I'll make you the furnace and the cauldron, so you can refine Yin and Yang and prove the Great

Seven days after Liu Ruoxue formed her core, she arrived at Li Hanshan's cave.

The stone door opened, revealing her in a white dress, her long hair cascading down her back, and a faint aura of coldness swirling around her. Her exquisitely beautiful face still wore that aloof, icy expression, but her eyes held something new—not tenderness, not gratitude, but a resolute determination bordering on obsession.

"I'm going to take revenge." She cut to the chase, her voice icy.

Li Hanshan sat on the stone couch, looking at her without saying a word.

Hua Nongying and Yun Shuyue exchanged a glance, neither of them interrupting. They knew Liu Ruoxue's past and what that name meant to her.

"Meng Xinghan." Liu Ruoxue's voice trembled as she uttered the name. "That beast who drained my mother's life force to death right in front of me. He's currently at the fifth level of the Golden Core stage and is an elder of the Crimson Fire Peak."

Li Hanshan nodded: "Do you need me to help?"

Liu Ruoxue shook her head, her tone firm: "No need. This is my own revenge, and I will take it personally."

Li Hanshan remained silent for a moment, then took out several items from his storage bag and placed them on the stone bed. There was a long sword, pure white, with a faint, cold light emanating from its blade; a silver-white soft armor, as thin as a cicada's wing, yet radiating a faint spiritual light; and several jade bottles containing pills for healing and restoring spiritual energy.

"This sword is called Frostbite, a fourth-grade magic weapon. I obtained it from a secret realm, but I haven't used it yet. The soft armor is also fourth-grade, capable of withstanding a full-force attack from a mid-stage Golden Core cultivator. Use the pills as you see fit." His tone was calm, as if he were talking about something insignificant.

Liu Ruoxue looked at those things, her lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but in the end she only uttered two words: "Thank you."

She did not refuse, packed her things away carefully, and turned to leave.

"Wait a minute," Li Hanshan called out to her.

Liu Ruoxue stopped walking, but did not turn around.

"Meng Xinghan is an elder of Crimson Fire Peak. If you kill him, it will cause trouble for the sect," Li Hanshan said. "But don't worry, I'll handle it. I'll deal with the Grand Elder."

Liu Ruoxue paused slightly, remained silent for a moment, and then said without turning her head, "No need. I'll handle my own affairs."

As soon as she finished speaking, she strode out of the cave, her white robes fluttering in the wind.

Hua Nongying watched her figure disappear at the end of the mountain road and sighed, "This ice block is still so stubborn."

Yun Shuyue said softly, "She has waited for this day for far too long."

Li Hanshan didn't speak, but leaned against the stone bed with his eyes closed, seemingly lost in thought.

Red Fire Peak, a cave halfway up the mountain.

Meng Xinghan sat cross-legged on the stone couch, his spiritual energy flowing around him, his aura calm and steady. He appeared to be around forty years old, with a sinister face and a perpetually cold smile playing on his lips. His cultivation at the fifth level of the Golden Core stage wasn't top-tier among the elders of Crimson Fire Peak, but it was enough to make most disciples look up to him.

Suddenly, a violent surge of spiritual energy emanated from outside the cave. He abruptly opened his eyes, extended his divine sense, and his expression changed slightly.

A white figure stood at the entrance of the cave, surrounded by a chilling aura and exuding a murderous intent.

Liu Ruoxue.

"Liu Ruoxue? What are you doing here?"

Meng Xinghan was taken aback for a moment, then laughed: "So, you want to cultivate with this elder?"

Liu Ruoxue said coldly, "Do you still remember what happened in Dongliu Village twenty years ago?"

"Dongliu Village?"

These three words were like a key, unlocking Meng Xinghan's long-sealed memories. His pupils suddenly contracted.

Twenty years ago, in Dongliu Village. On that snowy night, a mother and daughter...

The mother possessed an exceptional water-elemental root. He killed everyone in the village and, in front of the little girl, drained her life force, causing her death. The little girl huddled in the corner, her eyes wide open, silent, staring intently at him.

