"Oh? Is that so?" Lin Yu smiled, then hurled the demon sword, wielding it with the Nine Heavens Sword Controlling Art toward the Wu family warriors.
Whoosh!
The demon sword became a black streak, an unstoppable force that instantly pierced through the warriors, sweeping past them. The Wu fighters had no defense; in a blink, they were obliterated by the black light.
Thud...!
Blood gushed from their chests as they fell, unable to believe that Lin Yu, a mere Third Grade cultivator, could unleash such terrifying power.
Lin Yu waved, and the demon sword returned. "Myriad Manifestations demon sword—impressive indeed." He summoned the God-Eating Cauldron. "Cauldron Lord, it's yours."
"Excellent!" The Cauldron Lord chuckled, swallowing the sword—a pleasant surprise. Once absorbed, the spiritual energy would join the remaining energy from the cyan-scaled demon, stored for when Lin Yu needed a rapid cultivation surge.
...
Meanwhile, deep in the mountains, Su Miaozhen and a purple-dressed woman joined forces against attacking demons. Su Miaozhen, a Purple Mansion Third Grade, and Zhou Lingyun, a Fifth Grade, barely held their ground against the demons—all Third Grade or higher, with the leader at Fifth Grade, overwhelming them by numbers.
"The masked girl is the weakest. Kill her first, then deal with the other!" the lead demon roared, fixing his gaze on Su Miaozhen.
As the demons focused on Su Miaozhen, she fell into a critical position, barely fending off their attacks.
In the dense forest, Lin Yu watched from afar. He donned a black纱 (gauze)斗笠 (wide-brimmed hat), hiding his face to act without revealing his strength.
Just as he prepared to intervene, a streak of red flame fell from the sky, incinerating a demon. Flames surged, consuming all attacking demons except the Fifth Grade leader.
Su Miaozhen and Zhou Lingyun stared in shock. A gray-robed man alighted, wielding a long blade that sliced the last demon to ashes. His plain features made him forgettable.
"Liang Guanfeng, at your service," he greeted, sheathing his blade.
"Su Miaozhen. Zhou Lingyun." Su Miaozhen eyed him warily. "We're strangers. Why help us?" In ancient ruins, rivals rarely aided each other.
Liang Guanfeng opened his palm, revealing a glowing columnar gem—rich in spiritual energy. "Spirit crystal."
"Spirit crystal...!" Su Miaozhen gasped. Legendary even above spirit stones, a single crystal held a Myriad Manifestations cultivator's monthly cultivation energy.
Liang Guanfeng pointed to a魔气 (demon qi)-shrouded mountain. "My comrades and I found a spirit crystal vein, but it's guarded by Purple Mansion demons. Join us to defeat them; the vein is too vast for one group."
Su Miaozhen and Zhou Lingyun exchanged glances, tempted by the promise of rapid cultivation.
Liang Guanfeng added earnestly, "I know you're wary, but we invite others. Alone, we can't access the vein. Join us, and we'll share the crystals by ability." Seeing their hesitation, he feigned resignation. "If you refuse, I'll find others."
"Fine. We'll come," Su Miaozhen agreed.
As Liang Guanfeng led them away, Lin Yu followed silently, frowning at the oddity.