Xu Yan Gravely Wounded!

After Yang Yang broke through to the Body Forging Realm Ninth Layer Peak, he came to see his master, Lin Ye.

"Master, I've broken through to the Body Forging Realm Ninth Layer Peak, but I still lack a True Qi cultivation method."

Yang Yang had come to ask for a cultivation method. Although a Body Refining Cultivation Method could still be circulated to temper the body after reaching the True Qi Realm, the focus of that realm was on improving True Qi. Only by improving True Qi could one continue to substantially temper the fleshly body; the improvements gained from a Body Refining Cultivation Method alone were far too slight.

Without a cultivation method, he could not break through to the True Qi Realm either.

"Take this cultivation method. It shares the same roots as your Furnace Body Refining Technique and is its advanced form." Lin Ye gave Yang Yang the Taotie Swallowing Heaven Instruction, a low-grade heaven-tier cultivation method.

Of course, he had already modified it. He had left the name unchanged, since there was no "devil" in the name Taotie Swallowing Heaven Instruction to give anything away. But he had slightly altered the wording, polishing up all the descriptions relating to the demonic path.

"A low-grade heaven-tier cultivation method! Thank you, Master."

Yang Yang was thrilled. He was no longer a complete beginner in cultivation and knew how precious heaven-tier cultivation methods were. Let alone two-star sects, even three-star and four-star sects would have trouble producing one, much less bestowing it on an inner disciple.

"Go cultivate. Strive to break through to the True Qi Realm soon."

"Yes, Master."

Yang Yang took his leave.

The next day, Han Bing also came to Lin Ye to ask for a cultivation method. Lin Ye passed the Corpse King Canon, a low-grade heaven-tier cultivation method, on to him. The Corpse Zombie Body Tempering Technique Han Bing had cultivated before could temper him to the realm of a greater mastery silver corpse, comparable to the True Qi Realm. But it could not cultivate True Qi, after all, so it did not count as the True Qi Realm. Moreover, reaching the realm of a greater mastery silver corpse without True Qi was truly too difficult.

Thus, Han Bing also needed to cultivate a True Qi cultivation method, and the Corpse King Canon was an excellent choice.

Lin Ye had also made extensive modifications, changing the Corpse King Canon into the Supreme Yin Golden Body Instruction. Just like that, not only was it no longer demonic, it also sounded lofty and imposing, clearly a heaven-defying cultivation method at a glance.

Lin Ye had spent a long time modifying this cultivation method. Polishing it up without damaging the method had undoubtedly taken a great deal of effort.

"The Supreme Yin Golden Body Instruction! What a terrifying heaven-tier cultivation method. Thank you, Master."

Han Bing was thrilled and took it back to cultivate.

Afterward, Lin Ye also gave the other cultivation methods to his disciples in advance, so they would not have to come looking for him one by one.

Another three days passed.

Boom!!!

Yang Yang was the first to break through. Vast quantities of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi poured into his body, turning into strands of True Qi. He successfully broke through to the True Qi Realm, not only producing True Qi but also gaining a tremendous surge in physical strength.

On the third day after Yang Yang's breakthrough, Han Bing was also the first to break through, reaching the True Qi Realm. It was only natural that the two cultivated faster than the other disciples. The others cultivated normally, while one of them could devour all things to grow and the other could absorb corpse Sha Qi to advance rapidly, so their breakthroughs naturally came much faster.

With the tenfold feedback from these two disciples' breakthroughs, Lin Ye's cultivation surged, directly breaking through to the Innate Realm Seventh Layer.

Spirit Yang City.

The city lord's residence.

On this day, an esteemed guest arrived at the city lord's residence: Xu Yan, an inner disciple of the Supreme Simplicity Sect.

Xu Yan had now broken through to the Body Forging Realm Seventh Layer. She had advanced so quickly because she had obtained some precious pills from her master after returning. With her current strength, no one in the Body Forging Realm in a small place like Spirit Yang City was her match; only the few in the True Qi Realm could crush her.

