The Black-Corner Region's famous assassin organization: the Shadow Kill Tower!
"Whoosh!"
Black robes billowed, carrying a bone-chilling stench of blood, as Lin Chen's figure streaked like a ghostly, dark-red bolt of lightning.
He hovered silently above the Shadow Kill Tower's headquarters.
This lair of assassins had dominated the Black-Corner Region for a century. Its walls, cast from black iron, towered dozens of meters high.
The walls were riddled with poisoned arrow slits and defensive runes reinforced by Third-Stage Dou Techniques, yet now they were as useless as paper before him.
"Rip—"
Lin Chen twitched a finger, and a wisp of dark-red Dou Qi formed a blade as fine as a hair.
In an instant, it severed the three concealed alarm formations surrounding the Shadow Kill Tower.
Before the muffled sound of the formations breaking could even spread, he had already dropped toward the ground like a kite with its strings cut.
Where the hem of his black robe swept past, two Dou Ling assassins on guard didn't even have time for their pupils to contract.
Fine lines of blood appeared on their throats, and their bodies crumpled limply to the ground.
The Dou Qi within them had already been drained by an invisible force, turning into two wisps of pale-red energy that slipped into Lin Chen's body.
"Enemy attack!"
The sentries on the tower finally reacted, but their shrill cry had only just left their mouths when—
A Blood Sea Domain ten zhang across erupted around Lin Chen!
The thick, ink-like blood energy surged and coiled around the walls like a living thing.
The guards who tried to draw their bows and fire dissolved the instant they touched the blood-red energy.
Even their bones became nourishment for the domain. Wherever it passed—
The black-iron walls were eaten through with countless holes, and the pungent stench of rust mingled with the smell of blood.
It spread throughout the entire headquarters.
"Courting death!"
Three powerful auras shot out from deep within the headquarters. At their head was the Shadow Kill Tower's Second Tower Master, a Three-Star Dou Wang.
The two crescent-shaped daggers in his hands gleamed with a ghostly blue poison as they thrust straight toward Lin Chen's back.
The other two Dou Wang flanked him from either side, their Dou Qi-condensed fists and palm strikes forming a pincer attack.
The air compressed until it crackled.
Lin Chen didn't dodge. The Blood Sea Domain abruptly contracted, transforming into a dark-red battle armor that covered his entire body.
The daggers struck the armor, leaving behind only two faint white marks.
Then they shattered inch by inch under the force of the domain. Lin Chen grabbed backhandedly.
Blood-red energy condensed into a giant hand studded with bone spikes, which clamped around the Three-Star Dou Wang's head.
With a sharp crack, the Dou Wang's protective Dou Qi shattered like glass.
Dou Qi poured from his body into Lin Chen's dantian through the giant hand, and his pupils quickly lost their light.
Lin Chen casually flung the corpse away, and it smashed through a pavilion.
Seeing their companion fall in an instant, the remaining two Dou Wang were scared out of their wits and turned to flee.
Lin Chen flicked two blood-red spears from his fingertips. They pierced the two men cleanly through the back.
Pinning them to the ground, the blood-red energy spread along the spears.
In less than three breaths, the two Dou Wang had become withered husks.
Only black hollows remained between their brows, where their souls had been devoured.
"You brat! You dare destroy my Shadow Kill Tower? I'll grind your bones to dust!"
A furious roar shook the skies as the Shadow Kill Tower's master—Mo Tianchou, a Four-Star Dou Emperor—soared into the air.
Black Dou Qi churned around him like dark clouds.
A pitch-black blade a hundred zhang long formed in his right hand, its edge wrapped in the surging energy of the Third-Stage Wind Dou Technique, Space-Splitting Slash.
The moment it appeared, it tore through the air and cleaved toward Lin Chen with the might to destroy the heavens and earth!
In the Black-Corner Region, a Four-Star Dou Emperor was already among the strongest.
That single strike was enough to flatten a small mountain!
Lin Chen's gaze remained impassive as the Blood Sea Domain swelled again.
This time, it became an endless blood-red ocean, enveloping the entire Shadow Kill Tower headquarters.
Countless blood-red chains shot skyward from the sea, weaving together into a vast net.
They caught the pitch-black blade by sheer force.
"Clang!!"
The thunderous clash of metal on metal split the ground open.
The Space-Splitting power in the blade was weakened layer by layer by the blood-red chains, until at last it shattered inch by inch!
"Impossible! You're only a Dou Wang. How can you have such power?!"
Mo Tianchou's face filled with shock as he turned to flee.
Lin Chen slowly raised his right hand, and the blood-red ocean boiled in an instant.
