Chapter 8

"Damn beast, what a big dog's gall! A dog-like thing, actually daring to beat me up like this!"

In the Xuanjian Sect, after Zhao Guanji woke up, he was like an enraged rooster, his throat emitting sharp, piercing screams. Several servants who tried to take care of him were kicked until they spat blood. Only after he was exhausted did he lie on the bed, groaning in pain. At this moment, his injuries were truly unbearable. His arms were broken by Bai Yang, and several ribs were also fractured. Even breathing was excruciating. He tried several times to turn over and get out of bed but was too afraid of the pain to move, his face filled with resentment.

Of course, his nose was also flattened by Bai Yang, making his resentful expression even more painful.

This made his hatred for Bai Yang grow even stronger! "Dog bastard, little beast, I must kill you! Not just you, I will also make that old Liu pay the price!" Thinking of this, Zhao Guanji could no longer contain his hatred. He endured the intense pain, took a few steps, and rushed out of the door, heading towards his uncle's residence.

As an elder of the Xuanjian Sect and the head of the Punishment Hall, Elder Zhao Han's residence was one of the more luxurious places in the sect. Even the towering mountain peak was his private property, standing over ten thousand feet high. The peak was often shrouded in mist, and a black building with a killing aura stood proudly at the top.

Zhao Han entered the Xuanjian Sect at the age of ten, became an inner disciple at twenty, and broke through to the [Gang Qi Realm] at thirty, reaching the [Ding Yuan Realm]. He became a sect steward and finally, at the age of sixty, entered the [Di Yuan Realm], becoming an elder and wielding the power of life and death over the sect's disciples.

Every [Di Yuan Realm] expert was a powerful force that intimidated the outside world. Even the sect leader of the Xuanjian Sect was only at the peak of the [Di Yuan Realm] tenth stage, far from the mysterious [Tian Yuan Realm].

In other words, in this continent, the [Di Yuan Realm] was already a rare expert, which is why Zhao Guanji was so arrogant and domineering. His uncle, Zhao Han, was a [Di Yuan Realm] expert and also an elder of the sect, with brilliant authority.

After much effort, Zhao Guanji finally arrived at the black building. He swallowed his saliva, looked up at the gate that seemed to be cast from black iron, cold and bone-chilling, and said in a trembling voice, "Nephew Zhao Fei, seeking an audience with Uncle!"

Before he finished speaking, Zhao Guanji hurriedly lowered his head, quickly knelt down, and his forehead hit the ground hard, not daring to breathe.

Time did not pass long, but Zhao Guanji felt as if it had been a lifetime. The cold air around him made him uncomfortable, and he dared not cry out from the pain of his wounds, fearing that he would anger his powerful uncle.

There was only his heavy, rapid breathing around him, and for a long time, there was no response.

After an unknown amount of time, the cold black giant door slowly opened, silently like the mouth of a giant beast. However, for Zhao Guanji, this was an immense honor!

He was filled with awe for his distant uncle, whom he had not seen for many years. Every time he came, this door had never opened. Only a faint, cold voice would come from the hall, conveying orders without emotion.

He had not seen his distant uncle in person for over ten years.

"It seems that standing by Murong Zhen this time has earned my uncle's favor!" Zhao Guanji thought, then quickly got up and walked in with joy.

Upon entering the building, the view immediately became clear. A black carpet stretched endlessly, about a hundred feet long, connecting to a towering stone staircase at the end of the line of sight.

Zhao Guanji looked up at the highest point of the stone staircase, where a figure in a large black robe stood. He did not dare to climb the stairs but knelt at the bottom, sobbing, "Uncle, you must stand up for your nephew!"

"Stop your tears, don't dirty my place." Zhao Han slowly turned around, his snow-white hair showing his advanced age, but his youthful appearance gave him a look of wisdom and vitality.

Once one reached the [Ding Yuan Realm], their lifespan could extend beyond the human limit, reaching two hundred years, and their appearance could be preserved. As for [Di Yuan Realm] experts, although they were not immortal, it was difficult to determine their true age from their appearance.

Now, Zhao Han was over seventy years old but still looked like a middle-aged man, with a fierce and authoritative aura.

Zhao Han stood with his hands behind his back, as if blending into the building, ready to disappear into the shadows at any moment, but no one could ignore his presence.

