Inside the imperial palace of the Yue Kingdom,
A bald burly man walked in carrying two unconscious rogue cultivators. Guarding the entrance was a hazy, mist-white figure-the Ice Demon.
At the sight, the Ice Demon said sourly, "Tie Luo, you've brought back another two rogue cultivators. The cult leader will be praising you again."
Tie Luo rubbed his bald head and replied without thinking, "My life belongs to the cult leader. Serving him is only right."
The Ice Demon had no idea what to say to this simple-minded companion. After exchanging a few casual words, he prepared to let him through.
Just then, a pair of sharp forelegs appeared out of nowhere and pierced straight through Tie Luo's body. His tough flesh was now as easily punctured as paper.
Tie Luo turned his head with difficulty and saw a gigantic mantis thirty to forty feet tall. He wanted to say something, but his body had already collapsed limply, all life extinguished.
The Ice Demon reacted swiftly. Seeing Tie Luo, whose cultivation matched his own, killed in a single strike, how could he dare take the enemy head-on?
Relying on his elusive movements, the Ice Demon frantically retreated, then let out a long howl of warning. Yet the instant he made a sound, a blue figure came rushing toward him-it was Lin He.
Lin He was using the Wind-Riding Art, bolstered by a Lightness Talisman and his activated Cloud-Treading Boots, making him incredibly fast. A blue blur wielding a jade-green blade circled the Ice Demon and unleashed a slash.
With a dull bang, the Ice Demon's hard claws proved utterly useless and were severed by the jade-green blade. The blade continued into his abdomen, and jade-green flames spread outward. The Ice Demon barely managed a scream before collapsing.
After two years of tempering with stellar power, Lin He's physical strength was far beyond what it had once been. Combined with the power of the Magic Treasure Fragment, the Jadefire Blade, it had taken him only a few moves to kill the Ice Demon.
Having effortlessly killed two great Blood Attendants, Lin He came into view. Soon, a large crowd of Black Fiend Cult disciples arrived, led by Qing Wen and Ye She.
"Who are you? How dare you trespass in the imperial palace? Don't you know the rules laid down by the Seven Great Sects?"
Qing Wen was about to say more, but Lin He was in a hurry and had no intention of answering. With a flick of his hand, an ancient-looking short blade flew out.
At the same time, he stirred his spiritual sense, and a huge jade-green figure once again appeared out of nowhere.
The Concealment Veil was a fine-grade Top-Tier Auxiliary Magical Artifact. Paired with a powerful close-combat spirit beast like the Jade Mantis, it was like giving wings to a tiger.
Qing Wen had no way of detecting the Jade Mantis. By the time the beast appeared behind him, it was already too late!
Qing Wen had only just released a shield to block the Jadefire Blade when the Jade Mantis appeared behind him and skewered him straight through the heart.
A miniature formation shone on the Jade Mantis's chest. It was the formation Lin He had personally inscribed-Sharpness!
This Sharpness formation enhanced the Jade Mantis's attack power, making its forelegs even deadlier.
"Qing Wen!"
Ye She usually looked indolent, but now his soul nearly fled his body in terror. Their opponent could actually command a level four spirit beast! Three of their four great Blood Attendants had been killed before they even had time to assume their demonic forms.
Ye She was just about to flee when the Jadefire Blade came at him. With no other choice, he released a flying sword to block it, but he soon bitterly regretted it.
The moment this top-tier flying sword touched the jade light, it was completely overwhelmed. Its entire blade trembled violently, a warning that the magic artifact was about to be damaged.
Ye She was startled. Just as he prepared to act, the Jade Mantis, which came and went without a trace, appeared behind him again. With a slight sweep of its sharp forelegs, his Protective Shield was torn apart as easily as paper.
Ye She was only at early Foundation Establishment. How could he possibly contend with a level four spirit beast? Like Qing Wen, he was killed by the Jade Mantis in a single strike.
Lin He beckoned with one hand. A bead flew from each of the four great Blood Attendants' bodies and landed in his palm. These were the Blood-Condensed Five Elements Pills!