Countless pillars of blood-red light rose from the sea, trapping Mo Tianchou fast.
With a single step, Lin Chen appeared before him and pressed a palm against his chest.
The Blood Scripture revolved at full speed, and the Dou Emperor power within Mo Tianchou surged into Lin Chen's body like a flood bursting through a breached dam.
The black Dou Qi covering Mo Tianchou quickly faded, and his skin withered at a visible pace.
"No! I'm a Four-Star Dou Emperor! I can't die!"
Mo Tianchou let out a despairing howl, trying to detonate his dantian and take Lin Chen down with him.
But the instant the thought arose, a blood-red force ripped his soul from his body.
Amid unbearable agony, it was devoured completely.
With Mo Tianchou's fall, the Blood Sea Domain began to contract wildly.
It swept up every remaining Shadow Kill Tower assassin and servant, along with the guards hidden in the vault beneath the secret chamber.
In barely half an incense stick's time, this century-old assassin organization had been reduced to ruins.
Only Lin Chen remained, suspended in the air, dark-red Dou Qi flickering around him like flames.
As the last wisp of energy was absorbed, the Dou Qi within Lin Chen suddenly surged.
He broke through the bottleneck of a Seven-Star Dou Wang and climbed straight to Peak Dou Wang!
Feeling the power surging through his dantian like rivers and seas, he slowly withdrew his Dou Qi.
The bloodstains on his black robe quietly vanished, as if the massacre had never happened.
For Lin Chen, that month in the Black-Corner Region hadn't been aimless wandering.
It had been an efficient, ruthless hunt—and a period of cultivation.
He had used himself as bait. In this lawless land, the sight of a well-dressed child was especially eye-catching.
In the first few days, plenty of fools blinded by greed—like the Black Jackal Squad—had rushed at him one after another.
They had tried to tear apart and devour this seemingly easy "fat sheep."
But everyone who dared bare their claws at him—whether a single Dou Ling—
Or an entire mercenary group with a low-tier Dou Wang at its head—
Had vanished without a sound into that dark-red domain, which opened and closed in the blink of an eye.
Their flesh and blood, Dou Qi, and even their souls became the purest energy.
The Blood Scripture greedily devoured them, turning them into nourishment for Lin Chen's cultivation.
Word gradually spread.
On the fringes of the Black-Corner Region, a terrifying legend began to circulate about the "Blood-Clad Demon Child."
They said he was a seemingly harmless child, but in truth an ancient fiend wearing human skin.
Wherever he went, not a blade of grass remained; anyone who harbored evil intentions toward him would be reduced to ashes.
Not even a whole corpse would be left behind.
Fear began to spread. By the latter half of the month—
The places Lin Chen visited were often deserted.
The Black-Corner Region's usual bullies sensed even the faintest hint of something unusual from afar.
Then, like men who had seen a ghost, they fled at the first opportunity, not daring to approach.
When prey grew scarce, Lin Chen went on the offensive.
His Spirit Realm soul power was like the most precise radar, easily locking onto wanted criminals hiding in deep forests and underground caves.
Or sect traitors and solitary powerhouses with blood on their hands.
Every one of them was stained with blood, and their cultivation ranged from Dou Ling to low-tier Dou Wang.
They were the perfect "provisions."
And so, the Black-Corner Region ushered in an unprecedented "Month of Cleansing."
One notorious criminal after another was dragged out of hiding, then devoured by the Blood Sea amid despair and confusion.
Lin Chen acted decisively and never wasted words. Every attack was a killing blow.
Under the Blood Sea Domain, almost no enemy could last a single breath.
During this efficient and merciless hunt, vast quantities of pure energy poured into Lin Chen's body.
The Blood Scripture revolved wildly, purifying and refining it.
It flowed into his limbs and bones, his dantian, and his Dou Crystal.
His cultivation surged at a speed that left people dumbstruck!
Peak Five-Star Dou Wang... Six-Star Dou Wang... Seven-Star Dou Wang...
When the month was up, Lin Chen stood atop the ruins of a bandit den he had just cleared out.
As he slowly drew in the surging blood-red Dou Qi around him, his aura had already stabilized at Peak Dou Wang!
He was only one step away from the Dou Emperor realm!
Several stars in a single month! If word of such a cultivation speed got out, it would scare countless so-called geniuses to death.
And this was only the tip of the iceberg when it came to the Blood Scripture's power.
Feeling his formidable Dou Qi surging through him like mighty rivers, and his soul power growing ever more condensed with each devoured soul—
Lin Chen nodded in satisfaction. The Black-Corner Region truly was a "fine place."
