Lu Yi saw the provocation in the blood-marked youth''s eyes and raised his eyebrow. "Who is this person?"


    A steady-looking young man at the peak of Foundation Establishment beside him replied with a serious expression, "He is Xue Tianhen, the son of the Blood Spirit Sect''s leader. It is said that he was born with a Blood Spirit Pearl, possesses extraordinary talent, and has been honing his foundation at the peak of Foundation Establishment for a long time. His strength is likely formidable."


    This young man, named Yu Ling, was the runner-up in the recent sect competition. His strength was exceptional, and his ranking in the trial rankings had already reached level 22, which meant he was capable of defeating a Golden Core stage cultivator.


    Next to them, a delicate-looking woman frowned as she looked at Xue Tianhen and said, "This person seems to have set his sights on you, Junior Brother Lu. Once we enter the Eastern Forest Ruins, he might make a move against you. You must be careful."


    This woman, named Lin Xiaoxiao, ranked third in the sect competition and was nearly as strong as Yu Ling.


    Lu Yi chuckled lightly. "I see, the bloodline heir of the Blood Spirit Sect''s leader. No wonder he''s so arrogant. I''ll be careful. Thank you, Senior Sister Lin, for the reminder."


    He recalled the atrocities committed by the Blood Spirit Sect disciples at White Cloud Sect—desolate villages and countless wandering refugees. His eyes narrowed slightly as he glanced toward the Blood Spirit Sect''s ancient ship.


    When Xue Tianhen revealed his killing intent, the other Blood Spirit Sect disciples also stared at Lu Yi with cold expressions.


    ''I will kill the Blood Spirit Sect disciples who enter the Eastern Forest Ruins,'' Lu Yi resolved silently.


    [Task]


    Kill the Blood Spirit Sect disciples who enter the Eastern Forest Ruins.


    Rewards will be based on the number of kills.


    Accept: Yes / No


    Lu Yi quietly selected "Yes" and smiled back at Xue Tianhen.


    On the distant Blood Spirit Sect ship, Xue Tianhen noticed Lu Yi''s boldness in smiling back at him. He grinned, revealing sharp white teeth. "What a fool who doesn''t fear death..."


    A seductive woman beside him giggled. "Why bother getting angry with someone who is destined to die, Brother Tianhen?"


    "Exactly. So what if he triggered heavenly tribulation while still in the Qi Refining stage? He only broke through to Foundation Establishment a year ago. Instead of staying in his sect to cultivate properly, he dares to come out and court death."


    An elderly Blood Spirit Sect elder beside them gazed deeply at Lu Yi and slowly said, "This boy''s talent is extraordinary. If we let him grow, he will become a great enemy of our Blood Spirit Sect. Your primary mission in the Eastern Forest Ruins is to eliminate him. Even if it means sacrificing some opportunities, it is worth it. Whoever kills him will be greatly rewarded by the sect."


    The Foundation Establishment disciples of the Blood Spirit Sect had gleaming eyes and were eager to act. "Yes!"


    While tension built between the factions, a piercing cry echoed through the heavens. A powerful aura spread, causing everyone, including Lu Yi, to look over.


    In the distance, a massive black serpent, hundreds of meters long, with dark wings spread wide, flew toward them. On the serpent''s back stood several cultivators with grim expressions, exuding an intimidating presence.


    "That''s the Black Jade Serpent! The disciples of the Heaven Serpent Sect are here too."


    "As expected of the Heaven Serpent Sect. Judging by the Black Jade Serpent''s aura, it has already reached the Nascent Soul Realm. They''ve actually tamed it as a mount."


    "Does the Heaven Serpent Sect have any strong disciples? Can they compete with the Blood Spirit Sect, White Cloud Sect, and Cold Winter Valley?"


    "The Heaven Serpent Sect has always kept a low profile, but they are not weak. This generation''s disciples may include hidden talents."


    As the crowd discussed, colorful light beams lit up the sky. A magnificent flower boat approached swiftly.


    "It''s the Myriad Flower Sect!"


    Many cultivators looked toward the flower boat with anticipation.


    The Myriad Flower Sect was the only sect in Green Province that consisted entirely of female cultivators. With beautiful women everywhere, many male cultivators took pride in marrying a disciple of the Myriad Flower Sect.


    The flower boat soon arrived, carrying a group of graceful female cultivators. Leading them was a stunning woman in a green dress, whose aura was both profound and commanding.


    On the White Cloud Sect''s ancient ship, the disciples also took notice of the flower boat.


