Bai Ye Qing didn’t look back once, he gripped the fur of the Tiger tightly, despite the growls from the beast. Both siblings held tightly on the tiger, trying their best to swerve him into the right direction.

In no time they burst out from the brush, running on a straight path with countless cultivators.

“A tiger! Run!”

“Wait! There’s someone on it!”

“Is that the Bai Clan First son? He managed to capture such a magnificent creature? Amazing!”

Cultivators watched in awe as the tiger roared, creating a path and dashing through. Bai Ye Qing then saw someone and immediately asked the Tiger to stop.

“Uncle! Uncle!!!” A middle aged man looked down from conversation he was having. “Hmm? Oh lord! Ye Qing how did you get a ride like that?!” But then he frowned, Ye Qing’s front was dirty but there was something evident in his body.

“The seal is shaking?” The middle-aged man’s body blurred, appearing right in front of the young man. “Ye Qing did something happen?”

The teen proceeded to explain everything, “Uncle! You have to help him, he’s fighting two elders on his own!” The man roared at the top of his lungs, “Let’s go.” A large number of white robed cultivators dashed out the building and a staccato of flashes spread out the path, countless spiritual beasts dashing straight towards the forest.

The Thunder Flash Tiger roared, leading the cultivators towards its master.

“Ye Qing, explain to me how you met this person.”

“He saved us after we were attacked by the Thunder Flash Tiger, and then the Blood Demonic Cult appeared, I heard them saving something about the ‘Talisman’”

Ye Qing’s uncle, elder Bai Qing Tian had a dark look on his face, “How did they know?”

“Uncle…” Bai Qing Tian turned to his nephew, seeing the look of fear and shock on his face caused him to turn into the same direction.

“What in the world…”

Dozens of tornados ravaged the forest beyond, like a disaster on land. Above was a twisting hurricane of purple lightning, hammering down on the Earth like a heavenly Tribulation.

A man flew into the air, white hair and ragged with burnt marks, one arm carrying another limp man. Then a young man appeared in front of them, slicing the barrier of wind apart in a single slash, before slamming them both back on the ground with two bolts of lightning.

“T-That’s the young man that helped you?”

“Y-Yes! I didn’t think he was this strong…” Bai Qing Tian heard his nephew’s mutter and stared at the young man in wonder, “What kind of person could actually push two demonic elders to this state…”

They arrived soon enough, but the battle was already over, the two elders were in a sorry state, Feng Qu was covered in gashes, blood oozing from his charred skin as he heaved deep breaths. Shan Bei however wasn’t moving at all, his eyes open but empty.

“What took you so long?” Han Ling was panting hard, his eyes glowing a bright purple, looking not unlike a cat in the dark. His cloak was damaged beyond repair and his back bare.

“A-Are you alright?” Bai Hua stepped forward hesitantly.

Freeze. Bai Hua gasped, her hand covering her mouth as Han Ling turned to reveal half of his face shredded. Han Ling sighed heavily, ripping his face off, the mask dissipating into the wind, revealing his bare face.

“Is there a place for me to rest?” Han Ling spoke to Bai Ye Qing, his voice extremely tired. Bai Ye Qing nodded, “There’s a city not far from here.”

“Good.” And Han Ling promptly fainted standing upright.

Bai Qing Tian watched the young man with a strange gaze, but he shook his head and glared down at the injured great elder.

“Care to explain all this?”

“Y-Y-You have no idea what kind of monster that kid is! He shouldn’t even be here!”

“Tell that to the master.” And he knocked the man out in a single punch.

“Take him away!”

>>>

“Ughhh…” Han Ling groaned, waking up with pain flaring all over his body. “I shouldn’t have fought that hard…”

He used all his abilities, even then the only reason he was able to beat Feng Qu was because he had to protect Shan Bei’s body. Han Ling slowly got up, gripping his head in pain. “Well, let’s have a look at the stats at least.”

Name: Han Ling

Physique: Empyrean Zenith (Supreme)

Cultivation level: 7th Step Immortal Spirit.

Qi Points: 9,023/70,000

Techniques:

Elemental Zenith

Darkness: 9% Earth: 18% Lightning: 29%

Han Ling nodded, satisfied with the elements he obtained. After absorbing Elder Shan Bei’s dan tian, his cultivation rank jumped by 3 entire levels and the Earth element increased to 18%. Han Ling could feel the ground as if it were his legs, will it with his mind as easy as lifting a piece of rock.

[Earth Sense]

A miniscule pulse shivered from under Han Ling’s foot, travelling all around before bouncing back to him.

“Oh, this is useful…” With this he was able to scan his surroundings with ease.

“Hmm? What’s this?” Han Ling could feel someone outside his room, a female. Han Ling watched calmly, Bai Hua entered through the curtain and beamed as she saw Han Ling awake. “You’re awake! Do you feel any pain or discomfort?”

Han Ling stared at her, leaping out of the bed in an instant, ignoring the stinging pain. “I’m fine.” Han Ling rotated his shoulders and stretched a little, “Where’s your father? I wish to speak to him.”

Bai Hua flinched slightly at the scary gaze Han Ling had, “Y-Yes, Father wishes to meet you as well, please follow me.”

Han Ling put on a robe and followed Bai Hua, using Earth Sense at every opportunity.

Soon enough he came in front of a large pair of red doors.

“My father is inside with the elders. Please enter.” Bai Hua bowed before opening the door.

Immediately, Han Ling was greeted with a rush of spiritual energy. A dozen men ranging from middle aged to old staring straight at him. Sitting at the centre was a man and a woman, which presumably is Bai Hua’s father and mother.