With his goal achieved, he didn't linger. He moved—
And transformed into a streak of blood-red light, flying straight toward the Black-Corner Region's core.
Toward the place where the famous Jia Nan Academy stood.
He was now far faster than he had been a month ago. In less than half a day—
The vast complex of academy buildings, shrouded beneath a faint energy barrier, came into view.
Jia Nan Academy was a haven in the Black-Corner Region, but it wasn't entirely cut off from the world.
The commotion Lin Chen had caused in the Jia Ma Empire, along with the terrifying rumors of the "Blood-Clad Demon Child"—
Had long since reached the ears of the academy's upper ranks through various channels.
When Lin Chen's undisguised aura—one of Peak Dou Wang—appeared outside the academy—
It immediately put the academy's guard team on high alert.
"Be on guard! A powerhouse is approaching!"
"That aura is so strong! A Peak Dou Wang!"
"Look at him... Could he be the one from the rumors...?"
The captain of the guard team was on tenterhooks and nervously crushed a communication jade token.
Soon, several powerful auras rose from deep within the academy and quickly approached.
At their head was a stern-faced old man with a powerful aura: Hu Gan, the Outer Academy's deputy dean.
His strength had reached Peak Dou Emperor, and several Dou Wang elders followed behind him.
"Who are you, sir? What business brings you to Jia Nan Academy?"
Hu Gan watched Lin Chen hovering in the air, his expression grave and his heart already churning with shock.
A Peak Dou Wang so young? And that faint murderous stench of blood—it was enough to make one's heart tremble!
It instantly matched the identity in that terrifying rumor.
"Lin Chen."
Lin Chen calmly swept his gaze across them and spoke in an even tone.
Just two words, yet Hu Gan and the others' pupils contracted!
So it really was him! That young fiend who had turned the Jia Ma Empire upside down and stirred up a storm of bloodshed on the fringes of the Black-Corner Region!
"So it is Grandmaster Lin who has graced us with his presence!"
Hu Gan's manner immediately turned exceedingly courteous, even tinged with reverence.
A man's reputation was like the shadow cast by a tree. Besides, this was a ruthless figure capable of refining Sixth-Grade Pills and easily slaying Dou Emperors.
"May I ask what brings you to Jia Nan Academy, Grandmaster?"
"I'm not here to offer guidance."
Lin Chen's tone was indifferent.
"I've heard Jia Nan Academy is a renowned institution across the continent, with a quiet environment suited to cultivation."
"I'd like to take a nominal post here and have the title of honorary elder. Would that be possible?"
"Honorary elder?"
Hu Gan and the other elders were taken aback.
With Lin Chen's strength and status as an alchemist, he was more than qualified to become an honorary elder. In fact, Jia Nan Academy would be the one benefiting from the arrangement.
But with his reputation as a fiend... it was hard not to feel a little concerned.
"If Grandmaster is willing to honor us with your presence, Jia Nan Academy would be delighted!"
Hu Gan hesitated for only an instant before agreeing.
Weighing the pros and cons, befriending this young grandmaster would bring far more benefit than harm to Jia Nan Academy.
As for his reputation as a jinx... in the Black-Corner Region, strength was the only thing that mattered.
"However... I still need to report this to Su Qian, the Inner Academy's Grand Elder, and go through the proper process."
Hu Gan added.
"Of course."
Lin Chen nodded.
Hu Gan immediately escorted Lin Chen into the academy himself and arranged for him to wait in its finest VIP suite.
At the same time, he rushed a message to the Inner Academy.
The news reached the Inner Academy and naturally caused another commotion.
When the Inner Academy's Grand Elder, Su Qian—a Dou Zong—heard it, he barely hesitated.
He replied at once: "Approved! Do everything in your power to meet Master Lin's every request. Be sure to befriend him!"
The process moved swiftly. In less than an hour,
an Amethyst Badge, symbolizing the highest honor of elder status at Jia Nan Academy, was delivered into Lin Chen's hands.
From that moment on, Lin Chen could be considered half one of their own at Jia Nan Academy.
After becoming an honorary elder, Lin Chen directly told Su Qian and Hu Gan some of the reason he had come.
"I have two juniors. Their talent is decent, and I may send them to Jia Nan Academy to cultivate for a while in the future."
Lin Chen spoke.
"I hope the academy can make an exception for them and provide the best cultivation resources and environment."
"This is advance payment."
Lin Chen took out two jade vials.
Su Qian and Hu Gan took the vials in puzzlement. The moment they opened them, they sucked in a sharp breath!
