"Whoosh!"
The roiling power slowly settled!
A breakthrough—smooth as water flowing into a channel!
But energy still remained!
Lin Chen did not stop for a moment. He guided the remaining energy into another assault!
Unfortunately, there was not enough for another breakthrough.
When the last trace of energy had been thoroughly devoured and refined,
only desiccated corpses remained scattered across the hall, like mummies dried for a thousand years.
The scene was horrifying.
Lin Chen felt the power surging and roaring through him, far stronger than before. Satisfied, he clenched his fist.
Dou Ling! It was a qualitative leap!
He turned and left the main hall, now like a purgatory.
Outside, many ordinary guards and clan members had rushed over after hearing the commotion, only to be stunned by the horror within.
Without the slightest pity or hesitation:
"Whoosh! Whoosh!"
The Yuantu Abi Twin Swords once again became streaks of deadly light, whistling through the air.
Screams, running footsteps, and pleas for mercy rose one after another, but soon all fell silent.
By the time Lin Chen walked out through the gates of the Jialie Clan, stepping through blood, everything behind him had become a wasteland of death.
Not one person remained alive in the Jialie Clan's central compound.
And through that final harvest, his cultivation had fully stabilized at two-star Dou Ling!
He did not leave at once. Instead, he moved about as if he were in his own home.
With practiced ease, he found the Jialie Clan's storeroom and the secret chambers of several elders!
He had the Blood Scripture to thank for that. It had greatly enhanced his soul perception!
Killing and looting brought in a fortune; the more cultivation resources, the better.
After stowing the mountains of gold coins, medicinal herbs, Magic Cores, and a few choice items he had plundered into his Storage Ring,
Lin Chen vanished like a ghost into the thick darkness, leaving no trace behind...
He returned to the secluded courtyard in Wutan City's outer district and pushed open the creaking wooden gate!
The familiar desolate scene in the yard greeted him.
Yet beneath the withered old tree in the center of the courtyard,
a petite figure sat quietly beside a simple stone table.
Moonlight flowed over her like water, draping her in a soft veil of silver.
She wore a pale blue-green dress, her hair cascading like a waterfall. Her profile was exquisite, her bearing ethereal and serene.
She was calmly brewing a pot of clear tea, her movements graceful and natural, as though this were an elegant pavilion rather than a desolate little courtyard.
It was Xiao Xun'er.
Two clean white jade teacups sat on the stone table. Tea wafted gently from the pot, its fragrance refreshing.
At the sound of the gate, she slowly raised her head, revealing a face of peerless beauty.
Her glassy eyes turned toward Lin Chen:
"You're back?"
Her voice fell softly, like a spring trickling onto jade.
Warm and pleasant, she naturally picked up the teapot and filled the empty cup across from her to about seven-tenths full:
"Did you take care of everything?"
Lin Chen paused for a moment, then quickly composed himself.
He walked over to the stone table and sat down, removing his badly damaged hood.
His face was stern, yet still remarkably youthful.
He glanced at the clear tea in his cup, then looked across at the girl, serene as still water:
"Mm."
He lifted the cup and drained it. The tea was warm,
with a faint fragrance and a trace of bitterness. It slid down his throat, seeming to wash away some of the stench of blood.
A brief silence settled between them, but it was not awkward.
Instead, a curious understanding and tranquility flowed between them:
"You made quite a stir."
Xiao Xun'er gently held her teacup, her tone even,
as if she were speaking of something entirely ordinary:
"The Jialie Clan... It's just as well they're gone. Wutan City will be much more peaceful."
She did not ask how it had happened or question whether it was right or wrong. She simply understood him, wholly from his side.
"Elder Ling went to take a look. He handled everything cleanly."
She added, still gentle, but with a confidence and strength beneath her words.
She was telling him that she would take care of any loose ends.
Lin Chen looked at her and nodded:
"Thank you."
Xiao Xun'er smiled faintly, her smile especially lovely in the moonlight.
