"Haha! This ancient ruin is full of opportunities! A precious Myriad Manifestations demon sword, so easily mine!" The white-robed youth, Wu Zhen, laughed wildly, brandishing the blade.
"Young Master, you're destined for greatness! These ruins' treasures must await you," a middle-aged man flattered.
"Of course! Our Young Master is a prodigy, reaching Purple Mansion at such a young age. These opportunities are but stepping stones to his invincibility!" Another gray-robed man chimed in, making Lin Yu cringe.
Shaking his head, Lin Yu turned to leave.
"Stop!" Wu Zhen spotted him, shouting coldly.
"Problem?" Lin Yu frowned, eyeing Wu Zhen.
"You saw my demon sword and think you can walk away?" Wu Zhen's eyes glinted with felt a killing urge. As a Purple Mansion cultivator, leaking the sword's existence risked losing it. The best way: silence. Dead men tell no tales. Human life meant nothing to him.
"What do you want?" Lin Yu laughed—he hadn't planned to rob, but the other wanted to kill. Were people so impatient?
"To send you on your way. Don't blame me—you saw the sword. Blame your bad luck." Wu Zhen冷哼 (snorted), waving the Myriad Manifestations demon sword, its aura menacing. Spiritual energy surged from him, black flames roaring on the blade. His杀意 was undisguised.
The Wu family warriors beside him watched gleefully.
"Terrible timing. If he'd come later, we'd be gone. Now the Young Master has to kill him."
"A mere Xiantian failure—his death means nothing."
"They say demon swords need blood to awaken. He's perfect for the ritual."
They saw Lin Yu as good as dead. Wu Zhen, a Purple Mansion First Grade, would crush a mere Third Grade cultivator.
"Boy, your blood will awaken this blade!" Wu Zhen attacked, the sword a black dragon spewing corrosive, poisonous flames that turned trees to ash.
Lin Yu sighed. "Why do this?" He flicked a finger. Fire sword intent shot out, slicing the black dragon in two. Scarlet flames consumed it, reducing it to nothing.
Wu Zhen's attack, deadly to even slightly stronger foes, was trivial to Lin Yu. Before he could react, the fire intent sent him flying ten zhang, crashing to the ground. His sword flew, lodging in a rock.
Lin Yu picked up the trembling sword, which purred submissively into his hand. "I didn't want this, but you insisted on giving it to me."
"How? The Young Master is Purple Mansion First Grade! This guy isn't even Xiantian—how did he win?"
"Sword intent! He's comprehended sword intent—no wonder!" The Wu warriors gaped. Most trial geniuses were Xiantian; Wu Zhen's Purple Mansion should dominate. Yet a non-Xiantian crushed him.
"Brazen! You stole my sword! I'm Wu Zhen, Young Master of the Wu family of Great Yan! My family will hunt you down!" Wu Zhen rose shakily, glaring at the sword in Lin Yu's hand, his五脏六腑 injured, pride shattered. The Wu family ruled Great Yan, even defying the royal family. He'd never been so humiliated.
"Great Yan, Wu family." Lin Yu raised a brow. The Wu family, protectors of Great Yan, had Myriad Manifestations ancestors in seclusion, ruling arrogantly. But the Zhou Emperor said only nine talismans existed—yet Great Yan was here. The Emperor had lied; far more than nine entered.
Lin Yu smiled at Wu Zhen. "Don't worry. No one will know." He had no habit of sparing foes. Loose ends bred trouble.
"You… What do you mean? You think you can kill us all?" Wu Zhen paled, retreating and shouting to his men, "Stop him!"
"Fear not, Young Master! One man can't kill us all!" The Wu warriors released spiritual energy. Trained elites, many were Purple Mansion Fifth or Seventh Grade.
**The God-Eating Cauldron**
**Volume 1: Chapter 73 - Cauldron Lord, the Demon Sword Is Yours**
"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.
**The God-Eating Cauldron**
**Volume 1: Chapter 74 - A Desperate Strike**
"Boy, spirit crystals are precious! In that vein, I'll dig them out to the last one—enough to push you to Spirit Refinement Realm, not just Void Formation!" the Cauldron Lord cackled, eager for the vein.
"Cauldron Lord, could it be a trap?"
"Fear not! Who in these ruins can match you? If he dares trick us, show him the price of deception!" The Cauldron Lord threatened.
"True. Let's follow and see." Lin Yu trailed Su Miaozhen quietly.
...
Following Liang Guanfeng, Su Miaozhen and Zhou Lingyun found the path increasingly desolate, demon qi thickening—but no demons attacked, as if they'd all hidden. Exchanging glances, the women stopped.
"Just beyond the ridge. Why stop?" Liang Guanfeng turned, still feigning honesty.
"We've decided to check the sect ruins instead. Keep the spirit crystals," Su Miaozhen said, sobered by misgivings.
"Agreed. Thank you for the rescue. Call on us if needed," Zhou Lingyun added.
Liang Guanfeng's smile vanished. "Very well, but I do need your help."
"With what?"
"The Evil God's rebirth requires your flesh. You offered help—now die!" His face contorted, red flames erupting as he swung his blade, a fire dragon roaring toward them.
"Demon cultivator...!" They drew swords, but their剑气 (sword qi) couldn't stop the dragon. Explosions sent them flying; Zhou Lingyun collapsed unconscious, while Su Miaozhen rose shakily, shielding her friend with a determined gaze.
Crack! Her silver mask split, revealing a face so beautiful that Liang Guanfeng hesitated, then leered: "Such beauty—waste to sacrifice. I'll enjoy you first."
"Planning to keep her for yourself?" a voice said behind Su Miaozhen.
Despair filled her eyes—another demon cultivator would seal their fate.
"Share, of course," Liang Guanfeng laughed, then frowned—he was alone here. "Who's there?"
Lin Yu stepped from the woods. His gaze lingered on Su Miaozhen's face—brows like distant mist, eyes like spring water, a bloody lip adding fragility to her martial grace.
"Do I know you?" Su Miaozhen wondered, sensing familiarity despite his hat.
Lin Yu turned to Liang Guanfeng. "Demon remnants sneaked into the ruins. Confess about the Evil God, and I'll spare you."
"Spare me?" Liang Guanfeng laughed. Lin Yu's weak spiritual aura—merely Third Grade—amused him. "I worried about angering the Sect Master by keeping this beauty. Your timing is perfect—you'll die painlessly."
"Your strength is too weak. Take Lingyun and go; I'll hold him off," Su Miaozhen urged, grateful but resolute. She hid a trump card for a desperate strike.
"With what? Your power pales before his."
"I have a treasure for a final blow—maybe take him down with me. Save Lingyun, and I'll die without regret." Her face set, she prepared to fight to the death.