10: Chapter 10 The Ancient Ring Recognizes Its Master, Its Bane Soars to the Heavens

The sensation of the ring vibrating was incredibly clear, like a cold heart awakening in his embrace.

The chill was not bone-piercing; instead, it carried a peculiar sharpness that seeped through his skin, clearing his mind, which had been dazed from blood loss and exhaustion.

The encirclement of the Ghost-faced Leech was shrinking; the sticky, squirming sounds and hissing were right in his ears, and the foul, fishy stench was almost suffocating.

Lin Ye had no other choice!

He kept his left hand tightly gripping the short blade in defense, while his right hand struggled to reach into his chest, grabbing that dusty, grey ring.

It was still ice-cold to the touch, but that sharp chill was even more pronounced, and it even... faintly transmitted a weak, longing intent?

It was not language, but more like an instinctual attraction—an attraction to his blood, and to the pale golden patterns on his palm!

There was no time to hesitate!

An exceptionally thick Ghost-faced Leech, its head's ghost face almost solidified, suddenly shot up from the slime, its mouthparts wide open, lunging straight at Lin Ye's face!

Lin Ye gritted his teeth and slammed his right hand, which was holding the ring, onto the gaping wound on his left shoulder!

Warm blood instantly soaked the ring.

Hum—!!!

On the surface of the dusty ring, those tiny cloud patterns suddenly flared with a blinding silver-white light!

An aura, far sharper, more domineering, and filled with destructive keenness than before, erupted with a roar!

"Clang—!"

It was as if an invisible, peerless sword had been unsheathed!

With Lin Ye as the center, a ring of visible silver-white air waves exploded outward!

Sss, sss, sss, sss—!!!

As the air waves swept past, those approaching Ghost-faced Leech, whether they were launching through the air or squirming on the ground, were all shredded as if by invisible blades, instantly bursting into countless foul, green, fleshy bits!

Even the thick layer of viscous, gelatinous substance on the ground was forcefully scraped away by the air waves, revealing the black rock beneath!

The ring's light lasted for a full three breaths before slowly fading.

Inside the cave, it was deathly silent.

All the Ghost-faced Leech, along with their "carpet," had been cleared away in a large area.

The few remaining ones trembled in the slime in the distance, not daring to approach again.

Lin Ye knelt on one knee, his right hand gripping the ring, which had changed its appearance, tightly, breathing heavily.

The ring was no longer dusty but had turned a somber, dark silver; the cloud patterns had become flowing, fine lines that resembled Sword Qi, and it felt cool and gentle to the touch.

Even more miraculously, his burning wound on his shoulder, after the ring's light swept over it and it was stained with his blood, felt a wave of coolness; the pain was greatly relieved, and the bleeding had stopped.

At the same time, a large amount of information fragments flooded into his mind along the Bloodline connection that had not yet been completely severed.

[ancient ring: Nameless (Damaged)]

[Former Owner: Sword Cultivator · Outer Sect Deacon Zhou Yuan (Early Stage Foundation Establishment)]

[Characteristics: Contains one strand of 'Ancient Ring Sword Qi' (condensed from Outer Sect Deacon Zhou Yuan's lifelong Sword Intent and Evil Qi, only one strike's worth remained, now consumed). After recognizing a master, it can slowly absorb metal Evil Qi or the host's Killing Intent to nourish and recover.]

[Attached Tiny Space: Half a foot square (remnant after the original storage space collapsed).]

[Status: Initial Master Recognition (triggered by blood). Can slowly nourish the host's Physical Body (especially sword wounds, metal injuries) and enhance sensitivity to metal Evil Qi.]

The information was not much, but it was shocking enough.

This inconspicuous ring was actually a life-saving trump card refined by Outer Sect Deacon Zhou Yuan using his own Sword Intent and Evil Qi!

Although only one strike remained, it had saved his life!

Moreover, after recognizing a master, it actually had the auxiliary effect of nourishing the Physical Body and enhancing sensitivity?

No wonder the wound felt much better.

"Senior Outer Sect Deacon Zhou Yuan... thank you."

Lin Ye said in a low voice to the white skeleton.

This time, it was sincere.

He carefully put the ring on his left index finger, and the size automatically adjusted to fit.

The dark silver ring was not conspicuous, but the moment he put it on, he could faintly feel a certain "sharp" aura drifting in the air—was it metal Evil Qi? Or the scent of this underground mineral vein?

He had no time to carefully contemplate it.

The crisis was only temporarily resolved; those scarlet eyes in the slime in the distance were still flickering.

He had to leave immediately!

With the short blade in his left hand and his right hand supporting himself against the rock wall, he climbed onto that stalagmite bridge again.

This time, the leeches in the slime just shrank back in fear and dared not attack again.

Safely climbing back to the entrance of the passage, Lin Ye turned his head to take one last look at the cave.

