Ye Xuan left Wood Spirit Peak and headed straight back to his quarters.
He had already used today's check-in in Wood Spirit Peak's spirit fields. After several consecutive days of processing medicinal ingredients, he also felt somewhat tired, so he planned to rest for a day.
"Someone's here!"
Standing outside his house, Ye Xuan looked at the open door and sensed the considerable presence inside, his expression grave.
Whoever came meant trouble!
"Ye Xuan, you're finally back!"
Xu Li walked out of the house, his face dark. He had not expected Ye Xuan to stay away for several consecutive days, leaving him waiting here all that time. Today was the day he had to deliver Spirit Stones to Senior Brother Hu. If Ye Xuan still did not return, he would have no way to scrape together enough.
Thinking of Senior Brother Hu's temperament, Xu Li could not help shuddering.
"May I ask what brings you here, senior brother?"
Ye Xuan narrowed his eyes at Xu Li. Dressed in the blue-green robes of an outer disciple, Xu Li was presumably Wang Liang's backer in the outer sect. Ye Xuan had not expected him to come so soon.
Still, Ye Xuan was not afraid in the slightest. He saw through Xu Li's cultivation at a glance.
Qi Refining Sixth Layer!
Although Xu Li was three layers above him, Ye Xuan was confident he could defeat him.
Ever since he began cultivating the Chaos Dao Scripture, Ye Xuan had found that the Spiritual Qi in his Dantian was extraordinarily condensed, and his Dantian had expanded severalfold. The Spiritual Qi now within him rivaled that of a cultivator at the seventh or eighth layer of Qi Refinement.
"Let me ask you: did you kill Wang Liang?"
Xu Li asked coldly.
"Why waste words on him, Senior Brother Xu? He must have killed Brother Liang!"
Just then, Ma Mei ran out of the house and screamed at Ye Xuan in a frenzy, her eyes filled with hatred.
She had finally found a backer in the outer sect, and Wang Liang had even promised to bring her into it later. She had never expected him to be killed by Ye Xuan, shattering her dream of becoming an outer disciple.
"Junior Sister Ma, shouldn't you have evidence before making accusations?"
Ye Xuan narrowed his eyes at Ma Mei and spoke coldly.
"Evidence? There are signs of a fight both inside and outside your house. What more evidence do you want?"
Xu Li stepped forward and demanded.
"The sect has no rule against practicing martial arts inside or outside your own house!"
Ye Xuan would never admit to killing Wang Liang.
He realized he still had not quite adjusted to this world. The strong seemed to need no evidence when dealing with the weak; mere suspicion was enough for them to strike.
"What a sharp tongue. Once I've subdued you, let's see how you argue your way out!"
Xu Li gave a sharp shout, drew his longsword, and thrust at Ye Xuan.
Too slow!
In Ye Xuan's eyes, both Xu Li's sword movements and his footwork were extremely slow. He could evade them with ease.
Yet Ye Xuan did not dodge. Instead, he met him head-on.
He wanted to test his current combat strength.
"You've got some nerve!"
Seeing Ye Xuan come at him barehanded, Xu Li laughed instead of growing angry. His longsword stabbed toward Ye Xuan like falling rain.
Unhurried, Ye Xuan executed the Wind Thunder Step, evading every attack, then unleashed the Black Tiger Fist Technique at Xu Li.
Using ten percent of his cultivation, Ye Xuan was at a disadvantage, but the Wind Thunder Step still allowed him to hold his own against Xu Li.
At twenty percent, Ye Xuan could trade blows with Xu Li, defending more than he attacked.
At thirty percent, Ye Xuan could suppress Xu Li, leaving Xu Li defending more than he attacked.
As the fight went on, cold sweat seeped from Xu Li's forehead. He could feel that Ye Xuan was merely toying with him, and he inwardly lamented his plight. You're a big shot! Why play the pig to eat the tiger, staying here as a menial disciple anyone can bully?
"Senior Brother Ye, I had eyes but failed to recognize Mount Tai. I've offended you greatly. Please be magnanimous and forgive me!"
After evading another attack from Ye Xuan, Xu Li leaped out of the fray and cupped his hands in apology.