There were no pills inside, but two drops of dark-red liquid brimming with incredibly pure energy!
They were "Blood Source Essence," which Lin Chen had condensed by refining his own blood and Dou Qi with the Blood Scripture, then fusing in a trace of the Red Lotus Karma Fire's purifying power.
Though it was not a pill, it had miraculous effects for nourishing the blood and strengthening the foundation of Dou Emperors and even Dou Zongs.
Its value was beyond measure!
"Rest assured, Master! Your juniors will be the most honored disciples at Jia Nan Academy!"
Su Qian promised, his voice full of excitement.
"They will have priority access to every resource!"
This "payment" was simply too generous!
"Also,"
Lin Chen continued,
"I heard there are several elders at the academy who have been stuck at Peak Dou Emperor for a long time?"
At his words, Su Qian and Hu Gan exchanged a glance, their hearts suddenly pounding.
They seemed to guess what he meant, and their breathing grew hurried.
"That's right... I, along with several elders in the Inner Academy, have been trapped at this level for many years..."
Hu Gan's voice was hoarse, brimming with hope.
"I need to refine a batch of Break Sect Pills soon."
Lin Chen's tone remained calm.
"I'll provide the materials. For each set of materials, I'll make one attempt and guarantee one pill, of the highest grade."
Boom!
Though they had suspected as much, hearing Lin Chen say it himself still left Su Qian and Hu Gan's minds ringing.
Overwhelming joy swept through them!
A Break Sect Pill! Guaranteed success! And of the highest grade!
What an irresistible temptation for those who had been stuck at Peak Dou Emperor for decades, or even a century!
"Master! Is that really true?!"
Su Qian's voice trembled.
"Of course."
Lin Chen nodded.
"However, once the pills are refined, I'll need the elders who successfully break through to do something for me."
"Not just one thing! Ten, a hundred! As long as it doesn't violate the academy's principles or harm the innocent, we'll do anything you ask!"
Hu Gan was so excited he nearly leapt into the air, and hurriedly answered first.
Su Qian also nodded firmly, his eyes filled with resolve.
With the chance to break through to Dou Zong before them, any price was worth paying!
"Good."
That was exactly what Lin Chen wanted to hear.
"Go prepare the materials. Once you've gathered a set, come find me."
Over the next few days, the senior ranks of Jia Nan Academy were thrown into a flurry of activity.
Su Qian and Hu Gan mobilized the entire academy, even borrowing from or trading with some allied factions.
At any cost, and as quickly as they could, they gathered two sets of precious materials for refining Break Sect Pills!
That meant they hoped to help two people break through!
Lin Chen had no objection. In a specially prepared alchemy room in the Inner Academy,
he once again began refining pills.
It was still the Red Lotus Karma Fire, still the same smooth, flawless process.
He refined pills twice, producing one pill from each set of materials: two perfectly rounded, flawless Break Sect Pills adorned with brilliant Pill Patterns.
The entire senior ranks of Jia Nan Academy were stunned!
A hundred percent success rate! Every pill was of the highest grade!
This was no longer a grandmaster's skill. It was practically a miracle!
Hu Gan and another Inner Academy elder, who had been stuck at Peak Dou Emperor for many years, eagerly swallowed the Break Sect Pills.
With Lin Chen's Red Lotus Karma Fire protecting them, they both broke through successfully, one after the other.
Vast tides of heaven-and-earth energy were stirred up!
In a single day, Jia Nan Academy had gained two Dou Zongs!
The entire academy erupted in celebration!
Once Hu Gan and the other Inner Academy elder had stabilized their Dou Zong realms, they immediately went to see Lin Chen.
They bowed with utmost respect, treating him with even more reverence than the academy's disciples treated their teachers.
"Our breakthroughs to Dou Zong are entirely thanks to your generosity, Master! Give us the word, and we'll risk our lives to carry out your orders!"
The two spoke in unison, their voices firm and resolute.
Looking at the two newly advanced Dou Zongs before him, Lin Chen finally stated his purpose.
"I want you to come with me to kill someone."
"Who?"
Su Qian asked gravely, a glint of coldness flashing in his eyes.
Forget killing one person. Even if they had to go and raze some major sect in the Black-Corner Region right now, they wouldn't bat an eye.
"The Medicine Emperor, Han Feng."
Lin Chen slowly uttered the name.
Su Qian and the two newly advanced Dou Zongs agreed without a moment's hesitation!
"Good!"
"Rest assured, Master. We'll do everything in our power to kill him!"
The two new Dou Zongs and Su Qian answered together, bristling with killing intent and without the slightest hesitation!
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