I'm Ziwei, the Little Bro

Inside the room.

Lin Tian reined in his aura.

The Heavenly Sword hovered a meter away from him.

Having cultivated to the Mystic Pill Realm, Lin Tian's perception had grown much stronger.

The moment he killed the first person.

He had easily sensed the danger emanating from the great rune formation above Blood Town.

He was certain that if he killed just one more person.

The rune formation would immediately bring down its punishment.

Over these ten days, Lin Tian had constantly absorbed the power within the Kui Bull's soul essence.

Now, the strength of his physique was no longer comparable to before.

Thanks to the Kui Bull's soul essence.

Lin Tian vaguely felt that he was about to break through to the second layer of the Sword Heart Body Refining Art.

Broken Sword.

When that happened, Lin Tian's body should be able to withstand a strike from the formation.

Lin Tian was not sure whether he could withstand it now.

But he had to make certain he would not die.

Madness had to come with something to gain.

It was not blind recklessness.

"Your cultivation has advanced to Mystic Core Eighth Layer. Your sword has tempered itself, increasing its toughness by ten percent."

The voice rang out in Lin Tian's mind again.

The Kui Bull's soul essence had allowed him, within ten days.

To advance another two layers.

At the same time.

The Heavenly Sword was also constantly improving in every aspect.

Lin Tian could even see the faint image of a Kui Bull on the Heavenly Sword's blade.

The more power Lin Tian absorbed from the Kui Bull's soul essence.

The clearer he found the Kui Bull's phantom on the Heavenly Sword became.

Yet the greatest benefit the Kui Bull's soul essence brought Lin Tian had never been his cultivation.

It was his physique and the Kui Bull Dharma Idol that was about to take shape.

Once Lin Tian could manifest the Kui Bull Dharma Idol.

He would be able to use the Kui Bull's innate divine ability.

That would be a qualitative leap in Lin Tian's strength.

Just then.

A mask began flashing in Lin Tian's field of vision.

It was the Zhenwu Mask.

After he completed his first mission, the mask had unlocked its communication function.

Ziwei was his only friend.

Through Ziwei's introduction, Lin Tian had already mastered the method of concealing the Zhenwu Mask in the void.

From now on, he could summon it whenever he needed it.

A dialogue box had also appeared in Lin Tian's mind.

Conversations with his Extreme Realm friends could take place mentally through the Zhenwu Mask.

[Ziwei: Boss, have you thought about that matter? I only have a few days left now. I'm a little scared.]

Ziwei's voice appeared in Lin Tian's mind.

Lin Tian curled his lip and replied.

[Zhenwu: Didn't I already tell you I'm in seclusion? Stop bothering me.]

Lin Tian had discovered that Ziwei was a chatterbox.

He would send him a message practically every so often.

Lin Tian had already warned Ziwei before.

The other man had quieted down a little, but today he had started messaging again.

[Ziwei: Zhenwu, I'm not doing it on purpose. The thing is, I have to take part in another Extreme Realm mission in a few days. On my first mission, Big Brother Azure Emperor carried me to victory. The second time, I relied on you. You're the only two friends I have. I have no choice.]

Lin Tian curled his lip. He knew what Ziwei meant.

Ziwei's combat style resembled the AD characters in the competitive games of his previous life.

In other words, he was squishy.

Taking part in a mission alone was indeed very dangerous.

[Zhenwu: Isn't there still Azure Emperor?]

[Azure Emperor: Zhenwu, here's the situation. Two Kui Bulls appeared in the Sword Capital, and two hundred thousand of its citizens died at their hands. The entire Immortal Dynasty is furious. Troops will soon be sent to campaign against the Wilderness. This concerns the nation's fortunes. I have to go.]

Just then, Azure Emperor's message suddenly appeared.

Lin Tian was slightly surprised. He did not seem to have Azure Emperor on his friend list.

[Ziwei: I added Boss Azure Emperor to the group chat. See, Zhenwu? I really have no choice.]

Lin Tian focused, then carefully examined the dialogue box in his mind.

[Boss Azure Emperor, Boss Zhenwu, and Little Bro Ziwei]

Sure enough, even the title had changed.

Ziwei's will to survive really was strong.

Humility filled every line.

[Azure Emperor: Zhenwu, helping Ziwei is actually quite worthwhile. Think about it. You get an extra mission out of nowhere, which is extremely beneficial to your cultivation. And Ziwei, since you've chosen to ask Brother Zhenwu for help, you need to show some sincerity.]

[Ziwei: Exactly, Boss Zhenwu. You and I are different. I'm worried about whether I'll die during my mission, while you're worried about whether you'll kill enough. As long as you help me, I'm willing to offer a Void Insight Pill.]