“Please come in.” Han Ling glanced around first, slightly suspicious, but still walked to the centre, eyes glancing at every single one of them. But Han Ling focused on the man in the middle.

[All-Seeing Void]

Name: Bai Long Quan

Physique: Soul of the Tiger (Top 100)

Cultivation level: 1st Step Immortal Supreme

Techniques: Tiger Manifestation. Great King’s Claw.

“My name is Bai Long Quan, the Family Head of the Bai Clan. May we know your name, little brother?”

“Han Ling.”

There was a silence right after but the man coughed before continuing, “Which sect do you belong to?” “I don’t belong to any sect.” “You’re a rogue cultivator?”

“Yes.”

“Hmm, I see.” Bai Long Quan stroked his black beard, looking at Han Ling with a cautious gaze. “I would first like to thank you for saving my son and daughter.”

Han Ling merely nodded, noticing one of the elders scowling at the lack of respect.

“You wished to see me, correct? Why is that?”

Han ling gazed into the man’s eyes, “I wish to take the talisman.”

There was a silence.

A heavy silence.

“Who do you think you are!” A middle aged man with grey hair roared, slamming his hand on the table. “Do you have any idea what that talisman does?!”

“Probably more than you.” The elder shut his mouth, face red and eyes bulging.

At that moment he completely released his spiritual pressure of an Immortal Spirit.

Han Ling felt the pressure but simply glanced at the elder with a bored expression, then releasing his own.

RUMBLE

“W-what in the world?!”

The elder felt an immense pressure, unconsciously taking a step back and falling back in his seat.

He could have sworn he saw a dragon behind the man.

“That’s enough!”

An even stronger pressure pressed down on the pair, causing the elder to retract his spiritual energy, panting under the pressure. But Han Ling just glared at the Old Man who released his own spiritual pressure, not fazed even the slightest.

“Hmph, Feng Qu was stronger.”

The old man widened his eyes at that comment but didn’t say anything, retracting his presence.

“Now that everyone is calm, I ask again. I wish to take the talisman.” Han Ling gazed straight at Long Quan, “But before that, tell me why the talisman is in your son.”

Bai Long Quan widened his eyes slightly, “Elder Qing Tian told me that he found a seal broken in Ye Qing’s body. I assume you were the one who broke it?”

“Yes, I was going to take it by force.”

The man’s eyes narrowed, “And why didn’t you?”

“Well would you like your son to lose his cultivation?”

That comment caused Long Quan’s face to darken slightly, “Elder Shan Bei of the Blood Demonic Cult was found without a dan tian, was that also because of you?”

“Yes.”

Long Quan shut his mouth, staring at the young man with a cautious gaze. Then he nodded, “We will discuss on it, we will now proceed to interrogate Great Elder Feng Qu. Would you like to listen? Your question can wait for later.”

Han Ling frowned slightly, “You would let an outsider watch?”

“Well, you did save my children, so you would have my thanks as a guest.”

Han Ling still frowned but said nothing, standing at the corner as Feng Qu was dragged in by two muscular guards.

Feng Qu had chains cuffed around his legs and arms, glowing a soft gold, locking his qi in place.

He scanned the room and the moment his eyes landed on Han Ling, there was a great fury in his eyes, as well as a look of fear. “Y-You! What are you doing here!?”

Long Quan had a cold smile on his face, “He’s here to help interrogate.” That one sentence caused Feng Qu to turn pale, his hands trembling terribly.

Han Ling raised an eyebrow at that but didn’t comment.

The interrogation was smooth, Feng Qu was quite terrified of Han Ling, always glancing at him when Long Quan asked a question.

At the end, Long Quan gained much information from the great elder.

The plan to unseal Hei Wu.

“So, which of the other clans has the Blood Demonic Cult targeted?”

“So far your son and the royal family are the only known holders of the Talismans.”

Bai Long Quan’s face contorted in shock, “You madmen even dare target the royals…”

Han Ling could understand his shock, the land he’s currently in is the Guan An City, controlled by the White Tiger Sect, which is split into different families that handle the sect. The Bai Clan could be said to be the top ruling family of the White Tiger Sect, but the sect is really an alliance on paper.

Then above the sects is the royal family, said to be descendants of people descended from the heavens. Han Ling met them once during the Sect war in his past life, and they were very strong. Even then, there were too many demonic cultivators and the betrayal of a few sects set the direction of the war in stone.

Han Ling frowned slightly.

There’s something amiss with the way Feng Qu talks, he’s too relaxed despite being interrogated. Plus, what Feng Qu explains is completely different from what happened in his past life.

“Hey, you.”

In an instant, Han Ling pressed his palm on the back of the man, right over his dan tian. Feng Qu froze, and he could feel him trembling violently.

“Name me all the Demonic sects and cults that participated in this hunt.”

“H-How did you know?”

Han Ling pressed harder.

“A-AH! Stop! Stop! I’ll speak!” Feng Qu then recited off at least a dozen sect names, too quick to be lying. Han Ling’s eyes narrowed, “What about the seven?”

“W-What seven?”

Han Ling’s eye glowed purple, “That seven…”

Feng Qu’s eyes widened, “I-Impossible! How do you know of them?!”

Han Ling nodded, that answered his questions.

He turned to Long Quan, his face a mask of surprise at Han Ling’s actions. “Do you still need this guy?”

Long Quan blinked in confusion but Han Ling didn’t let him answer, his face bloomed a terrible smile.

“Absorb.”

Feng Qu’s scream echoed…