Lin Ye and Summer Wei spent over an hour wandering the market.
They bought a large number of herbs.
There were disputes here and there, but Bailing Medicine Sect suppressed everything quickly—efficient and ruthless.
It proved one thing:
They had full control.
On the way back, Lin Ye and Summer Wei stopped by a roadside noodle shop.
After walking all evening, even cultivators felt exhaustion.
Summer Wei quietly observed Lin Ye.
He looked cold… almost distant.
Yet he was strangely attentive.
Like someone who had endured too much to waste emotions on nonsense.
Her thoughts drifted—
Lin Ye's parents had died five years ago.
Maybe that loss had carved his heart into ice.
But deep down…
Summer Wei believed Lin Ye wasn't evil.
At least…
he was good to his own people.
Back at Qing Marquis Manor…
Summer Wei returned to her cultivation room.
The two Golden Origin Pills Lin Ye gave her had not yet been refined.
She couldn't waste time.
If she didn't grow…
Lin Ye wouldn't keep her around forever.
Strength mattered.
In this world, powerful people were everywhere.
If she wanted to climb higher…
This was her chance.
Lin Ye's courtyard.
He took out the Thousand-Net Bloodstone.
A faint blood glow pulsed through it.
"At least Tier Five."
The strongest blood-evil treasure he found in that ancient tomb had only been Tier Four.
This was stronger.
Lin Ye tossed it into the Nine Nether Blood Sea.
Instantly—waves exploded like a raging storm.
Blood tides surged upward, transforming into violent power that poured into Lin Ye through the Star-Guiding Bridge.
The moment it entered his body…
It was refined into pure cultivation.
Lin Ye activated the Nine Revolutions Asura Art, refining everything without waste.
The blood-colored star above also released torrents of energy, raining down like a crimson waterfall.
"Boom!"
Lin Ye released the power of his profound vein, accelerating absorption.
His cultivation surged.
Then—
BOOM!
Lin Ye broke through.
Star River Realm Seventh Layer!
He had only entered the Sixth Layer a few days ago.
Now, with this single Bloodstone…
he advanced again.
"The Star River Realm requires massive energy to break through… but this Bloodstone pushed me up a full layer."
"Its effect is comparable to a Sixth-Grade pill."
Lin Ye's eyes glinted with excitement.
"If this continues… once I reach Star River Ninth Layer, I can refine Seventh-Grade pills."
"Then I break into Moonwheel Realm…"
"And refine the star itself."
His qi sea was now overflowing with terrifying energy.
That was the advantage of his technique.
The Nine Revolutions Asura Art was simply on another level.
And after consuming the Hundred-Forged Ironbone Pill…
his meridians and qi sea were far stronger than normal.
They could carry more power.
Those details seemed small.
But in life-and-death situations…
they meant everything.
Lin Ye recalled Fang Yiyi's words.
"This Bloodstone comes from Thousand-Net Gorge?"
"I'll have to go there."
His eyes narrowed.
That place clearly held what he needed.
A treasure that could rival pill effects?
It was basically a cultivation shortcut.
Pills were fast, yes.
But herbs were hard to find.
The higher the level…
the harder it became.
So Lin Ye had to secure every path possible.
Then he summoned the Crimson Lotus Tribulation Cauldron.
"There's still Crimson Lotus Karma Flame inside it."
"With my current strength… I still can't refine it."
"But if I can…"
"My alchemy will become twice as efficient."
His gaze burned like a flame.
There was too much to do.
He couldn't relax for even one breath.
Luo Gui had prepared three sets of materials.
In smaller regions, most people didn't even know what spirit meridians were.
So when children got sick, they were diagnosed as terminal—then died in despair.
But in major regions…
they understood.
Sometimes it wasn't sickness.
It was an unawakened spirit meridian.
Once awakened…
it became a heaven-defying gift.
Lin Ye injected his energy into the cauldron.
The Crimson Lotus Tribulation Cauldron trembled.
A powerful flame slowly rose.
He threw in the ingredients one by one.