But there were very few True Qi Realm experts in Spirit Yang City to begin with, and they all knew of the Supreme Simplicity Sect. Who would dare offend her, an inner disciple of the sect?

Thus, she had hurried back, revealed her identity, and used it to order Spirit Yang City to search for the Ye Household.

"Miss Xu, what instructions do you have for my city lord's residence in Spirit Yang City?" Yu Shaoqing, the city lord of Spirit Yang City, was exceedingly courteous, afraid of offending Xu Yan.

Spirit Yang City was merely a county-level city, not a commandery city. His status seemed high, but it amounted to little in the eyes of disciples from those four-star sects. Even the royal family of the Chu Kingdom had to send numerous royal descendants into sects to cultivate. As one of the Chu Kingdom's three great four-star sects, the Supreme Simplicity Sect was undoubtedly a hegemon.

In this world, the sects held sway. The Martial Alliance governed countless kingdoms, and four-star sects were already very powerful. He still had to give them the respect they were due.

"City Lord Yu, I want you to find a lineage called the Ye Household. They originally lived in Black Spirit Town, then moved elsewhere, though it shouldn't be too far away. The head of the Ye Household is Ye Long, and his son is Ye Chen. This is a portrait of Ye Chen."

Xu Yan took out a portrait of Ye Chen and handed it to Yu Shaoqing.

What she wanted most was to kill Ye Chen; wiping out the Ye Household came second.

Yu Shaoqing did not know Ye Chen, but he readily agreed to such a small request and immediately sent people to investigate. Before long, his subordinates brought him a report containing information on Ye Chen.

Many people knew about Ye Chen making fools of the Bai Household; the story had long since spread. The city lord's residence therefore had information on Ye Chen, but Yu Shaoqing had simply paid it no attention.

"Miss Xu, we've found him. Ye Chen joined a sect called the Black-Yellow Sect. This is its location." Yu Shaoqing gave Xu Yan the Black-Yellow Sect's location.

He did not know what Xu Yan's relationship with Ye Chen was. In any case, he had given her the information, and what happened afterward was none of his concern.

"Ye Chen joined the Black-Yellow Sect?"

Xu Yan was stunned. She remembered that her master had crippled Ye Chen with a single palm strike. Was there actually a sect willing to accept someone like him as a disciple?

She looked over the report, her brows furrowing. This Black-Yellow Sect seemed out of the ordinary and probably had a True Qi Realm martial artist. Moreover, Ye Chen had definitely encountered a great fortuitous opportunity. Otherwise, he could not have healed his damaged meridians and broken through to the Body Forging Realm in such a short time.

I can't let Ye Chen grow any stronger. And once I kill him, his fortuitous opportunity will be mine too.

Xu Yan left with the information. She would go to the Black-Yellow Sect herself and ambush Ye Chen.

As an inner disciple of the Supreme Simplicity Sect, the body refining technique and martial arts she cultivated were beyond those of ordinary sects. As long as Ye Chen was not in the True Qi Realm, he was far from being her match.

After killing Ye Chen, she would go and wipe out the Ye Household.

Not long afterward.

Xu Yan returned to Black Spirit Town. Rather than storming the Black-Yellow Sect directly, she spent some money to have an ordinary person deliver a letter to Ye Chen there.

She had written the letter in the Ye Household's name, saying that the household had run into trouble and asking Ye Chen to come down the mountain. Whatever the reason, whether it was true or false, Ye Chen would come down.

The Black-Yellow Sect.

Ye Chen was cultivating when he learned that someone had delivered a letter to him. He immediately came out of the Cultivation Tower and received it.

"The Ye Household is in trouble? I don't recognize this handwriting..."

Ye Chen frowned. He had some doubts about the letter's authenticity, but if it was false, that meant someone was targeting the Ye Household, and the household really was in trouble. If it was true, that was even more proof that the household was in trouble.

