Tianshan Sword Sect.
Once grand and majestic, the sect was now utterly desolate.
Ever since Elder Tianjian led his elite disciples to Suhang City, only to be annihilated by Bai Zihe alone, the Tianshan Sword Sect had fallen into decline.
The survivors…
were only the Young Sect Master and the Tenth Elder, a Tribulation Crossing realm elder who had been on a mission outside.
With such strength…
they were soon wiped out by the Tianshan Sword Sect's former enemies. It was almost a foregone conclusion.
And so it was.
As soon as those Tribulation Crossing realm experts attacked, the Tianshan Sword Sect disciples scattered like startled birds, fleeing in all directions.
They feared being even a half-step slower and meeting their demise there.
As a result…
after the first wave of extermination, the Tianshan Sword Sect was essentially defunct.
Only the Young Sect Master and the elder had survived, but their whereabouts were unknown.
In an extremely well-hidden secret chamber.
"Young Master Liu…"
"Are you not afraid of the enemies returning if you bring me back here?"
A frail old man, with arms as thin as dried twigs, looked at the young man before him, his voice filled with worry.
In the past, their Tianshan Sword Sect had been so proud and vigorous.
But now…
they were like rats scurrying across the street, hunted by everyone.
A tragedy, a pity.
This old man was the sole surviving elder of the Tianshan Sword Sect, and this young man was naturally the Young Sect Master.
Currently, both had adopted new names for their travels, lest they be discovered.
"Uncle Li, you must understand, the most dangerous place is often the safest."
"The Tianshan Sword Sect has been scoured countless times. Those who sought to take advantage have almost dug up the very earth of our sect. They will not return."
The elder nodded slightly.
Yes.
There was some logic to that.
"But…"
"Young Sect Master, what is our purpose in returning here?"
This was what the Tenth Elder truly wondered.
"There is a treasure within the sect."
The young man looked at him and said calmly, "A treasure that my father told me could allow me to turn my fortunes around and rise again."
The Tenth Elder's face lit up.
A treasure that even Elder Tianjian believed could help him make a comeback must be extraordinary, not something ordinary!
"What treasure is it?"
The Tenth Elder quickly inquired.
"I don't know."
The young man shook his head, then added, "But my father said this treasure is hidden in a secret compartment in this very chamber!"
A secret compartment?
Thus, the two immediately began searching the secret chamber.
"Thud!"
"Thud-thud!"
The Tenth Elder tapped and knocked around, listening carefully for any unusual sounds.
Likewise.
The young man also diligently searched for any hidden mechanisms.
However, after searching for a long time, they found nothing.
"Young Sect Master…"
After searching for another couple of rounds, the Tenth Elder said with some dejection, "Are you sure you remember correctly that there is a treasure left by the old Sect Master here?"
"Of course."
The young man snorted, "Would my father lie to me?"
The Tenth Elder was speechless.
So, they resumed their search.
"Eh…"
A moment later, the young man suddenly noticed a pattern on the ceiling of the secret chamber, which was actually a very subtle palm print.
Could it be…
a thought instantly arose in the young man's mind.
He then leaped into the air, ascended to mid-height, and placed his palm over the palm print.
"Hiss, hiss-hiss…"
The moment the young man covered it with his palm, he felt an intense heat that instantly burned his hand, causing blood to flow.
The next moment.
A strange black smoke emerged from the palm print.
The darkness quickly merged into the young man's blood. At the same time, a torrent of emotions flooded his mind.
Rage.
Revenge.
Bloodlust!
"Ahhh…"
Suddenly, the young man let out a piercing, agonizing roar to the heavens.
And amidst the continuous roars, his aura grew increasingly bizarre and powerful!
After several minutes.
His strength was forcibly boosted to the late stage of the Tribulation Crossing realm, surpassing even the Tenth Elder, who was at the mid-stage.
As for the Tenth Elder…
he was already terrified by what he was witnessing.
What was happening?
What kind of demonic thing was that palm print, so bizarre yet so potent, it was utterly horrifying.
Was this the treasure left by the old Sect Master?
It didn't seem like it; it was more like an evil artifact!
"Young Sect Master!"
"Young Sect Master!"
The Tenth Elder cried out, a trace of worry in his voice.
"Whoosh…"
The young man suddenly fell from above, landing on the ground, and then fainted.
Seeing this, the Tenth Elder immediately stepped forward, helped him up, and sat down cross-legged.
He then sat behind the young man and channeled his energy to heal him.
However…
the moment the Tenth Elder placed his hands on the young man's back, he suddenly felt his true essence being continuously drawn into the young man's body.
He was not supplying his essence.
Instead, the young man's body was like a vortex, absorbing his true essence and converting it for himself, with no intention of releasing it.
This was plundering!
And the speed of this plundering was astonishing.
At this rate, in less than the time it takes for half an incense stick to burn, all his true essence would be depleted, rendering him a cripple!
The Tenth Elder was instantly horrified.
"Ahhh…"
The Tenth Elder exerted all his might, trying to break free.
However, his hands were stuck as if glued fast, unable to detach.
This filled the Tenth Elder with both shock and anger.
"Could it be…"
"That I'm going to be drained dry by the Young Sect Master today?"
The Tenth Elder was utterly panicked.
"Hum…"
His true essence continued to flow away.
A moment later, the Tenth Elder's true essence was nearly depleted.
"It's over, truly over."
"To think that a hundred years of cultivation would end like this. How laughable, how utterly laughable!"
The Tenth Elder let out a tragic laugh.
But it was not over.
After his true essence was drained, his once plump body, which had retained its fullness from years of cultivation, shriveled up at that moment.
Until finally…
only a useless desiccated corpse remained.
"Clatter…"
The absorbing force vanished, and the Tenth Elder fell to the ground.
After a while.
The young man slowly woke up.
He looked at the shriveled Tenth Elder, speechless.
Although he had fainted, the events of the scene replayed in his mind like a movie.
"So…"
"This is the treasure my father spoke of."
A sinister light flashed in the young man's eyes, and a smile curved his lips.
And feeling the power surge within him…
the smile on the young man's lips grew even more pronounced.
At this pace…
as long as he had enough Tribulation Crossing realm cultivators, he could advance by leaps and bounds, reaching the peak of the Tribulation Crossing realm in a single day, rivaling the beauty Ji Xian Yuan, known as the foremost expert in Great Xia!
Such a cultivation technique was terrifying.
"Bai Zihe…"
"You destroyed my Tianshan herb garden and cornered my father…"
"I will settle this score with you sooner or later!"
A cold glint flickered in his eyes.
Then, with a flash, the young man vanished from the scene.
Only a shriveled corpse remained, a testament to the extraordinary events that had transpired here.
He craved slaughter!
He sought revenge!
He already had a perfect plan for vengeance.
And the best way was to first kill enough experts, then, once he reached the pinnacle, to duel with Bai Zihe.