Moon Spirit Fruit

At this moment, Lin Zisheng merely cast a glance at Ye Lin before hurrying toward the Inner Sect, as if he had some urgent matter to attend to.

"Senior Brother, how many Inner Sect elders does our sect have?"

Ye Lin asked, seemingly casual.

Hearing this, Zhao Li glanced at Ye Lin and spoke up.

"Our sect only has nine Inner Sect elders, all of whom are experts at the late stage of the Foundation Establishment Realm."

After speaking, Zhao Li pursed his lips and looked around. Finding no one else nearby, he whispered to Ye Lin.

"By the way, I have a piece of inside information—don't go telling anyone else. It is said that our sect has one more incredibly mysterious Inner Sect elder who possesses the supreme cultivation of the Golden Core realm."

"However, she is in seclusion all day long, so it's impossible to confirm if it's true. Furthermore, it is said that this elder is a woman."

"I don't know if this is true or not, but you mustn't go spreading it around."

After Zhao Li finished, Ye Lin nodded.

"Of course, I was just curious."

So there really is this incredibly mysterious Tenth Elder, and at the Golden Core realm?

Ye Lin pondered to himself. An Inner Sect elder at the Golden Core realm was truly absurd.

One had to know that in other sects, a Golden Core cultivator could already serve as a Supreme Elder.

"Junior Brother, we've arrived."

Hearing Zhao Li's words, Ye Lin looked ahead.

The Dark Moon Pool was located on the outskirts of the Hundred Thousand Mountains.

"This is the place. The water source for the villages at the foot of the mountain comes from this Dark Moon Pool, but just a few days ago, three Rock Crocodiles at the ninth level of Qi Refining suddenly appeared here."

"This cut off the water supply for the villages below. Our objective is to slay these three Rock Crocodiles."

"In a moment, Junior Brother, you hold one off while I deal with the other two. Be careful."

Zhao Li said to Ye Lin with a serious expression.

The Dark Moon Pool was a pond with a diameter of no more than fifty meters. By the water's edge, three crocodiles, each eight or nine meters long, could be seen lurking.

These were different from ordinary crocodiles; the Rock Crocodiles were covered in earthy-yellow scales, granting them astonishing defensive power.

Moreover, being at the ninth level of Qi Refining, it could be said that a Qi Refining cultivator without the aid of a spiritual treasure could not break through their defenses at all.

"Senior Brother, these Rock Crocodiles have invincible defenses. I'm afraid the two of us won't even be able to scratch them, right?"

Ye Lin turned to look at Zhao Li beside him.

"Don't worry, I came prepared. For this mission, I specifically borrowed a spiritual treasure from my senior brother."

Zhao Li pulled a longsword from behind his back; it was none other than a Yellow-Grade High-Tier Longsword.

"Junior Brother, I'm going in. Just help me pin one down, and once I've slain the other two, I'll come to your aid."

After speaking, Zhao Li charged toward the three Rock Crocodiles. The crocodiles, which had been basking in the sun, suddenly noticed the stranger and began to stir, crawling toward Zhao Li with incredible speed.

Ye Lin did not hesitate either; he leaped out and struck one of the crocodiles with a punch, immediately drawing its aggression.

Three Rock Crocodiles at the ninth level of Qi Refining—even without the aid of a longsword, I could easily slaughter them.

Ye Lin thought to himself as he was forced back by the crocodile.

Looking over at Zhao Li, with the aid of the Yellow-Grade High-Tier Longsword, he was like a god descending; he had already slain one crocodile and was currently locked in a fierce struggle with another.

If I take a hit from the crocodile and fall into the bottom of the pool, I can retrieve the treasure and surface later without raising the slightest suspicion from Zhao Li.

A plan formed in Ye Lin's mind.

Seeing that the timing was right, Ye Lin watched the tail of the crocodile before him and raised his arms to block. The next moment, he was sent flying by a lash of the tail, his entire body plunging into the pool and disappearing from sight.

"Junior Brother!"

Zhao Li, having just slain his crocodile with a single strike, heard the commotion and turned to see Ye Lin being whipped into the water.

