C30 Robbed the Soul Core

Wang Zhan watched the two men in astonishment. He hadn't expected them to dispatch Heaven's Edge's members with such ease. Nor had he anticipated that they were the notorious Chu Lin and Yang Hu from Raven's Pass.

"I'll never forget the favor you've done for me. If there's ever anything you need, count on me to lend a hand," Wang Zhan said earnestly, bowing respectfully to Chu Lin and Yang Hu. He then tossed the Starfruit towards Chu Lin. "Without your intervention, those mercenaries would have surely taken this Starfruit. Please, accept it as a token of my gratitude and don't decline."

Chu Lin caught the Starfruit, this time without protest. Wang Zhan had offered it twice now, proving he wasn't driven by greed but by a deep sense of loyalty. Chu Lin knew that even if he refused, Wang Zhan would insist he keep it.

"Chu Lin, Yang Hu, you must have heard about the injured spirit animal at Lunar Crest," Wang Zhan continued. "However, Heaven's Edge has put a bounty on your heads and sent two Peak Body Tempering captains to track you down. So, if you're planning to head to Lunar Crest, be extra cautious." After offering another bow of thanks and a word of caution, Wang Zhan departed.

"Lunar Crest is home to an injured spirit animal. There's been a lot happening lately," Chu Lin mused, his eyebrows arching in thought.

"Chu, Heaven's Edge is clearly desperate to capture that spirit animal. They've even dispatched two Peak Body Tempering captains," Yang Hu remarked with a wide smile.

"A single Soul Core can spark a fierce battle among the outer court disciples involved in the hunt. Lunar Crest must be buzzing with activity right now. And if Heaven's Edge's captains are after the Soul Core, it won't be an easy feat," Chu Lin said, his gaze flickering with anticipation as he held the Starfruit. A thrill of excitement surged within him.

"If we manage to seize the Soul Core, Heaven's Edge will be too preoccupied to pay us any mind," Yang Hu speculated, weighing a pouch of beast cores in his hand. He shot Chu Lin a conspiratorial grin. "Brother Chu, shall we go take a look?"

Heaven's Edge has been hoarding beast cores for some time now. I suspect they've got more than they can handle. Why don't we offer to take some off their hands? We're all fellow disciples, after all. It's our duty to help alleviate their load!" Chu Lin declared with a grave expression and a tone of moral conviction.

"Chu, you can count on me!" Yang Hu exclaimed, slapping his thigh in agreement. Inwardly, he marveled at Chu Lin once more, "Chu is clearly after the Soul Core, yet he manages to come up with such a noble excuse."

The two exchanged knowing smiles before swiftly vanishing into the depths of the forest.

In the blink of an eye, seven days whisked by.

Beneath a ten-meter-high peak at Lunar Crest in Raven's Pass lay a cave, home to a dying spirit animal.

Since the word spread about the wounded creature, no fewer than dozens of people arrived daily. In just a week, the cave's entrance was besieged by a crowd of over a thousand. They all awaited the spirit animal's demise, for only then could they venture into the cave to vie for the Soul Core. Even disciples at the pinnacle of Body Tempering wouldn't dare risk an encounter, given the vast gulf in power between them and the spirit animal.

Among the onlookers, some were there out of curiosity, while others were drawn by the allure of the Soul Core. Yet, to claim it, one needed the prowess to outmaneuver the multitude.

Surveying the scene, many faces in the throng nearest the cave were well-known to the outer court disciples.

"Who are those two commanding such respect from Yu Ming, Yu Kun, and Yu Qing?" someone in the crowd asked, gazing towards the Heaven's Edge encampment in astonishment.

"You don't know them? They're Yu Ling and Yu Fan, the deputy leaders of Heaven's Edge! Rumor has it that two years back, when they were the main and second captains, they had already attained the ninth level of Body Tempering. Now they've reached the peak of the realm. At just twenty-two, their cultivation is so advanced, I'm certain they're destined for the adytum."

The Heaven's Edge Alliance has really pulled out all the stops, dispatching not only two peak Body Tempering Realm experts but also Yu Ming, Yu Kun, and Yu Qing—three captains at the ninth level of Body Tempering. It looks like they're the favorites to secure the Soul Core," many onlookers said, their faces etched with surprise.

"That's not a foregone conclusion. Take a look—the Rainbow Pact and Nalan Wan'er are also here. Everyone in the outer court has heard of Nalan Wan'er, but her true strength remains a mystery. Rumor has it that three months ago in Redband City, she left a ninth-level Body Tempering martial cultivator who made the mistake of harassing her crippled. It's safe to say her power must be at the peak of Body Tempering," someone chimed in.

All eyes turned toward a group of women, with two in particular drawing the most attention. They stood at the forefront, their stunning beauty matched by their shapely figures.

Nalan Wan'er and Lan Ling'er are among the outer court's three great beauties, the object of countless male disciples' fantasies.

"Do you see those two over there? They're known as the Fat and Thin Duo. They've even taken down a Spiritual Martial Realm brother. And next to that boulder, that's the Viridian League, with their deputy leader who's at the peak of Body Tempering and three ninth-level captains. All three of the outer court's elite leagues have sent representatives. Who ends up with the Soul Core is anyone's guess," the speaker added, gesturing to different areas.

Unnoticed by the crowd, two figures had stealthily made their way among them, their faces partially obscured by straw hats.

"Chu, besides Heaven's Edge, there are plenty of powerhouses here," one murmured to the other.

"Once the spirit animal is completely down, that's when they'll turn on each other. Tiger, you'll need to be on high alert. Handle those whose strength is below the fourth level of Body Tempering. I'll take on the ones above. We won't let any slip by—aside from the captains and deputy leaders, we're going to take down as many from Heaven's Edge as we can," the other said, pulling his straw hat down firmly.

Chu Lin and Yang Hu were the two in question.

After their farewell to Wang Zhan, they sought out a hidden spot to engage in secluded cultivation, focusing on enhancing their strength.

In the span of seven days, Yang Hu had successfully refined three panaceas taken from members of Heaven's Edge, elevating his strength to the fourth level of Body Tempering.

Chu Lin, with his formidable capacity for absorption, managed to refine a Starfruit and over twenty beast cores. Thanks to the nourishment provided by the ichor, he achieved a breakthrough to the sixth level of Body Tempering, which even he found astonishing.

Moreover, Chu Lin's prowess had indeed reached the sixth level of Body Tempering. When he was at the third level, he was already capable of defeating an opponent at the seventh level. Now, he felt confident enough to take on someone at the ninth level.

His concern, however, lay in the fact that despite having refined a second-level panacea and more than twenty beast cores, he had only managed to advance by three levels.

Chu Lin couldn't fathom the vast amount of spiritual energy he would need for future breakthroughs.

Thus, he arrived at Lunar Crest today, intent on deepening his cultivation. He was ready to undertake a significant endeavor.