C16 Successfully Killing Him

"Sigh, one shouldn't be too greedy. It's best to secure a foothold in the Foundation Stage before considering anything else."

Ye Chen's first engagement in the Cultivation Realm was not particularly masterful, but it was fraught with peril. He narrowly avoided being impaled by the Cloud Chasing Sword several times. Moreover, there wasn't much in the way of spoils—just the damaged Void Returning Divine Arts and the Profound Sword Formation.

With his master's passing, the Sword Formation naturally fell to Ye Chen. Each Yellow Dragon Sword was of top-grade magical weapon quality. Combined, they could rival the treasures of someone at the Foundation Stage. Notably, these were not crafted by the Third Elder but were genuine heirlooms of the Xiao family.

While taking stock of his gains, Hsu Qi happened to come by. Spotting Ye Chen beside a large crater, he called out anxiously, "Mr. Ye, are you okay?"

"The old thief is dead; we're safe now," Ye Chen replied with a forced smile.

"You managed to kill the Sect Master?" Hsu Qi's face registered pure disbelief. That was a bona fide Foundation Stage powerhouse. He had seen the Void Returning Taoist single-handedly annihilate thousands from various sects. And now, to think that he had fallen to Ye Chen was beyond belief.

Realizing his younger brother was still in the dark, Ye Chen recounted the entire incident. Hsu Qi listened intently, falling silent for quite some time afterward.

"Mr. Ye, maybe we should head back to the village. The Cultivation Realm is too unpredictable. Who knows when we'll stumble into another one of their traps?"

"But how can we face Liu Ao's parents with this news..." he lamented.

Both men were weighed down by their thoughts. They had set out as a trio in high spirits, but now only two remained. Liu Ao had been brimming with anticipation at the prospect of joining the Absolute Monarch Sect, only to end up processed into a Pill. The despair and helplessness he must have felt were unimaginable.

Over half a day had passed since the Great Elder and the Second Elder, along with their disciples, had entered the forbidden area, which now lay in ruins.

"Humph!" Ye Chen glared at the two elders from a distance, anger surging within him. For years, they had been complicit in the creation of the Qi Shou Pill.

"Mr. Ye, your injuries haven't healed, and you're no match for the two of them. We should make a quick exit," Hsu Qi said, sensing that Ye Chen was intent on revenge and urgently prompting him to leave.

"Don't worry, I have a method to handle this. Today, these demons will all be vanquished," Ye Chen declared confidently. He then retrieved the damaged Cloud Chasing Sword and tossed it into the pit, followed by the Dark Origin Sword Formation. With all preparations in place, he began to silently regulate his breathing.

"Old Ning, what in the world happened here with the Sect Master? These energy fluctuations are terrifying. Rushing in like this could be a death wish," someone expressed their concern.

"Heh, we must locate the Void Returning creature. Dead or alive, we need to secure the formula for the Qi Shou Pill, or we're as good as dead," the Second Elder stated icily, already regretting his past decisions. "We never should have heeded the strange advice of Void Returning. Now, we've been unwittingly under his thumb for decades."

"Enough of that. You can't burn bridges after crossing them. Without the aid of the Void Returning Divine Arts, neither of us would have reached our current level. We'd have been long gone by now," the Great Elder interjected, his gaze scanning the surroundings. Spotting Ye Chen and Hsu Qi, he hurried over.

"Ye Chen, what has happened? Where is the Sect Master?" he inquired urgently.

"Respected elder, the Sect Master planned to take us to the Royal Absolute Sect, but we were ambushed by a Foundation Stage adversary, apparently the Sect Master's foe," Ye Chen reported.

"The Sect Master mentioned that the back mountain would be a more strategic location for confrontation, so he sent us back to the forbidden area. Before Hsu Qi and I could grasp the situation, we were knocked out. By the time we came to, everything had changed," he continued.

Ye Chen gestured towards the Cloud Chasing Sword, prompting the Great Elder and Second Elder to swiftly deduce that the Life Magic Treasure's damage likely signaled the demise of the Void Returning Taoist.

"Search quickly. The Storage Bag has to be around here somewhere. We must find that pill formula at all costs!"

The two elders couldn't contain their eagerness and, casting aside any semblance of their dignified status, leaped into the deep pit. They frantically rummaged through the scattered limbs, desperate to find the pill recipe they had long coveted.

"Esteemed elders, are you searching for the Sect Master's Storage Bag? I believe I saw it just over there!" Ye Chen feigned severe injuries, struggling to rise but failing. With no other option, he pointed weakly in a certain direction.

"What? Where? Let's hurry and check it out!"

With a whoosh, the two elders dashed toward the spot, only to be met with the whistling sound of an attack. Moments later, they lay lifeless on the ground. It was no surprise they perished, defenseless against a Sword Formation crafted from four top-tier magical weapons.

The surrounding disciples were struck with panic at the sight. Ye Chen offered a few words of reassurance before instructing Hsu Qi to gather the remaining disciples and disclose the harsh reality.

Initially, the disciples were skeptical, but upon recognizing the familiar faces in the pit—disciples sent by the Void Returning Taoist to the so-called Absolute Monarch Sect—their disbelief turned to outrage.

The younger disciples were paralyzed with fear, weeping uncontrollably, while the older ones felt a stroke of luck that their insufficient talents had, ironically, saved their lives. Now, with the Void Returning Sect leaderless, they faced an uncertain future.

As for Ye Chen, he had little to say on the matter. His attachment to the Void Returning Sect was tenuous at best, and he considered disbanding it altogether. Without a Foundation Stage cultivator to anchor them, the seven great sects were bound to counterattack eventually.

At least these disciples possessed some magical abilities, ensuring they could lead comfortable lives in the mortal realm.

With these issues resolved, Ye Chen made his way back to the valley where he had spent a full decade—his time there nearly surpassing that in Ye Family Village. He laid his master to rest before setting his sights on advancing to the Foundation Stage.

At the pinnacle of the Qi Refining Stage, Ye Chen was well-positioned to attempt a breakthrough to the Foundation Stage. The intense battle from just half a day earlier had provided him with profound insights. Confident in his abilities, Ye Chen felt certain that a new breakthrough was imminent.

Yet, reality delivered a harsh blow. After consuming dozens of Spiritual Pills to no avail, Ye Chen abandoned the idea of using pills to overcome the barrier. The Foundation Establishment barrier was as formidable as a chasm, unyielding and robust. At this rate, it might take decades to achieve his objective.

"Sigh, reaching the Foundation Stage is clearly not as straightforward as I hoped. It looks like I'll need to venture into the Cultivation Realm to find my fortune," Ye Chen mused, taken aback by this unexpected turn of events. Time was of the essence; the prolonged delay in advancing his Void Returning Divine Arts could be disastrous, potentially leading to a fatal explosion.

Ye Chen's resources were now stretched to their limit. Even with all the support provided by the Void Returning Sect, he could only manage to peak at the Qi Refining Stage. His only option was to seek out new fortunes in the wider world, hoping for a chance to make that crucial leap forward.