After cutting down two of them, Lin Ye finally noticed something.
The moment those men died…
their blood essence didn't simply disperse.
It was being pulled away.
Like invisible threads, drawn from their bodies.
And deep within his consciousness—
the crimson peak inside the endless Blood Sea stirred.
Lin Ye's mind sharpened as he looked inward.
"A portion of their blood essence is being absorbed by the Blood Peak…"
"Some flows into the Blood Sea… and some feeds the peak itself."
The peak rose ever so slightly higher from the sea's surface.
Lin Ye's eyes narrowed.
"The later layers of the Nine Revolutions Asura Art…"
"…they're all engraved on that peak."
He exhaled slowly.
"So this is how it works."
"To reveal the next layers, I need enough blood essence—"
"or enough power… until the peak rises further."
A chill ran down his spine.
This Blood Sea wasn't inside his body.
It was a terrifying domain, connected to his spirit alone.
Only he could enter it.
And beneath that sea…
Even Lin Ye couldn't sense what lay below.
Not yet.
He lifted his gaze.
"This is insane."
Behind him, the last Earthfire Sect man finally forced his sword free.
But the instant he watched Lin Ye slaughter two companions like ants—
his courage shattered.
With Lin Ye and Liu Qingyu here…
he had no chance.
He turned and ran.
Fast.
Desperate.
But in front of Lin Ye…
escape was a fantasy.
Lin Ye flicked his fingers.
The cold-iron sword shot out like a streak of winter light.
WHOOSH!
It pierced straight through the man's back.
THUD!
He crashed into the dirt—dead before his face even hit the ground.
Liu Qingyu's breath caught.
Her eyes widened.
How…?
How could he judge so precisely?
The man's retreat path. The timing. The angle.
One throw. One kill.
That wasn't luck.
That was experience so sharp it was frightening.
Everyone in the sect called Lin Ye useless.
A waste.
A joke.
But what she had just witnessed…
was nothing like the rumors.
She hadn't even seen his movements clearly.
And yet—
three Earthfire Sect cultivators were dead.
Earthfire Sect disciples weren't weak.
For them to die like this…
it meant Lin Ye was far more dangerous than anyone believed.
Lin Ye retrieved his sword and calmly collected their storage pouches.
He opened them, glanced inside—
and frowned.
"Trash."
Even the pouches were low-quality.
Barely worth keeping.
"You're Liu Qingyu?" he asked casually.
"Y-yes, Senior Brother Lin Ye."
She bowed quickly, voice respectful.
"Thank you for saving my life."
Lin Ye tossed her one pouch.
"Use this. Put your items inside."
Then he gestured.
"Give me your storage ring."
Liu Qingyu froze.
"…Ah?"
For a heartbeat, her mind went blank.
Was he… robbing her?
Did he want the Wind Spirit Fruits?
But Lin Ye's tone remained indifferent.
"I need storage."
"You'll get it back."
Liu Qingyu swallowed hard.
She hurriedly transferred her belongings into the pouch and handed the ring over.
Lin Ye accepted it without hesitation.
Then he turned—
and dove back into the pool.
Because now that he had looked closer…
he realized something.
That skull…
might not have been Fourth-Rank.
It was likely Fifth-Rank at minimum.
A Star River Realm beast.
Normally, its bones would've long decayed.
But the cold-iron sword's chilling aura had preserved it.
The medicinal essence was still intact.
Ground into powder, it could be used for alchemy.
Not long after, Lin Ye resurfaced.
Liu Qingyu watched him, still dazed.
Senior Brother Lin Ye had definitely found something valuable down there.
But…
where was his own core disciple storage ring?
Every core disciple had one.
Lin Ye stepped onto shore and evaporated the water from his robe again.
Then asked calmly:
"Have you seen Zhou Taian?"
Zhou Taian.
Ranked third among the inner disciples.
It was said his life had once been saved by Lin Ye's father, Elder Lin.
That was why Zhou Taian always acted friendly toward Lin Ye.
Liu Qingyu nodded quickly.
"Senior Brother Zhou is at Mad Crocodile Pool with the others. They're preparing to lure and kill a Cold Pool Crocodile."
"Take me there," Lin Ye said.
His voice was calm.
But the killing intent beneath it made Liu Qingyu's heart tighten.
"O… okay…"
—
Less than a hundred meters from Mad Crocodile Pool…
a camp had been set up.
Several Wind-Thunder Mystic Sect disciples stood guard while others rested.
The Cold Pool Mad Crocodile was a terrifying beast—Second-Rank peak, nearly equivalent to Qi Sea Realm Ninth Layer.
Not something to underestimate.
Inside the camp were three core disciples and more than ten inner disciples.
And among them—
Zhou Taian.
Outside the camp, Xu Ming stood with Zhou Taian among the trees.
Xu Ming was the strongest core disciple present—Qi Sea Realm Sixth Layer.
At this moment, he casually played with a storage ring in his hand.
Lin Ye's ring.
"Zhou Taian," Xu Ming said lazily, "you handled this well."
Zhou Taian's face lit up with joy. He bowed deeply.
"It was all thanks to Senior Brother's brilliant plan."
Xu Ming smiled.
Then produced a pill.
"This is your reward."
"Jade Blossom Pill."
Zhou Taian's breathing became frantic.
A Second-Grade pill.
A pill only core disciples could normally enjoy.
If he had this earlier…
he would've reached Qi Sea Realm long ago.
He would've become a core disciple.
With his talent, reaching Earth Transformation Realm would've been only a matter of time.
But Lin Ye—useless trash—
had been consuming pills like this every month and still couldn't break through.
Such wasted resources.
He should've died ages ago.
Xu Ming tossed the pill.
Zhou Taian instinctively reached out—
And in that moment—
Xu Ming's sword flashed.
A cold streak of light passed right in front of Zhou Taian's eyes.
Zhou Taian froze.
Shock exploded across his face.
Xu Ming…
was silencing him.
But it was too late.
SHK!
The blade slid across Zhou Taian's throat.
One clean, effortless strike.
His throat opened.
Blood sprayed violently.
Zhou Taian dropped to his knees.
One hand clutched his torn neck.
The other…
still reached toward the Jade Blossom Pill lying on the ground.
His mouth opened.
He tried to scream.
But only blood came out.
Xu Ming looked down at him.
And smirked.
"Now it's perfect."
—
Inside a small cavern nearby…
Lin Ye ate a few fruits Liu Qingyu brought back.
Then pointed outside.
"Guard the entrance."
"I'm cultivating."
Liu Qingyu's eyes widened again.
But she swallowed everything she wanted to say.
"…Yes, Senior Brother."
Lin Ye laid out the herbs he had collected.
Blood Spirit Grass.
Powdered beast bone.
Several supplementary plants.
He crushed them together, forcing the medicinal energy into a dark-red liquid.
Without a furnace, he could only make a crude elixir.
But even crude…
it was far stronger than ordinary first-grade medicine.
Lin Ye lifted the crimson liquid.
"This Blood Spirit Elixir…"
"It's enough to rival a Second-Grade pill."
He swallowed it in one gulp.
HUM!
A flame ignited in his chest.
His blood roared.
And the moment the elixir took effect—
his absorption of Blood Sea energy multiplied several times over.
Power surged into his dantian like a flood.
Half an hour later—
his Blood-Asura Mystic Qi carved out a brand-new reservoir inside his body.
A Qi Sea.
Small for now…
but it would become the foundation of his future strength.
Lin Ye opened his eyes.
His gaze was colder than ever.
"Qi Sea Realm."
Outside the cavern…
Liu Qingyu suddenly stiffened.
Because in the distance—
she smelled blood.