Chapter 5

Ye Tian wore a sneer, unhurried and calm. Gathering strength in his palm, he lashed out fiercely.

Smack! Smack! ...

Loud, crisp slaps landed on their faces like thunderclaps, leaving them utterly dazed.

"Uh..." "What's going on? My teeth just flew out..." "Don't fly away..." "Ah..."

These were their inner thoughts before they let out miserable screams.

Thud. They were sent flying like withered leaves, crashing heavily onto the ground before they realized they had been instantly defeated—one-hit wonders.

Had they no pride at all? That really, really hurt!

"Trash like you—I never cared about you in the past, and I still don't now."

A cold, sharp light blazed in Ye Tian's eyes like a drawn sword.

Huh? Zhao De involuntarily took two steps back, a flash of terror suddenly crossing his face. That look felt like being targeted by a demon god; his very soul nearly left his body!

"Ye Tian, you're already a cripple! You've made plenty of enemies in the past. Just you wait!" Zhao De howled like a rabid dog, jumping up and down. It was almost as if he were trying to wag a tail to prove how tough he was!

"You utter moron, you're the one jumping around the most." Ye Tian stepped forward like a prowling tiger. Moving with lightning speed, he delivered a kick with the force of an elephant's leg, slamming it straight into Zhao De's belly.

Bang! "Awooo!"

Zhao De was sent flying thirty feet away in an instant, his face pale as he spat out something resembling dog droppings.

"I might as well go all the way and kill the lot of you!" A murderous glint appeared in Ye Tian's eyes, cold as icy blades.

"Goodness, Ye Tian is back, but he's still just as overbearing. He knocked them all down in a few moves." Around them, menial disciples were gathering in growing numbers, whispering in shock. Every move he made turned heads.

Hm? Ye Tian frowned as the murmurs reached his ears. Committing murder in broad daylight would invite endless gossip, and most importantly, he was currently only at the Body Tempering Realm. To put it bluntly, he hadn't even crossed the threshold of a true martial artist.

"If any of you dare provoke me again, don't blame me for being unpolished." In the end, Ye Tian dropped this harsh warning and left without killing them.

Zhao De and the others scrambled back to their feet, trembling, infinite killing intent surging in their eyes. Gritting their teeth, they muttered viciously: This piece of trash won't live long.

Menial disciples had to build their own lodgings, living much like savages. After a little while, Ye Tian managed to carve out a cave. It was quite spacious...

"Is this supposed to be the dwelling of a Peking Man...?" "Should I mix some Chinese characters into oracle bone script...?" "Ye Tian was here...!"

Ye Tian stroked his chin and murmured to himself. So, he casually rigged up a door. What if the lapdog next door came visiting and decided to lick his peerless visage? Wouldn't that ruin his purity...?

And so, Ye Tian crossed his legs and sat on his newly prepared, cozy little bed. Goodness, it was hard!

"Whew, Senior Sister really is a good woman. I will definitely love you."

Staring at the healing pill Li Mengwei had given him with eyes full of deep affection, Ye Tian swallowed it whole in one gulp. The moment it entered his mouth, it melted like ice cream, turning into sweet nectar that coursed through his limbs and internal organs.

Boom! As he circulated the *Lunhui* scripture, a dazzling golden light erupted. His entire body shone crystal-clear like jade, his pores relaxed, and he felt a profound sense of ease all over, as if he'd been given a shot of pure adrenaline that made him want to leap up and swim through the clouds.

Ye Tian slowly opened his eyes, which flashed with a glare as piercing as the midday sun. With a thought, he retrieved the Body Tempering Pill from his sea of consciousness. Richly fragrant, its aroma was so intense it gave the illusion of turning straight into energy just by breathing it in through his nose.

He hurriedly swallowed it. The pill flowed through his meridians like bubbling spring water, filling him with an inexhaustible surge of power.

"Break for me!"

Ye Tian shouted as he channeled his cultivation technique. The energy coursing through his body was battering against his cultivation bottleneck like an obedient, fierce bull—such formidable power!

Crack! Crack!

He actually broke through two consecutive layers, reaching the Body Tempering 5th Layer. A look of wild joy spread across his face.