Ma Mei stood to the side, utterly shocked. She had brought Xu Li here hoping to use him to kill Ye Xuan. She had never expected that even a lofty outer disciple would be no match for him.
Lowering her head, Ma Mei quietly shifted her feet, thinking of escaping.
Xu Li was about to apologize to Ye Xuan when he noticed Ma Mei trying to flee. He immediately chased her down and ended her life with a single stroke.
"It was all this woman's doing! She misled me!"
A wise man knew which way the wind blew. Xu Li had no intention whatsoever of fighting Ye Xuan head-on. He did not even dare utter a threat; just now, he had sensed a trace of killing intent from Ye Xuan.
"Take one move from me, and I'll let you leave."
Ye Xuan watched expressionlessly as Xu Li killed Ma Mei. He raised the cultivation he was using to forty percent, then struck without hesitation.
A tiger's roar rang out.
Xu Li's expression changed drastically. He mobilized all his Spiritual Qi, wielding his longsword in a defense so tight not even wind could penetrate it. At the same time, he took out a low-grade talisman and activated it, forming a shield before his chest.
Bang!
Ye Xuan's fist collided with Xu Li's longsword. The blade snapped with a mournful cry, and the shield before Xu Li's chest lasted less than a breath before shattering as well.
In the end, Ye Xuan's fist slammed into Xu Li's chest, sending him flying backward like a kite with its string cut.
"Thank you for showing mercy, senior brother!"
Xu Li wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, hoisted Ma Mei onto his back, and cupped his hands in salute before staggering away.
Ye Xuan calmly watched Xu Li leave without stopping him.
Although he had felt the urge to kill earlier, he had instantly snuffed it out.
Xu Li had stayed here for several days. Quite a few people were bound to know.
The sect might turn a blind eye to the death of a menial disciple, but killing an outer disciple would bring the sect's Law Enforcement Hall to his door.
Every deacon in the Outer Sect Law Enforcement Hall had Foundation Establishment cultivation.
"With my current cultivation, I seem to be somewhat stronger than someone at the eighth layer of Qi Refinement. Against someone at Qi Refinement Peak, I could remain undefeated with the Wind Thunder Step, but against a Foundation Establishment deacon, I'd probably face certain death."
Ye Xuan swiftly assessed his strength, then finally sighed.
"I still need to raise my cultivation. Now that I have a high-grade spirit root, and I'm not short of Qi Gathering Pills or Spirit Stones for the moment, I'll break through to the Qi Refining Fourth Layer first and become an outer disciple. At least then, anyone who wants to attack me will have something to consider."
Ye Xuan took out the Qi Gathering Pills he had refined, swallowed several at once, then held Spirit Stones in his hands and began cultivating.
Meanwhile, after hastily burying Ma Mei, Xu Li arrived at Senior Brother Hu's quarters with an uneasy heart.
Hu Yi was the disciple of an outer sect elder. His cultivation had already reached Qi Refinement Peak, leaving him only a step away from Foundation Establishment. He could establish his foundation and become an inner disciple at any time.
He was ruthless and sinister. Countless menial disciples had died at his hands, and he had even killed outer disciples, but his master had protected him every time.
"Xu Li, you're late."
With a seductive female cultivator in his arms, Hu Yi looked at Xu Li and spoke indifferently.
At Hu Yi's words, Xu Li trembled, dropped straight to his knees, and began tearfully pleading his case.
"Senior Brother Hu, there's a reason I'm late. I ran into a tough customer while collecting Spirit Stones. Not only did he kill the menial disciple under me, he also beat me up. If I hadn't acted according to the circumstances, I probably wouldn't have made it back!"
"Oh? What's his cultivation?"
Hu Yi immediately grew interested. He pushed the female cultivator in his arms aside, crouched before Xu Li, and asked.
Ever since he killed an outer disciple last time, his master had confined him to his quarters. Now that his confinement was over, his hands were itching for action. Xu Li's words immediately caught his interest.
"He hid his cultivation. I couldn't withstand even one punch from him!"
Ye Xuan had only displayed cultivation at the Qi Refining Third Layer, but Xu Li certainly did not believe that was all he had.
"Heh, interesting. Come on, take me there. Let's find some amusement!"