Ling Shuanghe stared at the cauldron smoke still rising.
"A pill refiner…?"
Then his gaze snapped to the golden pill in Lin Ye's hand—
The spiritual pressure was so dense it made his scalp numb.
"Sixth-Grade…!"
His voice trembled.
"A Sixth-Grade pill!"
How could someone so young refine a Sixth-Grade pill?!
Lin Ye stepped out of the ice with a single shake—
CRACK!
The frozen shell shattered like glass.
His eyes landed on the heavily injured panther…
then on Xia Wei unconscious in blood.
His killing intent surged like a tidal wave.
BOOM!
He shattered the remaining ice with mystic force.
Then, casually—
he tossed one of the Sixth-Grade pills to the Uugang Panther.
The panther trembled, barely able to move.
But the moment it smelled that pill—
its eyes widened.
It struggled, grabbed it—
and swallowed.
Ling Shuanghe's face twisted with rage.
"You idiot!"
"You fed a Sixth-Grade pill… to a beast?!"
"A beast!!"
Sixth-Grade pills were treasures even Star River Realm cultivators fought over.
And Lin Ye fed it to a feral beast like it was candy.
Ling Shuanghe's fury erupted.
He slashed.
A frost sword qi wave swept across the ground, freezing everything it touched.
Lin Ye's aura rose—
Star River Realm.
Sixth Layer.
BOOM!
The pressure blasted upward, shaking the whole inn.
The entire Thousand Spirit City felt it.
The streets exploded with shock.
"A Star River Realm expert is fighting?!"
"Star River Sixth Layer?!"
"What kind of monster is that?!"
Every major faction immediately dispatched scouts.
And soon, a clean piece of intelligence spread:
Seven-Star Profound Sword Sect is clashing with Tianming Sect's people.
Everyone knew the hatred between those sects.
But no one expected them to fight inside the city.
Did they not fear Hundred Spirit Medicine Sect?
Then again…
only weak people were restricted by "rules."
Strong people?
They made their own.
Ling Shuanghe's face drained.
"Star River… Sixth Layer…"
He was Star River Second Layer.
The gap was too vast.
He didn't hesitate.
"Retreat!"
But in front of Lin Ye—
retreat was a joke.
Lin Ye's mystic force expanded—
covering the entire inn like a cage.
No one could escape.
Ling Shuanghe crushed a jade slip to call for reinforcements.
Lin Ye moved.
A single sword slash—
a wave of blood sea pressure crashed down.
Ling Shuanghe barely raised his Frost Armor.
BOOM!
He staggered back, choking.
But before he could breathe—
Lin Ye flashed in front of him.
A finger lifted.
"Sky-Piercing Finger."
POP!
A hole appeared in the Frost Armor—
and the finger-force pierced straight through Ling Shuanghe's throat.
Blood sprayed.
He collapsed, clutching his neck.
Not dead yet.
But dying.
In the courtyard, the other three disciples froze in terror.
The woman who struck Xia Wei spat harshly—
"Our sect elders have arrived!"
"You're dead, brat!"
Lin Ye didn't even look at her.
He raised the Windbreaker Crossbow in his hand.
TWANG.
The bolt pierced her skull.
Her eyes froze in disbelief—
and she dropped like a sack.
The remaining three tried to flee.
TWANG! TWANG! TWANG!
Three bolts.
Three corpses.
Each one hit perfectly.
As if the bolts had eyes.
At that moment—
two figures arrived above the inn like meteors.
Their voices boomed like thunder.
"STOP!"
Two Star River Realm experts.
Seventh Layer.
The city erupted again.
"Two Star River Seventh Layers?!"
"This is turning insane!"
Ling Shuanghe, half-dead, crawled toward them.
But Lin Ye waved a hand—
BOOM!
A burst of force snapped Ling Shuanghe's neck.
His head rolled across the floor.
Like killing a chicken.
The two elders' faces twisted with rage.
"You dare kill him in front of us?!"
"Die!"
They struck together.
"Seven-Star Ice Sword!"
"Seven-Star Fire Sword!"
Two terrifying sword arts descended—
each strike capable of leveling the entire inn.
Lin Ye's Asura Blood Armor flared.
A pillar of blood-red light wrapped him.
Their sword strikes slammed into it—
and only rippled the surface.
Just ripples.
The two elders' eyes widened.
"What…?!"
"This armor…"
"It's too strong!"
Lin Ye rose into the air first.
"Shatter-Calamity Claw."
A blood claw descended toward the ice elder.
The elder's Frost Armor formed instantly—
far stronger than Ling Shuanghe's.
BOOM!
Cracks appeared anyway.
Three deep fractures.
The elder's face twisted.
"One strike… cracked my Frost Armor?!"
Lin Ye's voice was cold.
"Eight Desolations Bloodslaughter Force."
BOOM!
The last layer of defense shattered completely.
The backlash slammed into the elder.
He spat blood and was thrown backward—
shattered armor, shattered pride.
The fire elder's sword intent surged.
"Burn the Eight Desolations!"
Eight flaming sword qi dragons roared toward Lin Ye—