Chapter 21: Breaking Through

“Explore the Blackwind Valley ruins. Suspected ancient cultivator’s dwelling. Reward: 50,000 contribution points + one low-grade magical treasure.”

“Hunt the fifth-rank demonic beast ‘Scarlet Flame Python’ and retrieve its core. Reward: 30,000 contribution points.”

“Pursue the evil cultivator ‘Blood-Handed Butcher.’ Cultivation level: late Nascent Soul. Reward: 80,000 contribution points.”

The rewards for these missions were indeed generous, but the danger matched them.

Chen Ping’s current strength might not fear Nascent Soul cultivators, but the ancient restrictions that could lurk within ruins, the terrifying power of a fifth-rank demonic beast, the sinister methods of an evil cultivator… all of it was unknown.

Chen Ping considered briefly.

Exploring ruins would take far too long. Hunting a demonic beast carried too many variables.

But this Blood-Handed Butcher, if he could eliminate him, would not only bring in eighty thousand contribution points.

He might also be able to loot quite a few valuables from the man’s corpse.

Moreover, slaying such an evil cultivator would be ridding the world of a blight.

“I’ll take this one.”

Chen Ping reached out and steadily pulled the mission notice for hunting the Blood-Handed Butcher from the board.

In an instant, the surrounding area fell silent, then erupted in an uproar.

“Peak Lord Chen took the Blood-Handed Butcher mission?”

“That’s a Heaven-rank mission! The Blood-Handed Butcher is notorious. Ordinary late Nascent Soul cultivators don’t dare hunt him alone!”

“He’s walking straight to his death…”

Gazes of shock, lament, and mockery intertwined.

Chen Ping’s expression remained calm as he carried the notice to the registration desk.

The registrar was an old man with white hair. Seeing the notice in Chen Ping’s hand, he too was stunned.

“Peak Lord Chen, are you sure you want to take this mission?”

“I’m sure.” Chen Ping nodded.

The old man gave him a deep look, ultimately said nothing, and handed over a mission jade slip.

“Mission duration is one month. Failure to complete it within the time limit will result in a deduction of 1,000 contribution points as a penalty. Additionally, the Blood-Handed Butcher is cunning. Peak Lord Chen… be careful.”

“Thank you for the warning.”

Chen Ping put away the jade slip and turned to leave the Mission Hall.

Outside, the sky was bright and clear, a long wind rushing past his ears.

He activated the jade slip, his divine sense immersing into it. The mission details slowly unfurled:

“Blood-Handed Butcher, real name Tu Gang. Formerly an outer sect deacon of the Qingyun Sect. Turned traitor and fell to the demonic path ten years ago. Cultivated evil arts, kills without number. Recently active along the border of the Southern Region. Suspected involvement with the demonic Blood Fiend Sect.”

“Distinguishing features: a vertical scar across the left side of his face. Adept with a blood-colored long saber. Saber techniques are sinister and fierce. Proficient in the Blood Escape Technique, can ignite blood essence to flee a thousand li in an instant.”

“Latest traces: appeared in Blackstone City three days ago. Butchered the entirety of the local cultivator Lin Family, seized their heirloom treasure, the Profound Yin Bead, and then fled. The blood fiend aura around him grows increasingly dense. His cultivation is suspected to have advanced further…”

Chen Ping put away the jade slip and lifted his gaze towards the southeast.

Blackstone City. Approximately three thousand li from here.

Without the slightest hesitation, his figure stirred slightly. A streak of faint golden light skimmed across the horizon, vanishing into the distance in an instant.

Under the circulation of the Grand Dao Evasion Technique, mountains and rivers swept backward, clouds and mist parted.

The true hunt had only just begun.

*

Elsewhere, Lin Xiaoyu arrived before the Cultivation Tower.

“Look, isn’t that the Heaven-Detested Physique from Luoxia Peak?”

“What’s she doing here?”

“What else would anyone do at the Cultivation Tower? Cultivating, obviously.”

“A Heaven-Detested Physique can cultivate? I thought spiritual energy dissipates the moment it enters her body…”

“Who knows? Anyway, she killed Song Tou with a single punch. That news has spread all over the sect.”

The murmured chatter carried a mix of curiosity and suspicion.

Lin Xiaoyu paid no attention to any of it. She lowered her head and walked through the Cultivation Tower’s main entrance.

—

Inside the Cultivation Tower, each person had their own independent chamber.

