Fang Yuan stood before the Village Head's Altar. The air here was heavy with the smell of incense and the ancient, thumping rhythm of the Life-Seed buried beneath the stone.
"System," Fang Yuan whispered, his eyes glowing with a predatory hunger. "Analyze the seal."
[System Scan: Ancient Herbalist Seal detected. Structural Integrity: 40% due to Wither-Rot interference. Host can bypass the seal by sacrificing 5% of remaining Vitality.]
"Do it," Fang Yuan commanded.
He slammed his palm onto the cold stone of the altar. Instead of a physical impact, a wave of dark, devouring Qi surged from his hand, eating away at the green protective runes. The stone cracked, revealing a cavity filled with a blinding, emerald light.
At the center lay the Life-Seed—a pulsating, green crystal that felt like the beating heart of the entire Jade Mist Realm.
"You're not supposed to be here."
A dry, raspy voice echoed through the hall. From the shadows behind the altar, an old man stepped forward. It was Lin Xiao's father, the Village Head. His skin was gray with the plague, but his eyes held the sharp clarity of a man who had seen through the world's lies.
"I knew you were a wolf from the stars," the old man said, coughing up black ash. "My daughter sees a savior, but I see a void that will never be filled."
Fang Yuan didn't even turn his head. He reached into the cavity, his fingers inches away from the Life-Seed. "Your daughter is right about one thing, old man. I am a savior. I am saving this energy from being wasted on a dying village."
"I won't let you take it!" The Village Head roared, channeling the last of his life force into a wooden staff.
Fang Yuan's eyes flickered with cold indifference. "You are a Rank 9 Mortal. I am a World Breaker. Even injured, I am the god of your nightmares."