So he had to go down the mountain and return home.

He packed a few things and left the Black-Yellow Sect.

Not long after Ye Chen descended the mountain, he sensed someone watching him as he passed through a forest. "Who's there?"

A beautiful figure appeared not far away. At the sight of that familiar face, Ye Chen's killing intent boiled over. "Xu Yan."

He understood now. Xu Yan had sent the letter to lure him down the mountain; he just didn't know whether she had already gone to the Ye Household.

"What happened to my household?" Ye Chen demanded.

"The Ye Household? I haven't gone there yet. As soon as I got news of you, I came straight to find you. After I kill you, I'll find the Ye Household and wipe it out," Xu Yan said confidently.

"You haven't gone to the Ye Household."

Ye Chen breathed a sigh of relief. Then his killing intent flared into full view. Today, he would kill Xu Yan and take his revenge.

Whoosh!

Ye Chen unleashed the Demonic Sound Clone Technique, transforming into a series of demonic sound clones. The movement method made Xu Yan's expression change drastically. She had not expected Ye Chen to have mastered such a profound movement method.

She immediately circulated her own movement method and fought Ye Chen with her high-grade black-tier Supreme Simplicity Sword in hand. Her sword technique was the Supreme Simplicity Sect's mid-grade black-tier Lesser Yin Swordsmanship.

Dense flashes of sword light clashed with Ye Chen's White Bone Claw. Claw shadows battled sword light, then forcibly shattered Xu Yan's attacks.

Boom.

Xu Yan was blasted backward, but a suit of Law Treasure armor appeared over her body and protected her.

"A mid-grade black-tier defensive Law Treasure? It can't protect you."

Ye Chen attacked again, thrusting a finger forward and unleashing the Blood Demon Finger at greater mastery. He had cultivated this martial art long ago, and after fighting day and night in the battle tower these past days, he had successfully cultivated it to greater mastery yesterday. Its power had already surpassed the White Bone Claw at lesser mastery.

The finger strike sent Xu Yan flying backward again. Her mid-grade black-tier defensive Law Treasure was already growing dim and could not withstand many more attacks.

"How can you possibly be this strong?!!!" Xu Yan was dumbfounded. In terms of combat experience, she was completely inferior to Ye Chen. As for physical condition, she cultivated the high-grade black-tier Mystic Yin Body Refining Technique, yet the fleshly body forged by such a powerful technique was actually inferior to Ye Chen's.

Little did she know that Ye Chen cultivated the Hell Devil-Forging Body, also a high-grade black-tier technique. It was among the very best of its grade and unmatched at tempering the fleshly body. Many ordinary low-grade earth-tier body refining techniques were not much stronger than it.

On top of that, Ye Chen also knew the mid-grade earth-tier Demonic Shadow Clone Technique and the Blood Demon Finger at greater mastery, crushing Xu Yan in every respect.

Boom!!!!

Xu Yan's body smashed through tree after tree. Blood spurted from her mouth, and several of her bones had broken.

Just then, she took out several talismans and flung them at Ye Chen. They transformed into streaks of Sword Qi. They were Sword Qi Talismans, each one expensive and capable of killing an ordinary Body Forging Realm martial artist.

But Xu Yan's Sword Qi Talismans filled the sky with Sword Qi, and Ye Chen used the Demonic Shadow Clone Technique to dodge them one by one.

"Die!"

Ye Chen attacked again, thrusting a finger at Xu Yan's head. But her body suddenly vanished, departing as though she had teleported.

"Teleportation? No, it must have been some kind of talisman or treasure that can teleport."

Ye Chen knew he could no longer kill Xu Yan. He looked down and saw that she had left her sword behind. He picked it up and found the words "Supreme Simplicity" engraved on it.

"Supreme Simplicity... Could it be...?"

Ye Chen also knew he was in trouble and returned to the sect immediately.