He would never forget those eyes.

And the eyes in front of me are exactly the same as they were twenty years ago.

"Oh, who do we have here? It's that little girl from back then." He sized Liu Ruoxue up and down, his gaze sweeping over her shapely figure, a greedy glint in his eyes. "Not bad, you've already reached the Core Formation stage. What brings you here to catch up with this elder?"

Liu Ruoxue stared at him, the hatred in her eyes almost tangible. Her hand rested on the hilt of her sword, her knuckles turning white.

"Meng Xinghan, I've come today to take your life."

Meng Xinghan scoffed, "Take my life? Little girl, you've only just formed your core, barely at the first level. What makes you think you can take my life?"

Without a word, Liu Ruoxue raised her hand and unleashed a beam of spiritual light that exploded in the air, transforming into a giant "war" character. The light was dazzling and could be seen for dozens of miles around.

A life-or-death challenge.

This is a rule of the Hehuan Sect: disciples can challenge elders to a life-or-death contest. If they win, they can take the elder's place; if they lose, they die. Although the rule exists, few people follow it because the gap between disciples and elders is too great.

But today, Liu Ruoxue used it.

Chaos erupted on Crimson Fire Peak. Countless streaks of light flew in from all directions, landing around the cave and forming a dense, dark mass. The disciples whispered among themselves, discussing the matter animatedly.

"It's Liu Ruoxue! She just formed her core and she's already challenging Elder Meng?"

"Are you crazy? A first-level Golden Core cultivator challenging a fifth-level Golden Core cultivator? Isn't that suicide?"

"You don't know, Elder Meng killed Liu Ruoxue's entire family. She's here for revenge!"

"Revenge? That's even more hopeless. The difference between the first and fifth levels of the Golden Core realm cannot be bridged by hatred."

Meng Xinghan stared at the enormous "War" character in the sky, his smile gradually fading. He fixed his gaze on Liu Ruoxue, a hint of killing intent flashing in his eyes.

"Little girl, since you're courting death, this elder will grant your wish."

He stepped out of the cave, his spiritual energy surging, and the overwhelming pressure of a fifth-level Golden Core cultivator was released, forcing the surrounding disciples to retreat.

Liu Ruoxue stood opposite him, her white robes fluttering in the wind, her expression calm. She slowly drew her Frostbite Sword, its blade gleaming with a cold light, causing the surrounding temperature to drop several degrees.

"Do it," she said coldly.

Meng Xinghan snorted coldly and made the first move. He struck out with his palm, the crimson palm print carrying a scorching wave of energy, aiming for Liu Ruoxue's chest. He used seventy percent of his strength in this strike, which he considered more than enough to deal with a mere Golden Core stage girl.

Liu Ruoxue didn't take the blow head-on. She flashed forward, using the Ice Shadow Step, transforming into a white afterimage as she swept past the palm print. The Frostbite Sword drew a chilling arc in the air, aiming straight for Meng Xinghan's throat.

Meng Xinghan's expression changed slightly as he dodged the sword, but the chill from the blade still grazed his cheek, leaving a shallow bloodstain.

"Such a fast sword." He abandoned his contempt and launched an even more ferocious attack. Crimson palm prints were unleashed one after another, pouring down on Liu Ruoxue like a torrential rain.

Liu Ruoxue dodged left and right, her figure weaving through the palm prints with astonishing speed. Her Ice Shadow Step was taught to her by Li Hanshan, and combined with the extremely cold yin energy within her body, each step she took carried a bone-chilling coldness, greatly reducing the power of Meng Xinghan's palm prints.

"The Yin Body... truly formidable." A glint of greed flashed in Meng Xinghan's eyes. "If I could take you, breaking through to the late Golden Core stage wouldn't be a problem for this elder."

Upon hearing the word "Cai," Liu Ruoxue's killing intent intensified. She bit her tongue, spitting out a mouthful of blood essence, which merged into the Frost Sword, causing the sword's cold light to surge dramatically.

"A thousand miles frozen over!"

