They turned their gaze toward Tian Chen, who was now leaning against Yinlei. Their breath caught, and a mix of fear and hatred filled their chests. “Don’t be so happy, boy. Our leader will definitely avenge all of this!” BAANG!!! All four of them formed hand seals simultaneously. There was no signal. No hesitation. Their bodies exploded in a loud blast that echoed beneath the night sky. No bodies remained, no screams were heard. Only clouds of smoke and the scent of blood drifted away on the wind. They chose suicide—not out of honor, but out of fear of the destruction that would be far worse if captured alive. “Oak!” Yinlei didn’t look at their destruction. He didn’t care. His body turned, then slowly walked toward Tian Chen. His eyes had changed—no longer cold, but now filled with sorrow and worry. Tian Chen lifted his pale face. He smiled softly. “Yinlei, I never imagined you were this strong. Even stronger than me. I’m truly grateful. If you hadn’t arrived in time, I might

Tian Chen stared into his mind. The shadow of the small book hovered, emitting a soft light—not blinding, but enough to stir curiosity. Without hesitation, he extended his consciousness toward the book. As soon as he touched it, the pages flipped open by themselves. There was no title, no introduction. Only a series of delicate, neat, and mysterious writings—notes filled with complex instructions on how to unlock the bloodline seal. The more Tian Chen read, the more he realized how deep and powerful the seal was. The words in the book did not directly reveal how to fully unlock its power, but instead described the initial stage—a level one technique he could learn. And even that would take him days just to comprehend. After days of meditation and adjustment, Tian Chen finally managed to decipher the structure of the first technique written in the small book. Simple in appearance, but difficult to execute. The technique had only one function—to raise his cultivation by two full

Tian Chen returned to full consciousness. As he opened his eyes, he activated the power of golden flame and pure gold energy. Instantly, his realm increased by two levels. From Qi Initiate stage thirteen, it rose to stage fifteen. What excited him the most was that this power had no time limit—he could use it permanently. When he wasn’t activating the golden flame and pure gold energy, his realm returned to its original level, which was stage thirteen of the Qi Initiate realm. “Amazing! With this power, that bandit leader is no longer a problem for me!” Tian Chen felt that using such a massive amount of resources had not been in vain. This bloodline fusion technique was more valuable than any resource. Resources could be replenished, but a technique like this could not be found. After mastering the first technique of bloodline fusion, Tian Chen rose from his bed and stepped outside his residence. Every step felt lighter yet firm, as if the new power within him had silently merged

“Arrogant!” With air‑ripping speed, the City Lord’s body lunged forward. The ground cracked beneath his feet, and his hand turned into a red claw layered with demon energy that writhed like thick smoke. His Realm of City Lord was far stronger than before—now he had reached Qi Guardian stage five. Even though it was a demonic technique, it was still not a force to be taken lightly. The City Lord swung a brutal strike toward Tian Chen’s chest—his intent to kill no longer hidden. BOOM!! But the attack was stopped by a single palm from Tian Chen. He stood firm, blocking the City Lord’s claw. His body radiated golden light, and golden fire also surrounded him. “Wh–what?!” the City Lord’s eyes widened. He could feel resistance in that palm. Tian Chen had reached the thirteenth rank of the Qi Pioneer stage. Golden fire spread from Tian Chen’s hand, enveloping his opponent’s arm in heat hot enough to melt metal. “I’ve been patient long enough,” Tian Chen said calmly. “You sucked the

From every corner of the plaza, the townspeople began to advance. They picked up stones, knives, and various sharp tools. Some even carried iron pots and farming implements. They pelted the City Lord with stones—and also knives. Each throw carried vengeance, pain, and loss. Under normal circumstances, those stones would not have hurt him—but once his power was sealed, he could only surrender and endure the excruciating pain from the fury of his own people. Thousands of blades cut into his body, dozens embedding themselves in his flesh. Blood flowed from dozens of wounds, and his face became unrecognizable. Screams and sobs mixed with cries of anger and the sound of stones hitting flesh. After the townspeople unleashed their wrath, it was the soldiers’ turn. They hurled their spears, one by one, with full force. The spears pierced his body, impaling him to the city pole. He hung, skewered from every direction like a lifeless puppet. Tian Chen walked toward that pole. With each step,