3: Devouring demon cores, breaking through realms one after another.

Before the morning mist of Qingshi Town had fully dissipated, Lin Yang stepped through the dew and arrived at the Hundred Herbs Hall in the center of the town. This three-courtyard pharmacy was the town's oldest establishment. The ebony plaque hanging above the entrance was polished bright by time, and the three golden characters "Hundred Herbs Hall" shone with a gentle luster in the morning light.

As soon as he pushed open the carved wooden door, a rich medicinal fragrance assailed him. Inside the hall, the floor was paved with blue bricks, and shelves reached the rafters on both sides, packed with neatly bundled medicinal herbs—golden goji berries hung like waterfalls, dark Shouwu roots gleamed with oil, and bundles of centuries-old wild ginseng tied with red silk swayed slightly in the ventilation. A dozen or so medicine cabinets were arranged in two rows, each drawer labeled with the name of the medicine written in tiny script, and apprentices moved between them, the clanging of copper scales weighing medicine rising and falling.

There were quite a few customers inside. Three or five Martial Artists wearing short, tight-fitting clothes were haggling in the corner, while near the long table by the window sat several young people dressed in moon-white Daoist robes. Their cuffs were embroidered with dark sword patterns, and they wore standard longswords at their waists. Even sitting casually, they exuded a chilling sharpness—they were Disciples of the nearby Xuantian Sword Sect.

Lin Yang tucked the hem of his washed-out coarse cloth gown and lowered his head, blending into the crowd. He could feel the occasional glances from those Sect Disciples, filled with an inherent sense of superiority, as if they were observing a bunch of worthless commoners.

"What are you looking for, customer?" A goat-bearded attendant leaned against the counter, fiddling with a copper abacus, not even raising his eyelids. Seeing Lin Yang's shabby attire, a faint sneer hung on the corner of his mouth as he spoke; he clearly didn't treat this poor boy as someone who could afford anything good.

Lin Yang clenched the silver note hidden in his sleeve with his fingertips and spoke calmly, "I need one fire attribute demon core each, from Second Rank to Sixth Rank."

"Huh?" The attendant's abacus clattered onto the counter. He straightened up and scrutinized Lin Yang. Seeing that although the youth's clothes were ordinary, his eyes were clear and steady, not joking, he curled his lip and turned to the back hall. A moment later, he emerged holding a wooden tray lined with red velvet, containing five demon cores: the Second Rank one was pigeon-egg size and completely crimson; the Third Rank one was fist-sized, with fine flame patterns appearing on its surface; the demon cores of Fourth Rank and above radiated a scorching aura, and the Sixth Rank one, which was the size of a baby's fist, was so red it was almost black, with faint streams of light rotating within it.

"Second Rank, three taels. Third Rank, five taels. Fourth Rank, ten taels. Fifth Rank, twenty taels. Sixth Rank, forty taels." The attendant tapped the wooden tray with his fingernail. "That's seventy-eight taels in total. Since you're serious about buying, I'll waive the change. Just give me seventy-eight taels."

Lin Yang pulled out the one hundred tael silver note from his bosom. After the attendant verified the note's watermark, he grudgingly returned twenty-two taels of silver, his gaze now containing a hint of complexity—this poor boy actually had that much money.

Lin Yang carefully wrapped the demon cores in oilcloth, tucked them into a close-fitting cloth bag in his chest, and quickly turned to leave. Just as he was about to step out the door, his peripheral vision caught a white-robed man by the window retracting his gaze.

The man was about twenty years old, his posture as tall and straight as an evergreen pine and sturdy bamboo. The longsword slung across his back was wrapped in a dark-patterned sharkskin sheath, and the pigeon's blood ruby inlaid on the hilt shimmered with a deep luster in the light. His skin was like cold jade, his brows swept up toward his temples as if meticulously drawn with an ink brush, yet his sharp, hawk-like eyes were as keen as a sword. At this moment, they were scanning the crowd with a hint of casual scrutiny. When his gaze met Lin Yang's, his brow slightly raised, and a barely noticeable trace of interest flashed in his eyes. He was clearly intrigued by the youth who had purchased a Sixth Rank demon core.

Lin Yang's heart suddenly froze. This man's aura was profound and deep, far surpassing ordinary Martial Artists. The circulation of True Essence within his body seemed to hide rumbling thunder, surging through his Meridians like a long river. He instantly recognized the sword pattern emblem on the man's lapel—it was Ling Feihong, the leading figure of the younger generation of the Xuantian Sword Sect. Rumor had it that this young man had condensed a Sword Embryo at the age of fifteen with astonishing talent, possessing a pure and flawless Sword Heart. His "Flying Swan Sword Technique" was even more masterful, having defeated seven Inner Sect Senior Brothers consecutively during the Sect Grand Competition under the gaze of thousands. When his sword was drawn, it was like a startled swan soaring through the sky, and to this day, no one could break his sword momentum.

Lin Yang lowered his head without changing his expression and quickened his pace, disappearing around the street corner. He knew that in this world where strength was revered, showing off wealth often came with danger, especially in front of these arrogant Sect Disciples.

Returning to the small rented courtyard, Lin Yang bolted the wooden gate from the inside and secured it with a wooden stick. This small courtyard only cost fifty Wen per month. The walls were plastered with yellow mud, and clumps of weeds grew in the corners, but its advantage was that it was remote and quiet.