    Yu Ling looked at the beautiful woman and said, "That woman in green is Yun Xi. She is rumored to have the Myriad Flower Spirit Physique and possesses extraordinary strength."


    A Foundation Establishment disciple beside him chuckled. "Regardless of her strength, Yun Xi is certainly breathtakingly beautiful."


    Many disciples exchanged knowing smiles.


    Even Lu Yi acknowledged Yun Xi''s beauty, though he felt no particular emotions.


    ''Senior Sister Liu Ningshuang and Junior Sister Donggong Mingyue are both stunning beauties. My standards have already been raised by them. No matter how beautiful Yun Xi is, she doesn''t affect me,'' Lu Yi thought.


    Nevertheless, Lu Yi could sense that Yun Xi''s strength was impressive, with immense power hidden within her.


    After the arrival of the Myriad Flower Sect and the Heaven Serpent Sect, the elders on the serpent and flower boat flew toward the three elders of the White Cloud Sect.


    They were also Nascent Soul Realm cultivators, with immense strength.


    "So it''s Fellow Daoist Du Qin and Fellow Daoist Mie Yue," Elder Dong Yu greeted with a smile.


    Du Qin was an elderly woman from the Myriad Flower Sect, and Mie Yue was a gaunt old man from the Heaven Serpent Sect.


    Now, all five sects had assembled.


    Before long, Lu Yi noticed the killing aura on the scorched earth intensify. Blood fiend energy surged, causing a faint sense of rage to stir in people''s hearts.


    This was the influence of the blood fiend energy.


    Lu Yi circulated his spiritual power, quickly suppressing the feeling. He looked in surprise toward a nearby hill.


    Thick blood fiend energy had gathered into a dense mist.


    "What is that?" many disciples exclaimed.


    An elder explained, "The time has come. When the killing aura reaches its peak, the spatial barrier of the Eastern Forest Ruins will be at its weakest. The gate can now be opened."


    As the elder finished speaking, the five Nascent Soul cultivators rose into the air and stood before the blood mist.


    Mie Yue shouted, "Let us join forces to open the gate to the ruins!"


    "Begin!"


    Spiritual power surged as the five elders unleashed powerful techniques, causing the surrounding space to tremble.


    The killing aura resonated with their power, making the scorched earth feel alive. Ancient silhouettes from a distant era appeared across the land—both human and demon—filling the air with deafening war cries, as if their murderous intent had traversed time to reach this moment.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    Lu Yi stared at the ancient figures, wide-eyed and amazed.


    ''To think the killing intent of this battlefield has lingered for so long and can still be awakened. Just how powerful were the cultivators who fought here?'' he marveled.


    The Nascent Soul elders were prepared. They combined their techniques into a single strike, shattering the blood mist.


    Boom!


    A black void formed where the mist had been, its depths obscured, sending chills down the spines of those who looked.


    A few rogue cultivators immediately rushed toward the void, but a powerful force crushed them into blood mist before they could enter.


    The remaining rogues froze in fear.


    Mie Yue spoke coldly. "This ruin was discovered by the five sects. Our disciples enter first. The rest of you will wait for your turn. Five sect disciples, what are you waiting for? Enter now!"


    On the White Cloud Sect''s ancient ship, Jiang Fan turned to Lu Yi with a smile. "Senior Brother, let''s go."


    Lu Yi nodded slightly. Twenty White Cloud Sect disciples flew toward the dark void on their swords.


    Disciples from the other four sects quickly followed suit, disappearing into the ruins.


    Lu Yi stepped through the entrance and immediately felt the world spin. Space twisted, leaving him disoriented. The surroundings fell into complete silence and darkness, as if the other cultivators who entered with him had vanished. Only an endless void remained.


    Moments later, light returned to his vision, and his feet felt solid ground beneath them.


    Lu Yi surveyed his surroundings and found himself in a dense forest. Towering ancient trees surrounded him, their bark weathered and aged, with patches of moss clinging to them.


    Looking up, Lu Yi saw the sky through the gaps in the foliage. It was a dark red hue, devoid of sun or moon, as though it had been soaked in blood.


    ''I''ve entered the ancient site,'' Lu Yi thought, feeling his heart settle. Based on his research, the sky in the Eastern Forest Ruins was always like this—a crimson expanse without sun, moon, or stars, only eternal red.


    This small world was essentially a fragment of space, so it naturally lacked celestial bodies.


