Chapter One Hundred and Eight: One Strike, One Kill

Having followed the founding ancestor, Ye Yuxiu, in cultivation since childhood, Ye Yun had understood from the very beginning that the studies of the world were divided into martial arts, Taoist studies, alchemy, artifact crafting, talisman crafting, formation studies, and assorted studies.

To enter the Way through study was the path of Taoist cultivation; if one could cultivate to the utmost, all such paths could still achieve great accomplishments.

The road Ye Yun walked was chiefly martial cultivation, with Taoist breath-refining as a supplement, while he also practiced elementary alchemy and elementary talisman making.

A great demon at the Foundation Establishment stage, having long absorbed the essence of heaven, earth, sun, and moon, carried upon its body many materials that could be used for alchemy, talisman crafting, or refining formation banners.

“Our harvest this time can be called abundant. Among it are several spiritual herbs that are the main ingredients for refining True Qi Pills. When we sell everything after we return, each of us can get at least three hundred low-grade spirit stones.”

Bai Chen toyed with a storage pouch in his hand; all the materials the group had obtained were inside it.

“There may be quite a lot of items, but there is nothing truly good among them. We might as well press on a little farther and see whether we can find more precious spiritual herbs,” Zhao Hui suggested.

“As long as we do not go beyond this outer region of the Wasteland, it should be fine. Otherwise, if we run into a Golden Core demon king, we will all die,” Bai Chen said after a moment’s hesitation.

Yue Feng remained silent, seeming indifferent to everything. Ye Yun, on the other hand, nodded, indicating his agreement with Zhao Hui and Bai Chen.

The group continued deeper into the Wasteland, and before long they all came to a stop.

“A single-horned berserk bear!”

A gigantic figure appeared ahead of them. It was a bear beast covered all over in blood-red fur, with tremendous strength that could tear tigers and leopards apart. Among demon beasts, it was a tyrant and a king, and highly formidable.

“Good, it is not a Golden Core demon king.” Zhao Jingjing let out a long breath, patting her chest. Then she looked toward Yue Feng beside her and smiled. “Brother Yue Feng, it seems only you can handle a great demon at the peak of Foundation Establishment.”

Hearing this, Yue Feng’s expression remained as cold as ever, yet from the flicker in his eyes it was clear that he still greatly enjoyed being flattered, especially when praised by a woman.

Just as he was about to act against the single-horned berserk bear, his hand suddenly paused. He turned with a cold laugh toward Ye Yun and said, “Brother Ye is a core disciple. I imagine your strength must be greater than mine, so how about you take on this single-horned berserk bear?”

As soon as he said this, everyone’s expressions changed in different ways. Bai Chen tugged at Yue Feng’s sleeve and lowered his voice. “Do not stir up trouble.”

“I am stirring up trouble?” Yue Feng gave Bai Chen no face at all. With a sweep of his hand, he shoved him aside and sneered, “Along the way it has always been Zhao Hui who fought the demon beasts, and I have never once seen this so-called core disciple make a move. What, is he planning to come back and share our labor for nothing?”

“But this senior brother is only at the middle stage of Foundation Establishment. To send him against a demon beast at the peak of Foundation Establishment is hardly reasonable, is it?” Zhao Hui frowned, finding Yue Feng’s conduct excessive.

“Besides, it is not that this senior brother refuses to act. It is just that every demon beast we encountered on the way was used by me for practice, leaving him no chance to make a move,” Zhao Hui added.

“Hmph. Whatever the reason, the fact remains that he has contributed nothing. If he lacks the strength and dies in a demon beast’s jaws, it is only what he deserves. A core disciple? I spit on that!” Yue Feng had clearly decided to tear off all pretense.

“Insulting a core disciple senior brother is punishable by the sect. Yue Feng, you had best think carefully about the consequences,” Ye Yun said, his expression unchanged as he stared at Yue Feng.

“The dead do not go around reporting things,” Yue Feng said, suddenly breaking into a sinister smile, his face becoming slightly ferocious.

“What do you mean by that, Yue Feng? Are you planning to silence all of us?” Zhao Hui pulled his younger sister Zhao Jingjing over and stood together with Bai Chen, his face guarded.

“And if I am? This is the Wasteland. Even if I kill you, who would know it was me? Zhao Jingjing is at least somewhat pretty. I can still have some fun with her in this desolate wilderness. Ha ha...”

“You beast!” Zhao Jingjing’s delicate face flushed crimson, and she trembled all over with rage.

With a hideous grin, Yue Feng pointed at Ye Yun and the others. “What is a core disciple anyway? I have endured you for far too long! And all of you, one by one, have no sense of what is good for you, always taking his side!”

“You are that confident? Just because you are at the peak of Foundation Establishment?” From beginning to end, Fang Tuo’s expression remained very calm.

“Heh heh, deal with this single-horned berserk bear first, then we can talk,” Yue Feng said with a cold smile, before swiftly retreating.

By then, the single-horned berserk bear had already charged over. Its terrifying murderous aura came crashing straight at them, causing Bai Chen, Zhao Hui, and Zhao Jingjing to turn pale at once.

Facing the roaring berserk bear, Ye Yun stepped forward and instantly appeared before it, then struck out with a punch.

“Dragon Fist!”

Scarlet flame true qi gathered upon his hand, forming a ferocious fire dragon that was imposing and vividly lifelike.

“Boom...”

A wave of force swept outward. Bai Chen and the other two shut their eyes, all knowing that the single-horned berserk bear’s greatest strength lay in its brute fleshly power, while Ye Yun, only at the middle stage of Foundation Establishment, had chosen to clash head-on with it. Was this not courting death?

“Roar!”

Yet what they heard instead was the howl of the single-horned berserk bear, filled with pain and terror.

They hastily opened their eyes, only to see the sturdy, immensely powerful berserk bear lying in a pool of blood, a fist-sized bloody hole in its chest from which scarlet blood gushed forth.

“How is this possible?” Zhao Hui, his sister, and Bai Chen were all struck dumb, unable to believe what they were seeing.

That was a great demon at the level of Foundation Establishment perfection, and a fairly formidable one at that. Yet Ye Yun had actually punched straight through its heart and killed it with one strike?

At the same time, Yue Feng, who had already retreated into the distance, stared blankly at the scene.

“Bai Chen, what are you standing there for? Gather the materials. The bear gallbladder is excellent for alchemy,” Ye Yun said with a smile.

“Huh? ...Right!” Bai Chen first froze, then came back to himself. Delight spread across his face, and he quickly went over to the dying single-horned berserk bear and began gathering materials.

Aside from the bear gallbladder, the single horn atop the bear’s head was also a fine material; within Spring Dawn Palace, there were some cultivators who studied formations and liked to use such horns to refine formation banners.

At that moment, Ye Yun’s gaze turned toward the rear of the group. The smile on his face vanished at once, replaced by a chilling coldness.

“Yue Feng, weren’t you just saying you wanted to kill us all to keep things quiet? I am standing right here. Come and kill me.”

Ye Yun fixed his gaze on Yue Feng, a trace of contempt curling at the corner of his mouth. At the same time, he thought to himself that the Demon Lord Wuji had indeed spoken true: there was no pure land in this world at all. No matter where one went, even if one did not provoke others, others would still come to provoke you.

On the road of seeking immortality and the Dao, bloodshed was simply impossible to avoid.