Red Rock Town.
As the four mighty eagles descended from the sky, panic erupted among the townspeople.
The town guard captain, Liang Feng, immediately gathered his men and rushed out.
When he saw that the eagles were being controlled by cultivators…
his face lit up.
"We're saved!"
"High masters have come to rescue Red Rock Town!"
Leng Ruo repeated what Hong Ying had said.
Lin Ye's expression didn't change.
A beast that wandered out of the forest.
That was all.
Still, since they had encountered it, Lin Ye ordered them to take note.
Killing a beast like that was a simple matter.
Not because Lin Ye was especially kind—
but because it was effortless.
Why not?
Acting according to one's own will—
meant never being shackled by outside forces.
Liang Feng hurried forward with a respectful bow.
"Welcome, honored masters. I am Liang Feng, town guard captain. What may we do for you?"
Zhang Jichun stepped forward instead of Lin Ye.
"We are from the Fenglei Mystic Sect. Our spirit beasts need food."
"Also, arrange a quiet place for us to rest."
Liang Feng nearly cried.
The Fenglei Mystic Sect!
A great sect!
This was truly salvation.
"Of course! Of course!"
"You two! Go to the village entrance and bring four pigs!"
He then led the group forward, smiling so hard his cheeks hurt.
"This way, honored masters!"
Liang Feng noticed something—
Zhang Jichun, Leng Ruo, and the others all carried powerful presence.
The posture of rulers.
Yet they treated the young man behind them with reverence.
Clearly—
Lin Ye was the true core.
Liang Feng's heart trembled.
Who was this young man?
How terrifying must he be?
But Lin Ye didn't move.
His eyes turned to the east.
"East."
The others instantly understood.
Danger.
Zhang Jichun and Shi Youcai exchanged a look.
Then—
BOOM! BOOM!
Both shot into the air, leaping across rooftops, speeding toward the east side of town.
Liang Feng stared in awe.
They were truly cultivators…
flying like immortals.
Lin Ye stepped forward.
Leng Ruo followed closely, staying beside him as protector.
Hong Ying did not follow.
She was skilled in mundane combat, but she was not a true cultivator.
Still, even against weak Spirit Spring Realm fighters, she could hold her own.
"We should go see," Liang Feng muttered, and led a few brave men after them.
The Eastern Farmlands
East of town was a large rice field.
Even with a man-eating beast nearby…
the people still worked.
If they didn't plant, they would starve.
Three hundred steps beyond the fields was a wooden fence.
Beyond that—
the forest.
Traps were set up along the fence, but traps could not stop a true ferocious beast.
Suddenly—
a pitch-black shadow burst from the trees.
One swipe shattered the fence like paper.
It moved too fast to see clearly.
Shi Youcai shouted:
"Fast beast! Strong!"
"Stop it!"
His spear was hurled like lightning.
Whoosh!
The spear tore through the air—
but the shadow flickered and dodged.
It was about to dive into the fields and drag away a worker…
until the spear provoked it.
The beast crouched in the rice, hiding its body.
Its eyes locked onto Shi Youcai.
A chilling killing intent froze Shi Youcai's bones.
Just one stare—
and he felt as if death had already bitten his throat.
His voice trembled.
"Fourth-tier… a fourth-tier beast."
A beast at least equivalent to the Heavenly Phenomenon Realm.
Only something of that level could radiate such suppression.
Zhang Jichun shouted:
"Careful!"
The beast lunged out of the rice in an instant.
Now they saw it.
A black panther, its entire body covered in dark armor-like fur.
"A fourth-tier beast—Blacksteel Panther!"
A notoriously savage type.
The moment they saw it, they felt as if their necks were already in its jaws.
It was too fast.
Too deadly.
Before they could move—
a sword aura flashed.
Lin Ye had struck.
The sword aura slammed into the Blacksteel Panther and sent it flying.
Boom!
The beast rolled across the ground, but was not injured.
Its black fur dispersed most force.
Normal attacks couldn't even penetrate.
Shi Youcai exhaled heavily.
"Thank you, Sect Master."
He had truly thought he was dead.
Lin Ye's eyes gleamed faintly.
"A Blacksteel Panther… interesting."
This beast was highly intelligent.
And more importantly—
it was known as the guardian spirit beast of Cloudsteel Grass.
Cloudsteel Grass was the main ingredient for refining a sixth-grade pill:
the Myriad Steel Heaven-Defying Pill.
Before obtaining the Red Lotus Tribulation Cauldron, Lin Ye would never have considered refining sixth-grade pills.
Sixth-grade ingredients were extremely difficult.
Without top-tier fire and a superior cauldron, he risked a cauldron explosion.
But now?
With the Red Lotus Tribulation Cauldron…
sixth-grade pills became possible.
The Blacksteel Panther's eyes sharpened.
This tiny human had nearly hurt it.
It would make him bleed.
It roared—
and released a beam of black light from its mouth.
The black light shot out like arrows.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Lin Ye used the Dragon-Soaring Heavenly Strategy Steps and dodged easily.
Then he rushed forward.
In his past life, he had slain beasts far stronger than this.
This beast's tricks were laughable.
He closed the distance and swung the Cold-Iron Sword repeatedly.
His sword moves were simple.
No fancy technique.
Only precise judgment, terrifying timing.
No-form defeats all forms.
Blood-evil sword energy struck the beast repeatedly.
The beast counterattacked—claws and fangs flashing.
But every strike was blocked.
Shura Blood Armor.
Lin Ye's attacks did not injure it…
but they enraged it.
The panther lunged, biting at Lin Ye's throat.
Its fangs glowed with black light.
Lin Ye didn't dodge.
He raised a hand—
and summoned the Red Lotus Tribulation Cauldron.
With one arm, he swung it like a warhammer.
BANG!
The Blacksteel Panther was smashed away.
A fang shattered.
Blood splashed.
The beast stared in disbelief.
A cauldron?
This human was insane!
Lin Ye glanced at the cauldron.
Not a scratch.
Sometimes…
a cauldron really was the best weapon.
He swung again.
The panther fled.
Lin Ye immediately pursued.
If he killed it outright, he might never find the Cloudsteel Grass.
Whoosh!
Lin Ye chased it into the forest.
Leng Ruo and the others exchanged glances.
They had thought their sect master was simply doing a good deed.
But he was chasing a fourth-tier beast with a cauldron like a club.
Even now, they still couldn't fully understand him.
Shi Youcai swallowed hard.
"Should we follow?"
Leng Ruo shook her head.
"It's useless. That beast is fourth-tier."
"We would only become a burden."
"Better stay in town in case other beasts appear."
The logic was undeniable.