He sat cross-legged on the bed and pulled out the Second Rank demon core from his bosom. It felt warm to the touch, as if he were holding a branding iron. Faintly, the roaring intent of a Vicious Beast came from within the demon core—it was the core of a Scarlet Flame Wolf, containing its lifelong cultivation.

Taking a deep breath, Lin Yang calmed his mind and quietly circulated the Chaos Swallowing Heaven Art. In his Sea of Consciousness, the gray chaos star core suddenly lit up, like a star that had been dormant for billions of years suddenly awakening.

Buzz—

A low hum sounded within his body, and an invisible vortex seemed to appear in his palm. The red light on the surface of the demon core instantly turned violent, and countless crimson energy threads were forcefully extracted, drilling into Lin Yang's Meridians like swimming snakes!

"Hah!" Lin Yang grunted. He felt a scorching torrent flood his body, and wherever it passed, his Meridians seemed to be burning. This energy was far more overbearing than the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi, and it was wrapped in the Scarlet Flame Wolf's ferocious killing intent from before its death, impacting his Sea of Consciousness like a physical entity, attempting to devour his will.

Just then, the chaos star core gently trembled. A gray halo spread out from the core. Wherever it passed, the ferocious killing intent melted away like ice and snow meeting the scorching sun. The violent energy torrent was enveloped by the halo, instantly becoming docile, and, guided by the Chaos Swallowing Heaven Art, surged along specific Meridian pathways.

The True Essence within his Dantian, which had originally been like a trickling stream, surged dramatically after being injected with this energy, increasing at a visible rate!

Acquired Third Layer Middle Stage!

Acquired Third Layer Late Stage!

Acquired Third Layer Peak!

Half an hour later, Lin Yang suddenly opened his eyes, a sharp glint flashing within them. The Second Rank demon core in his palm had turned grayish-white, and a gentle squeeze turned it into dust. He clenched his fist, clearly feeling the increase in his strength. A wooden table leg that previously required three-tenths of his strength to snap could now be crushed effortlessly.

"This speed..." A storm raged in Lin Yang's heart. An ordinary Martial Artist would require at least three months of arduous Cultivation to go from the Acquired Second Layer to the Third Layer, yet he had easily achieved a Breakthrough with just one Second Rank demon core. The dominance of the Chaos Swallowing Heaven Art far surpassed imagination!

Without hesitation, he picked up the Third Rank demon core. This time, the suction power of the chaos star core was even stronger. The energy pouring out of the demon core was like a bursting flood, causing a slight tingling pain in his Meridians. But as the core spun faster, the energy was rapidly purified, transforming into even purer True Essence.

The True Essence within his Dantian became increasingly solid, like a rolling sea of clouds. When the last trace of energy was refined, Lin Yang felt a faint "crack" sound inside his body, as if an invisible barrier had shattered. A powerful force surged from the depths of his bones, filling his limbs and body with explosive strength!

Acquired Fourth Layer! Tiger Strength Realm!

He suddenly stood up and punched the old locust tree in the courtyard. With a dull "thud," the bowl-thick trunk was actually dented, and the bark peeled off. Lin Yang himself was stunned—the power of the Tiger Strength Realm was terrifying; that punch contained at least a thousand Jin of force!

Not only that, but his senses also became incredibly sharp. He could hear children laughing a hundred meters away, smell the cooking fumes from his neighbor's stir-fry, and even clearly see the wings of insects flying in the air. This was the Tiger Strength Realm, the mark of a Martial Artist shedding their mortal body and truly stepping onto the path of cultivation!

After the excitement subsided, Lin Yang picked up the Sixth Rank demon core. The moment he grasped it, a scorching aura rushed toward him. It was as if a sleeping giant beast was Sealed within the demon core, radiating a heart-pounding pressure. He attempted to circulate his Cultivation Technique, but found that as soon as the suction force of the chaos star core touched the demon core, the energy inside became violently unstable, causing needle-like pain in his Meridians.

"No good!" Lin Yang immediately put down the demon core, cold sweat beading on his forehead. "A Sixth Rank demon core is equivalent to the entire cultivation base of an Acquired Sixth Layer Martial Artist. With my current Meridian strength, forcibly absorbing it would only lead to my body exploding and death!"

He forced himself to calm down and picked up the Fourth Rank demon core to continue Cultivating.

Time passed in the monotonous Cultivation. The sun outside the window rose and set; the demon cores in the woodshed decreased one by one, transforming into the increasingly profound True Essence within Lin Yang's body. When hungry, he chewed on some dry rations; when thirsty, he drank a ladle of well water. He barely closed his eyes for three days and three nights.

When the last Fifth Rank demon core turned to dust, Lin Yang slowly exhaled a mouthful of turbid Qi. The crimson True Essence swirling around his body receded like a tide. He inwardly observed his Dantian, where the True Essence had already condensed into a liquid, like revolving reddish-gold magma.

Acquired Fourth Layer Peak!

Only one step away from the Acquired Fifth Layer!

Breaking through three Realms in just a few days—such speed was enough to leave all the Martial Artists in Qingshi Town dumbfounded. Lin Yang felt the surging power within his body, his gaze falling upon the chaos star core in his Sea of Consciousness. Nourished by the energy from these demon cores, seven subtle points of light had actually appeared on the surface of the core, corresponding remotely with the seven activated Qiaoxue (Acupoints) in his body.

"What secrets does the chaos star core truly hide?" Lin Yang muttered to himself, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.