Yan Du's expression darkened instantly.
He was the Chief Elder of Fierce Heart Sect.
In the entire Spirit Water Riverlands, who dared disrespect him?
Before coming, he'd already heard Lin Ye's name.
After all—
Lin Ye's rampage in Thousand Spirit City had shaken the whole region.
And Fierce Heart Sect had always been in rivalry with Bailing Medicine Sect.
So of course they had looked into it.
Yan Du actually wanted to recruit Lin Ye.
A neutral powerhouse like this…
could shift the balance between sects.
But now—
Lin Ye had seized an Eighth-grade herb in Fierce Heart Sect's territory.
Even if Fierce Heart Sect didn't have the ability to claim it themselves—
his act still slapped their face.
Hard.
And now…
he even dared threaten them.
Yan Du sneered.
"Then Sect Master Lin…"
"you want to become an enemy of Fierce Heart Sect."
The five behind him instantly sharpened their aura.
Their gazes locked on Lin Ye like blades.
As long as Yan Du gave the order—
they would attack without hesitation.
This was their ground.
And Lin Ye dared speak like a king here?
Lin Ye's eyes were indifferent.
"Don't ask for pain."
Yan Du's expression stiffened.
He was about to move…
but then—
voices spoke up from behind Lin Ye.
"Heh. Fierce Heart Sect's mindset is small."
"This treasure was born from heaven and earth. How is it yours?"
"Exactly. We all saw it."
"Sect Master Lin stole it from tribulation lightning."
"If Fierce Heart Sect is so shameless…"
"Why not claim the tribulation beast is yours too?"
The crowd backed Lin Ye.
Not out of loyalty.
Not out of righteousness.
But because they hated hypocrisy.
Bandits at least used strength.
Fierce Heart Sect wanted free profit with words.
Disgusting.
Yan Du's smile became colder.
"Fine."
"Very fine."
"My Fierce Heart Sect…"
"will remember this."
He made a decision.
No impulsive attack.
There were too many variables.
The beast was still nearby.
A fight could trigger lightning again.
And Lin Ye's background was unclear.
He would let Lin Ye walk for now.
But later…
in Spirit Water Riverlands…
Lin Ye would have nowhere to run.
Just as Yan Du turned to leave—
Lin Ye spoke again.
His voice was sharp.
"Remember what?"
Yan Du paused.
His eyelids twitched.
At that moment—
his aura exploded.
BOOM!
Half-step Moonwheel.
Star River Peak.
The sky seemed to twist as his presence surged.
His eyes turned vicious.
"I'll kill you."
"Then I won't need to remember anything."
The five behind him erupted too—
all Star River Eighth Realm.
Six Star River elites.
All unleashed at once.
"BOOM!"
Lin Ye's aura rose as well.
Nine-Turn Asura Art surged violently.
His entire presence became blood-drenched and demonic—
like an Asura god awakening.
With one man—
he held off all six auras at once.
And worse—
his aura even felt like it was devouring theirs.
Tu Jinsong and the others retreated quickly.
Fighting inside tribulation territory was suicide.
One mistake—
and lightning would strike everyone.
Yan Du glanced at the beast.
The tribulation was ending.
If they wanted Lin Ye dead…
they had to act before the tiger recovered.
Lin Ye's fingers formed a seal.
"Secret Art…"
"Mad Blood Curse."
BOOM!
Blood qi surged wildly.
His cultivation forcefully surged to Star River Ninth Realm.
His Star Bridge turned crimson.
The six enemies hadn't even finished reacting—
when Lin Ye attacked first.
One sword sweep—
Blood Slaughter Nine Carnage!
A Peak Star-tier technique.
Nine blood sword qi tore forward.
They locked onto three of them instantly.
Yan Du laughed coldly.
"One against six?"
"Let's see what godly trick you think you have!"
All six released layered qi armor.
It fused into one massive shield—
like a heaven-screen wall.
Lin Ye's sword qi slammed in.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Yan Du sneered.
"Idiot."
"You think one man can break six armored walls?"
But—
as the final sword qi struck—
their expressions changed.
The armor shook violently.
Cracks spread.
They barely held.
Yan Du's heart jumped.
If not for six people… we would've died.
Then—
a strange force spread through the armor.
A hidden ripple.
Yan Du's face twisted.
"Hidden… force?!"
CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!
Like a chain reaction—
all six qi armors exploded apart.
Lin Ye flashed forward.
He threw the Cold Iron Sword at Yan Du—
then both hands came down.
"Shatter Calamity Claw!"
Two massive blood claws formed.
And slammed down.
BOOM! BOOM!
Five were smashed backward.
Blood sprayed.
Instantly—
two of them exploded into chunks.
Three survived—
barely.
One lost an arm.
One had a blood hole in his chest.
One lost fingers.
But all were crippled.
Yan Du blocked the thrown sword—but his breath turned cold.
This wasn't just strength.
This was slaughter.
Three arrows shot out.
The man with the chest wound had his head blown apart.
The armless one was pierced through, barely alive.
The fingerless one dodged.
Windbreaker Crossbow couldn't pierce Star River armor cleanly.
But as a finisher?
It was perfect.
Yan Du roared.
"Heaven-Cutting Vast Sword!"
A river of sword intent erupted.
A high-grade Earth-tier sword technique.
It slammed toward Lin Ye like a tidal wave.
Lin Ye summoned his cauldron—
and blocked with one hand.
"Crimson Lotus Tribulation Cauldron!"
CLANG!
A deafening impact rang out.
The cauldron didn't even crack.
Yan Du's eyes widened.
Blocked?!
A gust hit him from behind.
He turned—
Lin Ye's finger struck his sword.
"Heaven-Piercing Finger!"
BOOM!
A hole appeared in the blade.
The force pierced Yan Du—
but he wore inner armor.
He survived.
Barely.
He screamed and punched.
Lin Ye punched back.
BOOM!
Yan Du's arm snapped.
His scream didn't even fully escape—
Lin Ye's fist crushed his throat.
Then—
one more arrow.
His head exploded mid-fall.
A perfect execution.
Punching Lin Ye?
That was suicide.
Lin Ye's body strength alone…
was already comparable to a Fifth-grade beast.
A roar echoed.
"ROOOOAR!"
The Blazing Sun Tiger had completed its tribulation.
It was now a Sixth-grade beast.
A true monster.
It stomped on the fingerless Fierce Heart disciple—
crushing his organs instantly.
Blood splattered.
The tiger's burning eyes lifted.
It stared at Lin Ye.
Lin Ye stared back.
Two predators.
Two kings.
Silence.
Then—
the next storm began.