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

Qin Yuan's eyes turned slightly cold. He made a gesture with his left hand, and a pale golden arc-shaped wall of energy appeared out of thin air, blocking all the emerald green needles. With a flick of his right finger, a condensed, almost tangible finger gust of wind shot out, striking Li Qingfeng in the back even though it was launched later.

"puff!"

Li Qingfeng's protective aura shattered, a burst of blood erupted from his vest, and he was sent flying forward, crashing heavily onto the ice. He slid several feet further, struggled for a moment, but couldn't get up. His eyes were filled with fear and disbelief as he looked at Qin Yuan.

Qin Yuan did not pursue, but quickly came to Li Qingfeng's side, stepped on his hand that was about to reach for the storage bag, forcibly broke the restriction on the storage bag with his divine sense, and quickly searched through it.

He quickly found a cyan jade bottle, uncorked it, smelled it, and poured out a pale blue pill, confirming it was the antidote for "Soul-Dispersing Incense," the "Mind-Concentrating Pill." He stopped looking at the ashen-faced Li Qingfeng, turned around, and fed the pill to Tuoba Shan, Su Meier, Yin Jiuyou, and Han Bing, then used his internal energy to help them neutralize the medicinal effects.

A moment later, the four regained their mobility, but their faces were still pale and their spiritual energy circulation was still somewhat sluggish.

Tuoba Shan was the first to jump up, roaring as he was about to kill Li Qingfeng.

"Spare his life." Qin Yuan stopped him, walked up to Li Qingfeng, and looked down at him. "Is the city controlled by your Shujian Sect 'Qingshi City'?"

Li Qingfeng coughed up blood and laughed bitterly, "So what if I am? Do you think you can leave the secret realm alive? My Book and Sword Sect..."

Before he could finish speaking, Qin Yuan kicked him in the dantian (energy center). Li Qingfeng screamed in agony, his cultivation completely destroyed, and he lost consciousness.

"Brother Qin, why don't you kill him?" Su Meier said bitterly.

"Keeping a cripple is more useful than killing him," Qin Yuan said calmly. "If the Book and Sword Sect asks, they will say that he betrayed and plotted against us first, and that his cultivation was crippled. Killing him would only give them something to talk about." More importantly, a cripple might be able to elicit some information.

Everyone felt a chill run down their spines when they recalled Li Qingfeng letting Yan Lie's disciples go earlier, and then thought about the ambush they were about to commit. They all agreed with the assessment.

Qin Yuan emptied the contents of Li Qingfeng's storage bag. Besides the map, jade slip, ice crystal longsword, and ice heart pill obtained from the Ice Mansion, there were also a considerable amount of spirit stones, pills, talismans, and several decent magic treasures.

"As agreed, the spoils will be distributed according to contribution," Qin Yuan said. "I was able to see through the ambush and defeat him thanks to everyone's restraint and warnings. I'll take the map, jade slip, longsword, and pills. The remaining spirit stones and miscellaneous items will be divided equally among the four of you. Any objections?"

Tuoba Shan quickly waved his hand: "Brother Qin, what are you saying! If it weren't for you, we would have been dead long ago! It's only right that everything belongs to you!"

Su Meier and Yin Jiuyou nodded in agreement. Han Bing had no objections whatsoever.

Qin Yuan said no more, putting away the map and other essential items, and pushing the rest to the four people. With a slight thought, the system interface appeared. [Detected: High-grade Earth-rank ice-type flying sword 'Frost Condensation,' convertible to 9500 energy points. Detected: High-grade Profound-rank ice-type cultivation technique 'True Frost Technique,' convertible to 3200 energy points. Detected: Three Grade 5 elixirs 'Ice Heart Pills,' convertible to 1500 energy points each.]

Without hesitation, he chose to sacrifice and transform the "Frost Condensation" sword and the jade slip of the "True Art of Frost." As for the Ice Heart Pill, this medicine could stabilize the nascent soul and clear away inner demons, which might be useful to Chu Wuyue and the others, so he kept it. The map was related to the possible inheritance, so he also temporarily kept it.

[Energy Points +12700. Current Energy Points: 38760.]