"Damn it!"

Zhao Li cursed under his breath and immediately charged toward the remaining crocodile with his sword raised.

Meanwhile, Ye Lin had already begun swimming toward the bottom of the pool.

Upon reaching the depths, Ye Lin caught sight of the glowing Moon Spirit Fruit.

It's about to ripen? Now I know what those three Rock Crocodiles were here for.

Looking at the Moon Spirit Fruit, Ye Lin thought to himself.

The fruit was clearly nearing maturity, and demonic beasts were far more sensitive to heaven-and-earth treasures than human cultivators.

The three Rock Crocodiles above had undoubtedly come for this very fruit.

"Now, you are mine."

Ye Lin reached out, plucked the Moon Spirit Fruit, tucked it into his Spatial Ring, and began swimming back toward the surface.

"Damn it, die!"

Zhao Li tried every possible way to deal with the Rock Crocodile before him, but the beast refused to cooperate, remaining in a stalemate that made it impossible to kill in the short term.

Just then, Ye Lin suddenly burst out of the water and onto the ground; the Rock Crocodile, which had been preparing to attack Zhao Li, spotted Ye Lin and immediately crawled toward him instead.

"It's time to finish you off."

Watching the Rock Crocodile approach, Ye Lin seized the moment while it was distracted by its stalemate with Zhao Li; a burst of fiery red flames erupted from his right hand, and he slammed a punch directly onto the top of the beast's head.

Instantly, the Rock Crocodile's entire skull was driven into the ground, causing the earth to sink, while blood poured from the creature's seven orifices and its breath vanished entirely.

On the other side, Zhao Li had also managed to finish off his own cunning Rock Crocodile.

"Junior Brother, are you alright?"

Zhao Li approached Ye Lin, carrying his long sword, and asked with a slight nod.

"I'm fine. I wasn't paying attention earlier and got knocked into the lake bottom by the Rock Crocodile, but fortunately, this one was already injured, otherwise, I truly wouldn't have been a match for it."

Ye Lin shook his arm as he spoke, and Zhao Li nodded as he looked at the carcass of the Rock Crocodile.

"Indeed, it is still too much of a stretch for an eighth-level Qi Refining cultivator to fight a ninth-level one. It was my lack of consideration, but fortunately, we succeeded."

"Let's go, Junior Brother. We can go and claim our rewards."

"Alright."

Ye Lin stood up and cupped his hands toward Zhao Li. After briefly processing the Rock Crocodile carcasses, the two headed straight for the Azure Cloud Sect.

Upon arriving at the Azure Cloud Sect, Ye Lin stood outside the Mission Pavilion while Zhao Li went inside to submit the mission.

Moments later, Zhao Li walked out with a beaming smile on his face.

"Junior Brother, here, this is what I promised you: twenty-five Low-Tier Spirit Stones."

Zhao Li tossed a cloth bag to Ye Lin.

"Many thanks, Senior Brother."

Ye Lin took the bag and cupped his hands toward Zhao Li.

"It's nothing. I'm going to go cultivate now."

Watching Zhao Li's retreating figure, Ye Lin felt a sense of gratitude; this Senior Brother was a good man.

Ye Lin then headed toward his own living quarters.

As for Zhao Li, because the mission was completed quickly and with an excellent rating, he was rewarded with an extra five Low-Tier Spirit Stones.

After reaching his quarters, Ye Lin closed the door and took out the Moon Spirit Fruit and the Foundation Establishment Pill.

Should I break through to the Foundation Establishment Realm now?

Looking at the two treasures before him, Ye Lin fell into deep thought. He was fully capable of breaking through to the Foundation Establishment Realm now, and with the assistance of the Foundation Establishment Pill, he would certainly be stronger than the average Foundation Establishment cultivator once he succeeded.

"No, I must go to the Scripture Depository first."

For the sake of caution, Ye Lin put away the treasures and headed toward the Scripture Depository.

Breaking through to the Foundation Establishment Realm was a major event; a ten-thousand-foot tower rises from the ground, and only by laying a solid foundation could one build a towering structure.