A faint smile appeared on Lin He's face, and he hurriedly put the beads away. Just then, an enraged voice rang in his ears.
"How dare you!"
A blue-robed man came rushing over, just in time to see Lin He put away the four beads. His fury flared beyond restraint. Raising his hand, he sent a dense streak of blood light straight at Lin He.
Faced with the Blood Refining Divine Light, which could defile magic artifacts, Lin He showed no fear. He raised his hand and blocked it with the pair of Black Dragon Grabs.
The blue-robed man sneered at first, but after a while, he realized something was wrong. His opponent's magic artifacts seemed utterly impervious to the blood light's corruption.
"Boy, you have a few tricks, but that's all. Hand over the beads if you know what's good for you."
Lin He chuckled, not even bothering to respond. This infuriated the blue-robed man, yet for some reason, he did not attack again. Instead, he watched Lin He as though waiting for an entertaining show.
Something's wrong!
Seeing that expression, Lin He knew something was afoot. He immediately activated his Cloud-Treading Boots and darted diagonally backward. At the same moment, a middle-aged man in yellow robes appeared where he had just stood. It was the Yue Emperor.
"Quick reactions. But will you be able to dodge the next one?"
The Yue Emperor exchanged a glance with the blue-robed man. Then, as though their minds were linked, they attacked simultaneously, unleashing two balls of blood-colored light. They closed in from both sides, sealing off every avenue of retreat.
Facing a joint attack from two late Foundation Establishment cultivators, Lin He's expression grew grave. He dared not underestimate them. A jade-green figure moved in front of him-it was the Jade Mantis.
The two balls of blood-colored light slammed into the mantis, carving two deep wounds into its body. Although the Jade Mantis's attacks were formidable, its defenses were somewhat lacking, and this single exchange had injured it.
Spirit beasts were different from humans, however. They were absolutely loyal to their masters and obeyed their commands without hesitation, even when wounded.
The Jade Mantis seemed to have had its ferocity awakened as well. It relentlessly attacked the Yue Emperor, forcing him to release a streak of blood light some ten feet long to defend himself.
The blue-robed man seized the opportunity and pulled out a saber hilt. Dense blood light clung to it, and then he spat out a large mouthful of essence blood. A strange sight followed: the hilt suddenly transformed into an ancient-looking long saber.
Wielding the saber, the blue-robed man unleashed a thick streak of black light straight at Lin He.
The Black Blood Blade!
Lin He silently named it, then snorted coldly and likewise brought out his Magic Treasure Fragment to meet it. With the Jadefire Blade in hand, he charged fearlessly toward the Black Blood Blade.
With a swift, fierce slash, the Jadefire Blade struck the Black Blood Blade hard. Two terrifying surges of spiritual power erupted, shaking Lin He and the blue-robed man
until both their faces turned pale.
"You... you actually have a Magic Treasure Fragment too!"
The blue-robed man was greatly shocked. Then greed spread across his face, entirely undisguised.
"Good, good, good! You've traveled all this way to deliver a treasure to me. Hand it over!"
Soon, the blue-robed man and Lin He were locked in battle. Each wielded a Magic Treasure Fragment in close combat, sending terrifying waves of spiritual power surging in every direction.
After dozens of fierce exchanges, Lin He suddenly felt a flash of inspiration in his mind. A new layer of understanding dawned on him, filling him with excitement.
He swung the Jadefire Blade to block the Black Blood Blade, then stirred his spiritual sense. The Jade Mantis spread its wings, and Lin He leaped onto its back, flying toward the outside of the imperial palace.
"Hmph! Trying to run?"
The blue-robed man and the Yue Emperor exchanged a glance and gave chase together. Just as they were about to catch up, the Jade Mantis suddenly carried Lin He down into a bamboo grove below.
At the same time, a Five-Colored Light Curtain appeared, enclosing the blue-robed man and the Yue Emperor. What horrified them even more was that, inside the Five-Colored Light Curtain, Lin He and the Jade Mantis were not alone-two female cultivators stood there as well. One wore flowing white robes, like an immortal maiden descended to the mortal world, and made no attempt to conceal her Core Formation stage magical power.