I gain ten years' worth of cultivation every day, and even geniuses will only see my doorstep!

But with a gentle grip, it grasped the edge of the golden sword.

"clang--!!!"

The deafening clang of metal clashing!

The sinister-looking young man's expression changed drastically. He felt as if his sword had struck a ten-thousand-year-old black iron mountain. Not only could it not advance an inch, but the impact also caused his tiger's mouth to split open, and blood to flow freely!

"Who is it?!" He stepped back in shock.

The other two also stopped fighting and looked at the newcomer warily.

Qin Yuan loosened the sword's edge, and the tip of the golden longsword was already slightly bent!

He stood in front of Zi Ling, his gray robe fluttering in the dry wind.

"Fellow Daoist Qin...?" Zi Ling was stunned, then overjoyed. "How could you...?"

"Just passing by," Qin Yuan said casually.

The three golden-robed cultivators exchanged a glance, their eyes flashing with apprehension.

To be able to catch a full-force sword strike from the Golden Sword Sect's true disciple with bare hands and even bend the sword tip—this strength is at least at the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm!

"Fellow Daoist," the sinister-looking youth said, suppressing his shock, cupping his hands in greeting, "this matter concerns the feud between my Golden Sword Sect and the Purple Cloud Sect. I humbly request your assistance. I will repay you handsomely in the future."

"A generous reward?" Qin Yuan glanced at him. "Like, murder and robbery?"

The sinister-looking young man's face stiffened.

"Fellow Daoist, do you insist on interfering?" the short, stout man said in a deep voice. "With the three of us joining forces, even a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator might not be afraid!"

"Then let's give it a try."

Qin Yuan made a move.

He didn't use any magic; he simply took a step.

But the moment they took that step, the three of them felt the air around them freeze! A terrifying pressure, like a mountain, pressed down on them, making it difficult for them to breathe!

"Oh no! Retreat quickly!" The sinister young man was terrified.

But it's too late.

Qin Yuan's figure appeared before the short, stout man like a ghost, his right hand outstretched, pressing against the man's chest.

"Bang!"

The short, stout man was sent flying like a cannonball, crashing into a mound ten feet away. His chest caved in, and his fate was unknown.

Immediately afterwards, Qin Yuan turned around, reached out with his left hand, and grabbed the woman's throat.

"Click."

A crisp sound of bone cracking.

The woman's eyes widened in disbelief before she collapsed to the ground.

Finally, there's the sinister youth.

He watched as Qin Yuan slaughtered his two companions like chickens and dogs, his face turned ashen, and he turned and fled.

But after taking only three steps, Qin Yuan appeared in front of him.

"No...don't kill me!" The sinister young man knelt on the ground, tears streaming down his face. "I'll give up all my treasures! I'll be your slave! Just spare my life!"

Qin Yuan looked at him, his eyes expressionless.

"On the battlefield, only life and death matter."

He slapped down with his palm.

The sinister young man's head exploded like a watermelon.

From the start to the end, it took less than ten breaths.

Three Nascent Soul stage early-stage peak cultivators were all wiped out.

Qin Yuan stopped and turned to look at Zi Ling: "Can you still walk?"

Zi Ling stared blankly at him, then at the three corpses on the ground, her throat dry.

She knew Qin Yuanqiang, but she didn't expect him to be this strong—killing early-stage Nascent Soul cultivators was like slaughtering dogs!

"I...I can walk." She struggled to get up, but the movement aggravated her wound, and she groaned.

Qin Yuan took out a bottle of healing pills and tossed it to her: "Take this."

Zi Ling took the pills, poured out two, and swallowed them, her complexion improving slightly. She looked at Qin Yuan, then suddenly bowed solemnly: "I will forever remember your life-saving grace."

"Just doing it on the spur of the moment." Qin Yuan looked into the distance. "Time to go."

The two continued on their way.

On the way, Zi Ling recounted the experience of being besieged.

"The Golden Sword Sect and our Purple Cloud Sect have a long-standing feud. This time, as we entered the battlefield, they set their sights on our sect's 'Purple Cloud Token.' That token can be exchanged for special resources in the safe zone, which are very beneficial to cultivation."

Qin Yuan nodded without asking any further questions.

