"You... what did you say? You're going to kill Zhou Yong and Zhou Kuang?" Xiao Muyu asked in astonishment.
"I've recovered my cultivation, though I'm currently only at the First Layer of Awakening Realm."
His voice was not loud, but it genuinely shocked the few people present.
Elder Xiao was the first to react. "So it's true! No wonder when I was channeling spiritual power into you, aside from your pulse, your dantian actually felt even more solid."
"Yes, I happened to acquire a dantian-repair pill by chance, and that's how it was repaired."
Dong Jian finally snapped out of his shock and cried out, "Great! That's wonderful! Young Lord, you've finally recovered! I'm going to tell the General and Madam right away."
Before Jiang Tianlin could even speak—
"Smack!"
"Ouch! Grand Elder, why did you hit me?"
"Why did I hit you, you blockhead? You're just making trouble for your Young Lord! He's about to go seek revenge on Zhou Yong and Zhou Kuang, and if you go broadcasting this, do you want to make it harder for him to get his revenge? Making the enemy think you're weak so they let their guard down—that's military strategy! You've spent all those years fighting wars under Potian, and it was completely wasted. You didn't learn a damn thing!"
"I know, I know. I won't say anything." Dong Jian looked like a wronged little bride, a sight that made people want to laugh.
"Junior Sister, I'm very sorry. Your technique has recognized me as its master."
"It's fine!" she said softly.
"Kid, this is a Seventh-Grade Awakening Realm Realm-Elevation Pill from my Xiao Family. It can raise your realm by seven layers for the duration of one incense stick. There are three pills in total, and I'm giving them all to you. I wish you success in your revenge! As for the spirit stones, considering you helped the Young Miss this time, I won't charge you."
"Mm, these are enough. Thank you, Grandpa Xiao!"
He left. Tonight was destined to be a sleepless night for certain people in the capital.
At that moment, many noble families in the capital had already received the news.
The Imperial Palace.
"Your Majesty, news has come from Xuantian City that the Bai Family and the Joyful Pavilion have been destroyed by the Young Lord of the Zhenbei Mansion," Yang Shan reported.
"What is going on?" Yan Beihang demanded urgently.
He was indeed anxious right now; he had originally intended to use Jiang Tianlin, his adopted son, to deal with the Lin Family.
Equally anxious was the Shen Family. Not long ago, they had called off the engagement, only to have their daughter divorced in return.
"Madam, Young Miss, a letter from Chief Guard Dong!"
"You may withdraw!"
"Yes!" the servant replied respectfully.
On the other side, he had already arrived outside Zhou Yong's door.
Knowing that Zhou Yong was usually still in his cultivation chamber at this hour, he took the opportunity to slip into Zhou Yong's room and quietly waited for his arrival.
It was not until the Chou hour that Zhou Yong finally returned.
Jiang Tianlin did not emerge immediately; he waited until Zhou Yong's guard was down. Suddenly, Zhou Yong seemed to sense something and called out, "What friend is in my room? Show yourself at once!"
Thinking quickly, he had the System help shield the entire room.
Only then did he step out.
"It's you?! You're actually not dead?" Zhou Yong looked surprised.
"It's me."
"Hahaha, and here I thought who it was—a defeated foe. Senior Sister Xiao, Senior Sister Chu, and Senior Sister Lin are truly ruined having a trash Senior Brother like you. Since you're already trash, why not make yourself useful? Either go die yourself, or let me help you die, and then let me become the Senior Brother of the Vermilion Bird Academy. How about that?"
A cruel smile played at the corners of his mouth.
With that, Zhou Yong made his move. He employed the Azure Dragon Saber Technique, a signature martial skill of the Azure Dragon Academy. A flash of saber light transformed into an Azure Dragon that lunged toward Jiang Tianlin. Jiang Tianlin was not afraid; he drew the spirit sword Xiao Muyu had lent him and, with a casual wave, easily blocked the Azure Dragon saber light.