The four divided the remaining spirit stones, pills, talismans, and other items equally. Although not as precious as the main inheritance of the Ice Mansion, it was still a considerable windfall, enough to make up for the losses of the trip, and even leave a surplus. For Tuoba Shan and the others, these resources were enough to support their cultivation to the late Nascent Soul stage, so they were naturally very satisfied and grateful to Qin Yuan.

Having experienced this, it was no longer advisable to linger in the secret realm. The five quickly left the icy pool area and exited the Ice Canyon Secret Realm via the same route. Upon exiting, they did not encounter any more members of the Crimson Flame Sect, presumably because Yan Lie had been injured and retreated, or had gone elsewhere.

Two days later, the five of them returned to Huangtu City, travel-worn and exhausted.

The checkpoints at the city gate remained strict, but upon seeing Qin Yuan and his group, and especially sensing the faintly unsettling aura emanating from Qin Yuan, the disciples of the Crimson Flame Sect instinctively made way, even forgetting to collect the entrance fee.

Back at the inn, Qin Yuan summoned Chu Wuyue, Yun Qingyao, Han Bing, and Ye Guying (the latter was also found by Yun Qingyao while Qin Yuan was away) to his room. Zi Ling also rushed over upon hearing the news.

Qin Yuan took out the three Ice Heart Pills, keeping one for himself in case of emergency. He gave one to Chu Wuyue and the other to Yun Qingyao. He also distributed some pills suitable for their cultivation techniques and some mid-grade spirit stones that he had obtained from Li Qingfeng's storage bag to Han Bing, Ye Guying, and Zi Ling.

"Junior Brother Qin, this is too precious!" Chu Wuyue exclaimed excitedly, clutching the Ice Heart Pill. Fifth-grade pills were only bestowed upon core disciples or elders of the Xuan Yuan Sect who had made significant contributions.

Yun Qingyao's usually cold eyes flickered with emotion, and she softly expressed her gratitude. Han Bing and Ye Guying were even more moved to tears. Zi Ling, not expecting to be included, repeatedly said, "Fellow Daoist Qin, this... I am unworthy of such kindness..."

"Take it. You also contributed in the secret realm," Qin Yuan said calmly. "Improve your strength as soon as possible. The battlefield is dangerous. The more strength you have, the more chances you have to survive."

Everyone nodded emphatically, about to say something, when the door was suddenly slammed open with tremendous force!

Several red-robed cultivators surged in, led by an old man with a scar on his face. His aura was clearly that of a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, even stronger than Yan Lie. He coldly surveyed the people in the room, finally fixing his gaze on Qin Yuan.

"You are Qin Yuan?"

"It's me." Qin Yuan stood up.

"I am Chi Rong, the Enforcement Elder of the Crimson Flame Sect in Huangtu City." The old man's tone was icy. "An investigation has revealed that you clashed with disciples of the Crimson Flame Sect outside, resulting in serious injury to your junior disciple Yan Lie. You are also suspected of attacking and killing fellow cultivators, violating the rules of the Hundred Sects War. Huangtu City does not welcome you. Pack your things immediately and get out of the city!"

Chu Wuyue angrily retorted, "Nonsense! It was Yan Lie who led the men to intercept and rob us; Senior Brother Qin was acting in self-defense! As for Li Qingfeng, he was the one who ambushed us first!"

Yun Qingyao also said coldly, "We entered the city, paid our share, and were protected by the city. Is this how the Crimson Flame Sect behaves?"

Chi Rong scoffed, casually tossing a storage bag on the ground—the very one Qin Yuan had paid the "entry fee" for earlier. "Here's your share back. Rules? Here, the Chi Yan Sect's word is law! Yan Lie is a direct descendant of our sect; his injuries must be addressed. Considering you didn't inflict fatal wounds, merely expelling you without further investigation is already merciful. If you don't leave, don't blame me for taking action!"

The atmosphere inside the room instantly plummeted to freezing. It was clear the other party was using this as an excuse to protect their own people.

Qin Yuan glanced at the storage bag on the ground, then at Chi Rong, whose expression was unfriendly, and the several Nascent Soul stage enforcement disciples behind him. A direct confrontation, even if victorious, would inevitably expose more of his strength and completely sever ties with the Crimson Flame Sect, leading to endless troubles in this area controlled by the sect.

He bent down, picked up the storage bag, put it in his pocket, and said to Chu Wuyue and the others, "Pack your things, let's go."