There was no haughty bearing of an Ancient Clan heiress, nor the coyness of an ordinary young girl.
Only a heartfelt sincerity and gentleness, as soft as water:
"Between us, there's no need to thank me."
She paused, her gaze shifting to Lin Chen with a hint of curiosity:
"You seem to have... broken through again?"
Lin Chen had not concealed his aura.
The surging power within him had yet to settle after his breakthrough.
It could not escape her perception:
"Mm. Two-star Dou Ling."
Lin Chen did not hide it.
A flicker of amazement crossed Xiao Xun'er's eyes, but she was not too surprised, as if she had expected it:
"Looks like you gained a lot from this trip."
Her tone was light, with a hint of happiness for him.
They chatted a little longer, mostly about recent happenings in Wutan City
and things she had heard about cultivation. Her voice was soft, her cadence unhurried.
Lin Chen mostly listened in silence, only responding now and then.
Moonlight, clear tea, a courtyard, a young man and a young woman.
The scene was so peaceful and beautiful it seemed unreal, a stark contrast to the blood-soaked purgatory of not long before.
After a while, Lin Chen set down his teacup and broke the silence himself:
"I'm leaving."
His voice was calm.
Xiao Xun'er's hand paused as she poured the tea, and her long eyelashes trembled.
She raised her eyes. "Leaving Wutan City?"
"Mm."
Lin Chen gazed out at the boundless darkness beyond the courtyard:
"It's too small here."
"I can't improve as quickly as I want."
His goal lay in a vaster world, among stronger enemies.
He needed the enormous resources to repair his treasured weapon, and he sought power at the very pinnacle.
Wutan City could no longer satisfy him.
Xiao Xun'er fell silent for a moment. A faint, almost imperceptible sadness flickered in her eyes.
But it was quickly replaced by understanding and well wishes. She had known for a long time
that this shallow pond could not hold the true dragon destined to soar through the nine heavens:
"That's for the best."
She nodded gently, her voice still soft:
"The world beyond is vast. With your talent, you should be soaring through a wider sky."
"When are you leaving?"
"Now."
Xiao Xun'er froze again, not expecting him to leave so soon.
But she did not try to stop him. Instead, she took a pale golden token from her sleeve
and placed it on the table. A complex emblem was carved into it, and faint energy rippled from its surface:
"Keep this token. If you face a danger you can't overcome, crush it."
"It might give you a chance to survive."
Lin Chen glanced at the token, accepted it without refusing, and put it away:
"All right."
Xiao Xun'er then took an old-fashioned blue-green jade slip from her robes.
She held it out to Lin Chen. The jade was warm to the touch, and a faint glow shimmered within it. There were no words on its surface,
yet it carried an ancient, obscure aura:
"Take this, too. It might be of some help to you."
Lin Chen accepted the jade slip. It felt slightly heavy in his hand, and he could sense a strange energy within it.
He nodded:
"Thank you."
Xiao Xun'er watched his profile and sighed inwardly.
Truthfully, she was a little reluctant to see Lin Chen leave.
But she did not let it show. Instead, she offered him another gentle smile:
"Then... I wish you a safe journey."
Lin Chen stood and nodded to her in farewell.
Without another word, he turned and headed out of the courtyard, his back resolute.
Just as he was about to step through the gate, Xiao Xun'er's voice sounded again,
trembling almost imperceptibly:
"Lin Chen!"
Lin Chen stopped.
"Take care."
A thousand words, in the end, became just those two, holding all her concern.
This time, Lin Chen did not answer. Only his once-resolute back suddenly stiffened.
The next moment, he spun around and strode over to Xiao Xun'er,
spreading his arms and pulling her tightly into an embrace:
Xiao Xun'er froze, shock filling her glassy eyes.
Her body went rigid, and she even forgot to breathe.
The faint smell of blood still clung to him, lingering beneath her nose, yet strangely, it was not unpleasant.
Instead, mingled with it was a scent that made her feel inexplicably safe:
"Xun'er..."
Before you continue