The stench of blood still lingered.
Lin Chen stood among the corpses, dusting off his clothes. His expression was calm, as if the one‑sided slaughter just moments ago was no different from stepping on a few ants.
He hated useless words and sentimental reflections.
An enemy dead was an enemy gone.
Dead, and clean.
He glanced down at the scorching demon core in his arms, feeling the violent power surging within it. A faint, almost imperceptible smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
A Spirit Sea Realm demon core was exactly what he needed right now.
Not to mention the Green Spirit Grass.
To survive a desperate situation and make a fortune on top of it—this was a good deal.
Just as he was about to turn and leave, extremely faint footsteps suddenly came from the distant dense forest.
Steady, slow, and deliberately concealed.
But Lin Chen's perception was sharp. He caught them instantly.
His eyes turned cold. He did not look back, only paused slightly and continued forward, pretending he had noticed nothing.
In the shadows.
Two figures hid behind a tree, their gazes sinister as they stared at Lin Chen's back.
"Senior Brother, it's him! He killed the Blackwind disciples and the Blood‑Shadow Demon Wolf!" a thin disciple whispered, greed blazing in his eyes. "The demon core must be on him! And the Green Spirit Grass!"
The man called Senior Brother had a cruel face, his cultivation clearly at the Middle True Martial Stage. He licked his lips and sneered, "Perfect. You've stumbled into hell when heaven had a path for you. You must be exhausted after killing the wolf. We'll take it easy."
"Kill him, and the demon core and spirit grass are ours!"
The two exchanged a look, murderous intent surging.
They were outer‑sect disciples of Heavenly Fate Sect, sent to search the mountains. They never expected to stumble upon this scene.
In their eyes, Lin Chen, having just survived a brutal battle, was at his limit—easy prey.
"Attack!"
A low shout. The two figures darted out like ghosts, flanking Lin Chen from left and right, lunging straight for his back!
Sharp swords cut through the air with a bone‑chilling wind, aimed directly at his heart and skull. No mercy, no hesitation—only killing moves.
They thought Lin Chen was caught off guard.
They thought he was spent.
But the moment the swords were about to strike—
Lin Chen moved.
No turn, no cry of alarm.
He simply shifted sideways casually, gliding as if taking a leisurely stroll, evading the two fatal strikes effortlessly.
At the same time, he threw a backward punch.
No fancy moves, no surging true essence—just a simple, plain punch.
Boom!
A dull, heavy sound.
The Middle True Martial Stage Senior Brother's chest caved in instantly. He spewed a mouthful of blood, his body flying backward like a broken kite. He slammed into the ground, convulsed twice, and went still.
One‑hit kill.
The thin disciple was terrified beyond measure. His greed vanished, replaced by pure terror.
"You… you knew we were here?!"
Lin Chen slowly turned around. His expression remained unchanged, his gaze as calm as deep water—but beneath that calm lay a bone‑chilling coldness.
"You hid poorly."
His tone was flat, as if stating a fact.
From the moment he detected their presence, he knew another batch of fools had come to rob him.
The thin disciple's legs went weak. He turned to flee.
"Leaving so soon?"
Lin Chen stepped forward, closing the distance in an instant. He grabbed the disciple by the neck and twisted gently.
Crack.
A crisp bone snap echoed.
The disciple collapsed without even a scream.
The entire encounter lasted less than three breaths.
Clean. Efficient. Brutal.
Lin Chen released his grip, dusting off his hands as if he had just crushed a fly.
He walked over to the Middle True Martial Stage disciple's corpse and took his storage pouch.
Inside were spirit stones, pills, and manuals—more abundant than the Blackwind disciples' belongings.
"Saves me the trouble of hunting for them."
Lin Chen muttered, storing the pouch away.
He glanced at the sky, his eyes indifferent.
Blackwind Academy. Heavenly Fate Sect.
They really wouldn't leave him alone.
But that was fine.
One came, one died.
Two came, two died.
Since they insisted on delivering themselves to his door, he would gladly take everything they had.
Without further delay, his figure blurred and vanished into the vast forest.
The road ahead was long and filled with killing intent.
But Lin Chen's path would only grow wider.
Because anyone who stood in his way was already dead.