He stared at Zhao Guanji's shattered arm and said disdainfully, "Although you are a waste, you have the cultivation of the fifth stage of [Zhan Qi]. How could you be injured to such an extent?"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Guanji's tears and snot flowed, and he quickly embellished the story of how Bai Yang injured him, as well as how he helped Murong Zhen gather funds and the various obstacles set by the kitchen steward, Old Liu.

Zhao Han listened quietly, a cold smile on his face. "A kitchen steward and a seventh-stage [Zhan Qi] outer disciple reduced you to this? I thought you were useless, but at least you could handle small tasks. Now, you have disappointed me."

Zhao Guanji knelt on the ground, not daring to speak.

"Murong family has business dealings with our Xuanjian Sect every year, and I have some personal connections with the Murong family head. Although the outer disciples' competition forbids external assistance, we can still help Murong Zhen." Zhao Han made a decision, "As for the kitchen steward, just arrange a charge and drive him off the mountain. As for the Bai Yang you mentioned, deal with him after the sect competition." With that, Zhao Han flicked his finger, and a drop of black liquid, filled with [Di Yuan] power, flew out and entered Zhao Guanji's forehead.

Zhao Guanji let out a cry of surprise, then felt the [Di Yuan] power flow through his meridians to his broken arms, which instantly healed. His internal injuries were also mostly recovered, and even his [Zhan Qi] cultivation improved!

He quickly kowtowed, "Thank you, Uncle, for your gift!"

Zhao Han narrowed his eyes, turned his back, and no longer looked at him, saying coldly, "No matter how useless you are, you are still under my command. Those ant-like trash are not worth my effort, but I want you to tell them that when you beat a dog, you must always look at the owner!"

---

"There are only a few plants left, and they are just past their maturity period. It seems this treasure trove has been almost completely cultivated."

After three days, Bai Yang finally collected the last Lingxin Grass in the area. Including the ones he had found earlier, he now had five Lingxin Grass plants in his pocket.

If these five Lingxin Grass plants were refined properly, they could produce at least seven to eight Qiling Pills. However, Bai Yang did not have the skills to refine them, so he simply consumed the Lingxin Grass.

The Lingxin Grass dissolved in his mouth, turning into pure medicinal power that seeped into his body. Bai Yang immediately groaned, his body emitting a large amount of sweat and impurities. He then circulated the Qi flow of the Dream Entering Great Profound Art to refine the medicinal power, and his [Zhan Qi] cultivation increased by a visible one-third.

However, the medicinal power was still present, and Bai Yang estimated that if all the medicinal power was refined, it would provide another ten percent increase in [Zhan Qi].

After about half an incense stick, Bai Yang had refined all the medicinal power, his eyes shining. "Although the method of direct consumption is crude, the star power in my body is very special, locking the medicinal power without any waste. The speed of [Zhan Qi] improvement is simply astonishing!"

Normally, directly consuming spiritual herbs is not as effective as refining them into pills.

This is because the medicinal power of directly consumed herbs is not refined, causing most of it to dissipate in the body, wasting the medicinal power.

Moreover, the raw medicinal power is often very violent, causing irreversible damage to the meridians. Consuming spiritual herbs is a method that can only be used a few times, as excessive consumption can cause severe side effects.

However, Bai Yang was different. He had a star power inherited from a deity, which, although its many mysteries were unknown, could lock the medicinal power and make it gentle.

In other words, a method that would be fatal for others was not only usable for Bai Yang but also several times more effective, almost like cheating to improve!

Imagine, while others are hindered by the toxicity of the herbs, Bai Yang can enhance his strength by consuming spiritual herbs without any waste, which is a terrifying advantage.

However, Bai Yang was also aware that this method could not replace hard work. Cultivation based entirely on external aids is like a castle in the air, with an unstable foundation that could collapse at any time.

Moreover, he did not have enough spiritual herbs to consume, so external aids were only supplementary, and cultivation was the main path.

Just as Bai Yang was organizing the other four Lingxin Grass plants and preparing to continue, he suddenly heard a faint sound of footsteps in the distance, making him immediately alert.

Now, he was at the peak of the seventh stage of [Zhan Qi], and his senses had greatly improved. If he focused, he could hear sounds within three hundred feet and be alerted to anything within a hundred feet.

The footsteps were not far away, within a hundred feet, but their path did not conflict with his. As long as he hid, he could avoid them.

The only people who would be in the forest at this time were likely disciples of the Xuanjian Sect.

Bai Yang's eyes flickered, and he quickly and quietly hid in a large tree.