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After looting Chen Yuer's storage bag, Qi Yuan took out a mid-level fire talisman and burned her corpse.
He extended his spiritual sense and detected fluctuations of magical power from Xin Ruyin's room. Quietly, he opened his door, leaped a few times, and approached her chamber undetected.
Outside her room, a pale yellow light shield protected the perimeter. A group of Chen family disciples in the Qi Refinement stage desperately attacked it with magic tools and talismans, creating ripples across the barrier.
In the midst of them, a rough-faced Foundation Establishment cultivator swung an iron ball repeatedly at the shield. Each strike produced a thunderous sound, briefly dimming the shield before it regained its radiance.
The man sighed in frustration.
Qi Yuan, using the unique properties of the Shadowless Heart Method, approached unnoticed. Xin Ruyin's earlier warning had proven useful, preventing him from fully lowering his guard against the Chen family.
Otherwise, how could someone in the Qi Refinement stage have survived this situation?
Chen Duan scowled at the stubborn formation, his frustration evident. "Attack with all your strength! The first to break it will be handsomely rewarded!"
He had boasted about his capabilities to his father. If he failed here, surpassing his elder brother would become even more difficult.
At that moment, an eerie chill crept over him. Relying on his instincts honed through years of life-and-death experiences, he swiftly retreated without a second thought—too panicked even to warn his subordinates.
*Boom!*
A massive golden brick, radiating overwhelming force, plummeted from the sky.
The unsuspecting Chen family disciples were crushed instantly, their blood pooling into a gruesome scene of carnage.
Qi Yuan frowned. He felt a twinge of regret—Chen Duan had managed to escape the brick's impact. If it had hit him directly, the outcome would have been far more devastating.
Chen Duan, drenched in cold sweat, realized just how close he had come to death. But when he saw his fallen clansmen, rage replaced his fear. "Who dares launch a sneak attack? Come out and face me!"
He assumed the attacker was weak—only capable of ambush tactics. His initial tension eased slightly.
Before he could act, a mid-level magic weapon shot toward him from the shadows, with several inconspicuous gray beads dangling from its silver wheel.
Chen Duan scoffed at the speed of the incoming attack. "A mere mid-level magic weapon? Is that all?"
Identifying the attack's origin, he prepared to counterstrike. Once he deflected the weapon, he planned to rush in and capture his opponent.
He casually sent out a wave of spiritual energy toward the silver wheel, expecting to knock it aside effortlessly.
But then—
*Boom!*
The earth trembled. A deafening explosion erupted as thunder and fire engulfed Chen Duan completely.
Four Heavenly Thunder Seeds detonated at once. Even a mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator stood no chance without proper defenses.
The explosion's shockwave radiated outward, reducing the surrounding buildings to rubble. Fires blazed uncontrollably, carried by the wind.
In the distance, the panicked shouts of the Chen family disciples echoed through the night.
Qi Yuan retrieved a sound transmission talisman, whispered a few words into it, and sent it into Xin Ruyin's room.
Moments later, the pale yellow shield dissipated, and two frightened women emerged.
Xin Ruyin stepped forward, her clear eyes glimmering with newfound hope. "Senior..."
Tears welled in Xiaomei's eyes. "Senior, I thought you had been killed!"
"Xiaomei, don't talk nonsense," Xin Ruyin gently reprimanded.
Ensuring they were unharmed, Qi Yuan wasted no time. "This isn't over yet. Miss Xin, take me to the formation's weak point."
Xin Ruyin lifted her delicate chin, gazing at the sky-high formation glowing with a mix of blue, white, and azure light. With a swift motion, she released seven or eight small formation flags, which landed precisely at key points.
A beam of light shot forth, piercing the sky barrier and creating a massive opening.
Seeing this, Qi Yuan no longer needed to forcefully break through. He wrapped an arm around each woman's waist and shot toward the gap. It wasn't an attempt to take advantage of them—he simply knew their cultivation was too weak to keep up.
Xin Ruyin, having experienced this before, blushed briefly before regaining her composure.
Xiaomei, however, turned completely red. It was the first time she had been held by a man, and she shyly shut her eyes, unwilling to face the moment.
Qi Yuan's image was now firmly etched into her heart. She couldn't deny her feelings—ever since their first meeting, he had unknowingly taken root in her thoughts.
But he was a powerful cultivator, and she was just a humble maid. She lacked the courage to express herself.
Just then, a furious roar erupted from below.
"Kill my sister and brother, and think you can escape?"
It was Chen Honghao, the head of the Chen family.
"Hmph..." Qi Yuan sneered, unfazed. He barely regarded Chen Honghao's threats and instead instructed calmly, "Miss Xin, reach into my robe and pull out a magic sword. Use it to stop him."
Xin Ruyin hesitated but obeyed. Her jade-like hand slipped into his robes, searching for the weapon. Instead, she felt the firm contours of his chest.
Her heart skipped a beat.
Qi Yuan frowned. He was certain the weapon wasn't that hard to find.
"Miss Xin, have you found it yet? Chen Honghao is closing in."
"Found it!" At the last moment, she grasped a cold, hard object and pulled it out.
A small mid-level sword with three or four beads attached to its hilt glinted in her palm.
Could such a weapon really stop a mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator? She had a low cultivation level but vast knowledge, and she had her doubts.
"Miss Xin, hurry up!" Qi Yuan urged.
Snapping out of her thoughts, Xin Ruyin infused the sword with spiritual energy and flung it toward Chen Honghao.
Seeing the mid-level weapon shoot toward him, Chen Honghao sneered and charged forward without hesitation.
"Hao'er, be careful!"
His father's sudden warning rang in his ears. Though he didn't understand the urgency, instinct kicked in. He instantly deployed five layers of extreme defenses.
*Boom!*
Four Heavenly Thunder Seeds detonated simultaneously.
A brilliant explosion illuminated the night, momentarily turning it to daylight.
The immense force sent Chen Honghao hurtling to the ground, coughing up blood. He had barely survived—if not for his father's warning and the last-minute deployment of high-grade defensive talismans, he would have perished.
(End of Chapter)