Lin Xiaoyu did not hesitate for a moment. She started from the first floor and ascended level by level.

Qi Refining first-layer standard floor. Three breaths. Cleared.

Qi Refining second-layer standard floor. Three breaths. Cleared.

Qi Refining third-layer standard floor. Three breaths. Cleared.

…

Qi Refining ninth-layer standard floor.

Lin Xiaoyu stepped inside.

Nine illusory puppets at the ninth layer of Qi Refining attacked simultaneously.

The Qingfeng Sword left its sheath. A beam of pale golden sword light swept across horizontally.

All nine puppets froze in unison. The next second, they shattered into fragments of spirit stone rubble covering the ground.

From start to finish, a single sword stroke.

Lin Xiaoyu looked down at her hand, a bit dazed.

“Clearing levels… is it really this easy?”

Outside the Cultivation Tower, the disciples who had stopped to watch the light screen looked at each other in disbelief.

“Did my eyes deceive me? Qi Refining ninth layer, one sword stroke?”

“Has it… been ten days since she joined the sect?”

“Heaven-Detested Physique. A body the heavens reject, unable to cultivate? You’re calling this cultivation speed a Heaven-Detested Physique?”

“…”

The silence was followed by even more intense murmuring.

And Lin Xiaoyu was already standing at the entrance to the next floor.

She did not hesitate. She directly handed over one thousand high-grade spirit stones.

– Extreme Life-and-Death Floor.

—

“Look! She’s entered the Extreme Life-and-Death Floor!”

The crowd before the light screen instantly erupted.

“How many floors do you think she can clear?”

“Three floors shouldn’t be a problem, right?”

“Three floors?” Someone shook their head. “The Extreme Life-and-Death Floor involves combat across major realms. Enemies are at least three times as strong. In Qingyun Sect’s entire history, the people who could clear three floors at the Qi Refining stage can be counted on one hand.”

“But she just cut down nine Qi Refining ninth-layer cultivators in one sword stroke…”

“That’s the same realm. Crossing realms is something else entirely.”

Amidst the debate, Lin Xiaoyu had already stepped onto the first floor of Extreme Life-and-Death.

—

The atmosphere turned abruptly hostile.

Three puppets at Foundation Establishment first layer stood motionless.

Lin Xiaoyu gripped her sword hilt, fully prepared.

She had expected a bitter fight.

However, three breaths later…

All three puppets collapsed.

Promoted.

Lin Xiaoyu was rooted to the spot, stunned.

She looked down at the Qingfeng Sword. The blade was spotless.

“…This simple?”

She had heard senior brothers and sisters speak of how perilous the Extreme Life-and-Death Floor was, a brush with death at every turn.

But now, having experienced it personally, she only felt it was far too easy.

She could only attribute it to the cultivation technique her master gave her. It was simply far too heaven-defying.

Outside, however, chaos had long since erupted.

“Three breaths?! She beat three Foundation Establishment first-layer cultivators in three breaths?!”

“Is she even human?”

“Is she really at the Qi Refining stage?”

Someone murmured, “Back when I was in the Qi Refining stage, a Foundation Establishment senior sister chased me all over the mountain…”

No one paid him any attention.

Because on the light screen, Lin Xiaoyu had already stepped onto the second floor.

—

Second floor. Nine puppets at Foundation Establishment third layer.

Lin Xiaoyu noticed that the number of enemies seemed to be three times the previous floor.

Still three breaths.

Still nine swords.

The nine puppets still turned into rubble.

Third floor. Eighteen puppets at Foundation Establishment fifth layer.

Fourth floor. Twenty-seven puppets at Foundation Establishment seventh layer.

Fifth floor. Fifty-four puppets at Foundation Establishment eighth layer.

Sixth floor. Eighty-one puppets at Foundation Establishment ninth layer.

…

Every floor, Lin Xiaoyu stepped in, swung her sword, and cleared it.

Never exceeding ten breaths.

The crowd outside went from initial shock, to later awe, to now… numbness.

“She won again.”

“Mhm.”

“The eighty-first Foundation Establishment ninth-layer puppet.”

“Mhm.”

“She doesn’t seem… to be out of breath at all.”

“…Mhm.”

Someone suddenly asked, “What floor is she on now?”

“Just cleared the sixth floor. Preparing to enter the seventh.”

“The seventh?” That person swallowed hard.

“Wouldn’t that mean…”

—