The spectral axe faded, reverting into a talisman and flying back into Lin Haoming's hand.
Upon inspection, Lin realized that a single strike had drained a full third of the talisman's power. He felt a pang of regret; at this rate, the tool was only good for three uses. It explained why such a powerful item was priced at only seven thousand spirit stones while others cost tens of thousands. Calculating the per-swing cost, he had essentially just vaporized over two thousand spirit stones.
Walking over to the remains of Qian Yuanshu, Lin noted that even in death, the body remained remarkably sturdy. The exposed bones gleamed like fine white jade, emitting a soft, ethereal luster.
Leveraging his medical background from his previous life, Lin crouched down to examine the corpse after securing the storage bag. He quickly realized Qian's physiology was extraordinary. After wrapping the body and storing it, he flew back toward the imperial city.
---
A Disappointing Loot
On the way, Lin impatiently scanned Qian Yuanshu's storage bag. His heart sank.
Aside from a mediocre mid-grade flying sword and a single low-grade magic tool, the bag was pathetically bare. There were only basic detoxification and Qi-recovery pills—not a single cultivation-enhancing elixir. Most depressing of all, the currency consisted of just a few low-grade stones and one mid-grade stone. No rare minerals, no spirit herbs.
"I definitely lost money on this one," Lin muttered. The most valuable equipment had been destroyed by his own attack, and the remaining scraps weren't worth three hundred stones.
However, he found two jade slips. Pressing one to his forehead, his eyes suddenly lit up, and a small, knowing smile played on his lips.
---
The Return of the Victor
As Lin landed at Yongfu Palace, he saw Li Shuntian surrounded by the Immortal Masters from earlier. Princess Yongfu stood nearby, looking strangely composed.
The three protectors were classic fair-weather allies. Seeing Lin return, they immediately switched back to fawning mode. "Senior Brother Lin, you've returned!"
"What? Did you think I wouldn't?" Lin snapped.
"Of course not! Never!" they stammered, bowing and scraping.
Princess Yongfu's composure shattered. "Where is my master?" she shrieked.
"Dead." Lin slapped his storage bag, and the two halves of Qian Yuanshu's body tumbled onto the pavement.
The outer disciples stared in disbelief. They had expected Lin to drive Qian away, not slaughter a Great Perfection cultivator outright.
Yongfu gasped and immediately summoned a low-grade flying sword to flee. But at the 4th level of Qi Refining, she stood no chance. Lin caught her in a single exchange, subduing her effortlessly.
"Scram," Lin told the others coldly. "Go back to whatever it is you do." They vanished instantly.
---
The Underground Chamber
Li Shuntian approached, his awe now tinged with genuine fear. "Senior Brother, you are truly formidable. Even a Great Perfection inner disciple was no match for you."
"Follow me," Lin said, ignoring the praise.
Inside Yongfu Palace, Lin had Li Shuntian disable the localized concealment array. Once they were shielded from outside eyes, Lin threw the Princess to the floor. "Speak. What were you and your master doing here?"
Yongfu looked at Lin, then at Li Shuntian. "If I tell you, will you let me live?" she asked with eerie calmness.
"No. But I can grant you a quick death and a chance at reincarnation. Otherwise, I will make you vanish from this world entirely," Lin replied candidly.
"Fine. I agree." Her decisiveness was so sharp it reminded Lin, briefly, of Xie Ruolan.
She led them into her bedroom, pressed a hidden switch near the bed, and revealed a secret passage. They descended into a massive stone room, roughly a hundred feet wide.
Lin and Li Shuntian both winced at the sight. The room was filled with children—boys and girls from ages nine to fifteen—all tied to wooden stakes and unconscious.
"These children are the secret?" Li asked.
"Look closer," Lin said. "They all have spiritual roots."
"You're right," Yongfu said. "I've spent years gathering them. No matter their aptitude, we trained them until the strongest reached the 3rd level of Qi Refining."
"To what end?" Li Shuntian asked.
"For my master's cultivation," she said, glancing at Lin. She was smart enough to know that Lin already held the jade slip explaining the horrific process.
"Shuntian, wait outside," Lin ordered.
Li Shuntian didn't argue. The image of the bifurcated Great Perfection cultivator was still fresh in his mind; he bowed and retreated immediately.
Once alone with the Princess, Lin asked, "Now, tell me the details. How exactly does this work?"