"Impossible! This is impossible! How is your cultivation at the Eighth Layer of Awakening Realm? How are you at the same level as me? I clearly crippled you already!" Zhou Yong had been bitterly training in his cultivation chamber these past few days and had only barely reached the Seventh Layer of Awakening Realm. How had this brat managed it?
"Nothing is impossible."
"Hahaha, you must have a secret on you. Once I kill you, I'll search your soul."
"Then let's hope you have the ability," Jiang Tianlin said coldly.
"Try this move: Azure Dragon Tail Whip!" This move was ferocious; another Azure Dragon lunged toward him. After blocking the first attack, the Azure Dragon lashed its tail at Jiang Tianlin, sending him flying and causing him to spit out a large mouthful of blood. The ground where the dragon tail swept cracked open with deep fissures.
Seeing this, Zhou Yong was ecstatic and grew even more arrogant. "Is that all the skill you have? Then go die!"
Jiang Tianlin's face was pale, but he ignored him. He stood up and said to Zhou Yong, "Very well, let's decide the victor in a single move." With that, he unleashed the ultimate killing sword technique from the Taixuan Nine Chapters. Instantly, the weather changed drastically; thunder rumbled in the sky, and violent winds howled outside the room, as if a torrential downpour were about to fall.
Zhou Yong was shocked. What kind of sword technique was this? He had to get his hands on it! Thinking this, he launched his counterattack, once again using the Azure Dragon Tail Whip.
At that exact moment, the Sect Master of the Xuantian Sect suddenly snapped his eyes open from closed-door cultivation and muttered, "What powerhouse is this? Such a terrifying aura."
Jiang Tianlin declared, "Receive my move!" As he spoke, an illusory figure materialized, and immediately afterward, the Azure Dragon saber light and the illusory figure violently collided. A moment later, a scream echoed out as a figure was sent flying backward—none other than Zhou Yong. He muttered to himself in utter disbelief, "No, this is impossible. Who on earth are you?"
Yet Jiang Tianlin did not answer him at all. He simply stepped forward and delivered a single sword strike, killing Zhou Yong on the spot. Then, he squatted down to loot the corpse. True to his reputation as a prodigy ranked nineteenth on the Yellow List, Zhou Yong possessed over three hundred lower-grade spirit stones, a sword technique manual, and a key. Right in front of him was a door; he could give it a try.
"Click, creak..." The door opened.
"Since I'm here, I might as well take a look," he thought to himself.
Jiang Tianlin walked slowly inside. Before his eyes were rows of stone steps. Fortunately, there were torches. Following the steps downward, Jiang Tianlin was stunned. His vision was filled with women—or more precisely, the corpses of many women. Many commoner women had been tortured to death, and numerous female cultivators had their Yin energy drained to feed the Yang, leaving them shriveled into skeletons.
"This beast! There are at least a hundred corpses here."
After a brief contemplation, he asked, "System, do you have a good method? Can you help all of them attain liberation?"
"Host, you can use the Soul-Purifying Technique from the Taixuan Nine Chapters to send these wandering souls into reincarnation," the System suggested.
"The Soul-Purifying Technique?"
"Yes, Host. The Eighth Layer of Awakening Realm is barely enough to use the Soul-Purifying Technique."
He thought for a moment and said, "Then let's do it. After all, I am someone who received a good education in Great Xia of the Blue Planet, and I utterly despise this kind of evil. Soul-Purifying Technique, rise!"
"Everyone, Zhou Yong has been killed by me. I will send you into reincarnation now. May you be reborn into a good family in your next life."
Having finished all this, Jiang Tianlin walked quickly toward Zhou Kuang's room. Dealing with Zhou Kuang was easy; he was killed instantly with a single move.
"Phew! It's finally settled!"
With everything done, he felt a wave of weakness wash over his entire body—likely the side effect of the medicinal pills. Truly, power that isn't one's own is never the right path after all.
Still, he had essentially avenged the original owner of this body, and his state of mind was finally unblocked.
Ah, his body and mind had never felt so refreshed!