With a single slash, she unleashed a torrent of icy energy from her sword, which surged forth as a white flood, sweeping towards Meng Xinghan. Wherever the icy energy passed, the air froze into ice, and the stone slabs on the ground cracked with a series of sharp, creaking sounds.

Meng Xinghan's expression changed drastically, and he hurriedly summoned a crimson shield to block in front of him. However, the cold air was too domineering, and the flames on the shield quickly dimmed under the corrosive influence of the cold air, becoming covered with cracks.

"break!"

With a cold shout, Liu Ruoxue released the Frost Sword, which transformed into a white streak of light that pierced through the shield and aimed straight for Meng Xinghan's heart.

Meng Xinghan couldn't dodge in time and was pierced through the right shoulder by a sword. Blood gushed out, and he was thrown backward, crashing heavily into the stone wall of the cave, creating a large crater.

"How is this possible!" Meng Xinghan struggled to his feet, his face filled with disbelief. He, a dignified fifth-level Golden Core cultivator, had actually been injured by a mere first-level Golden Core girl?

The surrounding disciples were also stunned.

"Senior Sister Liu won?"

"Elder Meng is no match for him!"

"The Extreme Yin Body is too powerful; even at the first level of the Golden Core stage, one can fight opponents of higher levels!"

Liu Ruoxue gave him no chance to catch his breath. She flashed and appeared in front of Meng Xinghan, her Frost Sword pressed against his throat, the cold air clinging to the tip of the sword freezing his skin purple.

"Do you have any last words?" Her voice was cold and devoid of any emotion.

Meng Xinghan opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but found himself unable to utter a word. Looking into Liu Ruoxue's cold eyes, he finally realized that this little girl really wanted to kill him.

Just then, an old and majestic voice came from the sky.

"stop!"

A powerful pressure, typical of Nascent Soul level cultivators, swept down from the sky, forcing Liu Ruoxue to take several steps back. A figure in cyan descended from the sky and landed in front of him.

Grand Elder.

He stood with his hands behind his back, his aged face full of gloom. His gaze swept over Liu Ruoxue and then landed on Meng Xinghan, his brows furrowed.

"Fellow disciples killing each other, what kind of behavior is this!" The Grand Elder's voice boomed like thunder, echoing across Crimson Fire Peak. "Liu Ruoxue, you have already won, why the need to drive us to such a desperate act?"

Liu Ruoxue looked at him coldly: "A life-or-death challenge, if it doesn't determine life or death, how can there be a winner or loser?"

The First Elder's face darkened: "Insolence! I've said enough, and that's it. Meng Xinghan is an elder of Crimson Fire Peak; how can she be so easily killed by a mere girl who has just formed her core?"

He raised his hand and unleashed a beam of spiritual light, lifting Meng Xinghan from the ground and shielding him behind him. The meaning was clear—he was protecting this person.

Liu Ruoxue's hand gripping the sword bulged with veins, and the hatred in her eyes seemed to pierce the sky. She knew the Grand Elder's strength—a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator—something she couldn't contend with. But she couldn't simply let Meng Xinghan go.

Just then, another voice came from afar.

"The Grand Elder is quite imposing."

A streak of purple-gold light streaked across the sky and landed beside Liu Ruoxue. The light dissipated, revealing Li Hanshan's figure.

His expression was calm, his gaze fixed on the Grand Elder, and a faint smile played on his lips.

"A life-or-death challenge is a rule of the sect. Liu Ruoxue, at the first level of the Golden Core stage, challenged Elder Meng, at the fifth level, and won. According to the rules, she has the right to decide his life or death. Is the Grand Elder trying to break the sect rules by interfering?"

The First Elder's face darkened further: "Li Hanshan, how dare you, a mere Holy Son, interfere in my affairs?"

Li Hanshan said calmly, "I'm not meddling in the Grand Elder's affairs; I'm upholding the sect rules. If the Grand Elder feels that the sect rules can be broken at will, then he might as well ask the sect leader to judge the matter."

The Grand Elder paused for a moment.

