C26 I will Kill You

The hunting season was set for thirty days, and before anyone realized it, half the time had already slipped by. Raven's Pass was quieter than usual, yet a subtle tension still hung in the air.

Two matters had captured almost everyone's attention.

The first was a rumor that had emerged out of thin air, seizing the focus of all. "Deep within Raven's Pass, there's a second-level spirit animal on the brink of death! Whoever slays it will claim its Soul Core!" Spirit animals were far mightier than feral monsters, their power on par with a Spiritual Martial Stage cultivator!

It was common knowledge among the outer court disciples that without luck or external assistance, it was rare for anyone to reach the Spiritual Martial Stage before forty. Most had only achieved the Body Tempering Stage. Even the majority of mentors, guards, and deacons, who were well into their forties, had only reached the Spiritual Martial Stage. Only an exceptional few prodigies had broken past the Body Tempering Stage to the first level of the Spiritual Martial Stage.

One such prodigy was Yu Xiu, the leader of the Heaven's Edge Alliance, who naturally became the center of attention in the outer court and was a prime candidate for focused cultivation.

The rarity of advancing to the Spiritual Martial Stage made the Soul Core extraordinarily valuable. Mentors and outer court disciples alike coveted it.

The second matter of interest was the recent actions of the Heaven's Edge Alliance, which had suffered robberies for three consecutive days. They rallied all their hunting participants, forming three squads, each led by a captain.

Yu Qing's team held the exit of Raven's Pass, while Yu Ming and Yu Kun's teams initiated a counteroffensive. They first sent word to Nalan Wan'er, challenging her to a post-hunt duel with the Rainbow Pact. Next, they confronted the Fat and Thin Duo, leading to a fierce clash. Rumor has it that, with their superior numbers, the Heaven's Edge Alliance overpowered the duo.

Finally, the Heaven's Edge Alliance distributed hundreds of portraits and announced a bounty: "Anyone who can provide information on the whereabouts of the individuals in these portraits will be rewarded with five beast cores!"

In just one day, the news had spread among all the outer court disciples involved in the hunt.

"Can you believe the Heaven's Edge Alliance is going to these lengths for two servant disciples?"

"Who are these two? To think they've got the Heaven's Edge Alliance offering a reward of five beast cores for them!"

"It's obvious that the Heaven's Edge Alliance has been outwitted by these two. They wouldn't go to such lengths otherwise. I'm dying to know how these servant disciples managed to inflict such a loss on the Heaven's Edge Alliance."

Everyone was either shocked or intrigued, yet they all committed the images of these two individuals to memory.

Surely, there would be those willing to go to great lengths for such a substantial reward. Suddenly, a frenzy of activity ensued as countless individuals began searching for any trace of the duo. Even groups that had ventured into Duskhaven were eager to claim those five beast cores and joined the hunt.

At an unknown location in Raven's Pass, a skinny man held a portrait and remarked with interest, "I never imagined Chu Lin to be so formidable. He's truly worthy of Xue's attention!"

Next to him, a fat man was enthusiastically devouring a roasted leopard leg.

Upon hearing the thin man speak, the fat man mumbled, "Brother, even if we hadn't shown up that day, I doubt Yu Qing could have beaten Chu Lin."

At the Rainbow Pact headquarters, two stunning figures sat across from each other with a portrait placed between them.

"Wan'er, they've crossed the Heaven's Edge because of me," the gentle-looking girl said, her voice tinged with concern.

"Ling'er, I've never seen you so concerned about a man before," teased the woman sitting opposite her.

"Wan'er, what are you implying? I'm simply grateful to him for saving me," Lan Ling'er replied, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

"The Heaven's Edge dared to harass you! I'll make sure they pay for that."

A major event was on the horizon at Raven's Pass.

Yet, those involved remained unaware.

At that moment, Chu Lin was lying alone on a rock, a blade of grass between his lips, hands pillowed behind his head. He squinted in the warm, comforting sunlight, humming a tune without a care in the world.

Meanwhile, Yang Hu was meditating in a cave at the valley's edge, his body awash with spiritual energy. Arrayed before him were over a dozen withered panaceas.

Chu Lin stretched lazily and cast a glance at the distant cliff cave. He murmured, "I never expected Tiger's strength to increase so rapidly."

For every martial cultivator, a breakthrough is a critical moment, and Yang Hu was no exception.

Should Yang Hu be disturbed during his breakthrough, he would face grave danger. At that moment, Chu Lin was safeguarding Yang Hu. Thanks to his keen senses, not even the faintest disturbance within a thousand meters of the cliff cave could elude his detection.

Suddenly, Chu Lin stirred. He sensed an overwhelmingly powerful presence within his range of perception. In just an instant, this presence had materialized inside the cliff cave where Yang Hu was located!

Inside the cave, Yang Hu's forehead was slick with sweat, his hands trembling as he maintained the charm.

He had failed to break through the fourth level of Body Tempering twice already.

The barrier from the third to the fourth level of Body Tempering seemed unbreakable. Despite his efforts, he couldn't overcome it.

Each failed attempt resulted in a severe backlash to Yang Hu's meridians.

"Young man, each realm for a martial cultivator must be approached one step at a time. Relying on panaceas to force your way to the next level is precarious. Even if you manage to succeed, it could leave lingering issues for your future journey."

At that moment, a leisurely voice filled the air. An elderly man with a kindly face and broad earlobes appeared silently beside Yang Hu.

The old man lifted his hand, and instantly, a stream of pure and gentle spiritual energy flowed into Yang Hu, smoothing out his somewhat disordered meridians.

Yang Hu's body shook, and he snapped out of his attempt at a breakthrough, letting out a relieved sigh. Upon seeing the elder before him, he quickly rose and bowed deeply, expressing his gratitude, "Senior, thank you for saving my life. Without your help, I might have perished."

He wasn't wrong. He had been fixated on breaking through but couldn't manage it. Without the strength to persist, his life had been hanging by a thread.

"Haha, it's all in the hands of fate. No need for thanks," the old man chuckled. He gestured towards the cave entrance and added, "Your friend here has a strong foundation, knows the value of building up power, and has a commendable temperament. He's a remarkable individual."

No sooner had he finished speaking than Chu Lin appeared at the mouth of the cave.

The old man's eyes widened with a flicker of surprise as he watched Chu Lin approach. Soon, his smile grew even more radiant. He seemed quite pleased, nodding continuously.

Chu Lin's aura was indeed more robust than the old man had anticipated.

In no time, Chu Lin stood before the old man, their eyes locking.

Both started to speak simultaneously, then stopped in unison.

"You go first," the old man gestured with an outstretched hand, his face the picture of deference. The outer court disciples usually approached him with utmost respect and a palpable sense of dread. This was the first time he had encountered someone who dared to speak before him.

He was eager to hear what this young man would say upon their first meeting.

And then, when he disclosed that he was one of the three great elders of the outer court, he expected the young man's expression to be priceless.

He couldn't wait to see the young man's mix of shock and confusion!

The old man's smile grew broader as he entertained these thoughts.

"I'm going to beat you to death!"

But before his fantasy could continue, a fierce shout interrupted. Suddenly, Chu Lin had a brick in hand. With no hesitation, he brought it crashing down on the old man's face!

The old man collapsed to the ground with a thud.