With his cultivation now at Star River Seventh Layer…
his inner flame was far stronger, and the refining process became smooth and stable.
The Blacksteel Leopard lay in the courtyard, relaxed.
After a day of digestion, its strength increased again.
Lying down and growing stronger?
It loved this life.
Dawn came.
Lin Ye opened his eyes.
He slapped the cauldron.
It trembled violently.
Two flames erupted outward—
each wrapped around a pill.
Two identical Profound Heart Meridian-Opening Pills.
"Top quality."
Lin Ye was satisfied.
Perhaps due to the cauldron's assistance, everything was far steadier than normal.
He stored the pills, adjusted his breathing, then summoned the Blacksteel Leopard.
He placed one pill into a porcelain bottle.
"Deliver it."
"He's been waiting outside all night."
The leopard grabbed the bottle in its mouth and leapt over the newly repaired wall.
Outside Qing Marquis Manor—
Luo Gui had been guarding the area all night.
He knew Lin Ye was refining the pill.
He also knew Lin Ye had enemies—Seven Star Sword Gate.
Whatever their grudge was…
Luo Gui couldn't allow anyone to interrupt this moment.
Because this wasn't about Lin Ye anymore.
This was about his grandson's life.
He turned and glanced toward the corner.
The little boy slept soundly on a crude grass mat.
Luo Gui wasn't being cheap.
He was training the child to endure hardship.
Because if something happened to him…
the boy would need to survive in this cruel world.
This was the only way.
Years of hunting herbs had destroyed Luo Gui's condition.
Hidden injuries.
Poison.
Damage he couldn't remove.
He could only endure.
Suddenly—
Whoosh!
A massive black shadow landed in front of him.
Luo Gui's heart jumped.
He immediately stepped in front of the child—
But the beast didn't attack.
It calmly placed a porcelain bottle on the ground.
Then nudged it forward with its nose.
The bottle rolled.
Gurururu…
Luo Gui stared.
"You… you're their mount."
He recognized the Blacksteel Leopard.
But compared to before…
it had changed drastically.
"Was it you who broke through before?"
Luo Gui examined it carefully.
Then remembered:
A fierce beast had broken through in the city recently.
So it was this one.
The leopard raised its chin proudly and snorted.
Luo Gui's eyes widened.
"This one's practically intelligent."
He had killed Fifth-Grade beasts before.
But one this smart?
Rare.
His heart trembled as he looked at the bottle.
Could it be…?
Luo Gui picked it up.
Opened it.
A terrifying fragrance surged out, instantly flooding the area.
"Hiss—!"
"Sixth-Grade pill!"
"Profound Heart Meridian-Opening Pill!"
Luo Gui's entire body shook.
After years of running…
countless life-and-death risks…
he finally held it.
His voice cracked.
"Finally…"
"Finally… we got it…"
Tears flowed down his wrinkled face.
Now, Xiao Huai could live.
This was why he fought like a madman all these years.
Lin Ye…
actually succeeded.
"That boy…"
"Just who is he?"
But before Luo Gui could finish—
A thunderous voice exploded from the sky.
"Seven Star Sword Gate handles business! All irrelevant people—ROLL!"
A terrifying force slammed down—
BOOM!
Qing Marquis Manor was obliterated into dust.
The Blacksteel Leopard roared at the sky—
but immediately rushed into the rubble.
Its master was still inside.
A figure in green robes stood proudly above.
That sword strike shook the entire city.
A monstrous aura covered Thousand Spirit City like a dome.
Moonwheel Realm!
A Moonwheel Realm expert had arrived.
"Lu Chengxuan…?"
Luo Gui's expression darkened.
He glanced at his grandson, then at the pill in his hand.
His eyes sharpened like knives.
He instantly formed a barrier around the child.
Then leapt into the sky.
A strange, vicious aura erupted from his body—
BOOM!
Moonwheel Realm!
Luo Gui's aura burst like a glowing moon.
His body radiated like a celestial orb.
He glared at Lu Chengxuan.
"Lu Chengxuan…"
"You mean even I should roll?"