hours."
Lin Feng headed out of the Base Camp.
Zhang Qian stamped his foot behind him. "Are you going to clear another Rift? For heaven's sake, take it easy. Those Rifts aren't going anywhere!"
"They're not going anywhere, but the Beast Tide is coming."
Lin Feng disappeared through the camp gate.
Six hours.
He made straight for another D-Rank Rift.
This Rift was deeper than the last, with a full eight levels.
But for Lin Feng now,
all he had to do was kill.
With his Martial Artist peak cultivation, an A-Rank War Blade, the Armor Piercing talent, and two high-tier Martial Techniques,
that combination was more than enough to crush D-Rank Exotic Beasts.
He cleared the first five levels in an hour and a half.
[Killed D-Rank Exotic Beast: Crimson Flame Giant Python ×1, gained Martial Path Points ×200] [Killed D-Rank Exotic Beast: Iron Wall Pangolin ×3, gained Martial Path Points ×600] [Killed D-Rank Exotic Beast: Dark Gold Beetle ×5, gained Martial Path Points ×1000] [Steel of the Blade: 268/500]
D-Rank high-tier Exotic Beasts began appearing on the sixth level.
A Shadow Blade Leopard King, its whole body pitch-black, moved at an absurd speed. Its strength was at the Martial Artist peak.
When it sprang from the shadows along the rock wall, its claws were already in front of Lin Feng.
Against anyone else, one swipe would have been enough to ruin their day.
But Lin Feng's psychic senses had already locked onto it.
A Psychic Master's perception range far exceeded that of an ordinary Martial Artist.
He dodged sideways and swept Mountain Splitter up in one smooth motion, cutting from the leopard's jaw to the base of its tail.
A line of blood split open, and its innards spilled all over the ground.
[Killed D-Rank Exotic Beast: Shadow Blade Leopard King ×1, gained Martial Path Points ×250] [Steel of the Blade: 269/500]
The seventh level.
Deeper still.
The ground temperature had risen considerably, and a pungent smell hung in the air.
Lin Feng had just turned a bend when he abruptly stopped.
A massive Exotic Beast lay sprawled in the cave ahead.
Dark-purple scales covered its entire body. Its four legs were thick and sturdy, and the two curved horns on its head gleamed like metal.
The System Panel displayed a notification.
[Detected D-Rank Exotic Beast: Purple Armored Earth Dragon (D-Rank peak, close to the Martial Ancestor threshold)]
Lin Feng's pupils contracted.
D-Rank peak, close to the Martial Ancestor threshold.
This thing was more than a level stronger than the Red Flame Earth Lizard he'd killed last time.
"Let's do this."
Lin Feng drew a deep breath, drove Lost Trace Step to its full power, and shot toward the Purple Armored Earth Dragon like a blur.
The Earth Dragon sensed the movement and snapped open its dark-purple, slit-pupiled eyes.
Roar—
A low growl rolled from its throat, shaking the entire cave.
It opened its jaws and unleashed a stream of purple poison mist.
Lin Feng was ready. He shifted direction with Lost Trace Step and circled to the side of the poison mist.
Mountain Splitter rose high.
Mountain-Breaking Slash!
A golden Gale Wind tore from the blade and slammed into the Earth Dragon's left flank.
Boom!
Purple scales shattered, and blood sprayed through the air.
The Earth Dragon recoiled in pain and swept its tail across.
Lin Feng ducked. The tail skimmed over his head, its gusting force scraping his face raw.
He seized the opening, slid beneath the Earth Dragon's belly, and thrust Mountain Splitter upward.
The Armor Piercing effect flared to its full strength.
The blade punched through its belly armor and sank more than halfway in.
The Earth Dragon let out a shrill screech. Its six legs kicked wildly as its whole body rolled to the side.
Lin Feng yanked out his blade, rolled clear, sprang to his feet, and struck again.
This slash cut straight into the side of the Earth Dragon's neck, severing half its cervical vertebrae.
Its massive body crashed heavily to the ground. It twitched a few times, then lay still.
[Killed D-Rank Exotic Beast: Purple Armored Earth Dragon ×1, gained Martial Path Points ×300] [Steel of the Blade: 270/500]
Lin Feng took two breaths, then sat down on the Earth Dragon's corpse.
Every muscle in his body was aching, but the numbers on the System Panel put him in a great mood.
[Current Martial Path Points: 8650]
With the 5,600 he'd saved earlier, that brought his total to 8,650.
Lin Feng didn't hesitate.
"Cultivation, increase."
Before you continue