Outer Sect Deacon Zhou Yuan's white skeleton sat cross-legged quietly, as if it had completed its final mission.

He did not linger, turned around, and stumbled toward the depths of the passage.

The most urgent task was to find a relatively safe place to treat his injuries, count his gains, and then... think about the next step.

Walking deep along the passage for about the time it takes to burn an incense stick, the passage became a bit drier, and a small, recessed stone niche that could barely fit a person appeared.

Lin Ye crawled in and breathed a sigh of relief for the moment.

He first checked his injuries.

The penetrating wound on his shoulder, under the dual effect of the fire flame pill and the ring, had stopped bleeding and scabbed over, and the pain was greatly reduced, but the damage to his internal Meridians and the weakness caused by blood loss still needed time to recover.

Then, he began to count the most important gain—Outer Sect Deacon Zhou Yuan's Storage Pouch.

His consciousness sank into it.

He first focused on the Spirit Stone.

Twenty-five Low-Grade Spirit Stone, faintly emitting a soft spiritual light.

This was the hard currency of the Cultivation world; it was indispensable for Cultivate, forming arrays, and trading.

The Qi Concealment Technique Jade Slip; he pressed it against his forehead and read it with weak Mental Energy.

It was an auxiliary technique for restraining aura and hiding cultivation, which could be cultivated up to the Foundation Establishment Stage, and it was extremely useful for his current situation.

He silently memorized the introductory part.

The Outer Sect Deacon Zhou Yuan Notes》 animal skin booklet; he flipped through it quickly.

Inside, it recorded some of Outer Sect Deacon Zhou Yuan's experiences as an Outer Sect Deacon, his insights on Cultivate, and... sporadic records about Chen Mo!

"Chen Mo, a Disciple of the Inner Sect Danxia Peak, appears gentle on the surface, but is actually deep and calculating. In recent years, he has often been active in the underground river area behind the mountain, and his whereabouts are mysterious."

"He once secretly asked me for information about the 'mystic yin true water', and I brushed him off by claiming ignorance; he seemed dissatisfied."

"This person's background is complex; he is suspected of having ties to an Elder in the Sect, and ordinary Disciple avoid him."

The notes confirmed Lin Ye's guess.

Chen Mo was indeed plotting for the mystic yin true water, and his background was not simple.

Finally, he looked at those few unknown Ore.

Grey-black, heavy, with natural fine patterns on the surface.

When his gaze fell upon them, the dark silver ring on his left index finger actually heated up slightly, transmitting a clear sense of "longing."

"Is this... Ore containing metal Evil Qi?"

Lin Ye thought thoughtfully.

According to the ring's information, it needed to absorb metal Evil Qi to recover.

He picked up a fist-sized Ore and tried to bring the Ore close to the ring, following the faint intent he had just perceived that the ring had transmitted.

Sss...

A wisp of extremely faint grey-black aura was drawn out from the surface of the Ore and merged into the ring.

The cloud patterns on the ring seemed to brighten a little bit, while the Ore in his hand became a little dimmer, and its weight became a little lighter.

It really works!

Lin Ye felt assured in his heart.

This ring might become a great help to him in the future.

After counting, he transferred the important items (Spirit Stone, Medicinal Pill, Jade Slip, notes) into the small, half-foot square space in the ring and kept them close to his body.

The Storage Pouch was hidden in his chest to avoid detection.

After doing all this, exhaustion surged in like a tide.

He took the second bigu pill, leaned against the stone wall, and activated the most rudimentary Qi-guiding method from the original owner's memory, slowly recovering his physical strength while digesting everything that had happened today.

Visualizing Opportunity... snatching the foundation establishment pill from Fatty Wang... getting involved in the feud between Zhao Hansong and Chen Mo... encountering the Black Evil's pursuit... obtaining the legacy of Outer Sect Deacon Zhou Yuan...

In just one day, he went from a servant to a "desperado" who held secrets, was involved in a conspiracy, and possessed initial resources.

The road ahead was still treacherous and unpredictable.

But at least, he had the first cornerstone to survive.

Time passed in silence.

Not knowing how much time had passed, Lin Ye was awakened by a slight vibration from the ring on his left hand.

It was not a crisis warning, but a kind of... resonant pulling sensation.

The ring seemed to have sensed something, pointing toward the deeper part of the passage.

That feeling faintly overlapped with the weak sensation in his palm's golden patterns toward the "mystic yin true water," but it was clearer, and more... sharp.

He looked down, and on the surface of the dark silver ring, the cloud patterns flowed slowly, pointing into the deep darkness.

That was the direction marked on Outer Sect Deacon Zhou Yuan's map, leading to the end of the underground river, the pool of "mystic yin true water."

And at the same time, the corner of Zhao Hansong's "blood curse secret letter" in his chest also began to heat up slightly without warning.

It was as if two different forces, because of a common goal (Chen Mo? mystic yin true water?), had produced a strange intersection at this moment.