Eight blazing sword-qi dragons swept forward, sealing Lin Ye from every angle.
The air became a furnace.
Lin Ye took a single step back and expanded his Asura Blood Armor, pulling Xia Wei—still unconscious on the ground—into its protection.
Otherwise, the mere shockwaves from this strike would've roasted her into dried flesh.
A storm of blood-evil energy spun violently within a five-meter radius around Lin Ye.
It rotated like a crimson vortex, grinding against the fire sword-qi again and again.
The enemy had clearly been charging this attack for a long time—
Yet even so…
they still couldn't pierce Lin Ye's defense.
The power of Asura Blood Armor was enough to make even Star River experts despair.
The elder whose Frost Armor had been shattered earlier swallowed a pill, stabilized his backlash injuries, and raised his sword again.
"Sixfold Ice Seal!"
Six freezing sword-qi streaks descended like falling glaciers.
Ice and fire clashed—
and instead of weakening each other, they became even more savage, reinforcing one another under the two elders' coordinated control.
From afar, the spectators gasped.
Two Star River Seventh Layer experts striking together…
Even though their elements opposed, their synergy was terrifying.
This was the advantage of a true sect.
Some powerful sects cultivated matched techniques.
The more disciples used them at once, the stronger the amplification.
If ten thousand people ran the same art at once…
the sky itself would tremble.
Someone in the crowd muttered, already convinced.
"That kid is dead."
"I know those two. They're the Second and Third Protectors of Seven-Star Profound Sword Sect's Earth Sword Hall."
"Together, they're easily top ten in that sect."
"And it won't matter even if he survives this—Seven-Star's Vice Sect Master is already on his way."
"That's a true Moonwheel Realm expert. A Star River cultivator can't possibly resist the power of moonlight."
Another person scoffed.
"You talk like Star River Realm is nothing. Reach Star River first before saying nonsense like that."
The first man wasn't offended.
"I'm close. Just one final push."
Hundred Spirit Medicine Sect — Branch Hall
Branch Hall Master Wang Kun stood beside Alchemy Elder Tu Jinsong, both watching the distant battle.
This level of conflict…
Hundred Spirit Medicine Sect couldn't ignore it.
But it still wasn't their place to interfere—yet.
Tu Jinsong narrowed his eyes.
"Strange… Tianming Sect rarely makes such careless mistakes."
Wang Kun speculated calmly.
"Likely young Tianming disciples sneaked out to gain experience."
Either way, it was a feud between the two sects.
As long as it didn't disturb the Herb Exchange Convention, it wasn't their problem.
In fact…
the two of them were privately hoping the slaughter would become even more brutal.
Because if that pair died…
Then the Fifth-Rank beast egg would fall straight into Hundred Spirit Medicine Sect's hands.
They wouldn't take the risk of killing for it themselves—
But they certainly wouldn't mind the "accident."
Wutong Inn — Reduced to Ash
As the sword-qi faded, the entire inn was incinerated.
Nothing remained but a wide field of gray ash.
If those two elders desired—
They could erase an entire street in moments.
Some guests escaped.
Others died in the flames.
Seven-Star Profound Sword Sect didn't care.
If you died, it only meant you weren't strong enough.
On the ground lay a massive crater, scorched into black earth.
Above it, the two elders exchanged a tense look.
One raised his hand, preparing to disperse the smoke and check if Lin Ye's corpse remained.
But—
In that instant—
several blood-red sword lights exploded upward.
"Careful!"
"Dodge!"
The frost elder immediately hid behind his companion.
His own mystic armor was shattered and useless.
The fire elder roared—
"Blazing Armor!"
A fiery mystic shield burst around him.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Nine blood-red sword strikes slammed into it one after another.
The armor shattered instantly.
The elder didn't even have time to react.
One final sword-qi pierced through, slamming into his body.
He coughed blood—
and then—
a violent force detonated inside him.
BOOM!!!
An invisible inner shock exploded within his organs.
His body split in half midair and crashed down with a wet slap.
Blood and flesh scattered across the ashes.
The remaining elder froze, his entire body trembling.
How…?
How was Lin Ye's offense this monstrous?
The elder clenched his teeth and roared—
"You little bastard—wait for me!"
"This debt will be remembered by Seven-Star Profound Sword Sect!"
The city's spectators understood instantly.
If he was throwing out threats…
That meant Seven-Star had already lost.
But Lin Ye's cold voice followed like a guillotine.
"You're not leaving."
A dragonlike movement technique erupted beneath Lin Ye's feet—
Heaven-Strategy Dragon-Step.
His figure flashed.
And in the next blink—
he stood directly in front of the fleeing elder.
His speed was actually faster.
Lin Ye's cultivation was Star River Sixth Layer.
But with his battle experience…
even someone two realms above him could be killed like a dog.
He tilted his head slightly.
"Oh. By the way…"
"I'm not from Tianming Sect."
The elder's mind blanked.
"What…?"
Lin Ye wasn't Tianming Sect?
Then why…?
Why was he fighting them?
The elder's throat tightened.
"Then why are you against Seven-Star Profound Sword Sect?!"
And as the words left his mouth—
he realized the truth.
It wasn't Lin Ye against them.
It was them…
who had provoked Lin Ye first.
Lin Ye sighed lightly.
"You picked the wrong enemy."
He raised his hand.
A claw of blood descended from the heavens.
"Shatter-Calamity Claw!"
The elder had no mystic armor left.
No defense.
No escape.
"No—!"
BOOM!
His body exploded into blood mist.
The crowd fell into stunned silence.
Two Earth Sword Hall Protectors…
both Star River Seventh Layer…
killed in front of thousands.
Some faintly heard Lin Ye say he wasn't Tianming Sect—
But no one dared approach to confirm.
Lin Ye wasn't worried.
Even if Seven-Star came again, so what?
His only irritation was—
These idiots nearly ruined his pill refinement.
He had been refining peacefully…
and people barged in to kill him.
If he were weaker—
the dead bodies tonight would've been his and Xia Wei's.
Lin Ye landed into the ruins and checked Xia Wei.
No serious injury.
Just unconscious.
He pressed her philtrum.
She jolted awake.
Lin Ye looked at her swollen forehead.
"You're capable."
"But you're too weak."
Xia Wei stared at him in disbelief, rubbing her head.
No comfort.
No sympathy.
Just a cold evaluation.
Then—
"ROAR!"
A low, furious growl echoed from a dark hole in the ground.
The Uugang Panther.
Lin Ye blinked.
"Oh?"
"It's breaking through."