Li Hanshan continued, "Moreover, surely the Grand Elder knows what Meng Xinghan did back then? He drained a little girl's life force, causing her mother's death. Does such a person deserve to be an elder of Crimson Fire Peak?"

These words immediately caused an uproar among the surrounding disciples.

"What? Elder Meng did such a thing?"

"No wonder Senior Sister Liu wanted to kill him; I would have done the same!"

"How can someone like that be an elder? How does the sect manage people?"

The Grand Elder's face turned extremely grim. He knew about Meng Xinghan's affair, but had always turned a blind eye. After all, Golden Core elders were the backbone of the sect, and their deaths were a significant loss. But now that Li Hanshan had exposed it in public, he could no longer protect him.

"Li Hanshan, you—" The Grand Elder was about to speak when Liu Ruoxue moved.

She flashed past the spiritual light blocking Meng Xinghan's path, and the Frostbite Sword transformed into a white streak of light, piercing through Meng Xinghan's throat.

Meng Xinghan's eyes widened, and he clutched his throat with both hands, blood gushing from between his fingers. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but only made a "gurgling" sound before his body slowly collapsed to the ground, lifeless.

The elder's pupils suddenly contracted, and the pressure of his Nascent Soul level aura pressed down on Liu Ruoxue like a mountain.

Liu Ruoxue groaned, her face turned deathly pale, and she staggered, but she gritted her teeth and did not back down.

Li Hanshan stepped forward, blocking her path. His Pure Yang Meridian surged, and purplish-gold Pure Yang Flame condensed into a layer of fiery armor around him. He unleashed the full power of a ninth-level Golden Core cultivator, directly confronting the pressure from a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator.

boom!

The two forces collided in mid-air, exploding into a blinding flash of light. Li Hanshan was jolted back three steps, a trickle of blood spilling from the corner of his mouth, but he did not fall, remaining firmly standing in front of Liu Ruoxue.

"Elder, Meng Xinghan is dead. Do you want to avenge him?" Li Hanshan wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, his voice calm but carrying an undeniable sharpness.

The elder stared at him, his eyes surging with killing intent, but he hesitated to make a move.

He wasn't wary of Li Hanshan, but rather the sect leader. Li Hanshan was the sect leader's personal disciple and also a holy son. If he attacked Li Hanshan in public, he wouldn't be able to explain it to the sect leader.

Finally, the Grand Elder snorted coldly, withdrew his oppressive aura, turned around and transformed into a streak of azure light, disappearing into the horizon.

Crimson Fire Peak was deathly silent.

A moment later, a thunderous cheer erupted.

"Senior Sister Liu has taken her revenge!"

"Li Shengzi is mighty!"

"Even the Grand Elder has yielded; Holy Son Li is truly amazing!"

Liu Ruoxue stood behind Li Hanshan, watching his back, her eyes slightly red. She bit her lip, forcibly suppressing the emotions welling up inside her.

"Are you alright?" she asked coldly, her voice softer than usual.

Li Hanshan turned around, glanced at her, and shook his head: "It's nothing."

Liu Ruoxue lowered her head, remained silent for a moment, and then whispered, "Thank you."

Li Hanshan smiled and reached out to ruffle her hair—a gesture he usually only did with Xu Lingxi. Liu Ruoxue stiffened, but did not pull away.

"Go back." Li Hanshan withdrew his hand and summoned his flying sword. "You've just formed your core, and your foundation isn't stable yet. Go back and consolidate it properly."

Liu Ruoxue nodded and followed him onto the flying sword. The two transformed into two streaks of light, one purple and one white, and flew towards the main peak.

Behind them, the disciples on Crimson Fire Peak were still buzzing with discussion. What had happened today would give them plenty to talk about for a long time.

Liu Ruoxue's successful revenge and Li Shengzi's direct confrontation with the Grand Elder—these two events combined further enhanced Li Hanshan's reputation within the Hehuan Sect. Those previously hesitant enchantresses were now even more determined to curry favor with him.

Of course, this is something.