Zi Ling hesitated for a moment, then whispered, "Fellow Daoist Qin, there is a 'Yellow Earth City' a hundred miles ahead, which is the only safe zone in this area. But... that is territory controlled by the 'Crimson Flame Sect'."

"The Crimson Flame Sect?" Qin Yuan looked at her.

"Ranked twenty-seventh among the hundred sects, their strength is extremely formidable." Zi Ling's expression was solemn. "Their sect cultivates fire-based techniques, they are violent in nature, and have an extremely strong desire for control. They control Huangtu City, and anyone entering the city must pay 30% of their revenue, otherwise they will not be allowed to enter."

She paused, then added, "Moreover... fifteen people from their sect have entered this time. The leader, 'Yan Lie,' is in the late Nascent Soul stage and is said to have already touched the threshold of the Divine Transformation stage."

Late stage of Nascent Soul, touching the threshold of Deity Transformation.

This level of strength would place him at the elder level in the Xuan Yuan Sect.

"But we have to go." Zi Ling looked at the darkening sky. "The 'Alien Tide' is coming tonight. Without the protection of the safe zone, Golden Core cultivators will surely die, and even Nascent Soul cultivators won't survive a single night."

Qin Yuan looked up.

The edge of the crimson sky had turned a deep black. The black was spreading at a visible speed, like ink dripping into clear water.

The ominous atmosphere in the air grew stronger and stronger.

"Let's go." He quickened his pace.

The two traveled at full speed and finally saw the city before the sky turned completely dark.

Huangtucheng.

The city wall was about thirty feet high, constructed entirely of rammed earth, its surface covered with intricate array patterns, radiating a faint spiritual light. Patrolling cultivators, all dressed in crimson robes, were on the wall; they were disciples of the Crimson Flame Sect.

There was a long queue at the city gate.

They were disciples from various sects who had come to seek refuge, numbering over a hundred. They all looked exhausted and were injured, clearly having experienced a fierce battle that day.

At the front of the procession, several disciples of the Crimson Flame Sect were conducting checks.

"Entrance fee, 30% commission!" a burly man with a thick beard roared. "Those who don't pay, get out!"

Someone tried to argue, but was slapped away.

"The rules of the Crimson Flame Sect! You disagree?" The burly man sneered, "If you disagree, then don't enter the city; feed the demons outside!"

Everyone was angry but dared not speak out.

Qin Yuan and Zi Ling were at the end of the line.

Zi Ling whispered, "Fellow Daoist Qin, how was your harvest? If it's not enough, I have some here..."

"No need," Qin Yuan shook his head.

Aside from the three demonic beasts and the three corpses, he collected almost nothing along the way. However, he did collect the storage bags from the three corpses.

The procession moved forward slowly.

Finally, it was their turn.

The burly man with a thick beard sized up the two of them, his gaze lingering on Zi Ling for a moment before revealing a lewd look: "A little wench from the Zixiao Sect? Not bad looking. Entry fee, fifty percent."

Zi Ling's expression changed: "Why is it 50%?"

"I said it's 50%, and that's it!" the burly man sneered. "You disagree?"

Zi Ling gritted her teeth, about to argue, but Qin Yuan had already stepped forward.

"Thirty percent," he said calmly.

The burly man glared and said, "You son of a bitch..."

Before he could finish speaking, he saw Qin Yuan's eyes.

Those eyes were calm, as calm as a deep pool, but there was something at the bottom of that pool that made his heart tremble.

The burly man swallowed hard, swallowing back what he was about to say.

"...Okay, 30% or 30%." He muttered, taking a storage bag from Qin Yuan—it belonged to the sinister young man from the Golden Sword Sect, and Qin Yuan had already emptied it, leaving only some miscellaneous items.

After the inspection, the burly man waved his hand and said, "Go in."

The two entered the city.

Behind him, the burly man wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and cursed under his breath, "Damn it, what kind of monster is this..."

The city was more prosperous than I had imagined.

Temporary shops lined both sides of the street, selling various healing pills, weapons, and talismans. There were also restaurants and inns for people to rest. The air was thick with the stench of blood and sweat, but at least it lacked the ominous atmosphere of the area outside the city.

Zi Ling breathed a sigh of relief: "Finally, we're safe."

Qin Yuan, however, looked towards the city wall.

Outside, darkness had completely enveloped the earth.

Immediately afterwards, countless mournful roars came from the darkness.

The tide of otherworldly demons has begun.