25: Lin Dongliu was executed, and Qingmeng became famous.

As the faint light of the relic's exit pierced through the darkness, Lin Yang had already hidden the ice soul pearl in his embrace. Liu Qingluan and Liu Hongluan followed closely behind, the short daggers in their hands still stained with the moss from the stone wall, clearly still shaken by the Restriction they had just encountered. In the clearing outside the cave entrance, Bai Wanqing leaned against an ancient pine tree, her plain white skirt gently fluttering in the mountain breeze. Seeing Lin Yang emerge, a faint ripple appeared in her clear, cold eyes.

“It took quite some time inside.” Her fingertip brushed the crescent moon token at her waist. “The White Cloud Sect set up an ambush three li outside the exit. The leader is Elder Zhao’s son, Zhao Lei, who is at the Houtian Ninth Layer cultivation, and he brought Lin Dongliu and five Core Disciples.”

Lin Yang raised an eyebrow. As expected, the chaos star core sent a faint pre-warning; the malice was even stronger than that of the Black Wind Stockade before. “They are certainly eager to die.” He turned to the twins. “You two go with Miss Bai to the camp first, I’ll be back soon.”

Liu Qingluan, however, pressed down on his wrist, fine sweat seeping from her palm. “Young Master, we can help you! Earlier by the cold pond, I discovered that my sister can communicate with plants and trees, perhaps she can divert some of their personnel.” Liu Hongluan nodded vigorously and pulled out a handful of collected “Soul-Bewitching Grass” from her embrace, which was precisely the medicinal herb Lin Yang had taught them to identify.

Seeing this, Bai Wanqing handed Lin Yang a jade talisman. “Crush this talisman, and I will bring people to reinforce you. Although Zhao Lei is only at the Houtian Ninth Layer, the White Cloud Sect’s ‘Startling Thunder Art’ is overbearing; you must be careful of his True Essence explosion.”

Lin Yang took the jade talisman, turned, and plunged into the dense forest. Following Bai Wanqing's guidance, he deliberately slowed down, leaving behind a faint, elusive aura to lure the ambushers. Half an hour later, a rugged, rocky valley appeared ahead, filled with a faint, pungent smell—it was Qingmeng Mountain’s famous “Vicious Beast Valley,” where dozens of Vicious Beasts above the Houtian Eighth Layer resided, and even a Gang Qi Realm “One-Eyed Giant Ape.”

“This is the place.” A cold arc played on Lin Yang's lips as he quietly circulated his Wood Element True Essence. The vines at the valley entrance suddenly grew wildly, blocking the retreat path, while he hid behind a giant rock, waiting for his prey to arrive.

“Lin Yang! You can’t escape!”

Lin Dongliu’s shouts pierced through the leaves. Zhao Lei, accompanied by five White Cloud Sect Disciples, pursued him, all of them exuding solid Qi, clearly skilled individuals above the Houtian Eighth Layer. Zhao Lei was burly, holding a broad-backed saber, its blade emitting a bluish-purple lightning glow, characteristic of the White Cloud Sect’s Sect-protecting Cultivation Technique, the “Startling Thunder Art.”

“Hand over the treasures you obtained in the relic, and cripple your own cultivation, and perhaps we can leave your corpse intact.” Zhao Lei’s voice carried arrogance; he didn't even put the Xiantian Second Layer Lin Yang in his eyes. “My father has already negotiated with Elder Lin Hongfeng; as long as we get the Chaos Supreme Treasure, your Lin family’s position will be ours sooner or later.”

Lin Dongliu fanned the flames from the side: “Senior Brother Zhao, stop wasting words with him! The treasures on this kid allowed him to transform from a good-for-nothing to the Xiantian Realm within a month; he must be hiding a great secret!”

Lin Yang slowly walked out from behind the giant rock, his gaze sweeping over everyone. “The treasures are on me; if you have the ability, come and get them.” He deliberately opened his robe, revealing the Kindling Knife at his waist, but completely concealed the aura of the ice soul pearl.

“Courting death!” Zhao Lei roared, and his broad-backed saber, imbued with bluish-purple lightning, slashed down. Before the saber wind even arrived, a scorched gully had already been cut into the ground. Lin Yang did not retreat but advanced, dark yellow Earth Element True Essence suddenly surged from beneath his feet, and three earthen walls rose from the ground, separating Zhao Lei from the others.

“Trap them!” Lin Yang shouted to Liu Qingluan, who was hidden in the shadows.

