Chapter 25: A Few Thieves Enter

On the outskirts of the Xuantian Sect, deep within the Black Wind Valley, the Blood Fiend Spirit-Locking Array exuded a thick, cloying stench of blood. Within the blood pool at the array's core, countless vengeful souls shrieked in agony, transforming the natural spiritual energy of heaven and earth into sinister, malevolent power.

"Seventh-level Void Refinement, bolstered by the Prison-Suppressing Thunder Pagoda, yet they couldn't withstand three strikes?"

Xue Wuchang stood before a water mirror, watching the annihilation of the thousand holy guards of the Zixiao Holy Land and their leader, Lei Yao. A chill of genuine terror gripped him, a sensation that even he, a first-level Integration-stage cultivator, found deeply unsettling.

Beside him, Gu Wuchang clutched a map of the spiritual ley lines, his voice trembling with excitement. "Hall Master, the spiritual ley line of this Xuantian Sect is definitely of superior middle grade! Judging by the concentration of leaking spiritual energy, it is at least ten times stronger than our own Blood Fiend Vein!"

"More than ten times." Xue Wuchang’s fingernails carved deep, bloody gashes into the map, his eyes glittering with greed. "To have a powerhouse like Ye Chentian stationed here, it might even be a superior-grade ley line! That old fool from Zixiao was truly dim-witted to attack head-on, unaware that the mantis stalks the cicada, while the oriole follows behind."

He turned toward two figures lurking in the shadows—Ghost Claw Mingluo and Poison Scorpion Jueying. Both were eighth-level Void Refinement assassins of extraordinary skill.

"The Zixiao Holy Land forces have just been wiped out by Ye Chentian; he must be severely depleted," Xue Wuchang sneered. "Take the Nine Nether Coffin and follow me to infiltrate the Xuantian Sect. That coffin can temporarily mask our aura. Once we extract the core of the ley line, even if he discovers us, he won't be able to catch up!"

"A brilliant plan, Hall Master!" Ghost Claw Mingluo let out a raspy laugh.

The group moved quietly, using the cover of the Blood Fiend Spirit-Locking Array to transform into shadows and slip underground. Avoiding the Xuantian Sect’s great protective formation, they emerged from an hidden cliff at the back of the mountain, landing precisely in the valley where the spiritual energy was most concentrated.

"It really is a superior-grade ley line!" Poison Scorpion Jueying’s eyes flashed with fanaticism. "With this concentration, if I could cultivate here long-term, it would be enough to break through to the Integration stage!"

Xue Wuchang suppressed his excitement and summoned the Nine Nether Coffin. As the pitch-black coffin hit the ground, it released an icy chill that effectively shielded the surrounding spiritual fluctuations.

"Do it!"

Ghost Claw Mingluo struck first. His ten jet-black nails elongated by three feet, radiating a malevolent energy capable of tearing souls apart as he clawed at the ground—the very location of the ley line's core.

The moment his fingertips were about to touch the earth, golden array patterns suddenly flared throughout the valley!

"Hum—!"

As soon as Ghost Claw Mingluo’s nails touched the patterns, a hissing sound of burning flesh erupted. His black, malevolent energy was instantly purified, and his ten nails vanished as if melted by ice.

"Ah!" He let out a blood-curdling scream. The backlash from the array tore his entire arm into a mangled mess of flesh and bone.

Ye Chentian appeared beside them. He had not expected anyone to dare attempt to steal the Xuantian Sect’s ley line right under his nose. He stood with his hands behind his back, his white robes fluttering in the currents of the spiritual ley line. The Flowing Light Purple Electric Sword at his waist vibrated, emitting a clear, resonant chime.

Xue Wuchang’s pupils constricted. His first-level Integration-stage spiritual perception had failed to detect Ye Chentian’s arrival entirely. A jolt of fear struck him—to appear silently under the nose of someone with his cultivation, this youth was no ordinary man.

However, seeing that the boy’s aura was merely at the first level of the Void Refinement stage, his heart settled once more. He sneered, "A mere first-level Void Refinement dares to be arrogant? I am at the first level of the Integration stage; killing you is as easy as slaughtering a dog!" He assumed the pressure of his cultivation level would guarantee victory; the earlier anomaly must have been his own overthinking.

"Oh? If you have the guts, come and try it." Ye Chentian pressed his right hand lightly against his sword hilt. A sharp, undeniable pressure erupted from the scabbard.

"You seek death!" Ghost Claw Mingluo, clutching his bleeding stump, felt his resentment surge. Nine bone spurs erupted from his remaining fingers, wreathed in black malevolence.

"Nether Ghost Claw: Soul Shredder!" This was his signature technique, one that had claimed the lives of many cultivators. He hoped to end this quickly with such a vicious move. Yet, deep down, he wondered: *This brat dares to face my ghost claw head-on; could he have some hidden trump card?*

Ye Chentian’s eyes flashed with cold light. He did not dodge, but spoke softly: "Void-Breaking Sword Art: A Single Line of Heaven."

The sword light moved like lightning, striking before the enemy could react. Ghost Claw Mingluo felt a chill at his throat, and as he looked down, he saw a thin line of blood appear across his neck. He tried to trigger his Nascent Soul to escape in terror, only to find that his very soul had been sliced in two by that single strike. He died instantly.

In the final moment before his consciousness faded, only one thought remained: *How is this possible...*

Poison Scorpion Jueying was consumed by rage upon seeing his companion’s gruesome death. He spat out a cloud of purple-black toxic mist: "Soul-Eroding Poison Smoke: Ten Thousand Insects Devour the Heart!" This poison was his life’s work, notoriously lethal.

Ye Chentian shifted his sword, responding calmly: "Void-Breaking Sword Art: Wind Sweeps the Scattered Clouds." The sword energy transformed into a tornado, shredding the toxic mist and preventing it from spreading. Before Poison Scorpion Jueying could react, his brow was pierced by a blade of energy, and he fell dead on the spot.

As he collapsed, he looked on in disbelief—his poison mist... had it not caused even the slightest hindrance?

"White Bone Forest: Burial of Heaven!" Seeing the situation turn dire, Gu Wuchang knew they were outmatched. He attempted to use his array to win, summoning tens of thousands of white bone spears from the earth to blot out the sky. He cast seals with increasing speed, though his heart hammered: *The first two died too strangely. What exactly is this boy’s sword technique?*

Ye Chentian sighed. "All flash and no substance." With a flick of his finger, a sweep of sword energy that spanned the entire horizon cleaved the bone formation and Gu Wuchang in two, shattering his offense with ease.

Seeing his three eighth-level Void Refinement subordinates killed in an instant, Xue Wuchang was struck by terror and dared not underestimate his opponent again. As cold sweat beaded on his forehead, he finally realized—this Ye Chentian was far from the simple cultivator he appeared to be.