Lin Ye's courtyard had already been smashed and vandalized by the Golden Eagle Guards. The moment he saw the wreckage, killing intent flickered in his eyes.
The place was no longer livable.
Luckily, he had not paid for it. Otherwise, Lin Ye would have marched straight to Jinlong City and demolished the Murong Clan's ancestral residence in return.
Lei Yongbiao soon arrived and found Lin Ye. This location had been provided by Lei Yongbiao himself to the Golden Eagle Guards. Who would have thought those so-called elites not only failed to cripple Lin Ye, but instead fled in disgrace?
It made Lei Yongbiao utterly contemptuous—this was the level of the Golden Eagle Guards? Embarrassing.
"Lord Lin Ye, I truly apologize," Lei Yongbiao said the moment he approached, sounding frantic and sincere. "The Golden Eagle Guards are too powerful. I had no choice but to reveal your location. Even if I hadn't spoken, they would have found it soon anyway…"
"Your mouth is fast," Lin Ye said, glancing at him.
Lei Yongbiao had brought only a coachman and a single carriage—no additional men. Lin Ye's status was too sensitive now: a candidate for the sect's Black List. If anyone saw the Branch Hall Master openly approaching him, it would invite trouble and gossip.
"I have already arranged a brand-new residence for you, my lord. Please come this way," Lei Yongbiao said quickly.
Lin Ye nodded and stepped into the carriage. Lei Yongbiao's reaction speed was impressive—he had prepared everything so quickly that Lin Ye could not fault him for much.
As for the so-called betrayal, Lin Ye had never expected Lei Yongbiao to keep secrets for him in the first place. So there was no real betrayal at all.
But today's incident still disgusted Lin Ye.
This insignificant Murong Clan had dared to mobilize forces in broad daylight and come looking for trouble. First Fenglei Sect, then Murong Clan—endless pests like swarming ants.
There was only one way to erase such annoyances completely.
Build a force strong enough to crush them.
In his previous life, Lin Ye had been close to Lu Jue. He had gained fame early, and with Lu Jue's status as a royal prince, countless people feared Lin Ye.
"It seems I will need to start working again," Lin Ye muttered, rubbing his temples.
The carriage soon brought Lin Ye to a new estate.
This place was far more grand and luxurious than the previous courtyard. Inside the walls was a private garden reserved for high-ranking sect figures. Normally it stood empty, used only when important guests arrived. Cleaners maintained it daily, keeping everything immaculate.
Its name was Zhuya Garden.
Compared to this, Lin Ye's former residence had been nothing more than a shabby farmhouse.
"You really can get things done," Lin Ye said, patting Lei Yongbiao's shoulder.
Lei Yongbiao hurriedly smiled. Seeing Lin Ye's expression, he knew the matter was likely settled—at least for now.
"Lord Lin Ye, the Murong Clan of Jinlong City will not let this go," Lei Yongbiao added cautiously. "I heard their Clan Head has already set out. The one who died was his son. That old Murong beast will never stop until he gets blood."
"You do not need to worry about that," Lin Ye waved dismissively.
He stepped into Zhuya Garden and noticed several young maids cleaning and moving about. He considered sending them away, but the estate was too large. Leaving a few to maintain it would save trouble—otherwise it would become filthy within days.
"It is late. Lord Lin Ye should rest early," Lei Yongbiao said. "If you need anything, you may order her. Her name is Xue."
A strikingly beautiful maid stepped forward and bowed respectfully.
"Understood."
"Do not allow anyone to approach the inner courtyard," Lin Ye instructed calmly, then walked straight into the inner grounds.
Xue watched his back and quietly exhaled in relief.
At least he did not demand that she attend him in bed. She had heard powerful men often had such tastes.
But her real mission was clear.
Monitor Lin Ye's every action.
Though she wore the title of maid, she was in fact a disciple of the Branch Hall—only without the rank to enter the inner courtyard. That was why Lei Yongbiao stationed her here.