The sisters had already circled into the valley. Liu Hongluan crushed the Soul-Bewitching Grass and scattered it into the air, the greenish powder drifting with the wind towards the White Cloud Sect Disciples; Liu Qingluan, meanwhile, circulated her Wood Element True Essence, activating the poisonous vines in the valley to entangle them, instantly wrapping up most of the five Disciples.

“Roar—!”

A deafening roar came from deep within the Vicious Beast Valley; Zhao Lei’s Startling Thunder Art had clearly alerted the Vicious Beasts inside. A dozen red-eyed wolves charged out first, pouncing madly upon seeing the crowd, and the White Cloud Sect Disciples immediately fell into chaos.

Zhao Lei was furious at the sight, his saber strikes becoming even fiercer, actually cleaving through the earthen wall. But just as he approached within five meters of Lin Yang, the chaos star core in Lin Yang’s Sea of Consciousness suddenly erupted—a gray-gold Domain spread out with him as the center. Wherever it passed, the lightning on Zhao Lei’s saber strangely dimmed, and the circulation of his True Essence became incredibly sluggish!

“What in the world is this?!” Zhao Lei was utterly terrified, realizing that his Houtian Ninth Layer True Essence was being suppressed to the Houtian Seventh Level within this Domain.

“Chaos Domain.” Lin Yang’s voice was as cold as frost. His Metal Element Sharp Metal Sword Qi suddenly erupted, five golden sharp edges penetrating Zhao Lei’s Protective Aura True Essence, precisely striking the back of his saber.

“Clang!” The broad-backed saber flew out of his hand. Before Zhao Lei could react, Lin Yang’s fist, imbued with Chaos True Essence, slammed into his chest. This punch condensed the power of the Five Elements: Metal Element broke through defenses, Fire Element ignited, and Earth Element vibrated. Zhao Lei’s body flew backward like a kite with a broken string, crashing against the rock wall, blood mixed with fragments of internal organs spewing from his mouth.

Lin Dongliu was scared Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering. He turned to run but was enveloped by Lin Yang’s Chaos Domain. The “pseudo spirit liquid” (a forbidden drug used to forcibly boost cultivation) that Lin Hongfeng had forcefully injected into his body suddenly went out of control. His True Essence violently clashed within the Domain, causing him to roll on the ground in agony.

“Haven’t you always wanted to know how I became strong?” Lin Yang walked up to him, stepping on his chest. “It’s by a hatred you can never learn, and an Opportunity you don’t deserve to possess.”

He leaned down and pressed on Lin Dongliu's glabella. The chaos star core frantically devoured the turbulent pseudo spirit liquid energy. Although this energy was impure, under the refinement of the star core, it forcefully broke open three acupuncture points in Lin Yang's body! The Innate Third-Layer barrier shattered instantly, and the gray-gold Chaos True Essence surged within his body, even more condensed and overbearing than before.

“No… spare me…” Lin Dongliu’s consciousness blurred as his energy drained, eventually dissipating completely.

After dealing with Zhao Lei and the remaining Disciples, Lin Yang looked at the chaotic Vicious Beast Valley and said to Liu Qingluan and Liu Hongluan, who had rushed over, “Let’s go, it’s time to return.”

When Lin Yang appeared at the Azure Dragon Camp with Lin Dongliu’s corpse, the entire camp erupted in a frenzy. The White Cloud Sect Disciples were enraged but were blocked by Su Qingyue and her people—she publicly presented evidence of Zhao Lei’s collusion with Lin Hongfeng, including their secret transaction letters.

“Young Master Lin Yang’s counter-killing of the ambushers in the Vicious Beast Valley was an act of self-defense.” Su Qingyue’s voice echoed throughout the camp. “The Star Moon Sect guarantees that if anyone dares to provoke trouble over this, they will be an enemy of my Star Moon Sect.”

The final rankings of the Qingmeng Mountain Trial were quickly announced. Lin Yang, with his Innate Third-Layer cultivation, the feat of slaying a Gang Qi Realm Vicious Beast, and breaking ancient Restrictions, surpassed the Geniuses of various Sects to claim first place.

In a corner of the camp, Shen Shuanghua gazed at Lin Yang’s retreating figure, twirling a jade hairpin between her fingers, a profound look flashing in her eyes: “The Chaos Domain has even awakened… It seems the Trial of the Heavens will be sooner than expected.”