Lin He pushed open the bronze gate and entered the outskirts of the Central Area. He had not encountered a single disciple from another sect along the way, which surprised him somewhat.
It seems many of the lower-level disciples died in yesterday's purge. Even those lucky enough to survive were probably scared out of their wits and wouldn't dare approach the Central Area.
Lin He was happy enough with that. Now that he was approaching the Central Area, he still needed to conserve some magical power for tomorrow's great battle.
As soon as he drew near, he faintly heard the sounds of fighting. With his skill came confidence; unless he encountered Xiang Zhili or Nangong Wan, he could practically go wherever he pleased. Still, cautious as ever, he waved a hand and made some arrangements outside the gate before pushing it open and stepping inside.
A paradise filled with birdsong and fragrant flowers greeted his eyes. It seemed the master of the Forbidden Land knew how to enjoy life. The spiritual energy here was abundant as well. No wonder the Central Area could produce medicinal herbs that were impossible to find outside.
As Lin He surveyed his surroundings, he also noticed Han Li fighting Zhongwu. Another young man, dressed in the robes of a Blade Transformation Valley disciple, was staring at him.
"Junior Brother Lin!"
Han Li was startled to see Lin He. As far as he was concerned, this junior brother, with his eleventh-layer cultivation, should not have ventured into the Central Area.
Lin He nodded to Han Li. Faced with Han Tianya's hostile expression, he merely smiled, without the slightest trace of nervousness. This dismissive attitude immediately infuriated Han Tianya.
"You actually dared come to the Central Area at the eleventh layer of Qi Refining? You've certainly got some nerve."
Han Tianya's expression turned cold and sinister, like a savage beast choosing someone to devour. While fending off Han Li, Zhongwu also sized up Lin He. When he spotted the boots, he let out a strange cry.
"Cloud-Treading Boots! Why are you wearing Feng's boots?"
Han Tianya's heart tightened at those words, and he hurriedly looked over. After confirming that they were the Cloud-Treading Boots, he asked in a low voice,
"Boy, what exactly is your relationship with Feng Yue? Why would he give you his Cloud-Treading Boots?"
"My relationship with him?" Lin He said meaningfully. "We were enemies, of course."
"What? Don't tell me... you killed Feng Yue? Impossible. Absolutely impossible!"
Han Tianya immediately shook his head, his face full of disbelief. Zhongwu did not believe it either. Feng Yue had been at the peak of the thirteenth layer of Qi Refining. How could he have died at the hands of an eleventh-layer brat?
Only Han Li listened with a bewildered expression. He did not know anyone named Feng Yue, nor did he know how powerful Feng Yue had been, so naturally the revelation meant little to him. He could only vaguely gather that Feng Yue must have been quite strong.
"Boy, stop spouting nonsense. I don't know how you got those boots, but if you know what's good for you, hand them over obediently, and I can still give you a quick death."
With his rosy lips, white teeth, and delicate features, Han Tianya looked utterly harmless. Yet now he openly revealed a trace of murderous intent that sent a chill down the spine.
"Heh, give me a quick death? Then take a look at this first."
Lin He stepped aside to the left. A powerful surge of spiritual energy followed, and a thick Water Arrow shot straight toward Han Tianya!
"You..."
Han Tianya was greatly startled and hurriedly dodged sideways. The thick Water Arrow passed so close to his face that it drew a thin trickle of blood from his handsome cheek.
Like a woman, Han Tianya gently stroked his injured cheek, his voice turning exceptionally shrill.
"Boy, you dared cut my face? You're courting death."
He was just about to attack when a cold rush of wind suddenly sounded overhead. A pair of red-glowing claws flew toward him-the Blazing Fire Claws in Lin He's possession.
"Top-tier magical artifacts!"
Startled, Han Tianya hurriedly took out two red flying knives and intercepted the Blazing Fire Claws. These flying knives were actually a pair of top-tier magical artifacts as well.
After doing so, he took out a fiery-red talisman and slapped it onto himself, forming a fiery-red protective shield.
Just then, an enormous tail suddenly swept toward him. A tremendous force struck, making the entire red protective shield shake violently. Then a huge mouth opened, and another thick Water Arrow came hurtling toward him.
"An Azure Water Crocodile!"
Only then did Han Tianya see that the creature that had ambushed him was an Azure Water Crocodile at peak level one. Panic immediately seized him.
How could Lin He let such a good opportunity slip away? He immediately unleashed all manner of magical artifacts and talismans.
Eight Golden Blades flew out as eight streaks of golden light. A pair of white rings joined together in the middle, forming an enormous ring that came smashing toward him. At the same time, more than a dozen low-tier beginner talismans were activated, sending attacks of every kind pouring in one after another.
Han Tianya had never seen anything like this. His soul nearly fled beyond the heavens in terror. He no longer had any thought of killing anyone; all he wanted was to withstand this wave of attacks. He hurriedly took out a ring-shaped top-tier defensive magical artifact and placed it as his outermost defense.
The ring-shaped artifact offered decent protection, but against such a terrifying onslaught, it held out for only a moment. The fiery-red protective shield inside it fared even worse, shattering almost as soon as it was struck.
"No! How could I die at the hands of an eleventh-layer Qi Refining brat?"
Han Tianya's face twisted with venomous resentment. Once he expanded his defensive shield, he could no longer move quickly. He could only watch helplessly as his defenses were broken, before the multitude of attacks swallowed him whole, leaving not even a scrap behind.
In a single exchange, Han Tianya, one of Blade Transformation Valley's most promising disciples, was slain. A chill ran through Zhongwu's heart. Only now did he fully believe that Feng Yue had died at Lin He's hands.
With Han Tianya's fate as a warning, how could he dare raise a defensive shield and wait in place for death? He hurriedly cast the Wind-Riding Art, greatly increasing his speed, and rushed toward the bronze gate.
Just then, Han Li hurriedly directed a top-tier flying sword toward him. Zhongwu cursed at the sight, but had no choice but to dodge sideways. That brief delay was enough for an enormous figure to come charging at him.
Zhongwu jumped in fright. He had seen the Azure Water Crocodile's tremendous physical strength with his own eyes and did not dare take its charge head-on. He immediately opened all seven or eight spirit beast bags he held, releasing all sorts of low-level spirit beasts at once.
Iron-Arm Apes, Frost Toads, Poison Bees, Flying Snakes, and the rest all blocked the way in front of Zhongwu.
The Azure Water Crocodile charged straight ahead without fear. Whether Iron-Arm Ape or Frost Toad, every one of them was sent flying. The Poison Bees' stingers and the Flying Snakes' fangs could not pierce the Azure Water Crocodile's defenses at all, and they crumpled at the first contact.
Even so, they finally bought Zhongwu a little time. He had no time to mourn the spirit beasts he had painstakingly acquired and fled toward the bronze gate in a frantic rush.
Lin He did not pursue him. Instead, he leisurely picked up Han Tianya's storage bag.
Although Zhongwu found this strange, he had no time to think about it. Just as he was about to step through the bronze gate, twenty Ice Spikes suddenly struck without warning, instantly punching a mass of bloody holes through his body. He died before he could even grunt.
Lin He unhurriedly collected Zhongwu's storage bag, then turned to Han Li and said with a slight smile,
"Senior Brother Han, I never expected us to meet here."