In the inner courtyard, Lin Ye sat down and meditated for a time, restoring his condition.
The battles had deepened his understanding of Eight Desolations Slaughterblood Force.
And he had made another discovery.
"The second layer of the Nine Revolutions Shura Art can absorb massive amounts of an enemy's blood and essence… and restore my own energy."
Lin Ye recalled the battle.
He had not used a single Instant Breath Pill.
Even though his cultivation had broken through, a fight of that intensity should have drained him heavily.
Yet afterward, his energy consumption had been less than thirty percent.
He remained at peak combat capability.
The conclusion was undeniable:
During battle, the Nine Revolutions Shura Art could devour an opponent's blood essence to replenish Lin Ye's own energy.
He had never seen a cultivation technique so domineering.
If he faced prolonged waves of enemies again, he would not need pills at all. With the Nine Revolutions Shura Art running continuously, his power could sustain itself without rest.
"And this is only the effect of the second layer… what about the third, the fourth?"
Excitement surged inside him, but Lin Ye forced himself to calm down.
Steady progress. No reckless leaps.
First, he needed to examine what was inside Zhong Bai's storage ring.
Lin Ye shattered the ring's defensive seal with his spiritual sense and began sorting through its contents.
There were nearly five million spirit stones.
So being a guest elder of a great clan truly was profitable.
There were also sword manuals and cultivation scrolls. Lin Ye found a damaged bamboo slip.
"Steal-Heaven Forbidden Art?"
He skimmed it quickly.
Back then, Zhong Bai used this technique to raise his cultivation by half a realm, stepping from half-step Tianxiang into Tianxiang First Realm.
But before the Blood Curse, it had been meaningless. Zhong Bai was crushed with ease.
Lin Ye himself had no need for it, but later it could be used to recruit subordinates.
At worst, it could be sold at auction for a massive return.
Besides that, Zhong Bai carried two third-grade pills and six second-grade pills.
But to Lin Ye, such items were trash.
Late at night, Lin Ye tossed one third-tier Beastblood Idol into the Shura Blood Sea.
Instantly the sea surged, and an overwhelming force rushed into Lin Ye's energy core.
Breaking from Dibian Realm into Tianxiang Realm was more difficult than previous advances—it required accumulation.
One could not rush.
To step into Tianxiang Realm, one must condense a spiritual bridge above the energy core using pure energy.
This bridge was known as the Star-Calling Bridge.
When the Star-Calling Bridge became strong enough, one could draw upon the heavens, absorbing not only worldly energy, but also the power of the stars.
When the spiritual bridge reached completion, one would enter Star River Realm.
The energy core would then transform into a river of starlight—endless and inexhaustible.
"For now, I will use massive blood essence to condense a second-grade Shura Blood Armor."
From the Nine Revolutions Shura Art, Lin Ye already possessed the method to cultivate Shura Blood Armor. He had also experienced its terrifying strength firsthand.
So his priority was to upgrade its level.
A hidden trump card was always worth sharpening.
He tossed the remaining two third-tier Beastblood Idols into the Shura Blood Sea.
Vast power gathered around him.
Lin Ye activated the Shura Blood Armor. The Nine Revolutions Shura Art rotated at full speed, and he began using the incoming blood-sea force to temper the armor itself.
Far away, within Fenglei Sect, on Elder Peak—
Geng Shiqiu sat alone inside a sealed cultivation chamber.
He opened his palm.
A pill lay there, releasing intense spiritual radiance.
"A fifth-grade pill… the Luotian Golden Pill."
"I will seize control of Fenglei Sect—this is inevitable."
"And the relics of Lin Zhonghai will also belong to me!"
"Hou Chen… you old corpse with one foot already in the coffin, and you still dare meddle in my affairs!"
Cold light burst from Geng Shiqiu's eyes.
He threw the Luotian Golden Pill into his mouth.
Weng!
A flood of golden spiritual light erupted and wrapped around his entire body.