Morning.
Lin Ye absorbed a strand of violet qi rising from the east, then circulated the Nine Revolutions Asura Art once.
Inside the Nine Nether Blood Sea, his consciousness avatar still sensed a hidden force gathering.
But until it fully formed, no one could know what it truly was.
"Looks like only when I reach the Fifth Layer of the Nine Revolutions Asura Art will that hidden power fully reveal itself," Lin Ye thought.
Nine revolutions completed—Saints can be erased.
That alone proved the technique was anything but ordinary.
Not long after, the steward of Five Spirit Manor came to report:
The Hundred Spirit Medicine Sect master had arrived.
Xia Wei was in closed-door cultivation.
After consuming the pills, her mystic energy was surging at an astonishing pace.
Lin Ye headed to the reception hall.
Although Five Spirit Manor belonged to the Hundred Spirit Medicine Sect, since Lin Ye lived here now, even their sect master was only a "guest."
"Heh heh—this must be Sect Master Lin Ye, famous far and wide. I've admired you for a long time," said a tall, thin elder, rising with a sincere smile.
"You're the Hundred Spirit Medicine Sect master?" Lin Ye asked directly, taking the main seat.
The elder smiled gently.
"I am Xu Yaozi, responsible for all matters of the Hundred Spirit Medicine Sect."
Beside him stood a young woman—
Fang Yiyi.
She stared in disbelief.
When their sect master was in the sect, he wasn't like this.
One glance could chill you to the bone.
When angered, he was thunder incarnate.
But in front of Lin Ye?
Humble. Warm.
Was this really her sect master?
"Two matters," Lin Ye said flatly.
"First: I want your Hundred Spirit Medicine Sect to deliver pills regularly to the Wind-Thunder Mystic Sect in Wind-Thunder Riverland. You set the price."
"Second: seventh-rank ferocious beast essence blood. Whatever amount you have, I'll take. Name your terms."
The steward, walking in with tea, almost went limp.
Seventh-rank ferocious beast essence blood?
That sounded like putting a bounty on a major sect master's head—terrifying in its bluntness.
Fang Yiyi was stunned too.
This Lin Ye was ridiculously arrogant.
Sure, you could be rude to disciples or hall masters.
But sitting in front of you was their sect master!
How could you speak with that tone?
Their pills were in absurd demand. Even if you had money, you still had to see whether the Hundred Spirit Medicine Sect was willing.
And seventh-rank essence blood?
Forget whether they'd sell—if they named a price, could you even pay it?
Fang Yiyi kept quiet. If the sect master didn't speak, she certainly wouldn't.
Xu Yaozi, however, didn't show discomfort at all.
His smile only widened.
"Easy. Truly, these are small matters."
"And what I want is also simple—something only Sect Master Lin Ye can do with a flick of the hand."
"I want just one thing."
"One Seventh-Rank pill refined by Sect Master Lin Ye."
Seventh-Rank pill?!
Fang Yiyi almost thought she misheard.
Then she realized: the sect master was pressuring Lin Ye.
It had to be a deliberate attempt to humble him.
She nearly applauded.
A Seventh-Rank pill wasn't something you could claim casually.
Even in the Upper Riverlands, only a handful could refine such pills.
If Lin Ye could do it, he'd basically be able to get anything he wanted in the Central Riverlands.
She waited for Lin Ye to embarrass himself.
You were arrogant a moment ago, weren't you?
Sword strength was one thing.
Alchemy was another world entirely.
But Lin Ye didn't blink.
"Fine."
If not for the Scarlet Lotus Calamity Cauldron's special effect—doubling pill output—Lin Ye wouldn't have agreed so easily.
Seventh-Rank ingredients were rare.
He had looted countless storage rings, spent huge sums, and still only collected enough herbs to refine one pill.
But with the cauldron, giving away one was acceptable.
To others, a Seventh-Rank pill was godlike.
To Lin Ye, it was merely a stepping stone.
The pills he truly cared to "consume" in large amounts—
Were at least Eighth-Rank.
Xu Yaozi's heart surged with excitement.
He felt like he had won the lottery.
He wasn't even fully sure Lin Ye could do it—
But after investigating Lin Ye, he felt this man was deeply mysterious.
Normally, Xu Yaozi wouldn't personally travel for such a deal.
He came because he wanted to test whether Lin Ye truly had Seventh-Rank alchemy ability.
If Lin Ye succeeded, he had gambled correctly.
Xu Yaozi took out a sealed container.
"Then I'll leave it to you."
"This is seventh-rank ferocious beast essence blood—Essence Blood of the Ten-Thunder Savage Lion."
"And regarding alchemy, our sect has a dedicated alchemy array. If you need it, we can open it at any time."
"Only beginners need that," Lin Ye said casually. "It's not very useful."
Xu Yaozi and Fang Yiyi felt like they'd been stabbed straight through the heart.
That alchemy array was the Hundred Spirit Medicine Sect's pride—built with tremendous resources.
One of their greatest advantages.
Yet Lin Ye called it… a beginner's tool.
Xu Yaozi coughed awkwardly.
Lin Ye accepted the essence blood and stood up.
"You can do as you please."
That was it.
Even though the man before him was a sect master, Lin Ye had no interest in chatting.
Most people would pay enormous sums just to exchange a few words with Xu Yaozi.
A sect master's casual advice could change your fate.
No one would waste such a chance.
But Lin Ye looked like staying seated for one more breath would be a waste of time.
He left, leaving Xu Yaozi and Fang Yiyi sitting there.
And the steward standing awkwardly at the door.
Silence filled the hall.
Fang Yiyi finally couldn't help herself.
"Sect Master… do you really believe him?"
"What if he takes the essence blood and runs?"
"A Seventh-Rank pill… how could that be possible…"
Xu Yaozi didn't mind.
"This essence blood has been sitting in storage anyway."
"Better to gamble."
"With our sect's situation, even fifty years from now, we may still not have anyone who can refine Seventh-Rank pills."
If so, why not convert resources into an opportunity?
If Lin Ye succeeded, the reward would be worth everything.
Besides…
Lin Ye had killed many from the Fierce Heart Sect.
Xu Yaozi felt oddly satisfied about that.
So he didn't mind helping Lin Ye.
Fang Yiyi remained doubtful.
She felt the sect master was getting old and muddled.
Then, as they sipped tea and waited—
A violent surge erupted from a courtyard.
Boom!
Heaven-vein qi gathered wildly, condensing over one specific courtyard.
"Hm? Someone broke through?" Xu Yaozi frowned.
Inside the courtyard, Xia Wei was circulating her technique frantically.
After consuming one of Lin Ye's pills last night, her mystic energy had surged nonstop—as if someone was lifting her upward.
Just now—
She broke through.
To the Celestial Phenomenon Realm.
"This… what…?"
Xia Wei stared, stunned.
"I… I reached the Celestial Phenomenon Realm?!"