    Lu Yi glanced at his status panel and saw that the mission to enter the Eastern Forest Ruins was marked as complete. With no more doubts lingering, he allowed himself a faint smile.


    "Thirty drops of ten-thousand-year spiritual milk, effortlessly obtained."


    Now, all he had to do was explore the area and test his luck.


    To be honest, Lu Yi did not have high expectations for fortune within the ruins. He was more interested in finding tasks to complete, as task rewards often surpassed the opportunities hidden within the ruins.


    Of course, he also had another objective—to find and eliminate disciples of the Blood Spirit Sect. Lu Yi had not forgotten his mission to hunt them down.


    While Lu Yi pondered his next steps, a sudden, menacing growl came from behind him.


    Turning around, he saw a massive beast, about the size of an elephant, covered in black armor-like scales. Its crimson eyes locked onto him, radiating murderous intent.


    The beasts in the Eastern Forest Ruins had been soaked in killing aura for countless years, making them exceptionally aggressive.


    Lu Yi remained calm. ''A Foundation Establishment Stage Level Eight beast, not particularly strong.''


    He muttered to himself, ''I need to kill this beast.''


    [Task]


    Kill a Level Eight Foundation Establishment beast.


    Reward: 8 drops of Savage Beast Blood Essence, 8 drops of ten-thousand-year spiritual milk.


    Accept? Yes/No


    Seeing the mission details, Lu Yi was momentarily stunned, surprised by the generous rewards.


    ''Isn''t this reward a bit too extravagant?!''


    Lu Yi had hunted Foundation Establishment beasts before in the Myriad Beast Mountain Range, but the rewards had only been thousand-year spiritual milk.


    And now? It was offering ten-thousand-year spiritual milk—and eight drops at that.


    Not to mention, it also included Savage Beast Blood Essence.


    Savage Beasts were incredibly powerful creatures. Their blood essence was a natural treasure for body refinement, making it perfect for tempering the body.


    If refined into pills, the effects would be even more potent.


    Lu Yi happened to know how to refine Blood Essence Pills. With the addition of Savage Beast Blood Essence, the pills could be elevated to an even higher level.


    ''Just when I thought my resources for body refinement were lacking, this falls right into my lap?''


    Lu Yi was overjoyed and promptly accepted the mission.


    ''Coming to the Eastern Forest Ruins was the right decision. The rewards are simply too good.''


    As Lu Yi accepted the mission, the beast let out a deafening roar. Spiritual energy surged around it, mixed with a bloodthirsty aura, as it charged toward him with overwhelming momentum.


    Lu Yi was slightly impressed. Although this beast was only at Foundation Establishment Stage Level Eight, its aura alone could rival a cultivator at the peak of Foundation Establishment.


    Clearly, the beasts in the Eastern Forest Ruins had been tempered by the bloodthirsty aura for countless years. While it made them savage and mindless, it also enhanced their combat strength significantly.


    Of course, such strength was meaningless against Lu Yi.


    Without even drawing his sword, Lu Yi simply pointed a finger. A golden sword light flashed and pierced through the beast''s forehead, extinguishing its life force instantly.


    Lu Yi glanced at the beast''s corpse and, after some thought, stored it away.


    ''It might make for good grilled meat. If not, I can always throw it away later. No point wasting it.''


    Lu Yi then soared into the air, rising above the forest to get a clearer view of his surroundings.


    According to the information he had gathered, the spatial fluctuations during entry caused cultivators to appear randomly within the outskirts of the ruins.


    The inner region of the Eastern Forest Ruins was far more unstable, making it impossible to traverse.


    As for leaving the ruins, they would have to wait ten days. At that time, a spatial gate would open in a special location to the north of the outskirts, where five Nascent Soul Realm cultivators would lead them out.


    For now, there was still plenty of time, so Lu Yi decided to continue exploring.


    From the sky, he saw that he was currently above a massive forest. The forest stretched endlessly, with barren lands visible in the distance.


    This was clearly the outer region.


    Looking toward the depths of the ruins, he noticed the blood mist growing denser. At its core, the mist was so thick it appeared solid, obscuring all visibility.


    Such dense killing aura hinted at the unimaginable dangers hidden within.


    That place was the core area where the great war between the human and demon clans took place back then. It was also likely the burial ground of many powerful cultivators.


    Even after so many years, the baleful aura of blood had yet to dissipate. There were probably unimaginable dangers lurking within.


    According to the explorations of Foundation Establishment cultivators from the Five Sects who had entered the Eastern Forest Ruins over the years, the outer regions were the safest, and the deeper one ventured, the more dangerous it became.