Lin Tian's eyebrows rose slightly.

The reason he had refused before was actually that he had been uncertain how long absorbing the Kui Bull's soul essence would take.

At the time, he had thought he would need at least a month.

After all, the power in the Kui Bull's blood essence had been far too immense.

But when Lin Tian circulated the Heavenly Sword Body Refining Art.

His speed had increased greatly.

Lin Tian estimated that he could finish absorbing all of it in about five more days.

He had kept putting Ziwei off because he actually wanted to see whether the other man would raise his offer.

[Zhenwu: I don't need a Void Insight Pill. Do you have any pills that can strengthen the physique?]

Delighted, Ziwei hurriedly replied.

[Ziwei: A Cloud Spirit Pill. Although it's inferior to a Void Insight Pill, it's even more tempting than a Void Insight Pill to body-refining martial artists. Huh, Zhenwu, aren't you a sword cultivator? What use do you have for pills that strengthen the physique?]

[Azure Emperor: For all martial artists, the stronger the physique, the greater the benefits. Ziwei, you should do some body refining too. You can't keep relying on other people.]

[Ziwei: Uh, it's not that I don't want to refine my body. It's just that the cultivation art I practice has limitations in that regard.]

A trace of a smile rose at the corner of Lin Tian's mouth.

[Zhenwu: One isn't enough. Four would be about right.]

[Ziwei: Zhenwu, you're bullying me. Four is too many.]

[Azure Emperor: Yes, Zhenwu. Cloud Spirit Pills aren't ordinary pills.]

Lin Tian said nothing.

The group fell silent at once.

A while passed.

[Ziwei: Boss Zhenwu, please have a heart.]

An incense stick's worth of time passed, and still no one spoke.

[Ziwei: Boss Zhenwu, I really can only offer two at most.]

[Zhenwu: Deal.]

[Azure Emperor: ...]

At the same time.

Heavenly Sword City, the Lin residence.

Whitewashed walls enclosed the courtyard, with green willows drooping all around.

An ornate four-story tower stood within the residence, visible from far away.

Openings had been left beneath all four surrounding walls, with clear spring water winding around them.

It was a beautiful estate, more magnificent than any villa Lin Tian had seen in his previous life.

On the street outside the Lin residence.

Passing merchants all gazed enviously at the vermilion walls and the lovely trees and tall buildings rising beyond them.

In this world.

The gulf between cultivators and mortals was like that between clouds and mud.

When mortals saw a cultivator's residence, they could only look on in envy.

But today, the Lin residence was filled with sounds of mourning.

White funeral couplets were pasted on the main gates.

Many guests who had come to offer condolences were also dressed in plain clothes.

The Lin Lineage's eldest young master had died.

He had died beneath the hooves of the beasts that besieged the Sword Capital.

This was a major event for all of Heavenly Sword City.

At that moment, the courtyard gates stood wide open.

Outside the gates.

Children starved to skin and bones licked stones, their noses running as they sucked their fingers.

They looked into the Lin residence.

They could see winding covered walkways and pebbles spread into paths below the steps.

Servants in mourning clothes passed back and forth, carrying jade platters of delicacies.

Someone had died, but a banquet still had to be held. Everyone in the residence and the guests offering condolences still needed to eat.

These children could only watch, and when they saw the delicious food.

And clearly smelled its drifting fragrance, they sucked their fingers even harder.

As though they, too, had tasted it.

"Get out of here, all of you!"

A cold shout came from inside the courtyard.

It was a young man wearing mourning clothes. This was a time of sorrow; how could he let this trash sully his eyes?

"Big brother, we're only looking."

A little boy with a grime-blackened face summoned his courage and spoke.

They had been hungry for several days. If they did not eat something soon, they would probably really starve to death.

"Can't understand human speech, can you?"

The young man in mourning clothes shouted coldly and kicked the little boy in the stomach.

There was a bang.

The little boy went flying, coughing blood, his chest caved in and his life hanging by a thread.

"Big brother!"

"Big Brother Chen Lian!"

A group of filthy children ran after him, crying.

A child who had gone hungry for so long and already had no strength left would probably die from a kick like that.

The passersby who witnessed this were all somewhat frightened.

But no one dared show concern, and no one would show concern.

Who would dare defy the Lin residence?

Just then, a streak of white light appeared.

It was an ordinary-looking old man, his gaze calm as he watched this scene.

Standing beside the dying child, he extended one hand.

Wisps of hazy Spiritual Qi seeped into the boy's body.

Crack, crack!

The little boy's caved-in bones actually began to recover, and before long, they were restored to their original state.