The mighty System truly is a treasure trove... It seemed the foundation he had built previously, combined with the pill given by his cute senior sister, had created a collision of forces like nine oxen climbing a ladder without breaking a sweat—shattering through his bottleneck in a single bound.

"Hey, ghostie, come out!" Ye Tian suddenly yelled.

Ding! [System]: Host, this baby is not a ghost. Please address me as Lord System.

"You can't be seen and you can't be touched—if you're not a ghost, what are you...?" Ye Tian looked down on it with contempt, putting on a mystical act as if it thought it were some kind of beauty. [System]: "..."

"Stop messing around with useless stuff. I want supreme realms... I want to flex!" Ye Tian commanded.

Ding, ding, ding... [System]: Host, are you kidding me...?

"I am the master. If you don't give me any perks..." "See if I don't strangle you..." [System]: "..."

No matter how much Ye Tian shouted, the System vanished once again.

All was dead silent! The moon was dark, the wind high, and the biting wind cut like knives. The sturdy tree branches cast flickering, ghostly shadows.

Ye Tian abruptly snapped his eyes open and leaped to his feet.

"Senior Brother, that useless Ye fellow lives right over here." Guided by Zhao De and the others from earlier that day, Zhang Li slowly approached Ye Tian's den.

"Hmph, if that trash hadn't been helped by that bitch Li Mengwei during the day, we would have crippled him long ago." Zhang Li's expression was sinister as he gnashed his teeth, vowing not to rest until Ye Tian was dead.

Bang! The door was kicked to pieces, revealing an interior that was completely empty.

"Where is he...?" They froze for a moment.

"Are you looking for me...?"

Ye Tian appeared behind them with a smile, flashing white teeth that seemed to gleam in the dark.

"Trash, offending Senior Brother Li is your greatest misfortune!" Zhang Li shouted coldly. A powerful aura erupted from his body, kicking up dust as he stepped forward, closing in step by step.

"Could it be that you're here to kill me?" Ye Tian took a few steps back and put on a look of shock, his exquisite acting skills on full display.

However...

"Great trash Ye, stop acting. We are here to kill you. So many menial disciples die every day—you won't be missed." "Get him!"

Exposing Ye Tian, Zhang Li barked the order with a ferocious expression.

Though Zhao De and the others still felt a twinge of fear, having Zhang Li backing them up gave them courage.

Boom! "Great trash Ye, go to hell!"

Zhao De and his companions rushed forward like a cluster of rolling boulders. For a moment, the ground shook. They closed in from all sides, a potent killing intent erupting from their bodies.

Ye Tian smiled with contempt. He moved, unleashing the full strength of the Body Tempering 5th Layer. Swift as a leopard, he channeled his spiritual energy and gathered it into his fists.

Bang! Bang! "Ah...!"

The two men in front of Zhao De were hit squarely in the jaw by Ye Tian, their teeth instantly shattered. Those two were only at the 4th layer of Body Tempering and couldn't withstand a single punch from him.

Thud! In the end, their brains spilled out, blood flowing in a steady stream!

"You've broken through to the 5th Layer!" Zhao De cried out in terror, stumbling backward, his body trembling slightly as he saw both of his partners killed in a single exchange.

Zhang Li was also struck with astonishment. He had been at the 3rd layer just that afternoon! Gritting his teeth, he made his move.

"You die too!" The light in Ye Tian's eyes bloomed like sharp swords. He moved even faster. Swift as lightning, ghost-like, he lashed out with a surge of energy that whistled like a blade.

Bang! Zhao De's pupils constricted as he hurriedly raised his arms to block, but Ye Tian's fist felt like an iron hammer smashing against stone. He convulsed, followed instantly by the sound of breaking bones.

Crack! "Ah...!"

Zhao De's right arm was crippled. His face turned pale in an instant, and in terror, he tried to block and flee. Like a clinging shadow, Ye Tian grabbed him by the neck with a hand as wide as a winnowing basket.

Zhao De's eyes bulged, struggling frantically for air, utterly terrified. Crack!

With a sharp twist, Ye Tian snapped his neck. Zhao De's eyes rolled up, and his struggles ceased entirely. With a flick, Ye Tian hurled his body straight at Zhang Li, who was charging forward like a mad dog.

Whoosh!