    Not a single cultivator who ventured into the depths of the Eastern Forest Ruins had ever returned alive, including many extraordinarily talented individuals. This made numerous disciples regard the core area with fear and respect, keeping their distance.


    Lu Yi naturally would not court death.


    Although his strength was not weak, and he was quite confident in himself, he did not believe he was truly invincible. If he were to encounter some unforeseen danger inside, it would spell trouble.


    He was not lacking in resources, so there was no need to take such risks. It would be enough to explore the outer areas safely and steadily.


    Having made up his mind, Lu Yi decided to head toward the wasteland. Generally speaking, wastelands were areas where remnants of battles remained, and he might find treasures left behind by cultivators from countless years ago.


    Just as Lu Yi finalized his decision, a sharp and piercing bird cry rang out. Lu Yi turned his head and saw a giant bird covered in golden feathers streaking across the sky, flying toward the depths of the Eastern Forest Ruins.


    Even though it was far away, Lu Yi could still sense the powerful aura emanating from the bird—Golden Core peak.


    Lu Yi exhaled slowly, descending from the air.


    Only Foundation Establishment cultivators could enter from the outside, but this restriction did not apply to the native creatures of the Eastern Forest Ruins.


    Many strong cultivators speculated that extremely powerful beasts existed in the core area of the Eastern Forest Ruins.


    Shaking his head, Lu Yi stopped dwelling on it. After all, the outer area was relatively safe.


    With wisps of white clouds swirling around him, Lu Yi headed toward the wasteland.


    After breaking through to the Foundation Establishment realm, his speed had increased significantly. In just a short moment, he had traveled dozens of kilometers.


    At that moment, Lu Yi heard booming sounds in the distance and felt strong spiritual energy fluctuations.


    It was a battle between cultivators.


    Raising an eyebrow, Lu Yi moved toward the source of the commotion.


    Before long, he reached the battlefield.


    He saw six cultivators chasing down two others.


    Lu Yi recognized the two being pursued. They were senior brothers from the White Cloud Sect who had entered the ruins with him, named You Jing and Wang Chuanlu.


    At this moment, both of them were covered in blood, their auras weak. Their situation looked dire.


    What surprised Lu Yi even more was that the six pursuers included four disciples from the Heavenly Serpent Sect and two from the Blood Spirit Sect.


    Lu Yi''s strong spiritual sense and sharp memory allowed him to recognize all the cultivators from the other four sects who had entered the ruins.


    It was strange to see disciples from these two sects working together.


    Lu Yi frowned, finding the situation unreasonable.


    However, this was not the time to think about it. Lu Yi took a step forward and vanished from his spot, reappearing in front of the group.


    The two White Cloud Sect disciples who had been fleeing were stunned when they saw Lu Yi. The short-haired youth on the left, You Jing, suddenly changed his expression and shouted anxiously, "Junior Brother Lu, run! The Heavenly Serpent Sect and Blood Spirit Sect have joined forces to kill you. They are scouring the outer regions of the Eastern Forest Ruins to find you!"


    Hearing this, Lu Yi raised an eyebrow.


    The six pursuers also froze when they saw Lu Yi, but then their faces lit up with joy.


    "Lu Yi! I didn''t expect to find him so soon!"


    "What luck! Capturing him will be a great achievement!"


    "Quick, notify the others!"


    One of the Heavenly Serpent Sect disciples took out a black insect about the size of a finger, which wriggled in his hand. He opened his mouth and swallowed the insect. His face turned pale, then quickly regained color as he grinned. "I''ve already sent the message. Senior brothers are on their way. Let''s block him first and prevent his escape!"


    Seeing the group of cultivators surrounding Lu Yi, the two White Cloud Sect seniors grew even more anxious.


    "Junior Brother, why haven''t you left yet?!"


    "Run quickly, Junior Brother! If you don''t, more of them will come! Those bastards from the Heavenly Serpent Sect even brought Mother-Child Transmission Insects just to trap you!"


    Despite their serious injuries, the two senior brothers were visibly worried about Lu Yi''s safety. This warmed Lu Yi''s heart. It seemed his fellow disciples were genuinely good people.


    Lu Yi chuckled softly. "Don''t worry, Senior Brothers. It''s not a big deal."


    He had originally planned to find trouble with the Blood Spirit Sect disciples, but now it seemed he didn''t need to search for them. Fishing them out here was far more convenient.