At this moment, Lin Ye's cultivation officially stepped into the Second Layer of the Earth Transformation Realm.
The previous sense of weakness vanished completely. His depleted Qi Sea became abundant once again. A breakthrough was only an instant—one breath, one shift, and the realm changed.
The West Mountain Unit sensed the rise in his aura, but it didn't stop them from striking.
More than ten longswords thrust toward Lin Ye at once.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Facing the siege of over a dozen Earth Transformation experts, Lin Ye immediately activated Shura Blood Armor.
A blood-red defensive barrier erupted around him, forming a circular shield that absorbed every incoming blade.
Behind their masks, their expressions changed dramatically.
Lin Ye was actually blocking the combined assault of so many Earth Transformation cultivators at once.
Before they could withdraw their swords, Lin Ye struck first.
With a single slash, he severed the arms of more than ten attackers in front of him.
Then his sword moved like a butterfly weaving through flowers—precise, elegant, deadly.
He lightly flicked the blade across their throats.
Blood lines erupted.
The cold energy of the Cold Iron Sword invaded their bodies instantly. Their armor was strong, but it could not withstand such terrifying sword skill.
Thud… thud… thud…
Bodies fell in a heap.
At that moment, three warriors attacked from the side, their sword auras merging into a single line.
Boom!
Lin Ye stood firm behind Shura Blood Armor, effortlessly blocking their combined strike.
The three were shocked.
"How is his Qi Armor so strong?!"
Their own Qi Armor was paper-thin before Lin Ye's Cold Iron Sword—yet Lin Ye's armor was like iron plates stacked together. Even their joint assault couldn't break through.
Slash!
Lin Ye's sword swept gently.
Thin cuts appeared across all three throats.
Thud!
Out of thirty-six, half were already dead.
"Retreat!"
The remaining survivors immediately triggered the West Mountain Unit's retreat protocol: once losses exceeded fifty percent, they must withdraw, even if victory seemed close.
Because what looked like "close victory" could easily be the enemy's trap.
Lin Ye's body was soaked in blood.
To flee in front of him was suicide.
He blurred forward and caught two men, slicing their heads clean off.
The others fled on horseback.
Lin Ye raised the Windbreaker Crossbow.
Boom!
Another was killed.
In the end, only thirteen escaped.
They left behind twenty-three corpses.
And among them was the West Mountain Unit's captain.
Lin Ye remained completely unharmed.
He put away the crossbow, and his killing intent slowly rose.
So there would be more schemes coming.
But the Shura Blood Armor… its effect was terrifying.
Even with all of them combined, they couldn't break it—and this was only Level One.
If it advanced further, it would be practically unbeatable.
Lin Ye stepped over the corpses, changed into a new outer robe, and walked through pools of blood—every step leaving a bloody footprint behind.
The stunned Xia Clan members stared at him in silence.
Lin Ye spoke calmly.
"They were all coming for me. You don't need to worry."
You don't need to worry?
After witnessing over thirty Earth Transformation cultivators hunting him—only to be slaughtered and driven away by a single man and a single sword?
They didn't know whether to cry or laugh.
"We need to move camp," Xia Wanshan said, finally regaining his composure. "The smell of blood is too strong. It'll attract beasts."
Lin Ye nodded.
They shifted two or three miles forward.
If they moved further, it would become dangerous.
The West Mountain Unit carried little wealth—those who executed such missions rarely brought valuables on their bodies.
But the blood energy of twenty-three Earth Transformation cultivators was absorbed by Lin Ye's Blood Sea, which seemed ecstatic.
Lin Ye's eyes flashed with surprise.
"I've reached the mid-stage of the Second Layer…"
With this Shura Blood Sea, his cultivation speed was beyond anything even his past life could match.
Too fast.
But for Xia Wanshan's group, the event was terrifying.
Lin Ye seemed to be a wanted criminal of the Wind-Thunder Sect. The sooner they entered the city and separated from him, the better—otherwise, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Lin Ye's slaughter of the West Mountain Unit was soon reported back to the Wind-Thunder Sect.
The entire sect was shaken.
Another elders' meeting had to be convened, because the losses were catastrophic.
Yet Geng Shiqiu only smiled more brightly in his heart.
The more people Lin Ye killed, the harder it would be for him to ever return.
"Elder Wen… if earlier you claimed my accusations were false, then what about this massacre of the West Mountain Unit? Who takes responsibility for that?"
Wen Lang had no words.
He hadn't expected Lin Ye to possess such terrifying strength.
"In my opinion," Geng Shiqiu continued, "Lin Ye must have cultivated an evil technique and fallen into demonic ways. Anyone has the right to kill him!"
"I propose that, given Lin Ye's extreme crimes and vicious conduct, he should be directly placed onto our sect's Black List!"
The Black List.
Once on the Black List, it meant becoming the enemy of every person in the Wind-Thunder Sect—forever.
The Black List never expired. As long as you lived and the sect still existed, you would always be hunted.
Wen Lang's heart sank.
He hadn't expected Geng Shiqiu to be this vicious.
If Lin Ye entered the Black List, elders could kill him on sight—and anyone who had ties to Lin Ye would become an enemy of the sect as well.
"I support it."
"Agreed. Lin Ye is guilty beyond measure. He has slaughtered more than thirty enforcement disciples. He must be placed on the Black List."
Enforcement Hall Chief Luo Wei spoke coldly, his gaze sweeping over everyone present.
It was as if anyone who disagreed would become his enemy.
Thump… thump… thump…
Slow, heavy footsteps echoed.
Everyone turned toward the shadows.
An elderly man in simple white cloth walked forward.
"Elder Hou!"
"Elder Hou, why have you come?"
Wen Lang immediately stood and offered him the seat of honor.
Hou Chen—the Supreme Elder of the Wind-Thunder Sect.
Don't let his frail appearance deceive you.
This old man was the strongest existence in the sect.
A Heavenly Phenomenon Realm powerhouse.
Every elder rose and saluted.
Hou Chen lifted a hand, signaling them to sit.
"Lin Ye is still Lin Zhonghai's only descendant," he said calmly. "Without Zhonghai, none of us would be sitting safely here today."
"In my view, you should set a final deadline."
"Give Lin Ye seven days."
"Within seven days, he must return to the sect and explain everything."
"If seven days pass and he does not return, then place him onto the Black List immediately—announce it to the world—and issue an Elder Pursuit Order to execute him."
He looked around.
"What do you all say?"
Hou Chen's words sounded neutral, but in truth, they protected Lin Ye—at least for now.
And every elder understood perfectly:
If the Supreme Elder had spoken, opposing him would be political suicide.
Did they really think a Heavenly Phenomenon Realm expert was asking for their opinion?
"Agreed."
"As Elder Hou decides."
Everyone voiced support.
Only then did Wen Lang finally breathe a sigh of relief.
Hou Chen's intervention could, at best, keep Lin Ye alive—not clear his name.
But survival was something.
"As for informing Lin Ye of this decision," Hou Chen said, "Elder Wen, you should go personally. I will remain in the sect to stabilize matters."
"Yes, Elder Hou."
Wen Lang answered immediately.
If someone else was sent, they might sabotage things—stir conflict, provoke Lin Ye, and push him into certain death.
Wen Lang was the safest choice.
Geng Shiqiu's expression darkened slightly.
But he had already predicted this outcome.
A cold glint flickered in his eyes.
A Heavenly Phenomenon Realm, huh?
He would reach it soon enough.